J&M Group WordPress Blog

What are digital breadcrumbs?

marciacatlin · January 10, 2016 ·

As Forbes so correctly notes in a recent article (“3 Ways Social Media Is Driving A Business Revolution“), social media marketing can be deployed without spending millions. This should be reason enough for any business, large or small, to embrace it and to figure out strategies that would work for its particular industry and goals.
Like brand expert Cindy Ratzlaff, I am often asked how to analyze the ROI for a Twitter or Facebook account. There are plenty of measurement tools for this. Decoding the numbers for clients is another story.
So I was delighted to find Cindy’s analysis of the REAL value of social media. [See below.]
It’s branding!
I can see the “digital breadcrumbs” I’ve sprinkled about in my various Twitter campaigns with daily blog posts, branded images and curated content linked to Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. The ROI is cumulative. Time and consistency are keys to success. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Create digital breadcrumbs today. Then drop them where the people most likely to want what you offer are already spending time.
A potential client just asked me how he could quantify the ROI of social media. I get this question a lot and I understand the desire to have data or metrics to justify the time and money we spend on building a social network. Because I want you all to think of yourselves as a brand – and what you write, create or offer as a brand extension – it’s important for you to realize that your posts, tweets, images and other social updates are serving multiple purposes.
First, they start a conversation or at least let people know you have something to say. Secondly, they are digital breadcrumbs leading people back to your primary site – hopefully a website or blog site – where they can learn more about you. How? Add your website to images, make sure your URL is in your bio, share links to your blog posts and be present daily.
– Cindy Ratzlaff

– By Marcia Coffey
Find Marcia on Google+
Call Marcia at 561.906.3436

Genius Little Tool. Drive Traffic. Promote Yourself.

marciacatlin · January 10, 2016 ·

It used to be that web designers were leery of putting too many outgoing links on their websites. Who wants their web visitors wandering off to other sites and potential competitors anyway?
No more! Problem solved. Welcome Sniply, a simple tool that lets you overlay your own custom message onto any piece of content.
Own a Website or Blog? Sniply can Make it Better!
You don’t have to own the content to add your message, so you can appear on Mashable, New York Times, TechCrunch and pretty much wherever you wish! This creates an opportunity for you to include a call-to-action like a button linking back to your blog, affiliate program, Facebook fan page … wherever you are driving traffic.
There are three basic components to Sniply: (1) the page you want your message to appear on, (2) the message you want to appear on the page, and (3) the call-to-action that leads to a conversion.

Cost Savings for Small Businesses

Content marketing is the strategy of driving conversions and generating exposure through quality content. But, it can be expensive for small businesses to create first-rate content on a regular basis. Sniply helps solves that problem. Now small businesses can reap the benefits of content marketing by leveraging quality content to build up their brand.
Here are 3 more reasons to check out Sniply:
Conversions from Curated Content
Many experts claim that at least 50% of the content you share should be from others. This also means that 50% of your online sharing consists of driving traffic to somebody else’s website, which essentially cuts you out of the picture.
With Sniply, you can now capture value from curated content by attaching your own brand to every link you share. Whether it’s an article from Forbes or video on YouTube, you can include your own custom call-to-action to drive conversions from curated content.
Conversions from Earned Media
Media is considered “earned” when a publication features you or a blogger mentions you. You are never paid for the exposure, but you’ve “earned” it through your endeavors.
Now you are “compensated”. With Sniply, you can take control of Earned Media and include your own call-to-action as you share it.
Conversions from Your Own Content
Including a call-to-action on links to your own content is an effective way to get your followers to take action. Sniply gives you the flexibility to change your messaging dynamically and keep your followers updated on what you want them to know.
There are a million ways to use the tool and the beauty of it all is that Sniply puts you in control.
See my Sniply demo here
– By Marcia Coffey
Find Marcia on Google+
Call Marcia at 561.906.3436

Still Fighting Zillow? Are You A Realtor Fighting The Last War?

marciacatlin · January 10, 2016 ·

winning agent pro realtor theme
Something struck me when I watched Zillow’s latest tv ad, what they call the Find Your Way Home commercial.
Let’s rewind and cue it up…
SCENE 1. KITCHEN – MORNING
A mother sits at her kitchen table, mountains of dishes in the sink, looking at her iPad. Closeup of daughter sitting on her lap, face of her husband on monitor while they talk about a house they are both researching on the Zillow app.
It continues … in the car, at work, improbably even to purchasing the house so it seems.
So where is the realtor in all this?
How important really are those IDX listings on your website?
Ever notice that most buyers contacting you have already started looking for homes for sale on the Internet, and don’t need your help finding a home?
Bottom line: visitors to your website aren’t coming for the search experience anymore!
What’s more listing search activity is moving almost exclusively to apps.
It’s hard to fight the trends
Did you know? Zillow claims over 50% of the fast-increasing mobile traffic. It’s much easier to pull up listing details on a smartphone while in the car, than to “log on” to a website at home.
Some experts believe that local agents and brokers cannot compete with the big real estate brands when it comes to listing search.
What to do?
Think differently about your website. Focus on what you as an agent or broker are uniquely positioned to win. Showcase your expertise and knowledge of your local marketplace. Set yourself apart.
Embrace content marketing joyfully 🙂 Develop a gang busters blog with the latest news, tips and resources about your local market.
Make sure you have a mobile-ready website that will make you stand out from the crowd. I mean, you’re gonna look good – you just can’t help it!
Take a look at the Winning Agent Pro Theme.
Looks amazing on a full-sized retina display all the way down to an iPhone, shows off your listings with the IDX feed if you wish, and showcases your local content via your blog.
Today we’re in the midst of a real estate revolution driven by technology. Call Marcia to discuss how you can take advantage of this ever-changing landscape!
– By Marcia Coffey
Find Marcia on Google+
Call Marcia at 561.906.3436.
Follow @jmgroupdesign

Why You Need a WordPress Site For Your Business

marciacatlin · January 10, 2016 ·

It’s easy to fall prey to what look like simple solutions.
Some will tell you you don’t need a website for your business … you just need a Tumblr page, a Facebook page, or some other “ready in 5 minutes” solution. “It’s free! It’s quick!” they say.
But it’s also dangerous. And here’s why.
It’s rented land.
Bookstores, restaurants, and other brick-and-mortar businesses face this every day. Leases expire, rents go up, businesses can’t survive the additional financial pressure. The only way around it is to own the land your store is on.
Work for yourself … not Facebook. Facebook can change their terms of service whenever they want, without asking you. They can also delete your page just because they feel like it.
If the only place you get traffic is Google (either through organic search or pay-per-click), you work for Google.
If 80% of your new customers find you on Pinterest or LinkedIn, you work for Pinterest or LinkedIn.
You have a much better option. You can rely on yourself, and use Facebook and Google and Pinterest as outposts to support your business.
Don’t Build Your Business on Someone Else’s Platform
There are at least two assets you should be building today:

A well-designed WordPress website with your own hosting account.
A reputation for providing impeccable value.

Here are a few resources to get you started:
For professional-looking design right out of the box, as well as state-of-the-art code and security, take a look at StudioPress premium themes* for WordPress.
If you need a robust web host that uniquely offers WordPress support 24/7 and unlimited domains, I enthusiastically recommend BlueHost*.
You’ve put a lot of time and effort into your business. Don’t risk it by building your business on someone else’s land. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever before to create a site that you truly own and control.
– By Marcia Coffey
Find Marcia on Google+
Call Marcia at 561.906.3436.
Follow @jmgroupdesign

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