SEO For Beginners

Search engine optimisation is vital to the success of any online marketing. However it seems massively complicated and daunting in terms of where to start and how to get the most out of it, luckily for you guys I found a very impressive infograph at Seomoz which is a must read for anyone like me, with little experience on seo strategies. Here's the link... 'what is link building'. The site is worth throwing into your rss reader also, as it has lots of good advice on everything seo.

Think Before You Make a Marketing Decision

I just saw the brilliant new 'motherhood understood' tv campaign by cussons. follow the link to see it.  It's off my usual topic of social media but I had an important comment I had to make.

WHY SHOW THIS AT 11.00 PM! During the ad break of 40 year old virgin?! Seriously in this modern day where tv ads are horrendously expensive, where is the thought behind that placement? I'm getting some pretty conflicting messages, and which of their target demographic is awake at this time and more importantly free to be watching a silly comedy.

People get paid a lot of money to make these decisions, and it's a shame such a brilliant campaign by TBWA/Manchester is wasted by some poor marketing decisions. Rant over.

Online Marketing for Noobs

I've been searching online for great tips on how to become a master of 'social marketing' for three weeks now. There's a lot of goo stuff out there, but I have to say this article is by far the best thing I've come across. Oli Gardener from Seomoz is a fantastic source of all things social. He's got some brilliant advice on social media marketing and this article is the most extensive advice on social media for begginers you could ever want. Read it, and as I will be, use it.

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-noob-guide-to-online-marketing-with-giant-infographic-11928.

Powerful Landing Pages

Landing pages seem to be a seriously under used tool. I must have look at a hundred sites that do not use them to their full potential. They can help with lead conversion, measurement and engagement, they're pretty effective when used correctly! Here's an article on seomoz.org explaining how to get on top of using landing pages well.

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-12step-landing-page-rehab-program-infographic-10488

5 Tips to a Good Interview

I managed to be selected for a job in a career I have no experience in, over other candidates that do  You want to know how I did it? I will explain a few things that were helpful in getting through the interview process. I hope they help people in the same situation as myself..

1 - Be Honest

This is key. You’re not an MI5 agent, you will get caught out if you lie on the spot. On the job description it stated experience in certain areas would be helpful however, I did not have said experience. You may think bending the truth is useful and can make you look more hireable but those lies will catch up to you. I told my employers straight, even though I did not have the experience, I was a fast learner and that who ever they hie will not work harder than I would to be successful. I think this showed my commitment to the role and my enthusiasm to learn. It is a lot easier to remember the truth, than to remember lies.

2 - Be Prepared

This may sound obvious but I was super prepared for my interview. Researched the company, what they did, who they worked with, what services they provide, company history etc. Also know the job you’ve been asked to do and stress that’s why you want the job.  Know the potential employers and what they want like you know the back of your hand. This helps with the next one….

3 - Ask Questions

Can be anything about the company, what work they’re currently doing, who are the most valued clients and so on. I asked a questions about how they measure social media impact (as this is a big part of my job) as it was a genuine benefit for myself to know the answer. You can even ask about the history of the organisation, makes you seem genuinely interested. If you seem interested in them they’re more likely to be interested in you!

4 - Know Yourself

This is often forgotten. Check you CV, save your answers to qualifying questions, remember what you’ve told them about yourself. Remember the experiences you have professionally and personally that relate to the role and what is expected. Nothing is worse than forgetting something on your CV when the person interviewing ask's you a related question.

5 - Be Confident

I know this seems easier than it sounds, but if you can get a conversation out of these people, talk to them like they’re normal and not incredibly scary it creates a good atmosphere to be more at ease and more confident. Don’t take this too far, there has to be a professional boundary and this will change company to company, you must have to adapt to the situation. I have a CV lacking experience but face-to-face I can come across as confident and competent to learn anything. Sometimes this can be more valuable than experience.

well there's my advice, good luck with the interviews guys!

Ah Content Marketing... So Obvious!?

In preparation for my new job as a 'social media marketing trainee' I've spend the last two weeks of my unemployed life to find out as much as possible about social marketing and how, basically to be good at it. What seems to be an ongoing theme is content, content, content. I mean it's kind of what underpins any form of social media marketing. It makes sense, no one will comment, like, share or engage with you if what you're offering is dull. 

The problem is that even if content is the vital cog in the social media machine, creating that cog is far from easy. I could sit here all day long and claim that becoming a surgeon is simple as long as you spend years studying medicine, while acquiring a truck load of student loans and sleepless nights cramming before exams. Everyone know's content is paramount however, not so many know what content is good or bad. Of course I know what you're thinking "business is not a science" and you're right but there are some good examples out there of best practise and those you should be learning from. This article after the jump on mashable (which if you haven't already, put into you're RSS feed, follow, like etc as these guys are a must for anyone involved in social media) shows examples of companies doing social well, and also how they are doing it.