ReTweeting allows Twitter users to share links, tweets and other valuable information they find from other Twitter users. But did you know that ReTweets are also great for expanding business too? Having one of your Tweets ReTweeted will increase your exposure on Twitter, enabling you to engage with more potential customers. SweetSpot Marketing compiled the list below of 5 easy practices to help your brand gain more ReTweets.

1. Include links
   Tweets that contain links have a chance of being ReTweeted 3 times more than Tweets without links. This means Tweeting not only will help your brand with link building but will also increase the chances of your link being shared.
2. Words you should and shouldn’t tweet
   “What are you doing?” type Tweets don’t get many ReTweets. If you’re looking to get ReTweeted more often, be sure to stay away from “-ing” verbs such as “going,” “watching” and “listening.” What you should be focusing on are Tweets that talk directly to the customer. Make sure to use the word “you” more often in your Tweets.
3. Current content
   Old news is, well, old news. Tweets that contain outdated information are less likely to be ReTweeted. Tweet current content to increase your chances of being ReTweeted.
4. Structure
   Construct your Tweet like you would a major headline or blog title. Twitter is a real-time fast paced information network. You need to grab your customers’ attention first before they can even ReTweet your Tweet. If you’re interested in ReTweets try broadcasting content rather than engaging in conversation. Include headline type Tweets that link to interesting content.
5. Time
   Sending Tweets out when your customers are listening is one of the best ways to gain more ReTweets. During the business week, Monday – Friday, are the best days to Tweet with Fridays being the highest ReTweetable day. During this period, the most ReTweetable time is between 3PM and midnight.

Plan to start implementing some of these practices and make sure to track and analyze your collected data. Every brand is different so it’s good to experiment with different Tweeting methods. If you need any assistance please contact us here at SweetSpot Marketing.

Log into your Google+ Page and click on the gray wheel at the top right of your screen.

A drop down menu will appear. Click on the “Google+ settings” link.

You will then see a page like the one below.

Click on the “Managers” link.

You will be taken to the Managers page. Here you can invite, by email, new page administers.

You can invite up to 50 page admins.

There you have it! If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below or contact us here at SweetSpot Marketing.

Happy New Year! It’s 2012 and many brands are looking to step up their social media game this year. One way to bring your social media “A game” is to create a Google+ Business Page. Google+ is a fast growing social network that has already reached greater than 40 million members. Creating a Business Page is simple and can be done in 4 easy steps!

1. Gmail Account
   Previously, only one Gmail account could be used to manage a brands Google+ Page. Now there isn’t a need to create a communal login because Google recently introduced page administrators. You can now assign up to 50 administrators to your brands Google+ Page. 

   In order to create a Google+ Business Page you will need to have a Gmail account along with a Google+ Profile. If you don’t have a Gmail account please click here to get started. If you have a Gmail account and don’t have a Google+ Profile please click here to get started.

2. Create Business Page
   Now that you are all setup with a Gmail account and a Google+ Profile, you can create a page for your business. Visit http://plus.google.com/pages/create to get started. Follow Google’s wizard and select the most appropriate category for your brand on the left hand side of the screen. 

   
   Then fill in your company’s basic information on the right hand side of the screen. Depending on which category you choose, the basic information fields may be different than what you see in the photo above.

   Add a tagline and upload your logo or any other image that best represents your brand.

   

3. Edit Profile
   Now that you have all your page basics set, it’s time to add more detailed information. From your page’s profile click on the “Edit Profile” button from the top of the page. 

   
   Then start clicking on parts you would like to update. When all finished click on the “Done editing” button from the top of the page.

   

4. Promote
   Now that you have customized your page it’s time to get the word out! Let your friends, family and colleges know your brand is up and running on Google+. 

   You can also promote your page on your own website and blog.

   

Voile’, you have just created a Google+ Business Page!

If you need any assistance please contact us here at SweetSpot Marketing.

Use Call to Actions
Likes, comments and shares all have a heavy hand in getting your message noticed. Don’t be afraid to include any of these actions at the end of a post:

• if you agree, like
• if you disagree, tell us why in the comments
• please share
• show your friends

Studies have shown that if a brand asks for likes, comments and shares, their fans will do so. Just don’t be asking for this too often.

Give Your Brand Personality
Having a business presence on Facebook should include sharing your brands professional and personal matters. Facebook users aren’t going to like and interact with a boring brand. Spice up your Facebook Page by sharing silly photos of employees or spotlighting loyal customers. Try asking your fans thought provoking questions to get them to engage with your brand socially. Be as human as possible.

Use Campaigns
Use marketing campaigns socially and analyze your data. Facebook has a powerful tool built in called Insights. With Insights you are able to decipher what topics are popular amongst your fan base. Take this information and use it to improve future marketing efforts.

Feed Competitive Spirit
One sure way to get people talking about your brand is to run a contest. Try asking your customers to like your page as a way to enter a contest. Maybe ask your fans to upload a photo of their pets with your product and give the winner a prize. Facebook has certain rules and regulations when involving their social platform with contests so make sure to stay within their guidelines.

Exclusivity
Offer your customers something special for being a fan on Facebook. This is a nice gesture and a way of saying thanks for liking us. Not only will your customers be happy but they will also be likely to spread the news about how great your brand is. This gets others talking positively about you, increasing your chances of gaining more business.

These 5 ways will help get your brand noticed on Facebook. If you need any more assistance with your Facebook Page please give SweetSpot Marketing a call, 631-669-6758, or email info@sweetspotmarketing.net.

Brands are continuously looking for ways to increase their ranking in online search. If you’re a small business, you might not have the funds to cover hiring a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firm. SweetSpot Marketing has compiled a list of 10 practices your business can implement to optimize your brand for search without having to spend big bucks.

Link Building
One of the most important things you can do to improve SEO is having lots of links that point directly to your website. Use social media and blogs to help you build up these number of links.

Blogging
Blogs are powerful inbound marketing tools. According to HubSpot, companies that blog attract 55% more website visitors than non-blogging companies. Create a blog for your brand to build up the number of links pointing to your website. If you already have a blog, start posting more than you do now. The more frequently you post, the more website visitors you will attract.

Social Media
Create a Facebook Page, start a Twitter account or sign your business up with LinkedIn. Social media platforms are a great way to improve your SEO. Not only will you be link building, but you also will be engaging with current and potential customers. 

Design
In search your website may show up listed next to spam. Be distinguishable. Having a nice clean web design will give your brand a professional presence. 

Press Releases
Another great way to link build is to write press releases. The best time to post press releases are on weekends and during the night. During these times press releases get more visits from spiders.

Write for Humans
Don’t write content heavy with keywords for search engines. Search engines are overlooking content jam packed with keywords because they appear spam like. Write for humans.

Short Blog Titles
Keeping blog titles between 40 – 80 characters long will make sharing your posts easy through social media platforms.

Pay Per Click Ads
Ranking well will make you appear trustworthy, but a study has shown that people are less likely to click on pay per click ads. Using pay per click ads will make you appear less trustworthy so don’t always rely on these.

Content Producers
Businesses should employ at least one person who will be a content producer. Someone who is there to write blog posts, create videos, take photos, write press releases, and manage all social platforms. Creating good content is a full time job and if done correctly, will highly benefit your brand’s SEO. 

Online Directories
Enlisting in trustworthy online directories is an easy way to create inbound links. Join your local chamber or any other organizations that may benefit your business and list you on their websites. This will help your brand rank higher in local search.

Plan to start implementing some of these practices and make sure to track and analyze your collected data. Every brand is different so it’s good to experiment with different SEO methods. If you need any assistance please contact us here at SweetSpot Marketing.

3 reasons why you should check out SweetSpot Marketing’s new Website!

1. CMS: Our new website is a content management system (CMS) that allows us to simply change and update information instantly.
2. Navigation: Information on our site is now only one click away and can be easily searched for in our search bar.
3. Social Media: Reading our blog, subscribing to our email list, following us on Twitter, connecting with us on Google+, and sharing with us on Facebook has never been easier!

It might be time to give your brand a makeover. Contact SweetSpot Marketing and let us help you start fresh this New Year!

Don’t Curse

Keep your tweets clean! Using profanity is frowned upon and considered unprofessional. Tweets are public so if you’re mainly using Twitter to grow your client base or connect with current ones, then remember to leave out those curse words. It is also bad practice to bash unhappy clients. Reacting defensively on Twitter is one of the worst things you can do. Instead, tweet your apologies and continue the conversation out of the public eye using something like direct message or email.

Don’t Spam

Spamming your followers is a sure way of hurting your image. Do not spam using trending hashtags. Some businesses see a trending topic on Twitter and decide to add that hashtag to their own tweet in hopes of gaining more followers. This would be OK if your tweet was related in someway to the trending hashtag but if it’s not, then you’re guilty of spam. Also be sure to not rely on automation. Some automation here and there won’t hurt, but for the most part Twitter users find them to be impersonal and spammy.

Don’t Only Use 140 Characters

You don’t always have to restrict your tweet to 140 characters. Spread out your message over two or three tweets to get the point across.

Here’s to lots of success in growing your customer list and generating new leads using the power of Twitter!

I’m sure you all have seen that fancy digital looking box pictured above and have wondered what it is and what it’s used for. This is a Quick Response code, best known as a QR code, and is mostly being used for marketing strategies. Essentially a QR code is a two-dimensional code that when scanned by a smartphone camera, will display text, photos, videos, music and URLs. These codes are a mobile friendly way to point potential customers who aren’t in front of their computers to online resources.

How-to Use QR Codes for Your Business

Business Cards: Place QR codes on your business cards that will direct scanners to your website, social media profiles, resume or contact information. Makes transferring of information at events such as trade shows, business summits and job fairs more convenient.

Marketing Materials: Add QR codes on all marketing materials such as advertisements, brochures, flyers, and direct mailers. This is a perfect opportunity to direct scanners to some how-to videos you created or maybe to one of your photo galleries. Try asking scanners to follow your Facebook and Twitter profiles as you point them there. Use this as a chance to promote a new campaign.

Outdoor Signage: Try placing QR codes in your storefront’s window. You can use this code to encourage Fousquare checkins or point scanners to your Yelp profile. Maybe include a QR code on your vehicle’s wrap and link it with a coupon or contest. 

Keep In Mind: Remember that QR codes are still foreign to some people. It would be helpful to include some text near your QR code that will explain what to do. It’s also a good idea to make sure you always direct your scanners to someplace that has value. This is will keep them coming back and scanning for more.

If you would like to start creating QR codes for your business please visit one of the sites below:

• Kaywa
• iCandy
• Stickybits

Please contact SweetSpot Marketing if you have any questions or concerns regarding QR codes for your business.

Happy coding!

How-to Post A Company Status Update

Set Your Company Page to “Designated Admins only”

In order to post Company Status Updates you must be an Administrator of your page and you need to set your Company Page to “Designated Admins only.” To do this, navigate to your company page and click on the “Admin tools” button on the top right of your screen. Select the “Edit” option from the drop down menu.

Here you will want to select the option “Designated users only.”

Add Administrators

Now you will want to designate company employees as admins. These admins will be able to post Company Status Updates. To designate admins start typing a name in the box below and click on their profile photo or name to add them.

Post Company Status Update

Once you have designated admins, these admins now can post Company Status Updates. To post an update, navigate back to your companies overview tab. You should now see a a box where you can post a Company Status Update. Start typing your update in this box and maybe attach a link to go along with your text. Click the “Share” button to send out your update.

Followers of your company will now see your updates on their home page. You can also find your updates on your companies overview page. Any LinkedIn user can comment, like or share your Company Status Update. Company Status Updates support URLs, photos and video. For more information regarding LinkedIn Company Status Updates please visit their support page or contact us here at SweetSpot Marketing.