The word marketing is usually associated with profit generating tactics; however, inbound marketing is focused on organic growth and can and should be used by associations and non-profits. The goal is to attract people to your cause or organization based on the relevance of the information you are offering your desired audience, where as outbound marketing consists of communicating to a mass audience and hoping something sticks.

As the Internet and access points continues to expand, so too does the average consumer’s aversion to traditional marketing. With products such as satellite radio and DVR making offline efforts easier to ignore, consumers no longer have to tolerate "interruption" marketing tactics. Consumers now rely on the Internet to do their research on products and services; they actively seek out products and services that they need, rather than passively interact with products outbound marketing platforms point them to.

It is imperative to develop an inbound marketing process that will capitalize on these new trends in consumer behavior. An effective inbound marketing process will provide you with a cheaper, more efficient, and more compelling way to grow traffic, generate leads, convert leads and analyze data in a way that guarantees repeatable, continuous success.

Inbound marketing is made up of many pieces. To truly succeed online, businesses need to have a comprehensive strategy including all the pieces such as:

· Blogging

· Social media engagement

· Search engine optimization (SEO)

· Landing pages

· Email marketing

· Video marketing

· Strategic website design.

an effective marketing website should be generating leads on a consistent basis, and second,if a site does in fact generate leads, the rate at which leads are generated should be improving each month. With that said, a good website allows for almost total trackability, which means most campaigns are instantly measurable. This allows for easy replication of success and fast learning from mistakes.

1. Affordability

Why continually pay large amounts of money for online advertising when, with some up front effort and cost, you can benefit from ranking at the top of organic listings for relevant search terms? Unlike with paid ads, your traffic does not suddenly drop drastically when you discontinue an advertising campaign. Of course you will need to put in some effort to maintain a top ranking, but once you get recognized by Google as a top website for certain search terms, you are likely to stay there for a long while.

2. Increased Visibility and Traffic

As you optimize your site for relevant search terms, you will see the number of impressions (people who view your site as a result of their searches) increase steadily. Google searches actually provide visitors who searched for the terms targeted by your website. These people are actually looking for your product, therefore bringing prospective clients directly to you.

3. Improved Brand Credibility

People searching for products and services on Google tend to feel that the highest ranked sites are the most reputable ones in the industry. As you move up in the Google rankings, more and more people will visit your site, which further builds your reputation and improves your rankings even more. On the other hand, many people find ads annoying, and they do not provide any credibility for the company placing the ad.

4. Quantifiable Results

With analytics and reporting tools you will be able to determine your position for various search terms, as well as website impressions and visits. You can also discover additional search terms people are using to find your website, which may lead to ideas for new products or services and additional opportunities for optimization.

5. Competitive Edge

There are over 250 million websites, and you need a way to make yours stand out from the competition. Implementing an SEO strategy is an essential step to ensure that you are ranked higher than your competitors for relevant search terms so that potential clients are more likely to visit your site first and hopefully convert into a sale before they even get the chance to visit a competitor’s website.

-Leslie Koenig

As a marketer, you are probably constantly thinking of innovative and new ways to advertise your product or service. You probably spend hours trying to get into the mind of the “customer” and what it is they want. We’ve all seen the Progressive commercials where Flo is manning the imaginary Progressive retail store. Each ad displays a new story of a customer in the store, while Flo uses her superb selling skills to figure out the specific needs of the customer. Everyone always leaves happy and everyone loves Flo! Wouldn’t that be fantastic to have a chance to sit with your customers face to face and figure out exactly what they want? For most businesses today, that simply is not feasible. At least not in the physical sense. We can, however, be there for our customers virtually with some quick, easy guidelines.

1. SEO:Search engine optimization is the process of affecting the visibility of your website in a search engine’s natural (unpaid) reach.

We have some really great articles on SEO, here is the most recent from Contensive News: http://www.contensive.com/Top-5-Benefits-of-SEO

2. SEM: Search Engine Marketing is marketing via search engines. For example, pay per click advertising. (This is when you post an ad that relates to the users search engine query. Each time a user clicks your ad, an amount is charged to your business.)

Here is some information on SEM and how it differs from SEO: http://www.websearchsocial.com/seo-vs-sem-whats-the-difference-why-does-it-matter-and-how-the-heck-do-you-do-them-both/

3.Real-time Assistance: Twitter allows for real time social media posts. Smart marketers have realized that reading and responding to clients on Twitter can actually be faster than going through email or support.

Virgin Atlantic uses Twitter to assist its customers, even while they are 20,000 feet above the ground: http://mashable.com/2011/11/15/virgin-atlantic-flight-status-bot-twitter/

4. Blogging and Social Media: Blogging and social media currently encompass a large percentage of marketing. Facebook and Google+ are among several social media sites that offer another avenue of branching out to clients.

Check out my past blog on inbound marketing and social media: http://www.contensive.com/Inbound-Marketing-and-Social-Media

Responsive web design--

What's worse than Armageddon? Well, If you've listened to some marketers recently, the answer may just be "Mobilegeddon." That's the nickname the industry has given to Google's newest algorithm update, one that has the potential to be more wide-reaching than any of the search engine's algorithms since the introduction of PageRank.

To say it came out of nowhere would be an exaggeration. For months, Google has emphasized the importance of a mobile-friendly website, and for good reason. The search engine's stated goal is to show the most relevant and accessible content to its users. And because the majority of internet users now browse on a mobile device, it only made sense for Google to emphasize mobile-friendliness - for the same reason that ALT text became so important a few years ago, when not all browsers could display images.

Still, the news came as a shock. On February 26, Google announced that beginning on April 21, a new algorithm update would begin to penalize websites that weren't optimized for mobile devices in its search results. As the blog post put it,

This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices

The message is clear: If your website isn't optimized for mobile devices, then beginning on April 21, you will have a serious SEO problem. The only problem with the announcement was that Google didn't specify just how your website should be optimized. So allow us to help.

1) Responsive Web Design is a Must

Google did not explicitly mention responsive web design as the perfect way to make your site compliant with its new algorithm, but that's because they didn't have to. For a few months now, Google has been pounding the responsive design drum, rightfully emphasizing that a responsive website is the best and only way to make sure your site functions properly on all mobile devices. If your website is not responsive, you should probably make the update as soon as possible to be sure your SEO doesn't suffer.

2) Complying with Google Beyond Responsive Design

Of course, it doesn't stop there. While responsive design is essential for success, it is not a cure-all for your website and SEO needs. Accessibility matters beyond the basics; currently, the rumor is spreading among marketers that Mobilegeddon will include a way for Google to determine just how well and intuitively your navigation functions, meaning you should ensure that there are no hiccups or dead links within your navigation.

Chances are, Google's update will also heavily draw on its mobile guide to determine what sites are optimized for mobile devices. You can find these guidelines on Google's website, and the checklist includes a free mobile-friendly test as well as several tutorials to ensure you comply with Google before April 21. Which brings us to the final point:

3) Prepare for Mobilegeddon

In preparing for any of Google's algorithm updates, from Panda to Penguin and now Mobilegeddon, being proactive is key. The internet is littered with stories of businesses who failed to see what was coming, only to suffer severely in search results and sometimes never recover. On the other hand, knowing what to expect can be the key to ensure that once April 21 rolls around, your website won't be blindsided (and downgraded).

Reading through Google's Mobile Guide and checking your website for mobile optimization with the search engine's free tool is a great start. Another is to contact us. We specialize in responsive design, and would be happy to help you ensure that your website is ready for Mobilegeddon.

As a business, how likely is it that potential customers will come through your door?

The whole point of an online presence is to entice customers into your store, your leasing office or your showroom so you can convert them to paying customers rather than just browsers online.

Further, nothing is more frustrating as a customer than finding out that you have been given the wrong information about where a business is located. As a customer, how likely are you to give this company your business? Not very. In fact, according to Placeable, 73% of consumers stated that they lose trust in a brand when the online listing shows incorrect information.

1. Missing hours of operation information can be a dealbreaker

There are many things that people look for in listings, whether they are looking at that search engine on a PC or on a mobile device. The top piece of information that most people look for is the hours of operation, since their search is likely for a business that they frequent quite often.

In fact, in a study conducted by local data aggregator Localeze, hours of operation were noted as the most helpful feature in selecting a business during local search. 76% of respondent reporting that they expect this information when searching and 61% believe that it is a feature that helps them to select a business.

Even if people are new to a business, it doesn't give people a good impression if the business hours are not listed and they don't know that it's only open from 11 a.m-6p.m. Tuesday-Saturday .Imagine that potential customer who is ready to spend their money in store, but shows up on Monday at 7 p.m. only to find it closed. That customer is likely going to do another search on a mobile phone to find a different store and spend their money there.

2. You can't spell NAP data (and score a citation) without an A(ddress)

While most people would assume that the number one reason people do a search online is for the address or location of a business, the address is actually behind hours of operation as the second most desired information. But, of course, the whole point of being in business is to make money doing what you love or selling what you love. And that happens by attracting foot traffic and increasing customer base.

It bears repeating that if a business address is incorrect on listing sites such as Google or Bing, then customers will not be crossing the threshold. A simple thing such as the wrong number on a street address, or even the wrong town, can mean that a customer cannot find you. The US Postal Service relies on a complex system of checks to verify and standardize addresses, and many of the search engines will default to the USPS for correct mailing addresses.

What this means for the average new business owner is that unless a business is in an established location, getting the correct address on their listing means that both the address from City Hall and the information on USPS must be consistent. If USPS doesn't recognize that address, then a business owner must contact them to verify their new address and get that information updated on USPS's online database.

3. Local searchers are mobile creatures

According to Localeze, mobile-phone-based searches drive in-store purchases with more than 75% of searches ending in a purchase, if a business has their listing details correct. Now if half of the people searching for a business listing on a local search engine, such as Google Local/Maps, can't find the store's business listing details, then the business is going to lose 100% of their business.

For ease of use for potential customers, some of those details need to be as readily available as possible in a mobile-friendly manner. This can be accomplished with a responsive website that supports cellphone and tablet-specific versions.

4. Updated, accurate websites still serve as a first impression

At the same time, more than 60% of searches on PC platforms such as website portals, Internet Yellow Page directories and local sites have a similar chance of ending in a purchase. While mobile searches are becoming more of a standard in where a customer searches, a business owner should not discount the power of a fulsome, consistent and accurate listing that is reflective of the business website.

Any listing should be linked to the business's website and feature the exact same information, but more of it. While a website should be enough to entice a customer to visit or buy, if those inconsistencies exist, then trust issues may arise in a business's practices before a customer ever crosses their threshold.

5. Local searchers mix it up across multiple devices, situations and times

People who search for listings are doing it in many more ways than when the Internet first coalesced into existence about two decades ago. In that time, we went from working on desktops to laptops to PDAs to Blackberries to Apples to tablets--and in each iteration, the methods of search have changed.

However, that has slowed over the last five years or so as web developers realize that they need to be smarter. Rather than designing three different sites for three different platforms, they have created websites that are scalable to the search device. And that has been helped along by the proliferation of types of devices in use everyday.

According to Pew Research Center, In 2015, smartphone ownership in America was at 68%, with tablet and computer ownership at 45%. Statista says that almost half of American adults use their smartphones the most to search for local information online, the other half being split between computers (40%) and tablets (11%). According to Localeze, like the types of devices used, what we are searching for varies by the time of day and device. Entertainment is searched for during work hours on computers, restaurants during evening using phones and health/fitness evening using tablets.

The most important part of those mobile searches is accuracy. If someone cannot find your business in a local search or find inaccurate results whilst out and about, then your business has lost the chance for that browser to become a customer. So having those listings correct in all of the device formats is a must as we, and our technology, continue to evolve in the way we interact with local businesses.

6. Local search results are trusted sources of information

Last but certainly not least is the fact that local search results are considered the most trustworthy. In a study by Neustar, it was determined that these searches, such as "used games Raleigh", are what people do the most since they put that trust in local business more than big box, big website stores.

Think about it, would you rather find a local store where you can get that latest purse in town right now? Or you can wait a week for delivery, which is four days past the event that you want it for! Local searches lend themselves to instant gratification and that interaction between browser and salesperson will convert that browser from someone who might get just the minimum to a loyal customer who feels like a million having spent a little more, but getting what they consider to be gold!

Those interactions are what lead people to local searches and the absolute necessity of getting your listings correct. Trust leads to loyalty, which leads to more business, which leads to happy customers and business owners.

And it all starts with that correct listing in that customer's local search.
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