30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba

SEO Harrogate And More Information

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By Alex Jones

Marketing on the Net may seem like a new thing, but it is a discipline that has been improving especially through the last ten years or so. SEO in harrogate is as such an incredibly important part of this and individuals usually need to recognize this, especially if they're delving into the world of business themselves. Seeing this available one can then make their own judgments on it.

Of course it is interesting to note that the technique of SEO Harrogate is used in a lot of different applications when on the website marketing agency. Search engine optimization is what the letters stand for, and this tool is used by a lot of different marketing companies all over the world. Sites can be bumped up a bit more on certain search engine website lists which will therefore make them much more visible to customers.

So clearly one can see how web visibility is increased when using SEO Harrogate. Experts are all over the place, so it is easy to contact them and get them to go and program one's own website in such a manner. It is usually one of the cheaper choices that most people have if they want to ensure that their services, products and more are there to be seen.

Of course this is usually one of the cheaper ways of making sure that sites do not go unrecognized by people. Saving money is a key thing to do especially in these times when businesses are struggling to keep themselves above water.

Learning a skill of this nature can be time consuming. Business leaders might feel that this is worth their well to do it, but of course it depends on what one's priorities are and what the size of one's business actually is.

Optimizing web sites is usually quite easy if people know how to do it. Sometimes web-based businesses are going to be using their own experts who shall indeed be able to come up with some very interesting results.




About the Author:

If you are looking for an seo expert then the good people over at improve seo will be able to help you, as experts in the field of harrogate seo they have been leading the way for many years

SEO Bradford And Other Offers

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By Alison Lewis

Wooing customers into buying one's products is what the whole world of business is about and there exist plenty of interesting ways through which people can achieve results with marketing. Online marketing in particular, especially using something like bradford seo is undoubtedly going to be helpful to individuals in the long run and therefore needs to be looked into.

Visibility on the Internet is often a concern for the majority of business leaders as well are constantly aware of the different advantages that it can have, hence you need seo bradford . Handheld devices can now pick up the Internet almost anywhere. This shall mean that the advertising world has gained a new medium when one considers the likes of marketing and much more.

This will mean that customers often search for a company on the Internet by typing in the name bradford seo. The website has to be on the very top of the list, or as close as possible, for it to gain any visitors whatsoever. SEO stands for search engine optimization and therefore optimizing it to stand out a bit more shall be a key concern here.

A lot of the time, many people feel that this is a much cheaper way of doing things. Indeed if one does have the knowledge and the expertise then they're going to find that this will be a lot easier in the long run. Individuals have to ensure, however, that they themselves actually have the time.

Calling on other professionals won't be too hard. Sometimes a company may have a specific department which shall deal with this. Other times it may be necessary to hire contractors for certain things.

Whatever the case may be it is vital that one makes sure that they costs aren't too high. Individuals are always looking for new ways making money and some may wish to specialize in this. Always be on the look out.




About the Author:

If you are looking for an seo expert then the good people over at improve seo will be able to help you, as experts in the field of seo bradford they have been leading the way for many years

Adding Digital Branding & Public Relations To Your Company

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By Martin Jarros

There are different ways your company can focus on digital branding & public relations. These tools can help you increase online marketing potential for a business to go beyond the limits of a local market. These tools may make a difference in terms of how fast your company grows.

As you begin to build an online brand in tandem with professional marketing, you may find that social media tools can serve as powerful messengers to an online audience. However, there can be a delicate balance between using these tools effectively and overusing. Effective use of Twitter and Facebook reaches a target audience without getting lost amid the competition.

Those who know marketing can help you effectively use these online media tools to promote your business and put you front and center of a target audience. The messages, done professionally, can move beyond text for your audience to gain a more rich experience with you. This type of marketing can include promotional videos that work to further promote the business.

Professional website designers can assist you in making adjustments on a company website so that the home page becomes a strong partner with social media promotion. As potential customers travel from Facebook or Twitter back to the company site, they can find even more information about the company and services or products you offer. An effective display may work to gain more customers as your online brand works cohesively across Web platforms.

A blog can be another tool in an online brand-building toolkit. A well-written timely blog can provide updates about what your company is promoting. This type of online journaling also can reflect other things your company is involved in, such as community events.

Improving digital branding & public relations for a company can take time and focus. However, you may see results quickly with the help of specialists in this type of online marketing. You can review options for consultancy packages online to find experts who can assist you in meeting your goals.




About the Author:

Digital Branding Bradford will help you grow your business. We would like to introduce you to SEO Bradford today.

Unique Strategies to Buy High PR Backlinks

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By Cassie Watermen



If you ask the average Internet marketer he or she will tell you that building credible and targeted backlinks is vital in order to promote sites or blogs. If your goal is a website that ranks well in the search engines then your primary focus must be building high quality backlinks. It is very important to implement only ethical methods for building those important backlinks for your website. Black hat or unethical methods are only limited in their effectiveness and may cause serious trouble, even banning from search engine directories altogether, for your website. Given below are three effective backlink building tips that you should keep in mind at all times. Backlinks can increase your sites visibility.

Develop some serious "link love" for your site by creating lists. Other benefits of lists is that they are easy to organize and write and will get the attention of readers. Use your imagination and come up with a list that involves 10 or 15 myths about the niche you're focusing on. Check out a few blogs and see just how many of them use this style for some of their posts. This is a win - win situation because you are providing quality content that is easy to notice and read, and that content will get the attention of other blog owners or webmasters who will link to your site to share it with their audience. Secondly, product a blog that is relevant to your website. Producing a blog makes it simple for you to submit wonderful content and get backlinks from other blogs. There are plenty of business websites that also have a blog, which gives other bloggers a chance to link to them. The key to success with blogging is to provide as much value as you can to your readers, so that other bloggers in your niche get compelled to link to it. You can also create a blogroll on your existing blog that has your links to other related blogs listed, which means that they can also link to you in return. There are many different ways that a blog can make it easier for you to get targeted backlinks for your site, so attempt to leverage them for the most impact. After a while you'll realize that creating a blog was one of the best decisions you ever made.

A lot of article directories like Ezinearticles.com and GoArticles.com are basically authority sites, and this means that when you acquire a backlink from one of them, it will take you a very long way. Also, when you place your articles on these types of websites, you might get it republished on other websites by other owners and bloggers. When your articles become syndicated, you will get numerous backlinks from lots of places and this will really get put your backlink building efforts on overdrive.

The more blogs that you locate in your targeted topic and product comments, the more backlinks you will produce. In addition when you make comments on another website, you get direct traffic from other readers who read them and then click on them to get to your website. So spend time and look for related blogs and start commenting.

Simple techniques can be used to build better backlinks faster. You can really launch your campaign if you start small and steadily increase your efforts. Don't kill yourself trying to create a massive buildup of backlinks. It's better for your campaign to build those links slowly and consistently over time. When you take your time and do this the right way, you will see real results.




About the Author:

Get Back Links at www.buyhighprbacklinks.com.

Write Press Releases that Grab Peoples' Attention

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By Frederick Vickers

There are so many different aspects of both online and offline business that have the potential for overwhelming anyone. All the old vets of internet marketing who pioneered press release went through that and know the deal.

The primary reason for using freelance help is to allow for more time on activities that directly impact revenue.

We are not quite done with our discussion, and if you are like us the gears would be turning with fresh ideas.

While companies selling physical products like luxaflex blinds may find this marketing strategy is very useful and diverse, it just depends on your particular situation. There is a lot to consider when you are contemplating all new promotional activities. Very many online businesses are extremely serious, and therefore they will always be interested in adding new revenue streams. Perhaps that easiest path to growth is through scaling existing campaigns, and then seek to add what you can that is all new. In the end, a long time from now, just be sure you do not look back and wish you would have considered more options. Your press release's first paragraph is really important and that is why you need to be choosy about which information is included in it. Make sure you include the basics as people are going to have questions right in the start; answer their questions related to where, how, why and when right in the first paragraph, so that they don't really have any doubts and are comfortable moving forward.

You can take any one of these methods and really go all out in your business because they will open up new venues for you, to be sure. You will be positioning your self for the greatest gains with this simple approach. One thing you can easily do is test these tips and look at examples and case studies such as the company that sells luxaflex blinds using this marketing strategy, on a small scale, and that is another approach we tell people to try - just do a small test and decide. Not necessarily at all with what we are talking about today, but there are other methods and ideas that are sold and not really the best choices for people to use.

If you are really new, then you have to know the importance of performing background research on any method that you are not familiar with. If you are not careful about what you do, then you can easily start method-hopping and getting nowhere. That experience is very common with web marketers who are relatively new and with little experience. We really pretty much do not care who it is, if something is new to you then you have to preform some research to get another side of the story. Maybe you have already had experiences in which smart homework saved you some money. In order to find success with your press release, you need to focus on some of the vital elements such as the headline. If you don't have a good headline then nobody is going to read your press release. The level of exposure that you get with your press release is completely dependent upon how well you can reach out to your target audience and impact them. Look around to see how other press releases out there have crafted their headlines so that you can emulate them while you work on conveying your own message to your readers. Do not be scared to experiment with your headlines and make changes.




About the Author:

Just about everybody who starts an online business goes through similar experiences; for example, there is a lot to be found about baby sleeping bags with sleeves strategy and their press release but you need to be careful. There can be many reasons, discussed at stop smoking London website and see their press release tips, with that as well as successful press release, so it can tough to pinpoint the exact cause. No need to bang your head against the wall, anymore, concerning this issue. We all make mistakes and have be down the same road; so do not feel like something is wrong with you.

26 Mayıs 2012 Cumartesi

Have a relaxing long weekend.

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What are you up to this weekend? We're celebrating my mom's sixtieth birthday and crossing our fingers for clear skies. Also, Alex and I watched The Firm this week (he'd never seen it); I forgot how fun and gripping that movie is. Tom Cruise doesn't age! Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here are a few great posts from around the web...

A song to kick off your weekend.

Mick and Paul, eating apples.

Coolest photo of Obama.

Pretty Parisian.

Pink neon sandals.

Who wants a wine spritzer?

Two adorable dogs.

10 Olympic sports that are ripe for a comeback.

Colored flame birthday candles.

A slinky on a treadmill. Weirdly suspenseful:)

These are such realistic newborn dolls. Creepy?

(Remember these actual newborns?)

Sweet NYC break-up story.

A baby thinks this magazine is a broken iPad.

And a head's up: GAP is having a big sale on summer clothes this weekend. Have a good one! xoxoxo

(Photo of a rooftop picnic by Jamie Beck)

Why You Need To Use Web Marketing To Your Advantage

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By Scott Mcleod

There are several different ways to advertise your business on the internet today. You can use a variety of different social networking outlets to try and connect with a wide variety of potential clients. You can also create your own website and try to get prospective customers to look at your product while using their favorite search engine. Whatever your method, using web marketing can greatly enhance your business's reputation and profit potential.

A great web marketing campaign starts out with a well designed webpage. If you are a magic company but you don't create your own site, people who are searching for magic products will be unable to see what your business has to offer them. Remember to list as much relevant information on your page as possible. Some examples include different products, prices, and ways to e-mail or contact your business such as bradford seo. Remember that a pleasant looking website is much more approachable than one that is difficult to read.

Also try signing up for as many different social networking sites as possible. By being able to connect with complete strangers who might be interested in your product such as bradford seo, you increase your advertising potential exponentially. Remember to update your page frequently so that people will actively check out your page. Good web marketing utilizes everything available on the internet as potential advertising.

Remember to promote any special offers your business is running as well. Be sure to talk to each customer individually if it's possible. People are more likely to respond to an advertisement if they feel they have an emotional connection with a certain business. People don't want to do business with people who are unfriendly and unresponsive.

You may also want to hire someone specifically for internet promotion. This way you can focus on other things if you're not that skilled with computers. College students and recent graduates are perfect for that kind of job. You will be able to pay them less than someone who has been in the advertising business for several years.

Use web marketing as often as you can if you want to grow your business and your profit potential. If you don't, you are losing a serious amount of potential income. Good luck!




About the Author:

If you are looking for an seo expert then the good people over at improve seo will be able to help you, as experts in the field of seo leeds they have been leading the way for many years

The Right PR Is Actually More Essential To Enterprises Nowadays Than Ever Before

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By Prescott Greenson

Public relations have long been essential for companies, however these days there is an increased degree of significance placed on public relations. The fact is, the internet has changed the business landscape and a corporation's reputation matters more since individuals can readily discuss their very own ideas via the internet over a number of social sites where negativity moves quickly.

Those that are thinking about making an investment in broadcast PR are often advised to consider the influence this may have when it comes to winning over positive views from an audience that's much bigger compared to what this company could possibly have in terms of its own customer base. PR experts understand that with this type of Public relations, many more people may be reached and a level of authenticity and authority may be accomplished that is not obtainable through print or internet based sources.

With this type of outreach, individuals are far more likely to go ahead and take the sales message seriously and, within their minds, it truly is more essential because broadcast sources are often thought to be more reliable. TV and radio are the best ways of getting in front of people who may not utilize the internet, though businesses are advised of the fact that these people will speak with those who do and this can have an added benefit because of that spreading tendency.

The reality is, the radio still remains to be an amazingly practical approach to get in touch with an audience. With radio PR, an organization can reach people whilst they commute to work as well as during other instances when these people may be congregating with other individuals, as well.

The radio still maintains a ultra powerful position in the minds of clients and together with repetition factor which the proper set of advertisements may offer, the message is also more likely to be internalized by the listener, something which public relations professionals realize is a very powerful effect. For those who are interested in obtaining real results, radio remains an incredibly important way to reach out and establish trustworthiness quickly while relaying an important message.

To get the best quality results, this is certainly one platform that has a solid reputation of delivering everything that Public relations experts consider to be the two most significant goals of just about any platform: reach and also authority. Those thinking about a PR campaign must keep broadcast PR in mind. Although the net gives a variety of positive aspects, broadcast platforms continue to retain a lot of sway over numerous prospects into customers.




About the Author:

The article author is an authority on radio PR and broadcast PR. To learn more about the broadcast and radio PR services have a look at the site.

Improving Your Business With Communication Measurement

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By Chloe Gib

Communication measurement is a tool used to maintain good public relations of a business with its stakeholders by checking their attitudes and behavior. It helps in the consideration of the stakeholders when people are making decisions for a company. This helps to align the attitudes of a stakeholder and the business goals and outcomes.

This measurement is commonly done once in a year by experts outsourced by an organization or by those employed to do so. Measurement can also be done before a campaign to know the effectiveness of a program. It is done at some intervals so measure the shifts of stakeholder's attitudes.

There are two main types or procedures of communication measurement that people employ in their organizations. They start with the baseline research. This should be done to check the attitudes, information and behavior that the people have just before the campaign is done. They consider how information is passed and received.

The next type is the functional one. This is done after a campaign to see if its functionality is effective. It is done through comparisons of the results of the baseline research. Some of the element they study is the number of messages sent, those delivered and those that failed to be delivered. They check if it is satisfactory to them.

The first thing you need to do for matching the campaign results with the outcomes of this business is to look for the objectives of the company that can be impacted. You then have to break out behavior that need changing by the stakeholders in order to achieve the organization goals. This should be done as much as many have ignored it. AS soon as you are through with it, you can identify the stakeholders involved and check what attitude and information should change so as to change the behavior and select the best channel for them. After you have finished all this then you may sit down and come up with a good channel and relevant message.

Some of the impacts to measure include the types of messages delivered and the feedback from the stakeholders. One checks on the way the message influenced their behavior. The impact on the business goals and outcomes should be quantified and finally the financial impact is evaluated by considering the clients and stakeholders retained.

The methodologies applied on the communication measurements include questionnaires, making discussion groups and focus groups. This research may be done internally for the employees or externally to the stakeholders. It aim is to stabilize the people involved in the business with its goals and outcomes.




About the Author:

Angela Jeffrey & Associates offers communication measurement and public relations evaluations for your company. Get top research from the best. (http://www.measurementmatch.com/)

Write Press Releases that Grab Peoples' Attention

To contact us Click HERE
By Frederick Vickers

There are so many different aspects of both online and offline business that have the potential for overwhelming anyone. All the old vets of internet marketing who pioneered press release went through that and know the deal.

The primary reason for using freelance help is to allow for more time on activities that directly impact revenue.

We are not quite done with our discussion, and if you are like us the gears would be turning with fresh ideas.

While companies selling physical products like luxaflex blinds may find this marketing strategy is very useful and diverse, it just depends on your particular situation. There is a lot to consider when you are contemplating all new promotional activities. Very many online businesses are extremely serious, and therefore they will always be interested in adding new revenue streams. Perhaps that easiest path to growth is through scaling existing campaigns, and then seek to add what you can that is all new. In the end, a long time from now, just be sure you do not look back and wish you would have considered more options. Your press release's first paragraph is really important and that is why you need to be choosy about which information is included in it. Make sure you include the basics as people are going to have questions right in the start; answer their questions related to where, how, why and when right in the first paragraph, so that they don't really have any doubts and are comfortable moving forward.

You can take any one of these methods and really go all out in your business because they will open up new venues for you, to be sure. You will be positioning your self for the greatest gains with this simple approach. One thing you can easily do is test these tips and look at examples and case studies such as the company that sells luxaflex blinds using this marketing strategy, on a small scale, and that is another approach we tell people to try - just do a small test and decide. Not necessarily at all with what we are talking about today, but there are other methods and ideas that are sold and not really the best choices for people to use.

If you are really new, then you have to know the importance of performing background research on any method that you are not familiar with. If you are not careful about what you do, then you can easily start method-hopping and getting nowhere. That experience is very common with web marketers who are relatively new and with little experience. We really pretty much do not care who it is, if something is new to you then you have to preform some research to get another side of the story. Maybe you have already had experiences in which smart homework saved you some money. In order to find success with your press release, you need to focus on some of the vital elements such as the headline. If you don't have a good headline then nobody is going to read your press release. The level of exposure that you get with your press release is completely dependent upon how well you can reach out to your target audience and impact them. Look around to see how other press releases out there have crafted their headlines so that you can emulate them while you work on conveying your own message to your readers. Do not be scared to experiment with your headlines and make changes.




About the Author:

Just about everybody who starts an online business goes through similar experiences; for example, there is a lot to be found about baby sleeping bags with sleeves strategy and their press release but you need to be careful. There can be many reasons, discussed at stop smoking London website and see their press release tips, with that as well as successful press release, so it can tough to pinpoint the exact cause. No need to bang your head against the wall, anymore, concerning this issue. We all make mistakes and have be down the same road; so do not feel like something is wrong with you.

23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba

Have a lovely weekend!

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What are you up to this weekend? Toby turns two on May 25th (here's a photo of him as a newborn!), but we've having his birthday party this weekend. It's an afternoon picnic with pizza, and strawberries on popsicle sticks. I'm excited, and he definitely knows something's up. Have a great one, and here are a few fun posts from around the web...

A nine-year-old writes a blog about school lunches.

Whoa. Now those are high-waisted pants.

Pinup style is back.

Biking to the supermarket!

Ice eggs for little dudes.

How common is your birthday? (Apparently people have more sex in the winter:)

Rad home makeover.

Just got this red colorblock bag for the summer.

This lion is part of the family.

How to photograph a newborn.

Moist chicken every time.

Salads for dinner.

Make your own colorblock flats.

A beautifully honest post about struggling with infertility.

And a bonus for all readers who need glasses or sunglasses: Get 20% off at Lookmatic. xoxo

(Photograph by Billy Kidd)

Motherhood Mondays: Scrapboxes

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Last year, for his first birthday, Toby got a toy bus as a gift, and since then, he played with it so much that we lost the passengers inside, and then the wheels fell off, and then the whole bottom fell off. In the end, it was just a yellow shell. We ended up throwing it away this past weekend, which was surprisingly heartbreaking for Alex and me. (As a parent, you become so sentimental!)

So, these scrapboxes by Darcy Miller, below, really appeal to me. You frame a photo and an actual item. We could have framed this photo of Toby along with part of his beloved bus. This kind of thing could come off as cheesy, but Darcy handles them so beautifully. How sweet to have a photo of your child's birthday with the actual candle she blew out, or a newborn photo along with that sweet striped hospital cap. (And they could be great for grown-ups, too. Think: a vacation photo with seashells, or a wedding photo with a dried flower from your bouquet.)

Thoughts? How sweet are these? I'm turning into such a sap!
P.S. Remember this couple's idea?

(Photo of Toby by our wonderful photographer friend Kelsey Foster)

What makes you happy?

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Yesterday was one of those stressful days, so today I'd love to ask you: What are three things that make you happy? When I asked you years ago, your answers included baby cheeks, the cool side of the pillow and a good fudgy brownie. (Also, "pee shivers." Ha!) My list right now is: clean sheets with freshly shaven legs, a new episode of Mad Men, Belgian beer. And you?

P.S. Also, peonies. And baby swans that ride on their mother's back.

Colored chalk tips

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Today I'm excited to share another hair tutorial! My genius friend Caroline used chalk (yes, plain old chalk) to color the ends of her hair like a rainbow, and you could also do ombre or just your favorite color. Don't you love this sexy rocker look? Here's how to do it...

Here are Caroline's steps, and the wonderful Jamie Beck took photos:
Dying hair crazy colors is a trend that's been going strong for a while now, but what do you do if you want to have some fun, and don't want to commit to a semi-permanent dye? Here's your answer! Chalk pastels are my go-to when I want to add some fun into my hair.

1. Get yourself some chalk pastels. You can find them at any art or craft store or on Amazon. Make sure they are CHALK pastels and not OIL pastels; otherwise you'll make even more of a mess!

2. Pick your favorite color of chalk, and wet the tip of the chalk you have chosen. Then rub the end of the chalk up and down the tips of your hair, re-wetting when necessary. (You can also wet your hair instead of the chalk, but I find it easier to just re-wet the chalk when needed. You don't want your waterlog your hair, since then it will become a mushy mess.)

3. Switch colors if you want. Just go crazy. Experiment. This type of hair is meant to be fun and carefree! (For my hair, I used a combo of four colors: magenta, peach, royal blue, and turquoise.)

4. Wait for your newly colored hair to dry a little before you get dressed. You don't want to get colored dye on your party outfit. Also, don't forget to wash your hands after, you're going to get a bit messy. Don't worry, it comes off with soap and water!

Three extra tips:
* If you have lighter hair, skip wetting the chalk first and just use the chalk dry on your hair. Wetting it may stain lighter hair a bit more than darker hair. If you find that the color isn't showing up enough for you, you may want to run a flat iron over the part you just colored. The heat will help brighten and seal the color in.
* Apologies in advance for the ladies with super dark hair; you may have to sit this one out (although, you could try some bright blues and purples for a cool subdued effect).
* Don't fear that it will rub off onto your clothing once it's dry. I was wearing a white blouse when we took these photos, and I went out to dinner afterward and came home with no trace of color anywhere on me or my clothing (save for some bright pink chalk under my nails because i didn't wash my hands well enough;).

There you have it! Fun stuff! Have a good time, ladies!!!
Thank you so much, Caroline and Jamie! Would be really fun for a date, a night out with friends or a birthday party. Would you do it?

P.S. Nine hair tutorials...

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the outdoor photos, Caroline is wearing this white shirt and these jeans in neon persimmon. Her red lipstick is Ruby Woo by MAC. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and will be available in early June. In the how-to photos, Caroline is wearing vintage jeans--similar ones here--and this Ikat top.)

The Best Party Cocktail You'll Ever Have

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My mom turned sixty last February (!), and we're throwing her a long-awaited family party this coming weekend. My brother, sister and I have been brainstorming surprises for her party, which I'll keep secret until next week--and I'm also in charge of drinks. Happily, my friend Anna suggested this incredible cocktail, which we're definitely whipping up this weekend...
Read more »

17 Mayıs 2012 Perşembe

What Is Cause Marketing?

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By James Duncan

As you and your company work to develop creative marketing ideas, don't forget to look at cause marketing. So, what is cause marketing?

Cause marketing is actually a advertising technique in which there is a win-win for both a for-profit firm along with a charitable cause charity. The charity receives direct monetary benefit and usually also valuable exposure, which can result in more donations. The marketer or company advantages include essentially positive publicity and goodwill, which, if handled appropriately can translate into increased business.

In this article, we're going to examine a fantastic case of a cause marketing campaign executed well. We'll also use the sample case to highlight much more clearly some possible issues that can arise in cause marketing that companies need to be cautious about and the best way to not encounter them.

Our sample case also has a very clever feature regarding how it's paid for. Amazingly, it is 100% cost-free.

Begin with actually wanting to do some good

Absolutely everyone would agree that it is terrific to help a cause they believe in. Find the charitable organization that you would like to aid based on what your heart says. As you select a precise charitable recipient within your chosen cause area, it is best to select a major, well-known charity. Doing this offers the most folks a sense of comfort that the effort is safe and nothing irregular. If you are a local business, like our case study below, pick a local chapter of a major charity if you can. An additional solid solution can be a well-known local charity.

You also need to be happy with your cause choice but consumers are typically very receptive of programs with charities such as the Humane Society, March of Dimes, Red Cross, UNICEF and so on, as opposed to Joe's Truly Huge Children's Charity. Okay, that is not a true charity but you get the concept. Picking an well-established charity is more essential the broader your market demographic is. CharityNavigator.org is an excellent resource for examining the legitimacy of a charity if you're not positive.

Program structure and PR plan are critical

The next key is getting the positioning of your cause marketing program just right. You want people to know you are doing this for the sake of doing good, not just looking good. We'll talk about this more in our example.

You also must take great care with how you let prospects and customers uncover what good works you're doing. It is much better if they learn about it on their own. You should make sure they learn about your charity work on their own rather than being fed PR and marketing messages to ensure they know about it.

In the end, if you've planned your positioning and PR well, you'll see that prospects and clients will perceive your company better than before. Then, theoretically, it is more likely that they will buy your product or service.

Here's our case study

Hybrid Realty Group is complete service real estate firm in Miami, Florida. Like most Realtor firms the company's website hybridrealtygroup.com has elements such as articles about properties, the market, and a property search function. Nonetheless, it also features a home page menu tab called Marketplace. Visitors are directed to the website page "Shop For Charity." (Go see it as you read this--it'll enable you to recognize how this cause marketing approach works). Featured in the Shop For Charity are ads for goods and services that new real estate buyers or sellers would find of interest.

This includes products in categories like home and garden, technology, recreation and more. In other words, the section is a service to Hybrid Realty's customers and this makes it a fantastic inclusion for that purpose alone. The ads are all acquired from a high-end affiliate advertising and marketing network in which advertisers pay commissions to web sites that run their advertisements.

A special charity angle

Here's the special angle: Hybrid Realty Group donates 100% in the affiliate ad commissions it receives towards the Humane Society of Greater Miami. This entire plan costs Hybrid absolutely nothing, but assists a charity in a very real financial way. Hybrid also boosts their presence by giving the charity a banner ad on its home page and participating in local events in the charity also, backing up their assistance with much more activity throughout the year.

Here are some of the things Hybrid Realty did to make this program work and position it just right:

-They state clearly that 100% of the ad commissions go to the charity. This firmly establishes that they have no profit motive behind the move. After all, website advertising is not their business, real estate is. Unless your main business is online advertising/an affiliate site don't create this kind of program and then tell people that only "10%" or "25% of our profits" go the the charity. This sends all the wrong signals, as if you're actually just trying to develop another revenue stream for your business.

-They do not trumpet the fact that they are doing this. They let people discover it on their own. Not talking about this in a PR-fluffed way creates a much stronger positive message than making fanfare about it. Do not issue press releases or plaster it too far and wide. Let your charitable act quietly speak for itself.

-They chose a brand name charity as the recipient. In their case they chose a local chapter of a nationally-known charity.

4. They carefully chose advertisers which can be genuinely helpful to their target web site guests, making a win all around.

5. They put no other marketing on their website and generally make certain that in all other ways they come across as a company focused on their real estate business. Not one looking to squeeze out extra profits at every turn.

-They back up their financial support with involvement at the local level by supporting and participating in local fundraising activities, adopt-a-pet days and so on.

-Last, but maybe most important, they truly believe in their chosen cause. This is clear from the commitment they display throughout the components of their campaign.

Cause marketing can be a great fit for most companies

A lot more can be written on what is cause marketing and different strategies to utilize it. It certainly can bring a refreshing and unique angle to your marketing approach.

In the end, search to find a cause to you believe in, get inventive to land on a unique approach, carefully plan passive communication, and sit back and enjoy increased buyer goodwill and the joy helping to make a slightly better world at the same time.




About the Author:

James Duncan is a cutting-edge marketing pro and Chief Editor at openthebusiness.com. There you can see more of his articles on marketing, social media marketing, business operation, startups and more. Also get a free 33-page marketing e-report now by subscribing to the site's free e-letter.

Using Twitter As A Marketing Tool

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By James Duncan

Social media marketing is hot right now, and for good reason. Businesses that utilize it are seeing significant benefit in terms of brand awareness. Along with Facebook, advertising with Twitter has risen meteorically over the last year.

You almost certainly already know tweeting entails writing a message to your "followers" or subscribers in 140 characters or less (inclusive of spaces), but check out these amazing details describing Twitter's growth:

A study from Twitter app Twopcharts, (not a Twitter organization), showed a stunning 465 million Twitter accounts in 2012 with 500 million expected sometime in 2012. Further, as reported at thenextweb.com, in September 2011 Twitter announced that the quantity of active Twitter users was 100 million per month. Also, Twitter.com was visited by over 400 million special monthly guests. With that sort of reach, no organization can afford to miss out on using this tool in their marketing and PR.

Here are a few simple guidelines to help you execute a successful Twitter marketing campaign:

Tip 1

Just launching a Twitter account or want far more followers? The top strategy to get activity fast is sign up for a totally free "get followers" service. You'll find some excellent web sites out there but beware that you'll find also many pay solutions on the market that try and lure you with a free of charge demo period. To locate a genuinely free site, take a look at howtogetlikes.com which is a totally free page that rates and will direct you to the best free of charge websites that enable you to acquire Twitter followers. Howtogetlikes.com also lists best free of charge Internet sites to find Facebook likes, YouTube subscribers and other social media activity generation.

Tip 2

Follow Twitter's official blog, which is constantly updated with new tools and resources. You can find the latest there on resources to make the most of Twitter. For example, the company will be launching a small business advertising option in 2012 in the U.S. that will add a new way for small businesses to get into advertising with Twitter.

Tip 3

Use a URL shortener like the free tools at TinyURL.com, bitly.com or another to shorten your link and not take up all your characters. It's hard enough to write a well-crafted message in 140 characters as is. Don't make it harder by taking up vital space with your URL. You should also be including a URL in almost every tweet to lead your followers to taking some kind of action.

Tip 4

Make sure your Twitter account profile is complete and designed as a marketing piece on its own. It should contain an image, your website URL, and short but detailed enough information about your company, product or service. Many people click on profiles and some will click through to your website if you've sold them on a reason to visit you.

Tip 5

Assign the activity of managing your social media marketing to one individual within your company. It is best to make your "Social Media Manager" a key part of your staff. They should come up with social media tactics based around all actions your company takes, whether it be introducing new products or what have you. Ensure they develop a consistent flow of social media communication , including frequent tweeting, to create your social media approach function. Note that not communicating enough or, perhaps worse, an excessive amount of can render your campaign ineffective.




About the Author:

James Duncan is Editor at openthebusiness.com. For more tips on social media, marketing strategy and business subscribe to the free bi-weekly e-letter "BizTools Update" at openthebusiness.com. Act now and instantly get a free 33-page e-book on Twitter marketing techniques just for signing up.

Learn How A Lead Generation Company Can Assist You With Social Media Marketing

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By Gregory Stevenson

Social media marketing is the fresh wave of the future that lots of companies are taking advantage of to get out there in front of the public. What many companies do not realize is the fact that having a social media marketing strategy is something that any sized business can have. You do not have to be a big company to utilize social media.

Technological know-how is improving in jumps and bounds and social media is just one more way that companies can advertise themselves. This is not only something for large more successful businesses, but also start-up companies. Social media may act as an ideal method for a new business to develop their client base due to the availability of social media.

Two of the forms of social media that social media marketing strategy can cover are Facebook and Twitter. The reputation of these providers is not in doubt. All you have to do is watch the news or read the Sunday paper to find out information about these types of services and just how they're getting used. The recent movie, The Social Network, uses the founding of Facebook and proves how the open public is immersed with social networking in all its functions.

A company doesn't have to employ both of these methods for their social media marketing strategy, though the ease of use and cost involved it can be a good idea to expand to both. Luckily, using these social media outlets does not require a degree in information technology, but as you expand it is possible to require more help in either keeping up with updates and posts or more technical aspects.

It is never too late for the business to get involved with a social media market strategy. Do not feel that since the popularity of social media has skyrocketed that you missed the boat. This is not something that will go away over night based on that reputation and can help your company gain popularity also.

There's still sufficient time for the company to start utilizing social media. Any business will benefit from having a presence on social media sites. Starting out now with social media is not hard and will be a good way to advertise the business.

The simplest way to get started doing a social media marketing strategy is to become familiar with the different services. Head to their particular web sites and search over any materials they provide regarding how to sign up and account set up. There is plenty of material available on the internet and in book form on using social media for your company. He can also contact a lead generation company who can assist you in getting started. They can also help with your content marketing.

A different way to understand social media is to set up an individual account first, if you don't already have one. In many ways a personal account is very similar to a company's account in the way they are set up and used. Having the ability to apply what you have learned through a personal account is a good way to learn more about social media.




About the Author:

Today there's social media marketing, content marketing, SEO, PPC, and other marketing strategies that can deliver your message to more people than has ever been possible before. But none of that matters if the message doesn't stick, if it doesn't resonate with your public. Contact a lead generation company to begin your marketing campaign.

Write Press Releases that Grab Peoples' Attention

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By Frederick Vickers

There are so many different aspects of both online and offline business that have the potential for overwhelming anyone. All the old vets of internet marketing who pioneered press release went through that and know the deal.

The primary reason for using freelance help is to allow for more time on activities that directly impact revenue.

We are not quite done with our discussion, and if you are like us the gears would be turning with fresh ideas.

While companies selling physical products like luxaflex blinds may find this marketing strategy is very useful and diverse, it just depends on your particular situation. There is a lot to consider when you are contemplating all new promotional activities. Very many online businesses are extremely serious, and therefore they will always be interested in adding new revenue streams. Perhaps that easiest path to growth is through scaling existing campaigns, and then seek to add what you can that is all new. In the end, a long time from now, just be sure you do not look back and wish you would have considered more options. Your press release's first paragraph is really important and that is why you need to be choosy about which information is included in it. Make sure you include the basics as people are going to have questions right in the start; answer their questions related to where, how, why and when right in the first paragraph, so that they don't really have any doubts and are comfortable moving forward.

You can take any one of these methods and really go all out in your business because they will open up new venues for you, to be sure. You will be positioning your self for the greatest gains with this simple approach. One thing you can easily do is test these tips and look at examples and case studies such as the company that sells luxaflex blinds using this marketing strategy, on a small scale, and that is another approach we tell people to try - just do a small test and decide. Not necessarily at all with what we are talking about today, but there are other methods and ideas that are sold and not really the best choices for people to use.

If you are really new, then you have to know the importance of performing background research on any method that you are not familiar with. If you are not careful about what you do, then you can easily start method-hopping and getting nowhere. That experience is very common with web marketers who are relatively new and with little experience. We really pretty much do not care who it is, if something is new to you then you have to preform some research to get another side of the story. Maybe you have already had experiences in which smart homework saved you some money. In order to find success with your press release, you need to focus on some of the vital elements such as the headline. If you don't have a good headline then nobody is going to read your press release. The level of exposure that you get with your press release is completely dependent upon how well you can reach out to your target audience and impact them. Look around to see how other press releases out there have crafted their headlines so that you can emulate them while you work on conveying your own message to your readers. Do not be scared to experiment with your headlines and make changes.




About the Author:

Just about everybody who starts an online business goes through similar experiences; for example, there is a lot to be found about baby sleeping bags with sleeves strategy and their press release but you need to be careful. There can be many reasons, discussed at stop smoking London website and see their press release tips, with that as well as successful press release, so it can tough to pinpoint the exact cause. No need to bang your head against the wall, anymore, concerning this issue. We all make mistakes and have be down the same road; so do not feel like something is wrong with you.

Writing a Money Making Press Release - Everything You Need to Get the Job Done

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By Foster Beer

Remember that what works well for one business situation with developing more press release may not work successfully with your business. Here is a great example of what we mean, you undoubtedly need to have solid information on your niche audience. Understanding your market is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities you have toward your business. Obviously you want to see something reflected in your results, and this one strategy is designed to do that. Just about everything with writing effective copy is based on the reader, of any market, reading that copy and responding to it on a deep level. So that is why you must do the work in terms of discovering what your market is all about.

In order to gain targeted exposure on the Internet, you need to make sure the right people see your ads at the right time and that means that you need to be able to correctly leverage the power of things like publishing your own press releases. If you want to achieve long term results through your press releases you need to ensure that the releases you write have strong foundations so that they will deliver the results you want. The following article discusses a few tips that will help you find success with your press release and ensure that it makes an impact on your target audience...

If you want to find success with your press release, it is important to focus on important things like the headline. If your press release does not have a gripping headline then it's very obvious that people aren't going to read it. The sort of exposure you get through press releases is dependent upon how many people you reach through it and what sort of impact it makes. So look around and see how other press releases out there have their headlines done, and craft your own keeping in mind the main message that you want to pass through your release. Learn to be okay with headline experimentation and try new things.

You want your press release to be found when your target audience searches for it right? This is why you need to make sure that your press release contains all of the important keywords so that you can rank well for them. Make sure that you have all of the right keywords woven into your press release content so that it feels natural; do not make the major mistake of just stuffing your primary keyword into your release. Your focus should be getting the keywords placed in the beginning, in the middle paragraph and towards the end.

If you think that writing a press release is too hard and not your cup of tea, you can use any number of the templates that you find on the Internet and that will help you get a good start. Most of the time the templates are free and can give you a good leg up. It is important, then, that you make sure that you don't depend on these templates and that you learn how to be original and creative to make sure that your press releases are more valid and effective. Look at the template as a springboard where you get the inspiration and ideas to get started.

There are so many stories about scams on the net and other elicit acts, and if you are not responsible enough of getting information you will be gobbled by moth traps due to insufficient investigation about something you want to try. Maybe it is just survival of the fittest and those who succeed are the ones who use common sense in business along with other qualities. That experience is very common with web marketers who are relatively new and with little experience. Chances are you will know about the most common marketing methods, but there are some that are not as well-known yet they are effective, too. What you will usually end up doing is not wasting your time and money.




About the Author:

I also felt like I was spinning my wheels with press release; just trying to locate credible and actionable information. If ever you're planning to start up a press release, you have to go to private office where you will be treated to a few explanations regarding press release and successful press release. You can try to figure it out on your own or get help with anything relevant to your campaigns. So that is it - time to be a real action-taker because that is the only thing that will make a real difference. There are more things that I will explain in concierge London blog for more details.

13 Mayıs 2012 Pazar

Mermaid Tail Braid

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We haven't done a hair tutorial in ages! So, my friend (and hair genius) Caroline, photographer Jamie Beck and I decided to come together to whip up this gorgeous mermaid tail. It's perfect for those lazy summer day (or date nights) when you want to surprise and awe people with your hair. I absolutely love it--in fact, it might be my favorite hair tutorial yet. How gorgeous is that braid, above?!

Here are Caroline's steps, if you'd like to try it out...
1. Divide your hair into two equal sections.

2-4. Braid each section, and tie the end with an elastic band. You'll want to do what's called a "Dutch braid." For a normal braid, you take the outside section and cross it IN FRONT of the middle section. A Dutch braid is the opposite: the outside section goes BEHIND the middle section. It's important to do the braids this way so that they'll look seamless when when you connect the two sections later.

5-6. Fatten out the two braids by pulling apart the outer edges. I like to "smush" the braid back and forth in my fingers, too—whatever makes them fuller and fatter and not so sleek.

7. Line up the two separate braids so they begin to look like one big fat braid. It's important to make sure the middle section of the mermaid tail lines up--don't worry if the ends of your braids (the hair that is sticking out underneath the elastic) are uneven, it won't matter. It's more important to line up the braid correctly, so the center of the tail matches.

8. Pin the center of the two braided sections together. I tend to use mini bobby pins since they are easier to hide, and I like to pin them in and up (you start with the pin facing horizontally, then as you push it into the hair, you direct it vertically). Use as many bobby pins as it takes, until you feel the braid is secure. I used about five little pins, and pinned about 1 1/2 inches apart, wherever I could best hide them.

(Optional step: You can remove the two separate rubber bands at the end, and just use one to combine the two tails together. I didn't do this because I used smaller rubber bands to begin with.)
"That's it!" says Caroline, "Such an easy fun way to wear something other than a plain ol' braid!" Would be great to wear this braid all summer, don't you think? :) (And here are our eight previous hair tutorials, if you'd like more summer hair ideas.) Thank you again, Caroline and Jamie!

(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the outdoor photos, Caroline is wearing this chambray top. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and her lipstick is So Chaud by MAC. In the how-to photos, she is wearing a vintage striped tee--similar one here--and vintage jeans--similar ones here.)

Tuesday giveaway!

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Today's giveaway is from Loeffler Randall, the achingly cool shoe line run by a husband-and-wife team in Brooklyn. Their neon sandals, espadrille platforms and lace-up booties bring together refined sophistication and downtown style. Today, one lucky winner will win two pairs of Heart LR clogs (any style you'd like): one pair is for you, and one pair is for you to give your mom, sister or best friend.

For a chance to win, please visit Loeffler Randall and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! xo Update: Jordan B. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing.

Plus a (big) bonus for all readers: Get 20% of all full-priced items with the code ACUPOFJO until this Friday night. See their full collection here.

The Best Macaroni & Cheese You'll Ever Have

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Macaroni & cheese is one of those comfort foods that makes you feel better no matter what kind of day you've had. Three different cheeses, salty pancetta, warm pasta...I'm craving a big bowl right now. (And it makes great leftovers!) Luckily, Naomi from Rockstar Diaries agreed to reveal their favorite family recipe, which they (and their toddler daughter) can't get enough of...
Read more »

Thursday giveaway!

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Today's giveaway is from Lo & Sons, a brand of fabulous travel bags made by a mother and her sons. They also double as great camera and weekend bags, and the bright colors would be pretty to take on a honeymoon. They also fit right onto rolling luggage, so they're easy to travel with. One lucky winner gets to choose her favorite. Which would you choose? (I'd go for the overnight bag in red.)

For a chance to win, please visit Lo & Sons and leave a comment below telling us your favorite bag. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck! Update: Mel L. is our lucky winner. Thanks for playing. xo

Bonus for all readers: Get 25% off your order by entering the code ACUPOFJO. Good until June 1st.

Have a cool weekend.

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What are you up to this weekend? Alex and I are taking a trapeze class! We decided to sign up weeks ago (after a bottle of wine, obv) and now we're terrified. Wish us luck! We'll report back next week. Hope you have a wonderful weekend (and a great Mother's Day), and here are a few great posts from around the web...

A song to kick off your weekend.

Four veggie breakfasts.

Beautiful girls in New York.

Baby kitten.

Avocado grilled cheese. Yes, please.

Do or Don't: This swimsuit.

Swapping heads in photos!

This made me laugh out loud. And this. And this.

Which fruits and vegetables to choose organic.

Yellow stripes for the sun.

How to say goodbye to a kid.

Sweet ruffles.

15 secrets to a happy marriage.

Alex wrote this article about old dudes getting back into skateboarding. (Hey, I'm married to one!)

LOVE this New Yorker cover. Bravo, Obama.

And, finally, I'm so glad you liked our mermaid tail braid!!! Here are four pretty readers wearing it this week:
* Elyse
* Ashley
* Kendall
* Britty

Have a good one, everybody. xoxo

(Photo of Janet and Michael Jackson)