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Author: Search Influence Alumni

  • Mardi Gras Season At Search Influence

    king cakeHere in New Orleans, we celebrate a few extra holidays. Mardi Gras, otherwise known as Carnival Season, began on January 6th this year with the Phunny Phorty Phellows parade. The season culminates tomorrow, with Mardi Gras Day itself, otherwise known as Fat Tuesday.

    Tradition

    In addition to the parades, drinking, parties, and mass amounts of tourists that make Mardi Gras special, we also eat a LOT of king cake. This cake, baked in honor of the three kings, is an oval shaped cinnamon cake decorated in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple, green, and gold. Each cake has a small plastic baby hidden inside, and tradition states that the person who finds the baby in their piece of king cake will have good luck (and they’ll have to supply the next king cake).

    King Cakes

    Obviously, we don’t want to mess with tradition at Search Influence, so king cakes have taken over the office for the past few weeks. Not only have we eaten traditional king cakes, Influencers have also gone above and beyond to provide the most decadent, most beautiful, most delicious variety of king cakes around! Almost every day of the week our team enjoys king cakes from any one of the following places:

    Rouses
    Haydel’s
    Meche’s
    Manny Randazzo
    Domenica
    Maple Street Patissierie
    Whole Foods
    Nonna Randazzo’s
    Tastee McKenzie’s
    Breads on Oak
    JCB Creations
    Gambino’s
    Hi-Do
    La Boulangerie
    Ye Olde College Bakery
    And More!

    kingcakegif

    As team building is an important part of the Search Influence community, bringing employees together with a new and exciting king cake every day has been a great part of Mardi Gras. Hopefully, as our team continues to grow, the number of king cakes we eat will too!

    Do you have a favorite king cake? Let us know in the comments!

     

  • Content Marketing: Doing It Right in 2014

    Feb14You might have heard the buzz: content marketing is not only here to stay, it’s critical for business success in 2014. The Internet noise is getting louder every day, and discoverability is becoming a greater challenge as the data streams expand with chatter from websites, blogs, and social media.

    If you’re looking to capture an audience online, you need an effective content marketing strategy in place.

    Why Content Marketing is Key

    Backlinks, keywords, and automated social tools just aren’t going to cut it anymore. Part of the reason is an increasingly Internet-savvy consumer base that can sort the authentic from the spammy at a glance—and the rest is due to major shifts in search engine algorithms, particularly Google.

    Google Hummingbird, the search engine giant’s most recent algorithm update, is all about promoting quality content and pushing it to the top of search engine results. In a definitive acknowledgment of the sharp increase in mobile search, Hummingbird aims to provide results that reflect the way people talk—delivering a conversational and contextual experience, rather than treating searches as keyword strings.

    In order to improve your search engine rankings, you need content that informs, answers questions, and adds value.

    Mistakes that Hold Your Content Marketing Back

    In order to get content marketing right, there are certain objectives you have to accomplish. Your content marketing should attract, engage, expand, and ultimately convert your audience.

    Some of the common mistakes that prevent content marketing from reaching those objectives include:

    • Producing in a vacuum. If your marketing department handles all of the content generation, from conception to execution, they’re eventually going to sound stale. Consider soliciting content ideas from other departments, working with a freelance copywriter, or seeking guest bloggers.
    • Publishing static content. To engage your audience, you need to win them over. This means providing something more than dry facts or market-speak—and giving readers a way to respond with thoughts of their own. Value quality over quantity, and produce content that informs, intrigues, and entertains. Make sure you’re always responding to comments and questions from readers.
    • Sharing on the wrong channels. When it comes to social media, a lot of companies have decided that more is more—and thinned out their efforts in order to reach as many social platforms as possible. This dilutes your brand and wastes your time. Most businesses can’t go wrong with Google+, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. As for the rest, experiment: keep what works, toss the rest.
    • Failing to analyze results. Content marketing is useless to your organization without analytics. You need to know what, where, and how your marketing efforts are working—where visitors are coming from, why they stay (or leave), and whether they come back.

    So What’s the Right Way?

    The real secret to effective content marketing in 2014 is quality. But what is “quality,” and how can you produce it?

    Quality content starts with defining your audience. Who are you creating this content for, and what do they want or need? What engages them? Find out as much as you can about your target audience—where they are online, what they respond to, even what they don’t like.

    When you move to the content creation phase, keep your target audience in mind. This includes the format of your content, whether your audience prefers text, images, video, interactive apps, or some combination of media. Finally, post your content on the channels your target market is most likely to frequent.

    The Internet changes, but content marketing remains one of the most effective strategies for online marketing success. Make 2014 the year you embrace content marketing done right.

    What’s working for you? Let us know in the comments!

    Image courtesy of Gerd Altmann

    Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide.

  • Part Time Influencer on Balancing Work and School

    Screen Shot 2014-02-24 at 10.14.48 AM

    It’s no secret that college students are busy. There is an old diagram that portrays this pretty well. Students want good grades, a social life and a good night’s sleep, but only have the time to choose two of those.

    These days, the pressure on students is higher than ever before. We have more than just grades and a social life to worry about. There are also jobs, extracurricular activities, housework, exercise, cooking, volunteer work, dating, hobbies, keeping in touch with family, and so much more that college students must handle.

    I am a senior marketing major at Tulane, but I also work 25-30 hours a week at Search Influence, in addition to several other activities and an attempt to maintain a social life and enjoy some free time. This can be stressful and it certainly keeps me busy, but maintaining all of your commitments while in college is very feasible. I am one of three influencers who work part time while also attending school.

    Keeping busy keeps me focused.

    When I have too much free time it is easy to procrastinate and get sidetracked from my obligations. A heavy load of classes and work forces students to adopt good time management habits. With limited free time, I make sure I get my work done efficiently so that I have an opportunity to spend time with friends, enjoy hobbies, or catch up on sleep. Learning how to focus and allocate your time also increases productivity and makes enjoying yourself much easier.

    Productive Procrastination

    procrastination memeI’ll admit it, I procrastinate all the time. It is so easy to get off task in college. There is always some social event or movie on Netflix calling your name. When I have a major assignment due that I just can’t wrap my head around yet, I try to procrastinate in a productive manner. This may sound like an oxymoron, but it is totally possible. Rather than browsing social media or watching TV, focus on smaller homework assignments or clean your room. These less stressful tasks can help turn your lazy mood into a productive one. Once you start on something productive, it is easier to move on to other tasks. When you finish that stressful assignment you will have a clean room, too!

    Got any other time management tips? Let us know in the comments!

  • 14 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid in 2014

    We’ve all seen them… misfired tweets, Facebook fails, and huge national brands that just don’t get it. Last year we recapped the 12 worst social media mistakes of 2012, but brands just keep making the same errors over and over again. For 2014 we’re going to be proactive. Here are 14 mistakes to avoid this year, so that your brand isn’t ridiculed by friends, fans, followers, or the general public:

    1) Avoid relating ANY holiday to your brand:

    Unless you are a major fireworks distributor or 1-800-Flowers, holidays are NOT about you. Don’t force it. Even if you think your message fits in flawlessly with the holiday, chances are someone will take offense. Don’t believe me? Google MLK Day Social Media for proof.

    2) Not understanding your company’s image

    Banking giant J.P. Morgan decided to host a Twitter Q&A session utilizing the hashtag #AskJPM in November. Although they received thousands of amazing questions such as, “As a young sociopath, how can I succeed in Finance? #AskJPM” and “What’s it like working with Mexican drug cartels? Do they tip? #AskJPM”, the company quickly realized that Twitter was not the appropriate medium for a company discussion.

    3) Using trending hashtags without first checking their meaning

    Utilizing hashtags is a great way to get more eyes on your tweets, but don’t hijack trending tags without first researching the message behind them. Baked goods company Entenmann’s faced backlash after utilizing a trending hashtag without realizing that #notguilty referred to the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial.

    4) Getting too political

    This one practically speaks for itself. No one wants to hear outspoken thoughts about gay marriage, political candidates, or religion from a brand. Italian pasta company Barilla came under fire last year after stating that they would not feature gay families in any ads. After thousands of people tweeted at them with the hashtag #boicottabarilla, they finally issued a semi-apology (in Italian) from their brand account. The lesson here? Don’t get your brand involved in political affairs, and respond quickly if you find your company in a similar situation. Most users prefer their pasta without a side of prejudice.

    5) Creating fake controversies

    Real time marketing is a hot buzzword, but faking a crisis is not the way to achieve success. Brands like Chipotle and JC Penney have faked problems on their own social media networks to achieve attention. Effective real time social media campaigns react to events as they happen, not create unnecessary controversy.

    6) Responding generically to complaints

    If your company does something to upset a large amount of fans, you should not reply to them all with the same generic message. Either issue a blanket public apology to all of your fans, or personalize each response.

    7) Not responding to negative feedback or customer questions

    Not responding at all to complaints is also a bad policy. A study from Maritz Research and evolve24 found that over 50% of respondents expected a reply from a company regarding public complaints on Twitter. Deleting or ignoring complaints is not the way to approach social media management. Furthermore, if you engage with an unhappy customer, you should not stop answering them after one tweet.

    8) Beginning tweets with “@” or “.@”

    It might seem like beginning tweets with an “@” is Twitter 101, but tons of brands still make this mistake all the time. If you begin a tweet with a user’s handle, only that user and their followers can see it. Some companies have taken the lazy approach to combatting this problem, by adding a period before the @ symbol. Don’t do this! It looks sloppy, and if you’re getting paid to write tweets, you should be thinking about ways to word your response differently.

    9) Using #too #many #hashtags #on #Instagram

    This one is fairly self explanatory. Hashtags can lead to natural discovery, or can be utilized to chime in on a trend or theme (such as #TBT). Using too many hashtags in one post not only looks silly, but makes it extremely difficult to read.

    10) Posting photos on Pinterest that don’t link back to your site

    Pinterest can be a great platform for both small and large businesses to get their products noticed. However, pinning products without a link back to your site is a waste of everyone’s time! You want to eliminate any hassle or additional steps in the sales funnel so that someone who finds your amazing product can buy it on the spot. Pin directly from your website and see your sales soar.

    11) Leaving the URL in your Facebook post

    Facebook’s link preview feature is a great way to show off your links in a visually appealing and enticing way that encourages customers to click through. However, once that preview generates, delete the original link! This will clarify your posts, and allow readers to easily figure out where you want them to click.

    12) Avoid using click bait to get users to read your posts

    Which websites are exploiting Upworthy-style click bait to get viewers to read and share? The answer may surprise you.

    13) Cross posting content from Facebook to Twitter (and vice versa)

    Some companies save time by cross posting their Facebook posts to Twitter. Although this is occasionally fine, many Facebook posts are simply too long for Twitter’s 140 characters. These are shortened by including a fb.com link in the post, which defeats the purpose of the tweet. Tailor your message for each specific social media channel.

    And finally…

    14) Handing the keys to your channels to someone who isn’t responsible

    This should go without saying, but the vast majority of brand social media fails are due to someone accidentally tweeting or posting from the wrong account. This is not a job for an unpaid intern. Make sure that whoever is running your brand’s accounts is trustworthy and reliable.

  • Lunchtime at Search Influence’s NEW Office Space

    When I first started at Search Influence back in October, I was employee #50. Now, just four months later, we’re nearing 70 employees! As a result, 8120 Oak Street has turned into a veritable can of sardines. Check out this picture from our most recent company meeting…

    SI company meeting

    Our Direct Team (along with a few others, most notably Will & Angie, our founders) even work in what is essentially a converted attic – cleverly nicknamed The Treehouse.

    As Search Influence continues to grow, so must our office space. While it’ll be hard to say goodbye to the many memories we’ve made on Oak Street, we’re all looking forward to some room to breathe.

    Where are we headed next? While nothing is confirmed quite yet, it looks like we’ll be headed downtown, to the CBD, or Old Metairie.

    Lunchtime is something we take very seriously here at SI. Every Influencer has their favorite lunch spot – whether it’s Jimmy John’s delivery, pho from the cleverly named Pho Bistreaux or a juicy burger from trūburger (perfect for Fat Fridays). I’m here to assure you that all of our potential new locales have plenty of lunchtime options.

    Downtown

    Brave the lines at Mother’s (401 Poydras) for one of the best po-boys the city has to offer. In addition to serving up delicious tacos, Felipe’s Taqueria (301 N. Peters) is the perfect place to grab a margarita after work. Who knows, maybe it’ll even be the next Carrollton Station? Can’t tear yourself away from your desk for more than a minute? There’s sure to be a Lucky Dog cart nearby!

    CBD

    The Store (814 Gravier) has some great lunch specials and a semi-secret taco bar in the back. Missing Pho Bistreaux? Don’t worry, Viet Orleans Bistro (300 Baronne) is just a few steps away. There’s also a Jimmy John’s (900 Poydras) and a Reginelli’s (930 Poydras) right around the corner.

    Old Metairie

    In addition to coffee shops, there’s Zoës Kitchen (701 Metairie Rd. Suite 1A103), Naked Pizza (701 Metairie Rd. Suite 2A105) and Lee’s Hamburgers (1507 Metairie Rd.). On hot days, venture down to Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand (1823 Metairie Rd.) for one of Metairie’s best kept secrets.

    Stay tuned for more once our new location has officially been announced!

  • The Power of CrowdFunding

    I’ve always been amazed by the power of crowd-sourced fundraising. Combined with the virility of social media, a project can get a lot of attention, which can introduce new backers and have the project funded rapidly before it’s deadline.  Crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo are the most well known platforms. These sites serve as a great creative and entrepreneurial outlet that didn’t exist years ago. I’ve selected my three favorite projects below. (more…)

  • A Drive Down Leigh Circle

    If I know one thing about Search Influence, it’s that we would be nothing without the help of our Development Department. Starting with one member, Luke Ledet, in 2010, the department has grown quickly to 11 people in correlation with our expanding company. They work tirelessly to improve not only our client’s websites, but also our company’s website, software, and many things I could never dream of comprehending.

    (more…)

  • Why You Wish You Could Work on Oak Street

    To those of you who are not familiar with New Orleans and all the wonderful neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, activities, and festivals, you’re missing out. Though I’ve only lived in New Orleans the last year and a half, I’ve become very familiar with this awesome city and what it has to offer. Each week there is new festival or fun event to attend, and it is literally impossible to eat at every restaurant in the city in a lifetime.

    Oak Street tiles - New Orleans

    While there are many great areas and aspects to the city, my absolute favorite is Oak Street. This is where my second home (work) is and where my coworkers and I spend most of our free time. Nestled snugly between the streetcar line and railroad track, Oak Street is located in the Black Pearl neighborhood which is very close to Tulane and Loyola Universities, Audubon Park, and the zoo. This also lends to a diverse mixture of age groups living within a few block of each other.

    Food And Drinks

    Jacques Imo's

    The variety of people in the area leads to an eclectic blend of businesses on Oak Street. There really is something for everyone. For instance, Oak Wine Bar below our office is a staff favorite for their happy hour drink specials. And they hosted our most recent company holiday party!

    Maple Leaf Bar is a great place for live music or to kill time while you wait for a table at the famous Jacques-Imo’s, a popular tourist spot and a local favorite! The lucky few get to eat in the truck!

    The majority of my favorite memories are taking a long Friday lunch break at either Tru Burger or Cowbell. While on opposite ends of Oak St. and very opposite in menu and style, they both make a great burger! Both are great places to stop and enjoy a meal.

    Old school charm is what makes Oak St. businesses stand out, even the newest business on the block, a chain restaurant called https://mellowmushroom.com/location/la-new-orleans-8227-oak-street-70118/, feels like its been here forever.

    Shops

    Fresh Smoothies New OrleansIn addition to the amazing restaurants and bars on Oak, you can also find a wide range of shops. The chic furniture shop Eclectic Home is great for the urban dweller looking to liven up there living space. Situated a few store fronts down is the always delicious D’ Juice. Boasting the freshest smoothies blended with fresh fruit and veggies, it is a great stop for a refreshing recharge. Located just across the street from D’ Juice is the Castellon Pharmacy. Stepping in there feels like a blast from the past. This old pharmacy continues to maintain its unique charm in the ever changing world we live in.

    Culture

    The unique culture of New Orleans and Oak St. could not be better represented than by the enormously beautiful Catholic church, Mater Dolorosa. The church takes up a good portion of the block and it’s chorus of singing church bells can be heard many blocks away. The church and the eclectic shops are a constant reminder of the city’s rich history rooted in many religions and long time acceptance of all cultures.

    Mater Dolorosa Larger Image

    Events

    Po Boy Fest Poy BoyOnce a year Oak Street gets even more exciting, playing host to the famous Po Boy Festival. The Po Boy is unique to New Orleans and is a favorite dish amongst locals. Restaurants from all over the city gather to share their own creations with festival goers as live music blares from a stage set up smack in the middle of the road.

    The reasons we love the Oak Street and working here every day are endless. There are so many great places to enjoy and there is something here for everyone. I know our time on Oak Street will come to an end one day, but until then I plan to take advantage of all the great things it has to offer.

     

  • Career Advice from the Facebook Queen (and some life lessons, too)

    Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most influential women in the world, according to Time, CNN Money, and Forbes. She’s the COO of Facebook, and in my opinion, one of the biggest badasses out there.  I’ve been reading her book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead and it is changing my perspective on life, offering tips on how to navigate the business world, and giving me a little gumption to speak up for myself. I haven’t finished reading the book yet, but I guarantee I’ve learned some lessons that are going to stay with me for a while. Check them out:

     Quote from Sheryl Sandberg

    1) Don’t Dis-credit Yourself

    Many women (including myself) suffer from “impostor syndrome.” I often feel that my accomplishments really aren’t accomplishments, but rather things I’ve muddled through with many errors along the way. The truth is, we need to start acknowledging our efforts and own our accomplishments. You did it! With or without the help of others, you’ve most likely accomplished a lot of positive things in your life, and you need to be proud of yourself for that!

    2) Fake It Till You Make It

    When something negative happens in the workplace, sometimes it’s best to keep going and put a smile on. Recently, I had a frustrating experience at work (as we all do), and I was fuming mad before a conference call. However, I put those feelings aside and lead the call successfully. When these situations arise, do something that takes your mind off the situation. Even if that means stopping work to go for a walk, call  a family member, or run an errand. Anything you can do to get away from the problem (for a while) will ultimately help reduce a negative reaction to the situation, which will make you look like and feel the professional woman you are.

    3) Jump Into Opportunity (don’t wait for it to come to you)

    Men apply for a job when they meet 60% of the requirements, but women apply for a job only when they meet ALL of the requirements. We hold ourselves back because we think we are not ready, instead of thinking, “There is an opportunity here and I can learn by doing it!” Apply for positions that offer growth, adaptability, and room for you to fill a gap that the company needs. Don’t NOT apply for a job because you’re scared. We are rarely handed things in life and you should take advantage of every opportunity.

    4) Don’t Be Discouraged – Be Persistent!

    Sheryl tells the story of leading a Q&A section and reaching a point where she had time for two more questions. When she answered those questions all the women put their hands down, but all the men who still had questions kept their hands up. She answered a few other questions, but only the men got answers because they kept their hands up! Ladies, we need to be as persistent as men! There is no reason why we should stop asking for more information, details, and answers. We live in the same world as men, and we need to start acting like we deserve to be in it.

    Lean In Book by Sheryl Sandberg

    5) You Don’t Have To Be Liked by Everyone

    This is a complex that a lot of women have. We want to be liked by everyone, because we don’t want to be perceived as bossy or rude. Women think we can please everyone, but men know that’s not humanly possible. There are going to be times where we have to make tough decisions. Those decisions are not always going to provide positive outcomes for everyone, but we need to learn to make decisions that are going to positively affect a great number of people. You’re inevitably going to hurt someone’s feelings or make someone mad, but there’s not much you can do about that. So, make decisions that create positive outcomes and keep the ball rolling.

    The moral of the story is, ladies, if you want to be a badass at life, go out there and do it! There’s no reason we should not be a part of conversations and advocating our thoughts and beliefs. I fully believe that we can have our cake and eat it, too. We just have to start leaning in and participating in life the same way men do.

    Cheers, Sheryl! You’ve inspired me more than you know. Thanks for the encouragement 🙂

     

     

  • Welcome to “Can’t Code”

    Lessons, Musings, and Complaints about Digital Technology

    I started working at Search Influence a few months ago. Before that, I had a lot of web design experience, but all of it was very informal and self-taught. Due to budget cuts at the University of New Orleans, my graduate department asked me to volunteer as their “web guy” when they were unable to afford a real administrator. This meant that I had to do some very quick, ad-hoc studying in order to fulfill this role. Up to that point, I’d learned a lot about the most basic architectural features of the internet, like HTML and CSS, but it took a lot of research before I could make sense of the web’s more sophisticated components. At the time, PHP, Javascript, the infamous WordPress “Loop,” and other institutions of cyberspace appeared to me like confusing, mystical clouds of information.

    Image of Indonesian Students Using a Laptop

    I felt simultaneously intimidated by these topics and ashamed to inquire about them because I felt I should already know the answers. Finally, out of necessity, I set aside my ego and asked my more well-informed peers to share their skills with me, a request that was, of course, met with enthusiasm. The process of learning these skills was still challenging, but being open and honest about my ignorance was my shortest path to success (think I saw that on a poster somewhere).

    That experience made me reflect on the “digital divide.” Even as someone who was raised on computers, I struggled to understand how people operated behind the point-and-click Windows interface that I grew up on. I could only imagine how difficult this same endeavor would be for, say, my grandparents, or my childhood friends whose families were too poor to have a Nintendo, much less a laptop. Even though digital technology has permeated some of the hardest-reached socioeconomic crevices of our society, the standards of what constitutes “literacy” in a rapidly evolving economy is a moving mark. While many people are becoming comfortable with the Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) created to help them interact with digital information, knowing a little code helps to fully participate in and understand the digital spaces of our lives.

    What Now?

    Image of binary data

    Beginning with this post, I’d like to share what I’m learning as a Junior Web Developer at Search Influence, in the hopes that others with a low to moderate level of computer literacy may learn something. Future posts will appear monthly on the Search Influence blog and cover various facets of the digital technologies that I use to complete my daily tasks. Some posts will describe what these technologies are used for, some will provide a tutorial on how to use them yourself, and others may simply give commentary on the history and social implications of these technologies.

    Next month, I plan on covering the very basics: ones and zeros. We commonly see long strings of 1’s and 0’s in the popular media that are meant to represent some form of digital information. But where does this code come from, and why is it used?

    Chart-border

    Stay tuned for the answers next month! And for any code questions you want answered, comment below.