Whether you're on a date or introducing your brand to a consumer, first impressions are important.  Humans make a lot of snap judgements based on what we first see, and once made, those judgements can be difficult to overcome. That's why it is vitally important to convey a desireable visual message the first time around.  Doing so will not only make consumers (or a date) more attracted to you, but research has shown that over half of online consumers would make a follow-up purchase based solely on the packaging they receive.

Whether you want to update your existing business site or are looking to build something from scratch, you'll want to be ahead of the curve on the very latest in web design trends.  Make sure that your site can stand out in the crowd and encourage user engagement by implementing the in-demand website elements listed in this infographic.

In today’s world of SEO and online marketing, it seems that everyone has a blog.  From mom bloggers to Fortune 500 companies, there isn’t a stone left unturned when it comes to this particular form of content creation.  So, it’s only natural that you too may be considering a blog for your own business.  However, more than simply writing, there’s a lot that goes into making a blog effective.  To start, here are seven mistakes that all business bloggers should be careful to avoid:

There are a lot of umbrella terms out there, especially when it comes to technology.  Often these words, phrases and jargon get interchanged, used inaccurately, and can be confusing.  In the marketing world which is overlapping more and more with technology, this is a common occurrence; and the speed at which strategies and devices are evolving, this is understandable.  Two practices that are vital in today’s digital landscape, SEO and SEM can be easy to mix up, and while they are similar, they are still different.  Just like every shortstop is a baseball player, not every baseball player is shortstop.  Search engine optimization and search engine marketing follow this same transitive pattern.  SEO is SEM, but not all SEM is SEO.  Let’s take a closer look at the differences between the two.

Just the other day I told my friend I'd love some new dresses for work. Because she is awesome, she sent me a $50 off dress sale ad from Ann Taylor. I liked the dresses -- the style, the colors, and the length. The only thing that bugged me was the price. Even with the $50 off, the price was still more than I wanted to spend. Also, the marketer in me knew that they'd have a deeper discount down the line or I may find a similar dress at a different retailer for a lower price, and I would be kicking myself for falling for the $50 off incentive. So, I passed and moved on with my life.

The more eyeballs that land on your content, the better it will perform.  Seems like a no brainer, right?  Yet, due to lingering misconception, many bloggers find themselves hesitant to place their content anywhere other than their own site.  Google is well-known for keeping their ranking factors and algorithms close to the vest, leaving it up to marketers to determine best practices between the few tidbits that are provided and their own trial and error. 

If you’ve ever taken a road trip, you essentially have two options: the most direct way and the scenic route.  Now, no matter what your preference may be, they each have one thing in common; the destination.  Advertising and marketing are very similar.  Of course on our hypothetical road trip, the scenic route may offer better views and different experiences, but it also costs more in terms of time and fuel, and we eventually (hopefully) end up in the same place.  Taking the “scenic route” with your ad dollars can be an expensive mistake.  Avoiding unnecessary elements that consume time and money is crucial for an effective campaign that provides an ROI. 

Your website has been designed and optimized.  You’ve set a budget, defined your buyer personas and determined which local magazine is right for your company. You’ve even designed your ad.  Great job!

Previously, we’ve discussed selecting targeted long-tail keywords for your blog and how to optimize your posts for SEO purposes.  Mastering those two components are essential to your blog’s success, but there is still one last piece necessary to give your work all the oomph it needs – content promotion.  Unfortunately, this last step is also frequently overlooked. To steal an analogy from my boss, it’s like running the perfect race only to trip just before the finish line. 

If you’ve ever sat in a meeting focused on your website or your digital marketing efforts you’ve likely noticed that there are enough terms, buzzwords, and jargon to make you dizzy.  Wrapping your head around this lingo can be a challenge.  The value behind these metrics and the definitions behind their terminology is critical to your overall strategy; however you need to not only know what each term means, you need to understand the trends, goals, and impact of each measureable. 

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Paid advertising? Isn’t the whole point of inbound marketing that your wisdom and wit bring customers to you rather than your wallet? Well, sort of. Inbound marketing is about creating a reputable and accessible presence for qualified customers to discover along their buyer’s journey. Putting just a small amount of money behind a completely customizable post or ad on your small business’ Facebook Page can help increase local awareness and engagement without the headache of a long-term contract.