Using Pinterest to Build Brand Trust
I often write about the importance of personal brandingfor small business owners. Today I want to share yet another way to help your customers get to know you,
Using Pinterest to Build Brand Trust
the business owner, as a person. Basically since you don’t have the big bucks like Revlon, Scott Trade, Nordstrom’s, Publix, Starbucks, Glico, etc.…. It can be hard to get your brand noticed when you are offering similar products or services as some of the bigger conglomerates. These companies use their marketing campaigns to not only get their brands noticed, but also to also build brand trust.
As a small business owner, building trust should be the #1 goal of your marketing campaign
There are many ways to do this but today I wanted to focus on one that isn’t time consuming and can be a lot fun. It is important that your clientele or potential clientele feel as though they know you and your brand. The #1 way to do this is by being transparent but everyone knows that right? Social transparency can really help build online trust and using Pinterest is an easy way to do just that.
Red Pinterest logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Yes, Pinterest is a great way to have a little fun while at the same time building a bit of trust with your potential clientele. Pinterest is a social picture-sharing platform that allows you to share images of topics of interest to you. You create categories as boards and then pin images to those boards. You can upload your own images or share images you have seen online. Once you start posting you can also search for other images on Pinterest that you might like to pin also. If you find that a particular person shares a good amount of photos that are of interest to you, you may also want to follow them. The more images of interest to others that you pin, the more your boards will get noticed, allowing for more repins of your images, as well as gaining new followers.
Now you might be wondering how using Pinterest could possibly build trust with potential clients
Well for starters when you fill out your profile you can include
Pinterest Boards & Pins
information about yourself as well as your business. You can include links to your company website, your Facebook and your Twitter accounts. Secondly you can share images from your website such as your designs, products, services, or general images that others might like to use on their own blogs. Be careful here because you don’t want your wall to look as though you are only trying to push your business, this site is for social sharing not advertising. If your images are dull and mundane they most likely will not be repinned which will not bring much traffic to your Pinterest wall. So if you do share images of your services or products make them fun and exciting, this will increase the potential of your images being repinned to other boards. Doing this will also drive traffic to your business website where people can learn more about your company.
Social Transparency with Pinterest
Lastly, and more importantly, you should share images that represent you as a person. This is about being transparent so share images that will give followers a feel for who you are as a person; share your unique style and flavor, have fun with it. Pinning images that are unique, colorful, and that send a message will definitely get repinned and bring attention to your Pinterest boards. This kind of transparency is the perfect way to make people feel as though they already know you. They can now see the interests they have in common with you. The more a potential client knows about you as a person and business owner, the more comfortable they will feel about spending their hard earned money with your company.
Aries – Graphic Design & Internet Marketing / AriesGDIM Tami Highbaugh-Abdullah Creative Marketing Director 317.345.4182 Tami@ariesgdim.com AriesGDIM.com / AriesGraphicDesign.com @ariesgdim – Twitter Google+ AriesGDIM
857 Edgemont Ave Indianapolis, IN, 46208 USA
tami@ariesgraphicdesign.com • 3173454182
5 Simple tips for building traffic to your WordPress Blog
- Use effective blog titles
- Write blogs that include useful information
- Use an automatic blog tweeting plugin
- Make your blog easy to share
- Make your content easy to scan
Increase your Blog Traffic
I like to get straight to the point… Yes a little intro story is nice but most of the time you guys don’t care anyway… so here we go.
Use Effective Blog Titles
Using effective blog titles can often be your #1 source of increased blog traffic. Usually users searching the net have a question and are searching for the answer. Make sure your blog titles either give/hint at the fact that you can provide the answer users are looking for.
Your blog title can also be the “question” users might ask when looking for an answer. For instance a good blog title might be, “How do I register a new business?”. A few months back I wrote a blog about how Facebook determines the “friends you may know”. I was researching the answer for a friend who couldn’t understand how people were being suggested to her. I thought others might be interested in knowing how Facebook comes up with the friend’s suggestions you frequently see in your sidebar. Due to the fact that the blog title is, How Does Facebook Determine Friend Suggestions or “Friends You May Know?”, you will naturally assume the blog will provide the answer. This has been one of my highest trafficked blogs.
Using keywords in your blog titles is also very effective. When writing your blog do some keyword research, then implement keywords naturally in your blog title. Make sure the keyword or keyword phrase you use is one you want your blog to be found with. Basically if you are writing a blog about Facebook you want to use the word Facebook in your blog title. Words that are placed at the beginning of the title are more influential than those placed at the end. Keep this in mind when placing keywords in your titles.
Write blogs that include Useful Information
Now I would assume everyone knows that if you write a blog it should be useful to your users… If not… well you know now. Blogs should provide information your readers can actually use. Remember… readers do not want to be sold to.
Research Your Target Audience
It is important to determine your target audience, figure out what they like, do in their free time, and what they find important. After you have determined and researched your Target Audience begin writing beneficial blogs on their topics of interest. For instance, if your target audience is mostly small to medium sized business owners you may want to write blogs on how to increase their revenue, new innovative ways to market their businesses, or how to more effectively increase their brand recognition.
Of course you want to stay relevant to your own brand (services, products & overall company persona). What is the use of building traffic to your site if you are not writing blogs that add value to your brand? If I come to your blog because you write great posts on new Apple products and your company sells shoes. Well… let’s just say… I won’t be buying your shoes.
Use an Automatic Blog Tweeting Plugin
Tweet your Blog Posts Automatically
Something I love about Twitter, that you can’t do with Facebook, is you can Tweet posts several times a day, within certain time parameters and chances are someone NEW will see it each time it posts. I use an automatic blog post tweeting plugin to tweet random blogs from my website every 3 to 4 hours. By doing this I share a good mix of my blog content along with other relevant blogs written by other authors. Everyday I see my blogs being retweeted by my followers, which means more traffic to my site.
Make your Blog Easy to Share
If you write quality content posts your users will want to share what they have read with their colleagues, friends, and social media buddies. Be sure to add “share buttons” on your blog for the big 4 social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, & Google+). There are several social media sharing plugins to choose from. Search the most popular blogs and see which ones they are using. Test the “share buttons” to ensure they aren’t slowing your blog down. There’s nothing worse than a slow loading website.
One good social media “sharing” plugin is “Really simple Facebook Twitter share buttons”. It’s very simple to set up. You just check the social buttons you want visible for sharing on your blogs and go from there.
Make your Content Easy to Scan
Add Social Media Share Buttons
Making content easy to scan is done by using number lists, bullet points, headers, and bolded text. This helps users know quickly if the content in your blog is going to be useful to them. I have found that the blogs I write with a number list at the very beginning are shared more often and get a great deal more traffic than those for which I didn’t use that strategy. Use headers to separate your thoughts and bolded text to emphasize certain keywords or points you know your readers will be looking for.
In conclusion
This is not an all-inclusive list of SEO tips. Search Engine Optimized posts need a good keyword strategy, in depth target audience research, website usability testing and a good understanding of web analytics. You will need a professional to assist you in implementing a solid Internet Marketing Strategy. AriesGDIM can help you with this (yes I did a little selling… I know, shame on me).
These 5 tips are a simple way to help you start building traffic to your blog site. It is important to remember that with any organic SEO it takes time and patience but you will see results.
Aries – Graphic Design & Internet Marketing / AriesGDIM Tami Highbaugh-Abdullah Creative Marketing Director 317.345.4182 Tami@ariesgdim.com AriesGDIM.com / AriesGraphicDesign.com @ariesgdim – Twitter Google+ AriesGDIM
How do I change the URL for my Facebook Page?
Customizing your Facebook Business Page URL
Facebook used to have a limit on the amount of “likes” you had to have on your business page before you could change the username or customize the URL. The limitations have been lifted and now you can change the username or custom URL to your Facebook business page whenever you are ready.
If you would like to change the username / customize the URL for your Facebook business page just follow the simple steps below.
- Go to http://facebook.com/username
- Select the Facebook business page you want to change. In my case I have several different pages I manage. You will see a dropdown list of pages you can change just select the one you want.
Drop Down List of Facebook Pages To Select From
- Once you have selected the Facebook page you want to change you will see the screen below
Changing Your Username
- Type in the username you want to use in the field shown in the image below. Try to stay consistent with your brand name. In this case the client’s name is Leon Kittrell so we want to use this same name for my clients business page.
- After you have selected the your username Facebook will let you know that your name is available .
Is the Facebook Username Available
- When you are done you will see the “Success” Window with your new custom Facebook URL.
Success! You are done!
Now you are all done. If you have any questions or would like other help with your Facebook Personal or Business pages just shoot me an email or comment below.
Aries – Graphic Design & Internet Marketing / AriesGDIM Tami Highbaugh-Abdullah Creative Marketing Director 317.345.4182 Tami@ariesgdim.com AriesGDIM.com / AriesGraphicDesign.com @ariesgdim – Twitter Google+ AriesGDIM
8 Questions to consider Before you Guest Blog
Before you guest blog you may want to consider the following:
- Do you have time to create more content?
- Does their website/blog contain relevant material?
- Does the blog allow for backlinks to your own site?
- Does the website/blog have a decent amount of traffic?
- Is the site comparable or better than your own blog?
- What type of reputation does the blog owner or blog have?
- What is the age of the blog and amount of content?
- If their site is monetized are they offering revenue sharing?
Guest Blogging? What you should know!
In the past few months I have received several requests to guest blog on other peoples blog sites. Guest blogging is a great way to increase brand recognition by introducing you to users you may not have had exposure to before.
The first time I was asked to guest blog I was totally wowed by the fact that someone thought my content was so good that they wanted me to share some of it with their readers. The dilemma was when would I find time to write for someone else. I already write on 4 of my own blogs, design ads, logos, business cards, flyers, letterhead, websites as well as print orders for my clients. Needless to say the request fell by the wayside and I never acted on it.
As more requests came my way I decided to give guest blogging more consideration. I actually began to research the people and the blogs that were asking me to guest post and found that although guest blogging has tremendous benefits, it can also have its downfalls. The following are a more detailed explanation of points you should consider before you guest blog.
Do you have time to create more content?
Writing quality posts takes a great deal of time. Most of my blogs take a minimum of 3 hours to write.
- I research other blogs for backlinks
Do you have time to blog for someone else?
- I research my content to ensure what I am sharing is valid
- I search my own blogs to anchor text to my own content
- I create and research relevant images to put in my posts
- I write the blog then proof it several times before posting them
This is not a an easy task especially when you consider that when you blog you are sharing your content for free with no compensation outside of affiliate links if you monetize your blog at all.
Does their website contain relevant material?
One of the benefits of guest blogging is writing for a site that has relevant content to your own. This will provide you with valuable backlinks to your own website which will increase your search engine ranking. It is important to keep your brand focus narrow. In my case I write about social media marketing, blogging, online branding tips, etc, therefore, it would not be a good idea to guest blog on a site that sells furniture. If the content on the blog is NOT relevant, you will be hurting your brand as well your search engine ranking.
Does the blog allow for backlinks to your own website?
Guest blogging is supposed to benefit you and your brand. If you have a website or blog and the company asking you to write a guest blog does not allow you to link back to your own site you may want to rethink this. Relevant backlinks are a benefit to you as well as the site you are guest posting on. If you cannot provide backlinks to your site the only one benefiting from your content on their website is the other guy. I would steer clear of companies who make this a stipulation for guest posting.
Does the website have a decent amount of traffic?
If the website you are posting for does not have a decent amount of traffic how can guest blogging on their site benefit you? Answer is… it doesn’t. One of the pitches I hear often is, “Blogging on my site will get you brand exposure.” Now if you are a newbie to the game or don’t have your own blog this could definitely be true but if you have been blogging for a few months and have been building a good amount of traffic, chances are, people may be approaching you because you have the exposure and traffic they want.
Is the site comparable or better than your own blog?
Although many would not agree, website aesthetics does matter. If you are going to guest post on a blog make sure it doesn’t look like something that could have been put together in 1990. Is the site cluttered or seem to be unfocused? Are their ads distracting or make the site look spammy? Think about how you would determine the credibility of a blog? What makes you or other users continually visit a website? These are qualities you want to see on a site you plan to guest blog on.
What type of reputation does the blog owner or blog have?
Don't hurt your online reputation by not researching the blog owner
Before you guest post on a blog you should research the reputation of blog owner and the blog itself. Check out their Internet footprint by doing a Google search and seeing what you find. Look them up on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and see what they and their users are talking about. Are they the type of people or company you want to associate with your brand? This is important because if the blog owner is known for being a porn star… You might want to rethink that… I’m just saying 
You do not want your brand to be linked back to any type of negativity that could hurt how your clients, users, and potential clients view you or your company. Association can be good when the relationship is beneficial and it could kill your brand if it isn’t.
Blog age or amount of content
I was invited to guest blog on a website that had only 4 posts. It was obvious to me that they were hoping I could help them add content and build their traffic. When you guest blog it should benefit you not the website your blogging on. Often blogs are started without much forethought and planning. It is hard to keep a good blog going and frequently bloggers run out of things to write about. Why spend time writing original content for a blog that will get no traffic and could possible be shut down by the end of the year? That would be a total waste your time.
Is their site monetized?
Blog Monetization
This is my biggest pet peeve so I left this point for last. There is nothing wrong with monetizing your site. We bloggers write great content for the benefit of our users and are not compensated; therefore monetizing your blog can compensate you residually for the life of your blog.
When a company or person asks you to guest blog on their site and they do NOT offer you affiliate revenue sharing or compensate you, their goal is to:
- Use your content to increase traffic to their website
- Use your content as a way to increase their affiliate marketing income
Your content is valuable so remember this. If the company asking you to blog is not one of the big wigs in your industry and their blog is monetized they should offer you affiliate revenue sharing as an incentive as a thank you for helping them by blogging on their site.
Do not get me wrong there are several benefits to guest blogging, increased brand exposure is one of them. I wrote this blog to help you determine when you should and should not write a guest post for another blog. The goal in blogging is to build brand recognition and traffic to your own site. If the blog you are considering guest posting on cannot do this for you…. don’t do it.
Aries – Graphic Design & Internet Marketing / AriesGDIM Tami Highbaugh-Abdullah Creative Marketing Director 317.345.4182 Tami@ariesgdim.com AriesGDIM.com / AriesGraphicDesign.com @ariesgdim – Twitter Google+ AriesGDIM8 Tips for Building your Personal Brand on the Internet
Building your Personal Brand
If you are a small business owner you should know by now that marketing on the internet requires more than just selling your services and products via your website. Building your personal brand is just as important as building your business brand. The popularity of social media networks has caused business owners to attempt marketing via these platforms. It isn’t as clean cut as you would think. In light of recent politicians and their social media blunders you must educate your self on each platform works. It is also important to understand that successfully marketing your brand online will take a great deal of time, effort and often requires you hire a professional to handle it for you.
- Figure out your Niche. It important to stay focused and specialize in one or two products or services instead of trying to do it all. Spreading yourself thin takes away from your focus and confuses your users. Narrowing your focus increases the success of your brand.
- What makes you different from your competitors? You need to know the following…. What makes you and your company special? What are your strengths? What are your goals? What is your purpose? It is important to reflect on these questions and find the answers as early as possible, then build upon them with your message to your users.
- Begin claiming ownership of your name by reserving your domain. You also want set up profiles on social networks, bookmarking sites, etc. Be consistent by using this same name across every platform you plan to use.
- Use social media monitoring tools to manage your personal brand. Begin keeping track of both your personal and business brand using monitoring tools. I currently use SproutSocial, Hootsuite and Google Reader. Start familiarizing yourself with
-
Stand Out From your Competitors
how to use these tools now.
- Choose one picture and one logo and use it across the board. Make sure the picture you choose is a good representation of you and conveys the image you want your users to feel about you as a symbol of our brand. It is important to use these images consistantly to ensure that no matter where a user finds you they know they are in the right place.
- Be authentic… It is important that you be yourself at all times. Your users want to get to know what is special about you and how that relates to your business brand. You cannot be build trust by pretending to be something you are not.
- Post / Blog /Tweet regularly. Your users cannot adequately judge who you are unless they communicate with you. What better way to start that communication than by writing blogs, tweeting, sharing interests and posting something attention grabbing?
- Do not Sale yourself. There are enough people out here spamming users… your efforts should be geared toward giving you users something they need. Give them beneficial information that they can use and share with their friends and family.
This should be enough to get you started. It is important to remember that you should be present for the conversation that is going to take place once you begin communicating. This does not mean you have to stay online all day but you do need to check in and respond to your users when they comment or have questions. Following the tips above is only the beginning; personal branding is an ongoing effort that cannot be neglected. You are in this for the long haul so get ready…. It is now time to start building your personal brand.
Aries – Graphic Design & Internet Marketing / AriesGDIM Tami Highbaugh-Abdullah Creative Marketing Director 317.345.4182 Tami@ariesgdim.com AriesGDIM.com / AriesGraphicDesign.com @ariesgdim – Twitter Google+ AriesGDIM
Is it Acceptable to Like and +1 Your Own Content?
Just yesterday I was Google+ ing and came across a post from @Kimbeasley. Her post was asking if users should “+1” or “Facebook Like” their own content. Amazingly a few of the commenters thought it was blatant/overt self-promotion to +1 and Like your own posts. One response said that they actually make fun of people who like their own posts. Wow! Really?!?! Ok, if you say so…..
+1 your content
First let me explain what is considered Blatant/Overt self-promotion in regards to social media. Big Fat SPAM! You know the people that post their services and products to your Facebook wall and you barely know them? How about the people who tag you on their pictures that are sales ads? That is Blatant Self-Promotion and it is very, very, very irritating.
There is nothing wrong with self-promotion when it is done the right way. So what are some of the right ways to self promote?
- Posting sharable content (posts that people like and share)
- Posting questions/statements that generate conversation
- Networking and sharing other peoples content (yes sharing others people content is a form of self-promotion)
- Blogging about information that is informative, helpful, funny, or beneficial to those who read it
- Commenting on other peoples posts & blogs sharing your knowledge
- Liking, +1 ing, sharing and tweeting other users content as well as your own
So what about those people who thought +1 ing and Liking your own posts was blatant self-promotion? Well if I post it and I liked what I posted, why not. I would also point out that +1 ing, Liking, Sharing, & Tweeting your own content has SEO benefits. Each social media like/plus/share to your content increases your search engine rankings. This is important if you are a business owner trying to get traffic to your website…. and traffic back to your website is the ultimate goal right? But hey, everyone is entitled to their own opinion so… if you choose to miss out on the possible benefits… well that is totally up to you.
Lastly and more logically how will anyone know about the services and products your company sells if you don’t self promote. Tastefully promoting your company by sharing beneficial, shareable content is the acceptable way. Do not be scared that someone will be offended if you tweet, like or +1 your own blog posts; doing so only makes good business sense.
Now for a little “Blatant” and “Overt” self-promotion, I will be adding a signature to the end of this blog post. Oops did I offend you?
Aries – Graphic Design & Internet Marketing / AriesGDIM Tami Highbaugh-Abdullah Creative Marketing Director 317.345.4182 AriesGDIM.com / AriesGraphicDesign.com @ariesgdim – Twitter Google+ AriesGDIM
