Many of us trust our gut about how to run our companies and marketing campaigns.  The problem with that is that we have biases and preferences about how to do things, that may not be accurate. On the flip side, numbers don’t lie. They tell a clear story about what’s working and what’s not. Yet…

September 2024 marks Social Light’s 15-year anniversary, and we’re celebrating by looking back at some of the top lessons we’ve learned in hopes that we’ll help other small business owners reach their own milestones. 1. Get a deposit before you do any work Forcing people to put some skin in the game ensures they are…

With the overwhelming number of AI content generators available these days, there are a lot of free or low-priced options available to create blog content. Many of these tools claim to craft SEO-driven content, which is a big plus when it comes to blogs. While drafting blog content is not a core-part of Social Light’s…

Did you know that only 28% of #TikTok users are under 18? It’s not just a platform filled with dance videos, but a place making a real impact on pop culture.

As a small business, it’s tough to cut through the constant noise that bombards most  consumers. So how do you get your audience’s attention without blowing your marketing budget? Text message marketing is a good option for small businesses.    What is text message marketing and who should use it?  Text message marketing, also called…

As we step into the new year, it’s crucial for small business owners to stay ahead of the game by keeping a close eye on emerging 2024 social trends in the social media landscape. Here are some key trends that are expected to shape the social media scene in 2024: Return of Long-Form Content For…

What is a call to action? A call to action, or CTA, is a prompt for your audience to take the next step.  For example, if a potential customer is on your website reading about your services, you want to encourage them to move forward by contacting you or scheduling a meeting. Though it might…

Bounce rate is one my favorite stats in Google Analytics, and one that I think is highly underrated. A “bounce” happens when someone comes to your website, skims your page and leaves without taking any action. I know you’ve done this. Sometimes you type in the wrong URL in your browsers and bounce to a…

If you are bemoaning the change to the Google Analytics platform, you are not alone. The transition from Universal Analytics to GA4 has been rough, and some of us have dealt with it by sticking our heads in the sand and praying for the return of the old format.  Since that has not been working,…

These days nearly 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, but only 53% of the top websites around the world are considered mobile-friendly.*  That’s crazy. Especially since 9 out of 10 customers are lost due to a bad mobile experience.  Most people just want a website to work without having to understand the nuts…

People LOVE free stuff, so using I should definitely use the word FREE in my emails, right? Wrong! Sure, some people go bonkers at the idea of free stuff, but using the word FREE in your emails – especially your email subject line – will land you in spam jail. Just a warning: trying to…

A good portion of our clients serve other businesses, and when it comes to B2B marketing, LinkedIn is the way to go. It’s the social network I focus on most, and can personally speak to the benefits.  You’ve probably heard at least a couple other people say this, but if you haven’t yet found the…

We’ve reached the mid-point of the year and that seems to be a trigger for a slew of social media changes as there has been a lot of announcements over the last week or two. Here’s a quick review of some of the big changes. Threads Meta jumped into the pool of Twitter rivals by…

1. Toilet Paper Did you know that EVERY day 1 million trees are cut down to make toilet paper? I won’t bore you with the details of why we should keep those trees, I’ll just point you to Who Gives A Crap as a better option. They use recycled paper and bamboo (which is a…

Getting folks to your site is only half of the battle; the next step is getting them to stay on your site, which ultimately leads to conversions. With the average visit length falling at only 8 seconds, keeping visitors on your site can feel like an insurmountable task. But don’t despair! We have 5 ways to increase time spent on your website!

No matter how great of an idea you have, if it doesn’t fit into your business strategy, chasing it down may be a waste of time.

A domain authority is a composite score of how likely Google is to rank your website. Learn about what this means for your SEO efforts.

If you haven’t yet done your 2024 planning, this is your friendly reminder that taking the time to review your 2023 metrics is a good place to start. You likely have good idea of who your top customers are and what your best sellers are, but do you know what motivates someone to buy from…

As #smallbusiness owners, sometimes we’re so focused on keeping our budgets down that we don’t see it keeps us from growing.

You know you’ll need graphics, and a way to run the promotion, but you also need to have a plan to fulfill the prizes, and ensure everything is legal.

Promotions can help grow your email list, increase social media engagement, and drive sales. Here are 11 promotional ideas to inspire your next campaign.

If it’s been a while since you’ve had to introduce yourself to a crowd, here are six tips to help you brush off your elevator pitch and stand out.

If you’re thinking of freshening up your website, here are 7 web design trends for 2022 to draw inspiration from.

Branding and marketing are often used as interchangeable terms. Yes, they are similar, but there are differences between them. Branding is the act of defining who you are as a business. While marketing refers to the tactics you take to bring exposure to your business. Where it gets confusing is that you may use a…

10 holiday gift ideas for the business owner in your life. Give them a gift to help their business grow or destress.

  You’ve probably heard that blogging is a core component of an SEO strategy, but just putting out a post with a couple paragraphs and a picture is not enough. Blogs can do crazy good things for you, but you have to be intentional and put some work into it. When you want to create…

Social media has been in a funny place since the start of the pandemic. Back in the spring of 2020, engagement soared. As people began to isolate, social media became a lifeline to stay connected. Yet as the months passed, social media quickly started to feel like Zoom. Yes, it was a lifeline, but you…

If you’ve read up on how to leverage LinkedIn to grow your business, then you’ve heard about how important it is to write a personal message when connecting to people, rather than sending the generic request. But here’s the thing: all messages are not equal. I’ve gotten some weird messages on LinkedIn, and from what…

This is not one of those articles that tries to convince you that fun to walk into a room of strangers. The real fun comes when you take your existing relationships out for a spin.

Social media stories are the big thing these days – Facebook has even gone so far as to predict stories and videos will be the only two things people post in the future. But now Google is getting into the stories game.   Google has tried and failed a few times to create a social option,…

When you are establishing the visual identity of your brand, it’s worth considering how your colors will play online. Here are five things to think about when evaluating colors for an online medium. Metals don’t shine Let’s say that your research into colors showed you that silver has a feminine energy, which you think is…

If you moan and groan every time you find yourself with another meeting to attend on Zoom, you are not alone. What was once a lifeline to connect with other people has become something many people dread.
Enter Clubhouse.

You’ve heard great things about the value of video content, but if you’re not sure how to get started creating videos here’s a primer.

There’s a reason why asking someone about their favorite color is a way to get to know them. People have vastly different preferences around color and it impacts how they see the world. Here’s an example: my junior high, high school, and college colors were green and gold.  While I have very fond memories of…

In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share our top five tips to help you craft catchy email subject lines. Your email subject line creates the first impression, and in some cases the last! In many ways, subject lines are more important than the email content, because a bad subject line…

“Getting an audience is hard. Sustaining an audience is hard. It demands a consistency of thought, of purpose and of action over a long period of time.” – Bruce Springsteen When promoting your brand, it’s important to always present your brand in the same way, using the same logo, font and colors. Why is this…

It may seem like the way to market your business changes every day. Whether a new social media channel is on the rise, or Google changed their algorithm, it’s hard to keep up with different marketing channels. The good news is that there are some rules that don’t change. Ever. In this episode of 5…

Social media and SEO are two very different digital marketing strategies, but  they can work in tandem. At their core, both social media and SEO help people to find information. Integrating the two will help more users discover your business, and boost your rankings in the search engine results pages indirectly. In this episode of…

Since COVID-19 came around, more and more businesses are seeking ways to do more business online. If that’s the case for you, it’s important to be aware of your choices when it comes to electronic payments. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I cover 5 ways you can get paid online. Spend…

Cash is precious these days, so if you are going to invest in an ad campaign, you need to make the most of it. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I offer up five tips to set yourself up for success. Spend 5 minutes with the video, or read on for the…

Social Light is hiring, and it has been an adventure.  Any hiring manager will tell you there are always a few mishaps as part of hiring process, but when I compare notes with other small business owners I keep hearing the refrain, “It just shouldn’t be this hard.” There is a ton of work to…

Those last two seconds you used to read the title? That’s it. There it was. You have less time than that to grab a social media user’s attention as they scroll through their feed. Making the most of these micro-moments matters. So, your content needs to work… hard. Video content is not only a reliable…

Creating a membership site is a great way of encouraging people to actively engage with your business. However, it also takes a TON of work to set up a membership site, so you want to be sure to do things the right way and create a site that people want to join. In this episode…

Writing a book is a fun process, but actually completing a book can be quite a challenge. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I share five tips to help you through the process of writing a book. Spend 6 minutes watching the video or read on for the tips. Make sure you…

Strategic planning is something that sounds pretty daunting, but it’s an important exercise for business owners to go through, especially if they want to grow. The point is to help you go beyond the day-to-day aspects of running your business and take a longer view. This might help you predict when you’ll need to expand…

Does your business possess specialized knowledge that people should be aware of? If so, you may want to consider offering an online course to your customers. Online courses are convenient for students, but actually designing an effective course can be quite challenging. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I share 5 tips…

If only there was a secret formula to help you figure out who will be a good client and who won’t be. Over the years, I’ve learned to look for certain red flags, but occasionally I find myself in a situation that just isn’t working. Sometimes you can salvage the relationship, but other times it’s…

If you’re like many LinkedIn users, you are always looking to meet new people and grow your presence on the site. When people search for you on LinkedIn, you want to make yourself findable by using keywords in your profile. So what other tips should you keep in mind when using LinkedIn? In this episode…

All of these tips should have the double bonus of being friendly to the environment and your wallet! 1. Compost You’ll be blown away by how much you can cut down on your garbage by tossing your food scraps, dying plants/flowers, and even tissues into a compost bin. Use the compost as mulch to help…

Many people find Pinterest useful in their personal lives for sharing and discovering ideas, but when used properly for business it can provide just the boost your company needs. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share five tips that can help you power up your Pinterest account. Spend 4 minutes…

On January 1, 2020 the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) went into effect. While it doesn’t actually apply to most small businesses, data privacy has become a huge issue so we’re predicting this is just the first of many privacy laws that will sweep through the nation. {Want to understand more? Read this post.} If…

The social media landscape is constantly evolving, and part of this evolution is the introduction of new features by the major social media sites. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I go through the latest social media updates that you should be aware of. Spend 4 minutes watching the video or read…

The California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) is a privacy law went into effect on January 1, 2020. Just like the GDPR law that now regulates consumer privacy in the EU, the goal of the CCPA is to protect the rights of individuals when it comes to how companies use their personal data. While the CCPA…

In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I do something a little different and fun and share some fascinating marketing trivia. Spend 4 minutes watching the video or read on for the conversation starters. What’s the average starting salary for a marketing major with a bachelor’s degree? Recently graduated marketing majors earn…

Many businesses are making an effort to use more sustainable practices, and marketing practices should be no exception. Here are eight ways you can bring more eco-friendly practices to your marketing campaigns.   1. Print on recycled paper Print business cards, promotional postcards, brochures, product catalogs, or any other marketing collateral on recycled paper. Online…

Google recently made some very major changes to its ad platform. While it’s great that they’re trying to improve Google Ads, these changes require some adjustments from experienced users of the platform. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I will share five things you should know about Google’s new ad platform. Spend…

I’ve talked before about my belief that bad clients can make your business better. But they also create stress, and have the ability to make a good day go down in flames. When I talk to other business owners about what makes for a bad client, I hear mentions of demanding or rude people, as…

When the end of the year rolls around, it’s important to review your business’s marketing strategy. This can show you whether there’s anything you should be doing differently to market your business. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share five pieces of advice to keep in mind when conducting a…

We all know that if you ask two people the same question, you’ll get two completely different answers. While it can be fun to get different perspectives, when you’re trying to grow your business it can be a challenge to figure out what the right answer is. Here’s the truth: when it comes to marketing,…

The digital media landscape is constantly changing, so it’s important when doing business to be aware of the latest online trends. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share five crazy digital media stats that you should know. Spend 4 minutes watching the video or read on for the tips.  …

Over the past year I have gone from taking an interest in being more sustainable, to becoming a full-on conservation nut. In my personal life this has meant everything from switching to a mainly plant-based diet to buying a new Tesla. And yes, I’ve earned a lot of eye-rolls from my husband in the process.…

One aspect of blogging that people struggle to understand is how to use the categories and tags on their blogs. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share five tips to help you properly utilize categories and tags when blogging. Spend 4 minutes watching the video or read on for the…

I’ve already started to see Christmas decorations popping up in stores, so the holidays are coming – quickly! If you haven’t given any thought to your holiday marketing, now is the time. Here are eight seasonal marketing holidays to keep in mind, and potentially build promotions around. 1. Black Friday We know consumers spend a…

A lot of people only think of messaging apps as a way of casually conversing with friends, but apps such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp can be useful in business as well. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika and I will share five reasons that messaging apps can be relevant to your business.…

Buying another company is one of the biggest decisions a business owner can make, so it’s understandable to feel anxious over the whole process. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share five pieces of advice to keep in mind when buying a company. Spend 4 minutes watching the video or…

Years ago, Dennis Lembree wrote a fabulous post for Social Light on online accessibility. The article explained exactly what online accessibility is, and why business owners and webmasters should care about it. Online accessibility is a really good thing, but not something you see talked about terribly often so it wasn’t much of a surprise…

A lot of people have been getting notices from Google that it’s shutting down Google+ and you must take steps to save your information before it goes away. They tend to go something like this: You’ve received this email because you have content in Google+ for your personal (consumer) account or a Google+ page you…

Creating a membership site is a great way of encouraging people to actively engage with your business. However, it also takes a TON of work to set up a membership site, so you want to be sure to do things the right way and create a site that people want to join. In this episode…

Many of us love the idea of passive income. The idea that you can literally make money while you sleep. This is a concept that is heavily promoted by many information marketers, who do a lot of what I call “selling the dream.” Everyone wants to make more money with less effort so many people…

If you are a child of the 80’s like I am, you grew up imagining how AWESOME it would be to have a companion like Kit (I’m talking Night Rider for those out of the loop). AI, or artificial intelligence, has been a dream showcased in everything from Star Trek to Westworld. People have been…

If you are still thinking of artificial intelligence as something out of a sci-fi movie, you may be surprised to know that it’s already here. And the likelihood is that you interact with it every day. Meet Google RankBrain RankBrain is Google’s name for a machine-learning artificial intelligence system that’s used to help process search…

A while back I was talking to my dad, and he surprised me by asking if Google search results were a scam. This was shortly after Trump took to Twitter to protest Google, which frankly I rolled my eyes at. But my father brought up a valid point: the average Joe doesn’t know or understand…

Virtual reality is creeping into our world, but if you haven’t gotten on the bandwagon yet, take a few minutes to learn some of the basics. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I offer up five tidbits to get you up to speed on virtual reality. Spend 4 minutes watching the…

When it comes to websites, there are a lot of different options, and many people don’t know how to go about choosing a website platform. While there really isn’t a wrong choice, there are options that focus on an easy user experience and options that are allow you to scale up as your business grows.…

Your inbox has likely been flooded with emails talking about GDPR consent, and if you are a business owner you have probably wondered what GDPR is and if you need to worry about it. Here’s the most important part: Do you have any customers, or anybody on your mailing list, that is a EU citizen?…

Instagram is the social network of choice for many people because of the emphasis on visuals, and isn’t overrun by ads the way some other social networks are. While it has attracted a huge audience, many businesses are struggling to understand how to use it to their advantage. In this episode of 5 Business Rules,…

LinkedIn is quite possibly the best platform a small business owners can use to drive their business development – especially if you are in a B2B market. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I offer up five tips to kick start your business development efforts. Spend 5 minutes watching the video…

Working with small business websites, I often get asked about the difference between a hosting account and a domain, and why you need both. Let’s see if we can clear up some confusion. Domains A domain is your websites address, also called your URL. It’s where people find you on the web, so you might…

As soon as someone meets you or hears about your business, they’re going directly to your website to learn more. Websites can do a lot of increase business credibility, but all websites are not equal. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I share five things that people use to determine how…

The year is well underway, but if you feel like you’re still doing the same old thing, it’s time to shake up your marketing strategy. I asked some of my favorite marketing pals how they are changing up their strategies this year. They shared some fantastic insights on how the market is changing and what…

When you send out an email newsletter, your goal is for people to be excited to read it. So excited in fact that they know when it comes out and actually look forward to seeing it in their inbox. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I offer up five tips to…

Despite the ever growing list of marketing platforms available, email marketing continues to deliver some of the top numbers when it comes to ROI and customer engagement. So logic says you should work hard to get people on your list and keep them there. That’s true; you should make sure your emails are effective and…

Marketing automation is the process of leveraging technology to take over repetitive tasks that help create customers, and keep those customers engaged after their initial purchase. If you’ve been following along with our series on drip campaigns and sales funnels, you are already well on your way to understanding marketing automation. While most of our…

We all know that it’s easier to get additional sales from your existing customers than start from scratch with a new lead, so win-back campaigns should be a key piece of your marketing strategy. What is a win-back campaign? A win-back campaign is a strategy designed to get your customers excited about your company again.…

Drip campaigns are one of my favorite marketing tools because it lets small business owners be efficient and is a great way to bring a focus to sales without a lot of time. Intrigued? Good, let’s get started with the basics. Monika Jansen and I offer up five tidbits to get you going in this…

You may have heard that sales funnels provide a way to systematize your sales to help you move prospects through the sales cycle in order to become customers. If this has intrigued you but sounds a little complicated, we’re here to take away the mystery. A sales funnel is a series of messages that are designed to…

You can’t expect to do business in Spain without making your website available in Spanish, so if you are expanding internationally, translating your website should be one of your top priorities. However, it’s important to realize that working with a different language is only the first step. As you prepare for international expansion be aware…

I talk to a lot of small business owners that want to bring attention to their business through advertising. This is a great idea, but it’s important to realize that a good advertising campaign involves more than just the ads. Sure you can always drop $50 on promoting a Facebook post to see what happens,…

Lead magnets are incentives (read bribes) that offer up a specific piece of knowledge in exchange for a user’s contact info. Lead magnets are a great way to bring in leads off your website and kick start the sales funnel. Here are eight ideas on lead magnets you can use on your own site: 1.…

Website can go a long way in establishing credibility for a small business, but a website must create a good experience for the user. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I offer up five essential elements you must be aware of to make your website work for you. Spend 4 minutes…

A sales funnel is a marketing term that refers to the process companies lead customers through when purchasing products. While most small business owners have a series a steps to move prospects through the buying process, a sales funnel brings a formal approach that defines the various phases of a client cycle. It also helps…

Snapchat is the current darling of social networks with more than 300 million active users and 9,000 snaps per second. More than 50% of teens use the network daily and over 30% say they use it because their parents don’t. With 45% of Snapchat users under the age of 24, it’s hard for many marketers…

Most small business owners accept two types of payment: check or credit card. Some businesses still take cash and the occasional customer likes to set up an ACH or wire transfer. These are all standard types of payment that are easy to understand and account for. But they are no longer the only options. With…

I’m willing to bet you’ve heard of bitcoin, but you may be hard pressed to explain what it really is. Many people have vague ideas around bitcoin, but not every business owner is aware of how popular of a payment platform it’s becoming. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I sat…

A drip campaign is a preset series of messages delivered via automated email that is designed to move someone through the sales cycle. The messages are often triggered by someone downloading an eBook or attending a webinar. A key piece of the sales process is catching a user’s interest and convincing them to hire you.…

  Ranking on Google, otherwise known as search engine optimization (SEO) is about more than using the right keywords. In fact Google has more than 200 factors that can influence how your website shows up in search results. This means there’s a lot more going on than keywords. In this episode of 5 Business Rules,…

A value proposition helps people understand what you can do for them. Think of a value prop as the written form of your elevator speech. It’s one of your key messages that helps someone understand very quickly what you’re all about. It will also appear on all your marketing material. A value proposition helps your…

As a small business owner, your goal is sales. Whether you are going on actual sales calls or speaking to raise awareness of your offering, you are ultimately trying to make money. At Social Light we understand that, and it’s our goal to help you increase your bottom line. To that end we wanted to…

There are so many ways a business can benefit from email marketing, but you must have a strong list to work with. Growing a list can be challenging, so in this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I offer up five tips to ramp up your growth. Spend 3 minutes watching the video…

Engagement is the core of social media and what separates this channel from basic advertising. As a reminder engagement happens when people like, share or comment on your posts. Because your success on social media requires consistent engagement, this episode of 5 Business Rules covers five easy ways to get your audience talking. Watch the…

Fear of missing out. The feeling of anxiety that something exciting is happening without you. While psychologists claim that FOMO has been around since tribal times the modern onslaught of FOMO has risen in direct response to our use of social media. We see our friends traveling around the world, laughing and having fun without…

We know blogs can generate more business, but it can be a lot of work to keep your blog active – and interesting! Monika Jansen and I sat down to talk about blog topics as part of the 5 Business Rules series. If you’ve got a case of writer’s block these ideas will get you…

Google Analytics provides so much information about your website that it can be overwhelming. With an abundance of charts, tabs and filters, it’s hard to know what’s important to look at. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, I talk with Monika Jansen about some of the key indicators to look at (and explain what…

When you are running a business, feedback is crucial to your success. Having real people tell you what’s working, and what’s not, can help you refine your products and services so you are offering things that people really want. Logically most people get that. Unfortunately hearing something negative often triggers an emotional response that throws…

LinkedIn is hands-down one of the best ways to market your B2B business. 65% of B2B companies have acquired a customer through LinkedIn It’s hard to think of another marketing channel that provides such consistent and successful results. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, Monika Jansen and I sat down to talk about why…

As a small business owner, customer service must be a top priority because all the marketing in the world won’t help your company if people have a bad experience. I sat down with Monika Jansen to talk about customer service for the 5 Business Rules series. Listen in or read on for the tips. #1…

The average website visit is 8 seconds long. Think about how long that is and how much information you can communicate in that time. It’s not much. If you want to keep people on your website, you must make a strong first impression with your homepage. That starts with a strong visual impact. In this…

Small businesses with blogs generate 126 percent more leads than those without a blog. Blogs have been proven to be powerful marketing assets, but if you are working in a crowded market it can be difficult to separate your blog from the crowd. In this episode of 5 Business Rules, blogging rock star Monika Jansen…

When was the last time you thought about your business cards? Sure you hand them out all the time, but have you really looked at your business card lately and considered what it says about you? Monika Jansen and I sat down to talk about business cards as part of the 5 Business Rules series.…

What is a lead box? You’re probably more familiar with the term popup box, which has become an umbrella term for messages that appear on your website, generally with a special offer. While a popup lightbox is the most popular form of a lead box, the truth is there are lots of options to highlight…

What’s the first thing you think of when I say popup boxes? Probably something like: Ugh, those annoying boxes that make me want to leave a website? Yep, those are the ones I’m talking about. It’s true, most people hate popup boxes but the truth is they are used because they work. Entrepreneur.com increased their…

As small business owners, we are often terrible at putting our own talents to work for our business. Give us a task for a client and we have plenty of creativity, but ask use to promote ourselves and we often fall short. In her book, Customer LLC, Hillary Berman says: All too often, I hear…

I talk a lot about how websites are one of the best way to bring credibility to a small business. But all websites are not equal, and first impressions count for a lot. So I thought it would be worth covering what makes a website (and business) credible. Appearance is everything Depending on the study…

I realize that I’m a little biased because I work in digital marketing, but here’s one of my truths: I am unlikely to buy from someone that is using a Gmail account as their main business email. I’m not talking about running your account through Gmail or using Google Business Apps. I’m talking about when…

For a small business keeping your website up to date is tough. I get it. In fact, I know it’s a win for a small business to have a website at all, since nearly 50% of business don’t even have a website! So if you are a small business owner and you’ve got a website,…

I’m a huge fan email marketing. Despite the fact that our inboxes can be crippled by spam, I actually believe that small businesses need to do more with email marketing. But there is a right way and a wrong way to send an email campaign. In this case, I’m not talking about spam, as that’s…

Bad clients. You know the ones that make you cringe when you see their name pop up in email with yet another hoop for you to jump through? Whether they are demanding, rude, or just don’t seem to get where you’re coming from, some clients are just hard to please. Most of the time, our…

Having a top spot in Google’s search results can make a huge difference to your business, yet so many people go about it the wrong way. It’s not your fault, SEO is hard work, but if you’ve committed any of these faux paus, it may be time to call in reinforcements. 1. Your site lacks deep…

Are you one of those business owners that feel like you have to be on social media? I mean everyone is on social media, right? So you have to be too. I won’t lie; back around 2010 I sold a lot of social media services that way. Social media hadn’t quite reached saturation yet but…

Keywords are the cornerstone to an SEO strategy. Yes I know you can show me articles that say keywords don’t matter anymore. People argue that the trend toward natural SEO means that we should use similar words and phrases instead of keyword stuffing. All true. BUT. When you rank on Google, you rank for a…

We all know that people buy from those that they know, like and trust, so taking the time to build and develop customer relationships can pay off in a big way. If you are able to create a rapport with a client or prospect, than you may find that sales become less about straight numbers.…

If you’ve done any reading at all on website best practices, chances are you’ve come across something that mentions page speed. You probably understand that page speed is referring to how long it takes for your website to fully load, but why this matters may be a bit fuzzy. Page speed impacts everything from your…

We all know that going through a websites redesign is a major process that takes both time and money. If you’re not ready to make that investment, but you’re sick of seeing your homepage – and more importantly you think your customers are too – you can make some quick and easy changes to freshen…

Brand advocates. Social media influences. Engagement rates. Niche targeting. Is your head already spinning from the jargon? Take out the marketing terminology, and the concept becomes pretty simple. A brand advocate is someone that is spreading a positive message about your company. This could be through: Traditional word-of-mouth sharing Posting on review platforms like Yelp Sharing…

Just about every small business owner that I work with wants to rank on Google’s first page. And really, who doesn’t? Appearing high in the search results can make or break your business, but SEO is a tough concept for many business owners. Heck, understanding the Google ranking factors is tough for just about everyone…

I’ve talked before about the importance of social media engagement, so I wanted to follow up with some specific ideas on how you might go about increasing the amount interaction on your social media channels. As a reminder, if you’re not actually planning to be social (i.e. interactive), you’re unlikely to get much engagement. So…

Let’s talk about websites. Many of us have them, and most small businesses owners recognize how important they are to business, but not everyone actually understands website structure and the different components. You may be thinking to yourself, “I have someone to manage my website so I don’t have to worry about this.” If you do…

The idea of tapping into social media influencers to help your brand grow, has always been a popular one. Many companies, both large and small, like the idea of leveraging a social media influencer in theory, but practically they have no idea what that means or how to go about it. Despite that fact that…

As small business owners trying to survive in the digital world, many of us seem to dance to whatever tune Google is humming.  Because of that there has been a lot of discussion lately around whether or not at add SSL security certificates to websites. (Need to get up to speed? Google announced a while…

Let’s talk about engagement on social media. If you hear the term tossed around a lot but aren’t sure what it means, it’s referring to how receptive your audience is and how much they are interacting with your content. You can measure social media engagement in the following ways: Number of post likes Number of…

This morning I read a request for people to comment on whether smarketing was a good idea. Without naming any names, here’s what it said: The “smarketing” trend involves integrating sales and marketing efforts. Is this a good idea for small businesses? How can they move toward a “smarketing” strategy? I won’t lie. This one…

Just like fashion, website trends evolve every year. Though you may not be able to put your finger on the trends as they’re happening, you can definitely spot an outdated website. As I took a look around at the trends that were rising to the top as we move toward 2016, to me it all…

A question that every small business owner struggles with is when to outsource or do it yourself? The truth is if you own a business you must be good at juggling tasks and mastering new skills. But you can’t be everything to everybody. Believe me I’ve tried. Thus it’s a never-ending battle to decide what…

I read a crazy stat today: only 53% of small businesses have websites. Despite the availability of technologies like WordPress, SquareSpace and Weebly, the number of small business websites has not risen much since 2009 when the count was 45%. This came from the Census Bureau, so say what you want about the government, but…

A brief history of social media We all know that social media has changed. Back in the day social media was, well social. Social networks were a place to exchange information, meet new people, and even establish yourself as a subject matter expert. For brands that were creative and savvy enough to take advantage of…

Some time ago I started to question the direction my business was taking. I had developed Social Light to be an online branding shop, yet it seemed as though we had grown tremendously in the web design and development area. I love to work with clients on how to use their website strategically, but the…

Creating or redesigning a website is a major project and if you’re not careful the costs can quickly spin out of control. While your web designer or marketing agency should give you a project budget, many small business owners don’t realize the way they are driving up their own costs. The secret to success is…

We’ve all spent hours bemoaning the bad service we’ve received from everyone from Verizon to last night’s waiter. I won’t deny that good customer service can be hard to find, but I will make the argument that we need to be good clients to get the level of service we want. Before I ruffle any…

This past weekend my father-in-law was in town, and while it’s always an adventure to have family visit, what I did not expect was a lesson in customer expectations. Do You Know What Your Customer Expectations Are? As business owners, most of us think our job is to provide a good service or quality product,…

If you’ve been counting down the days until kick off on September 10, you’re in good company. Fall means football and whether you play fantasy football, pick ‘em leagues or simply like cheering on your favorite team, there’s nothing quite like the excitement of the big game. Last year Social Light is kicked things up…

Social Light welcomes guest blogger Talmar Anderson Social Light has been sharing their growth challenges of hiring by offering tips for the application and interview process that can benefit job candidates as well as business owner. Nicole Krug asked me to share steps for success within a strong hiring process.  What a business owner does…

Social Light is expanding, and as any small business owner will tell you it comes with some growing pains. But hiring, well, hiring is a doozy. In my quest to find the perfect candidate for Social Light, I’ve had some adventures, and it finally occurred to me that some job seekers may not realize what…

I talk to many small business owners who want their website to show up in Google search results, but struggle to understand how to go about search engine optimization (SEO). Janet Chiu has the ability to breakdown the complexities of SEO into an approachable method that every business owner can appreciate, and so I’m thrilled…

MobileGeddon has happened, so what’s different? Well, nothing. Yet. Earlier this year, Google announced an update in their mobile algorithm that would be give top priority to websites that they deemed mobile- friendly. This change, popularly coined MobileGeddon, went into effect April 21 and is said to have a significant impact on mobile searches and…

Every brand has a voice, what’s yours? Whether or not your realize it, your brand has a voice. Even if you haven’t intentionally created a voice for your brand, anytime you post on social media, publish a blog, or even put a page on your website you are building your brand voice. The words you…

Despite the fact that it feels a little old school, email marketing remains one of the most effective methods of communicating with customers. With a hearty return of $36 for every $1 you invest, email is the channel you turn to when you want to see conversions and analytics in short order. Good email marketing…

Sometimes you’re so wrapped up running your business it can be hard to think about growing your business. It’s a trap that many of us fall into, but anytime your business has a slow cycle it’s a good time to spend at least a little time thinking of growth strategies. Growth Strategies: Sales Sales are…

As head of a marketing shop, I’m all about spreading brand love. However, I often come across clients that need a bit of TLC because they haven’t quite discovered what their business is all about. That’s why I was so excited to learn about the work that Allie Armitage is doing in her company Mind…

If you’ve been suffering from the winter blues, I’ve got good news – March Madness is coming! It’s hard to ignore the competitive frenzy that sweeps the country every spring during the NCAA Basketball Tournament, so why try? Whether you’re a basketball fan or simply love to dive into the competition, there’s nothing quite like…

If I asked you to tell me about the characteristics of your brand, what would you say? It’s a simple question, but nailing down exactly what you want your brand to represent is challenging for many businesses. If you’re struggling to define your brand, a brand persona exercise can come in handy. If your brand…

I’m excited to welcome Jennene Biggins back for the second post in our series discussing mobile marketing. If you missed the first post that breaks down why mobile marketing has become such a big deal, check it out here, and then read on to find out ways your business can jump into the mobile game.…

Recently I was quoted in an article by Online Amiga, 10 Web Design Experts Explain What Businesses MUST Do to Succeed, talking about the need for simplicity in web design. If you’re following the big trends for web design this year, there’s a big push for simplicity. With the emergence of flat design and the…

Every once in a while a story surfaces involving a company that is forced to pay out big bucks because their website isn’t accessible to people with disabilities. People shake their heads and say “bad company,” but may not actually understand what online accessibility is and what they need to do to make their own…

Why I Don’t Like Free Stuff I know it sounds insane. Why would you pay for something when you can get it free? I’ve been called crazy a time or two, but I stand by my rule: just because something is free, doesn’t make it fun. This rule was established years ago, but recently I…

With 1 billion people going mobile-only this year in their internet access, it’s more important than ever for small business owners and marketers to understand the impact of mobile marketing. When I ran into Jennene Biggins, a marketing strategist that has made mobile her focus, I knew she would be the perfect person to talk…

If you think automated email is a marketing tactic for big firms, think again. Using drip campaigns can help your small business run efficiently, saving you time while helping raise revenue. 1. Automated Email Saves Time If you are a small business owner time is your most precious commodity. Whether it’s book-keeping or a client emergency,…

One of the best things about working online is discovering hidden gems, and Kay Bransford has a good one! Kay is the founder of an award-winning company called MemoryBanc that helps individuals and families manage their most important documents and information. As many of us have aging parents, MemoryBanc is a service many of our…

If you’ve been doing a lot of reading on social media trends and have decided that being successful on social media this year has the likelihood of world peace, take a breath. It’s really not that bad. Yes, social media changes every day. And yes, between apps, algorithms and ads, some days it feels like…

I met Mike Rabkin years ago and was fascinated by his business, From Car to Finish. We all LOVE the idea of a new car, but many of us dread the negotiations and worry if we’re getting swindled on the price. Mike actually takes the pain out of the process and helps you ensure you…

Ello is the latest in the line of social networks that had its moment in the spotlight, but is already drifting into obscurity. Perhaps I’m being premature, after all Ello isn’t even out of beta yet. But in my opinion Ello had a chance to shine and they let it slip away. 1. Ello Didn’t…

Don’t you love the days when everything is in order and your to do list is under control? Being organized is empowering and makes you feel like you can leap tall buildings and conquer the world! Unfortunately that feeling of organization often escapes many of us, so I was thrilled when Rachel Rosenthal, organizer extraordinaire, offered…

These days business owners are trying to do more with less, and I don’t know a single business that isn’t looking for a way to increase their Google rank. Thus when photographer Adam Lowe told me about his efforts to help businesses improve their online presence through Google Business View I couldn’t wait to share…

Whether you’re planning to launch a new website in 2015 or considering if your current site needs a revamp, it’s a good idea to take a look at the current web design trends. Web design trends surface either because of new technology or because of the superior user experience they create. You certainly don’t have…

For years, one of the greatest draws of social media was a “free” way for brands to promote their products and services. With Facebook leading the way to a pay-to-pay model and the fact that every social platform has advertising options, the days of free social media are long over. Surprisingly, that may not be…

You have goals to accomplish in 2015 and to meet them it’s important to have the right tools. Since your website is your single greatest marketing asset, it’s a great time to take a hard look at your website and figure out if you’re ready to kick off 2015 with a bang, or if you…

You may have heard of drip marketing or drip campaigns. You may have even heard that drip campaigns automate the sales cycle but if that all sounds like a bunch of corporate jargon to you, allow me to break down into plain English what an email drip campaign is and why you should have one.…

In the Guiding Light blog, we talk a lot about social media strategy, but true social media is about connecting on a personal level, which is why it makes such a difference for non-profit organizations. In honor of #GivingTuesday I asked Jake Lloyd, the Communications Manager at DC Scores, to talk about why social media…

If you haven’t yet done your 2015 planning taking the time to review your 2014 metrics is a good place to start. You likely have good idea of who your top customers are and what your best sellers are, but do you know what motivates someone to buy from you? As you look forward to…

As the holidays approach many business owners are wondering what the best way to show gratitude to their clients might be. I was lucky enough to connect with Lori Saitz, an expert in customer appreciation. I’m thrilled to have her as guest and I’m sure that her tips on how to show gratitude will help…

One of the biggest challenges for businesses using social media is figuring out what the heck to talk about.  You want to be relevant, and participating in trending conversations can help you connect with your audience. Step it up a notch by offering a unique perspective on the topic and you’ll see your engagement soar.…

Felicia Pride, founder of The Create Daily has helped connect me with members of the Social Light team through her creative job curation services. What started out as a daily email of opportunities has blossomed into so much more. Since The Create Daily has been expanding, I asked Felicia to share the secrets of her…

You’ve heard the phrase a million times: customers buy from people they know, like and trust, so what are you doing to foster relationships? Specifically, how do you personalize email marketing at your company so that people know, like and trust you? We’ve talked about the importance of a good subject line before but if…

I often talk to people that are interested in the SEO benefits of  blogging but are intimidated by the idea of writing a blog. After chatting with copywriter Elspeth Misiaszek I knew she would be a fantastic person to demystify SEO blogging. I’m thrilled to have her has a guest! So, you’re afraid of SEO…

Want to sell more products? Use puppies and babies! Think I’m kidding? Yes and no. The joke that puppies and babies will sell more products has been around for a while, but it taps into the idea of emotional marketing. What is emotional marketing? Emotional marketing takes advantage of the idea that consumers make purchasing…

Raise your hand if you think that a social media strategy and a content strategy are the same thing. I’ve heard a bunch of people use the terms interchangeably, but a content strategy, is only a piece of your larger social media strategy. When planning your social media strategy you should be thinking about everything…

Talmar Anderson of Talmar It Up is an operations and management consultant that works with business owners to bridge gaps in business education or experience.  Talmar is passionate that business is NOT innate.  It is learned and she is doing all she can to enable owners to find the answers they need to build and…

I’m often asked questions about the value and ROI of social media. It can be difficult to define the value of a relationship, but Kelly Leonard has a fantastic story about the value of relationships. I asked her to be a Guiding Light guest and share her story about realizing the value of LinkedIn. Mom…

Email marketing is the preferred communication channel for promotional messages across EVERY demographic. It has an ROI of 4,300% and it’s the most direct line of communication for conversation sales. But it won’t you do a darn bit of good if people don’t open your emails. Thus the value of a powerful email subject line.…

Bob Lang is a private equity trader that acts as an options trading mentor through his company Explosive Options.  After gaining a reputation as the industry’s leading technical expert, Bob founded Explosive Options in 2011 to guide those interested in options trading that may not have the time or knowledge to do it full time.…

Want to know the secrets to blogging success? Me too! Just kidding. The secrets are contained in some of my blogging rules below, but really, a successful blog is one that is useful, relevant, and interesting for your target market, whoever they are. Read on for my tried-and-true tips that will take your blog from…

When you’re establishing your brand or company one of the most important steps is to build brand recognition. You want people to know who you are and what you do simply by seeing your logo. Think Nike. The swoosh has become iconic and Nike’s consistent use of their visual branding is an example for us…

There’s many a marketing manager out there that seems to live and die by their brand’s sentiment on social media. Social media sentiment can be useful metric to take a quick pulse check, but to use sentiment effectively you have to understand the context through which it is measured. I’d wager a guess that many…

If your business has an email list, chances are you’ve spent some time pondering how to grow it. Standard advice is to make a prominent web form and offer a hook (i.e. eBook download) to pull in leads. Those are solid tactics, but if you are looking for additional options to grow your email list,…

It may sound crazy to be talking about something as stuffy as etiquette around social media, but each platform has its own rules of conduct that you must follow to be accepted in the community. Except on LinkedIn where good social conduct remains a bit undefined. Perhaps it’s because for the first few years LinkedIn…

We’ve all had it happen. We visit a website with a simple purpose: finding a phone number, a dinner menu, maybe you just want to know what the heck the company does. It seems like it should be so easy, but despite your best efforts you are denied. You mutter, “This site sucks,” and you…

I am a member of a fantastic group for women in business called Her Corner. Along with other resources, this group has a very active online forum, on which someone recently asked what do you do about people who come to your Facebook page and advertise their own services? This is a totally valid question,…

If it feels like #ThrowbackThursday to talk about Foursquare, it may surprise you to know that the platform is not only still around, but evolving. After emerging in 2009 Foursquare had its moment of social media glory, but even after five years its user base remains relatively small at 45 million (roughly the size of…

Let’s get some of the basics out of the way early. If you’re asking yourself: Does my company really need to be on social media? The short answer is yes. BUT there are so many ways to answer this question and things to consider. First off, if your definition of social media is Facebook, then…

Those of us that use social media for business have struggled with the question of social media ROI for years. While there’s still no easy answer to the question, conversations about sales on social media may be getting a little easier due to the fact that both Twitter and Facebook have been tinkering with the…

If you’ve been counting down the days until kick off on September 4, you’re in good company. Fall means football and whether you play fantasy, pick ‘em leagues or simply like cheering on your favorite team, there’s nothing quite like the excitement of the big game. This year, Social Light is kicking things up a…

If you’re wondering if I’m aware of the fact that I named my blog after an old soap opera, the answer is yes. In fact, The Guiding Light was my mom’s favorite soap opera so I know all about Reva, Josh and the Spaulding Family. Now if you’re wondering why, there is the aspect of…