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  • Make Your Infographics Count

    Infographics have been around for years. We have seen them in cave paintings and hieroglyphics. William Playfair was credited with the first area chart and pie chart in his 1790 book, The Commercial and Political Atlas. Over the years, we have pushed forward the design of learning concepts with the aid of images. This work has lead us to what we refer today as infographics.

    If you haven’t been on Pinterest or read any major newspaper, you may be unfamiliar with the concept. An infographic is the process of using visual data to represent a complex idea in an easier to digest medium for the masses. You can’t get your PhD through an infographic, but they are handy at teaching you a quick synopsis of a subject.

    The strength in infographics is found by following a few basic concepts:

    Bring Multiple Ideas Together

    The magic of an infographic is its ability to take a wide amount of information and consolidate it into a story that flows and ebbs. The beauty is in the point where all these ideas join to create a new message or way of looking at all those ideas together.

    Be Understandable

    When presenting new ideas and concepts, it is important that the viewer understands what the message is. Try not to get the viewer confused or use terminology that is way above their knowledge based. It is good to use this jargon, but remember to explain it in a way that your 80-year old grand pap may comprehend.

    Less is More

    When designing or writing for an infographic, it is important to remember not to bombard the viewer with copious amounts of data and figures. The idea is to keep the content flowing in a smooth way that is easy to understand and recall. Designers do this by narrowing the focus of an infographic into one main concept or story to gently guide the viewer into learning the message.

    Be Welcoming

    It is important to never be intimidating when designing an infographic. The message should never appear overbearing or intimidating. The overall goal of infographics is to be read and spread.

    Eye Catching

    The overall design of the infographic needs to be alluring for the viewer to want to read it. There is no sense in spending all that time researching, writing, and designing only to have viewers not be interested in what you have to say. It is important to make sure there is a visual hook that will pique the interest of any viewer.

    All images in this post of the original work of Search Influence. Please give attribution if you should decide to share.

     

     

     

  • Influencer Profile-Erica Rench

    As Search Influence continues to grow, so do the departments! Erica Rench joined the Search Influence team in December to fill the newly created Operations Associate position, working under Operations Director Jeremy Brown. Erica comes to Search Influence after living and working in New Orleans for several years as an undergraduate student at Tulane, and as an Associate Director for Tulane’s Undergraduate Office of Admission. While working for Tulane, Erica also received her MBA.

    As part of the Operations Department, Erica works to analyze and implement processes that support the Influencers in producing high quality work. Erica told me she loves getting to know everyone at Search Influence and seeing what she learned at Tulane being “put into action.” She is excited to see the company continue to grow at a rapid pace and loves how the variety of departments at Search Influence allow employees to discover what they’re really passionate about.

    In her free time, Erica makes custom wedding headpieces for Wedding Belles bridal boutique on Magazine Street. She first became interested in wedding headpieces when planning her own wedding and realizing that there wasn’t a place in New Orleans where brides could hand pick headpieces, rather than ordering online. Erica also enjoys running, cooking, and exploring the local restaurant scene.

     

  • New Influencer Faces: January 2014

    New Influencer Faces: January 2014

    We are excited to welcome 12 new employees to the growing Search Influence team!

    Account Management Team

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    Amanda Ball has been hired as an Accounts Coordinator. Born and raised in New Orleans, Amanda graduated from Delgado Community College with an associate’s degree in applied science with a concentration in Computer Applications. Prior to Search Influence, she worked for Ochsner Health Systems and recently did an internship at Delgado as an administrative office and technology marketing intern.

    Chris Dopper

    Chris Dopper has been hired as an Account Associate. She is originally from The Netherlands and moved from Amsterdam to New Orleans six months ago. Before joining Search Influence, Chris has worked for five years in Amsterdam and Brussels for Sanoma Media, one of the biggest publishers in Western Europe. Here she worked as an Online Marketer and Lifestyle Editor for brands like Cosmopolitan and Marie-Claire. Chris graduated from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen with a Master Degree in Communication and Information Science.

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    Cory Badeaux has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. Though born and raised in New Orleans, Cory has also lived in Connecticut, New York, and California.  She attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications.  Before joining Search Influence, Cory worked in events and promotional marketing in Malibu as well as in New Orleans.

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    Kimberly Dominguez has joined Search Influence as an Account Associate. She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a degree in Mass Communication and a minor in marketing. A New Orleans native, Kimberly has a social media background working for local businesses such as ACCENT on Arrangements, a DMC Company, FestiGals, Gulf Coast Bank and Trust, and The Son of a Saint Foundation.

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    Lily Chen has been hired as an Account Associate. A New Orleans native, Lily received her bachelor’s from Vanderbilt University and recently her masters in marketing from New York University. Before returning to her home town, Lily has worked for various other companies executing both offline and online marketing campaigns.

    Mallory Logan

    Mallory Logan has been hired as an Account Associate. Mallory is excited to specialize in the fast growing industry of online marketing. Formerly, she worked on nation-wide political campaigns as a political account coordinator and the Louisiana International Film Festival as Social Media Manager. She enjoys being part of the unique culture in her hometown of New Orleans and cheering on her alma mater, the LSU Tigers.

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    Maureen Morphy has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. She was born and raised in New Orleans, and graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in General Studies. Prior to joining Search Influence, she worked as a Public Relations Intern for BCBG Maxazria Corporate in their New York showroom, and as a Sales Associate for Saks Fifth Avenue.

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    Presley Brouillette has been hired as a Junior Account Associate. Originally from Baton Rouge, Presley graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a concentration in public relations. Prior to graduating and working for Search Influence, Presley interned at SophistOccasions and Pelican House, both located in Baton Rouge, where she learned valuable marketing experience.

    Online Advertising Team

    Anne Rucker

    Anne Rucker has been hired as an Online Advertising Associate. Originally from Texas, she received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas Tech University. Before moving to New Orleans from Austin, Anne worked as a project manager in the political sector.

     

    Operations Team

    Erica Rench

    Erica Salm Rench has been hired as an Operations Associate. Originally from the Greater Chicago Area, Erica came to New Orleans in 2004 to start her undergraduate years at Tulane University, where she earned both her Bachelor’s degree and her MBA. Before joining Search Influence, Erica worked as an Associate Director in Tulane’s Office of Undergraduate Admission.

  • Kickstarter For Advertising and Funding

     

    159396590Crowdfunding has been around for a while now, from major sites like Kickstarter to more niche spots, like Indiegogo. Crowd funding is a process in which a project finds its funding from a vast pool of minor investors as opposed to the traditional approach of loans, private partners, and venture capitalists. Proper utilization of this funding option has lead to product launches across a variety of fields, from independent films to music to video games.

    Recently, major artists and established companies have turned to crowdfunding to act as both an additional revenue stream as well as viral marketing. By allowing fans and potential customers to feel included in the creative process, you can increase loyalty to the brand and to the project itself. Most projects have rewards associated with different levels of fund contribution, from early copies of products to names appearing in the credits of films and albums.

    Small businesses can even capitalize on this process by starting projects to fund future store or service expansions, and future product lines. A great example of a potential user would be a clothing boutique that sells a mixture a vintage clothing and modern, locally sourced products. The boutique could start a crowdfunding project to expand the production of an in-house jewelry line, setting a funding goal of slightly higher than the cost of an item. This essentially results in pre sales of these items, as well as viral advertising amongst current and potential customers.

    Avoid potential pitfalls, the major one being over promising. Make sure you understand the entire cost and potential extra expense associated with any new line or expansion and set your funding goal for above that amount. This way you will have all the capital you need to deliver the final product to your numerous investor/customers. And if you don’t meet your fundraising goal, sites like Kickstarter refund the money to the investors so you don’t have any unmet obligations among your existing customers.

  • 3 Ways To Make Your Website More Skim-able

    Bill Gates once said, “If your business is not on the Internet, then your business will be out of business.” I think we can expand on this and say that if your business doesn’t use the Internet to its advantage, it will not compete with those that do. This includes things like good SEO and a smart social media strategy, among other marketing tactics. Since all of these things are aimed at directing people to your website with the goal of converting a user into a customer, that site better be up to the task.

    There’s some bad news, though: most people don’t really want to read your website. They don’t have the time or the interest. But fret not! Your web copy can still be effective if you write it with this in mind. The key here is that you allow your readers to get the info they need quickly and without much effort. Let them skim!

    Mobile Search Content

    1. Visually Appealing Content

    Your copy should never look intimidating. Large chunks of text are out. Small paragraphs labeled with subheadings are the way to go. Bulleted or numbered lists are even better. Remember, a lot of your readers are likely using mobile devices. It doesn’t take much text to fill the screen of a phone, which might turn off someone  looking for a specific answer.

    2. Give Them What They Want

    Think about why someone would visit your site. What info are they looking for? That info should be the star of the site. If you own a tire shop, people are probably visiting your site for a few details: location, hours, services, products. If you own a dental practice, they’ll want to know what types of insurance you take, what services you offer, and your location. You can have more than the basics on your site, but make sure that you at least cover the most important details in a way that is easy to read.

    3. Put It Where It Belongs

    Make sure that your site is easy to navigate and all pages are clearly labeled with a logical title. “What We Do” is ok, but “Services” is better. Don’t put your hours on the “About Us” page. Put them on a page labeled “Hours of Operation.” You want your readers to scan the homepage and be able to quickly find the information they want or quickly figure out how to navigate to that information.

  • Christmas Exploded in Here!

    It’s the time of year again. Thats right, it’s time for competition, secrecy, a bucket of elbow grease, and years of training. Am I talking about the 2014 Winter Olympics? No, I can only be referring to the ruthless Christmas desk decorating contest!

    image (14)This year Search Influence decided to challenge everyone in the office to gussy up their workspace all in the name of friendly competition and Christmas spirit. Candidates came from far and wide to participate in the annual games and bring the gold and the glory home to their department. The judges were chosen, the stage set, and the stakes were high.

    As soon as the gun went off teammates Alison Zeringue and Gabrielle Benedetto bolted to the lead with a warm and classy gold touches, twinkling lights and garland. With their eyes on the prize, Maggie Bomze and Amanda Ball got creative with a Mean Girl’s themed desk complete with pink ribbons, pink lights, and candy cane grams!

    Screen Shot 2014-01-02 at 3.38.36 PMSeeing the competition start to heat up, Kimberly Dominguez and Chris Dopper took their workspace to another level by wrapping their entire desk in red wrapping paper, hanging a garland christmas tree from the ceiling, and topping off their work with red ribbons. Armed with tape and Christmas glory, teammates Erika Karas and Jordan Polhemus wrapped their desks in bright green wrapping paper, hung tinsel and bows from every stationary object, and adorned the room’s only fireplace with stockings, garland, lights, and santa’s shoes coming down from the chimney.

    desk 1In the final moments of the competition Maggie Emerson and Rebekah Durel pulled out all of the stops, hand making the largest wreath many of us had ever seen, hanging stockings, adorning their desk in white lights and it was all pulled together with a pink Christmas tree!

    Right when we thought the competition was over, Sarah Gallagher and Samantha Wright charged ahead with the holiday gusto of old Saint Nick himself! Cindy Lou Who and the Grinch stole Christmas and the gold in the last second, just in time for the closing ceremonies! They came in full costume, had a poster of “Mount Crumpit,” and even stole odds and ends from everyone’s desks in true Grinch fashion.

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    From the ruthlessness we’ve witnessed at Search Influence I believe it is safe to say that no holiday contest is too “un-cool” for us Influencers. I’m looking at you, Groundhog Day!

  • Best of the Search Influence Blog in 2013

    Si-i-180pxWe’re proud to have our team members contribute to the Search Influence blog regularly, providing online marketing news, tips and tricks, as well as updates on SI. There’s been a lot going on in our industry in 2013, so we would like to share our most popular blog posts from this year. Based on traffic and pageviews, we present to you the “Best of the SI Blog in 2013:”

    #1    12 Worst Social Media Mistakes of 2012 (And How to Avoid Them) 

               by Laura Manning (Account Associate)

    #2    6 Ways Your Surgery Practice Can Market the New Gummy Bear Breast Implants 

               by Tina Hua (Account Manager)

    #3    Surprise Oscar Winner: JCPenney’s #YoursTruly Real-Time Marketing Campaign 

               by Paula Keller (Director of Account Management)

    #4    Switching to Trello from Pivotal Tracker 

     by Luke Ledet (Lead Developer)

    #5    Why Call Tracking Numbers in Local SEO Make Me Angry

               by Will Scott (Founder and CEO)

    #6    How To De-Personalize Your Search Results

               by Jeanne Gaudet (Senior Online Advertising Manager)

    #7    5 Tips for Proper Hashtag Usage  

               by Marisa Michell (Account Associate)

    #8    Don’t Be ‘That Guy’…Top 5 Networking Faux Pas

               by Scott Holstein (Business Development Associate)

    #9    Proprietary CMS vs Open Source: It’s a Little Like Renting vs Buying

               by Amy Arnold (Director of Research & Development)

    #10   Found: Yelp Reviews Copied and Published as Google Reviews

               by Amy Arnold (Director of Research & Development)

  • Tips for Optimizing Pinterest boards for Small Businesses

    pinterest logoEver since the launch of Pinterest in March 2010, marketers and small businesses are leveraging the site to drive traffic and sales. There are some old school business leaders who are still anti-social media, but they are missing out on a big opportunity if they ignore Pinterest and other platforms. The great thing about using Pinterest for your business is the potential for your posts to rank in the search results. Check out one of our previous blog posts for more details. Below are some simple tips to optimize your Pinterest boards.

    1. Be creative with your board.

    Don’t be too self-promotional. Not only do you want to showcase the goods and services you provide, you want to make sure you are showing the inspiration behind it and promoting the lifestyle of your brand. Users will be turned off if you are only trying to get them to buy your products. Pinterest and any social media are about creating a conversation with your users and getting them engaged with what you do. If you are a fashion designer, post images of fabrics, places, and objects that inspire you. You can always reach out to a fan of your product that has a lot of clout and get them to be a guest pinner. The more creative you are the more you will gain engaged followers.

    2. Check the linking of your images and provide a good description for it.

    The most frustrating thing about Pinterest is when the pins are linked to a homepage or non-existent page on a website. Nothing is worse than having a missed transaction because your customer could not directly find the product on your site. If you pin something from the site, make sure it goes directly to the page where they can buy the product. Descriptions for your pins should be informative and interesting, but not too long or too short. You could probably do a little keyword research with the free Google keyword tool to find high value phrases for your image.

    3. Utilize the location-based pins.

    With the recent launch of Pinterest’s location-based pins, your board can include a map of where your products are and also allow you to collaborate with other businesses. The location-based pins allow you to input your name, address, and phone number. If your product is available at several retailers, this would be a perfect opportunity to use this feature. For example, Lululemon created this Om Finder app that allows you to look for yoga studios in your area and to also get tips. This board would be perfect for location-based pins so users can physically find a specific location. Below is an example of Andrew Zimmerman’s board utilizing the place pins for best BBQ places in the US.

    location-based-pins

     

    Start applying these tips today to get the most out of your Pinterest page. Happy Pinning!

     

  • Influencer Spotlight – Mary Silva

    Mary Silva has been a part of the Search Influence team for nine months, and in that time she’s gotten a reputation for hard work and dedication. She’s become the go-to person for managing clients’ online presences when it comes to Google, Yahoo and Bing. She is also the person people run to when they need a call made to Google. Additionally, as an Internet Marketing Associate, Mary does basic editorial work for the content team and helps to create monthly reports for clients.

     Mary Arthemise Silva, not be confused with her Aunt Arthemise Mary, carries on the tradition of bearing this family name, which gets flipped with each generation. So Mary has an aunt named Arthemise Mary and a grandmother named Mary Arthemise. As a native New Orleanian, Mary tells me all locals always want to know where you went to high school. So for all you locals out there, Mary graduated from Cabrini High School.

    Outside of Search Influence, Mary works as a freelance photographer and musician. While she usually focuses on synth, guitar, and vocals, she can actually play seven different instruments. Recently, Mary had the crazy opportunity, through a co-worker, to photograph the band Fun. Mary specializes in creative portraiture photography and usually shoots senior portraits, live bands, and headshots. Every year, she photographs NOLA Fashion Week for designer Noël Martin. Fun fact: Mary also shot photos for the Search Influence website! In addition to working at Search Influence and freelancing in her spare time, Mary is also a marketing major at Tulane University and is looking forward to receiving her BSM in May 2014.

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    One of Mary’s photos from the recent Fun. concert in New Orleans.

    When I asked Mary what the best part of working at Search Influence she said, “My favorite thing about working at SI is the people. I love my coworkers and have literally never had a bad experience with anyone in the office in the nine months that I’ve been here. We also have an awesome team building committee that puts together fun quarterly events for the company. It’s a really great way to interact with fellow Influencers since we spend a lot of our time working behind a computer.”

  • A Quick Guide to Using the Internet to Your Advantage

    Dec13Small businesses have come a long way, thanks to the Internet. Now we all have websites touting our products and services, and we have more ways than ever to connect with our potential and existing clients. But there’s always room for improvement, isn’t there? If you’re not fully using the Internet to gain momentum for your business, you’re missing out on potential sales.

    Be Smart About SEO

    In case you weren’t aware, Google has made a lot of changes in the past year that affect how marketers use keywords and SEO. What that means for you is that you have to use keywords in a natural way (instead of shoving them in every sentence and sounding like a robot).

    Be cautious about how you use anchor text, too. Here are some tips to help you stay in Google’s good graces:

    • Rather than hyperlinking a generic word or phrase, such as “click here” or “page,” focus on specific words or phrases for your anchor text, as we’ve done throughout this post.
    • Experts recommend using your brand name for about 30% of your inbound anchor links.
    • Keep your links relevant to the overall theme of your site. Don’t link to a pet shop if your site is about accounting software or Google might see it as too out of the blue and penalize you.

    Make Your Site Warm and Inviting

    There’s nothing worse than going to a site that’s cluttered or has boxes popping up everywhere. If your website is your welcome mat for potential customers, you want it to be inviting, right? You do that in several ways:

    • Simplify navigation.
    • Make sure all links go where they should.
    • Make the checkout process as simple as possible.
    • Ask for minimal info for email subscribers or customers (just an email address vs. address and phone).

    Be the Go-To Expert

    Right now, the hottest tool for marketing online is content marketing. That comes in the form of blog content, white papers, ebooks, videos, infographics…the list goes on and on. Remember your goal with content marketing: to be helpful to your target audience. Your focus should be on useful content that answers a question or solves a problem for someone. The bonus is that it makes your company look like the leader in your industry.

    Diversify the kinds of content you produce to attract different types of people:

    • How to and advice-based blog posts should be short and scannable.
    • White papers go more in depth on a given subject, and can be used as bait to get people to sign up for your emails.
    • Videos attract people who learn through audio and visual imagery.
    • Infographics draw in potential customers who prefer graphical representations of data, rather than only words.

    Use Different Platforms

    You’re no longer tethered to your desktop; you likely have a laptop, smartphone, and tablet that you also use to access the Internet, so use that to your advantage. Look for software that also offers a mobile option, like accounting software or a CRM web app, so that you can handle your business no matter where you are.

    And here’s another content marketing tip: you can also use a CRM system to track and manage your assets for your content marketing. If you’ve ever missed a day publishing on your blog, you know how important it is to stay organized as far as who’s publishing what, and when.

    Get Your Head in the Clouds

    Another benefit the Internet has brought small businesses is cloud storage. Now you don’t have to worry about what happens if your computer is destroyed in a fire; all your files should be backed up in the cloud. That includes:

    • Contracts and agreements.
    • Client data.
    • Articles, spreadsheets, and presentations.

    It’s exciting that every day, technology brings us more ways to grow our businesses. Be open to what’s out there, and find the tools that work best for your business.

    Susan Payton is the President of Egg Marketing & Communications, an Internet marketing firm specializing in marketing communications, copywriting and blog posts. She’s also the founder of How to Create a Press Release, a free resource for business owners. She’s written three books: DIY Press Releases: Your Guide to Becoming Your Own PR Consultant, 101 Entrepreneur Tips and Internet Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs, and contributes to several sites, including ChamberofCommerce.com, The Marketing Eggspert Blog, CorpNet, Small Business Trends, and BizLaunch. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.

    Contact one of our experts to learn how you can enhance your current marketing strategies.