Search Engine Rankings

Rankings and Placement on Search Engines

It seems as if every week we hear of new marketing strategies or techniques that are being pitched to nearly every business out there. And when the pitch is over and the dust in the cloudy mind settles, a business owner must decide whether or not to trust in the latest and greatest tactics presented. For those like ourselves at Brightstar Investing and Marketing, we stay up to date with the changes and adapt to the changes. We put together great strategies for our clients accordingly. And the true professionals understand one thing very clearly. When it comes to marketing tactics, content still reigns supreme and always will. But how does a smaller business stand out from a crowded landscape of well written content that The Big Companies such as Disney or Samsung are investing in by building huge media teams to achieve this success?

The best way to get noticed and ranked on the powerful Search Engines is to put out relevant and accurate content to your readers. You need to have a writer that will come up with fresh content that adds value and is not overly promotional. Content curation is something that is very important. Content curation is the process of gathering information relevant to a particular topic or area of interest. The more relevant information you can find about a topic, the more value is put on in. As the search Engine continue to tweak their algorithms and monitor websites with a fine tooth comb, business owners will continue to plummet in their search rankings. In the past few years, business owners with a smaller marketing budget, have had to be more strategic and consistent in their content marketing efforts to stand out to see results. Those businesses that did not have this in place have been affected and will continue to struggle.

As the competition to have great placement on the Search Engines continues, businesses will see more and more the value of hiring out for this. The best of the best will flourish and stay busy, while the imposers will eventually fade. The digital marketing world is ever-changing, and staying ahead of the game will become the biggest factor. 2016 promises to be a great year. Make sure that your digital tactics and techniques are in place. If you do not, you, along with many other businesses, will fall short of your marketing goals. For more info visit our website at Brightstar Investing and Marketing.

Social Media Marketing on a Small Budget

Social Media Marketing has evolved as a must do in the digital marketing world. And as the importance of tying in your social presence to your website continues to grow, it will be that much more important. But what if you do not have the budget to hire a social media manager or the ability to outsource it?  Don’t be discouraged! If you don’t feel you have the time or resources to invest in a full media relations program, it’s OK.

Here are a few tips to get you started. Start by creating your Social Media Pages. The most popular are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you want to start with one, then choose Facebook as it has over 1.5 billion users. Make sure the cover picture is similar to your website appearance so that your customers can relate. Once you have your social sites created, you are ready to engage.

Create a list of media outlets that cover your industry. If you are uncertain how to do this, Google your industry. Typically, the most relevant companies will show up. You don’t need a long list but focus on a few key outlets. Follow their articles and engage by using digital networking. Do this by following, reading, commenting and sharing their articles. Use your social media sites to engage with them and build a relationship. This is an inexpensive way to get started with Social Media Marketing. To learn more you can follow the previous link.

Negative Reviews Are Great

Trust me when I say that negative reviews are GREAT, as long as they come in moderation. We have all been told that negative reviews can absolutely kill a business’ reputation, but maybe, just maybe, they can help! Sometimes a negative review is just what a business owner needs. Negative reviews are a way of gaining or seeing things from the customer’s point of view. They can help you gain beneficial information that may have been off of your radar when it comes to your product or service. Because the case has been made so heavily, that bad reviews mean bad everything else, we have learned to embrace them as negative all the way across the board. But why? Are we so blind and naïve as business owners to think that our business is perfect? Have we forgotten that our businesses are ran by other human beings that, contrary to some people’s beliefs, make mistakes? It seems as if so. If we stopped just for a moment and reflected on the situation and accepted the negative review as an actual critique from that customer, couldn’t we only get better? And if we stopped and took on the accountability of the mistake to make it right, wouldn’t that actually show that we care?

See, we have been told by so many media outlets and marketing experts that we cannot afford to have even 1 bad review. We put so much emphasis on this point, that when a mistake is made, we are ready to pounce on our employees like a cheetah on an antelope, causing our employees to work in fear of that one complaining customer. But really, WHO CARES?  If that customer who is out to condemn every business that they frequent, wants to complain about your business to the whole world via internet, let them. You aren’t going to change who they are. No matter what you do, odds are, they will find something else to complain about. So let them!  Just be sure to address the situation in a professional manner and make sure that the majority gets to hear your version. The majority of customers understand that mistakes will be made. And as long as it is fixed, they are ok with it. They also understand that there are miserable people in the world looking to bring down anyone that they can. So let’s focus on the positives that we bring to the table rather than the rare and occasional negatives that we receive. We need to stop giving these negative people so much power!

Effective Advertising & Messaging

When you are trying to reach and captivate potential customers or clients, it is essential to understand what the common consumer is looking for. Spending the time and money to put a campaign together that is ineffective, is a complete waste. Whether it’s an email blast, a Facebook post or a splash page buildout or blog, the message has to be clear but the presentation must be clearer. Consumers and potential clients respond to nicely designed graphics because the human brain processes images about 60,000 times faster than they process text. Understanding the power that visual elements hold on an individual’s thinking process, will allow you to put together a better message.

Utilizing images and graphics to create more effective advertising and messaging can quickly and effectively influence consumers and potential clients. But what does a company do if they do not employ someone with a creative or artistic side? Not having the skills or resources to create professional looking graphics is not the end of the world. There are plenty of programs out there for you to use to create these advertisements and graphics. But if it is too intimidating for you to do, or you do not have the time and energy to do this, hire out. Having a company build graphics for you is pretty inexpensive. To get more information on website graphics & Design CLICK HERE

Reputation Management More Important Than Ever

With customer expectations higher than ever, it is imperative that you manage your online reputation to know what people are saying about your company. Because the Internet has made it so simple for anyone to post a review on sites like Google, Yelp, Yahoo and so forth, one bad business decision can have you looking like a villain in the eyes of review readers. And with the standards of service being set so high by companies such as Disney and Nordstrom, it is critical to always put your best foot forward. Paying attention to your online reviews and rating will help you to stay on top of your game.

The days of people bragging about “Great Customer Service” are gone. Yes you will get an occasional “shout out” from a customer or client that you have a solid relationship with, however, the other 94% are quick to complain and post reviews if your standards slip just a bit. Making a mistake in business seems to be a crime, and if that mistake is exposed, via online review, it can show up extremely fast on the search engines. So what can we do as business owners? Actually, there are a number of things that you can do. Here are a few tips:

-Make business transactions easy and hassle-free. Most people are very busy and seem to run out of time in the day. Providing an easy and seamless transaction can go a long way.

-Educate them with your knowledge. Sometimes a customer may feel as if you are taking advantage of them or overcharging them. If your product or service is worth the amount you charge, explain in detail what they are getting and why it is set at that price point. People love to be educated, especially in a field that they are unfamiliar with.

-Understand your customer’s point of view. Knowing why a customer has the view that they have, is highly important. Whether they have been ripped off in the past, were promised false expectations, or just had lack of knowledge could all be a part of why they have their reservations. The key is to listen to them.

-Respond to your reviews. Whether positive or negative, always respond even if your company is at fault. Companies make mistakes and people know this. Owning up to them goes a long way. And if it’s a positive review, let the customer know that you appreciate them.

Social Media Marketing

Well in due time we had to call it something! What started as Facebook advertising and Twitter #hashtags has evolved into the newest digital marketing out their, Social Media Marketing. And, don't be fooled, it's huge. Millions of people engage in Social Media everyday, and putting the right message out can be very rewarding. It can establish your business as one that is linked to the community, and one that wants to let their customers know what's going on and what you have that will benefit them.

Like this link for instance: http://www.surfcityusa.com/events/community-events/.

This is our Huntington Beach Community calendar letting my surf city neighbors know what's happening this month. Very informative site with lots of benefits for the people that visit it. Not bothersome or pushy, and definitely a site people in our community will continue to come back to.

But don't be fooled! Social media is a place for people to chill out and catch up with friends and family. It's a place to engage with people that you don't see face to face on a regular basis. And it's a place to learn what people you kinda knew growing up, have become. It is not a place to shove sale after sale and product after product down everyone's throat. People are happy for you and your business, and rightfully so. But they can go a few days or even a week without hearing about it. And just like search engines have algorithms, Social Media platforms have them as well. And if the people that "liked" your business at the beginning are not engaging with you, there is a good chance that they are not seeing your posts any more. So be smart and don't overwhelm people with your business. By the way, anyone need a new website?  LOL 

Don't believe the SEO hype

Being in the Digital Marketing World for over 5 years, I have seen a lot. But, never as much as I have since living in Huntington Beach California. There are more companies selling SEO packages in Southern California than I could even imagine. $99 packages, $199 Packages, $299 packages and so forth. But after doing some investigating, I found that these packages are designed with one purpose in mind; To get into your wallet at the budget that you can stretch. As I began to call around the area, the call centers were exploding with excitement. Most never even asked for my business name or website, just quick to figure out my monthly budget and my payment type. That just completely blew my mind.

So don't believe the hype! A true SEO Professional will get together with you to put some strategies in place to maximize your budget. They will take the time to investigate your current search rankings to know your strengths and weaknesses. They will look to open a relationship that will lead to a long future. And more than anything, they will truly understand how optimizing your website will create a working relationship with the search engines. Everyone wants to rank well organically, and working with the right people will get you there. But, its about a plan, commitment, and a little bit of patience. SEO is a HUGE part to your websites success, so make sure the company you choose to work with is truly capable of delivering. Go here: To learn more about SEO and other digital marketing strategies.