Blog

657 header image

22% of Online Time Spent With Social Media

July 16th, 2010 by Lou Amico

By Amy Porterfield
Published July 16, 2010

Is social media taking over the web?

Just in the last year, the number of social media users has continued to climb at record speed and the audience demographics have widened. And marketers have noticed the trend.

For proof of social media’s steep rise, take a look at the number of statistics that surfaced in the last month.  These findings further support what most of us already believe:  Social media is only getting bigger.

75% of U.S. Households Use Social Networking

Nielson Company, in their report “Internet & Social Media Consumer Insights,” just released some impressive data on social networking activity in the U.S.  The company reported Internet users spent an average of 6 hours, 13 minutes on social networking sites, just in the month of May 2010. That number was just 3 hours, 31 minutes last year.

In addition, the research showed the average U.S. worker spends almost 5.5 hours a month visiting social network sites from the office.  Perhaps the efforts of many companies to ban social networks from the workplace might not be achieving the goal!

The data confirmed that Facebook is still the leading contender of social networking sites with a unique audience of 125.2 million visitors.  Twitter has a unique U.S. audience of 19.1 million visitors (May 2010).  This is a massive growth of more than 1,520% in the last two years!

Other interesting factoids from the Nielson study:

  • 75% of all active U.S. Internet households visited a social networking site in May 2010.  How does that compare globally? In April 2010, the global number was 74%—almost identical to the U.S. percentage.
  • 22% of the time spent online is attributed to social networking sites.
  • 20% of U.S. adults online publish or own a blog.
  • 55% have at least one or more social networking profiles.
  • 20% of those surveyed frequently provide advice about movies, 18% share their opinions about TV shows and 16% often advise others about music.


About the Author, Amy Porterfield

Amy Porterfield is a social media strategy consultant. Her passion is helping companies, authors and speakers create raving fans using social media and online marketing. Other posts by Amy Porterfield »

Posted in News | No Comments »

The Holistic Web Site Approach

May 3rd, 2010 by Lou Amico

At L.A. Management Company we believe in a “Holistic Approach” to web site development. You can no longer just build a web site and hope to be successful on the Internet. You need a comprehensive strategy that keeps up with the competition and improves your visibility. Your web site strategy also needs to be more interactive with your audience and content needs to be constantly evolving.

Components of a Holistic Approach include the following:

Web Development

  • You need to begin with assimilating your brand across all communication platforms and that when someone visits your web site the look and feel quickly communicates your brand.
  • Navigation and usability need to be carefully planned so that visitors can find the information they are looking for. You also need the programming ability to deliver a smooth and seamless experience for your visitors.
  • Conversion or data capture capabilities need to be built-in so visitors don’t just use your site as a source and then move on.
  • Ongoing evolution of your web site needs to be calculated into your plan, whether you move on and change to a new platform overtime or build your site on a platform that is expandable and easy to keep current as business growth, applications and technology change the requirements of what your web site should be and how it delivers communication to your clients.

Content Development

  • Good copywriting is at the core off all content development. If you do not have established content or have no one in-house who can provide this service you need to hire a professional copy writer with search engine optimization (SEO) experience to develop effective, compelling content that is rich in appropriate keywords while still communicating your message in a clear and concise manner.
  • Photography should be professional and whenever possible personalized to your business. Professional headshots or personnel, facilities and products help connect your clients to your business.
  • Video content is exploding on the Internet and is the easiest and most effective way to communicate your value and demonstrate your products. With the advent of YouTube and other video distribution sites you can have a broadcast channel to your clients.

Web Site Marketing

  • Every web site requires at least basic SEO practices to assure visibility across the various search engines. Organic SEO positioning of your web site for major keyword searches is free and raises your web sites visibility and authority over your competition.
  • Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is the paid placement of ads or “sponsored links” on search engines and other online advertising channels for specific keywords or phrases. The managing of these campaigns can be difficult and costly. An experienced online marketing firm can significantly increase your effectiveness and ROI.
  • Social Media is the fastest growing segment of the Internet and includes content distribution, interactive discussions, audio and video. The community aspects of social media and the ability to communicate to an audience of like minded individuals and groups makes social media an unavoidable component to any holistic online marketing campaign.

In Summary

A holistic approach to your web site development requires an ongoing, flexible and evolving platform and strategy. There are multiple components to manage and update. Whenever possible you should be directly engaged in the process. Sites with content management systems (CMS) help empower the non-technical user to update their web site and interact with visitors to the site and social media pages.

As your business and online profile grows you need to have a team of professionals that work in concert to make sure your stay up to date, deliver your message effectively and maximize return on your marketing dollars.

There is no place where opportunity is so great to reach a large audience on an affordable budget. You just need to properly plan and bring together a team of experienced professionals to assure that you take advantage of this opportunity rather than squandering the opportunity to your competition.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in News | No Comments »

The Top 5 Ways to Leverage Facebook Fan Pages for More Buzz, Visibility and Sales

March 11th, 2010 by Lou

Many small business owners are already on Facebook but are either still not sure that it is a good use of their time, or they see its potential but are just confused about how exactly it can work for them.
Starting a Fan Page for your business may be your answer. But how can you use a Fan Page to achieve fantastic results?

1) The first way to leverage Fan Pages is to set up your Page for success.

One of the first things you need to do when you set up a new Page is to give it a title. A tip with this is to think about using keywords related to your business that you would like to be found for.

You also want to choose a good, clear photo for your Page. Another thing to note is to make sure you have filled out the Info tab on your Page thoroughly with all the relevant information about your business.

2) The second way to leverage Fan Pages is to build your Fan base.

You have to be a little proactive about getting Fans, especially when your Page is new. An easy way to invite people is to use the “Suggest to Friends” link underneath the picture on your Fan Page. Facebook will then pull up a list of your Facebook friends and you would just click on the ones you want to send invitations to.

You’ll want to consider people like former and current clients, people you’ve partnered with in your business, vendors you work with, people who you know have purchased from you before, etc.

3) The third way to leverage Fan Pages is to interact and engage with your Fans.

Once you have some supporters of your Page, you want to encourage more dialogue and interaction between yourself and them and even among each other. The biggest impact comes from simply having conversations with people.

One thing that I do on my Page is to just ask open-ended questions. Asking people to share experiences is another great way to get a dialogue going.

4) The fourth way to leverage Fan Pages is to provide good content.

Offering regular content will naturally encourage interaction because you are giving people something to respond to. You don’t need to come up with all the content yourself, either. You might just link to an interesting article or blog post you have found on the web related to your business or industry.

What content like this does is attract comments from your Fans, which is activity that in turn goes out into the News Feed. The more activity on your Page then, the more attention to your Page you have a chance of attracting.

5) The 5th way to leverage Fan Pages is to use them to drive traffic to and from your blog or website.

To do this, you definitely want to list your website in the Info section, and you also want to share links in your updates to your own site.

You can also use an application like Notes to enter your blog feed so that it pulls your posts into your Page. You also want to add your URL to your email signature, and use the free badges and widgets Facebook provides that you can add to your website.

You can check out http://www.facebook.com/facebook-widgets for those. Once you have something like this on your site, visitors can just click on it and they will land on your Page where they can become a fan.

So, if you don’t have a Page yet, head over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php and start one now. If you do have one set up, use these tips to help make your Page stand out, get noticed, and become a helpful destination for all of your raving Fans.

About the Author: Christine Gallagher, MLS, MSIS, founder of CommunicateValue.com, teaches small business owners and professionals how to conquer the overwhelming aspects of online and social media marketing to increase business and maximize profits. For free tips on how to build profitable relationships, leverage technology and create your own successful online business, visit http://CommunicateValue.com.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Marketing 101 | No Comments »

Internet video consumption trends

March 11th, 2010 by Lou

According to ComScore, U.S. users streamed 41 percent more video content in August 2009 than they did during the same period in 2008, and the average time-per-viewer was up almost 39 percent. Additionally, in a survey by Eccolo Media, 76% of BtoB buyers found video to be moderately, very or extremely influential, while 49% watched video while considering a purchase. Other studies by MarketingSherpa conclude that online video is only second to word-of-mouth for its ability to influence decision makers in every stage of the purchase cycle. It’s clear that demand for engaging, educational content delivered online, presents some unique opportunities for BtoB marketers to both change the way content is delivered, and accelerate the adoption of their products.

comScore Releases January 2010 U.S. Online Video Rankings

Average YouTube Viewer Watched More than 93 Videos in January, up 50 Percent vs. Year Ago

RESTON, VA, March 8, 2010 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released January 2010 data from the comScore Video Metrix service showing that nearly 173 million U.S. Internet users watched online video during the month. Video viewers at YouTube.com watched 93 videos on average during the month, representing an increase of 50 percent versus year ago.

Top 10 Video Content Properties by Videos Viewed

U.S. Internet users watched 32.4 billion videos in January with Google Sites ranking as the top U.S. video property with 12.8 billion videos. YouTube.com accounted for nearly 99 percent of all videos viewed at the property. Hulu ranked second with 903.1 million videos, or 2.8 percent of the all online videos viewed. Microsoft Sites ranked third with 491.8 million (1.5 percent), followed by Yahoo! Sites with 435.5 million (1.3 percent) and Viacom Digital with 361.2 million (1.1 percent).

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/companyinfo.

Tags: ,
Posted in Featured Articles | No Comments »

Baby Boomers Take on Social Networking

March 8th, 2010 by Lou

According to The Nielsen Company, global consumers spent more than 5.5 hours on social networking sites in December 2009.  In December 2008, users were only spending about 3 hours on the same sites.  That’s an increase of 82% in just one year.

A recent report by eMarketer looked at the social network usage of multiple generations.  They broke up the generations as follows: Millennials (14-26), Generation X (27-43), Boomers (44-62), and Matures (63-75).

Some of the most interesting data focused on Baby Boomers and their major jump in social media activity from just 2008 to 2009.

Forty-six percent of Boomer respondents said they maintained a social network profile (compared to 30% in 2007, according to a recent Deloitte study).

Here’s the breakdown on 3 popular social sites:

Facebook:

  • Baby Boomers using Facebook increased 107% from 2008 to 2009
  • 73% of Boomers maintain a Facebook profile
  • 90% of Matures maintain a Facebook profile  (That number comes as a surprise considering it was the highest of all generations.)

Twitter:

  • Twitter usage jumped 714% from 2008 to 2009
  • 13% of Boomers maintain a Twitter account
  • 17% of Matures maintain a Twitter account (again, higher than the Boomers!)

LinkedIn:

  • 13% of Boomers
  • 4% of Matures

“Boomers expect that technology will help them live longer and better lives and keep them connected to family, friends, co-workers and, eventually, healthcare providers,” said Lisa E. Phillips, eMarketer senior analyst. “To fulfill these expectations, Boomers are turning to social media, where they keep up their offline social connections and make new ones. Online marketing messages that help them build on their connections—and foster other online relationships—will get their interest.”

Source: SocialMediaExaminer.com

Tags: ,
Posted in Featured Articles, Marketing 101 | No Comments »

Lou Amico named to Top 50

February 28th, 2010 by Lou Amico

Lou Amico President of L.A. Management Company has been named one of the Top 50 Entrepreneurs in Charlotte by Business Leader Media. The award honors leaders who have made a significant impact on Charlotte’s business community.

“We are very proud that the vision for our company to provide outstanding value for our clients has helped drive our growth and that those efforts have been recognized by the business community and Business Leaders magazine.” says Lou Amico, President of L.A. Management Company.

About L.A. Management Company
L.A. Management Company specializes in video production, multimedia production, search engine marketing and organic site optimization. The company has won numerous Telly Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in advertising, film and video production, for their work.  L.A. Management Company was selected as one of the Top 100 Small Businesses in North Carolina in 2009 by Charlotte Business Leader magazine.  Lou Amico was named a Top 50 Entrepreneur, an Impact Business Leader and 2009 Mover & Shaker by Business Leader Media. He was also honored as a 2007 Charlotte Chamber Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalist.

Posted in News | No Comments »

L.A. Management featured in Greater Charlotte Biz

January 16th, 2010 by Lou Amico

Company President Lou Amico and V.P. Joe Zammit are profiled in Greater Charlotte Biz magazine. Greater Charlotte Biz - Lou Amico, Joe Zammit

Greater Charlotte Biz provides the business community with an effective vehicle for building greater brand awareness for products and services. The magazine keeps business executives in the Charlotte region abreast of important issues, emerging technologies, available resources, and people who help businesses operate more successfully.

With a targeted circulation of 21,000 Greater Charlotte Biz reaches a diverse range of business owners, managers, and executives from all areas including manufacturing, service, wholesale, retail, and technology.The publication also has a pass-along rate which averages six to eight additional readers per issue, reaching over 100,000 readers every month. Advertisers have quickly discovered that Greater Charlotte Biz is an excellent vehicle for reaching a broad, successful, and inquisitive audience.

Posted in News | No Comments »

L.A. Management selected 2009 Top 100 Small Business

November 11th, 2009 by Lou Amico

Top100SmBus

For the second consecutive year, Business Leader Media has ranked the Top 100 Small Businesses in North Carolina. These businesses were chosen from over 284 nominations and represent companies that have demonstrated significant business achievement and community involvement within the state of North Carolina.

Business Leader limited the criteria to include only companies (1) with 100 employees or less and (2) that do the majority of their business in North Carolina. Each company’s 1-year revenue growth, 5-year revenue growth, business achievements, and community involvement were evaluated. A community vote amongst finalists was used as part of the criteria in determining the rankings 1-100.

The Top 100 rankings will be announced at the 2009 Top 100 NC Small Business Event on June 17th at the Charlotte Marriott Executive Park.

Tags: ,
Posted in News | No Comments »

L.A. Management Wins 4 more Telly Awards!

November 11th, 2009 by Lou Amico

Telly AwardsThe Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and national commercials and video and film productions. The 30th Annual Telly Awards received over 15,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.

A prestigious judging panel of 27 accomplished industry professionals, each a past Winner of a Silver Telly, the top honor, upholds the historical standard of excellence that Telly represents. Judges evaluate entries to recognize distinction in creative work – entries do not compete against each other – rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit.

In 2009 L.A. Management Company won 4 more Tellys for production of a series of informative videos for Piedmont Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, NASA, The Charlotte Chamber of commerce and a Multimedia Award for their Demo Reel CD-Rom. this brings a total of 10 Tellys in only the past 3 years.

L.A. Management Company was also chosen as a member of the Telly Silver Council.

The Silver Council is a membership based division of the Telly Awards. Members are top advertising and production professionals that have won a Silver Telly in the past, have applied for membership to the council and have been accepted. The judging panel for the Telly Awards will be chosen from the Council Members.

Tags: ,
Posted in News | No Comments »

Marketing strategies that can pay off

May 23rd, 2008 by Lou Amico

Originally published in the Charlotte Business Journal – 5/23/08

There are many challenges associated with starting a small business.  While many businesses succeed, there are many that fail.  The biggest reason companies fail is that they miss their target market and neglect to showcase their value and benefits that set them a part from the competition.  With a new or existing business, time and money can be limited, but it’s important to implement a marketing strategy that will move your company forward.  Here are ten strategies that can provide long-term sales success even on a small budget.

Network

Find opportunities to network with other business owners and people in your target market.  It’s inexpensive and beneficial in helping you establish relationships.  Keep in mind that networking is not the same as selling. Networking is all about relationships.  If you are constantly in sales-mode at networking functions you will not be successful at establishing relationships.

Get involved

Increase your visibility in the community by becoming active in your local church, community or industry organizations.  Choose an organization that meets your passion and interests and you will not only bring a lot of value to the organization, but will benefit personally as well.

Create a Web site

A great Web site should convey professionalism and expertise. Most people go to the Web when searching for a product or service.  You want to ensure that your website is well optimized to be found and when people visit your site, it readily conveys who and what you are and the image you want to convey.

E-mail campaigns and newsletters

Get business and industry lists and send informative communication to prospects and vendors who may use your service or refer you to others.  It’s important that this communication provide information on the value and benefits of your services without being blatant sales pitches.

Build alliances

A cost-efficient way to compete in your industry is to start quality referral networks.  For instance, if you are a Web site designer, you may partner with a marketing company to offer search engine optimization for the Web sites you design for your clients.  This allows you to leverage strengths in order to offer more to your clients.

Develop a 30-second “commercial”

This 30-second “commercial” includes who you are, what you do and the value you provide to your customers.  This “commercial” can be used when networking and gives you the ability to quickly and effectively communicate your business.  In networking functions, people want to know who you are and what you do.  Having a 30-second “commercial” allows you to provide this information concisely and effectively.

Engage in public relations

Submit news releases regularly to the media and news wire services to communicate your latest business news, clients and opportunities.  Regular media exposure keeps you top of mind when your customers need or want your product or service.  It can also help improve your website position by creating important incoming links.

Do pro-bono work

Offering your product or services to an in-need organization or charity is good for business for a variety of reasons.  The motto “Give and you will receive” is very applicable.

Consider trade

If you have excess capacity or inventory you could use a Barter Exchange to find clients and trade for travel or advertising. Sometimes organizations are happy to trade memberships, goods and advertising in exchange for your product or service.  If it’s mutually beneficially for both sides, then it may be worthwhile for you to consider.

Have a vision

If you can’t envision what your company is or will be, no one else will either.  The components of a vision include core values, core purpose or mission and long-term organizational goal.  Once you have determined your vision, all your business decisions will reflect this and allow your business to adapt to change more easily.

Successful start-up companies have one thing in common:  their market growth was linked to a focus on a well-defined target market and marketing strategy.  The firms developed and delivered products and services that met customer needs in selected market segments. They had solid value propositions, and they were continually reassessing their offerings to maintain a competitive advantage.  Focus on building trust, reputation and leadership, even at a small scale, and you’ll see results.

Lou Amico is founder and president of LA Management Company, a multi-media marketing firm based in Denver, North Carolina. He can be reached at 704-560-6274 or visit LAManagementCo.com for more information.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Featured Articles, Marketing 101 | No Comments »

« Older Entries