Monthly Archives: May 2009

Hulu Hits a Home Run in the Online Video Community

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Posted by admin on May 17, 2009 – 8:13 pm
Filed under SEO copywriter, increase online sales, increase site traffic, marketing trends, online advertising, video marketing

YouTube can easily be considered King of the online-video scene. No force has dethroned YouTube from its number one online-video platform—but it looks as though there may be a challenger. Hulu.

According to comScore, in March 2009, Google sites ranked as the top U.S.-video platform with 5.9 billion videos viewed. YouTube accounted for 99% of views on this video platform.

Rising quickly and steadily, Hulu has reached the number three spot on top online-video properties among U.S. internet users and is beginning to take a step into the international realm of online-video.

According to WebProNews, the UK is already beginning to provide full television episodes to viewers, and Bollywood is in negotiations with Hulu, as well.

According to eMarketer.com, comScore reported that Hulu’s total video streams grew 14.3% in March, and the number of unique viewers was up 19.7% in the same period. Although Hulu hasn’t yet reached YouTube’s video-guru status, it’s definitely on the rise and is something YouTube needs to consider as a major competitor. With video spending expected to rise past the $1 billion line by 2011, according to eMarketer.com, competition between the two video platforms could get fierce.

According to eMarketer.com, MAGNA Global stated that approximately $530 million was spent on online videos last year and this number is expected to rise 32%.  

Since there is a significant growth in professional video production, many advertisers are taking the online-video route for their marketing campaigns’, and it’s only a matter of time before online-video properties are advertisers’ main vehicle for advertising.

Ever Dream You Could Have Your Own Talk Show?

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Posted by admin on May 15, 2009 – 4:53 am
Filed under Audio Marketing, Business Communication, RSS Feed, attract clients, blogging for business, increase site traffic, marketing trends, target market

If you’re looking to interact with prospects in a unique and effective way, BlogTalkRadio is an excellent platform to look into. Not only is it free, but it’s also a fantastic way to increase online presence, gain brand recognition and credibility, and increase inbound links. With BlogTalkRadio, internet users can listen to a variety of channels, choose the category they’re interested in, and participate in a deeper, interactive experience.

Attracting your specific target market with BlogTalkRadio is simple. Choose from a wide variety of categories that best fit the description of your blog: dream, golf, culture, comedy, film, marketing, pets, spirituality, travel, and so much more. BlogTalkRadio is an excellent tool to use if you want to weed out those who are not in your target market—only the ones who are interested will click on your category.

So, what are the features and benefits of BlogTalkRadio for listeners?

• RSS feed, iTunes, and other feed readers, allow listeners to subscribe to shows and join in weekly for the next dish of news.

• No software download is required for using BlogTalkRadio—just a feed reader.

• No money is required to subscribe or listen to talk shows—they’re free!

• Listeners with questions have the opportunity to interact with the host and better understand the talk show content.    

What are the features and benefits of BlogTalkRadio for businesses?

• BlogTalkRadio is a revolutionary, online social networking tool that enables businesses that blog the opportunity to directly connect with their target audience. All a host needs is a phone and a computer.

• BlogTalkRadio offers hosts the opportunity to create live, call-in talk shows, which anyone can listen to. Once the show goes live, it will automatically be saved and can be used as a podcast in the future.

• BlogTalkRadio allows businesses to measure how many people are listening and downloading their talk shows.

• BlogTalkRadio provides hosts the opportunity to customize their personal profile by including a blog link, a link to their website, a video, or any other widget.

• BlogTalkRadio requires no software to be downloaded. All viewers and hosts need is a computer and phone.

• BlogTalkRadio offers hosts the opportunity for hosts and listeners to interact during and after the show. Listeners’ questions can be answered, and businesses can build credibility and online exposure.

Press Releases: Skyrocket Your Business to Success

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Posted by admin on May 13, 2009 – 9:18 am
Filed under Gain Brand Loyalty, SEO copywriter, attract clients, increase site traffic, press releases

Are you looking for higher conversions, increased targeted site traffic, and stronger brand recognition? If so, a carefully crafted press release is a sure-fire way to bring your business infinite success. With the viral power of press releases, it’s important to know the finite details of what constitutes an effective press release.

Questions to ask yourself when beginning a result-driven press release:

What makes a great press release?

A press release is any positive, entertaining, or useful highlight about your company. This highlight could come in the form of tips, strategies, product / service highlight, company update, or company event. Keep in mind, the press release content must be relevant to your target market’s interests. For example, if you’re a visitor’s center for a touristy area and are having a contest for best sand castle, it would be beneficial to have a press release written about tips for building the best sand castle. This type of press release is perfect content for blogs, travel sites, and travel publications, because, not only does it provide tips on how to win a contest, but it informs a large amount of people about the event. In the end, you’re receiving brand exposure, and providing useful information to your target market. 

Where is my target market receiving information—print or online?

Ten years ago it was safe to say most target audiences went to large print publications for their daily news dose. But, today, newspapers are taking an enormous hit. Many newspapers have cut staff to nearly half of what it was five or ten years ago, because of the Internet’s rising popularity as a prime news source for the general public. If you want to rank high in Google News, gain brand recognition, increase sales, and drive more targeted traffic to your website, use print and online platforms simultaneously.

How do I begin ramping up online exposure through PR?

Research the terms and keywords related to your company, industry, or product /service to determine what your target market is typing into search engines. Keyword research is a vital component to writing a result-driven press release. This research will show you exactly what your target market looks for on the Internet based on the words they use in search engines. Also, keyword research provides you with information on the language your target market uses to look up information. Effective press releases speak the language of the market they’re targeting. This is why keyword research is so important. Without adequate keyword research, sending out a press release is a shot in the dark.

I’ve done my keyword research. What next?

Once you’ve completed your keyword research and have a solid list of accurate search terms your target market is using, it’s time to find online blogs and articles written around these search terms. Google Alert is an excellent tool to use to stay on top of news in your industry or with your company. Google Alert searches the Internet for the keywords you provide and sends you emails when an article / blog is discovered on the Internet that uses those keywords. Using Google Alerts and search engines to track relevant articles and blogs circulating through the Internet, provides you with a list of several sources that might benefit from publishing your press release. Once you have found several articles / blogs based on your searched topic, you can approach the journalists, writers, and bloggers, and present them with your press release. Explain to the writer that you read their story and believe your press release would be of great interest to their readers and an excellent follow up to their story. 

Who do I send my press release to?

Most of the time, public relations is all about connections. If you want your press release to appear in a prestigious online platform, fantastic copy alone might not cut it. The power behind a solid network of contacts and stellar copy is crucial to getting your press release exposure in well-known online vehicles. So, if you’re cousin’s, best friend’s father is a reporter for the New York Times—which also has an extremely popular website—contact your cousin to get your foot in the door. Also, it’s important to approach popular bloggers and online news sources since they’re excellent contacts in the online community. If you don’t know anyone, it’s time to start building relationships by sending press releases to reputable online communication channels, including reporters, bloggers, and online news sources. If you don’t hear from anyone immediately, don’t be afraid to follow-up from time to time. If one or two respond, it’s important to nurture the relationship and keep it thriving. Also, post your press release on popular social bookmarking sites and your business / industry blog.

Get Dressed For Work in 10 Minutes Or Less

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Posted by admin on May 11, 2009 – 11:20 am
Filed under Business Communication, Marketing Tip, attract clients, social networking, website copywriter

charleston-style-concierge-logo

Join Charleston Style Concierge owner Lee Heyward for her amazing FREE Teleseminar, “Get Dressed in 10 Minutes or Less,” on Thursday, March 14.

Taken from the Charleston Style Concierge Blog, Tips and Tricks From the Charleston Style Concierge:

Getting dressed can be quick and easy!

Do you stand in your closet staring at a sea of clothes feeling as if you have nothing to wear? Do you have the perfect outfit in mind but can’t find the quintessential piece in the depths of your closet?

We only wear 20% of the clothing we own. Creating a plan for both your wardrobe and closet will help you wear what you have more often, save time getting dressed, and help you spend LESS on your wardrobe. Join me and my special guest, Sean Johnson, an organizer extraordinaire, as we share these secrets with you in this FREE ONE-TIME ONLY TELESEMINAR.
(In a hurry, click here to reserve your spot now.)

This call is hosted by Sean Johnson, organizing expert and owner of Organized Bliss, and Lee Heyward, style expert and owner of Charleston Style Concierge.

On this call, you will learn:

•     How to wear what you already have more often.

•     What you can do to make your closet and wardrobe work for you without spending a dime.

•     How to use household items to help organize your closet.

•     How to make your wardrobe more versatile.

•     Why you always feel like you have nothing to wear.

•     How to keep unwanted pests out of your closet (and we’re not talking about the kids!).

•     Why less really is more.

For more information or to sign up for this seminar click here.

Interview with LinkedIn CEO Reid Hoffman

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Posted by admin on May 6, 2009 – 1:38 pm
Filed under Business Communication, Marketing Tip, attract clients, increase site traffic, online marketing, social networking

The above video is an interview with LinkedIn CEO Reid  Hoffman. View this video for some excellent information on LinkedIn and how it can help your company increase online exposure, rank high in search engines, and drive targeted traffic to your website.

Google’s Blog Ranking Criteria Revealed: Part II . . .

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Posted by admin on May 4, 2009 – 6:37 am
Filed under Copywriting, blogging for business, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, website copywriter

View Part I of this blog post.

If you’ve already read Google’s Blog Ranking Criteria Revealed: Part I . . . I’m sorry to say, that Google uses even more criteria to rank the quality of your blog. It’s a tough life for blogs when it comes to Google Blogsearch, but with the right attitude, effective strategies, powerful networking techniques, and stellar writing, your blog will reach celebrity status on Google Blogsearch in no time.

So, what more could Google possibly be looking for to prove your blog’s popularity?

•  The number of clicks on your blog link when it appears in search engines: If your blog link is continuously clicked on, it illustrates to Google that your blog is receiving a high concentration of readers. If your blog is clicked on more times in search engine results than other blogs, Google sees this as an excellent indicator of blog popularity.

• Inbound links on other blogrolls: The more reputable blogrolls your blog is linked to, the higher Google will rate your blog. Google takes blogrolls seriously because they contain constant outbound links to other blogs. This shows Google you probably have a high respect for and enjoy reading the blogs on your blogroll. Approach your favorite, reputable bloggers and request for them to put your blog on their blogroll. If they agree, you’ll have a strategically placed inbound link to your blog. This also expresses to Google that your blog isn’t SPAM. The more of these reputable inbound links you have, the higher Google will rank your blog.

• Appropriate tags for each blog entry: Tags are your blog’s keywords and are an extremely important factor when determining what your blog is about. Make sure your tags describe the blog post accurately. This will help viewers and Google determine what your blog post is about. Inaccurate tagging and over-tagging is frowned upon by both visitors and Google because it is a false representation of your blog content. It’s important to effectively use tags if you want to become a reputable blogger and increase targeted traffic while ranking high in Google Blogsearch.

Google’s Blog Ranking Criteria Revealed: Part I . . .

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Posted by admin on May 4, 2009 – 6:33 am
Filed under RSS Feed, SEO copywriter, blogging, increase site traffic

grab-2

Similar to when the popular kids in high school got to choose their team members in gym class, Google Blogsearch leaves the weaklings and so-called losers behind. If your blog isn’t popular, it won’t be part of the elite blog group that is ranked by Google. In other words, your blog won’t be on page one of Google Blogsearch. It will be on page 570—or worse.

If you want to rank high on Google Blogsearch, it’s time to start playing Google’s game. It’s all about popularity when it comes to ranking high, and there are a lot of factors that determine your degree of popularity. But, how does one become so admired? You must prove to Google that your blog is high quality.
• Approach popular, like-minded bloggers, and ask if you could be a guest blogger: Google looks highly upon blogs mentioned on other blogs because it illustrates that your blog provides intellectual material that ignites curiosity and discussion in the online community. Aside from other blogs, if Google finds your blog’s URL on emails, chats, and social bookmarking sites, Google considers this a positive indicator that your blog is high quality.

• Attach the RSS feed widget to your blog: RSS feed stands for Really Simple Syndication, which is a file containing a brief amount of information—a headline and synopsis—and a link to the full content on the blog. Voluntary subscribers to specific blog RSS feed will receive this information through their RSS readers. Google can detect if your blog is high quality based on how many people subscribe to your blog’s RSS feed. In addition, Google can detect how many people visit your blog from their RSS readers and how many times they click through your blog. And, don’t try to trick Google by subscribing to your own blog numerous times. Google’s mind readers have already devised a way to detect this type of blog fraud!

Michelle Salater Spotlighted in the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty Under 40

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Posted by admin on May 1, 2009 – 7:37 am
Filed under Michelle Salater, headlines

forty-under-forty

Voted one of Charleston’s top forty most outstanding community and business leaders, owner and president of Sūmér, LLC, Michelle Salater, is featured in the April 27 issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal. Michelle has recently changed her company name from Michelle Salater Writing and Editorial, LLC, to Sūmér, LLC. We would like to thank the Charleston Regional Business Journal for being the first publication to publish our new company name!

In honor of the forty fantastic professionals with a commitment to their community, the Charleston Regional Business Journal is hosting a sunset picnic at Alhambra Hall in Mount Pleasant, SC. Come honor Michelle and thirty-nine other spectacular professionals—under the age of forty—at this delightful event, which will take place on Tuesday, May 19, from 5:30pm – 8:30pm. Visit www.charlestonbusiness.com to buy tickets today, or call Kim McManus at 843-849-3116.

View Michelle’s Fort Under 40 profile from the Charleston Regional Business Journal:

“Age: 32

President and owner, Sūmér, LLC

• Chief visionary and chief saleswoman for a company that specializes in writing Web copy, optimized copywriting and life after Web site launch. www.WrittenBySumer.com

• The company name, Sūmér, comes from the Sumerian civilization and was chosen because it symbolizes innovation and the Old World simultaneously. Writing (cuneiform script) and systematic record-keeping were also two innovations attributed to the Sumerians.

Professional goal: To help heal the world, and capitalism, by being a conscious entrepreneur. Salater’s dream is for her company to work with countries devastated by conflict, famine or natural disasters and help rebuild communities through marketing copy that drives tourism and business back into the local economy. Salater wants to empower local communities to do for themselves and take pride in their past, present and future.

Best career advice you’ve ever been given: “Chase the dream, not the money.”

Favorite music artist or musical genre: Wayne Newton.

Favorite restaurant: Charleston Cafe in Mount Pleasant. I live for their four-cheese omelets and grits.”