So what’s the good news? HootSuite offers a free service that will automatically publish your new website content via RSS feed to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn. Give it a try!

Creating a Facebook page for your business is relatively painless if you know where to start.  Follow these steps below and you’ll be up and running in less than 10 minutes!

1. To get started, head over to the “Create A Page” section of Facebook.
2. Click on the tile that corresponds to your business;  ”Local Business or Place” or “Company, Organization or Institution”.
3. Choose a category, enter your business name, address and phone.  When you’ve completed the form, click the ”Get Started” button.
4. Enter an email account and password.  If you already have a Facebook account you can use your existing email but we recommend using a separate email account for your business page.  When finished, click the “Sign up Now!” button. That’s it, you’ve created a Facebook page for your business.

Now that you’ve got your Facebook page up, try a few of these tips & tricks!

1.) Start a blog.

A blog should be about your business but personal and unique. Write about your day to day experiences, something new you learned, funny business stories or frustrating business stories. The most important thing is to provide interesting content that entice people to follow you.
www.blogger.com
www.wordpress.com
Check out our previous entry about blogs in the La Crosse area.

2.) Write something!

Write a press release about your business, an article about your business field or a “how to” article. Include important keywords and a hyperlink to your website.
www.24-7 press release.com
www.1888pressrelease.com
www.ezinearticles.com
www.web-articles.info
www.ehow.com

3.) Exchange links with other businesses.

Ask other businesses with websites to link to you and you can link to them. This is most effective when the business is in a related field but does not compete with you. For instance, if you sell dog supplies you could ask for a link exchange with a local groomer.

4.) Submit your business

Submit your business to Local Google, Local Yahoo and Local MSN.
This is an easy way to be on the first page of Google, Yahoo or MSN (Bing). It only takes a few minutes and verification from the search engine.
www.google.com/local/add
http://listings.local.yahoo.com/
https://ssl.bing.com/listings/ListingCenter.aspx

5.) Participate in forums.

Become an active participant in a forum that is related to your field. Spend a half hour a day (or every 2 days) starting threads and commenting on discussions with your URL in your signature. With active participation, you become a trusted expert in the forum – which can lead to networking and customers!

6.) Make a video and upload it.

The video can be silly or serious – but make sure it is related to your business. Upload it to different video submission sites. The title of your video should be words that people are actually searching for. For example, if you have a video on how to use a dog harness – using the title “Sarah’s fantabulous voyage through space and time using a dog harness” would probably get fewer hits than “How to use a dog harness”.
www.tubemogul.com (allows you to upload your video to many different video submission sites)

7.) Talk to the media.

Suggesting stories (or forwarding your press releases and articles) about your business field to a local journalist can often get you free press. Politely hint that you are available for an interview!

8.) Submit your services to free classifieds.

www.craigslist.com
www.olx.com
www.wi-classifieds.com
http://lacrosse.oodle.com/

9.) Offer something of value

Offer something of value: a tool, information, a report, or a newsletter for free.
Create something of value that your potential or current customers would find useful and then provide it for free! If you continue to offer free information or tools, people will return to your site and maybe even mention it to their friends or colleagues.
For example, if you sell heartworm medicine for dogs, offer a free calendar that will remind the pet owner when to give the medicine. Or, offer a monthly newsletter that has the latest tips to keep your pet healthy and happy.

10.) Add your website URL to everything

Add your website URL to every marketing piece you have. Simply add your URL to the marketing strategies you are currently doing. Put the URL on your blog, articles and press releases, forum signature, video description, classified ads, free tools, newsletters, receipts, signs, packaging, voice mail, uniforms, pens, stationary, etc. and watch your website traffic grow!

Interested in online marketing but don’t have the time? Coulee Creative has created successful newsletters, blogs, and other internet marketing strategies for many clients. Our expert marketing team is ready to make your business grow.

Contact Jared Chelf at jared@couleecreative.com or call 608.498.4781

No, not the kind that circulate air. I’m talking about Social Media: Facebook fans.  Twitter followers.  Views on YouTube.  What was once for college students posting photos from last weekend’s soiree or teenagers crazy over Ashton Kutcher’s latest tweet, is now one of the biggest marketing tools available worldwide.

Traditional media is still powerful, however TV, radio and print advertising are  becoming less effective and less efficient every day.  Recent statistics are staggering in the proof that social media is shifting the way we consume media.  For example, 70% of 18-34 year-olds have watched TV on the web, and 25% of all Americans have watched a short video on their phone…in the past month, leaving TV advertisements out cold.

If that’s not enough to get your attention, try this on:

If Facebook were a country, it would be the world’s 4th largest.

1. China
2. India
3. United States
4. Facebook

However, more significant than just sheer numbers is the way that social media allows the unique opportunity for a business to have a direct relationship with their customers.  Where we used feel like we were pushing our message out at consumers, we can now listen and learn about how they feel about our brand, build a relationship and with it, brand loyalty, and speak to customers in real time.

So, you want to have fans…what’s next?

Keep in mind that there are thousands of social platforms available and that not all of them will be right for your brand.  Before you create a facebook page or set up a Twitter account, take some time to devise a strategy.  You need to set clear objectives for your social marketing program, just like you would with any other advertising, and measurements of success.

In a recent business facebook page that I’ve set up, one of my goals is to create favorability or purchase intent.  For example, I post a coupon on the page for 20% off a product, this weekend only.  I measure the success by engagement with the consumer – Customer A “liked” it and Customer B posted a comment, and even better, by seeing Customer C walk in the store with the facebook page printed out to make sure they get that discount.  I know that this facebook page makes sense for this business because it meets my goals and I am pleased with the success.

Next, you want to think about how this social networking opportunity will showcase your strengths.  What is your company good at and how can you share that?  Don’t forget that you must abide by social media rules.  Study the medium before you jump in and learn the language.  Decide how your brand will present itself and choose the voice that will enable you to best engage with your audience.  Speaking like a marketer on facebook won’t get you more fans, talking like a friend will.

Finally, what value are you providing your customer? Consider what your audience will expect from you in a social media setting.  Exclusive deals, first-to-know opportunities, asking for feedback and then responding to customers are a few of the intangible goods and services you should provide.

Most important, when considering social media, remember that a good social media program requires an on-going conversation.  Build the relationship with your customers in the mediums that fit your company best, and do it often.

Coulee Creative can help your business with social networking sites such as Facebook. If you want more information, contact Jared Chelf at jared@couleecreative.com or visit our website at http://couleecreative.com