What Can You Expect For 2015?

There’s no doubt about it: establishing a solid social media presence is a crucial step for a successful business. According to Hubspot (inbound marketing software company), Twitter currently reports 284 million users and Facebook boasts 1.32 billion. Social media for business grew at an explosive rate during 2014, and the growth is expected to continue throughout the coming year. Here is a quick look at some of the social media trends we can expect to see in 2015.

Have Great Visual Content – It Will Help With Interactivity!

In today’s extremely visual world, having visually engaging social media content is absolutely critical. Visual content continues to lead in interactivity with posts, and videos have seen a significant increase in popularity as well. Businesses who are incorporating videos into their marketing campaigns via social networks such as YouTube, Vine, and Instagram are seeing major increases in consumer interaction. Informal videos give businesses the opportunity to showcase their genuineness and originality, and consumers love it…and they are buying their products or services!  We expect video content in 2015 to be even more important.

E-Commerce is Becoming “Social Commerce”

Businesses have used social media to promote their products for several years, but Facebook and Twitter are now pioneering a way to integrate product sales directly into social media campaigns. Both of these social media platforms are currently testing “Buy” call to action buttons that will enable users to purchase products directly from the social media sites. In addition to the obvious potential for increased sales, this holds incredible analytic power by enabling businesses to directly link results to their posts. Businesses should handle this new marketing tool with care, as most people use Facebook for recreational purposes and may resent overly aggressive sales pitches.

Your Whole Company Needs To Be On Board

Companies can make the mistake of delegating all of the social media responsibilities to their marketing departments.  These marketing experts may be the ones writing the blogs and making the posts, but they may not have personal experience with your product. In order to keep your company’s posts relevant and engaging, it is crucial to get the entire company on board with expanding and promoting your company’s social media presence. In the coming year, it will be more important than ever to encourage your employees to contribute post ideas and to like/comment/share your company’s posts. A successful marketing campaign requires everyone to carry their own weight.

MSW Interactive Designs Can help!

Questions? Comments? Hopes, dreams, fears? The team at MSW Interactive Designs can help you build your company’s social media presence. We offer several different social media engagement packages and can help establish you as the expert in your field by writing relevant, in-depth blogs about your industry. Give us a call today at 573-552-8403 for more information!

~ Bailey Campanini Puppel, Social Media Coordinator

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Having a great web presence is no longer optional!  If you want to see your business grow, you need to be able to be found online. With all the websites out there, many of them your competitors, it's important that you have a quality website with great content. Not only will your customers be judging you based off your online presence, but search engines will as well. Quicksprout explains 10 key elements you need to create a high quality website:

1. Relevant Content

Out with the keywords and in with the content. Google is now moving towards analyzing content and topics as a whole, rather than just looking at keywords. According to SearchMetrics, Google's algorithm recognizes high quality, relevant content and rewards it with higher rankings. Therefore, you should focus on developing content for users, no search engines.

2. Content Length

Top ranking sites have 900+ words of content per page, so focus on developing longer content. From an SEO perspective, blog posts should be between 2,000 - 2,450+ words long. While the ideal length from a reader's perspective is 1,600 words long. In addition to the content on your actual website, the content in your blogs helps with your search engine rankings as well.

3. Images and Video 

An image must be at least 32 x 32 px in size to be counted as such.  According to SearchMetrics, web pages with more images rank better.  Web pages in top rankings have an average of 7 images. Blog posts with images and videos are more engaging for your readers.  Be sure to include an image or a video for each new chapter of your post.

4. Grammar and Spelling

Grammar and spelling mistakes make you look bad in the eyes of your customer. In face, 42.5% of customers are turned off by poor spelling or grammar. Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines might even penalize you for grammar and spelling mistakes. Always read your copy at least 2 times before you publish it. You could even consider hiring an editor to proofread and edit your work. Flawless copy makes you look professional, to the search engines and your customers. Duane Forrester, Senior Product Manager at Bing stated, "Why would an engine show a page of content with errors higher in the rankings when other pages of error free content exist to serve the searcher?" Think about it!

5. Readability

Readability is the ease in which text can be read and understood. Use shorter sentences, paragraphs and active verb forms when you write your content. Be sure to remove all clutter, including unnecessary words and limit the use of adverbs and/or adjectives. High ranking texts are easier to read.

6. Formatting

According to Nielsen, 79% of users always scan web pages. Use H1/H2 tags, numbered lists and bullet points to break down your content. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and use bold or italics to highlight important parts. High quality content is easier to read, and suitable for scanning and skimming. Google can detect page layout and you might get penalized for poor formatting. Visitors are less likely to read content with poor formatting.

7. Expertise

By using case studies, Neil Patel managed to increase sales by 185%. Leaked google quality guidelines state, "High quality pages and websites need enough expertise to be authoritative and trustworthy on their topic." Focus on writing detailed, well-researched posts.  Link to other posts and give examples to support your points. The expertise of the author is a critical factor for any content to be considered high quality. People want to read posts from experts that can dig into a specific topic and explain it well.

8. Social Media Shares 

Place your social media sharing icons where they are visible on your webpage and include a call-to-action for people to share your content. High quality websites have social media buttons present on the pages. Content that has been extensively tweeted about can cut indexation time by 50%. High quality content tends to be shared more and more social media shares correlate to higher search engine rankings.

9. Google Internal and External Links 

Nine out of ten sites at position 1 in SERPS have at least one internal self-referencing link. Focus on building a nice internal link architecture. Never link to unrelated pages or you will get penalized by Google. Pages that rank better generally have a better internal link structure with more links. The URL that you link to and the anchor text need to be relevant to your content. Linking to valuable external resources delights your readers.

10. Quality of Comments

Of all the search traffic of Quicksprout, 16% comes from comments. Web content with a high number of comments is percieved as high quality. However, spammy unrelated comments might hurt your ranking and make you look bad in the eyes of your visitors. Quality, thoughtful comments help you rank better and engages your readers with the content.

MSW Interactive Designs makes it affordable to establish an effective, professional, and custom internet presence for your business. From custom website design and hosting to SEO and social media, our Lake of the Ozarks website design company has your web presence covered!  Contact us today at 573-552-8403 for a free quote and get ready to see your business grow!

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Source:
http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/12/12/the-10-key-elements-of-a-high-quality-website/

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

According to the Pinterest for Business blog, nearly 2 million people save product pins to one of their boards every single day.  They don't just dream about having those things though, many of them actually purchase them. Data from Nielsen shows that 93% of shoppers shopped online within the past 6 months.  Wayfair's research showed that pinners spend 50% more on average than other social channels and they'll also spend 20% more than those referred by non-social channels such as search.  So how do you get these pinners' business?  Get your business noticed on Pinterest with these 14 Pinterest marketing tips!

1. Title Boards with Keywords

Pinterest is similar to a search engine because people can type in certain keywords to bring up the pins they are interested in.  You can make your boards more finable by using some of your keywords in the board titles.  For example, MSW Interactive Designs has a board labeled Social Media Marketing and another labeled Blogging because these are services we offer.

2. Link Your Pins. 

One of the most aggravating things to a pinner is clicking on something and not being able to navigate to the website with the informaiton they're looking for because the link is broken or incorrect.  If you pin something, be sure to link it back to your website so the prospective customer can learn more about your products or services by simply clicking on your pin.

3. Take Advantage of Rich Pins. 

Pinterest has 5 types of "Rich Pins" that allow you to add more information to your pins.  Depending on what business you're in, these can be very useful.

• Article pins include the headline, author, story description and link
• Product pins include real-time pricing, availability and where to buy
• Recipe pins include ingredients, cooking times and serving info
• Movie pins include ratings, cast members and reviews
• Place pins include an address, phone number and map

4. Follow Other Businesses. 

By following other businesses on Pinterest, you can not only gain new ideas, but you can build partnerships. Connect with your trusted content providers to see what they have to offer. You can also connect with other businesses that have the same clientele as you.  For example, MSW Interactive Designs might want to follow a magazine or radio station because clients interested in advertising are going to want a website also.

5. Engage with Your Customers. 

Just like with any other social network, it's important to engage with your customers.  If someone comments on your pin, be ready to jump in the conversation and greet them. This is a great way to build customer loyalty.

6. Invite Others to a Group Board. 

Pinterest allows you to invite others to pin on your boards. This creates additional engagement with your customers and helps you to see what they're interested in.  Pinterest can become a great collaboration tool.

7. Don't Pin Dump. 

Unlike Facebook and Twitter where the feed-time is limited, Pins will remain in view for days or even weeks due to the cyclical nature of their exposure.  This can be a good and bad thing for businesses. Something you pinned last week could resurface for a user the next week.  However, you don't want to overload your followers will too many pins all at once that they see everytime they login to their Pinterst account.  Pinning for a few minutes, a couple times per day is where to start.

8. Optimize Pinterest for SEO

Content and SEO go hand in hand no matter which social media platform you're using.  To optimize your Pinterest page, use these tips:

• Choose an optimized company username
• Optimize the “About” section
• Include links back to your website
• Differentiate your inboards
• Speak your customers’ language
• Use your pins’ descriptions wisely

9. Use Different Types of Content. 

Pinterest is of course a very visual social media platform.  However, that doesn't mean you have to strictly stick to images.  You can also share audio, podcasts, slideshows, videos and blog posts.

10. Write a Good Business Description

You only get 200 characters to describe your business, so make them count!  Be sure to use keywords for your business, but keep it easy to read.  Some keywords for us would include: website design, social media and SEO.

11. Check Your Pinterest Analytics. 

There's no doubt that Pinterest is moving on up in the world of social media, but is it right for your business? Take a look at statistics regularly to justify your presence and find insights about areas you can tap into. Then be sure to check your individual analytics to see what's working for you and what's not.

12. Embrace the Mobile World. 

Many users access Pinterest from their mobile devices.  When they click on your pin to get to your website, you want to make sure what they're viewing is mobile friendly.  MSW Interactive Designs can help you with all your mobile website needs!

Whether you're looking for search engine optimaztion, social media help or a new, updated website at the Lake of the Ozarks, MSW has you covered.  Give us a call today at 573-552-8403 and we'll put the web to work for you!

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

You keep hearing about businesses blogging, but why are they doing it? You've probably read a blog or two, maybe even without realizing it was a blog.  The idea of business blogging is to get great content out in front of your customers. With the increase in social networking, blogging is vital to your online marketing strategy.  Here are 4 main reasons you need to start a business blog today!

1. Increase Your Search Engine Rankings

Fresh content is one of the key factors that Google looks for when ranking websites.  Although updating your website is important, writing a blog gives you the opportunity to put even more great content out there.  Incorporate the keywords that your customers are searching for in your blog content.  Every time you publish a new blog, its one more cue to Google that your website is active and they should be crawling it regularly to see what content they should rank.  Through our client social media marketing here at MSW Interactive Designs, we have seen not only increases in clients' website rankings, but also some of their blogs are even ranking!

2. Drive Traffic to Your Website

Not only will you get more website traffic if your website is ranking higher in Google, but people reading your blogs can actually click through right to your website.  If someone finds your blog content interesting or relevant, they're likely going to want to know who this company is that has such great content.  When our social media coordinators write blogs for clients, we place several links back to the client's website throughout the blog.  These links again help with search engine optimization, as well as providing an easy way for customers to get to your website.  Blogging also helps you get discovered through social media.  Every time you publish a new blog, you are creating share-able content.  This strengthens your social reach with and drives new visitors to your blog and eventually, your website.  

3. Position Yourself as an Expert in Your Field 

Blogging shouldn't be just about selling and more selling, instead you should create content that your customers can use.  You are the expert in your industry, so show everyone that you know what you're talking about with a great blog topic. The best business blogs answer common questions that customers and clients want the answers to.  Keep your clients up-to-date with what's going on in your industry. Ask yourself, what do they need to know? Establishing authority may not be as measurable as increased website traffic, but it's definitely pretty powerful.

4. Build Relationships with Customers

You want to use your blog to show your clients that you care.  Build trust by being a resource for your clients.  Consumers like to be informed, and appreciate that you are there willing to help.  For example, if you're a Realtor, write a blog on how to sell your house or things to think about when buying a house. Then when the time comes that they actually need to buy or sell a home, they'll come to you, because you now have that relationship, that trust.  Just like with other social media platforms, blogging gives you a way to interact with your customers and keep your brand in front of them.

If you're thinking about starting a business blog or want to get more invested in the one you already have, contact MSW Interactive Designs.  Our social media engagement packages include blogging as a core service.  Whether you're looking for search engine optimaztion, social media help or a new, updated website at the Lake of the Ozarks, MSW has you covered.  Give us a call today at 573-552-8403 and we'll put the web to work for you!  

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Veterans Day is a national holiday paying tribute to all American veterans.  It originated as "Armistice Day" on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I.  In 1926, Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance and November 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

Originally the concept of the holiday included parades and public meetings, with a brief suspension of business beginning at 11 am. Today, many of these traditions still take place and many businesses shut down for the day.

Thank You to Our Veterans! 

The team here at MSW Interactive Designs, would like to thank all of our veterans for everything you've done for our country!  A special thanks goes out to one of our owners, Mike Waggett!

Colonel Michael L. Waggett

Colonel Michael L. Waggett retired as the Commander, of The I.G. Brown Training and Education Center, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, TN in April of 2009.  He entered this position on 31 May 2006.  He had overall responsibility for several professional military development courses including, the Academy of Military Science, Enlisted Professional Military Education, Training Development, and Distant Learning. He previously served as the Air National Guard advisor to the Air Force Director of Personnel at the Pentagon where he was responsible for providing total force advice, guidance, policy direction on force management and personnel policies for 700,000 plus total force military and civilian personnel.

Colonel Waggett began his career by receiving his commission through AFROTC in 1985.  He entered active duty in November 1985, and graduated from Euro-Nato Joint Jet Undergraduate Pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base (AFB), TX in 1986. He then attended F-111 fighter initial qualification training at Cannon AFB, NM in 1987.  He served as a multi-ship flight lead and instructor and was qualified to drop nuclear weapons in the F-111D/F/G aircraft in both US Air Forces Europe and Air Combat Command, served as an Air Liaison Officer with the 25th Infantry Division (Light) in Pacific Air Forces Command, taught at the United States Air Force Academy as an assistant professor and TG-7 Motor glider pilot, and was the 13th Commandant of the Academy of Military Science serving at the Air National Guard Training and Education Center, Knoxville TN. He is a senior pilot with over 1400 flying hours in fighter and training aircraft.

Veterans Day Parade

Colonel Waggett and the rest of the MSW Interactive Designs team at our Lake office had the honor of participating in the first annual Lake of the Ozarks Veterans Day Parade this past Saturday.  The parade was a huge success with over 70 entries!  The parade began at the Osage Beach City Hall and ended at the Elks Lodge, where lunch was available.  Special thanks goes out to the Lake of the Ozarks Elks Lodge for organizing this great event!


MSW Interactive Designs provides website design and hosting, and social media marketing services to clients nationwide.  Contact us today at 573-552-8403 to start putting the web to work for your business!

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

If you don't have a website for your business, you're a little bit behind the times.  If you have a website, but it was built 10 years ago, you're probably still behind!  Your website needs fresh, updated content in order for it to work for your business. Google is looking for fresh, relevant content to place at the top of its search results and that's just one of the many reasons you should consider updating your website!

7 Reasons to Update Your Website

1. Search Engine Rankings - Are you showing up on page 1 of Google for the terms people are searching for to find your business?  If not, you need to consider those keywords people are searching for and update your content to include those.  If you're a website design company at the Lake of the Ozarks, you want to be on that first page when someone types "web design Lake of the Ozarks" into their Google search box.  When 75% of users aren't clicking past the first page of search results, you need to be on that first page!

2. Outdated Content - Many times your website content becomes outdated. Maybe you're offering new products & services that weren't available 5 years ago when you built the site.  Businesses are always growing and evolving, and you're website should too. You want your website to reflect where you're going, not where just where you've been.  The content of the website should be considered the most important aspect. Fresh and unique content is a very important factor in getting people to revisit your website more often.

3. Visual Appeal - When it comes to a website, visual appeal is everything.  Ask yourself, can my readers find the information they're looking for?  Is this layout cluttered and confusing, old and tired?  You want your website to be easy to use and navigate or people are going to leave the page right away.  If your site looks professional and is loaded with useful information, readers will see you as the expert in your field.  Likewise, if your site looks out-of-date and is poorly structured, they'll make the same assumptions of your business.

4. Mobile Friendly - With the upgrades in technology we've seen over the past few years, more and more consumers are using their smartphones to search the web.  Having a website that easily displays on a mobile device is more of a necessity than a trend.  If someone pulls up your website on their phone and can't easily navigate it, they'll move on to another site that is mobile friendly. According to Smartmetrics, you could be missing out on 27% of your website traffic if you don't have a mobile version of your website.

5. Competition - How does your website compare to your competitors' sites?  How are you ranking in relation to them?  This goes back to the fresh content concept.  You want to make sure that you are presented as the best at what you do.  Your website is a reflection of your business and you need to update it to stay ahead of your competitors.  If a competitor's site is more user friendly, draws consumers in and looks better than yours, you might be losing more money on missed prospects than it would cost to update your site.

6. Social Media Integration - Social Media Marketing is a growing concept. More and more businesses are using social media to not only increase their brand awareness, but also to drive consumers to their website.  If you're website was built 10 years ago, before social media became a crucial part of marketing, you need to update your website to integrate social media.  Linking those sites together can open the doors for more traffic accessing your brand in more than one place, giving the user a deeper understanding of your brand.  Your website should be the center of your online marketing efforts and the social media updates and posts should be directing people back to your website.  

7. Load Time - Many websites that were built 10 years ago featured "Flash."  That was a great concept back then, but if you have a buggy old Flash-based website with a bunch of lagging HTML, it can hurt your marketing efforts.  With the busy schedules of your prospects, how many of them are going to wait the extra 10 seconds for your website to load?  Forty-Seven percent of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less!  

Your website is often the first impression a customer has of your company and you want to make it a positive, memorable one.  Take advantage of the opportunities that an updated website provides by contacting MSW Interactive Designs today!  Once we've built your new website, you can continue to update the content as often as you want with our monthly website hosting plan.  Contact us at 573-552-8403 for more details!

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Sources:
http://backpocketmarketinggroup.com/7-reasons-why-you-should-update-your-website/
http://www.rcpmarketing.com/10-reasons-upgrade-website/
http://www.neongoldfish.com/blog/general/7-reasons-to-update-your-website/
http://www.industrialbrand.com/is-it-time-to-update-your-website-probably-here-are-a-few-reasons-why

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Allow us to brag a little! 

Each week, we try to offer great tips for improving your web presence via a great website, robust social media activity, mobile websites, as well as great search engine optimization tips.  This month however, we’d like to do a little bragging about our team.

We have been members of the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce for 6 years and during the annual dinner a couple weeks ago, we were honored to be selected as the Small Business of the Year 2014!

How did we do it? 

Serving the Community is a Key 

Upward and Onward 

About MSW Interactive Designs LLC

The first step in setting up a Facebook business page is to choose which type of business page you'll need.  Facebook offers a wide range of business page types and each one is setup a little differently. Choosing the category that best suits your business will result in a greater chance of success for your Social Media Marketing campaign.  Check out each of the 6 types of Facebook page types below to decide which one is best for your business!

Local Business or Place 

If you have a physical storefront and you want people to come visit you at your location, you should select "Local Business or Place" as your page type. This is probably the most common page type. From there, you will be able to choose which category best matches your business. If none of the categories work for you, you can simply choose "Local Business." Now you can start entering in your business information.  With the "Local Business or Place" page type, you will have extra options such as open hours, parking options and the ability to have customers "Check-In" to your establishment using Facebook places.  These options are not available in the other page types. You will not want to choose this page type if your business is conducted entirely online.

Company, Organization or Institution

If you're business doesn't have a lot of foot traffic or you have more than one location, the "Company, Organization or Institution" page type will work better than "Local Business or Place."  If your company serves customers regionally, nationally or globally, you should also choose this option.  If you have an e-commerce site, this would be the best option for you.  Once you select this page type, you will be prompted to choose what category your business fits into.

Brand or Product 

If  you're products are sold on multiple websites by different companies, you should consider choosing "Brand or Product" rather than "Company, Organization or Institution."  You will need to choose the best product category that fits what you're selling.  

Artist, Band or Public Figure

This "Artist, Band or Public Figure" page is a little more self explanatory.  If you're promoting yourself, an entertainer, a politician or other actual person rather than a business, this is the page type you should choose.  This page type is often used by public figures who have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 friends on a personal page.  When switching from a personal profile to a Celebrity Facebook page, you are provided with more options to promote yourself as the brand.    

Entertainment

If  your business is classified as entertainment, this would be the page for you.  Examples would include a TV show, movie, book, radio station or magazine. However, if you are promoting a person such as the author of a book or a radio show host, you will want to choose the "Artist, Band or Public Figure" page type. The entertainment page is available to promote the actual product.

Cause or Community

Unlike the other business pages, the "Cause or Community" page does not allow you to choose a category.  If you're a not-for-profit or charity organization, you may want to choose one of the other categories above instead.  Be sure not to confuse this page type with the Causes application.  

You can always choose a different page type later if you decide you need a different one.  However, its better if you can choose the best one in the beginning.  If you need help setting up your Facebook business page, contact MSW Interactive Designs at .  In addition to Website Design at the Lake of the Ozarks, we also specialize in Social Media Marketing. We offer Social Media Setup and Customization, as well as Social Media Engagement packages.

~Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Did you know that roughly 90% of consumers claim that positive online reviews influence their buying decision and 86% say negative reviews influence them?  In today's digital world, where many decisions are made online before even stepping foot in your place of business, online reviews are of the utmost importance.  People everywhere are sharing their opinions online through Social Media and everything they say does have an impact.  While many businesses focus on what to do about a couple bad reviews, the best thing to do is combat them with more positive reviews.  Here are a few tips to gain more reviews from your best customers:

1. Just ask your customers for a review. 

The best way to get reviews is to simply ask for them.  As long as your customers are happy with your product or service, presenting them with an opportunity to give you a review is a great idea. Many customers may be extremely happy, but writing a review just doesn't cross their mind until you bring it up.  If someone compliments you, either in-person, over the phone or in an email, mention how much you'd appreciate if they could leave that same feedback in an online review.

2. Create profiles on multiple review sites. 

With so many review sites out there, where do you start?  First you need to consider which sites are relevant to your business.  Some of the more popular ones include Yelp, TripAdvisor, Angie's List and Google+.  Facebook has a place for reviews as well.  Do some research, see what sites your competitors are using and then start setting up your profiles.

3. Provide direct links to review sites to make it easy. 

Customers with negative experiences are always looking for places to voice their opinion, but the same doesn't go for those positive experiences.  Therefore, its important that you make it easy for your satisfied customers to write a review.  You can provide direct links to your profiles on the review sites in follow-up emails, newsletters and on your website.  Yelp even has a downloadable banner you can use in your website design.
 

4. Create incentives for employees and customers. 

Obviously you don't want to buy reviews, but providing incentives is a great way to get people excited about writing online reviews about their experiences.  Offering a small incentive is a great way to show your appreciation.  Monthly giveaways where you choose a reviewer at random aare an effective way to encourage reviews.  You can also provide incentives to your employees for promoting online reviews with their customers.  Given the importance of online reviews in the consumer buying process, this is one of the most effective ways to spend your marketing budget.

5. Thank those customers that write reviews. 

In addition to asking for reviews from your customers, be sure to thank those that actually take the time to do it.  You can even take it one step further and offer your top reviewers a surprise such as a coupon or discount code.  This simple step will turn a satisfied customer into a loyal one.

The more customer reviews you can get not only helps build trust and loyalty, but you'll see a direct impact on your marketing efforts and lead generation.  One thing to keep in mind with asking for reviews, be sure to constantly monitor what is being said about you online.  Your online reputation is important and if there are negative comments out there, you need to be ready to combat them with some great reviews from your best customers.

If you have any questions regarding how your business is presented online, don't hesitate to give MSW Interactive Designs a call.  Our core online marketing services include website design, maintenance and hosting, mobile website design and hosting, social media customization and engagement and search engine optimization.  Give us a call today at 877-211-5492 and let us put the web to work for you!  

~Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2014/08/28/6-simple-ways-to-get-customers-to-review-your-business-online/
http://www.innovisionbiz.com/2014/01/google/customer-reviews-important/

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

A few years ago having a website for your business was a new thing, but today having one is crucial! You need to be where your customers are and they are spending a lot of time online.  Whether on their phone or on a desktop, people are searching the web for businesses constantly.  The average person spends over 2 hours per day online!  If that doesn't convince you that you need a business website, here are 4 more reasons:

1. Competition. 

Chances are your competition has a website.  If they're properly marketing that website, this give them a huge advantage over you.  For example, if someone just moved to the area, they might be looking for a local doctor.  When they search for "doctor at the Lake of the Ozarks," your competitions website comes up and you don't have one.  That person is more likely to call that doctor than you.  In today's day and age, the internet is often the first place people go to find what they're looking for.

2. Customer Service. 

Having a website allows you to provide valuable information regarding your business that people can access anytime.  You can provide frequently asked questions for your customers to get instant answers.  A website is also a great place for you to gain feedback from your customers.  Reviews from satisfied customers help build your credibility and many people now look for reviews online before choosing to make a purchase.

3. 24/7 Access to Your Business. 

Many people surf the web in the evening when most businesses are already closed. If you have a website, they can find you and that's almost as good as being open. Much of the information they would get by calling you on the phone, they can find online. Geographic location and time zones are no longer an issue with the 24/7 access a website provides. Many people do research before choosing which company to go with and online is a great place for them to do just that!

4. Affordable Marketing. 

When compared to traditional forms of marketing, a new website at the Lake of the Ozarks is very affordable.  Your reach is higher because you are not limited to a certain distribution area.  If you're online, your website can be accessed from anywhere that there's an internet connection.  Using a website as part of your marketing campaign is a great strategy.  You can even use traditional forms of advertising to guide your customers to your website.

When it comes to creating a website for your business, you want a reputable website design company. Having a website can increase awareness for your business, but you want it to be in a positive way. Your website is a reflection of your business and you want a professional looking site.  At MSW Interactive designs, we do just that!  Check out some of our custom websites in our online portfolio and then give us a call to get started on your website today!

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/01/tv-digital-devices_n_3691196.html
http://www.amyhissom.com/10Reasons.html

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Social Media has become a crucial part of marketing strategy for many businesses.  Many businesses are on Facebook and even Twitter, but should you be doing more?  Of course you should!  Google+ has worked its into the top 5 social networking sites.  If you're looking for more website traffic and to build your brand's awareness, Google+ is the place to be! 

What is Google+?  

Most people know what Facebook is by now and many of you know that Twitter only lets you post 140 characters at a time...but what exactly is Google+? Although its kind of like all these other platforms wrapped into one, Google+ is a completely different experience.  When it comes to businesses, Google+ allows you to create pages and develop tighter relationships with your prospects and customers. Individual users can add your brand to one of their circles, share your business page with their network and interact with the content you've posted.

Reasons Your Business Needs to be on Google+ 

1. Search Engine Rankings - Social signals pointing back to your website help it rank better in search results.  Since Google+ is promoted by the biggest technology platform on the planet, you can bet that being active on Google+ will be prioritized by Google.

2. Visibility - Similar to the Facebook "Like" button and the "Follow" button on Twitter, Google+ has its own version.  The "+1" Button adds a completely new element to your website ranking and shareability factor.  Google won't admit it, but many marketers have found that the +1's are included in Google's algorithm.  A great presence on Google+ and being +1'd is a high-five for your website's visibility, your ability to increase brand awareness and most importantly, begin to build what possibly could be the biggest thing yet in lead generation!

Tips for Using Google+ Effectively 

1. Complete Page Information - Be sure to fill out as much information about your business as you can.  You will also want to use keywords in your introduction and the about section.

2. Incorporate Links - Google+ allows you to add links directly to your website in the introduction section.  You can link text or insert the actual URL.

3. Post Interesting Content Regularly - Just setting up a Google+ page isn't enough, you actually need to be active on it.  You want to share interesting, relevant content.  Posting blogs that you've written or YouTube videos that you've made are great content ideas.  You also want to have a visual element with every post that you make.

If you're already using Facebook for your business, it's simple to add Google+ to your marketing plan. Most of the content your are sharing on Facebook is relevant for Google+ as well.  If you need help with social media marketing for your business, give MSW Interactive Designs a call at 573-552-8403 today!  Let us put the web to work for you!

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Sources: 
http://www.inboundmarketingagents.com/inbound-marketing-agents-blog/bid/341305/Why-You-Should-Use-Google-To-Grow-Your-Business
http://postcron.com/en/blog/why-use-google-plus-business-10-implacable-reasons/
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/6-google-tips-for-businesses/

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Most people know the importance of having a website in today's day and age. However, many of you haven't come to realize the importance of social media and how it can help your business. Not only will social media marketing help you build relationships with your customers, but it will also help that awesome website you have rank better!  Here are few social media marketing questions that we get asked on a regular basis:

1. Why should I do social media marketing for my business?

As the technology world has grown and changed, Social Media is now critical for businesses.  Not only is it another way to be found, but you can engage your prospective customers.  By interacting with your customers through Social Media, you build relationships.  In addition to engagement, Social Media has a large impact on your search engine rankings.  The more social signals you have pointing back to your website, the more Google is going to see it as a website with relevant content.

2. What social media networks should I be using for my business? 

MSW Interactive Designs suggests you have a Facebook business page, Twitter account, LinkedIn company page and a Google+ page at minimum.  We also recommend a YouTube channel and Pinterest account if it makes sense for your industry.  You want to make sure you are where your customers are.  One other aspect of social media marketing that we highly recommend is writing a blog.  

3. Do I need a blog? 

Yes, a blog is probably the most important of the social media networks.  Not only does a blog provide content that you can share on your other social media channels, but it provides a way for you to get detailed information out to your customers.  If you provide your customers with the information they need, such as helpful tips and tricks, they are more likely to use your products or services when the time comes.  A blog provides a way to increase your credibility and place you as an expert in your field.  In addition, writing a blog provides fresh, keyword-rich content that will help you in the search engine rankings.

4. How often do I need to post on social media? 

While it is important to stay in front of your customers, posting too frequently can have a negative effect on your social media marketing.  With the MSW basic social media engagement package, we post 3 times a week for you and write 1 blog post.  We can also help you with YouTube videos and Pinterest if it makes sense for your business.  Here are some general guidelines for how often to post on each network, but they are not requirements for success.  Remember social media is about quality, not quantity.

• Facebook: Min - 3 x per week; Max - 12 x per week
• Twitter: Min - 3 x per week; Max - none
• LinkedIn: Min - 3 x per week; Max - 5 x per week 
• Google+: Min - 3 x per week; Max - 12 x per week 
• Pinterest: Min - 5 x per day; Max - 10 x per day 

5. How long will it be before I start seeing results from social media marketing? 

With social media constantly evolving, there are a lot of factors that contribute to the success of social media marketing.  These variables include the time and effort you put in, your budget, your audience, your strategy and whether you're using paid ads or not.  Do not expect to see immediate results, you need to give it a minimum of a couple months to start seeing results.  Remember that social media is a marathon, not a race.

MSW Interactive Designs is here to help with all these aspects of social media marketing, as well as website design and search engine optimization.  From setting up the profiles to actually posting on your behalf, we have different packages to help you get started with your social media marketing efforts.  For more information on our social media services, please give us a call at 877- 211-5492.

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Outside Sources: 
http://marketingzen.com/twenty-one-common-questions-about-social-media-marketing-answered/
http://blogs.constantcontact.com/product-blogs/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492

Social media marketing is one of our specialties here at MSW Interactive Designs. When we say social media, people immediately think of Facebook and maybe even Twitter. However, LinkedIn is also another powerful social marketing tool for your business.  Below are some tips for using LinkedIn to grow your business.

1. Complete your profiles. 

Take the time to fill out not only your company profile, but also your personal one completely.  This builds credibility for both you and your business.  MSW Interactive Designs offers social media set-up and customization as a service if you need help in this area.

2. Use compelling images.

Your cover photo is the first thing visitors to your page see.  You want this photo to represent your brand well.  You also want to have a great profile photo such as your logo or something else that helps brand you. Great photos will help you establish your credibility.

3. Add relevant keywords.

Just like with the copy on your website, you want to have relevant keywords in your LinkedIn description.  These keywords will increase your chances of ranking in LinkedIn searches and possibly even seeing your Linked In company page rank in Google searches.

4. Post engaging content regularly.

You never want to sell, sell, sell on social media because you customers will get tired of seeing it. Instead, use the networks to provide your customers with educational information.  Share blog posts, press releases, company updates and other relevant news about not only your company, but the industry in general.  Post interesting, relevant and helpful information such as tips and tricks they can use. Posting regularly is also key; don't just post once in a blue moon.

5. Make your company page easy to find.

Add LinkedIn buttons to your website and blog so that people can easily find you on LinkedIn.  You can also add a link to your LinkedIn company page in your email signature.  On fliers and other mailings add the social media buttons and list your links so people know you're on LinkedIn and they can go find you.

6. Measure your success.

Each company update or post has metrics listed under it so you can see the engagement for that specific post.  You can compare posts and see which ones work better than others, what type of content people are looking to interact with.  You can use this information to tailor future posts specifically to your audience.

Growing your business through social media isn't entirely based on how many fans or followers you have, but rather on the relationships you build.  For help with your social media marketing efforts, please give us a call at 877-211-5492.  We would love the opportunity to discuss our social media customization and engagement packages with you!  

~ Erin Burdette, Social Media Coordinator

Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenkrogue/2012/06/29/27-linkedin-tips-linkedin-best-practices-for-entrepreneurs/
http://www.cio.com/article/2380753/social-media/11-tips-for-creating-a-buzz-worthy-linkedin-company-page.html
http://smallbusiness.linkedin.com/small-business-marketing/building-your-brand.html

MSW Interactive Designs ~ We Put the Web to Work for You! 

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com
Phone: 877-211-5492