Search engine optimization Archives

One day I was having lunch with one of my entertainment clients. As we spoke of relationships she said, “My biggest fear is marrying someone like an accountant.” She then realized who she was speaking to and partially retracted the statement. Too late.

I write about 1-2 articles every week. People ask, “What do your write about in accounting? It is so boring!”

Well, anything can be boring, but Ekaterina Walter’s article, Content Generation for Small Businesses gives some good pointers on how you can promote your business through submitting meaningful content. She interviewed Ricardo Bueno and Lisa Horn, experts in this area.

Content as Customer Education: She quotes Ricardo that you must educate your audience. That is true, but you must be careful of the level of education. In my case, to quote tax code sections will lose my audience, so I display my expertise in common terms and analogies. Your audience can grasp your message if it taps into an experience that are familiar with. As seen above, I displayed points with anecdotes, little stories that illustrate my point.
Don’t Sell: Your web page should display your products, and your blog should display your expertise. Don’t be afraid to offer some tips in your industry.
Engage, entertain, and build a community: I agree with her point, but many might find it hard to entertain. The first step is to not take yourself so seriously. Poke fun at yourself by writing about awkward experiences, if it supports your theme.
Be consistent, and feed the monster: This is my suggestion. You must be disciplined. Once you established yourself as a noteworthy source for information, your followers will desire you to write consistently.

Any industry can benefit from content. Any business can benefit from content. The real question is whether you have what it takes to compete on this level in the 21st century.

Chances are, you are reading this blog because of our social networking efforts. Nice to meet you.

But, does that really matter? I mean, I am passing on information, but is social medial market really worth the time (and money if you hired a consultant or employee)? Check out this Inside Edge article that sheds some light on this question. But while you are reading that, I’d like to look at it from another point of view. I believe immediate ROI(return on investment) is not always the answer. The answer to this question lies in your horizon and, yes, history itself.

First the history. When I was a teenager (mid 1970s, OMG!), the yellow pages were my stepfather’s lifeline to his plumbing business. He would struggle on how much to invest, how big the ad, and which telephone books to appear in? The cash outlay was staggering for a small business. But he had to do it with the hope that some lady, who had sewage leaking from her ceiling, would find his ad, and call him in a panic. His horizon was short because the likelihood that this customer would have another plumbing problem, or find his number again, was remote. If the calls did not come in during the twelve months that he advertised, he lost his investment. During most calls, he or his plumbers could not build a lasting relationship. They just fixed the immediate problem.

Secondly, your horizon. Social networking is different. The whole medium is designed to build relationships. In addition, once you place an article, ad, or so forth in the viral-sphere, it lasts forever. You may be reading this blog on November 2011, one year after I posted it. So, the horizon is stretched beyond your eyesight. The longer the horizon (along with the timeliness of your information), the more likely your ROI will multiply. Combine this with SEO (search engine optimization), and your chances increase dramatically.

Lastly, If you are thinking of using social networking or SEO, keep in mind that you are on the edge of a new fronteir. You will be an industry leader. There are wagon ruts in the desert, but not all of them lead to Santa Monica. Some lead to Donners Pass. This is why you must constantly check your compass, map, and ration your provisions.