Using Blogs and Social Media Marketing to Increase Visibility
On Monday, we talked about the importance of Cyber Monday and why people who do business online need to have an SEO plan to make sure that searching consumers can find them as they look for gifts this holiday season.
You’ve likely heard of reciprocal links and other ways to boost traffic using the power of the connections you’ve made and then harnessing the connections that those people have made as well. Sometimes you really can make more friends with honey than with vinegar, and you can make great strides my reaching out to people who have enterprises that are similar or somehow connected to yours.
Now I want to tell you how some crafters in one area have used cooperation to find a way to boost their businesses this holiday shopping season.
Last week, I received an e-mail from a member of a crafters’ collective. These crafters not only have their own individual blogs, they also have a collective blog. Each member targeted his or her own blog readers on their individual blogs and sent e-mails to specific friends. They asked their blog readers and friends to leave a comment on the collective blog in order to be entered into a drawing to win a gift box. Each crafter contributed to the gift box. The messages and blog posts that were written by the individual crafters made mention of the members of the collective, their business and what each was contributing to the gift box that someone will win after the drawing.
True, a naysayer would say that a “No purchase necessary” drawing does not increase sales, but it did increase visibility. If you had only been aware of one of the crafters, you were motivated to visit the collective blog to be entered into the drawing. And although everyone may not have stayed around to explore, some viewers likely did explore. Even if they did make a purchase that same day, the exposure to these retailers will stick with them and they may return later.
Because they heard about the drawing and the crafters’ collective through a person/blog/website that they are familiar with, a consumer will feel friendlier towards these businesses. I know that I certainly did my part and left a comment on the collective blog because I am as interested in a gift box as anyone else. And I do plan to check out some of the other crafters because now I’ve been introduced to their goods and services.
Increase Visibility can help you use blogs and other social media marketing tools to expand your customer base.
Tags: Increase Visibility, organic search placement, reciprocal links, social media marketing