I am aware of the facts about how blogging drives traffic to websites and how large companies have advanced with the utilization of social media and I know how many people are on Twitter (175 million). Despite this, I still have trouble giving advice as to the implementation of social media as a form of marketing that has direct benefit.

I have found that when I put social media in the context of public relations, I have an easier time conceptualizing results.  Companies believe in the value of having a public relations team that pushes stories, maintains relationships and is well connected within the community.  Social media platforms are the outlet for public relations and public relationships.

Two bloggers who I cross paths with regularly have very different views on this topic.  To learn more about why social media is NOT public relations click here, and to learn about why social media IS public relations, click here.  I would strongly encourage you to check out their opinions and see where it falls within your organization’s conversation.

-Kelly

photo source: designbeep.com

Forgive me budget, for I have sinned. I have paid for keywords on some of the best search engines in the world with hardly anything to show for it. I have but three confessions:

First, I have placed too much hope in the contact us button (aka. the savior). I have not allowed easy ways for the paid traffic to make themselves known after spending upwards of $3 per click. If only I could’ve offered a give-away, a simple landing page, or even an e-newsletter they could sign up for. These things would’ve at least given me some idea of who is perusing my site. Maybe, just maybe, not every person goes through the mental process of saying “I have read everything I need to read. I must find the contact us button so I can reveal everything the organization needs to put me in their sales funnel.”

Second, I have not developed any landing pages that would be relevant to the search terms being used to drive traffic. In Halligan and Shah’s book Inbound Marketing, they indicate the likelihood of converting traffic increases by 15% when a landing page is present. They even reference studies which suggest that a well designed page can convert up to 50% of certain audiences. Such data makes me want to put on the breaks before spending any more money on PPC.

Third, I have no easy way to develop and make landing pages. The design of our site is safely under lock-and-key by an overworked IT staff, making it virtually impossible to implement strategic changes. But, don’t worry, atop my Christmas list this year will be a way for me to make mission-critical adjustments to our web pages. Already underway are conversations with low priced landing page designers and a software application that allows me to easily develop my own custom landing pages on  a third-party site to minimize my IT staff involvement. These changes couldn’t happen soon enough.

It is these things that I utterly admit for the sake of a better tomorrow.

Signed, a frustrated marketer

* image compliments of catholichomeandgarden.com

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JP Anderson serves as Director of Admissions at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. He is currently completing a Master of Science in Strategic Marketing at Roberts Wesleyan College. You may find him on twitter and on linkedin.