Do you see your Twitter updates or recent blog posts in Google? Well, of course you should. I would be pretty surprised to write a blog post and not see it show up in Google … at least at some point. However, it is taken up a notch with the near-real-time “Latest Results” section in Google search results.
What do I mean? Here is an example Google search for “murnahan“. Under the “Latest Results” it will show you what I sent on Twitter just a moment ago, instead of only a link to my Twitter account.
I heard it stated in a recent talk at Integrated Marketing Summit in St. Louis, that Google and Bing are the largest users of social media. It is true that when you break it down, their algorithms base results on community popularity. When something has a lot of incoming links, the ranking improves. The success of a site’s Bing or Google ranking is largely based on people voting it up by linking to it.
Social media really is a basis for search engine rankings, even when it is not as immediate or as conversational as you find with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and etcetera. It is still social media.
I have heard some people say they like this this, some said they do not, and others on the fence. In my opinion, it shows that Google is working very smart to keep up with the massive explosion of real-time social media, and doing a nice job of it. I think it may also help to remind people just how interconnected the many social media sites really are, and remind them to watch what they do with their social media presence.
Where do you stand? I would like to hear your thoughts on Google’s addition of Twitter and other social media feeds in search results. Please add your comment here on my blog.
Nearly anybody with a blog or other Website that is worth reading has heard of Twitter by now. The bloggers who use Twitter efficiently may already have realized some of what I will share here, but from what I have found, many bloggers have not. To say the least, I am shocked just what a small percentage of blog owners and authors are actually using Twitter, and even more shocked by those who are not embracing the synergy the two can produce when used properly. Note that while I say “blog”, this is completely interchangeable with “Website”, so don’t be confused.
Twitter-Improved Traffic: A Simple Example
As a simple example of how Twitter can improve your blog readership, I will use the blog you are presently reading. While looking at my statistics to find how many people arrived at this fledgling blog via Twitter, I found that an estimate of nearly 15,000 unique readers arrived by way of Twitter over the past 30 days. I say estimated because it is challenging to provide an exact number due to the many readers arriving by way of Twitter clients not providing an accurate source (although my numbers will be much clearer in May). This is more than the number of subscribers to my Twitter feed, which is presently just over 11,000 but was far fewer last month (ref TwitterCounter). So how did that happen? In short, people read it, talked about it, and retweeted it.
Blog Traffic Numbers: The Real Scoop
I will write more on this later, but I find that too many people find it convenient to try and lie about the real traffic of their blog. Let’s face it, this stuff is trackable. Some people may say that traffic estimates generated as a result of Twitter is bloated or that it is not so great, but just a simple look at Compete.com or Alexa.com will reveal a lot of what I am telling you. Of course, these are usually a bit behind and do not reflect an exact accounting, but they are usually reasonably close. I share this with you because I want to provide a real example for the purpose of this article.
When considering these numbers, let’s weigh in the facts that this blog was launched in December 2008, and my Twitter account only had 78 followers on February 7th of 2009, and it is a targeted blog about social media marketing and search engine optimization. I am not seeking everybody to read my blog, but rather the right people to read my blog. Be sure to also look at your own blog / Website and review the numbers and percentage of increase. It is pretty eye-opening what Twitter can do when used properly.
The traffic and level of engagement prompted me to question how Twitter has changed blogging. Here are just a few things that i found.
Twitter-Improved Reader Engagement
I will show examples of blog reader engagement separated into three parts, but this remains only one of the three areas of benefit derived from Twitter discussed in this article. There are many ways to determine reader engagement with a Website. Some ways blog authors have traditionally found valuable to measure the reader’s engagement are as follows:
Time on Page: The average time the user spends on a page is a good measure of whether they are actually reading what you have to say. This is clearly subject to the type and length of content you provide, but in any case, readers who are not interested will not stick around very long. A minute is a very long time for many internet readers. What I have found in the measure of time on page is that readers initially engaged by Twitter will spend more time reading my blog, totaling about three minutes per page view. This is a significant increase over users arriving from other sources, and is longer than any other source.
Page Views Per Reader: The number of pages each user visits is a strong reflection of the user’s interest in your industry, beyond the single topic of the initial page they viewed. I have noticed an improved page views per reader coming from Twitter, up .5 page views per reader compared to other sources, which is a significant sign of reaching the right audience.
Blog Comment Volume and Quality: An important measure for the blog author is in how many comments, and the quality of comments the blog post receives. When writing something relating to Twitter, I have witnessed great results for blog comments, on this blog and others. One of my recent blog posts relating to Twitter usernames has received upward of 140 approved comments. I attribute much of this to the fact that many readers already have some knowledge of the author, and are already a part of a conversation. A blog is one way that they find out more information and continue the conversation. I think many bloggers would agree with this finding.
Assessing the reader engagement of Twitter users, both on a blog and on your Twitter feed, can also be measured by the comments received in reply to the posting of the blog link to Twitter. I find that some people will respond to the title of the tweet. It seems that every day I see somebody respond to the text of a tweet in a way that I know without question they have not read the blog post linked to the tweet. A great example of this was when I tweeted a blog post titled “Will Oprah (@oprah) Ruin Twitter?” and I received a lot of comments in defense of Oprah Winfrey’s use of Twitter. That was kind of silly, because the blog discussed the changes that may come from the inevitable increase in traffic and how a large influx of new users may change how we use Twitter. This absurdity should always be considered a measurement of engagement of your Twitter following and not of your blog. What it also points out is that Twitter users who do read your blog are likely truly interested in what you have written. If your Twitter account is managed properly and you spend time to get to know your followers and let them know you, blind comments should largely only happen with your newest followers.
Twitter-Improved Search Engine Optimization
Many search engine optimizers (SEO) will overlook the value of Twitter for improving search engine penetration. If they miss this part, they are making a big mistake. A reason many SEO will dismiss this value is that Twitter uses the “nofollow” attribute in outbound links, thus, no increased Google PageRank. Make no mistake; Twitter can greatly enhance your visibility in search engine results. This can come from many outside factors related to Twitter, as well as Twitter itself. I will just name a couple, but here are some ways SEO is enhanced by using Twitter. First, I should point out that Twitter’s Search is a Search Engine! As more people use Twitter search to find information, using Twitter will help many people to find your information. Aside from just Twitter searches, the likelihood of particular tweets being listed in other search engines referencing a Twitter tweet or one of the many Twitter-related applications along with your link are improved. Be sure to realize that each person who reads your blog also comes with a voice to further spread your blog in many other ways. Thus, each reader who finds your blog in any Twitter-related way has the potential to further propagate your message in search engines as well. It all adds up to make a significant end-result.
Twitter-Improved Call to Action
Along with the added benefits of brand recognition and brand loyalty, comes the greatest benefit of all … an improved call to action. This means that the message you distributed has gone beyond just readership, and the reader has heard and responded to your call to action. In my case, that literally means that they have made a call to reach me and discuss improving their market reach. For you, it may be that they enter their order for your product, apply for a job, donate to a cause, or many other possibilities.
How I measure a greater call to action from Twitter: It has become standard that I speak on the telephone (direct line 866-293-2489) or on Skype (username murnahan) to a minimum of five different inbound callers per day as a result of Twitter users who also read my blog. In addition to inbound callers, I also call at least five people I meet on Twitter to simply make an introduction and to get to know them better, so this certainly works both ways.
I make it my practice to reach people beyond the singular communication tool of Twitter, and expand my communications to other tools. This means that not only has Twitter greatly impacted my blog readership, it also goes far beyond blogging to reach people I would likely have never met otherwise.
How Does This Apply to You?
Surely some people reading this do not have a blog or Website, and may not have a great importance of reaching out to other people, but I think those numbers are fairly small. Most people who read this have a reason to reach others. If this is the case, you should not neglect the value of Twitter for reaching a very important audience.
Reaching a larger and more valuable audience is what I do for my clients, and what I am paid for. I have found Twitter to be an extremely useful tool. If you are getting frustrated and you want to see better results for your blog or other Website, please reach me to explain how I may help you.
Don’t Just Comment on Twitter!
If you made it this far, I hope that you will give me the honor of reading and responding to your comments right here on the blog. Yes, of course, your comments are also always welcome by way of Twitter, too. Please tell me what you think!
This is perhaps my simplest blog post ever! It came to me that there only two really important questions about marketing your business, online or otherwise. Sure, there are other questions to ask, but these are the two that matter above all others.
1.) Do you want more targeted leads for your business?
This is a really simple one for most people in business. If the answer is no, you clearly have no business here on this blog. If the answer is yes, we should be talking!
2.) Is it too late because you neglected it too long?
This is the single most punishing question to answer, but it is the most true and realistic reason people make bad decisions in their business. If you say that you cannot afford to market your business, you should really think again. The truth is that you cannot afford to neglect the things that pay you. Marketing should never be a cost to you, because it is what pays you. Without it, you are dead in the water. The better question should really be whether you can afford to not expand your marketing. Here is a simple reminder:
“The man who stops advertising to save money is like the
man who stops the clock to save time.” –Thomas Jefferson
Simple Enough?
I tried to make this my simplest blog post ever. If you think too far beyond these two questions, you may be missing the big picture. Once you have answered these two simple questions, there should be no reason to put it off for another moment.
I would like your input, so please give your comments here on the blog and also feel free to reach me by telephone (direct line 866-293-2489) or on Skype (username murnahan).
Sales representatives forgetting to open the order pad or afraid to ask for the sale has been a concern of sales managers forever. This is something that I concentrated on as a sales trainer and management consultant for years. It often came down to a lack of confidence and training, but why should this be the case with a Website? Shockingly, the same problem also holds true on the Internet. Are you asking for the sale?
Asking for the sale is the best part of the job!
It could be said that asking for the sale is the hardest task for a sales representative. It seems strange, however, that this is the part that actually creates the business, and thus pays the salesperson. When it comes right down to it, it should be the most natural thing, and the fun part of the job. So why are so many Website owners neglecting the best part of the sales job? The answer is that they simply do not know better. It is because of a lack of training and experience.
How do you ask for the sale?
In order to understand your shortcomings, it is often best to ask for another set of eyes from outside your organization. Fortunately, with Websites those extra eyes (and where they are looking) are recorded in a server log that may be reviewed and analyzed to determine patterns which may show that you simply are not asking for the sale. If you do not know what to do with this information, and most people do not, you need a professional. This brings me to the point of asking you for the sale.
May I have your business?
I am not a hypocrite, so I will lead by example. I want your business, and I am not afraid to ask. Some benefits that you will receive from my services are as follows:
Enhanced Website user experience emphasizing your call to action.
Expanded visibility with search engine optimization (SEO) placing your Website at the top of appropriate search results.
Improved market exposure through social media, including Twitter*.
Improved public relations with well prepared and distributed press releases.
Improved presentation with professional creation and review of existing marketing copy.
I want to provide you with my experience in reaching markets and delivering quality results. For more information, please take your time and review this blog. I hope that you will find this information useful. Following your review, call me at 866-293-2489 to get started with a better approach to your Internet market.
*Since I made a reference to Twitter above, I offer you the links below to verify my ability to reach an audience on Twitter. Also, see my recent article on Twitter. In order to understand why to do it and what to expect from search engine optimization (SEO), please review my SEO Lessons.
Building your referral business is probably not a new concept to you, but are you implementing it properly? Most people in business can understand the value of referrals and that referral business leads to greater customer satisfaction, which leads to more referral business. This is not limited to sales referrals. A good referral can be for a supplier, a lead for a new employee, a sales lead, or a referral of a good SEO (search engine optimization) professional.
The Value of Referral Business
If you put a pencil to the value of referral business, you will find that the value far exceeds the cost. The list of benefits is long, but here are just a few of the ways referrals can benefit your business.
Shorter sales cycle
Lower sales or recruiting cost
Greater customer satisfaction
Potential for more referrals
Increased market share
Improved image from the word of mouth
Improved trust
Referrals Go Both Ways
When we think about referrals, it is common to imagine somebody telling their friend about your product or service, saying that you will call the referral soon, and the deal will be a sure thing. This is a great business referral, but also consider the referral that you may be able to provide them. You may think that you do not know a lot of people who would be a great fit for their business need, but you may be surprised. Often, the referral of a potential employee who may work harder, or a supplier who may provide a better fit for them can be just as useful. It is important that you do not close your mind to opportunities to offer referrals, because when you give a referral, you are much closer to receiving referrals for your business.
Building Referral Business Using the Internet
Of course, because my blog is centered on improving Internet marketing and SEO, I want to point out the value of referral business as it applies to the Internet and your Website. Many people neglect or underestimate the value the referral business coming from people linking to your Website. Any search engine optimizer knows the importance of incoming links from other Websites, but do you? One of the top factors in the success of your Internet marketing is how many other Websites link to yours. Each link pointing to your Website is, as Google describes it, like a vote from that Website for yours. It is a primary factor in Google’s vaunted PageRank technology, which determines the importance of a given Website. Although you may not look at this as a business referral, it is likely only because the referrals often come in without your even knowing it, thus, neglecting the value of these referrals is common. Perhaps if you truly understood the value, you would send a nice thank you note to the sites linking to your Website … wouldn’t that be a neat idea? It would probably take you less than an hour to thank each and every site owner or Webmaster with a link pointing to you. This brings me to another point on thanking those who give you referral business.
Give Thanks for Referral Business
If you are not giving great thanks for the referral business you receive, you are making a big mistake. I occasionally see an attitude that a referral is just something that the giver was not going to use anyway, so it is no skin off the giver’s back. The reality is that when you are given a referral, you should respect it as if they just gave you a family heirloom. After all, they not only gave you their confidence that you will be respectful and caring to the person they referred, but they also gave you something that you can measure in your success.
Asking for Referral Business
Asking for referral business should be a daily practice. It is not like asking for a birthday present. Although a referral is a highly treasured gift, referrals are often something that your clients and friends will be happy to give. This is especially true if they know the value you place on them.
What is your plan to ask for referrals? Are you sending letters requesting referrals? Are you asking for referrals by sending email to your existing client base? Are you blogging about it?
Referrals Welcome
Your referrals are welcomed by me. I understand the value of your referrals, and I will not only thank you very sincerely, I will write you a check of no less than 10 percent of the initial value of contracts I receive from your referral leading to a SEO (search engine optimization) project. As for Website link referrals, I will thank you kindly, and in many cases return the favor.
When you need more Web traffic and a better customer focus with stronger relationships, you need my services. Call me to sell more online and develop happier customers who will talk about you to all of their friends.
