Paying a website for each visitor they send you, known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, can be very effective marketing.  Your advertisement is displayed on a host page such as Google, a visitor clicks on your ad, the ad brings them to your website, and you pay the host website a few cents in thanks.

However, there is more to an effective PPC campaign then setting keywords and paying the ad host.  That’s not to say you can’t do it or even figure it out, but if you don’t have the time to invest in the campaign and measure the results, you might consider hiring a pro.

But how do you know if PPC advertising is right for you?

The first thing to think about is whether your product or service generate enough search volume to warrant Pay-Per-Clicks.  If you have a very niche market like “Paper Mache Potted Plants”, you might want to take a closer look at how many people are searching for your product or a variation of it.  A nice tool to find out is the Google Adwords Keyword Tool.

Then do a Google Search for your keywords to see if anyone else shows up in the sponsored results section at the top and right panel of the results.  Usually, the presence of others indicates a high enough search volume to make a PPC campaign worthwhile.

If you’re less of a reactive marketer and tend to be more proactive, don’t worry about whether or not the competition is using PPC, think about other keywords that might draw qualified traffic instead.   “Potted plants” or “plant art” are likely to garner a higher search volume for example.

Next, determine if you can afford your keywords.  Use the Google Adwords Traffic Estimator to figure what you might expect to spend per click.  If you can’t afford the monthly budget needed to run a successful campaign, don’t even attempt a half-baked one. That’s a good way to lose what little budget you commit to it.

When you begin a Pay-Per-Click campaign, you’ll need to have the resources to develop relevant landing pages for your ads.  Landing pages are the pages on your website to which your PPC ads link.  These should be very specific to your ad, should tell you customer what you want them to do and enable them to contact you.  If you are running multiple campaigns, very often you will need multiple landing pages.

The next question to ask before running a PPC campaign – will you test different aspects of your campaign and will you measure the results?  Simply because you think your ad is the most compelling doesn’t mean your customer does.  Which are generating the most clicks?  If one is generating more clicks than the other, are they high quality clicks (low bounce rate, decent time on site, conversions etc…)?  Even the most seasoned marketers test their ads to see what delivers the best results.

And if you’re not measuring your Return of Investment (ROI), why bother?  You need to be able to determine your conversion rate, the amount you’ve paid to get those conversions and difference to determine your return.  If you’re paying a lot for a few if any conversions, you’re doing something wrong.  Remember PPC is about generating sales or leads, not just website traffic.

Now you’re primed to decide if Pay-Per-Click advertising is right for you.  There are many resources on the internet that offer advice on running successful Pay-Per-Click advertising and there are many other PPC platforms than Google.  You have to determine what works best for you, then test and measure the results.

If you need help with your PPC campaign, contact us and we’ll help you determine what works best for you.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog – it’s free and you can keep up-to-date with more Internet Marketing techniques for your business.

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At ODX Fusion, we cherish the little things.  Of course we love “Boosting Brands Online,” it’s what we do.  But when college senior Delores Huffman asked to interview our Patrick Shaughnessy for her Business Management final we thought it was cool.  When she sent us the term paper itself with a big red “A” stamped on it, we got a little giddy.  We offer you the excerpts (with links, of course):

“…the internet can work for small business owners, you have to know where to look and who to ask.  There are businesses dedicated to building webpages that are eye catching and informative.  There are also businesses that develop online strategies to bring customers to your small business website.  One such company that does all the above is ODX Fusion Internet Marketing based in Syracuse, New York.

As a young and upcoming web development, enhancement and marketing business, ODX Fusion helps small businesses reach their customers online.  They believe too many businesses build online fliers for their products and services, they never solicit any traffic and definitely do not bring qualified traffic.  Additionally, the ODX Fusion website includes a blog on how to make the internet work for small business and they answer common questions of the small business owner.  Their posts include, “Why Every Small Business Needs a Website“, when to use a shopping cart on your website and the ins and outs of using PayPal.

…they also cover the ever so intimidating social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and how a small business owner can leverage the power of social media.  They also offer their services to those who are less computer and internet inclined, which describes many business owners.

Their motto is simple: “Boost Your Brand Online”.  They’re able to design a business webpage, optimize potential on the most popular search engines, link in to the social media networks enhancing popularity, assist in content development and put your brand anywhere your customer may be.

So why do small business owners need the internet to market their business and products online?

ODX Fusion has broken it down into ten very simple reasons listed here in no specific order:

• your competition is already marketing online,
• your website is open 24/7 when your storefront isn’t,
• sharing information with your customers online has never been easier,
• it keeps you competitive in your market and lends credibility to your offering,
• it sells your product,
• it allows your business to be found online when customers search for your product/service,
• enables you to offer specials and coupons without print and distribution concerns,
• provides descriptions and pictures of the products/services you are selling,
• helps others to promote you,
• an online presence helps you expand beyond your current offline market.”

Delores goes on to explain Patrick’s take on Search Engine Optimization and Social Media:

“…is Google is number one?  Mr. Patrick Shaughnessy, the founder and co-owner of ODXFusion.com believes so.  He quotes a recent article from Searchinsider which states that Google holds over seventy percent of the market share and the other top three search engines are losing large percentages of users to Google.  While Google’s usage is rising, Yahoo Search, MSN and Ask.com are decreasing by 17%, 20% and 10% respectively.

To the small business owner this may mean Google delivers while other search engines don’t, so why look anywhere else when Google is obviously the search engine of choice.  Mr. Shaughnessy’s answer is that you cannot ignore other search engines like Yahoo! and MSN because there are still customers loyal to those services.  Many small businesses make the mistake of only targeting Google.

Where else might a small business owner who is looking to expand their client base to include customers from the internet look to find these customers?   The social networking phenomenon of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace are also on the rise in business marketing.   There are many blogs about how these websites and how they can help the small business owner.

Mr. Shaughnessy from ODXFusion.com recently posted a blog on his website that told his users not to listen to him talking about how great Social Media is for business but to experience it themselves.  Mr. Shaughnessy chose Model Airplanes as his test subject.  He then described how each of the above listed social media networks had vendors blogging, tweeting and posting about Model Airplanes.  This little experiment proved that even for something so obscure as a Model Airplane business, there is still a market for it online and there are customers out there willing to buy Model Airplane products.

Incidentally, there were more than just those four social media networks talking about Model Airplanes.  Other websites like Digg and Google Blog Search also came up with results to the Model Airplane search.  As Mr. Shaughnessy points out “get connected or get left behind”. (Shaughnessy, 2009) Imagine if you had a more mainstream business and what a social media network could do for you.  It could help launch your site, your brand and your product into a whole new market and bring business like you have never seen before…”

We happen to agree… And we’re done bragging.  Thanks Delores – we were glad to help!

Launching an ecommerce website is a natural progression when businesses opt to sell their products online.  Realizing a geographical limitation of having a storefront only, small business owners see limitless possibilities of the internet and open their market to a much wider audience. What about the business owner that skips the storefront and goes right to the wider audience?

This is Part 2 of our interview with The Butcher Block Top owners, Christopher and Shirley Keele.  This is also a part of our “Just Doing It” series where we show how small business owners are already using the internet for their business.  If you missed part one, read “Customer Service is Still Alive Online” and see why they are worthy of a two-part post.

Christopher and Shirley Keele began building band-saw jewelry boxes, picnic benches, and patio furniture for friends and family. When they built and sold a cutting board, then another one, and a third one, they realized there was a market for custom wood creations. In October 2007, they filed for a business certificate and started selling their products online.  They listed their cutting boards and end-grain tables and then began receiving requests for butcher block countertops – their most popular product today.

With regard to their made-to-order creations Shirley points out, “we do not buy butcher blocks and cut them down as most of our competitors do. Selling custom sizes and being sure that your product is your own is very important.” It stands to reason as setting your product apart amongst fierce competition is the way to stake a claim online.

Chris and Shirley have maintained their website themselves, having had basic internet experience only. Getting qualified traffic to their website remains a top priority.  Currently, most customers find The Butcher Block Top through search engine results. As of this writing, The Butcher Block Top ranked #1 on Google for butcher block. That’s a pretty impressive standing.

The Keeles also run promotions such as “10% off first purchase” and discounted shipping rates from time to time.  Sometimes it comes down to giving the customer a little more in order for them to choose your products over a competitor’s.

For the Butcher Block Top Company, the best part of selling online is the potential of reaching millions of customers without the overhead of a brick and mortar store.  Selling through their ecommerce site has given them the flexibility they need to build their business while also maintaining a family life.  Many traditional entrepreneurs don’t have that luxury.

But it’s not always easy.  Without a storefront, Shirley says there’s no way for her customers to see and feel the beauty of their butcher blocks. “Senses play an amazing role in what a person does or does not purchase. Consumers are cautious about buying online.” What does this say to the business owner trying to sell their products online?  Cater to the senses you can, the rest relies on visibility, content and trust.

As noted previously, opening your business to the internet also means opening the business to far more competition.  Keeping ahead of the competition plays an important role in any online marketing plan and Chris and Shirley are off to a good start.

So what’s ahead for Chris and Shirley?  They’d like to embrace Social Media, which we at ODX Fusion obviously endorse.  They’d also like to spend more time on their blog, which they use to educate their customers on their butcher blocks. Finally, remaining high in search results for their targeted keywords is an ongoing task.  All these are top-notch strategies for building a successful business by selling online.

To sum it up, Shirley and Chris are very pleased with the progress of their Butcher Block Top ecommerce website.  Through their constant diligence, they stand to increase sales and grow their business.  To the businesses hesitant to sell their products online, Shirley offers this:

“Do not be intimidated by your fears – grit your teeth, knuckle up, and face them. You will be amazed at what you are capable of achieving when the fear of the unknown is not a factor. Just do it!”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

Special thanks go to Christopher and Shirley Keele for taking the time to be interviewed for the “Just Doing It” series.  Visit their website @ www.thebutcherblocktop.com.

Don’t forget to subscribe to us for more in this series and other Online Marketing topics. It’s free and overwhelmingly informative!

We’re starting something new.

The purpose of this blog is to help small business owners realize the potential of online marketing through their website, search engine marketing and social media.

Sure, we love traffic.  We love getting new clients.  But this blog is mainly here to answer common questions about marketing online, all in one place.
That said, we decided that instead of telling you how to use the Internet to sell your product or service, we would show you how a real live small business is already “Just Doing It”.

How did they get started selling online?  What were their fears about Internet marketing? Who did they turn to for help with their website?  These and many more questions will be answered so that small businesses realize they’re not alone.

We have our first few interviews setup and are excited to present them to you. If you are a small business owner and would like to be considered for this series, send me an email.

The “Just Doing it” series will begin next week, make sure you subscribe now to catch it as soon as we publish.

We know you’ll enjoy it.

I recently attended a local small business conference regarding a myriad of online marketing topics that range from search engine optimization to social media and ecommerce websites to blogs.  I hate to say there is still a lot of confusion out there about these topics and others.

In this post I will try to dispel a few specific rumors and misinformation in a non-technical sense so that it becomes more clear what online marketing really entails.  My hope is that you will take what you see here and identify how it might work within your own web marketing strategy.

This may seem random, but it’s in the order of the discussions as we had them.  Enjoy!

Shopping Cart

The first note I had was about the advantages and disadvantages of a Shopping Cart on your website and when to implement one.  Shopping carts are for ecommerce websites selling a product and may make it easier for your customer to find and purchase multiple products within a single shopping experience.  You can collect payment information right from your website, offer receipts, make other purchase suggestions at checkout time, coupons and much more.  A disadvantage to having a shopping cart is its potential for more maintenance, legwork and upfront cost.

When should you get a shopping cart for your website? If you’re selling one product twice a week, a shopping cart is probably not for you.  But if you have multiple products, a shopping cart could be a very viable option so that your customers may purchase many items all at once.  A shopping cart on a website also lends credibility to the merchant and your customers may appreciate it.

PayPal

PayPal is a no-contract, secure and easy solution for buying and selling goods /services online and an alternative to a merchant account in some instances.  If you offer purchases via PayPal, the buyer can pay with a credit card without even having a PayPal account.

PayPal takes a small portion of the sale (often 1.9% – 2.9% + $0.30 USD), which may be feasible depending on the size of the sale.  You’ll need to determine what’s best – a merchant account where you need secure payment pages and all your payments occur on site or allow PayPal to take a small cut for the convenience of using their secure payment pages and transactions.

Some websites offer both.

Social Media

Many small business owners are afraid of Social Media or feel it is no place for their business. I’m here to tell you this – if your customers are using social media, so should you.

One topic that has come up recently was a Facebook issue where their Terms of Service assumed rights to users’ content.  That’s not so anymore… we spoke, Facebook listened. Your content is your content.

Of course as a business owner you’ll need to practice discretion with what you decide to upload.  There are also many privacy settings on all the major social media sites so that YOU determine what others see.  Privacy is only a concern when you don’t address it in your social media strategy…

Hosting Your Own Blog or Go With Free Hosting

This is a common question that you’ll hear a million different answers to.  Our stance is this: If you’re just starting out, use the free WordPress , Blogger or other free blog services to determine if blogging is for you.  Once you’re serious, pay a few bucks a month and host your own.  You look more professional and have more options when you host your own blog.

Free Hosted Example = www.mybusiness.wordpress.com

or

Host Your Own Example = www.mybusiness.com

You decide.

Forums vs. Blog

In its very simplest terms, forums are predominately user-generated content (threads) which users interacting with other users on a broad topic. Here is a great example of a Syracuse, NY forum.

A blog on the other hand is a website or blog owner offering information and interacting with his/her readers through posts.  In our blog we give small business owners tips and tricks with regard to online marketing.  If you’re so compelled, you may leave a comment but you cannot start a post on our blog the way you can a forum.  Blogs also have more options and offer more diversity than forums, in my eyes.

SEO and Metadata (Meta Tags)

Meta tags are a great place to optimize your website for search engines.  Aside from the keyword meta tag,  this is not for keyword stuffing as much as it is for including relevant keywords, location, robots direction etc…  It can certainly get confusing, but if you are a DIY Search Engine Optimizer, you cannot ignore the meta data.

SEO and Flash / Images

Flash and Image SEO can be very tricky but is not impossible.  Keep in mind that a search engine cannot read an image for what the image is and it cannot view a Flash Animation.  Search Engines can only read the text associated with it and whatever text lies on the page.

Frequently Updated Content

Frequently updated content is about keeping your site current, fresh and interesting so that visitors and search engines come back to your page again and again.  It’s not changing the color of your background  or redoing your entire website every two weeks, but it is making sure you offer your customers timely information and removing information about an upcoming event that happened last year.  Having a blog or “News” section are wonderful options for fresh content offerings.

That’s it for now – I hope this has been a bit enlightening.  There is much more information on each of the topics above and I’ve only offered an abbreviated overview.

If you have further questions or would like more detailed information, subscribe to this blog, leave a comment or contact me at julia @ odxfusion .com.

Internet Marketing has caught on like wild fire and every size of business around is leveraging the power of the online marketplace to get their products and services seen.  It’s caught on so fast that many small businesses have been left in the dust wondering what the craze is about.  After all, many small business owners barely have an offline marketing strategy, much less an online marketing plan.

All this means that there are perceptions abound that online marketing is something sleazy.

As I was speaking with a customer recently explaining the online marketing services offered by ODX Fusion, I noticed she cast a wary eye my way.  Sensing her hesitation, I inquired if something wasn’t clear.

She said: “I don’t want to spam my customers with spams. And I don’t want to be a part of any Many Layer Marketing pyramid schemes either.”

While I fought the urge to inform her that the plural for spam is still spam and MLM stands for Multi-Level Marketing I had to wonder: do small business owners really equate Internet Marketing with spam, scams and MLM pyramid schemes?

Unfortunately some do.  While marketing products and services on the Internet is widely accepted and employed, there are people everywhere that don’t understand what it’s all about.  It’s completely understandable as online advertising is still in its infancy, in a relative sense.

And while Spams, Scams and MLM are prevalent online, legitimate Internet Marketing is about being available to your customer online, where ever they may be.

Are your customers using Search Engines to find you? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising may be in order.  Both entail getting listed high in search results for select keywords, whether you enhance your website for search engines or you pay the search engine to list you in a sponsored ad.  Neither is inherently spam.

Do you have customers developing relationships online?  Think about signing up for a Social Media account and engaging them.  Make connections with past, present and potential customers, offer them discounts, personalize your brand.  The most important thing here is to actually “connect” with them.  If you simply send out your sales copy and links to your product or service, then yes it is spam.  Otherwise it’s making “friends”.

Do you offer a product or service that your customers would enjoy learning more about or is your product or service often misunderstood?  Educate the world on your offerings through a blog for your business.  Tell your readers what they need to know to better understand your industry. No spam issue there.

Are there any businesses out there that market to the same demographic but offers a non-competing product?  Ask for a link to your website in return for the same or some other incentive.  With affiliate marketing, you’re helping each other out then and that’s not spammy.

Legitimate online marketing is a myriad of things, but it is not spam, is not a scam and ain’t no Many Layer Marketing scheme neither.

There are so many compelling ways to market your business online, you have to find the online marketing channel that’s right for you, your business and your customer.

What are some of your favorite non-spam ways to reach your customer online?

Don’t forget to subscribe!  Where else can you get this non-elitist-type knowledge for free?