Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Social

Local Business Online Marketing Blueprint – It’s A Sketch, Not Set In Stone

I’ve written several times about what I like to call the ‘Next Shiny Object Syndrome’. I see it all the time. Local businesses and individuals get caught up with the next cool thing when it comes to online marketing. And I understand how easy it is to do with so many options being thrown at us from different companies; from social media optimizing tools, to new social media and blog platforms, to easy to use and design websites, to the next big thing that promises to create the biggest and baddest lead generating machine out there. But it’s very important for local businesses to take a step back and look at their entire marketing strategy before adding any new addition or tools to their arsenals.

The fact is, technology is changing every day. A new program or software may come out today, and within six months, it’s already becoming obsolete. It’s a similar concept when it comes to online marketing tools. It’s not that they become obsolete so much, but social media platforms, search engine algorithms, blogging platforms and other online marketing tools are constantly changing, and sometimes those changes can truly impact search engine rankings (such as Google’s Panda update that impacted local businesses last year).

For our company, we focus on the concept of “signals” in the distributed web….making as many quality signals as we can, with geo coding, social media optimization, etc. to boost our clients’ online presence to build exposure and generate more leads. To do this, we have a digital blueprint for how we get there so we don’t miss anything…but it’s just that—a blueprint. And that blueprint is always changing to keep up the changes with technology and the distributed web for our local business clients. We have to be flexible and keep up with these changes or we’re doing our clients a huge disservice.

With all this being said, it serves local business owners well to remember that it’s better to have a compass to guide the way rather than have a map that’s set in stone. In Seth Godin’s blog, The map has been replaced by the compass, he offers a very good analogy of this concept, emphasizing that technology keeps changing, so it’s not worth it to ‘go off-road and try to develop and innovate and remake what we thought was going to be next…’.

These constant changes are also part of the reason as to why it’s good to avoid the Next Shiny Object Syndrome and work with a company who can help you create a blueprint that’s flexible and can change with the demands and changes of the distributed web that fit your specific needs and overall marketing strategy. Not every ‘new and improved’ online tool will do this. Experts can also help you keep up with the constant changes so you can focus on your base business, which is what you do best as a local business owner.

Written By

For nearly three decades, Chris Marentis, founder and CEO of Surefire Social, has been responsible for driving innovation and sales growth for large media and e-commerce brands as well as start-ups. With a long-history of counseling local businesses about their marketing efforts, Marentis provides insight on what it takes for small businesses to succeed and thrive in today’s evolving digital environment. His notable career includes creating the foundational blueprints for online marketing, e-commerce and content branding for AOL's Interactive Marketing group, where he served as Senior Vice President. While CEO of Clearspring Technologies, Marentis developed one of the most widely adopted venture-backed Web 2.0 technology platforms. Marentis is a frequent speaker at local digital marketing conferences and a contributor to SMB and technology-focused publications.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Reeha

    March 1, 2012 at 10:05 am

    Nice guiding post. I already read such suggestion from your previous posts. I agree with you, technology is changing every after each day and every day brings something new and amazing into our knowledge.

  2. Maja

    March 1, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    To meet all standards we have to adepts ourselves with the new changes in technology. By mastering new changes we will be on the way of consistent progress.

  3. Julie

    March 1, 2012 at 11:50 pm

    Such an interesting post! I couldn’t picture myself that there are some ‘local’ marketing strategies on the online marketing scene, I thought that the online market is to global to do anything local. But know I already know, that the local elements play an important role in the online marketing tools. Thanks for the information!

  4. stella

    March 2, 2012 at 4:38 am

    i like your post and you are telling about the facts of online business

  5. Prakash

    March 5, 2012 at 11:48 am

    Ther are lots of changes occurred in technology we have to be familiar with them and become perfect on these…………

  6. Nichole

    March 5, 2012 at 4:14 pm

    This is a gem! This post must be read by every that are in the business online.

  7. Subhakar Rao

    March 6, 2012 at 5:23 am

    Good Information

  8. Emily

    March 6, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    Great post! You gave me lots of thoughts to keep in mind for our marketing strategy.

  9. Dorg

    March 15, 2012 at 7:42 am

    Thanks for telling the facts about local business. Local Business Marketing is the best method to attract traffic in you own area.

    Cheers!

  10. mestiko

    March 18, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    Sounds familiar. I am so into the new and latest software that I have to have them or else I think I will be left out. Then again one have to keep up with technology or else they will be left behind.

  11. Eddy Sulistiono

    March 23, 2012 at 3:39 pm

    Thanks For Your Info 🙂

  12. Rita Dawson

    May 3, 2012 at 6:33 am

    Online marketing can be the best method of marketing to catch the eyes of customers of all age groups. It can be of great help in local business.

  13. James

    July 24, 2012 at 12:10 am

    Great post. This what I quote on my social media sites and blog: “In all my 30 years of studying the Internet and computer systems, I’ve never known a time so full of opportunity, yet so fraught with danger.” Keep it simple and work with a local marketing professional.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You May Also Like

Small Business

Discover the essential role of SEO services for small businesses. Maximize your online visibility and attract new customers.

Tech

In the contemporary digital landscape, social media has emerged as a pivotal component of our daily existence. It serves as a platform for people...

Digital Marketing

In the dazzling city of Las Vegas, where bright lights, vibrant colors, and extravagant entertainment reign supreme, creating a lasting impression is essential for...

Social

There are many benefits of Social Media. It has its importance, which must not get overlooked. Social media marketing is when a brand uses...