Posts Tagged ‘Google’

Yes. Branding is one of the most important aspects to marketing. Sure, when you or your business are just starting out it might not seem like that big of a deal but it really is. Think about this: if brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, McDonald’s or Wal-Mart hadn’t taken the time to work on branding, would they have become as well-known as quickly as they did? Plus, don’t you think they took special efforts to ensure correct branding was done? It’s like this, if you want to get anywhere you need to put yourself out there. Even if you are a very small business owner, only yourself even, it’s important to get your company name out there. Just because your business is small doesn’t mean it has to look small. It’s all about perception!

There are many ways to start branding yourself. For instance you can have a catchy name or slogan. Think about Twitter - even their name is interesting. Or Google - not only is their name catchy but it’s also a play on words. Google is the largest and most used search engine today. Googol is the largest number. Coincidence? I think not.

Besides coming up with a catchy name or phrase to become well-branded, you can promote yourself. Google is a huge search engine - promote yourself on the sponsored links side of the search engine results pages (SERPs) using Pay Per Click advertising. If you are already running search, why not do email marketing. Or, better yet, write a press release about your new business. Press releases are a great way to get your name out there.

You should write a release if you have just started a new business. To write the release talk about what makes your business better than your competitors or different. What makes your business stand out. If you are running any new promotions, it’s time for  a press release. Press releases are a great way to get information out quickly and help build awareness for both branding and your site.

In a nutshell, branding is definitely important to your business. You want people to buy from you more than once, make yourself unforgettable!

Recently, I spent over an hour reading through a blog post (and the many comments) on TechCrunch: What An Antitrust Case Against Google Might Look Like. First and foremost, I must say that I learned much more than I had planned on by reading it.

The first thing I learned was to scan an articles length before printing it. I thought this would be an excellent article to reference, so I printed it out. I then walked over to the printer to find page 26 of 40 printing. So, for now on I will either copy and paste into a word document exactly what I want printed, or I’ll scan the article. Although if I would have done that in this case, I would have missed out on some of the comments as I usually dont’ read them all but felt I should this time considering all of the paper I had just used. Plus, the comments seemed to be where the real meat of the story was.  After reading this article I have learned to actually read the comments. There’s nothing like learning from other users of their experiences with whatever the hot topic at the moment is.

The next thing I learned was much more relevant to  the article. First I must say that I love Google. My dream job would be to work for Google. To be scouted by Google would be incredible. So when I read the article and read through numerous different comments from users who weren’t so fond of Google, I was a bit surprised. Granted, the majority are advertisers and not just searchers or Internet users, but being an advertiser myself I’m still very fond of Google. Sure, the clicks can get to be pretty pricey - mesothelioma starts at around $22/click for a first page click on the sponsored links - but that’s what happens when you have a highly searched keyword.

Here’s my two cents worth though. In my honest opinion, Google isn’t even really in charge of the click prices. It’s an auction. So, for those complaining of click prices and Google charging too much, I’ve got a couple recommendations: 1. try using exact match or 2. try longer tailed keywords and if you still aren’t satisfied 3. try another search engine.

So, I’m going to leave everyone with this: if you don’t like what Google has to offer - make something better.

I am constantly on the Internet. I’m on it while I’m working and while I’m home watching television. When I’m filling out surveys and it says: How many hours do you spend per week on the Internet, I’m the one with around 40+ hours logged in. I wish I could say that was all while working but really, it’s not. In my opinion, the Internet is among one of the best inventions. It really is something that I know I could do without but I would rather not think about actually having to.

So, what I would like to do is just give a shot-out to my favorite websites, a top 10 if you will. Check them out and let me know your thoughts. Also, feel free to let me know what your favorite websites are if they aren’t listed.

1. www.ILikeTotallyLoveIt.com - This is a great site for those in eCommerce. If you have cool items that you are trying to sell, here is a great place to promote it. Warning though: this site is not good for promoting the sale of your regular run-of-the-mill products, they have to have something unique about them. For instance, the “Yes We Can” T-shirt that is shaped like a Campbell’s Soup can but for President Obama or the Run DC t-shirt. Don’t worry, it’s not all political, those are just two that stood out to me.

2. www.Facebook.com - Facebook is a great place to meet new people and catch up with those you have lost touch with. It’s part of the social networking hype that has caught hold of practically everyone on the Internet. We at WowThatsFree even have a Facebook page.

3. www.Twitter.com - Yet another social networking site. On this site you are able to tell your friends and followers what you are doing, in 140 characters or less. So, no need to worry about saying too much or having to read up on tons of information, it’s 140 characters or less. It’s quick and easy, and most importantly, it’s fun!
4. www.Pogo.com - If you are mildly into gaming then this is the site for you. They have everything from slot machine games to bingo to different action games. It’s a great site to waste away a rainy Sunday or when you can’t fall asleep at night. There is a membership fee but it’s so minimal (around $5/month) that it’s really worth it.
5. www.Ebay.com - This site has been a personal favorite for a number of years. When I’m trying to find something and want a good price on it, I search on ebay first. I’ve found everything from puppy wee pads to articles of clothing. I’ve even been able to sell a few items on there as well. It’s a great money making site and great way to spend some money.
6. www.PerezHilton.com - I have to have a blog as one of my favorites, considering that’s how I love to spend my time. Perez Hilton is a very famous celebrity blogger. He gets the news out before everyone else. His writing is humorous and it’s nice to be able to know all the details of all of your favorite celebrities. Perez Hilton leaves nothing to the imagination.
7. www.Gmail.com - Being a huge fan of Google, I had to give their new email props. I use gmail for all of my personal email needs. It’s fast and the setup is very unique, making it very user friendly.
8. www.Google.com - If you don’t know about Google, it’s time to crawl out from under the rock you’ve been hiding under for so long. It’s said that around 85% of users are using Google as their main search engine. It’s got the majority of the search results and there are so many people advertising on Google that it’s questionable why you would search anywhere else.
9. www.Pandora.com -  When I’m working I’ve got to have music playing. My taste in music is very different from the majority of the people I work with so I’m usually found with my headphones on and my music blaring. Pandora is the perfect place to find the music that you would like to listen to because you are able to set up stations to be exactly what you want to hear. You simply type in the artist or type of music and it sets up a station playing that type of music.
10. www.HomeDepot.com - I had to add this site in as I can’t seem to leave this place when I go visit the actual store, without spending a ton of money. Maybe that’s due to being a new home owner, but the store makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! You can get everything from new windows to blinds to paint to tools and much more! It’s just a handy store! So, of course with the mention of this store I have to mention that I found the $1000 gift card for Home Depot. So nice! That just took my expenses down quite a bit!