It’s that time of year – the most wonderful time of year, to be exact! The holidays are among us and with them a whole host of new activities to enjoy in Austin. Grab your coat, some hot chocolate, and the fam, and head out for some holiday cheer at one of these can’t-miss Austin events. It’s the perfect chance to enjoy Austin’s weirdness in all of its wintry magic.
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Nov 2018
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25
Dec 2012
The 12 (Internet Marketing) Days Of Christmas!
Posted on Dec 25, 2012 by Amy Kauffman
This SEO company has found the best way to spread holiday cheer! See 10 marketing tips for all to hear! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your crew at HMG Creative. To celebrate the joyous season and year’s end, we now present the 12 Days of Christmas in its entirety, a campaign that is sure to make you laugh, smile and think about marketing in a whole new light going into 2013. Did you miss the the fun festivities, the first time around? No problem! But be sure to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter, so you aren’t left out in the cold again. (You don’t want to be on that naughty list, do you?)
Enjoy our gift of discounts, actionable marketing ideas, Twitter tips, viral videos and more exciting content to take your business into the new year in style!
Now — Without further delay — may we present: The 12 Days of Christmas!
On the First Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Business Cards Half Off…That’s Almost FREE!
Business Cards Half Off…That’s Almost FREE!
On the Second Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Two Tutorials
Two Tutorials
On the Third Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Three Experts Blogging
Three Experts Blogging
On the Fourth Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Four Calling Clients
Four Calling Clients
On the Fifth Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Five Golden Rules
Five Golden Rules
On The Sixth Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Six Birds-a Tweeting
Six Birds-a Tweeting
On The Seventh Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Seven Shows-a Streaming
Seven Shows-a Streaming
On the Eighth Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Eight Fans a-Liking
Eight Fans a-Liking
On the Ninth day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Nine Clients Rocking
Nine Clients Rocking
On the Tenth Day of Christmas, HMG game to Me:
Ten Blogs a-Buzzing
Ten Blogs a-Buzzing
On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me:
Eleven Subscribers Snoozing
Eleven Subscribers Snoozing
On The Twelfth Day of Christmas, HMG gave to Me:
Twelve Websites Winning
Twelve Websites Winning
24
Dec 2012
On The Twelfth Day of Christmas, HMG gave to me: Twelve Websites Winning
Posted on Dec 24, 2012 by Daniel Alvarez
Web design has changed exponentially since the advent of web 2.0 in the early 2000’s. What used to be static-only websites have now been replaced with dynamic ones that incorporate many design features including widgets, social plugins and much more. Here are 12 tips to keep in mind when building or rebuilding your website.
1. Show value– give people a reason to visit your site and keep them there.
2. What does your website do? Are you informative, are you selling something? Include a call of action and let it be seen on the site!
3. Simplicity– Keep it simple while still getting your point across.
4. Myspace is out! That means no blinking text or magic cursors!
5. Popups– Do I really have to explain this?
6. Keep the home page accessible. I’ve been to many sites where once I click a link on the navigation bar, I cannot get back to the home page- so frustrating!
7. Follow in Apple’s shoes and drop Adobe Flash– it’s processor heavy and there’s no place to embed SEO.
8. I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND DUMB BUT DON’T CAPITALIZE ALL OF YOUR CONTENT.
9. Speaking of words and content, check your grammar and spelling please!
10. Use keywords and descriptive text that relates to your business. However, don’t over-embed keywords in your content- keep it natural.
11. Be accessible, yes add a Contact page and put an email, phone number, something!
12. Navigation is key! Keep a global navigation bar that allows accessibility to all of your pages.
I know the post reads “12 Tips” but I’m throwing in a BONUS, yay!
13. Social media integration- the key to the popularity and national/global success of your website and business.
23
Dec 2012
On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me: Eleven Subscribers Snoozing
Posted on Dec 23, 2012 by Johnny Jeffers
“Boring!” It’s the nemesis of all content writers and it threatens to creep into your newsletters. As soon as boring content shows its face, you can kiss the inbox goodbye and start staking out real estate in the recycle bin. What to do? Follow these eleven tips to keep your subscribers engaged from the headline all the way to the fine print.
1. Tantalize with a fabulous headline.
Ask a question, promise a list of tips, or offer free industry-related advice. If your headline is a lemon, your readers won’t take the time to read further.
2. Write about what you know.
Fill your newsletter content with the things you consider yourself to be an expert on rather than falling back on someone else’s content.
3. Choose current hot topics from your industry.
Follow blogs and stay up to date on new product releases, industry changes, and questions people are currently asking. Position yourself as an expert on current topics through your newsletter.
4. Let your personality shine through.
Be conversational, humorous, witty, and even sarcastic if it comes naturally to you, all with the goal of building a relationship with your readers.
5. Include lifestyle content that relates to what you do.
Show your subscribers how to apply your information to their daily lives. For instance, if you sell dog training videos, write a newsletter with tips on house training a new puppy.
6. Narrow your focus.
Choose a goal for your newsletter and stick with it. Are you promoting your blog, sending industry updates, or offering tips? Let your subscribers know what to expect up front.
7. Match your writing style to the personality of your company.
Is your company trendy and upbeat or do you present a more reserved, professional face to your audience? A law firm newsletter should sound different from a newsletter for a trendy salon and spa.
8. Encourage subscribers to respond.
Include a feedback form or email address in each newsletter and make a point of replying to any feedback you receive.
9. Include relevant images and graphics.
Well-chosen images and graphics can pique interest before the subscriber has started reading. Images should relate in a substantive way to your content rather than being generic stock photos.
10. Break content into manageable chunks.
Bullet points, subheadings, numbers, and space between paragraphs can all make your content look less intimidating by making it easier to skim. Lengthy paragraphs tend to turn people away.
11. Include customer feedback in your content.
Testimonials, customer Q&As, and stories are all great ways to bring your subscribers into the conversation.
By incorporating these 11 tips as you write newsletter content, you can banish droopy eyelids from your subscribers. Keep your content concise, informative, and interesting, and you’ll guarantee an engaged audience.
22
Dec 2012
On the Tenth Day of Christmas, HMG gave to Me: Ten Blogs a-Buzzing
Posted on Dec 22, 2012 by Johnny Jeffers
The voice of a consumer has proved to be the most powerful tool for the success of any business. The evolution of the internet has made several marketing solutions as simple as clicking a mouse; so let’s deck the halls with ten ways to integrate age old word of mouth marketing with modern social outlets!
1. On average, one of five customers will say something about your business just by asking them to. “Would you tell your friends and family about our service?” The trick? Just ask, every time!
2. Optimizing the search engine effect; a product cannot be shared virtually if it cannot be found online. Optimize your website and online content with multi-word tag lines to avoid vast competitions with companies shelling out the dollars for one key word.
3. If you choose to advertise on multiple social media sites, allocate time to update and engage with readers and followers daily. Consistency with posting ads and follower engagement is crucial for brand recognition.
4. Everyone wants to be heard; whether positive or constructive feedback is flowing in, always respond. Take time to address concerns and thank all customers for all feedback. Reviewers will talk about the brand just by feeling heard by the company.
5. Give back to followers, use social media to offer small gifts for kids and prizes. These gifts and prizes can be awarded for various online contests that will increase engagement with existing and even more importantly new interest.
6. Encourage bloggers and review sites to rate the product and brand. Share the positive blogs and feedback on the company website and social media outlets. There is a vast market out there that will buy in once a third-party endorses a brand.
7. Write regularly. Post PR and blog content on the company website. Publish it through social media links, and distribute it directly to relevant media outlets. The likelihood of new and additional conversations about a brand and its products will increase with the amount of online content that is published.
8. Use the free tools available to keep up with specific markets and interests in the business. Take Google, for example, they offer an application called Google Analytics. This free service has statistics on website visits and can be linked to any website despite the volume. Google Trends also provides details on popularity with specific search terms over time. Stay competitive by being alert and up to date on the trends in your companies’ vertical.
9. As soon as a consumer decides to purchase from a company a second time, odds are good that they have spoken highly about the business or even indirectly referred potential clients. Encourage feedback, and make it easy to respond with simple short questions. For example ask new clients; “How was your experience?” and “What can we do to expect your business in the future?” An example for returning clients could be “Thank you for coming back to our business! What made you interested in our product/service again?”
10. Never expect the end user to manage the relationship. Regularly interact with contacts and subscribers via newsletters, promotional offerings, and by keeping up to date on all active social media outlets.
Marketing is a team effort and we cannot do it without the influence of our customers. Leverage all resources with blogging, integration of helpful tools, and social media to spread the news and keep folks talking!
20
Dec 2012
On the Eighth Day of Christmas, HMG Gave to Me: Eight Fans a-Liking
Posted on Dec 20, 2012 by Johnny Jeffers
The Holidays bring a lot of people to the shopping cart both virtually and through retail stores. There is no time like December to ramp up social media marketing and attract new subscribers and well… “Likes!” So let’s unwrap Eight tips on attracting more Facebook Likes to your company’s page for Christmas!
1. Leverage the store-front advantage! Incentivize your customers to check-in for discounts; if they’re willing to drive to your store, they’re willing to check-in!
2. Post exclusive information or offers that will spark excitement and encourage subscribers to share the offerings.
3. Words are great; however fans and prospective fans are twice as likely to engage with pictures, links and video content over text.
4. Everyone likes cheap and free however, people like one thing a little bit more, competition! If the radio station can do it, so can your business. Create unique and engaging competitions every once in a while to attract new customers and more importantly, generate repeat visits to your page and website.
5. Respond to posts and feedback though sentences that sound like they actually came from a real person, not a robot. Remember, there should always be time to communicate with your followers and clients, they are the first priority.
6. Use links and keywords to help optimize your content so it’s seen by more friends of existing subscribers.
7. Don’t just post, sponsor and promote the message. Organic Facebook page visits are only a measurement of the contact with existing followers, so go viral and make money with videos! About 80 percent of consumers say they are more likely to try a new product or service based on a suggestion from a friend through social media.
8. Witty, funny and fresh content wins! Don’t be shy when posting; get those creative juices flowing to maintain existing subscribers and draw new fan interest.
So just remember to engage, promote and respond to your fans quickly and your business will see the the “Likes” a-flowing this Holiday season!