Understanding the Difference Between Mobile Marketing and Protecting Your Name

The most common question I get when discussing pay per click is "Why would I pay for my own name, they are obviously looking for me, right?"

Although it sounds pretty straightforward, take a look and see for yourself just how confusing it can be even if you know exactly what you're looking for.

I was just looking for Sea Tow and look who slipped in with what is called a Mobile Ad. It looks like an extension of the Sea Tow listing - but it isn’t! I have to admit, it was very well done and almost got me, and I know what I'm looking for.

Now, keep in mind this ad is one you may have trouble duplicating when you get home because it is a Call Only ad and it will only show when the search is on a mobile device. So, you can see how smooth and easy this can happen. In most cases, the person looking doesn’t know what happened and they can never explain it to you if you were lucky enough to speak with someone who saw it happening.

Bidding on your own name is relatively inexpensive. It helps secure the search result between you and your customer and also improves your Quality Score because it has such a high CTR (click-through rate). The lower your click-through rate, the lower your charge per click will be from Google. They truly reward you for this!

Do you notice how the Sea Tow appears below Flagship Towing and seems to look like it is all the same ad? Their ad was for a general listing so the phone number is not paramount.

The more knowledge, the better, and for this I recommend you consider us or another professional to justify your investment and speak to the results you have achieved. I like to cut and paste raw data, explain it to my clients, then compare results to the same period the year before so they can easily see what Google says. I don’t like fancy Excel spreadsheets where you can easily confuse a client.

You see, to build a successful account you must continuously maintain the strategy you build. It will slip and require attention, but this is how you maintain a successful campaign. Attracting clients is one thing, but growing profitable business is another, so you can see why simply selecting keywords is just not even close to the focus.

If your online marketing efforts need some help, Bloomerang Solutions may be just the answer you're looking for. We specialize in promoting small business and giving them the digital advantage they need to thrive in today's competitive marketplace. Give us a call today at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line here. Together we can make your business bloom!

Google AdWords: Should You Outsource or Keep It In-House?

When it comes to advertising with Google AdWords, the first decision you need to make is deciding on a budget. One of the best things about Google AdWords is that it can be effective for nearly every business, big or small. You can set the ad spend where you’re comfortable and rest assured that you will never go over your budget.

Sounds, simple, right? Well, at first glance it may look simple and Google does a terrific job of walking you through things. You can also find a lot of online resources and YouTube videos explaining the process. The problem that most people encounter at this point, however, it information overload.

That brings us to the second big decision you’ll need to make - whether to do it yourself, or hire someone with some experience to do it for you. This may sound like a difficult decision, but when you consider that your business - and your money - is on the line, the answer becomes very clear.

Consider this: if your total spends in a month is $10,000 and the cost of keeping a full time-team to take care of it is $2,000 and the outsourcing company only takes a fee plus 10% of the total spends ($1000), it will save you time as well as money to outsource.

But, if the costs are nearly equal, it might be advantageous for you to do it in-house because you will have more control and the experiments will run faster if you have a qualified individual or team to manage it and keep up with all the updates and strategies.

Experience is key

We recommend outsourcing for most small business-owners. This is especially true if they don't have any prior online advertising experience. While Google does make it simple to get started with AdWords, the complexity increases rather quickly.

They say ‘practice makes perfect,’ but if you have little or no experience with pay-per-click, you’re simply learning with your own money - and the end result is usually a poorly-optimized campaign that isn’t producing results.

Setting up your account is the most critical aspect, and this is the area where many mistakes occur that can derail your campaign and cause a lot of frustration. When we hear anyone say that pay-per-click doesn’t work, the first thing we ask is how they went about incorporating it into their marketing strategy. Chances are, some errors were made in the setup process and things deteriorated from there.

When looking for a consultant to outsource to, always try for industry specific specialists. For example, at Bloomerang, we specialize in retailing. However, we have found great success for other professionals.

Pay-per-click is simply instant gratification and return on investment. Once it is live, it’s working. I have so many people tell me they have a Google AdWords account and hardly feel the impact, but I also see people like myself who could not imaging a day without Google. I once had a client that wasn’t sure if AdWords were worth it, so just for kicks I asked if we could just turn it off for 20 minutes. He yelled, “turn it on - let’s never do that again!”

There is a lot more to Google AdWords than just making a bid and closing a sale. There are hundreds of different strategies you can combine to secure a transaction, or a reservation, or even an appointment. The more time you put in, the better your results will be from your efforts.

If you decide to outsourcing your marketing efforts, the single most important question you need to ask the person handling your Google AdWords is: What is your plan of action and when can I see it? This will guarantee their professionalism, put a schedule that can be monitored, and give you a written contract of sorts so if something goes wrong you can claim explanation or refund if needed.

Oh, and here is one more important piece of advice - use a local agency. Sure, there are many international online advertising agencies with impressive portfolios, but there is nothing better than to sit down and talk with the people directly responsible for your online success. You need to feel comfortable with someone you can trust who knows your local market. At Bloomerang, we make sure you speak to an account strategist who’s directly responsible for your results. We believe that our experience - along with our one-on-one direct relationships with our clients - is what gives you the ultimate advantage when it comes to online advertising.

If you would like to get started with Google AdWords, we're here to help! Our team of experienced agents will work with you - at any budget - to make sure you achieve the results you desire! If you're brand new to Google AdWords, or any other online marketing platforms, We'll be happy to talk with you at any time to explain how it works successfully. Just drop us a line below or call anytime at (941) 806-1911.

Optimize Your Website and Improve Your SEO With Location Pages

With over 63,000 Google searches taking place every second of every day, it’s no wonder why search engine optimization (SEO) techniques are being examined so closely by businesses vying for the few precious spots on the first page of search results. Showing up on the first page of Google can mean the difference between a thriving business and one that can barely struggle to find new customers.

When you consider that 75% of all Google searchers never even make it to the 2nd page of the search results, it becomes clear that your chances of someone finding you diminish rapidly if your site isn’t listed near the top. So how do you get to the top? With the help of SEO!

What is SEO, and how can it help my website?

In simple terms, search engine optimization means organizing your website and online content to rank high in the unpaid section (organic listings) on a search engine in order for it to appear as a top result for searches of a certain keyword. That sounds straightforward and simple enough until you try to figure out the algorithm that Google uses to determine your page rank.

Google is very vague when it comes to their search algorithm. There are over 200 determining factors they use to assign page rank and many of them are not made public, but one thing that many of them are looking for are consistency and accuracy, so that is a good place to start if you are looking to improve your Google ranking and your position in the search results.

What are some easy steps I can take to improve my rank?

SEO changes all the time so the rules are often ill-defined, but on is that “content is king,” and should be the first thing you focus on when trying to improve your SEO and your search results ranking. It’s important to remember, however, that Google algorithms look for quality over quantity, so your content needs to be clear and concise and also relevant to the goods and services featured on your website. After all, Google’s goal is delivering the best and most relevant results for every search.

One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to take inventory of your website and look at it through the eyes of potential customers. Is it easy to navigate and are you able to quickly find what you’re looking for? Is there assistance available for people who need it? Does it give visitors enough relevant information (your locations, hours, prices, reviews, testimonials, daily specials, etc.) to make an informed decision on whether or not to consider your business? These are all things you need to keep in mind when optimizing your website.

What else can I do to make it easier for potential customers to find me?

I used to own Beneva Flowers, which was located in Sarasota, Florida. It was the biggest shop in town, and we had an aggressive pay-per-click marketing strategy to make sure people saw Beneva on top when they thought of Flowers in Sarasota. But then I began to wonder what happened when people searched for flower delivery in one of the neighboring cities that also happened to be in our delivery area and I noticed that we weren’t always coming out on top in some of those other areas.

I felt that we were doing a big disservice to people who lived in those areas. We made deliveries there every day, but we weren’t promoting those areas very prominently on our website. The information was there if you knew where to look, but it wasn’t ranking as well as I expected.

From there I decided to enhance the information that was already on our website with unique pages dedicated to each city in our delivery area. That way when someone was searching for a flower shop to deliver to Bradenton (a neighboring city), Beneva’s Bradenton page was the first to appear.  

I added these pages to all the other floral websites we were managing, and they always preformed very well. Now we are offering the same opportunity for all of our clients who have websites through us or Teleflora. The new pages are similar to the one pictured above and contain relevant keywords to enhance your website and boost your Google ranking when people are searching for areas where you deliver. It also includes a Google map so people will know exactly where they’re searching.

We have already began creating pages for some of our clients and will be expanding the program in the coming weeks, but we need your help! In order for us to create a set of neighboring city pages exclusively for you, we need to gather a little information first. The process is simple, just click here and fill out a few short questions about your local areas along with any hospitals, care facilities or venues in your delivery area and the zip codes where you deliver. We’ll take it from there and begin building your pages and increasing your Google rank!

The bottom line is that search engine optimization is no longer optional because there are only so many coveted spots on the first page of results to go around. Your competitors are working hard to find ways to occupy those spots and they’ll take advantage of every opportunity they have to get there. These city pages won’t solve your SEO issues overnight, but they’re an effective place to start and we’re here to help! Give us a call today at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line below – let’s get started today!

FTD Files for Bankruptcy: What Does This Mean for the Floral Industry?

As many of you are aware, FTD Companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. While this news isn’t necessarily surprising considering some of FTD’s recent struggles, it has certainly created some concern in the floral industry since so many of us have relied on their wire service and products to help us run our businesses.

While this announcement isn’t good news for investors and likely signifies the end of FTD as a publicly traded company, it isn’t time for florists to panic just yet. FTD has stated that all customer deliveries will continue and said they have reached a tentative deal to sell their flower delivery business in North and South America to Nexus Capital. They also have offers on two of their subsidiaries: Personal Creations and Shari’s Berries; and are selling their International business to the Wonderful Co.  – the private company that also owns Teleflora.

This is a situation that I am keeping a close eye on and I will update you whenever new information is available. In the meantime, you can check out some of my thoughts on the FTD bankruptcy in the video below. Please feel free to call me or send me an email if you have questions or concerns that you’d like to discuss.

FTD filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week leading stock shares to drop about 75% of their value. While this may likely be the end of FTD Companies as a publicly traded company and bad news for investors, florists who rely on FTD for wire orders and service need not worry just yet.

Teleflora: A Business Partner Like No Other

By Art Conforti, founder

When I work with florists trying to grow their business, the first question I ask is, "what is your goal?" The next, "what is your plan to get there?" If they don't at least mention Teleflora in their response, I always know where to start.

For over 20 years now, Teleflora has rewarded and thanked florists for supporting the network with their orders. The orders sent through Teleflora help many florists prosper. You see in my opinion, no one is doing more to help local florists succeed than Teleflora to ensure this continues.

They offer every possible option for helping florists operate a business including point of sale equipment, signage for your shop, images to sell, credit card programs (which are better than almost any local bank), state-of-the-art tech websites, and dedicated support staff available to help any florist in need, at just about anytime.

What I applaud most about Teleflora is, they generate their own orders (which they do by marketing) and send them through their system. They secure the trust of the online shopper and completes the transaction with the help of a LOCAL RETAIL FLORIST who designs and delivers the order. They clearly appreciate the time and hard work their members put in to generate orders to send through the network and they make showcasing flower buyers a priority.

What if Teleflora was not out there doing this? I would bet the chances are far greater that FTD or 1-800-Flowers would get those orders. Why? Because they have the marketing dollars. The local retail florist has what they need to market locally, but unfortunately, not enough do. Teleflora even tries to help florists understand how to compete by offering programs to market local florists. But what really makes Teleflora stand out is the fact that they NEVER ship flowers in a box, it is always designed and delivered by a local florist. I personally appreciate this.

Teleflora supports any shop looking to grow their business. It's important florists remember one thing, Teleflora needs florists to be successful for Teleflora to be successful, and that's a great position for florists. So reach out and talk to your Teleflora representative, myself, or anyone you feel comfortable speaking with and make decisions that are best for you and your business. That is everyone's goal because if we do well, our support systems do well.

Did you know...

• Teleflora will make you a custom website just about any way you like? Just ask.

• You don't have to carry every image Teleflora offers. If you don't control your inventory, Teleflora can't either. You will end up with more options than you want. This is up to you.

• Teleflora is the ONLY wire service that offers after-hours service for YOUR customers. Answering services are not cheap. Teleflora continues to make them available to local flower shops at affordable prices. Shop around, I did. I was amazed. There are so many more values they bring to the table. I find when florists seem frustrated it is because they are not informed.

Last but not least, Teleflora handles order resolutions FAR GREATER than any credit card company does. If there is a problem, Teleflora is pretty fast, to the point, and fair. They see the big picture and want all their members happy.

Let's remain optimistic and enjoy the beauty of this industry. Our greatest strength, we can have a bouquet HAND-DELIVERED on the same day, anywhere in the USA! Let's not forget the power of what made us special to begin with. I am always available for you any time day or night. You can reach me at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line here.