Blogging is a great way to reach your audience, share your thoughts, and even help you with your Internet marketing. I’ve been blogging for nearly 3 years and continue to enjoy the benefits of not only communicating with an audience but engaging in meaningful dialog. Starting a blog is easy to do and pays huge dividends.

There are a number of free services available that offer free blog services. Sites like Medium, Blogger, and WordPress only require a brief registration and set up. Once you determine a theme for your blog and a template, you’re ready to begin posting. Posts are entries you make on your blog that is published instantly.

Some bloggers post comments to their blog each and every day, others once a week. Regardless of how frequently you post to your blog, content can be focused on a specific theme or random topics. The most popular blogs focus on a specific niche and provide valuable information, content, and commentary that encourage interaction with blog followers.

Sign up for a blog service. Begin development of your blog by signing up for Blogger or WordPress. Once you have an account, you can quickly set up your blog. Consider the goal of your blog and what type of commitment you are willing to make. Start small and be consistent.

Determine how you will monetize your blog. If you want to use your blog to generate revenue, there are a few techniques you can apply depending on which platform you’re using. One of the most popular methods of monetizing your blog is with the help of Google Adsense. This is a popular option and very easy to add to your blog. Not only does it generate a small amount of revenue for you on a weekly basis, but it also provides relevant links based on your posts.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/how-to-start-your-own-blog/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/27/2017 5:16:41 PM

3 Easy Steps To Start Your Own blog

HOW TO MAXIMIZE AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT

In uncertain times, it is important to return to the basics of audience acquisition for your next conference or meeting. It has been said before, but worth saying again that when it comes to driving attendance at conferences, “Content is King.” All of the fancy marketing strategies in the world won’t save your event if nobody sees it as worthwhile and relevant. Plain and simple, people want to return from conferences equipped with new information, insights, and strategies that will help them do their jobs better. If you are in any doubt that attendance at your event is being marred by content that does not speak to the everyday concerns f your target audience, then it is worth spending time addressing and overhauling the program. Aligning content with the needs of your audience and ensuring ongoing quality can be achieved in any number of ways. For example, and preferably in combination, put together a program advisory board comprised of experts in the field; establish an attendee feedback loop either through a survey or the voting system that captures their desires and impressions; invest in your speakers by developing a coaching program that hones and sharpens their communication and presentation skills.

Keep it Simple

Once convinced that the content you are offering speaks directly to your target audience, craft your message in clear and simple terms. What does your event offer and why is it worth the time, money and effort to attend? Develop simple statements that tie the benefits of attending your event back to the target’s ability to do a better job, and roll these out throughout your campaign. For example, does your event teach advanced techniques that will contribute to superior performance, mitigate the risks of job specific pitfalls or provide mandatory industry credentialing?

Be Concrete

The key to crafting the right message is to be concrete. You’ll find it easy to be concrete if you truly know your target. Combining professional needs with the psychographic analysis is a proven way to better understand your target audience and deliver relevant content and messaging. Analysis of this kind will also allow you to understand if your conference has multiple target audiences. If so, it’s very likely each group will have their own distinct ‘journey’ or ‘path’ at the event and this should be highlighted and personalized in your marketing pieces. How does each group talk? What are their concerns? What do they respond to? What makes their eyes light up? What do they read? Be prepared to walk a mile in their shoes. By doing so you’ll be able to communicate most effectively. Don’t leave it up to your copywriter to figure it all out.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/how-to-maximize-audience-engagement/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 3:32:38 PM

How to Maximize Audience Engagement

I don’t know about you, but I feel like there is a scarcity of good marketing today. What do I mean “good marketing?” You know the kind of marketing that sticks with you and drives you to take action. The only marketing that has really moved me in the last couple of years has been from Apple. How do I know? I own 3 iPhones.

You might be thinking to yourself that it’s more the product that drives behavior than the marketing, and when it comes to the iPhone I don’t necessarily disagree. However, I would argue that in some ways, the marketing has to be even better than it does with your run of the mill product.

Apple has maintained a certain level of success with their marketing and now that marketing must not only tie together with previous marketing campaigns but convince current customers that their current products are no longer sufficient.

It appears that this is done, not through slight of hand, but by showing you what you can’t do with your current device. By illustrating this in a manner that is contradictory to your current satisfaction, it does make you feel like your iPhone– which was fine until a moment ago has suddenly become inadequate. To me, that’s really good marketing.

So what can be learned from the tens of millions that Apple spends on advertising every year? I think the answer to that question is to work in lock step with your product development team to showcase developments and tap the emotions of those using your products. When I use my iPhone, I feel empowered, cool, and complete. I wouldn’t have reached that conclusion without the help of marketing to get me there.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT 
http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/marketing-at-its-best/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 4:21:35 PM

Where Has All The Good Marketing Gone

If you prefer to listen to this article please click the link The Essentials of Advertising Your Website Online 

Recently a customer spent a pretty hefty sum of money to promote his website. I knew something was wrong when he contacted me three weeks later saying he hadn't sold a single product.

His site looked good. A professional designer had given it a great look with slick graphics. Unfortunately, when I went in search of the product he was advertising, it took five or six clicks to find it.

Here is what happened to prospects and why the site wasn't selling anything:

The prospect sees the ad.
1. She clicks to the site.
2. She is greeted with a doorway page.
3. When she finds the link at the bottom of the doorway page she is taken to a home page with very little information on it.
4. If she clicks on the "home" link she gets the doorway page again.
5. If she clicks on the "about us" link she gets the home page she is already on.
6. One more click and she might find the product page with the item she came looking for.
7. How many customers will look through page after page to find the product or service you advertised? Not many. Click rates go down dramatically after the first page. Hardly anyone will click three levels deep.

Moral of the story: have your opening web page clearly promote whatever you are advertising. Otherwise, your ad dollars may be wasted.

In today's rocky economy, people aren't willing to throw money at a product/service they know nothing about. Many online shoppers spend hours looking for the item that is exactly what they want. Your product/service could be exactly what they're looking for, but with scant, uninformative copy, how are they going to know?

So it's time to make a few changes, nothing too painful. You don't have to throw out your old copy and start from scratch. With some minor alterations, your copy can inform, motivate and charge prospects to take action and buy.

Here are a few changes you can make to improve the way your copy sells:

Give the Most Important Info First

Don't force people to wade through two pages of copy before they can discover what you're all about. Get to the point right up front, in the headline, subheading, and first few paragraphs. If you have too much filler copy in the beginning and don't start getting to the point until later, all that copy your visitors read will be lost on them. It will have been out of context because you didn't provide them with a context.

First Things First

Ever heard of "Inverted Pyramid Style" writing? It means starting with the most important sentence and following with lesser sentences. But not too many. Keep your paragraphs short so they don't overwhelm the reader.

Cut Words

Web copy should use about half the word count or less than conventional writing, so keep it short and to the point. This isn't the great American novel. Your goal is to make sure your audience can understand every word you say while reading quickly. If they have to stop to get a dictionary because you used too many cryptic words or jargon, you'll lose their interest.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/the-essentials-of-advertising-your-website-online/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 4:41:47 PM

Make Sure Your Website is Right Before You Advertise

Marketing Your Business with Text Messaging

I remember the days before mobile phones. Remember when you needed to wait until your friend returned home from the beach, or from their cross-town visit with Aunt Bernice?

Those days are long gone!

It seems everyone has mobile phones these days. Everyone from six and seven-year-olds all the way to 90-year-old grannies! Some of you may be shaking your heads and thinking, “What is this world coming to? We made it without cell phones, why can’t they?!?”

Guess what?

Every time you make that statement or think that thought you are wasting your time. Things are NOT going to reverse, and people won’t return those mobile phones. So … accept it! :)

As business people, we need to recognize the tremendous opportunity we are presented with. With the emergence of text messaging, we now have an opportunity to reach our prospective customers with messages at the exact moment they are looking to buy.

The following are five steps you can use to effectively market your business with the use of text messaging. For the purpose of this article, I’ll use a restaurant as an example.

Step One – Create a Diner’s Club

Humans are born with a NEED to belong. If you look around you’ll see the most successful companies focus on this need and fill it. That’s why there are loyalty programs, frequent flyer programs, buying clubs, and an association for any possible niche in the world. The bottom line is people are natural joiners so give them a way to JOIN and become affiliated with your business.

Step Two – Create an Offer

Don’t be naive and think that just because you started a “Diner’s Club” that everyone will simply join. Keep in mind that along with emerging technology comes more information than anyone can possibly consume. This is making your customers think a bit longer about what they sign up for and if there isn’t something valuable for them, they simply won’t join.

Make sure that you specify exactly what they will get. Will they get a “buy one get one” offer or a free desert upon joining? Will they also get a free dinner on their birthday and a dinner for two on their anniversary? Will they get “Diner’s Club Members ONLY” special discounts throughout the month?

The what isn’t as important as the value. Your objective is to motivate them to send a text message to your special number which will automatically enroll them in your “Mobile Phone Mailing List,” so make sure the offer is something you feel has a great enough value that you would sign up for it yourself.

Step Three – Advertise Your Club

Once you’ve created your club, and created an irresistible offer, it’s time to let your customers know about it. Whether you create table tents, send a mailing to your “snail mail” list, send out an email blast, or have a contest among your waitstaff where you reward the person who gains the newest members for the month. Just make sure you have a solid advertising plan to get the word out.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/marketing-your-business-with-text-messaging/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 5:00:27 PM

Marketing Your Business with Text Messaging

I’m often asked by companies how much they should be spending on search engine optimization. As you can imagine, the answer to such a question depends on a large number of factors. An SEO budget could be based on the number of web properties you’re managing, how much work there is to do, and who will be doing the work for you.

Despite popular belief, search engine optimization is not free. Many times, individuals try to compare SEO to pay-per-click or search engine marketing, but the two are very dissimilar. Many of the costs associated with search engine optimization are involved in labor, site development, and acquisition of inbound links. Unlike PPC, search engine optimization does not work on a pay-per-click basis.

The costs associated with SEO begin with an expert analysis of your existing websites and web pages. Additional costs are related to competitive and keyword analysis. Many website owners consider doing these types of activities on their own. In many instances they can, however, they will need tools to do so. These resources aren’t free because they solve a need. When thinking about a do-it-yourself type commitment, you often spend valuable time – which has a monetary value and money paying for helpful online tools and resources.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/the-cost-of-seo-search-engine-optimization/


Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 5:24:40 PM

Is SEO Really Free?

Now that search engines like Bing are being talked about more readily, it’s clear that people want to know how to optimize for Microsoft’s search. Those who visit Bing will find that the site provides general search and a category search. Other than a large graphic, the search engine doesn’t appear to have a lot behind it. However, Microsoft has reported a more intelligent search engine and new search experience.

The question that website owners want to be answered is how the engine produces results differently than the previous search engine and what optimization techniques should be used compared to those used for Google and Yahoo! I’ve done quite a bit of research on the subject and it appears that there are only a few factors that might influence Bing results compared to Google. The thing to keep in mind is that following SEO best practices will rule the day.

When looking at top ranked websites, an in-depth analysis can be done to see which factors vary between top results. A recent comparison that I viewed showed that the number one ranking website on Bing was able to keep a leg up on the competition by having an older domain age and having inbound links from websites that included the primary keyword in the referring site’s title tag. In short, the top website was successful in building inbound links from other SEO sites and directories as opposed to being from unrelated websites.

What I find particularly interesting is that Bing is relying on many of the same factors that Google has been using from day one. The factor you should be most concerned with is inbound linking. Both search engines like inbound links. More importantly, they like relevant inbound links. Use this information to guide your SEO campaigns and determine which sites to target for link exchanges.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT 
http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/bing-search-engine-optimization/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 5:56:43 PM

Bing Search Engine Optimization

If you prefer to listen to this article please click the link Best Ways to Advertising for Free

New marketers often come online, hoping to make their fortune, but the success rate is slim. The reasons for that difference between the successful and the unsuccessful are myriad, but one reason is that folks don’t advertise enough or in the right ways. Did you know that there are some great free ways to get all the visitors you need?

The best free advertising online today comes from three distinct practices:

* Writing a blog
* Writing articles
* Using traffic exchanges

Let’s look at these three methods a bit closer.

Writing a blog is simple and anyone can do it. “Weblogs,” or as we’ve come to call them—blogs, can be about anything, but I’d advise you to write about something you know well. What’s your passion or hobby? Do you have some specialized knowledge that you can rely on to write a blog that others will subscribe to and enjoy? Those are good places to start. But whatever the subject may be, you can capitalize by advertising the site you want to promote in a sidebar to the blog, where space is provided for you to enter links and text ads. Or, you can include information about a product that complements what you’re writing about from another source. For instance, if you’re writing a blog about fly fishing, use it to advertise books about fly fishing that are available at Amazon.com with an affiliate link.

The second avenue to great free advertising is article writing. Again, you’ll want to write about things you know. For instance, if you’re the head of the PTA, you may have some great ideas about fund-raising. Or, if you’re a banker, you may want to write about different types of investment opportunities. Whatever you write about should be accurate and concise for two reasons: you want the article to be accepted by distribution sites and you want people to enjoy your writing. This may prompt them to find other articles that you have written online and allow you to build a following. Once you have a regular reader core and have branded yourself as an author, people are more willing to join your program or pay for your product. Plus, once distributed, your article may sit on dozens of sites, rather than just one, giving you much broader exposure. Use a “resource box,” which is article-jargon for “signature file,” to advertise your opportunity because unlike blogs, you can’t write whatever you want. Articles should never be blatant advertisements.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT 
http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/best-ways-to-advertising-for-free/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/28/2017 6:14:27 PM

Best Ways to Advertising for Free

If you prefer to listen to this article please click the link 4 Reasons Why You Should Use Video Marketing

Is it possible to attract an ideal client just by web copy? We all know that a website needs to be easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye, but how does copywriting on a web page help you find an ideal client?

Copywriting on a website is another marketing tool - a very important tool that not all website owners pay attention to. Good web copy can not only help you maintain older clients but it can help new clients find you.

Copy on a website can definitely help attract clients. You should connect with the website visitor fast. You have just 3 seconds to catch a website visitor's attention, so each and every word counts." How the copy is set on the page matters also. If you want your web pages to work for you, then make sure you have plenty of sub-headings and bullets to break up the text and describe benefits (why your product/service is going to help the reader).

It is important to create credibility with a potential client. We suggest doing this by including testimonials in the web copy. This brings up another question in regard to copy on a website--how do you know why people are buying specifically from you?


READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT 
http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/how-to-get-your-content-marketing-to-attract-your-ideal-clients/

Fivenson Studios is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/30/2017 5:23:01 PM

How To Get Your Content Marketing To Attract Your Ideal Clients

Every business owner I know wants to get into Podcast marketing and does not have a really solid understanding of what this technology has to offer. Many believe that it is just an MP3 file that is placed directly on the website, however, podcasts are strategically placed mp3 or audio type files on your site created with an RSS feed. The RSS feed is used to mass distribute the audio file to podcasting sites like iTunes, Soundcloud, Yahoo Podcasts, and tons more. It is a fairly simple technology that requires some amount of know-how, it can be a very effective tool for you to attract customers to your website.

The idea of podcasting is simple enough, and as a marketer, you will want to consider podcasting as another means of reaching your client base. Obviously, the more directions in which you attack the marketing problem, the better. Whether it is television, the radio, or the internet, you will need to be able to reach your target audience from several different outlets. Podcasting offers a new way of reaching the internet market. It is a way to reach your viewers without making them have to read through countless pages of website material. As of today, podcasting has not fully realized its potential in the business world and most podcasts have been used for only personal purposes. It remains an untapped technology that many business owners may not have yet considered.

What I am referring to is Podcast Marketing. Through Podcast Marketing, the objective is to broadcast your audio file to as many listeners as you can possibly reach. Web sites that use podcasting technology have taken off like a rocket over the last few years and they have now become so important that even presidential candidates are using their services to reach out to the internet viewer. Most of what you find on podcasting and various other open media sites are limited to personal downloads meant only for entertainment, and they have not reached their full potential as advertising venues. For example, many situational comedy shows now offer podcasts that can be played while viewing a live episode. This type of podcast is mainly used to enhance the experience of the viewer, and they are usually played for entertainment purposes only. To find a list of Podcast Marketing sites search online for podcast list.

Before I get into the technical details of podcasting, I would like to note that there are several companies out there that are selling these services without the proper knowledge or expertise to really help you. They do not have a full understanding of how podcast marketing really works, or what it can offer to you, the client. This guide will help you in this regard. You will be able to see that we do have a breadth of knowledge concerning this service and that our expertise is worthy of your attention. We want to ensure that you have to spend as little time as possible in researching podcasting. Simply review our guide and you will see that we can clearly help you.

The 5 Steps of Powerful PodCast Marketing:

Always have a plan of attack. There are various formats used to create a podcast and you need to understand exactly what format will benefit you the most. You can post an audio file of an Interview or Commercial to boost your product. In addition, you can just make a recording of yourself as you talk about your particular industry. In any case, make sure your recordings are informative and interesting to listen to. Also be sure to mention your domain name clearly in the podcast so your listeners will know exactly where to find the services that you offer.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT 
http://fivensonstudios.com/blog/podcast-marketing/

Fivenson Studios: Michigan's #1 Graphic Design, Web Design, & Digital Advertising Agency 

Let's Get Social | http://fivensonstudios.com | (734) 224-9696 | Info@FivensonStudios.Com

Created: 6/30/2017 5:42:49 PM

Podcast Marketing

We’re not just a team of designers; we’re strategists, thinkers, and makers with a passion for solving problems by understanding people.  We create experiences that people love by recognizing customers’ needs and desires, as well as the trends and technology that affect them.  For over 10 years, we’ve been honing our practice, making sure that every part of the brands of our clients is experienced exactly the way it’s meant to, whether it’s a service, product, or digital interaction.  The world is full of great ideas, but not great implementation.  That’s what we’re here for: to help shape your ideas into meaningful and honest customer experiences.

Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, our graphic design team specializes in logo and web page design, as well as marketing campaigns for social and print media. From flyers and brochures to targeted landing pages, we aim to bring your company into the spotlight and reach a greater range of potential customers.