Welcome to all the tweeters on today’s #SMBsurvey chat! Be sure to follow our guest experts @SteveStrauss + @Rieva!
— Web.com (@webdotcom) January 20, 2015
Q1: What are 2 things I can do right now to take my business to the next level? #SMBsurvey
A1. The answer is simple: get a website! According to @webdotcom, only half of #smallbiz owners have one http://t.co/arqk59EOlS #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
It’s SHOCKING that number is so low. You cannot run a business today without a website @SteveStrauss @webdotcom #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A1 2) and don’t forget to make that website mobile-friendly #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A1. Benefits of a great website- It’s where people are, adds credibility, marketing, connections, branding & available 24/7/365 #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A1. Benefits of a great website- It’s where people are, adds credibility, marketing, connections, branding & available 24/7/365 #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A1. if you don’t have a website you won’t get found. #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
Q2: What are some low-cost ways I can market my #smallbiz online? #SMBsurvey
A2. Social media is a great way to call attention to your site #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
a2. I’ve recently talked to Twitter & Pinterest and they’re adding great features & analytics #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A2. You can market your business through networking, media, word of mouth, co-op advertising, overnight radio, personal letters #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A2. You can also e-market your business through pay-per-click (PPC). I love PPC because you only pay for qualified leads #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
Q3: How important is #mobile marketing for my online success? #SMBsurvey
A3. According to the latest http://t.co/2rPclwxnkL survey, 2/3 of #SMB consider themselves web savvy http://t.co/3M2wQnJnDP⁰ #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A3. Consumers are researching & buying (spending MILLIONS) on tablets & Smartphones #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A3. But I also think that #smallbiz owners tend to be late adopters. #Mobile marketing is something we all must master now #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
I think many are but too slowly. This is one case where consumers took the lead. @SteveStrauss #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
We offer a great #ebook on #mobile marketing for #smallbiz! Check it out here! http://t.co/TUt0PwHrOG #SMBsurvey
— Web.com (@webdotcom) January 20, 2015
A3. the growth in m-commerce (buying via smartphones & tablets) is astounding #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
It seems to me that mobile marketing is going to be almost as important as getting a website is. It’s vital #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
Q4: What are 2 things I can do to protect my customers from potential security + privacy threats online? #SMBsurvey
In my USA TODAY column every year, I do a Top 10 Trends in Small Biz. Security is #1 on my list this year #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A4. The most important thing you can do is to get anti-virus software installed on all of your devices #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A4. Security concerns are a big issue, esp after all Sony hack publicity, Top of consumers mind #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A4. You also need to make sure your employees are vigilant about not letting their kids use their laptops #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A4. Also beware all the bad links on social media. #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A4. It’s also important to physically protect your computers. A lot of identity theft stems from actual theft. #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
The hack of Target occurred because the bad guys got into the computers of a #smallbiz vendor of Target. Protect your computers! #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A4. BYOD (bring your own device) is popular among employees, but you need to make sure all devices are protected #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
@SteveStrauss @rieva @webdotcom Ensuring website + server software is kept up to date is very important as well. #SMBsurvey
— TheSelfEmployed (@TheSelfEmployed) January 20, 2015
Thank you @SteveStrauss– Enjoying the insights! #smbsurvey
— Tim Hamby (@thamby) January 20, 2015
@Rieva @ramonray Who doesn’t love a good tweethcat? #SMBsurvey
— Brian Moran (@brianmoran) January 20, 2015
Q5: How can I differentiate my brand with content marketing? #SMBsurvey
@Rieva @SteveStrauss content is only king if you’re being very useful. Otherwise it’s content spam in the hope for better Google rankings.
— Co-founder Patrick (@farlang_pat) January 20, 2015
Thanks. Your blog on not blogging makes the right points. BUT blogging helps you rise in organic search rankings.@Socializations #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A5. Whenever you post your content, wherever you post it, you must keep your brand identity in mind #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
a5. Content doesn’t have to be complicated, but it needs to be authentic #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A5. the benefits of a great brand from your content marketing include more income potential, credibility, value & differentiation #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A5. @Rieva And many #smallbiz owners need to build a social media platform. #smbsurvey
— Brian Moran (@brianmoran) January 20, 2015
The @webdotcom Small Business Forum is the go-to resource for #SMBs! Start exploring here: http://t.co/sB38qxVaDM #SMBsurvey
— Web.com (@webdotcom) January 20, 2015
A5. Also, the content you create needs to add value. 80-20 Rule – Make it 80% about them, not you! #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
Q6: Are there easy ways to add video to my marketing mix? #smbsurvey
A6. I have seen stats that say that video gets clicked more than any other type of content. You must add it to your mix #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A6. video is growing powerhouse for small business #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A5 High quality, relevant, original content is critical! @Google has reached a long awaited tipping point w/ recent algo updates #smbsurvey
— Tim Hamby (@thamby) January 20, 2015
@Rieva Very true. By nature humans are more drawn to visuals than words alone. #SMBsurvey @webdotcom
— TheSelfEmployed (@TheSelfEmployed) January 20, 2015
Q6. Videos tend to be more engaging than words alone. Using a combo of both has proven to be successful for many companies. #SMBsurvey
— TheSelfEmployed (@TheSelfEmployed) January 20, 2015
LOVE whiteboard animations. @SteveStrauss #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
Q7: How do I get started in #eCommerce? #SMBsurvey
A7. My favorite way to start with #eCommerce is drop shipping. You sell the product and a 3rd party does the fulfillment #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A7. Here’s an article from my site TheSelfEmployed that explains how drop shipping and eCommerce work http://t.co/bNPQCqIMt8 #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
a7. You can start small with eBay or Etsy store #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A7. I would start with finding good #ecommerce software. Lots of DIY free and affordable solutions out there. #SMBsurvey
— TheSelfEmployed (@TheSelfEmployed) January 20, 2015
@Rieva Hosted solutions like Shopify are also very popular. For self-hosted, Woocommerce & Magento are top choices.#ecommerce #SMBsurvey.
— TheSelfEmployed (@TheSelfEmployed) January 20, 2015
The amazing thing about ecommerce is that it allows any #smallbusiness to sell 24/7/365 all over the world. That is revolutionary #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
Q8: How can I use social media for my #smallbiz when I have limited time + resources? #SMBsurvey
A8. According to the http://t.co/2rPclwxnkL survey only half of all #smallbusiness people use social media http://t.co/arqk59EOlS #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A8. The thing is, you simply must engage in social media. It’s where the eyeballs are. @Rieva taught me that! #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A8. I know social media can be a time suck. But you need to go where customers are #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A8. We offer lots of social media tips at http://t.co/pvybcS1uuh‘s Small Business Forum: http://t.co/c4GUuDaXqF #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A8. Right now @instagram & @pinterest are booming. Visual media works #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A8. Here’s an amazing stat: The #socialmedia site that sends you the most engaged readers/viewers is . . . YouTube! #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
Q9: How do I develop a website that’s sticky? #SMBsurvey
A10. A sticky site could include video, e-newsletters, blogs, user-created content and webinars #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
@webdotcom Having a professional look with a simple, easy to navigate user interface is the first thing that comes to mind. #SMBsurvey
— TheSelfEmployed (@TheSelfEmployed) January 20, 2015
A9. Stickiness also is having loyal customers come back to your site because they trust you #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
@SteveStrauss Sure, Steve! @webdotcom is hosting 60+ #SmallBizSummits in 2015! Here’s the schedule: http://t.co/NSRmkBYTGs #SMBsurvey
— Web.com (@webdotcom) January 20, 2015
I have attended a few of the @webdotcom Small Business Summits and found them very useful. Great for any #smallbusiness #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
.@webdotcom is hosting 60+ #SmallBizSummits in 2015! Here’s the schedule: http://t.co/pMqpkrBGBI #SMBsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
And the last question . . . Q10: How do I build a brand that’s recognized and trusted? #SMBsurvey
Q10: It’s important to be consistent across your brand #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
A10. I really think the best thing you can do for a brand today is to have a great website. Get found! http://t.co/cSNVgviUJp⁰ #smbsurvey
— Steve Strauss (@SteveStrauss) January 20, 2015
A 10: Define your customer avatar. Find them, create your tribe and serve them by adding value for free. The rest will follow. #SMBsurvey
— Pedro Velez (@PedroVelezIII) January 20, 2015
q10. New Branding for Dummies is out. Read the review on http://t.co/pvybcS1uuh Small Biz Forum on 1/30 http://t.co/c4GUuDaXqF #smbsurvey
— Rieva Lesonsky (@Rieva) January 20, 2015
What a great Q&A on today’s #SMBsurvey chat! Thanks to everyone who joined in! Cheers to success in 2015!
— Web.com (@webdotcom) January 20, 2015
@Rieva I wish I could have stayed longer. Fantastic in for #smallbiz. #SMBsurvey
— Brian Moran (@brianmoran) January 20, 2015
And a big thanks to you, @SteveStrauss + @Rieva! Thanks for sharing your tips for online success! #SMBsurvey
— Web.com (@webdotcom) January 20, 2015
