Why Is Valuable Content So Important?

It’s long been a saying on the Internet that “content is king”. But why is content so important?

Providing valuable content keeps people coming back, increases trust in you attracts links to your site. Keeping people coming back is good but the real benefits are increasing trust and attracting links. and

Increasing trust

It’s very important on the Internet to gain people’s trust. Providing valuable content shows people that you know what you are talking about.
It’s easy to have a Web site selling a product or service. When you add valuable content about that product or service it shows that you have a deeper commitment and separates you from the people that just sell boxes. This helps you to make a personal connection with your customers and become someone they want to do business with.

Attracting links

Attracting links to your site should provide you with more visitors, so more people to sell your services or products too. Not only that, but if you get links from important sites it can boost your search engine ranking.
With the rise of Twitter, Facebook and other social media, it is becoming easier to share links to great content. If you provide great content and make it easy to share with links via social media sites, you can get your article to millions of Internet users. Next time they are looking to buy your product or service, chances are they will remember your article and come to you first.

Google uses links to your site as a voting system when deciding on the order of search engine results. It’s not quite as simple as just getting lots of links to your Web site, Google uses a system called PageRank and this is what actually matters. When a site links to you it passes on part of it’s PageRank to your site. So the idea is to attract links from sites with a higher PageRank than your own. The best way to get links from these high ranking sites is by having high quality content.

What is valuable content?

So now we know why it’s important, what kind of valuable content can you provide?

The most valuable content is probably non-commercial articles related to the product or services you are selling. For example if you sell window blinds, you could write an article about how to clean window blinds. This will not directly help you to make sales, but provides something useful to existing and potential customers.

Here are some other ideas for valuable content you could provide:

• Top Ten lists
• Best of… (e.g. blogs, articles, downloads)
• Checklists
• How to…
• History of…
• Interesting statistics
• Quick tips

Source: SEM Wisdom

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How to Use Twitter to Grow Your Business!

Can Twitter actually help my business or is it a complete waste of my valuable time?
This was the very question I asked myself only a few months back.

Perhaps you’ve pondered the same?

When people I respect started singing the praises of Twitter, I decided to give it a go. At first I just didn’t get it. However, after a short while I was shocked at the level of access to high profile individuals I was able to achieve.

This article reveals how bestselling authors and business professionals use Twitter to grow their businesses and reveals ideas you can employ to achieve Twitter success.

In fact, I used Twitter (and LinkedIn) to source much of what you see here!

What is Twitter?

“Twitter is instant messaging made available to the public,” stated talk show host and author Hugh Hewitt.

I think that’s a fair starting point. I’ve heard others call Twitter a micro-blogging platform.

Here’s what you need to know. According to the State of the Twittersphere report, each day 5 to 10 thousand new people join Twitter. Current estimates of total users top out around 5 million. That’s a lot of opportunity.

Twitter allows you to post updates (called Tweets) as often as you want (and limited to 140 characters). When you follow other people on Twitter, you see their tweets. When they follow you, they see your tweets.

It’s a constant stream of communication. The good news is you can turn it on or off as often as you like. Twitter also keeps a public record of all updates, which can be mined with Twitter Search.

Why High-Profile People Use Twitter

Twitter is not just a fad. When very high profile folks begin evangelizing Twitter, it’s worth closer examination. Here’s what some of those gurus told me:

Duct Tape Marketing founder John Jantsch identified 3 BIG advantages of Twitter
(1) I get great insight when I ask questions,
(2) let’s face it, I get traffic, and
(3) people on Twitter spread my thoughts to new places.”

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com said, “We’ve found that Twitter has been a great way for us to connect on a more personal level with our employees and customers. We use it to help build our brand, not drive direct sales. It’d be like asking how does providing a telephone number for customer service translate into new business when they are mostly non-sales-related calls. In the long term, Twitter helps drive repeat customers and word of mouth, but we’re not looking to it as a way of driving immediate sales.”

Bestselling author David Meerman Scott said, “I have personally connected with hundreds of people I otherwise wouldn’t have, and I booked an interview on NPR and a big daily newspaper using Twitter.”

Copyblogger’s own Brian Clark said, “Twitter Search is an amazing way to see what people are saying about your products or services. For example, I’ll do searches for Thesis Theme and people will be asking questions about our WordPress Theme. I’ll use the reply function to answer the question, which has led to direct sales. Plus, my answer creates awareness of Thesis for others that follow me. It’s a form of constructive promotion.”

Be sure to check out this Business Week article that surveyed 18 CEOs and how they’re using Twitter to help their businesses.

Practical Ways Twitter Can Help Your Business

This is where it gets interesting. A lot of people are doing some very innovate things with Twitter. Here’s some of their stories.

The Twitter Plan

Cindy King, an international sales specialist, saw a huge boost in business inquires by implementing a strategic Twitter plan.

“Following the right people on Twitter was key. There are some people very gifted at building relationships on Twitter. As I followed these online community builders, I realized that some of them are also excellent direct response copywriters. They get their Twitter followers to take action,” said King.

“Light bulbs went off, and I spent a weekend putting together a tweet marketing plan and entered in 6 weeks worth of tweets, 5 a day, using TweetLater. I used a mindmap, created categories, varied times on tweets and used BUDurls so I could track results and improve my tweet plan the next time around. That was a month ago,” explained King.

When King finds a spare minute between projects, she logs into Twitter and watches what folks are talking about. When she Tweets, about 90 percent of the time she presents useful information and resources to her followers. The remaining tweets are surveys and questions. Following this strategy, King saw an 800 percent increase in inquiries about her business after she setup her Twitter campaign.

Getting In Front of High Profile People

B2B copywriter Terri Rylander took a much different approach. At first she was very skeptical of Twitter. “I looked at it but couldn’t figure out why people would continually send out messages about the size of a text message, unless they were a teenager. Twitter was for sending updates they said. I don’t have time for updates, and besides, who would care?” said Rylander.

She later came across a peer in her industry that was using Twitter and suggested Rylander follow her on Twitter. “That’s when I discovered Twitter as a business tool. I’ve been in my particular niche for over 10 years and know who the players are (though they don’t know me). When I checked who she was following on Twitter, there they all were! It read like a “Who’s Who” list.”

Rylander joined Twitter and began following and interacting with the people she respected. “Other than a cold call on the phone or e-mail, I would never have the chance to get my name in front of vendors, industry analysts, and industry experts. I’ve had a number of Twitter conversations that have also led to personal conversations.”

To stay top of mind with experts, she offers interesting links, responds to tweets, and posts her thoughts for conversation at least a few times a day.

Getting Traffic & Leads

Pam O’Neil, VP of Marketing at BreakingPoint said, “Twitter has all but replaced our PR agency as a large percentage of our followers are press and analysts. A writer for ZDNet wrote about us and linked to us based on something we tweeted and that resulted in a huge spike in web traffic and at least one deal with a major service provider.”

Mike Damphousse of Green Leads said, “Twitter is new to us. That said, in a few short weeks we’ve had definite increase in all sorts of traffic. Out of the normal inbound leads, the number has increased 15% and two of the inbounds are now active pipeline opportunities. We’ve found one extremely valuable partner relationship. We are also building PR relationships, although finding the contacts is a bit of a chore.”

Are you beginning to see the potential here?

A Few Tools to Help Your Twitter Experience

Twitter has a whole world of available support applications you can employ to gain the most of the service for your business. Here’s a few of my favorites:

TwitterFox: This Firefox web browser plugin allows you to view Tweets within your web browser (in a popup menu). This is very handy and eliminates the need to constantly go to Twitter.com.

TweetLater: This powerful service allows you to schedule tweets (much like you would schedule emails). Another very powerful feature is the ability to receive email digests of keyword activity in the Tweetosphere. This allows you to join a conversation or track topics and trends.

Ping.fm: If you have accounts with many services, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, this amazing site allows you to post updates across ALL of your social media sites in one single step.

Twitter for Facebook: If you are on Facebook, this application forwards your Twitter updates directly to Facebook as status updates.

And just in case you get addicted to Twitter, here’s some advice from one of the leading authorities on Twitter. Chris Brogan says, “Most people who see Twitter the first time either flat-out ‘get it,’ or they say, ‘why bother?’ Here’s what people miss. They believe one should read every single update that rolls across your screen of choice. Don’t. Just let it roll past like a stream.”

So what are you waiting for? Go check out Twitter and report back here with your experience.
Has Twitter already helped your business? If so, tell us your story.

source: Michael Stelzner

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Ten Things Social Media Can't Do!

A Healthy Reminder for Setting Expectations

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 11.02.09 @ 10:23 AM

B.L. Ochman

Amid the endless pronouncements about social media -- often shortened to "social" these days by consultants trying to sound like they know what they are talking about -- is the reality that social media is not a solution, or a sure bet.

Social media can't:

1. Substitute for marketing strategy.
   A Twitter campaign or a Facebook page that announces your weekly specials is not a marketing strategy.


2. Succeed without top management buy-in.
   Social media requires a way of thinking that includes willingness to listen to customers, make changes based on feedback and trust employees to talk to customers.

   The culture of fear (of job loss, of losing message control, of change) is ingrained in corporate cultures. Top management has to want to change.
   

3. Be viewed as a short-term project.
   Social media is not a one-shot deal. It's a long-term commitment to openness, experimentation and change that requires time to bear fruit.


4. Produce meaningful, measurable results quickly.
   One of the complaints about social media is that it can't be measured. But there are many things that can be measured, including engagement, sentiment and whether increased traffic leads to sales.

   Those results can't be produced or measured in the short term. Like PR, social media marketing often produces its best results in the second and third year.
   

5. Be done in-house by the vast majority of companies.
   A successful social-media campaign integrates social media into the many elements of marketing, including advertising, digital and PR. Opinion and theory are no match for experience and the best social media marketers now have more than 10 years of experience incorporating interactivity, blogs, forums, user-generated content and contests into online marketing.

   You need strategy, contacts, tools, and experience -- a combination not generally found in in-house teams, who often reinvent the wheel or use the wrong tools.

6. Provide a quick fix to the bottom line or a tarnished reputation.
   Social media can sometimes provide quick results for a company that's already a star. When a well-loved company like Zappos or Google employs social media, its loyal fans and followers pay attention.

   However, there's a lot of desperation in a lot of corporate suites these days, and many companies seem been convinced that a social-media campaign can provide a quick fix to sagging sales or reputation issues. Sorry, nuh, uh.
   

7. Be done without a realistic budget.
   Building a site that incorporates interactivity, allows user-generated content and perhaps also includes e-commerce doesn't come cheap from anyone who knows what they are doing.

   Even taking free software like WordPress and making it function as an effective interactive site, incorporating e-commerce and creating style sheets that integrate with the company's branding, takes more than time. That takes skill, experience, and money.
   

8. Guarantee sales or influence.
   Unless your effort can pass the "who cares" test -- and most simply can't -- your social media efforts will fall flat.

   And unless you know how to drive traffic to your contest, video, blog, event, etc., you'll have little more than an expensive field of dreams.
   

9. Be done by "kids" who "understand social innately"
   You can climb Mount Kilaminjaro without a sherpa guide, but why would you? Experience and perspective can make the trip easier, or even save your life.

   Companies trying to run social media without experienced consultants waste time, money and reputation on their efforts. And then, sadly, many decide that this new-fangled approach doesn't work.
   

10. Replace PR.
    No matter how great your website, video contest, blog, Twitter strategy, etc., you still need publicity. Or you may end up with a tree falling in the forest and nobody hearing it.

Are you ready to clean up your life?

The Clean Sweep Program...

...is a checklist of 100 items which, when completed, give one complete personal freedom. These 100 items are grouped in 4 areas of life with 25 in each group: Physical Environment, Well-being, Money and Relationships. These 4 areas are the cornerstone for a strong and healthy life and the program helps a person to clean up, restore and polish virtually every aspect of his/her life. The program takes between 6 - 24 months to complete.

Objective
The participant's goal is to get a score of 100 out of 100. The objective of the program is for the participant to get complete about 100 possible incompletions in their life. Incompletions are those physical, emotional or mental items, which are in some way not resolved in the current moment. Incompletions of any kind drain energy. That is, they require energy to live with, given it takes work to keep us whole when there is something in the space. To have full integrity (like a complete circle) is normal; the program gives one a way to get there in a natural way.

Promise
The Clean Sweep Program promises 3 things will happen as you increase your scores:

1. You will have more energy and vitality. There is nothing like a clean space, full communication and self-responsibility to give one more energy.
2. You will increase your scores just by being in the program. Once you go over the list of the 100 items, you'll find yourself handling some of these without even trying. Others take more work, but you will complete your way toward the score of 100.
3. You will gain perspective on who you are, where you are and where you are going. When incompletions are handled, one can see what is and has been around them, including one's self. You will see situations as they really are, you'll discern what is going on with you and around you and you'll react less and choose more in your daily life. This higher perspective is essential in the process of designing one's life and it starts with the Clean Sweep Program.

Instructions
There are 4 steps to completing the Clean Sweep™ Program.

1. Answer each question. If true, check the box. Be rigorous; be a hard grader. If the statement is sometimes or usually true please DO NOT check the box until the statement is virtually always true for you. (No "credit" until it is really true!) If the statement does not apply to you, check the box. If the statement will never be true for you, check the box. And, you may change any statement to fit your situation better.
2. The number of True boxes for each of the 4 sections will be totaled automatically for you as you complete each of the 4 sections. Write down these totals on a separate sheet of paper and then add them up. You know where your baseline or starting point lies.
3. Keep playing until all boxes are filled in. You can do it! This process may take 30 or 360 days, but you can achieve a Clean Sweep! Use your coach or a friend to assist you. And check back once a year for maintenance.

Physical Environment My personal files, papers, and receipts are neatly filed away. My car is in excellent condition. (Doesn't need mechanical work, repairs, cleaning or replacing) My home is clean and tidy. (Vacuumed, wardrobes and drawers organized, desks and tables clear, furniture in good repair; windows clean). My appliances, machinery and equipment work well. (Fridge, toaster, lawn mower, water heater, hi-fi etc.). My clothes are all ironed, clean and make me look good. (No creases, piles of washing, torn, out-of-date or ill-fitting clothes). My plants and animals are healthy. (Fed, watered, getting light and love). My bed/bedroom lets me have the best sleep possible. (Firm bed, light, air). I live in a house/flat that I love. I surround myself with beautiful things. I live in the geographical location of my choice. There is ample and healthy lighting around me. I consistently have adequate time, space and freedom in my life. Nothing in my environment harms me. I am not tolerating anything about my home or work environment. My work environment is productive and inspiring. (Synergistic, ample tools and resources; no undue pressure). My computer works very well and fully supports my efforts. My hair is the way I want it. I back up my hard drive at least monthly. I surround myself with music which makes my life more enjoyable. My bed is made daily. I don't injure myself, fall or bump into things. People feel comfortable in my home. I drink at least 2 liters of water a day. I have nothing around the house or in storage that I do not need. I am consistently early or easily on time. Your Physical Environment Total is :

Well-Being I rarely use caffeine. (Chocolate, coffee, colas, tea) less than 3 times per week, total. I rarely eat sugar. (Less than 3 times per week). I rarely watch television. (Less than 5 hours per week). I rarely drink alcohol. (Less than 2 drinks per week) My teeth and gums are healthy. (Have seen dentist in last 6 months). My cholesterol is at a healthy level. My blood pressure is at a healthy level. I have had a complete physical examination within the past 3 years. I do not smoke tobacco or other substances. I do not use illegal drugs or misuse prescribed medications. I have had a complete eye examination within the past two years.(Glaucoma check, vision test). My weight is within my ideal range. My nails are healthy and look good. I don't rush or use adrenaline to get the job done. I have a rewarding life beyond my work or profession. I have something to look forward to virtually every day. I have no habits which are unacceptable to me. I am aware of the physical or emotional problems or conditions I have, and I am now fully taking care of all of them. I consistently have evenings, weekends and holidays off and take at least four weeks of holiday each year. I have just the right amount of sleep. I use well-made sunglasses. I do not suffer. I laugh out loud every day. I walk or exercise at least three times per week. I hear well and protect myself from loud noises / concerts / music. Your Well-being Total is :

Money I currently save at least 10% of my income. I pay my bills on time. My income source/revenue base is stable and predictable. I know how much I must have to be minimally financially independent and I have a plan to get there. I have returned or made-good-on any money I borrowed. I have written agreements and am current with payments to individuals or companies to whom I owe money. I have 6 months' living expenses in an easily accessible account. I live on a weekly budget which allows me to save and not suffer. All my tax returns have been filed and all my taxes have been paid. I currently live well, within my means. I have excellent personal insurance. (Life, accident, disability, medical etc.). My assets (car, home, possessions, treasures) are well-insured. I have a financial plan for the next year. I have no legal clouds hanging over me. My will is up-to-date and accurate. Any parking tickets, alimony or child support are paid and current. My investments do not keep me awake at night. I know how much I am worth. I am on a career / professional / business track which is or will soon be financially and personally rewarding. My earnings are commensurate with the effort I put into my job. I have no "loose ends" at work. I am in relationship with people who can assist in my career/professional development. I rarely miss work due to illness. I am putting aside enough money each month to reach financial independence. My earnings outpace inflation, consistently. Your Money Total is :

Relationships I have told my parents, in the last 3 months, that I love them. I get along well with my sibling(s). I get along well with my coworkers/ clients. I get along well with my manager/staff. There is no one whom I would dread or feel uncomfortable "bumping into". (In the street, at an airport or party). I put people first and results second. I have let go of the relationships which drag me down or damage me. ("Let go" means to end, walk away from, declare complete, no longer be attached to). I have communicated or attempted to communicate with everyone whom I have hurt, injured or seriously upset, even if it wasn't fully my fault. I do not gossip or talk about others. I have a circle of friends/family who love and appreciate me for who I am, more than just what I do for them. I tell people how they can satisfy me. I am fully caught up with letters and calls. I always tell the truth, no matter what. I receive enough love from people around me to feel good. I have fully forgiven those people who have hurt/damaged me, intentional or not. I am a person of his/her word; people can count on me. I quickly correct miscommunications and misunderstandings when they do occur. I live life on my terms, not by the rules or preferences of others. I am complete with past loves or spouses. I am aware of my wants and needs and get them taken care of. I do not judge or criticize others. I do not "take personally" the things that people say to me. I have a best friend or soul-mate. I make requests rather than complain. I spend time with people who don't try to change me. Your Relationships Total is :

Scoring:
Add your totals from the four sections.

Initial scores for the first-time participant range, on average, between 30 - 70 points out of the 100 points possible. Most people who are "using" the program increase their scores between 2 and 6 points per month. Points are added more quickly at first, slowing down significantly after one has added 20 or so points. Major plateau areas are at 70-75, 85-90 and 95-100. Those last 5 or 10 are the ones which are most worth taking care of, given our egos are well entrenched among these incompletions. You want to take this program on with the intention of getting a 100.

Important Points:

1. This program is part of establishing a Strong Personal Foundation. With this strong base, one can build a vibrant and attractive future. But it requires an investment.
2. This program is a backdoor approach to personal growth, business success and happiness. Rather than chase goals or try to figure out one's life purpose, better to get the stuff out of the way so you can get the perspective you need to make better decisions and attract what you really want.
3. One of the goals is to stop having problems, handle the incompletions you have currently and maintain a clean space, forever, so you can create as you were designed to. The Clean Sweep Program is the first step in that process.

CleanSweep Program (tm) (c) 1998 Coach U Inc. All rights reserved.

Finding Your TWITTER Voice

Combine self-discovery with branding and you will find ways to join the online conversation. Marcy Shinder, VP-brand management, American Express OPEN Story posted: July 20, 2009 - 6:01 am EDT

I have yet to meet a marketing professional I didn't think could benefit from using Twitter, as I've found it to be such an incredible resource for marketing information, insights and connections. Still, many marketers tell me, “But I don't know what to Tweet,” Figuring that out is a process I refer to as “finding your Twitter voice.” For me, it involved combining a little self-discovery with what I know best—branding

Finding your voice on Twitter often requires blending your personal and professional brand. I knew even before I registered that although my Twitter presence would be for personal use, I needed to be conscious of how it would reflect on my company. If your company has social media guidelines, they may help you set some parameters.

Next, I suggest asking yourself, “What conversations do I want to be part of?” By combining my interests in marketing with my passion for small business, I was able to create a voice I felt represented me both personally and professionally.

Also ask yourself, “What value will I bring to that conversation?” Think about what you want to say and how it fits with your brand. I've found that a few guiding principles can help you determine how you join the conversation:

• Provide a unique voice. While you could continually send links to other content, it is important to offer your own perspective. I try to maintain at least one-third original content.

• Be professional in your tone and content. I tend to keep personal (family) content to less than 10%, and I refrain from making negative comments.

• Be considerate. Try to provide enough information with URLs to tell what the content is about. Also consider the frequency of your tweets; too many too often may dominate conversation.

Following the right people can also inform your voice. I looked to people producing great content within my areas of interest, starting with the contributors on OPEN Forum and eventually adding people they follow. I then added marketers I admire, as well as people with interesting cultural views.

By following the right people and creating the right guidelines for your voice, you may find joining the conversation to be easier (and more valuable) than you thought.

Marcy Shinder is VP-brand management at American Express OPEN. She can be reached by e-mail at marcy@openforum.com and on twitter @marcyshinder.

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