lift-division

The Penguin 2.0: How Lift Division Prepared One of Columbia, MO’s Most Beloved Nightclubs for Their Return to the Downtown Scene

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 17:07:47 GMT

Through Website Creation & Professional Photography, Lift Division Made Sure The Penguin Piano Bar & Restaurant Had Their Proper Spotlight

For 16 years, The Penguin Piano Bar was the life of the party in downtown Columbia, famous for dueling piano shows and great deals on drinks. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the curtains closed and this nightlife hotspot had no choice but to shut down. That is until they announced their grand reopening for 2024 and asked Lift Division to help set the stage. Our talented team of content strategists, designers and photographers developed a dazzling website and delivered a stunning collection of professional photos for the new and improved Penguin Piano Bar & Restaurant !

Website design: creating a great first impression for readers on the web

The comeback of an iconic club deserves a beautiful website to match, and Lift Division delivered. From showcasing The Penguin’s brand new dinner menu to retelling the restaurant’s journey in Columbia, MO, this website was thoughtfully designed and written to draw people in, and build excitement for the grand reopening. Our attention to detail shines through from start to finish thanks to our engaging written content, beautiful photography, and cohesive design.

Photography: capturing The Penguin’s revival frame by frame

The Penguin Piano Bar & Restaurant’s return was more than a reopening – it was an entire reimagining and redesign! With a completely renovated bar, a bigger stage for performances, and the addition of restaurant service to both the name and business, there were plenty of photo opportunities to show off this fresh, new take on a local legend. Lift Division has an amazing team with ample experience in professional photography, so we took our best cameras, lighting, and styling equipment and got a first look at The Penguin 2.0. Now, the restaurant has a gorgeous set of high-quality photos to use for the website, on social media and other outlets to spread the word! Whether it’s highlighting their delicious dishes or getting a front-and-center view of the stage and chandelier, these photos perfectly embody the energy of The Penguin Piano Bar & Restaurant.

Transform Your Business With Lift Division’s Web Developers, Content Writers & Photographers in Columbia, MO

A new website and quality photography can skyrocket the success of a business or service on the web. The first step is finding a marketing team with the drive and determination to make your goals a reality! Lift Division’s digital marketing skills vary widely, whether it’s top-notch SEO writing or consistent social media management. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting a business anew or reviving your existing company’s website – our experts will take the time to collaborate with you and work towards your vision. To start making a change in your marketing endeavors, reach out to Lift Division today!

Finding Digital Synergy: How Lift Division Transformed Atterberry Auction & Realty Company’s Online Marketing Strategies

takeoff@liftdivision.com (Lift Division) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 21:46:21 GMT

When the Team at Atterberry Put Their Digital Marketing Efforts in Lift Division’s Hands, We Delivered Outstanding Results for This Local Auction Company

In the dynamic world of digital marketing, the collaboration between Atterberry Auction & Realty Company and Lift Division stands as a beacon of success. Atterberry Auction has been a trusted name in Mid-Missouri for over 50 years. Specializing in real estate, personal property auctions, and senior transitions, Atterberry Auction has built a reputation for excellence in facilitating seamless auction experiences for its clients.

The partnership between Atterberry Auction and Lift Division was forged with specific objectives in mind. The primary goals were to increase overall brand awareness, amplify the social media presence, effectively market online auctions, and drive significant traffic to the website to boost sales. Atterberry Auction needed a digital marketing agency that was not only capable of providing comprehensive services like website design, graphic design, social media management, and ad management but also one that could deeply understand and articulate the complexities of their business.

At the inception of this partnership, Atterberry Auction sought a transformative digital marketing strategy. They required an agency that could encapsulate their half-century legacy of trust and quality service in the digital realm. This is where Lift Division's expertise came into play, providing full-service marketing solutions tailored to the unique needs of Atterberry Auction.

We will explore how Lift Division's innovative strategies in email marketing, social media, review generation, and SEO achieved Atterberry Auction's objectives and set new standards in digital marketing excellence.

Inbox Influence: Crafting Click-Worthy Email Campaigns

The success of Atterberry Auction's email campaigns is highlighted by the innovative strategies implemented throughout 2023. Atterberry emails reached 933,287 people, achieving a 38% open rate and a 6% click rate. Key strategies included A/B testing to refine content, tailoring subject lines to enhance open rates, and delivering engaging information to increase click-through rates. Additionally, the emails were designed to complement a website user experience that was both interactive and streamlined, ensuring a seamless transition from email to web engagement. These combined efforts significantly contributed to the campaign's success. Need help with your social media presence? Get in touch with our team today.

Social Engagement: Amplifying Presence & Performance on Facebook

Lift Division's social media strategy for Atterberry Auction achieved substantial success. The paid social media efforts resulted in 7,633,586 impressions (a 22% increase) and 390,707 clicks on ads (an 11% increase). Organic social media activities led to a notable increase of 783 social followers. The strategic blend of A/B testing, custom video and photography, and diligent campaign optimization was pivotal.

Furthermore, the significance of maintaining a strong social media presence cannot be overstated. It serves as a vital tool for enhancing brand awareness and reaching potential customers, with organic social media playing a crucial role in building authentic engagement and community, while paid social media drives targeted outreach and conversions. This balanced approach ensured a dynamic and impactful social media presence for Atterberry Auction.

Reputation Mastery: Crafting a Stellar Online Persona With Google Reviews

Lift Division's review generation strategy for Atterberry Auction significantly improved their Google Business profile. The focus was obtaining high-quality, authentic testimonials representing the Atterberry brand and customer service excellence. This effort improved the average star rating from 4.5 to 4.8 in less than six months, showcasing the power of a positive online reputation.

A positive online reputation, especially through Google Reviews, is paramount in digital marketing. Reviews act as social proof, enhancing credibility and trust among potential customers. They are often the first point of interaction for many users and can significantly influence consumer decisions. A strong online reputation through positive reviews can lead to increased visibility in search results, higher conversion rates, and, ultimately, business growth. This demonstrates how strategic reputation management is critical to a successful digital marketing plan. Call Lift Division to learn how we can help your business with reputation management.

Visibility Velocity: SEO-Driven Web Traffic Triumphs

Lift Division's SEO campaign for Atterberry Auction has been marked by strategic advancements and tangible results. The creation of new service area pages specifically targeted cities in mid-Missouri, significantly expanding Atterberry's geographical online presence. On-page optimizations were strategically implemented to cast a wider net across the region. The addition of compelling content, including fresh blog posts and engaging videos, enriched the website's narrative and keyword reach. This comprehensive approach has solidified Atterberry's rankings for targeted keywords in the auction and realty sectors.

The measurable outcomes of these efforts are clear. The website's SEO-driven design and content yielded 928 leads, indicating high visitor engagement and conversion intent. Moreover, nearly 700 calls originated from the website, a robust indicator of effective call-to-action placement. The website's contact form was also utilized 200+ times, evidencing the site's user experience and ease of navigation. These successes highlight the critical role of SEO in driving qualified, organic traffic and strengthening a brand's digital footprint.

Digital Milestones: A Year of Excellence

Throughout the year, Lift Division and Atterberry Auction united their expertise to forge a digital marketing front that is both dynamic and data-driven. This partnership underscored the importance of a marketing team that not only comprehends the nuances of a business but aligns closely with its goals and aspirations.

The collaboration has set a benchmark for digital marketing success through targeted email campaigns, robust social media strategies, astute review management, and cutting-edge SEO tactics. As we reflect on the progress and milestones achieved, we invite businesses seeking similar transformations to contact Lift Division. Let's pioneer your path to digital excellence together.

2024: The Year Of The Google Business Profile

takeoff@liftdivision.com (Lift Division) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 21:02:28 GMT

How To Use Your Google Business Profile To Your Company’s Advantage

Name changes are fun, right? You can’t have Marilyn Monroe without Norma Jeane Mortenson. Prince simply became a symbol in the 90s. And don’t even get us started on Chris Gaines, IYKYK. Name changes happen all the time, and Google Business Profile is no exception. Over the years, Google has changed, renamed, and updated its online profile, which is utilized by businesses multiple times.

Let’s play a game! Can you spot the fake Google profile name?

A) Google+

B) GoogleMyBusiness

C) GooglyBearProfile

D) Google Places

If you guessed ‘C,’ shock of the century, you’re right! Yes, Google Business Profile has been through multiple rebranding efforts. With the switch from GoogleMyBusiness to Google Business Profile, Google has officially done it again. Despite all the changes, Google Business Profile (the profile formerly known as, Google+, GooglePlaces and GoogleMyBusiness) remains one of the most effective SEO tools for businesses. However, mistakes are easily made when setting up or editing a profile and can be very difficult to resolve. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the top errors made when establishing a Google Business Profile. Need help with your profile? Contact the team at Lift Division today.

Top Five Mistakes When Setting Up A Google Business Profile

Mistake #1: Using A Bad Email
Who owns your Google Business Profile? Seriously, who owns it? You're in the right place if you don’t know the answer. When setting up a Google Business Profile, business owners often have no idea who owns the profile. This can become a huge headache for you down the road. Why? You need the profile owner’s email address and login credentials to access your profile. But why do you need to access your profile? Great question. Your Google Business Profile is how you respond to Google reviews, edit your business hours, add photos, add valuable links (like your website) and more. Additionally, your Google Business Profile plays a role in map rankings and SERP results. You likely don't have access if you don’t know who owns your GBP profile.

Mistake #2: Not Verifying Your Profile
Leaving a profile unverified is telling Google, ‘Hey! Look at me! I’m untrustworthy!’. The verification process has gotten progressively harder over the years. Google used to require a postcard, then it went to calling the business with a verification code, and now it requires a video conference. While it’s not the easiest process in the world, verification is vital to your business’ digital marketing success.

Mistake #3: Zero Optimization for SERP
If you have access to your Google Business Profile and it’s verified, but you’re still asking yourself why your profile is absent from search results, we have the answer. Your profile isn’t optimized. There are a lot of steps to properly optimizing your Google Business Profile; without executing the requirements, your profile is doing nothing for your business.

Mistake #4: Let’s Make A New Profile
Often, when a business owner cannot access their Google Business Profile, this idea creeps in… ’What if I just create another profile?’. If this happens to you, please hear us: No. Please, don’t. Here’s a question-and-answer exercise to do with yourself before creating a Google Business Profile.

Question: My business has relocated, should I create a new Google Business Profile to show the new address?

Answer: No.

Question: Someone else owns my Google Business Profile, should I create a new Google Business Profile that I own?

Answer: No.

Question: I can’t figure out how to edit my profile, should I just create a new Google Business Profile?

Answer: No.

While it’s not easy, it’s always best to go through the proper channels Google has established to gain access, update locations and verify an existing profile.

Mistake #5: Lack of Posts
Your business’ Google Business Profile needs posts, just like any other profile. WARNING: This does not mean you can duplicate posts across your profiles. However, you should be posting regularly.

Notable Mention: Not Having A Website
Last but not least, we believe Google will make another big change to Google Business Profile in March 2024. If you have been using Google Business Profile’s platform to manage your website, Google will redirect the site to your profile. This is for all websites ending in business.site and negocio.site. Just a heads up!

Looking for Tips For Using Your Google Business Profile in 2024?

Optimization and proper execution are more important than ever regarding Google Business Profile. Optimization can be accomplished easily by ensuring your profile is verified, your business’ information is complete, you’re regularly posting and updating your profile and you're replying to reviews.

If you’re setting up a Google Business Profile and feel lost, you’re not alone. Call the team at Lift Division. We’re ready to solve your Google Business Profile problem and utilize its tools for your business’ success.

2024 & The Future of SEO

takeoff@liftdivision.com (Lift Division) — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 22:07:12 GMT

What does AI mean for Local Search Algorithms & How Am I Supposed To Prepare My Business?

If the hint of artificial intelligence causes anxiety, you’re not alone.

Your response is understandable. We’ve been warned ( and warned and warned! ) about artificial intelligence and its impact on our lives. However, the recent introduction of AI tools, like ChatGPT, is beneficial for local SEO. While AI may be getting all the publicity right now, it is not the only SEO trend for 2024. So, what are the top SEO trends for local businesses in 2024? Check out this important message from your friend in the SEO business…

It’s here, folks. Artificial Intelligence has made its way to SEO. Don’t panic.

The rise of ChatGPT has caused Google to work on introducing a more user-centric and ethical approach to search. Google is working on creating an AI-powered search experience, Search Generative Experience (SGE). While SGE is only available in some locations, its goal is to improve user interaction by providing concise answers to a user’s search query. While it’s not ChatGPT, it is AI-powered. Results will include relevant links, underlying sources and additional prompts.

With AI being the most influential trend in SEO right now, you must ask yourself, ‘How do I manage all of the changes in digital marketing, plus manage my business?’ That is what you’re asking yourself, right?

While AI is here, it’s still evolving and is far from perfect. At Lift Division, our goal is to have a plan on how to manage new trends and anticipate the ripple effects. So, how can you prepare your business for new SEO trends in 2024? We’re glad you asked.

SEO Trends for 2024 & How To Prepare

Trend 1: Create Quality Content
We’ve been saying it for years, but it’s still true - content is king. To maintain, improve or grow your digital footprint in 2024, you must focus on content. Now, wait a minute, isn’t producing content quickly the whole point of tools like ChatGPT? Yes…and no. While AI content generators, like ChatGPT, will increase in number and quickly evolve, Google’s algorithms keep up and monitor copy with a heavier focus. Google prioritizes experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness in content production. This will push content creators to be ethical in their content production and improve quality.

Trend 2: Prepare Your Most Valuable Employee, Your Website
In your content creation, establishing your business as the authority will require thoughtful, comprehensive and high-quality content. However, perfect content can’t perform on a sinking ship. Your website’s Core Web Vitals is a significant influence on search engine ranking factors. Google’s consistently prioritized user experience and website performance remain one of the most influential factors.

Trend 3: Back to Basics, What People Say About You Does Matter

Beyond content and website vitals, it’s safe to say reviews will continue to be an unstoppable influence regarding local SEO in 2024. Your business’ online reputation has never been more important. Growing your presence with online reviews will continue to establish authority with Google and build trust. Can we give you some unsolicited advice? Don’t wait until it's too late. Start a review generation campaign now.

Ready to stay ahead of SEO trends?

While these are the trends for 2024, we expect the digital marketing landscape to constantly evolve. Rules change. Expectations will shift. It’s the nature of digital marketing to never stay the same. However, as a business owner, we understand your priority is running your business. When you’re ready to stay ahead of SEO trends, contact the Lift Division team. We have comprehensive, effective and proven strategies to improve and grow your digital marketing presence and establish your business as a local authority.

Google Local Service Ads: What Are They & Are They Worth It?

takeoff@liftdivision.com (Lift Division) — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:43:51 GMT

How Pay-Per-Lead May Help Your Local Business Reach New Customers

Ads, ads and more ads. When exploring the world of digital marketing, one of the first questions business owners are asked is, ‘ Have you thought about running Google ads? ’ To be honest, it’s a fair question. When boosting your digital marketing presence, nothing is more effective than running ads across Google’s multiple channels. However, one of the most interesting advances Google has made in the last three years is the release of Google Local Service ads.

Local Service Ads completely differ from any other option Google currently offers in the ads space. Here are some of the top features of LSAs:

Premier Real Estate: Local Service ads are placed high - way high - in Google SERP. They are so high they are the first thing a user will see. Yes, LSAs are placed above Google PPC ads, Google Maps and Google organic search results. Local Service Ads are placed in the number one spot.

You Pay For The Lead, Not The Click: Besides offering super-star positioning in SERP results, Google only charges you for the lead, not the click. In traditional Google ads, a business is typically charged for clicks, which don’t necessarily convert into leads. Hence the name, PPC (pay-per-click). For Local Service Ads, you're only charged if the user books, messages or calls your business through the ad.

How can a business run Local Service Ads?

Full disclosure: Local Service Ads setup is significantly more tedious than setting up an AdWords account. Why? It comes down to the very difference between the two platforms.

With Local Service Ads, Google verifies a ‘Screened’ or ‘Guaranteed’ client. As a company, Google either endorses a local business or vets the business’ ability to complete the requested work. Therefore, becoming a Google Guaranteed or Google Screened company is much more tedious and regulated than a typical AdWords setup.

When becoming a Google Guaranteed or Google Screened business, a company is required to jump through several hoops. You’ll be required to submit proper licensing, a background check and other necessary documents. Additionally, your Google Business Profile will be checked for reviews to ensure you’re a trustworthy business. Which leads us to an…

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you heard Lift Division say it once, you’ve heard us say it a million times – Google Business Profile reviews are not only important for a quality digital marketing campaign, they are necessary. Fun fact: When running Local Service Ads, Google automatically generates your ads and determines their ranking by a business’ review rating, response rate and proximity to the searcher’s location. For a local business, review rating and response rate are key to the success of your Local Service Ads.

Cool! So, what’s the difference between Google Guaranteed and Google Screened?

This question is easy.

Google Guaranteed: The Google Guaranteed badge will appear in Local Service Ads for home service providers. It’s really that simple. The Google Guaranteed badge shows potential clients or customers Google has vetted your business. Google “guarantees” the quality of your business.

Google Screened: Google Screened is more of an endorsement. Google places a badge next to professional services and businesses once they have passed license checks. Google “screens” your business’ qualifications.

Both Google Screened and Google Guaranteed ads are placed above all search results. So, these ads are the first things users see after completing a search. This is excellent, prime, perfect positioning when recruiting new business digitally. While Google LSAs shouldn’t completely replace PPC ads or organic listings, they can reach customers earlier in the funnel.

How do I know if my local business qualifies for Google Local Service ads?

While Local Service Ads are a fantastic way to reach customers, the service isn’t available to every business. However, we would love to talk to you and see if we can get your business a Screened or Guaranteed badge. Give us a call!

How Can Videography Improve the Quality of My Website on Google?

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:14:21 GMT

Video Marketing Can Make a Big Difference in Your Website’s SEO Value

Does your website have unique written content and gorgeous design, but still wondering how you can improve it even further? Video content marketing can take your mid-Missouri business to the next level for your website’s ranking on the Google algorithm and the engagement of Internet users. Whether it’s an informational piece, product videography, or a YouTube video promotion, here’s how adding videography to your marketing strategy makes a difference in authority and SEO value.

Website videos generate traffic to your mid-Missouri business site

Adding video content marketing to your website and social media can work wonders. Google loves engaging and relevant content when deciding the ranking of search engine results. If Google sees your business website providing a diverse mix of mediums, such as text, photography, and videography, you can rank much higher than you would with just text. It’s not only attractive to Google but your customers as well! Videos generate traffic by enticing people to stay on your site longer. Just look at this gorgeous video for Chicken Salad Chick in Columbia, MO, by Lift Division. Internet users seeing this array of chicken salads on their social media and the web will have an image in their mind the next time they’re wondering where to go for lunch.

Product videography gives your audience a better idea of what you’re selling

When it comes to learning about a new product or service, Internet users are highly visual. 69% of people prefer video format over text when learning about a certain product. For example, take this animated video Lift Division created for GenSpring Power, Inc., a generator shop in Jasper, GA. This website video explains how their hybrid energy storage systems function to keep power running during a storm. With colorful animations and simple product presentation, audience members are likelier to call GenSpring Power, Inc. the next time they need a generator installed in their Georgia home.

Call Lift Division Today for Video Production & Other SEO Services for Your Mid-Missouri Business

Are you looking to upgrade the quality of your mid-Missouri business website? Lift Division offers marketing services to clients through data and digital expertise. We make videos in several diverse categories for your business, such as:

Brand & Company Videos
Social Media Videos
Animated & Explanation Videos
Product Videos

This type of promotional strategy takes years of practice and expertise. Luckily, we have it! Our videography skills include, but are not limited to:

Video Styling
Set Development & Building
Scripts & Shot Lists
Creative Direction
Video Editing & Production

Video marketing is just one of many assets we can provide to your local business. If you want to improve your website, contact Lift Division today.

Case Study: How Lift Division’s SEO & Web Design Took a Local Commercial Contractor to New Heights

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 15:13:24 GMT

Professional Contractors & Engineers Wanted to Increase Their Web Traffic & Generate Stronger Leads. Learn How Their Investment in SEO Transformed Their Business

Prioritizing SEO Strategies & Investing in Quality Web Development Helped to Bring PCE’s Google Search Results Rankings Through the Roof

Professional Contractors & Engineers (PCE) has been one of the most trusted commercial contractors in the mid-Missouri community for decades. However, their online search rankings did not reflect the impact they were making in the community. With the help of Lift Division’s SEO and web development teams, PCE quickly became one of the top ranking commercial construction companies for the Columbia, MO area. Learn how Lift Division utilized strategic SEO research, content writing, and web design to bring PCE to the top of Google’s search results in just a few short months.

The Challenge: Increase search engine results for a long-standing business in Columbia, MO

Since 1989, PCE has been a leader in commercial construction to the mid-Missouri region. With experience building for many different industries, an array of services related to business construction and design, and a legacy of building mid-Missouri landmarks, they have the credentials to be one of the area’s top commercial contractors — but Google didn’t know that.

PCE needed a change. They were looking for a solution to rank higher on the SERP (search engine results page), rebrand their online identity, and attract more online users to their website in order to generate new leads. The Lift Division team to created a blueprint for success.

The Result: Working with Lift Division’s SEO & web design specialists in Columbia, MO flew PCE to the top of SERP rankings

At Lift Division, our priority is the success of the businesses we support. With PCE’s goals in mind, we put our SEO experts, content writers, and web developers to work. The results? One month after launching their new website, which incorporated the best SEO and web development practices, PCE was ranking #1 for keywords where they hadn’t even placed in the top 100 before. Just take a look at their rankings before working with Lift Division, a month after working with us, and their most recent rankings as they’ve kept their ongoing SEO efforts with us:

This is a dramatic improvement in Google rankings, but the power of ongoing SEO and quality web design is real. These rankings didn’t just magically appear — they are the direct impact of having a reputable marketing company like Lift Division by your side.

How did Lift Division take PCE’s mid-Missouri business to the #1 spot on Google?

Lift Division developed a modern new logo for the Columbia, MO’s PCE

Prior to the new website design, Lift Division created a new logo, branding and identity standards for PCE. This included logo lockups for different media use, truck wraps, signage and more. The goal was to elevate the existing PCE brand and showcase the history, character and legacy of PCE with a modern, refreshed approach.

Website content written with SEO in mind can do more than enhance your website traffic – it can convert traffic to leads, & leads to customers

Completely revamping the content on a large and well-established website like PCE’s was an enormous undertaking, but Lift Division was prepared for the job. Our SEO experts began with thorough research into the local commercial construction market, examining competitors’ websites and reviewing the most popular and valuable keywords we had to work with. We weren’t just writing to please search engines, though. Lift Division also considers the value a website’s content will bring to its human readers. When it comes to online content, it should be informative, interesting, and helpful to the reader.

Just take a look at PCE’s Commercial Construction page for example. While the original page was simple and easy to read, there wasn’t much SEO value. On the new and improved page, there is more information about the company’s location, who they serve, and what they do for the mid-Missouri community. This style of writing is just one of the many skills Lift Division can bring to a business in need of real and lasting results.

Individually, enhancing your content with SEO driven-strategy and improving website speeds through professional web development can create a great impact for your business. However, when you pair the two together, you will discover just how incredible your website can be.

PCE wanted to increase their social media presence & activity. Lift Division was more than happy to provide strategy-focused social media content creation

Social media is an ever-changing game for businesses and professional content creators. With changing algorithms and a wide variety of audiences, it can be tricky to target the right group of people. That is where Lift Division steps in. Our social media tools allow us to understand exactly how your existing audience is engaging while staying up to date on the best practices for attracting new viewers. PCE’s goal was to attract more business relationships via their social media platforms, and Lift Division was happy to help.

We developed a strategy focused on attracting business owners and property managers in mid-Missouri to PCE through informative, engaging, and personal content which highlights PCE’s talents and team. Check out their Facebook page to see more! Oh, and don’t forget to give PCE a follow .

Don’t Overlook the Importance of SEO & Web Design for Your Business’ Marketing Efforts. Learn More About Lift Division’s Process by Contacting Us Today.

Through clever strategy, elegant graphic design, and a knack for clear, concise content, a business like PCE can dominate on any search engine and stand out to customers in need of their service. Lift Division can provide ongoing SEO marketing and design to help you kick off your new or current business for the better. Reach out to our dedicated team and learn about the solutions we can offer you.

The Advantages of Hiring an Experienced Digital Marketing Agency for Your Company’s Digital Marketing Needs

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:44:40 GMT

If You Want to Improve Your Digital Marketing Efforts, Work With a Digital Marketing Company That Specializes in Growing & Maintaining Your Online Presence

Do you need to catch up to your competitors in the digital sphere? Are you ready to increase leads and conversions on your website? It may be time to contact a digital marketing agency. A digital marketing agency isn’t your typical advertising company. Instead of putting up billboards or taking out newspaper or radio ads, a digital marketing agency represents your business online, which is essential and relevant to the modern consumer. From Google to Facebook and everywhere in between, a skilled digital marketing agency can enhance brand awareness, improve your digital footprint, and generate new leads and conversions for your business.

Still trying to figure out where to start? Read on to learn the value of working with a qualified digital marketing company and how this expertise can transform your business.

Why should I outsource my digital marketing when I could do it in-house?

Choosing a digital marketing agency will save you time & energy while your business grows

Running a business, big or small, is a lot of work. You are always on the grind, and sometimes it feels like you don’t have enough hours in the day. If you want to grow your business without adding additional responsibilities, working with an experienced digital marketing agency is the way to go. Not only will your dedicated digital marketing team take on the responsibility of growing your online presence, increasing leads, and enhancing brand awareness, but they will also deliver easy-to-navigate reports that make tracking progress simple. Professional marketers know how to measure results so you aren’t navigating your digital platforms blindly. Your time is valuable. Let a digital marketing agency handle your online marketing so you can focus on your team and customer experience.

Outsourcing your digital marketing can save money & resources

Paying someone else to do your digital marketing may not be a cost you are ready to take on. However, it is important to consider just how valuable your time is. If you’d like to try handling your own digital marketing, it can take hours and hours of research just to learn how to manage a digital marketing campaign. You’ll also spend a lot of time setting up your campaigns, monitoring their progress, and reviewing results. This is a full-time job on top of your current job! For those who choose to hire a digital marketing expert in-house, you also face the additional costs of paying a new employee (taxes, benefits, and all) and bringing them up to speed about your company. That new employee will also need access to software, tools and resources that will cost money!

Working with a digital marketing agency means only paying for their services — no additional employee costs, software licensing, or long hours spent on training and education. A well-rounded and established digital marketing agency will have all this expertise and more, ready to work hard for you.

One wrong move could result in your business being banned from a digital marketing platform

Digital marketing is an ever-changing game with dangerous consequences if you don’t know how to play by the rules. For example, if you put the wrong language in a Facebook or Google ad, you could be permanently banned from sharing digital ads or from the platform completely. When your business is at stake, this is not a risk you should be ready to take. Instead, source work like this to a digital marketing agency. Not only will your digital marketing agency know precisely how to follow the rules of these vast and essential platforms, but they will also stay ahead of the curve, adopting new best practices and staying informed about any changes to digital marketing rules and regulations.

Choose a digital marketing agency that can support your business with an experienced team

When it comes to digital marketing success, experience matters. Your digital marketing agency should be able to share proven results and expertise in their field and also be able to back you up with a reliable team of content creators, SEO and SEM experts (that’s Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing), and web developers who can support your digital marketing efforts with ease. This is an extensive set of requirements, and it’s unlikely one freelance marketer can cover all the bases. Choosing a digital marketing agency is the smart decision for preoccupied business owners who want the best for their company.

Why is a digital marketing agency better than a traditional marketing company or advertising agency for my business?

Only a marketing agency that specializes in the digital marketing space can help you grow your business's online presence

When you hire a new employee, you want an expert with experience to help your business succeed. If you are considering a few options for your local digital marketing efforts, choose the agency with the most experienced and significant expertise. This will require some research, but don’t worry! You can feel confident with your preferred digital marketing agency by asking the right questions and doing due diligence.

How To Research A Marketing Agency

If a company has a lot of good reviews, but they are not specific about the services provided or feel fake, they may have paid for reviews. Look for a digital marketing agency that has good, authentic reviews. Contact other business owners who use their services to see what they think.
Ask the agency for a case study or examples of their work with clients in a similar industry. If they can’t produce results, it’s time to move on.
Ask the agency about their experience working on digital marketing efforts similar to yours. Do they understand how to get results for pay-per-click marketing (also known as PPC)? Do they manage Facebook ads? Do they write their SEO content or outsource to content farms?

Asking these questions ahead of time will help you to better understand what a digital marketing company is capable of, how they interact with clients, and how they can best serve you.

Look for a marketing agency that scales with your growing business

If you are starting your digital marketing journey, you may face sticker shock and become overwhelmed by the possibilities of digital marketing. So much can be done, including SEO optimization, ongoing SEO strategy development, PPC marketing, social media management, reputation management, and so much more. Depending on your current needs, you may only need a few services. An excellent digital marketing agency won’t pressure you into buying a more extensive package if you are not ready for that step. Instead, they will audit your company, assess areas for improvement, and propose digital marketing options that meet your budget. As your digital marketing campaign grows, your agency will be ready to grow with you. Have your leads increased but not conversions? It’s time to focus on turning potential customers into actual customers. Is your website beginning to rank higher in search results, but you’d like to see more? Consider starting or increasing your PPC campaign to build impressions and increase leads. Wherever you are in your business development, your digital marketing agency should be with you, ready to grow, shift, and enhance your digital presence.

The best marketing companies prioritize ongoing education & development

Advertising has changed a lot in the last two decades. Radio ads and billboards just won’t cut it if you want to be competitive in today’s market. A strong digital presence is required for any new or well-established business. Google and social media platforms are constantly changing their standards, requiring full-time dedication to keep up. With so much change happening frequently, it’s important to work with a digital marketing agency that prioritizes its ongoing internal education and training. Not only does this help the team working on your digital marketing efforts to remain nimble and well-educated about their services, but it also benefits you to be on the cutting edge of changes and regulations in the digital advertising world. Stay ahead of your competition with help from a digital marketing agency!

How to choose the RIGHT digital marketing agency for your business

The best digital marketing agency is the one that works with your budget and needs. They won’t pressure you to buy a product you aren’t comfortable with, they can show proven results, and they don’t overpromise or underdeliver. Agencies that promise instant results, especially regarding online search, will always disappoint. However, obtaining long-term, measurable results is possible with an experienced, knowledgeable digital marketing agency. As a business owner, you know quality work takes time and attention to detail, so why choose fast results that could negatively affect your online presence over proven methods and true success?

When you are ready to hire a digital marketing agency in the Columbia, MO area, choose the experts at Lift Division

If your business is local, your digital marketing agency should also be local. At Lift Division, our team knows the mid-Missouri area almost as well as we know online marketing. We’ve been helping good businesses grow in the region (and outside) for more than ten years, and we would love the opportunity to show you exactly how we can enhance your digital marketing efforts. Our digital marketing team works hard to ensure you see the fruits of our labor in every aspect of your business growth. From lead generation and search result improvements to social media management and web development, the experts at Lift Division can bring results and help your business flourish.

Why work with Lift Division in Columbia, MO?

A local company in business for 10+ years
A local team who can work with you
Decades of experience in web strategy
Ongoing development & education
Responsive representatives
Packages for every budget
Proven results

Contact Lift Division in Columbia, MO to Be Your Digital Marketing Company!

Grow your business with Lift Division today! We are mid-Missouri’s premier digital marketing agency and would be proud to partner with you. Our clients are our #1 priority, and we work hard to bring you the long-term results you need to succeed. Contact our team to learn how Lift Division can enhance your digital marketing efforts today.

Why Hire An Experienced Marketing Agency vs. a Freelancer?

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 17:00:56 GMT

Achieve Results for Your Business by Working With a Savvy & Knowledgeable Marketing Agency

Want to put your business out there in the digital universe? Every company has to start somewhere, whether that means creating your first website or optimizing the website you already have. When trying to rank on Google, it takes a team who can collaborate and make the defining decisions that move your business forward. Although we’re seeing a rise in freelance marketers, or self-employed individuals who take on the role of promoting a business, the value of an agency is still unmatched in an ever-changing digital environment.

Why Choose an Agency Over a Marketing Freelancer?

Lift Division offers a team of experienced SEO & digital marketing experts to take your website to the next level

It takes a village to make sure all areas of your business’ marketing strategy are strong and performing well. As a result, it takes a village to operate within the marketing system. Lift Division has a team of devoted experts in several practices, including SEO, website content, paid media, graphic design, photography and social media. Everyone on our team has their specialty area, and with a marketing agency by your side, you’re ensuring all the different aspects of your brand are working towards improvement at their absolute highest effort.

While freelancers have their own talents and merits, it is almost impossible to find one person who is an expert in all marketing fields and can manage your ongoing business needs. If you work with a freelancer for one service, you may have to hire another to complete additional work. Don’t get stuck making multiple contract hires when Lift Division can cover all your digital marketing needs.

See the proof of our marketing efforts in the positive feedback from our clients

“Atterberry Auction & Realty Company has utilized Lift Division as our digital marketing agency for nearly three years. We had purchased the business the year before and had an in-house employee managing our marketing efforts. As a company, we knew that to grow the business; we would need to find the best marketing agency in Columbia, MO, to handle our digital marketing needs.

After analyzing, reviewing and speaking with the top digital marketing agencies in mid-Missouri, we knew we could trust Lift Division to help us grow our digital presence and marketing initiatives. Other people in the auction industry were skeptical that an agency could provide as much insight, expertise and productivity as an in-house team. But, after one month with Denise, Sarah, Kelsey, Molly and the rest of the Lift Division team – we knew we had made an excellent decision.

Lift Division not only created a new, modern website for Atterberry Auction & Realty Company, but they also manage our email campaigns, social media communities, digital ad campaigns, SEO, photography, videography and more. In addition, they oversee all aspects of our marketing efforts and ensure that each piece is streamlined and set up for success. We have seen dramatic increases in website traffic, continuous positive feedback from our website visitors and a significant increase in our social media presence and company brand awareness. In addition, our Google rankings have improved beyond our wildest expectations.

I would recommend Lift Division to anyone needing a strong marketing agency that offers comprehensive digital marketing solutions. The Lift Division team works hard to help your business grow as if it were its own.” – Tim Atterberry, Co-Owner of Atterberry Auction & Realty Company

“Lift Division not only designs, develops and maintains our website but they also offer incredible photography. With our latest website, they ensured that our website was fast and optimized for desktop and mobile devices and easy for us to update our menu. The Lift Division team is always friendly, quick to respond to our emails and phone calls and offers great digital marketing insight.” – Dustin Norem, Owner at CC’s City Broiler

“Lift Division helped build our website when LogBoat was first founded. They have been one of the highest regarded digital marketing agencies in Columbia and mid-Missouri for a very long time. The Lift Division team is top notch and great at what they do.” – Tyson Hunt, Owner at LogBoat

Get outstanding digital marketing services & support from the beginning with Lift Division

The traditional marketing model is no more, which means there is more work to be done after the initial sale. It is crucial in today’s business strategy to always be communicating, whether it’s between your company and your audience, or between you and your marketing team. A freelancer may not have all the assets and resources to keep up with your digital image long term. This is where an agency like Lift Division comes in. We’ve developed a tried-and-true method to help your business not only maintain its status, but to continuously elevate it. We are committed to our client’s success and will be there for you every step of the way.

Lift Division has the digital marketing background to provide for your business, consistently & continuously

Our marketing agency has been serving clients for 13 years, and we’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Since 2010, Lift Division has helped thousands of businesses achieve their marketing goals and grow their business by staying laser-focused and ahead of the marketing curve. We’re still going strong because we always have a group of hardworking communicators in our circle, we keep in touch with clients, and we have learned to be proactive toward the evolving needs of the marketing industry.

Elevate Your Company by Working With Lift Division, an Agency Trained in All Aspects of SEO, Graphic Design, Web Building, & More

Start seeing results for your business by getting in touch with Lift Division. Working for mid-Missouri businesses and national startups alike, we offer flexible marketing packages and our team is more than capable of executing the best possible strategy for your company. Assess your marketing needs and reach out to us today!

How Transforming Your Site Can Lift Your Business

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 15:47:57 GMT

At Lift Division, our goal is to improve your website’s overall appearance and functionality. Our first step is to meet with our clients one-on-one to ensure the website we create accurately represents your brand and reflects the company entirely. Then, we create an Inflight Menu–a guidance tool which incorporates the design ideas we think would work best for your brand. When creating the Inflight menu, we keep your branding guidelines and overall goals for the website in mind. From there, you pick and choose the elements you prefer to be implemented in your site. After you review and approve your final Inflight Menu, we begin developing your website.

In this day and age, a majority of people are searching and viewing websites on their mobile devices. According to Stastica , in April 2018, Google accounted for 93.5 percent of the mobile search market in the United States. Overall, 56.6 percent of websites are viewed online, this indicates over half of your webpage searches will be on a mobile device. We strive to give your website the best possible functionality for your users–which is why we prioritize optimizing your new and improved site for both computer and mobile platforms.

Below are some examples of websites we have redesigned so you can get a better idea of what exactly it is we do here at Lift Division. In these before-and-after screenshots, the improvements are not only physically apparent, but are also much more complex and strategic. We set your site up for SEO success by ensuring the current best practices for SEO and web development are implemented on your site.

Clean Air Columbia

Before: The layout of the Clean Air Columbia webpage was clunky, boxy and dark. This design did not represent the company’s services, making it difficult for the user to get a feeling for what the company does right away (which is essential). The old webpage also appeared to be uninviting and outdated.

After: Clean Air Columbia’s new and improved website focuses on freshness, lightness and brightness, evoking a sense of having fresh/clean air within the site design. The new site accurately represents the company’s services while keeping the appearance aesthetically pleasing. Lift Division created an improved, user-friendly experience by implementing easy-to-use navigation tools with a crisp and clean look. This website allows users to receive the experience Clean Air Columbia offers to their clients–professional, high quality and optimum air duct cleaning services.

Argosy Console

Before: Due to poor formatting, users who visited Argosy’s old website could not clearly see the company’s brand name–an pivotal part of a site’s home page. The site’s organization was also confusing and not intuitive for the user, which put it at risk of having a high bounce rate . A good website is one that is simple enough that it’s easy to use, but is also interesting enough to keep the user engaged.

After: When redesigning Argosy’s new website , the web developers at Lift Division wanted to convey a professional, clean design that is still fun to use. Argosy is a company which makes “technical furniture” for DJs, recording artists, and more. The web developers at Lift Division believed Argosy needed a high-tech yet simplistic design, showcasing their extensive products while providing easy navigation. Now, users have a clear picture of what the company does and are able to easily find information about the products they may be interested in.

M&W Hauling

Before: M&W Hauling’s old website was not optimized for mobile use. As mentioned earlier, mobile optimization is very important when it comes to website development and quality functionality. Aside from the incompatibility with a mobile platform, M&W Hauling’s website was confusing, unclear and boring to look at and interact with.

After: Lift Division rebuilt and redesigned M&W Hauling's website for both computer and mobile platforms, keeping efficiency in mind. The custom-written content improved search engine optimization (SEO) rankings (which include title tags, alt text, meta descriptions, Htags, keywords etc.). By improving M&W Hauling’s website design, mobile platform, logo and SEO, the company now provides an accurate and aesthetically pleasing representation of how this waste hauling company operates their business.

There is more to a website redesign than a change in layout and design components; we take all SEO best practices into consideration so that your new and improved site is fully optimized for success. Let us help you “Lift” your business today!

What Can Quality Photography Do For My Business Site?

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 16:06:46 GMT

Give Your Website a Makeover & Rank Higher on Google With Photography & Marketing

When creating a website for your business, photos are an absolute must. Visuals are essential to your consumers, and Google is more likely to present your business if it meets the credentials for quality content. Additionally, it’s crucial for any company to have photos unique to your business and not just stock photos pulled from the Internet. These are just a few benefits of developing a photography marketing strategy for your mid-Missouri business site.

Give your audience a visualization of your mid-Missouri business with product photography marketing

Seeing is believing, especially regarding the quality of your website. Visuals are supplemental to your business site, no matter your industry. Photos help your viewers better understand the services and products you can provide them, bringing you one step closer to receiving a call or making another sale. For example, this beautiful photoshoot highlights the food Chicken Salad Chick can cater for a special occasion. If people see this colorful arrangement on the website, they might consider contacting Chicken Salad Chick the next time they need catering.

Skillful alt text adds SEO value to the photos on your website

Alt text is the written copy used to describe an image on the web. It helps Google understand what the image is and assists Internet users who are visually impaired. For example, including informational alt text on your mid-Missouri business site raises your chances of being discovered on the search engines results page (SERP). Take this photo below, for example. If someone searched for “catfish near me,” and the image below for Old Neighborhood Cafe included the word “catfish” in its alt text, Google will be more likely to place this restaurant’s website higher on the results page.

Photography brings more people to your business site in mid-Missouri

Social media and Google are incredibly valuable for attracting users to your website. Adding images and creating consistent visibility to your target audience will increase traffic to your business. People enjoy well-written content but will be further intrigued to visit your website or social media page if the writing is accompanied by quality photography and graphics. For example, look at this tasty plate of salmon from our photoshoot with Glenn’s Cafe. When users see this photo on the web and their Instagram page, they will want to learn more about the restaurant’s menu and see what else is in store from Glenn’s Cafe.

Give your website content variety & approachability by adding photos in between

The saying is true: “One picture is worth a thousand words.” Photography can bring the most ordinary things to life and tell a story. Therefore, a photography marketing strategy is perfect if you want to give your company a more humanistic, people-centered approach.

For example, Kemna Collision Repair, Inc is a local Jefferson City, MO, auto body repair shop. You could include photos of cars and car collisions, which would make sense in relation to the company. However, we can add variety and hospitality to the website by including pictures of the team and showing the moments that differentiate Kemna Collision Repair, Inc from other repair shops. Users appreciate the authenticity and genuine relationships a service can provide them. Putting a face to the business through photography and making the website personable can make all the difference.

Need the Picture Perfect Shot for Your Home Page? Call Lift Division for Website Photography Services

Lift Division has a team of savvy photographers, web designers, and strategists who will stop at nothing until your website has the perfect mix of written content and photography. We also offer superior graphic design services to make your website look better. We discuss the goals our client wants to achieve, provide creative direction, provide photography and photo retouching services and offer multiple photography packages to meet your business needs.

We can even help with branding redesign for elements like logos and website graphics. Call Lift Division today and get started on the website makeover you’ve been searching for!

Lift Division Promotes Sarah Carnes to Chief Operating Officer!

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 16:46:39 GMT

Lift Division has a long-standing tradition of recruiting quality talent. As a company, our biggest criteria for hiring a new team member is ensuring they fit our company design and work ethic. Understanding Lift Division’s vision is imperative to grasping our goals, clients and work culture. In 2020, Sarah Carnes joined Lift Division as our Creative Director, just before the world was abruptly changed by COVID-19. It all happened so suddenly that pushing through seemed impossible.

“I’ve always been driven and dedicated to my career and craft. I was prepared to venture into the world of agency life and take on new challenges and opportunities. One such opportunity led me to direct a photoshoot, video shoot and interview with Carlos Santana within a month of beginning at Lift Division! Little did I know it would be the last time I traveled for almost two years, and our teams would go fully remote for months. Nevertheless, I was able to Zoom, learn and triumph with the help of my colleagues,” Sarah says.

Despite the challenge of starting a new job in the middle of a world-wide pandemic, Sarah’s dedication to her role at Lift Division never wavered. Over the last two years, Sarah has grown our client portfolio, improved our creative process ( some of the best branding and website design in the history of our company, if we do say so ourselves ) alongside the rest of Lift Division’s highly skilled and talented staff. All the while, she continued to build our internal brand and manage complex projects and deadlines in the process.

With 15 years of experience in marketing, Sarah has been instrumental in the high growth of multiple companies and brands. She innovates, leads and executes strategic marketing initiatives from the ground up. Sarah also has a significant background in higher education, healthcare and franchise marketing that gives Lift Division a unique advantage.

Sarah and her creative teams have won branding and identity awards for Carlos Santana Coffee Company, Brassy Bird, Lotus Hot Yoga, Boone Health, in addition to American Graphic Design USA awards in the packaging, proposal, website design, editorial and digital marketing categories. Sarah has personally won over 15 marketing awards during the course of her career. Other notable clients include Casa Ztea-Jones, PoloGear and small businesses integral to the Columbia community like Atterberry Auction & Realty Company, Columbia Pool & Spa and Lindner Properties.

"I knew joining Lift Division would fuel my hunger for creativity and collaboration. Knowing the team and leadership at Lift Division, I looked forward to being surrounded by ambitious, hardworking, curious marketers with the opportunity to lead,” Sarah says.

With excitement for the future and growth at Lift Division, we are delighted to announce Sarah Carnes as Lift Division’s new Chief Operating Officer. This promotion and position are not only well-deserved but earned. Sarah has supported the Lift team with grace and encouragement while building our clients’ success. Not to mention, she puts in the time and hard work, doing whatever it takes to exceed client expectations. In her new role, Sarah will take on a host of management duties, recruitment efforts, improve services and offerings, manage internal creative teams that provide all marketing services and oversee processes and policies.

It’s Lift Division’s honor and privilege to welcome Sarah as our new Chief Operating Officer.

Why Website Content Matters

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:11:22 GMT

Cool Graphics & Layouts Look Great But Informative, Well-Written Content Is Key To A Successful Website

Many business owners don't realize that poor website content can send your audience off to the next website within 15 seconds. If you don't believe that, imagine this: You need a new HVAC system for your Columbia, MO home. Because it will be an expensive purchase, you're looking for a vetted, reliable, trustworthy HVAC contractor. You run a Google search and start visiting HVAC websites. Some of those websites have graphics that knock your socks off. However, there's not enough information to determine whether it's a company you want to hire. A website that skimps on information might also skimp on a safe installation. Will you call that HVAC company, or will you keep looking?

How To Showcase Your Expertise With Informative Content

Many of us are information junkies and with good reason. The more you learn, the more informed you'll be. The more information you have, the more likely you are to choose a product with lasting value. An HVAC website packed with informative content is a treasure trove of information. For those considering a purchase, first-rate content will answer their questions and assure them that the HVAC company is an honest, reliable, and dependable establishment.

Now, do you understand why good content is so important? If you want to learn more about how great content can help generate leads, read on!

Education & Experience Will Set You Apart From Your Competition

People visit websites to get information from experts. Experts are specialists in their fields who have years of experience, education, and training under their belts. An inexperienced or undereducated contractor will not have the insight to provide quality website content for their clientele. The more knowledgeable your content, the more credibility you will gain as an expert. Your website is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn about your area of specialization and invest in your services or products.

Trust Lift Division to Create Interesting & Well-Written Content for Your Columbia, MO Business

Impeccable content suggests to visitors that your products and services are equally exceptional. The quality of your content gives visitors their first impression of who you are and what you have to offer. Compelling content establishes your company as a trusted source and encourages people to interact with your website.

This caliber of content is not something that you can pull out of thin air. However, a digital marketing agency like Lift Division can provide high-quality text that delivers an engaging, SEO-optimized, and informative message. At Lift Division, we take pride in our staff of talented writers who are on a mission to fill your website with educational and well-written content. All you have to do is answer a few questions, and we'll take care of the rest.

How Can Your Business Rank Higher In Search Engine Results?

Search engines are configured to locate and display quality content. Keywords are essential, but even the best SEO won't help your mid-Missouri marketing efforts if your content is poor. Fancy visuals are fun, but their impact on your website's SEO rankings is minimal compared to the power of written content. The more written copy there is on a website, the more attractive it will be to search engines and the higher its ranking.

The recipe for a high-ranking website is high-quality content that's SEO optimized. The higher your website ranks with Google, and the higher your company will appear in the search results. That's called content optimization, and it's a highly effective way to get noticed online.

Why Should You Hire A Digital Marketing Agency Like Lift Division?

Unless you're a professional writer, don't write your own content. Without the proper tools and training needed to create SEO-driven content, it is doubtful that your website will appear on the first page of search results. The savings of DIY content will quickly turn to losses if no one is visiting your website. Instead, invest wisely and trust Lift Division to create SEO-driven content for you. A professional content writer will clearly communicate your mission in a language that visitors can easily find and understand.

Build Stronger Leads With Engaging, SEO-Driven Content

An amazing website design is an impressive accomplishment. But you'll need more than bells and whistles to convince visitors to choose your company or products for an expensive or important service. Visitors become customers because of well-written and easily obtainable information. If you convey valuable information sincerely and helpfully, people considering a purchase will want to learn more.

Make it easy for potential customers to get in touch with you. By providing your contact information clearly across your website, you are encouraging visitors to get in touch, which will help you convert them into customers. An easy-to-understand contact page will also help guide visitors to direct communication with your team. Turn your web visitors into leads by being open to communication.

Build A Brand That Engages Your Target Market & Keeps Their Attention

Your website is a visual representation of your brand. It's up and running 24/7, providing information about your company on your behalf. The last thing you need is for visitors to associate your brand with mediocre content, outdated information, needless repetition, or a poor information delivery system.

Outsourcing your content to a Columbia, Mo marketing agency like Lift Division is the best way to ensure that the information on your website is consistent with a premium brand. In addition, an experienced content writer can showcase your company as a unique marketplace with exciting and innovative products and services.

Can Regular Blogging Boost Your Search Engine Results?

Blogs are an excellent resource for visitors who want to learn more about your products and services. Blogs provide additional and in-depth information beyond what is covered on your web pages, plus regular posting will tell search engines that you are engaged with your audience. Social media can also be seeded with content to drive visitors to your website, so don’t hit snooze on what platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer.

Web Content Is Still King. Send Your Website to the Top of Search Results With Content Created By Lift Division

A website can only be a successful tool if search engines can confidently promote it to the first page of a consumer’s search results. However, unlike internet advertising we often tune out; content marketing entices and engages people with value-added information. That, in turn, fosters a positive perception of a company.

Good content should be reader-friendly and well structured. It should be informative. It should target the people who are most likely to benefit from your products and services.

Experts agree that website content is one of the most important criteria for ranking high on search engines. Lift Division is the premier Columbia, Mo digital marketing agency dedicated to helping companies develop content fit for a king. Visit our Copywriting page to learn more about how Lift Division can provide exceptional content for your business. We are honored to work with local businesses across Missouri.

By Molly Wallace

Lift Division is Mid-Missouri’s Award Winning Web Development & Marketing Firm

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 18:12:15 GMT

Columbia, Mo’s Top Marketing Agency Has Received Two MUSE Creative Awards

The team at Lift Division are the proud winners of two Silver Awards from the MUSE Creative Awards . The awards were given for excellence in brand identity for our work with Brassy Bird and e-commerce website development for The Candy Factory. The MUSE Creative Awards are a part of the International Awards Associate and are given for achievements in the creative professional sphere.

Brassy Bird, Silver Award: Corporate & Brand Identity
Candy Factory, Silver Award: Website & E-Commerce

The Process Behind Developing Branding for Brassy Bird

Our work with Brassy Bird began when a local restaurant owner reached out to discuss his innovative idea of a virtual kitchen. After our client shared his inspiring vision with us, the Lift Division team was excited to get to work. The brand development was led by Creative Director Sarah Carnes and Photographer, Web Designer, and Graphic Designer Kyla Phillips .

“We meet with the client to discuss their goals and learn about their company. Then, our team gets to work on creating a variety of concepts. From there, we collaborate and get feedback from the client and decide on a direction. After the logo is selected, our team of designers perfect the logo and establishes the brand identity, including color palettes, typography, and more.” - Sarah Carnes, Creative Director

How to Create an Intentional & Interesting Brand Identity

Brassy Bird isn’t serving fast-food chicken sandwiches. They are sharing chef-created masterpieces that are bold, flavorful, and unique. This strong concept needed an equally bold brand identity. Sarah and Kyla worked together to create a logo that represents everything Brassy Bird brings to the table. The final result has a gorgeous, hand-lettered quality, organic shape, and complementary color palette of dark turquoise and clay.

At Lift Division, we love to help our clients develop new businesses, expand upon existing brands, and rework ideas that no longer align with their goals. Nothing brings us greater joy than seeing our clients succeed… but winning awards feels pretty good, too.

Crafting an Intuitive E-Commerce Website in Columbia, Mo

The Candy Factory is a staple of the Columbia community and the place to go when looking for the best candies and chocolate in all of mid-Missouri. With so many options available in their retail store, the website needed to be able to keep up. This was accomplished with an intuitive design and easy website navigation.

Kyla applied her expertise in all areas of the project, noting that the website’s organization was essential. E-commerce websites can be particularly challenging, with the sitemap being of utmost importance. To be successful, an e-commerce site needs to be easy to search, shop, and feature a speedy transaction process.

Once we had established the technical aspects of the website, it was time to work on the design. The aesthetic of the website needed to match the existing brand of The Candy Factory. To bring these elements together, the Lift Division team took inspiration from The Candy Factory’s retail space. When you walk around the store, you are greeted by whimsical colors, enticing treats, and sweet smells. While we can’t add those amazing smells to websites, we can create a visual relationship between the physical store and the e-commerce website.

Now, The Candy Factory’s website is a clear extension of their beloved physical shop. It was an absolute treat to work with this iconic Columbia, Mo business. If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, stop by their storefront on Cherry Street or browse their online selection at thecandyfactoryonline.com .

How Can Lift Division Help Your New or Existing Business in Mid-Missouri?

Modern marketing is changing every day and as a business owner, it can be hard to run your company and manage your digital marketing strategy. Trust your marketing to the award-winning team at Lift Division. Our designers, developers, and content creators are always keeping up with the latest industry trends and can apply proven strategies to your businesses. Learn more about our process and contact us today.

By Molly Wallace

Award-Winning Designs by Lift Division

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 18:01:19 GMT

Award-Winning Designs by Lift Division

Working hard for our clients means creating engaging, SEO-driven content and developing websites that are user-friendly and generate leads. This hard work has resulted in brand identities and websites our clients love, as well as awards. Lift Division is incredibly proud to announce that we have received awards for our work with Boone Health and Lotus Hot Yoga .

A Strategic Approach to Content Creation & Web Development

Designing a Comprehensive Website for Boone Health

According to Chief of Digital Strategy, Jamie Stephens , designing a website for Boone Health was a challenge that was made substantially easier through collaboration. The team at Boone Health was an incredible asset throughout the development process. Boone Health’s website required a lot of content. When developing such a large website, it can be a challenge to manage a diverse portfolio of information. Our goal? To deliver the content to Boone Health’s audience in a simple and easy to navigate format.

How Lift Division Brings Your Vision to Life

To make this happen, we had to start on the right track. That means creating a homepage that provides critical information to a very broad audience, including patients and employees. The clean layout is easy to read, well-structured, and provides plenty of helpful calls to action that guide users to where they need to go.

A key component of the process was Lift Division’s strategic approach thanks to a comprehensive content audit. Our brand strategist and content strategists completed an exhaustive content audit and worked closely with the Boone Health team to review, modify, and bolster the content you see on the website today. This collaborative effort was critical to the website’s success.

Creating a website for an organization as important as Boone Health was a task the team at Lift Division did not take lightly. We’re extremely proud of the work that went into creating and developing the award-winning website for Boone Health.

Crafting an Innovative Brand for Lotus Hot Yoga

The creative team at Lift Division loves developing new brand identities. Lotus Hot Yoga knew exactly what direction they wanted to go with their branding, and Lift Division was thrilled to bring that vision to life. Web developer, photographer, graphic designer, and Lift Division all-star, Kyla Phillips , was heavily involved in the design of the website and all of its branding. Kyla loved collaborating with the Lotus Hot Yoga’s owner, Brandy Turner. To bring Brandy’s vision to life, Kyla spent time researching, sketching, and drafting before arriving at the perfect design to encapsulate the brand.

How Lift Division Brings Your Vision to Life

One of the goals for the Lotus website and branding was to have the design feel organic and interactive while maintaining a clean and straightforward look that is easy to navigate. To achieve the aesthetic of the website, the design incorporated energetic and lively colors, with the lotus branding threaded throughout the design. Yoga is all about movement, and the Lotus Hot Yoga website is just the same. Movement and interactivity were achieved through clickable text, buttons, and text and images that respond to the users’ movements across the site.

How Photography Can Make or Break Your Brand

Kyla initially designed Lotus Hot Yoga’s website using stock photography. Fortunately, Kyla is just as skillful behind a camera lens as she is at web development. Lotus Hot Yoga participated in a photoshoot that allowed Lift Division to capture the true spirit of the brand. When you visit their website, you see the same faces you would see when you walk into their studio. It was a joy to partner with Lotus Hot Yoga and we are so honored to have won an award for our work with this team.

Improve Your Digital Marketing Strategy with Lift Division

Having a well-thought-out and executed digital marketing strategy is crucial in today’s web-based environment. If you are ready to transform your strategy, contact the marketing experts at Lift Division. Our team is dedicated to bringing your vision to life.

By Molly Wallace

Why Isn’t My Website Showing Up on Google?

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 17:46:10 GMT

You’ve launched your brand new website, but there’s a major problem - the site is not showing up in Google search. Before you panic, there’s a reasonable explanation as to why your beautiful new site isn’t populating in search engine results.

When a new website or page is added to the internet (or the World Wide Web, www. for short) it takes time for the site to be indexed. Therefore, when you add a site to Google, you’re not only adding it to one search engine. You’re actually uploading the site to the entire World Wide Web .

When you’re using Google for searches, you’re not receiving results from the entire internet. Instead, Google is populating results for you based on what the search engine has already indexed. To put it plainly, Google needs time to find, index, and understand your website before it will show the site in SERP results .

So, How Does Google Add A Website to Its Index?

How Does Google Find My Website?

Google adds your website to its index by using “ spiders ” ( because of the World Wide Web, get it? ) to crawl the internet and locate new websites. Spiders are an Internet bot coded to systematically browse the World Wide Web. In fact, spiders are consistently crawling the internet, so the process is happening all the time. However, because the internet is vast, it could take some time before the spiders find a newly uploaded website.

What Happens When Google’s Spiders Find My Website?

Google’s spiders are looking for certain criteria on a website.. First, your website needs to be organized and constructed according to Google’s best practices. Additionally, the content or web copy needs to be written for users and Google. Last, but not least, keywords matter. Although practices like keyword stuffing are considered archaic and bad practice. Keywords are still vitally important to Google’s spiders understanding your site and relating it to search terms users are actively using.

How Lift Division Can Help

At Lift Division, our team understands and values the importance of executing site design and SEO to meet Google’s best practices while maintaining your business’ voice. We are always growing our knowledge by staying up-to-date on Google trends, updates, and rules. Additionally, we use tools to help inform what search terms or keywords will be most valuable to you and your business.

If you have any questions about how our team of SEO and website design experts can help grow your business in mid-Missouri (and nationwide!), please give us a call!

Lift Division & the Hermes Creative Awards

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 20:00:15 GMT

Award-Winning Communication & Strategy

Lift Division was a part of an incredibly special project: The Carlos Santana Coffee Company. Now, we are proud to announce that we have won the Hermes Creative Awards Gold Award for digital marketing.

Developing Successful Communication & Marketing Plans For Our Clients

Let’s take this story back in time. Picture this: it’s 2019 and Lift Division partnered with Icon Global , the parent company of Carlos Santana Coffee Company. Icon Global tasked us with the responsibility of creating the digital marketing strategy for their new coffee brand in association with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Carlos Santana. The goal? To help develop a brand and strategy that would appeal to Santana’s fans while simultaneously supporting craft coffee roasting and Santana’s own charitable organization, The Milagro Foundation .

Creating A Brand Experience Is What We Do

As an international musical sensation, Santana had already developed a strong brand and audience. Fortunately, Lift Division features a team of incredible web designers and strategists. Thanks to our Chief of Digital Strategy Jamie Stephens , Creative Director Sarah Carnes , Web Designer Kyla Phillips, and a team of content strategists, we were able to direct and produce videos and photos for Carlos Santana Coffee Company. Digital media is essential to a successful brand launch, especially when launching a website and social media. For more on how our team produced content for the Carlos Santana Coffee Company, check everything out here .

Lift Division Creates Successful Digital Strategies For Our Clients

With the branding in place, it was time to develop the strategy behind Carlos Santana Coffee Company. This coffee is not just your run-of-the-mill brew. It is a luxe coffee that is roasted by members of the Roasters Guild of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. Appreciating the craft of coffee roasting was not the only goal. Carlos Santana Coffee Company was founded with the goal of giving back. Every time someone purchases a bag of Carlos Santana Coffee, they also make a contribution to the Milagro Foundation.

The Milagro Foundation was founded in 1998 by Santana and his family. Its mission is to make grants to tax-exempt organizations that provide resources for underserved children in areas like education, health and the arts.

Research Goes A Long Way

Through social media, it would be easy to introduce Santana’s fans to his new coffee company. However, it would be more difficult to target those who might not be as familiar with Santana or his body of work. Through careful research and an understanding of audience segmentation, Lift Division was able to identify five niche audiences who should be targeted. With the audiences in mind, our Chief of Digital Strategy, Jamie Stephens, created a communication plan that would target each audience while maintaining a holistic approach.

At Lift Division, every one of our clients is provided with the best possible strategy for success. However, when we launched Santana Coffee Company, we knew we had something truly special. The Hermes Creative Awards has also recognized that talent.

Creating Award-Winning Digital Strategy Is What We Do

Lift Division was honored to receive the Hermes Creative Awards 2021 Gold Award in the Communications and Marketing Plan category. Every year, the Hermes Creative Awards are selected by members of the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, an organization made up of highly experienced individuals who understand the work that goes into every submission for competition.

Curating A Legacy Of Excellent Work & Client Support

We were so excited to win this award, but most importantly, we were grateful to provide our clients with a digital marketing strategy that exceeded their needs and expectations. If you need help developing or improving your business’s digital strategy, please reach out to the marketing experts at Lift Division.

Do's and Don'ts of PPC

Sun, 03 Oct 2021 15:31:55 GMT

Sometimes potential clients will mention that they are running an ad on Google with something like a 0.3% click-through-rate (CTR) — which is not good at all. However, what’s even worse is when they will tell me they spent X amount of dollars doing so, and they are not happy with the result. This is where Google gets people who don’t know about the myriad ways to best optimize a paid search campaign.

Google makes most of it’s revenue from ads, so you can see where they might be a little hesitant throw all of the amazing options users have to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to ads. While it’s always a better idea to trust an expert with executing your ad campaign, here are some do’s and don’t’s if you are considering executing a campaign on your own:

Do’s

Read : There are a lot of great resources out there for you to take advantage of in order to learn about the successful execution of pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. If you are a beginner, this is a must. Reading all about PPC will help you better understand the Adwords platform, as well as basic strategy to use when creating your campaign. Things are always changing, so make sure to keep up with authoritative sources in case something big happens.
Keyword Research: Conducting Keyword Research might be the most important step in creating a PPC campaign. You want to make sure that you are only targeting keywords that will bring a qualified searcher to your ad. Long-tail keywords are the best to target, as they qualify the searcher more than short-tail keywords. For instance, let’s say you sell men’s shoes and you carry 20 different brands. In order to ensure you are being efficient with the money you are spending on ads, it would be better to target keywords with the brand of the shoe, such as “Nike mens shoes”, rather than just “mens shoes” or “casual mens shoes.” This will not only bring someone specifically looking for Nike mens shoes to a Nike specific ad you’ve written, but it also safeguards not wasting money on someone who isn’t sure what they are looking to buy.
Optimize : Optimizing your campaign is incredibly important. Chances are, you are not going to hit a grand slam right off the bat. There will be some areas of your campaign that succeed and some that don’t. Adding and removing targeted keywords, editing copy on underperforming ads, geo-targeting, and adjusting times during the day when your ads run are just a few different ways to optimize your campaign. Use that first month to gather data and set a baseline for you to improve your campaigns performance.
Edit Match Types: One thing most people don’t realize is that there are three different match types when it comes to keywords: Broad, Phrase and Exact match. More on Broad match later, but for now suffice it to say there are no real advantages to using it. However, there are advantages to using Phrase and Exact. Using Exact match will only allow your ad to show if someone types the keyword you are targeting letter for letter. For example, if I was targeting “Nike mens shoes” with Exact match, my ad would only be eligible to show if someone typed that exact keyword in the search engine. For Phrase match, lets say I’m targeting “Nike mens shoes,” and someone types in “Best Nike mens shoes.” My ad would be eligible to show because the keyword I am targeting was typed in, but since I have it on Phrase match, any other words typed on either end of “Nike mens shoes,” also make the keyword eligible to show.

Don’t’s

Use Broad Match: As mentioned earlier, Broad match doesn’t really have any advantages. Unless you are in a completely new industry, you are throwing away money if you use Broad match.

“When you use Broad match, your ads automatically run on relevant variations of your keywords, even if these terms aren't in your keyword lists.”

That is an excerpt from Google’s AdWords help page, and what it basically means is that Broad match will not only runs ads for the keyword you are targeting, but it will also run ads for any single word in that keywords. For example, if I am targeting “low carb diet plans,” Google can show ads for keywords such as “carb free food,” “low calorie recipes,” and “Mediterranean diet plans."

In short, if you want to spend your money in the most efficient way possible, target keywords on Phrase or Exact match type.

Target Short Tail Keywords: An example of a short-tail keyword would be “shoes,” or “running shoes.” The reason that these keywords would be poor choices in a PPC campaign is because they don’t qualify the searcher’s intent. For instance, what if you only sell men’s running shoes and a woman searches “running shoes,” and gets your ad? It doesn’t help her, and it doesn’t help you. Rather, if you targeted “Nike mens running shoes,” you have qualified that your searcher is a man, or someone buying for a man, and they are looking for Nike running shoes. Long-tail keywords are the best route when targeting keywords for ads because it ensures that money you are spending will at least be bringing qualified traffic to the site when people click on them.
Over-Optimize: While it is crucial to optimize your campaign, you don’t want to over-optimize it. At Lift Division we typically will optimize a campaign once a month, unless we are adjusting keyword bids, because if you optimize your campaign every other day, you will not be able to get enough data on that change to determine whether or not it was an effective adjustment. When we optimize a campaign, we will make most of our adjustments in one batch. This includes editing ads that performed poorly, adjusting match types for keywords between phrase and exact, adding and removing keywords, adjusting location targeting and adjusting times that ads are eligible to show. We make these changes and then let them run for the next month so that we have 30 days of data to determine what worked and what need to continue to work on.

Running a successful PPC campaign is not easy, but it can substantially increase the amount of business you get or sales you make if executed correctly. While the Do’s and Don’t’s listed above are important, they are just a few of many things that you need to be aware of when developing a campaign.

BY Jake Bowlby

Jake Bowlby is a Senior Digital Marketing Strategist at Lift Division and has helped hundreds of businesses across Missouri grow sales and profits. Jake has considerable experience helping builders, contractors, restaurateurs and many other industries with brand development and lead generation.

Celebrating the Women of Lift Division: Kyla Phillips

Sun, 09 May 2021 06:08:41 GMT

With the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, the Lift Division team wants to take a moment to recognize the talented women who support our company. In a year of unexpected twists and turns, women have continued to rise to the occasion and break boundaries.

Meet Kyla Phillips, Web Developer, Graphic Designer & Photographer

From creating websites and designing graphics to photography, editing, branding and client communication, Kyla Phillips has been providing creative solutions for Lift Division for almost 3 years!

Since starting with Lift as an intern a few years back, Kyla has grown not only as a woman but also in her career by pursuing her passions, working hard and letting the rest fall into place. She believes you should never stop learning. “There are always more methods to learn, tutorials to watch or people to listen to,” she says.

Continue reading to learn more about how inspiration and creativity has flourished through Kyla’s experience at Lift Division.

Q: How has working at Lift Division empowered you as a woman?

I feel really lucky to be able to not have to think about my gender on a day-to-day basis because Lift Division is so inclusive and proud of the women who work here. I know it can be a different story in other companies and career paths, but I truly have never felt that at Lift Division. Just the simple premise of not having to think about my gender and how it affects my daily work life is empowering!

Q: Who is a woman you look up to?

I look up to my mother-in-law, Leenie, a ton! She is not only a hard worker, but is a person you can always go to and count on, stranger or not. She works hard to create inclusive environments wherever she goes, is all about positivity, and has raised an amazing family while excelling in her career.

Q: How do you encourage and celebrate women, both at work and in your everyday life?

I love being a hype-girl to the other women on my staff. You don't have to look hard to see how awesome their work is, and I love celebrating it at every milestone. It makes the workdays so much more enjoyable and exciting! The women at Lift Division are the driving force behind the amazing brands, websites and social media presences of so many local companies. Seeing our voices being used across the community has been one of the coolest things about working here.

The Lift Division team recognizes our female leaders and employees, and encourages each member of the team to grow professionally no matter your gender. Through team collaboration and fostering a culture of respect, we work to create an environment where creativity can thrive. As Kyla puts it, “I’m not only allowed to give my opinion, but I am asked for it. My gender isn’t a barrier and I can speak as loud as anyone else in the room.”

Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about our team and the work we are doing.

By Sarah Carnes

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Sarah had an interest in art, writing and technology from a very early age. She spent her childhood building websites and designing album artwork. Fortunate enough to attend a high school that offered graphic design classes, she was able to pursue her passion and expertise earlier than most of her peers.

Sarah oversees all operational and visual aspects of Lift Division, including design, community management, photography, videography, recruitment and company initiatives. With over 15 years of experience in marketing, Sarah has been instrumental in the high growth of multiple companies and brands, which included helping a company flourish from a $10M to $45M company. She innovates, leads and executes strategic marketing initiatives from the ground up.

Sarah has held various marketing and design positions including Brake Printing, Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan, Westminster College and Fresh Ideas Food Service as the Director of Marketing. Her career has allowed her to innovate, lead and execute strategic marketing initiatives from the ground up while managing a team of digital marketers. Sarah has managed and developed marketing, communication, branding, digital communities and creative direction for various companies throughout her career.

The Carlos Santana Coffee Company

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 06:41:46 GMT

Launching a Global Coffee Brand

Two years of collaboration and rapid problem-solving amidst a pandemic later, we’re finally ready to share one of our most exciting projects to date: The Carlos Santana Coffee Company.

The true kickoff of this venture started at the beginning of 2019 when parent company Icon Global set the wheels in motion for this new brand. Lift Division was to drive all branding and digital marketing efforts for the Carlos Santana Coffee Company, including an E-commerce website and creative branding elements.

The Road to Building a Brand

If a coffee line represented Carlos Santana, it had to be a reflection of his personal brand and be embraced naturally by his loyal fans. His line boasts six different specialty blends, each sourced from around the world. The beans are roasted by a 4th-generation importer, roaster and packaging company, ensuring only the best quality and care throughout the process.

Perhaps most important to Santana was the role The Milagro Foundation would play in his new brand. From its inception, this coffee company was designed to give back. A portion of all proceeds goes toward Santana’s foundation, providing grants to children in underserved communities to provide them with proper education, health and arts opportunities.

With this in mind, we needed to develop a brand that is as inspiring and authentic to Santana as his heart and charitable missions are. To do so, we focused on the essence of Santana: His soulful and sincere aura and vibrant, legendary impact all came into play when creating the vision for his coffee company. Our team had these goals in mind last February when boarding a flight to Las Vegas to meet Santana and his team.

Creative Direction on the Santana Photo & Video Shoot

As Lift Division’s very own Sarah Carnes put it, “traveling to Vegas was a true whirlwind.” Our Creative Director was new to Lift Division but ready to apply years’ worth of experience in directing photography and videography. She knew each creative asset would provide the building blocks for the website and digital platforms, and creating a roadmap for consistency was crucial.

Ahead of the trip, our team worked diligently to put together a detailed schedule for each day. Working with in-house personnel and outside creative teams to develop a set design, plan interviews and map out an extensive shot list is no small task. Sarah worked with Jamie Stephens, our Chief of Digital Strategy, to put together the production days ahead of time and develop the company’s desired aesthetic. With a clear vision in mind and careful preparation in place, the team was ready to tackle shoot day.

The day began by transforming Santana’s studio into an elaborate set, establishing the Carlos Santana Coffee Company’s vibe and tone. After briefing amongst teams, everyone got to work producing a brand video and documenting Santana and his new coffee line.

Our team ensured photos of each product were captured along with styled images of Santana playing guitar and interacting with his coffee. Finally, it came time for Santana to sit down to film a brand video. We prompted him with the right questions to help convey the sentimental meaning he finds in coffee and the passion he has for his foundation. When it was all said and done, we walked away with photography and videography to use across our marketing efforts—including the website.

E-Commerce Website Development & Social Media

With the necessary pieces in place, we were ready to move forward with the E-commerce website. The website would serve as a central hub, facilitating all Carlos Santana Coffee Company blends and merchandise sales. It needed to be efficient and user-friendly, and the message needed to resonate with Santana’s audience. Jamie spearheaded the website design, ensuring it told the story of the new coffee line while also giving customers a functional place to shop.

In addition to a professional website, trusted brands need a social media presence. Our team got to work establishing Facebook and Instagram profiles for the company and scheduling content that would introduce the Carlos Santana Coffee Company to the world. Teasers, announcements and product reveals informed our audience about the company’s purpose, generated interest among Santana’s audience and established credibility. It also created a space for customers to ask questions, and share their excitement and offer feedback.

The Beginning of a Brand Endeavor

The website and creative assets laid the perfect foundation for launching the Carlos Santana Coffee Company . Word of the new coffee line has quickly spread across social media and in online publications including Delish , Food & Wine and Mashed . This is only the beginning of an exciting journey, and we can’t wait to reach even more fans of Santana and specialty coffee alike.

By Sarah Carnes

The Importance of a Good Website for Small Businesses

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 06:03:37 GMT

The biggest thing small business owners need to remember is that your website is not just an extra thing you need to buy; it is the digital face of your business—the face most people will see before they visit your actual brick and mortar. So you’ll want to make a strong first impression. A good website establishes legitimacy, especially among younger demographics. In the past a person might not trust a company that doesn’t have a telephone number, now a person may be skeptical of a business that doesn’t have a website. If your website is outdated, a person may think that your business is not open, for example, and they may pick a company with a more attractive website that has been updated recently.

The first thing people do when they hear about your company is research you. In the past, people may have asked around to see if their acquaintances knew anything about your company. Now with the Internet, the research is much more extensive. People turn to your website as the first authority on what products and services you provide. This is the first step in the sales process. If they are unimpressed at this stage, you are already going to miss out on a potential sale. A possible client could think, “Oh this business exists, and I’m going to check them out online before I hire them.” This stage is especially important for clients who have never done business with you before. While your website and its status may not be that important to existing clients, if you are trying to acquire new clients it may be difficult for you to achieve that goal without having an up-to-date, well-designed website.

With the rise of DIY website builders, some business owners have questioned whether they should build their own website or hire a web developer. It can be difficult for new business owners who have a lot on their plate to decide how much time and money they are willing to invest in their online presence.

What a lot of business owners don’t consider when building a website is that, if developed properly, a website isn’t just lost capital like many other business purchases. Your website is your digital employee. It can work for you and help bring in money, just as a regular employee would. You wouldn’t hire a bad employee, so you don’t want to create a bad website. If your employees are badly dressed it will undermine the professionalism of your company. Similarly, if your website is out-of-date that can also undermine the professionalism of your company.

Another way that your website acts as a digital employee is it keeps your customers informed about things going on with your business. Your website is a great resource to promote sales and other promotions you may be having. Just as you constantly want your employees to stay up-to-date on all the goings on of your Your website can be used to interact with your customers, as they would interact with one of your regular business, you will want to keep your website updated about these things, as well. employees. Since small businesses can’t afford to have as many employees as a larger company, a website is even more crucial to stay in contact with your customers.

BY Jake Bowlby

Building a Craveworthy Brand for Brassy Bird

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 15:40:26 GMT

If you’ve kept a finger on the pulse of the Columbia food scene, you’ve undoubtedly heard of a little thing called Brassy Bird. The genius concept was inspired by the dominant industry trend of chicken sandwiches, plus some uncanny timing of a pandemic—you know the one—that changed the dining experience as we knew it.

The Coley’s American Bistro team came to us in July of 2020 to share their idea behind the new concept. Brassy Bird, which back then was still nameless, would be a virtual kitchen—a creative pivot from the traditional restaurant with a dine-in space. This concept would have its own name and menu, and only offer carryout and delivery. Before introducing the idea to the public, they needed some of the basic building blocks of a new brand: a logo, photography, and a user-friendly website.

Brand Inspiration & Styled Photography

Owner Brian Coley knew he wanted to create menu items that give customers bang for their buck. These weren’t going to be your average drive-thru chicken sandwiches, after all. The Lift Division team discussed Brian’s target audience (think Millennials and Gen Z), desired brand aesthetic (relaxed vibe but with an attitude) and overall marketing strategy. Together, we decided the very first order of business was a food photoshoot.

Although it’s not hard to make Brassy Bird chicken look appetizing, there’s more to a Lift Division photoshoot than a simple point-and-shoot approach. A prior consultation, complete shot list and detailed schedule go into every photoshoot. Creative Director Sarah Carnes and Photographer Kyla Phillips set out to create a visual landscape complete with fresh, authentic ingredients and elements like backdrops, metal trays and cutting boards. From there, all kinds of fried chicken magic ensued.

Showcasing Brand Personality Through Logo Design

While there may have been less sauce, props and cilantro involved, logo design was as crucial to building Brassy Bird’s brand as stellar photography. The final logo would be translated across digital marketing platforms and easily repurposed for packaging, merchandise and other mediums.

Brassy Bird’s logo needed to stand alone; it was not to be confused with its well-established parent company, Coley’s. In the same vein, Brassy Bird was unlike anything Columbia had seen before, meaning its defining symbol had to be as unique as its brand.

Inspired by its diverse menu and catchy name, Sarah knew Brassy Bird’s logo would need to express the brand’s emerging personality. She took an exhaustive dive into typography options, brainstorming ways they could play into the logo’s design. The result? A striking logo with bold typography and a unique personality. Though several different options were presented, the final choice was clear.

Responsive Web Design with a Mobile-First Mindset

What’s a virtual restaurant without a high-functioning website? Creating a website where customers could place food orders was a no-brainer, but several components were critical to get right. A seamless customer experience ultimately enhances a business’s bottom line.

Foregoing an indoor dining space, Brassy Bird relies solely on pickup and delivery. It’s no secret that purchases made on mobile devices is on the rise, so mobile optimization was—as always—a top priority. Additionally, the site needed to be fast. Like, really fast. Most web users will abandon a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load, quickly depleting opportunities for new sales. In the world of online food ordering, this makes perfect sense; patience wears thin when you’re hungry.

Our Lightspeed web development platform allowed us to put mobile and timeliness at the forefront of the entire process. All that was left to do was write content for the website that would tell Brassy Bird’s story in a prominent voice. The final product was a beautiful website tying together styled photography, a fresh logo, and branded content.

Celebrating the Successful Launch of Brassy Bird

Brassy Bird finally revealed itself to the world in late November, officially opening for business on December 18th, 2020. In its first month, the website generated over 8,500 page views. The data is telling: in that debut month, 71% of site visitors came from a mobile device, and 69% of page views were on mobile. Anticipating users’ needs allowed us to strategically offer them the best experience, helping make the launch of Brassy Bird a success.

This project was a true joy for our team from start to finish. Brassy Bird founder Brian Coley had a vision for this brand from the beginning, and his team put exhaustive thought, time and energy into each menu item before bringing the concept to us. Their passion effortlessly inspired us to build a strong foundation for their new venture while flexing our creative muscles and putting our minds together.

Does your business need a brand refresh, or are you building something completely new? Lift Division’s digital marketers would love to partner with you in your branding endeavors. Call or contact us today.

BY Sarah Carnes

How to Improve Your Site’s Google Ranking Via Site Speed

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 20:39:55 GMT

Is your website constantly malfunctioning and needing repairs? If it’s at least a couple of years old, it may be time for an upgrade. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you need to completely start from scratch! You can keep your site’s design while improving functionality in the back end. The web developers at Lift Division are here to help you.

Increase Site Speed, Improve Security & Easily Update Your Site

The Lift Division team can improve your site’s functionality by upgrading your website to our LightSpeed platform. These transfers are common, and it’s easy to see why — LightSpeed allows your site to keep its core design while improving the average load speed and functionality on tablet and mobile. With a site that loads and functions seamlessly on handheld devices, users are more likely to stick around and convert.

5 Benefits of Updating Your Site Using LightSpeed

When transferring your site to Lightspeed, you can expect to see the following improvements:

1. Improved site speed on desktop & mobile devices

How often do you wait for a site to load before leaving to find a new site? A recent survey shows that most consumers are willing to wait up to 5 seconds for a site to load, but any longer and they will leave. When customers leave your site, you're losing potential sales. Increase your website speed with Lightspeed and you’ll ultimately earn more leads and customers! Not only are people more likely to stick around, but it’s an important factor that Google considers when ranking your site. Slow websites are bad for user experience, especially on mobile devices, so Google prefers to recommend sites that load faster to enhance its user’s experience.

2. Strengthened website performance on mobile & tablet devices

Not only does Lightspeed increase site speed, but it improves the overall performance of your site. In the third quarter of 2020, over half of global website traffic came from mobile devices. With consumers increasing their website browsing via mobile devices, it is crucial to have a website that not only loads quickly but is also user-friendly.

3. Increased security and protection against malware

Oftentimes older websites result in bugs that may be costly to your business’s online presence. Attacks on WordPress websites have increased at a dramatic pace over the last several years which has resulted in increased costs for security to fight against the rise in viruses, malware and other website hacks. Unlike open-source software sites, Lightspeed is locked down tight by default without the added cost. You won’t have to worry about having to constantly apply software updates or protect your site from hackers when you transfer your site to Lightspeed!

4. Site data via monthly reports

Each month, our Lightspeed platform generates a report and emails it to you. The report includes data such as website visits, click to calls and form submissions. These reports are easy to digest and can help you understand what’s working with your website strategy and where it can improve.

5. Access to easily update your site

With an easy-to-use platform, business owners can easily update sites without worrying about programming or the complexities of coding. Lightspeed removes the stress of updating your website! If you can use email, you can update your company’s site through Lightspeed. Still not sure? Our team will walk you through everything you need to know about updating your site once the upgrade is complete. Take control of your site today and make changes with ease when you transfer to Lightspeed!

Say Goodbye to Costly Maintenance & Upgrades

If the above benefits aren’t enough reason to switch your site to Lightspeed, here is one more: you will save money in the long run! While WordPress makes up approximately 25% of the web and has revolutionized website creation for over a decade, its open-source model comes with updates to both the core software and its plugins to keep things operating smoothly.

With Lightspeed you can say won’t have to worry about costly maintenance and upgrades. All updates are automatic and guaranteed to work seamlessly together. With less maintenance and upgrades, you won’t have to continue to learn new processes to keep your site running smoothly.

Client Case Studies

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out some of our clients whose sites have had tremendous jumps in loading speed on both mobile and desktop.

Dryer’s Shoe Store

Mobile 356% increase

Desktop 119% increase

Rockin Rents

Mobile 206% increase

Desktop 39% increase

Fusselman Salvage Co.

Mobile 313% increase

Desktop 69% increase

The Social Room

Mobile 688% increase

Desktop 37% increase

Enhance Your Business’s Online Presence With the Lift Division Team

The Lift Division professionals are well-versed in creating beautifully designed sites with user-friendly functionality and speedy load times. Our team will walk you through the process of transferring your site to Lightspeed. Learn more by contacting our web developers in Columbia, MO.

Celebrating the Women of Lift Division: Sydney Bennett

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 06:27:14 GMT

Meet Sydney Bennett, Content Strategist

Sydney Bennett has been working with Lift Division for a little over a year as a Content Strategist. Through this position, she creates SEO-focused website content and blogs for clients. In addition, she works closely with Brand Strategist, Natalie to assist in monitoring clients’ online reputations through review generation campaigns.

“Not all companies allow your voice to be heard when first entering the workforce, whether you’re a woman or not. Luckily, at Lift Division there has never been a moment where I felt my age or gender wouldn’t allow my voice to be heard,” Sydney states. “The leadership at Lift believes in the team surrounding them and fosters growth through mentorship and bouncing ideas off one another.”

Continue reading to hear more about Sydney’s experience at Lift Division as a woman.

Q: How has working at Lift Division empowered you as a woman?

The atmosphere at Lift Division is constantly encouraging and upbeat. Specifically, as a woman, I feel that my ideas are heard and I am encouraged to speak up.

Q: What do you love about the women you work with at Lift Division?

Since walking through the doors, I have never felt that being a woman would negatively impact my experiences. The women at Lift Division are funny, intelligent, creative and tremendous role models. They inspire me to think outside of the box and confidently present ideas, whether they be for blogs, web content or design work. Overall, the staff at Lift Division value ideas no matter who they are coming from and have inspired me to confidently present ideas knowing my opinions are valued.

Q: If you could go back in time and give yourself advice as a little girl about the future, what would it be?

Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to be the best from the very beginning. Enjoy the ride that comes with making mistakes and learning from them. Life is all about growth and the only way you can truly grow is by learning from your failures. Embrace your mistakes and move forward, don’t get stuck looking back.

The team at Lift Division is accepting and understands that obstacles are a part of growth. While we continually push to create result-driven work for our clients, we often rely on one another to get projects across the finish line. With a team that will drop everything to assist one another, we are able to surpass clients’ expectations daily. Without our team-centered attitude, we would not be able to accomplish all that we do. When you collaborate with us, know you are not only getting an expert from one field, but multiple experts are coming together to create a campaign or website that accomplishes your business’s goals.

Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about our team and the work we are doing.

By Sarah Carnes

Celebrating the Women of Lift Division: Sarah Carnes

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 06:21:20 GMT

Meet Sarah Carnes, Creative Director

Sarah Carnes has been the Creative Director at Lift Division for a little over a year. In her position, she oversees website development projects, designs print marketing materials and logos, creates custom graphics for social media, provides art direction for photoshoots and spearheads our internal marketing efforts.

When not initiating creative projects, Sarah is constantly building the Lift Division team up with encouragement and thought-provoking questions. “I believe in celebrating big moments and small moments, tough wins and tiny victories,” Sarah says. “A kind word, chat, or email goes a long way, and the Lift Division team regularly cheers on one another.”

Continue reading to hear more about how Sarah’s experience with the Lift Division team has empowered her as a woman in the Columbia community.

Q: How has Lift Division empowered you as a woman?

The Lift Division team is 63% women. It's incredible to look around and see other brilliant, ambitious and hardworking women. We all bring a diverse set of skills and experience, which empowers each other.

One of the main reasons I came to work at Lift Division was because I already knew Rusty, Jamie, Kelsey, and Jake. I jumped at the opportunity to work alongside some of the most brilliant minds in Columbia. It was immediately empowering to know my colleagues, their work ethic, and have mutual respect and adoration for one another.

Q: What do you love about the women you work with at Lift Division?

The women at Lift Division are gracious and hardworking. Whenever one of us is overwhelmed or in need of help, the women aren't just coming to the rescue — they are a consistent source of support and community.

Q: Has there been a time when you felt challenged due to your gender? If so, how did you overcome it?

I've definitely been in important meetings or part of decision-making processes at other companies and been one of the only women present. It can be daunting, frustrating, and can also create tension. Whenever this happened, my immediate thought was, "Why am I the only woman here? Am I here to meet the status quo or because they actually value my expertise and opinion? What misogynistic attitudes and behaviors will I see today, and how am I going to handle that?" You find out right away what kind of meeting you're in and why. The younger version of myself would have been insecure and nervous. You overcome it by being prepared, educated, confident and courageous. Eventually, these tense moments become less of a challenge and more of an opportunity if you focus on what matters most and your mindset.

Q: In what ways do you work to grow yourself as a woman and in your profession?

I'm an avid blog and email newsletter junkie when it comes to leadership in the workforce, especially as it relates to women and leading creative teams. There's always one or two leadership or professional development books in progress on my iPad alongside my favorite crime novels.

Q: If you could go back in time and give yourself advice as a little girl about the future, what would it be?

Don't worry about what people think about you. All that matters is kindness and confidence.

Here at Lift Division, we believe in always challenging ourselves and fostering growth, both inside and outside of our careers. Through collaborative projects, we continually learn from one another and encourage each other to get outside of our comfort zones, because that is where growth happens.

Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about our team and the work we are doing.

By Sarah Carnes

Celebrating the Women of Lift Division: Natalie MacIntosh

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 06:15:18 GMT

Meet Natalie MacIntosh, Brand Strategist

Natalie MacIntosh has been working with Lift Division for a little over a year, and as a full-time Brand Strategist for the past six months. As Brand Strategist she consults with clients, assists in the web development process with content creation and manages a variety of social media platforms.

On any given day, you can probably find her interviewing clients to learn about the ins and outs of their business and writing SEO-friendly website content that reflects their brand. She also manages clients’ online reputations through review generating campaigns and review monitoring. Finally, she plans, creates and analyzes social media content for several clients and our internal platforms.

“My path has been marked with such great support and wonderful opportunities, but I know that isn’t the case for everyone,” Natalie says. “It’s important to look outside of our bubble and keep hearing, empowering and lifting women everywhere.”

Continue reading to hear more about how Natalie works to empower other women through her own experience in the workforce.

Q: How has working at Lift Division empowered you as a woman?

I've always felt trusted, valued and respected here, which is how every female professional should feel — especially starting out in their career. It builds confidence. Being surrounded by women also allows me to feel comfortable speaking up and being vulnerable. The ability to be transparent and ask for support when needed is so crucial to me.

Q: What do you love about the women you work with at Lift Division?

Every woman at Lift is so unique and brings their own skills, ideas and personality to the table. I love being surrounded by people who know how to set goals while also putting in the heavy lifting to achieve them. Big-picture, innovative thinking only gets you so far if you can't take tangible steps to move forward. Put simply, women at Lift know how to get things done, and motivate me to do the same.

Q: In what ways do you work to grow yourself not only as a woman but also in your profession?

Accepting balance. It can be intimidating, especially when I think about the future. Finding a happy medium between having a family someday as well as a fulfilling career is important to me, and something I know can be particularly challenging for women.

The whole team at Lift Division values a healthy work-life balance. While we are all about results for our clients and putting in hard work to achieve them, we also know how to celebrate successes and cheer each other on.

We would not be the agency we are today without the light-hearted, team-bonding activities we sprinkle into the workweek. When you collaborate with us, know we are going to put in the work to make sure you reach your business goals and also have some fun along the way!

Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about our team and the work we are doing.

By Sarah Carnes

Lift Division Celebrates International Women’s Day 2021

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 05:59:36 GMT

As we celebrate International Women’s Day in 2021, the Lift Division team reflects on the achievements of not only our own staff, but also the women in the community we work with every day. In recent years, women have broken down barriers and accomplished many amazing feats. By all indications, there is no stopping this trend in the near future.

As women have seen all that can be accomplished, they continue to push for a more equitable future. And while change may take time, we recognize to create the change, we must be bold and challenge ourselves. With this comes the #choosetochallenge initiative through International Women’s Day. To celebrate this year, the Lift Division team would like to highlight women who have taken leadership roles and sparked change.

Celebrating Women in our Columbia Community

Here at Lift Division, we have had the pleasure of working with many female leaders who own or play large roles in their businesses. Whether we are creating logos, building websites or strategizing ongoing marketing efforts, supporting businesses and the women behind them is something we’re proud of.

Crystal Elliott of Atterberry Auction & Realty Company

Long-time Columbia resident Crystal Elliott and her husband Tim purchased Atterberry Auction & Realty Company in 2020. Despite the tumultuous nature of last year, they were able to grow the company while embracing digital auctions, modernizing the brand and honing in on a vision for the future. Crystal’s education and experience in the insurance industry have allowed her to single-handedly coordinate all accounting and human resources efforts at Atterberry Auction & Realty Company, making her integral to the team's success.

Sarah Hoffman of Green Dirt Farms

Founder of Green Dirt Farm , Sarah Hoffman had the dream of sharing humane, environmentally sustainable sheep dairy products with the world. She left her career as a successful academic physician to start a life of business ownership and farm living with her children. She and a small team operate the successful farm, cafe, and cheese shop in Weston, MO.

Brandy of Lotus Hot Yoga

Driven by a passion for sharing yoga with others and giving back to her community, Brandy recently founded Lotus Hot Yoga, the newest hot yoga studio in Columbia, MO. She’s found that while life may pull you in a variety of directions, yoga has the ability to keep you centered and grounded. Brandy hopes to share this practice and empower others through her new endeavors with her own studio.

Dr. Kimberly Cayce of The Cayce Dermatology Center

With over 12 years of experience in both medical and cosmetic dermatology services, Dr. Kimberly Cayce owns The Cayce Dermatology Center . Providing clients with the highest quality service and results, Dr. Kimberly Cayce values relationships, trust, and education for both employees and patients. She’s passionate about helping others build confidence and focus on enhancing their natural beauty.

Jina Yoo of Jina Yoo's Asian Bistro & Le Bao

Owning two exquisite Asian eateries in town, Jina Yoo continually strives to provide the best cuisine. Known as mid-Missouri’s “Queen of Asian fine-dining,” Jina is continuously refining and updating the menus at Le Bao and Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro to give guests the ultimate experience.

Lifting Women on International Women's Day

At Lift Division, we not only celebrate the amazing women in our community, but we also work to empower the women on our team. No matter gender or background, every member of the Lift Division team is respected and valued. With this team-oriented atmosphere, we create bold, results-driven marketing plans that push our clients to achieve their business goals. When we work together, we grow and succeed together.

Be on the lookout for our International Women’s Day blog series featuring each of the women at Lift Division. This series provides a glimpse inside the masterminds behind brands and how being a woman at Lift Division has empowered them, personally and in their careers.

By Sarah Carnes

Celebrating the Women of Lift Division: Kelsey Blackman

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 05:52:08 GMT

Meet Kelsey Blackman, Director of Digital Marketing

Kelsey Blackman has been with Lift Division for six years. In her position as Director of Digital Marketing, she manages a large portfolio of clients and their ongoing Adwords, SEO and web content projects. Within this she edits, updates, reviews data, launches campaigns, manages SEO and responds to emails, emails and more emails!

And while she notes being a woman in 2021 is strange, she also thinks being a person in 2021 is strange. The year has definitely been anything but usual, but with this Kelsey is grateful to be surrounded by a company of talented women and quality men. She puts it, “As much as I value my femininity, I value my male peers equally. Their voice, help and perspective are crucial to my success.”

Continue reading to hear more about how Kelsey uses her position to grow herself and encourage others, both in her career and out.

Q: How has working at Lift Division empowered you as a woman?

My chiefs have always given me the confidence to solve problems. They believe in my strategy and support me when I need help. Also, our team - as a whole - is dedicated to delivering quality service, work and results for each of our clients. No one is a slacker! This is the only group project I've ever wanted to be a part of in my life.

Q: In what ways do you work to grow yourself not only as a woman but also in your profession?

The list of how I want to grow could wrap around the planet - more than once! As I get older, I want to have more grace, patience and hope for the future. I aim to be able to expand my skill set and continue to challenge myself to try new things. It's easy to get stuck in a rut, I like to challenge myself with new ideas at work or by trying something new in my personal life, like gardening and crafting.

Q: How do you encourage and celebrate women, both at work and in your everyday life?

I just love being a girl and being around girls. Ha! Truly, I adore working with my coworkers here at Lift Division and hanging out with my girlfriends. I hope the ladies around me feel valued and cared for whether they're editing a piece of SEO content or having a glass of wine.

Q: If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself as a little girl about the future what would it be?

1. Let your freak flag fly. You're weird and it's okay.

2. Working hard is hard work, so get used to it. You can do tough things.

Here at Lift Divison, we empower one another no matter your gender, or what walk of life you come from. And while we are currently celebrating the women at Lift Divison, we would not be the award-winning agency we are today without the encouragement and support of our male counterparts.

Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about our team and the work we are doing.

By Sarah Carnes

The Social Room: Reaching New Business Goals With Creative Branding & Website Design

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 05:42:23 GMT

Elevating Local Businesses With Brand Photography & Website Design in Columbia, MO

It’s been nearly a year of unprecedented changes and challenges for local businesses. The Social Room, a beloved bar in Columbia, was no exception. As safety measures were enforced across the city, it became clear the bar would have to pivot from drinking and dancing to a business model more compatible with social distancing. The Social Room’s solution? Growing and featuring their existing late-night food menu, and marketing themselves as a sit-down bar and restaurant.

Lift Division came into the picture to help capture their indulgent meals through photography and build a website reflective of their new goals. The Social Room is an incredibly unique establishment in Columbia that has stayed true to itself and its brand for many years. Every element in their new digital marketing assets, from the color schemes and photos to the written content, needed to represent the fun, energetic and eccentric vibe of The Social Room.

Showcasing an Established Brand With Custom Photography

The process began with a collaboration between The Social Room’s staff and the team at Lift Division. We discussed The Social Room’s new goals, which were to reposition the business, showcase their food and drive sales. The new and improved website design would simplify the user experience and make information about their menu and online ordering easy to find.

The most effective way to show off their food, of course, was through photos! Our creative team strategized and executed a branded photoshoot highlighting The Social Room’s most raved-about menu items, from gooey mac and cheese to colorful cocktails and bloody marys. We also captured the lively ambiance of the business’s interior that truly sets it apart from other restaurants in Columbia.

Feast Your Eyes on The Social Room's Rad Food Menu

Capturing Bar & Cocktail Photography in Columbia, MO

Telling Your Brand Story Through Content Creation

Oftentimes, a website redesign for a small business expands the size of your site and therefore involves creating new, written content. The Social Room needed new content reflecting their evolution into a food establishment that was consistent with their brand and still honored the reputation they’d built as a lively, welcoming bar. Right off the bat, we came to the client with questions about their business’s history, target audience and tone to help guide the content strategy.

When writing new content for a web page, it’s critical to remember who is reading the content. Not only are your customers exploring your site, but also Google’s algorithm has to understand the purpose of the webpage, so you can land on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). With a team of content writers that understand both the website visitors’ perspective and Google’s best practices, you can rest assured the digital content created for your site is pristine.

Our team was able to do all of this using The Social Room’s brand voice and desired tone. Check it out for yourself when you visit their site and order from their delicious menu .

Elevate Your Business with Lift Division’s Digital Marketers in Columbia, MO

No matter what goals your business has set, the Lift Division team is here to help. From web development and search engine optimization to photography and social media management , we’ll help you make a measurable impact through digital marketing. We take pride in making brands come to life! Explore our client case studies to see how a digital approach to marketing can elevate your business. We are excited to partner with you and help your business grow.

Ready to give your business strategy a lift? Contact Jake Bowlby at jake@liftdivison.com !

By Sarah Carnes

Year in review: 2015

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 05:31:12 GMT

Generally, Lift Division blogs are focused on digital marketing advice in the hopes of helping other business owners learn a few things to grow their businesses. Today’s post is more personal. It’s about some Lift Division team highlights and personal favorite moments of 2015. So please be advised that today’s post is pretty self-focused.

Here are 10 of my favorite highlights of 2015 (in no particular order):

1) We brought Lift Division co-founder Jamie Stephens back onto the team in a full-time capacity. Although Jamie was an original co-founder in 2010, Lift Division’s focus continued to move toward search marketing (SEO & PPC) as opposed to web development. Being that Jamie’s primary area of expertise at the time was software development, he continued with Lift but on more of a limited basis and focused personally on large, web development projects. Having Jamie join us full-time in early 2015 as our Chief of Digital Strategy has helped me breathe easier. His leadership and decision making skills are incredible in addition to being one of the best digital strategists and web developers on the planet. This has been our best talent acquisition move in the history of Lift Division.

2) Our team launched 112 websites in 2015. Although Lift Division is primarily a digital marketing firm focused on lead generation, many of our clients need a better website before strapping on the marketing horsepower. To keep up with the demand we’ve continued to increase the size of our web design department and this year was our best year yet. A few of my favorites were Maull’s Barbecue Sauce , Dr. Craig Meyer , Brandywine Blueberry Farm and Trueson Exteriors .

3) We had our first profitable December in the history of the company. My wife always wondered why I was a little more grumpy in December than other months. It’s pretty simple—decision makers aren’t scheduling meetings in the last two weeks of December with anyone other than Santa Clause and they sure as heck aren’t spending a lot of money on marketing or websites. In a nice change from the norm, more and more business owners are realizing and taking advantage of the additional benefit of marketing spending as a year-end write-off.

4) We added a Web Designer and two Account Executives in 2015 that are simply awesome. I have tried to build our company with a careful focus on hiring great people. People that aren’t just talented or smart, but people you’d go have a beer with or trust to help you on something important. Jonathan, Kelsey and Paige have just made our Lift family even better. All three are dedicated, reliable and a complete joy to be around.

5) I spent some quality time in Silicon Valley. I have a good friend, Jeff Wasson, that had a successful exit for one of his companies and now lives in Palo Alto where he’s part of a venture capital firm, Boost VC. When I was there, I got lucky enough to get “the local tour” including seeing the home of Steve Jobs, checking out several Silicon Valley company headquarters (Google, Apple, etc..) and meeting some big-time VCs. Being that coffee is as much of a part of my life as water, I also often visited Coupa Café-- the coffee shop where more big deals have gone down than maybe anywhere else in the world. It was such a great experience.

6) We ordered outdoor signage. Lift Division was purposefully built without any advertising. We can’t advise others to move some of their marketing budget to inbound marketing without proving it ourselves, right? With my goal complete that we could build a million dollar company without any traditional, outbound advertising (signage, tv, radio, print) I decided to finally put a sign up on the downtown office building we love.

7) Clients who hired us for lead generation (SEO, PPC, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, etc…) averaged a 252% annual return on investment. The main reason I love digital marketing so much is that it’s highly measurable. Knowing the value of a new client (or sale) and using key performance metrics we can extrapolate the return on a per channel basis. It’s satisfying to show a business owner or Chief Marketing Officer that they moved from 30th in a search engine result to 3rd. It’s even more satisfying to show a return on investment quickly into a campaign.

8) One of the properties we own, ServiceNoodle.com, hit 5,000,000 views. ServiceNoodle was my first start-up and without question, I made some mistakes (like scaling too damn fast and over-extending resources). While there were things I wish I could have changed, ServiceNoodle has been super helpful to many consumers needing local services. On ServiceNoodle, a user can request services from multiple companies at the same time. For business owners it’s a great way to advertise their services in a super affordable way. Five million views later we’re working on a website re-design for 2nd quarter 2016 but it is rewarding to see such high traffic numbers.

9) With few exceptions, in 2015 I was home by 6:15 every night to spend time with my wife and 3 young kids. I start each work day around 5am and I generally get a lot accomplished by the end of the day-- but it’s the last 3 hours of each day that are the most fulfilling. Walking in the door and hearing “daddy!” and getting bear hugs and kisses is the best part of my day. Being present, being involved and watching our kids grow up (now 5, 4, 2) is not just a highlight of 2015, it’s the highlight of my life.

10) This past year we were blessed with landing some large clients (that we love to work with). Large clients are always fun to land, but sometimes they’re not always great to work with to be completely honest. This year we had some fun ones, though. We brought on Schlafly , one of the first U.S. micro-breweries who continue to floor us with stories about their beer’s authenticity. Ending every meeting with a beer wasn’t too bad, either. We had the pleasure of landing the web re-design work for Emmaus Homes , a large non-profit which provides a variety of healthcare options to meet the needs of those with disabilities while living in their own home. We have only just begun the web re-design work on this one, but working on a project that does so much good for others is very rewarding to our team. And my personal favorite was being hired by Missouri Cancer Associates , the largest cancer care facility in mid-Missouri. I realize this client doesn’t seem as sexy as working with a brewery like Schlafly, but this one means a lot to me personally because cancer took my mom from me and my family way before her time. And Missouri Cancer helped her live much longer than anyone expected. I don’t even think the physicians we are working with know I’m the son of one of their former patients, but I’m sure many still remember her beautiful smile and contagiously fun personality. I’ve privately enjoyed connecting to the group who helped my mom and so many others.

There is no question we had our challenges in 2015, but the positives far outweigh the negatives and that’s all you can ask for as a business owner. As the owner of the company, it’s simply fulfilling to see your business slowly transform into a company over the years. It takes good hires and the desire of each person to grow in their respective position. I am blessed we have put such a great group of people together and can’t wait to help other businesses grow to 2016.

By Rusty Brett

Rusty Brett is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Lift Division. With several years of entrepreneurship, business ownership and marketing experience under his belt, Rusty has a passion for not only launching businesses, but also helping other businesses grow their sales and client base.

Enhance Your Local Business’s Online Presence with Google’s New Program: Google Guaranteed

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 05:18:10 GMT

What is Google Guaranteed?

The newest Google My Business listing feature is helping local businesses enhance their online reputation.

In July of 2020, Google began testing its newest feature for Google My Business listings: Google Guaranteed . But what does this badge mean, and how can it help your business?

According to Google, the Google Guaranteed badge shows customers your business has been vetted and approved by Google’s standards through a series of screening questions. The badge establishes your business’s credibility and gives customers peace of mind when choosing a business.

Why Establishing an Online Reputation is Important for Local Businesses

With mobile searches including “near me” increasing by 200% in the past couple years, businesses are having to pivot their strategies to focus on local audiences. By creating more local search opportunities for businesses, Google is helping companies find ways to stand out from their competition.

Currently, Google has not released the industries allowed to participate in the Google Guarantee badge. However, professionals believe consumers can expect to see the badge appear on a variety of household service companies, including:

HVAC
Plumbers
Electricians
Roofing
Carpet Cleaning
House Cleaning
Pest Control
Water Damage Restoration
Tree Services
Landscaping

How Can My Local Missouri Business Become Google Guaranteed?

The upgraded business profile is a subscription-based service for $50 a month. By upgrading your business profile, you’ll not only receive the Google Guaranteed badge to help customers find you, but also additional add-ons like recorded phone calls and dedicated support. For more information on how you can improve your Google listing contact our team of digital marketing experts in Columbia, Mo.

How the Google Guarantee Protects Missouri Consumers

When purchasing services through a business featuring a Google Guaranteed badge, consumers may be reimbursed up to $2,000 dollars if they are not satisfied with the quality of the service provided. While there are restrictions, such as the consumer having to contact the business through the Google Local Services platform, Google is working to ensure it builds a customer-first mindset. In other words, when businesses qualify to have the Google Guarantee badge next to their listing, they become liable for poor service.

Additional Google Guarantee Reimbursement Requirements

To get a reimbursement for poor quality services, consumers must:

Contact the company through Google Local Services.
Submit a request under Google Guarantee within 30 days of the initial service completion date.
Provide a receipt showing amount paid, business name and additional evidence of service upon request.

Increase your online presence with Lift Division's digital marketing services in Columbia, Mo. Contact rusty@liftdivision.com .

Disclaimer : Due to Google continuing to roll out its new badge program, Lift Division does not have all of the details and expects to see changes to the program occur. If you are interested in learning more about how your business can become Google Guaranteed, contact our team for the most up-to-date information.

By Sarah Carnes

Lifting Lizzy’s Legacy with a New Website Design

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 05:07:59 GMT

Lift Division's Latest Non-Profit Website Design & Development in Columbia, Mo

When the team at Lizzy’s Walk of Faith Foundation approached Lift Division to create a website for Lizzy, we were honored. Lizzy fought a courageous battle with Osteosarcoma and left a lasting impact on the Columbia community. Our team wanted to showcase her personality through a lively website that not only embodied her, but also promoted the foundation’s goals: To bring hope and healing to families who are going through pediatric cancer, and to find a cure. With these goals in mind, the web developers, graphic designers and content strategists at Lift Division began strategizing and building the new Lizzy’s Walk of Faith Foundation website you see today.

What is Lizzy's Walk of Faith?

Lizzy’s Walk of Faith is a foundation created in honor of Lizzy Wampler, a compassionate, loving, faith-filled girl who bravely finished her fight with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in March of 2018. With the mission to spread awareness, provide support for other families and find a cure for pediatric cancer, Lizzy’s Walk of Faith is continuing Lizzy’s legacy — one that has touched many lives here in Columbia and beyond.

With appearances on the NBC Today show, in a Target video and in several St. Jude commercials, Lizzy’s story reached the masses. Her greatest accomplishment, however, was positively impacting every single person she came into contact with. Learn more about Lizzy’s story and how you can be a part of the journey to find a cure for Osteosarcoma and pediatric cancer.

Meeting Goals Through Web Development & Strategy

Lift Division was challenged to create a website portraying Lizzy's bright personality while also conveying the importance of finding a cure for pediatric cancer.

The team at Lift Division knew it was important for the website to be functional both for visitors and members of the foundation. One of the best parts about designing the Lizzy’s Walk of Faith website was working with Lizzy’s family, who generously provided so much insight and content to help build the website. The vulnerable telling of their story , an active blog , information about pediatric cancer and a donation form all provide tangible resources for site visitors. Families seeking support can also get in touch with the foundation through a contact form . To keep up with the foundation’s new endeavors, the Wampler family can also easily add updates to the website. Both the site’s functionalities and vibrancy were achieved through thoughtful web development and design.

Implementing a Fresh Web Design to Showcase Lizzy's Spirit

Kyla Phillips, Lift Division’s lead designer on the Lizzy’s Walk of Faith website, is one of the many people touched by Lizzy. By attending the same church as the Wamplers, Kyla was familiar with the family and their story. “Lizzy’s strength paired with her bubbly and contagious personality made it a story I will never forget,” Kyla said.

Collaborating with the Wampler family and establishing a new platform for them to spread Lizzy’s story has been one of Kyla’s favorite projects at Lift Division. While pediatric cancer may not be the easiest subject to design around, she found working with the Wampler family both inspiring and uplifting.

“Even though they have been through more than anyone should ever have to go through, they have chosen to use Lizzy's story to spread light and positivity. Seeing them light up talking about her and how God chose to use her was truly inspiring. With every meeting, they were so happy and excited to be making this website a reality, which made it that much more fun for me to make,” Kyla said.

While the entire site showcases Lizzy’s vibrant personality, Kyla’s personal favorite page of the site is the homepage. She and the Wampler family decided on the perfect photos to showcase Lizzy’s journey while incorporating the colors of pediatric cancer and the goals of the foundation. With many photos of Lizzy and her family sprinkled throughout the site, visitors are able to feel her spirit.

The website could not have been possible without the collaboration from the many people contributing to the project. After multiple meetings between the Wampler family and the graphic designers, brand strategists and web developers at Lift Division, we were proud to launch a site that embodied an incredibly special girl.

Trusting the Lift Process for Web Development in Columbia, Mo

You may know you want a new website but are unsure where to begin, whether it be with content, photos or your site’s goals. The digital marketers at Lift Division have developed a process to ensure every website build matches the client’s goals and exceeds expectations.

By meeting with key stakeholders and learning about your brand early on, we get a comprehensive understanding of what is important to your audience and how your website should function. Content interviews, photoshoots and page-by-page revisions help us empower you and your team throughout the entire website building process. Ultimately, we pride ourselves in working closely with our clients to ensure your business or organization’s story is reflected in our design and your goals are met.

Lizzy’s website was one of our most special projects to date. Visit the Lizzy’s Walk of Faith Foundation here to learn more about her and the fight to end pediatric cancer.

Learn more about Lift Division’s web development and marketing in Columbia, Mo by contacting rusty@liftdivision.com .

By Sarah Carnes

How to Prepare for Your New Website Launch: Clear Your Cache

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 04:56:58 GMT

If you are launching a new website or revamping your website’s design, congratulations! Improving your website is an important step in building your digital presence and improving web users’ experiences. Before you’re ready to view the new website changes made by a web developer, make sure to clear your cache and browser history. This will speed up your web page loading time and ensure you can view your new website.

What is a Cache?

If you have worked with web developers before, you may have heard the phrase “clear your cache” and wondered, what is a cache and how do I clear it? Our digital marketing team is here to answer your questions and give you step-by-step instructions on how to clear your cache.

A cache is a temporary storage area for web pages on your hard drive.

Imagine if every time you tried to view Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook or a web page, your computer had to reload every image associated with that page. You would waste a lot of time waiting, and possibly even lose patience and leave the page! Luckily, computers have the cache option to minimize wait time and improve user experience. The temporary storage area, or cache, increases processing speed so your electronic device doesn’t have to reload the entire page every time you visit a website.

However, if you don’t clear your cache and updates are occurring on your website, you may not be able to see them since your computer already has a saved copy of the website. Not only does clearing your cache allow you to see new website changes, but it is a great way to clear up space on your hard drive.

How Do I Clear My Cache?

Now that you know what a cache is and the importance of clearing it before viewing your website changes, you are probably wondering how to go about clearing the cache. How you are viewing your website will determine the steps you need to take to clear your storage.

Improving Web Speed and Managing Your Browser’s History

Clearing Your Cache in Google Chrome

If you view your website on a desktop in Google Chrome, take the following steps to clear your cache.

There is a line of three dots in the upper right corner of the browser (in line with the search bar). Click the line and choose More Tools.
Under More Tools , there will be an option that says Clear Browsing Data . Click that option.
A new window appears featuring a time range and three different clearing options. Check the options you wish to clear and from what time frame.
To clear your cache, make sure the listed item Cached Images and Files is checked.
Click Clear Data and wait for your cache to be cleared!

Clearing Your Cache in Safari

If you view your website on a desktop in Safari, use the following steps to clear your cache.

With Safari open, click on the word Safari in the upper left-hand corner next to the Apple logo.
Click the term Preferences and go to the Privacy Tab.
Click the Manage Website Data button and click Remove All

This process could take one to two minutes depending on how much your computer has stored in its cache.

How to View Website Changes on Your Mobile Device

Clearing Your Mobile Device's Cache on Google Chrome

Are you viewing your website on a mobile device? Be sure to clear Google Chrome’s browsing history to see all of the edits made to your site. Follow the directions below to clear the data on your mobile device.

Click on the three vertical dots in the bottom right-hand corner of your phone’s screen.
Click on the Settings option.
Select Privacy within the Settings tab.
Choose the Clear Browsing Data option.
Select the button Cached Images and Files and any other types of data you want to be removed.
Finish by clicking Clear Browsing Data at the bottom of the screen.

Clearing Your Mobile Device's Cache on Safari

If you are interested in viewing your mobile website, clear your mobile browsing history by following the steps below.

Go to the Settings app.
Scroll to find the Safari section within the settings app.
Click the Clear History and Website Data button.

Whether you view your new website on a desktop or mobile device, clearing the existing data is essential to see all of the changes being made.

Are you interested in learning more about improving your website? Contact our web developers in Columbia, Mo at Lift Division! With a team of designers, developers, strategists and more, we can make your website both beautiful and highly functional.

Call our team of digital marketing experts in Columbia, MO today to see what we can do for you!

By Sarah Carnes

Must-Know Digital Marketing Terms & Definitions for Your Mid-Missouri Business

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 04:38:26 GMT

Are you a business owner in mid-Missouri looking to improve your brand’s online presence with digital marketing services, but not sure where to even begin? No worries, the Lift Division team is here to help you break the code of acronyms and key digital marketing terms. Our expert digital marketers in Columbia, Mo understand you are busy running your business and don’t have time to worry about content marketing , SEO strategies , bounce rate and more. That’s why we are here to do it for you!

Terms & Services Associated with Digital Marketing in Columbia, Mo

Explore the following key terms used in the digital marketing industry to get a better understanding of how your mid-Missouri business can improve its presence online.

Key Digital Marketing Terms Every Business Owner Should Know

Bounce Rate

Used in analyzing the success of a webpage, the bounce rate is the percentage of website visitors who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page.

Content Marketing

Creation of videos, blogs, social media and other content to enhance a company’s digital presence through consistent and strategic content.

Conversion Rate

Commonly used in website reporting, the conversion rate is the percentage of visitors that completed the desired goal or conversion. For example, if the web page’s goal is to have visitors sign up for an email, your conversion rate would be the number of visitors who signed up compared to the overall number of visitors to the page.

CTA

Call to action, commonly referred to as CTA, is asking the customer to take the next step in the consumer journey. Just as it says, the call to action is asking the customer to “do something”, whether it be calling the company, purchasing a product or signing up for a newsletter.

Google Analytics

A common tool used in website building to help companies and marketers measure the success of their website based on specific goals. Whether you are interested in knowing the number of visitors to your site or the journey a customer took on your site, Google Analytics provides marketers with website-associated data.

Inbound Marketing

A strategic marketing concept designed to bring potential customers to your brand rather than push your brand onto potential customers. There are a number of strategies used within the broad fields of content creation, search engine optimization and social media marketing to enhance a company’s inbound marketing plan.

Keywords

A specific term or group of terms a potential customer may insert into the search bar in order to find the product or service they are looking for.

Landing Page

The webpage a user finds themselves landing on from the organic search result, digital advertisement or email campaign.

Lead Generation

Broadly defined, lead generation is the customer’s desire to learn more about the product or service being sold. Often in digital marketing, lead generation can include signing up for a newsletter or requesting more information by contacting the business.

Lead Nurturing

The process of building relationships with potential customers. Consumers today are informed and choose their favorite brands and companies based on relationships and the service they receive. Building relationships with customers through every step in the sales process is crucial to the success of a business.

Pay-per-click Advertising

Also known as PPC, pay-per-click advertising is a way for businesses to digitally advertise their business or services through an online platform. The ability to create an advertising budget each day that best fits your business goals entices many companies to invest in pay-per-click advertising.

ROI

Return on investment, or ROI, is a common term used when evaluating and reporting on the marketing & promotional efforts your company is currently pursuing. In digital marketing, ROI can include impressions, website visits, downloads, etc. When determining ROI based on digital marketing, it is important to evaluate based on the specific goals your company has created.

SEM

Search engine marketing, or SEM, is the broad term used in digital marketing that refers to the activities done to increase a company’s presence in the search engine results page.

SEO

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a more specific search engine marketing strategy that focuses on improving a company’s organic, or free, natural ability to rank on the search engine results page.

Social Media Marketing

A type of digital marketing focusing on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Social media marketing focuses on building relationships and increasing a consumer’s awareness of your brand.

Target Audience

The group of people the company has defined to be the ideal set of customers to which the company is targeting its services and products. Once a company has established its target audience, marketing strategies can be built to accomplish the company’s goals.

Lift Division’s Digital Marketing Services in Columbia, Mo

Now that you have a better understanding of the terms associated with digital marketing, let our experts help you create a digital marketing plan that best suits your business needs. With our Free Online Marketing Assessment , you can gain a snapshot of your website’s current ranking online, valuable keywords and local presence both through your website and social media profiles.

Whether you are interested in rebranding , rebuilding your website or creating an SEO strategy , our team of website developers, digital marketing specialists and content strategists are here to help you accomplish your goals. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see our recent successes and a behind-the-scenes look at how our team improves brands with marketing strategies in Columbia, Mo.

Ready to learn how our team of expert digital marketers can improve your digital presence in mid-Missouri? Contact us today at rusty@liftdivision.com .

By Sarah Carnes

How to Implement an Online-First Marketing Strategy for Your Local Business

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 17:55:23 GMT

With 4.57 billion active Internet users and 4.2 billion mobile Internet users , it seems only natural to create a marketing strategy that meets consumers right where they are: online.

In 2020, consumers and business owners have learned the importance of digital marketing more than ever before. With online marketing strategies continuing to become the new normal, we find a lot of local businesses are struggling to enter the new realm of online-first marketing.

Our team is here to help you understand the importance of an online presence, key online marketing strategies and how to implement these strategies into your local business.

Why Should My Marketing Strategy Focus on Digital Opportunities?

When you are wondering where to eat or what stores are near you, what is the first thing you do? You Google it!

With a 900% increase in mobile searchers of “___ near me today/tonight” and a 200% increase in searches including the words “open, now, near me,” if your business isn’t online yet you are missing out on a multitude of potential customers.

David Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR , says, “Companies must drive people into the purchasing process with great online content.” If you are unsure of how to form an online-first marketing strategy for your local business, our team of expert digital marketing strategists are here to help!

How do I Create an Online-First Marketing Plan?

Social Media Strategies

The first instinct a business owner has when trying to build their online presence is to create social media accounts, whether that be on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. You may think, “social media is easy, my children can do it!” However, what most business owners fail to do is put themselves in the consumer’s shoes.

Social media is like a cocktail party , says Scott. People go there to congregate and have conversations. No one enters a cocktail party with a stack of business cards and no intention of talking... and if you do, you are doing it wrong!

So how does this relate to social media? Consumers don’t go on social media to see advertisements. They want to interact with companies that are interesting and posting information that is helpful to their life, not pushing products on them. This doesn’t mean you can’t have promotional aspects in your posts, but it can’t be overbearing. In the state of the American Consumer report , Gallup states, “If companies want to acquire new customers, their best bet is to engage their existing customers and inspire them to advocate on their behalf.”

Search Engine Optimization Strategies

Often overlooked, but one of the most cost-efficient ways to increase your business’s online presence is through search engine optimization (SEO) and organic content. What does this mean? Organic content is the content curated to appear in the search engine results page because Google believes the content is relevant to the user’s search.

When searching for products and services related to your business, where do you rank on Google? If your company doesn’t appear on the first page, chances are customers aren’t going to know about you. Get a better understanding of local SEO and how your company can improve with our 5 part blog series. Whether you are curious about organic content , optimized web pages , or business reviews , we touch on the foundations that make up SEO and how they can improve your online presence. If you are interested in optimizing your website content to ensure potential customers can find you online, call our digital strategists today!

Pay-Per-Click Advertising Strategies

Are you on a budget and looking to introduce a new product to a broad audience? With the opportunity to target specific demographics, keywords and social channels all at a set budget that is friendly to your business, pay-per-click advertising strategies might be the best option for you. Implementing these campaigns may seem complicated to local business owners who are not familiar with how to start online advertising campaigns. Email rusty@liftdivision.com to learn more about how a pay-per-click advertising campaign can increase awareness and sales for your company.

If you are interested in implementing online-first marketing strategies into your local business’s marketing plan, call the experts at Lift Division . We understand no business is the same. With experience working with a variety of clients and budgets, our team can help you to build the online-first marketing campaign that best fits your company!

Begin Building Your Digital Presence Today & Call 573-445-0658!

By Sarah Carnes

Bringing a Brand to Life Through Digital Marketing

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 17:35:28 GMT

Celebrating the Launch of Allens Ordinary

The local distillery Allens Ordinary came to Lift Division with an amazing set of company attributes: A rich history, bold personality and a deep appreciation for bourbon. Our team is celebrating the launch of not only the company’s new website , but of its long-existing brand finally being expressed through sleek web design, photography and social media.

The foundation of this project was built upon initial meetings with Maury Allen, owner of the distillery and great grandson of the ordinary’s original founder and Jake Bowlby, Senior Digital Marketing Strategist at Lift Division. It was evident that the company’s 200-year-old legacy was the heart of his company. Our task as their digital marketing company was to tell their story, foster brand awareness and let Columbia, Mo bourbon aficionados know about their promising future in the community.

The first step? Brainstorming the visual representation of their brand.

Elevating a Mid-Missouri Brand With Professional Photography

Allens Ordinary’s brand tells a story, and its online presence and photos needed to as well. We kicked off their digital marketing services with on-site professional photography at their Columbia, Mo distillery.

Kyla Phillips, Photographer at Lift Division, noted that this project was unique since she was not only shooting photos for a website, but for brand new social media channels. The look and feel of the brand were to be industrial, modern and playful. Phillips strategically edited the photos to reflect that goal. “I made the shadows more apparent and edited the color to pop, adding more vibrancy and playfulness,” she explained.

The result? Stunning photos that built the visual foundation of the brand, ready to be reflected throughout Allens Ordinary’s digital media.

Building a Social Presence From Scratch

Creating an online voice for Allens Ordinary through social platforms was important in fostering brand awareness. The local distillery had been doing amazing things behind the scenes, like slowly aging quality bourbon, selling fine spirits and mass producing bottles of sanitizer in response to Covid-19, but the community didn’t know.

Lift Division took the reins and developed the social media strategy for the local Columbia, Mo distillery. The strategy was multichannel, including Instagram , Twitter and Facebook accounts. Each features original photography, custom graphics and provides the community with updates. Allens Ordinary’s social presence is an ongoing project that will only continue to grow alongside the brand.

Strategic Web Design for a Columbia, Mo Distillery

With the visual building blocks in place and brand awareness growing, Allens Ordinary’s website development took off. Content Strategist Natalie MacIntosh worked to expand upon the company’s story, which was woven into the web design by Creative Director Sarah Carnes.

The distillery’s history is showcased on the website through detailed, engaging storytelling and historic photos provided by the Allen family. Along with spirited typography and design full of contrast, these priceless elements come together to clearly communicate the authenticity of Allens Ordinary.

Carnes reflects on the project as a way to pay homage to a company that’s dedicated to its roots and imprint on the community. “We had to execute at a caliber that a company like Allens Ordinary deserves,” she said. “We’re grateful that they gave Lift Division permission to bring that rich history to life.”

Building A Faster, More Responsive Website

Before coming to Lift Division, Allen’s Ordinary had a one-page site that outlined a great brand story. However, search engine optimization standards had not been met throughout the copy and the website wasn’t responsive on mobile devices. In addition, the website’s desktop page speed of 75 needed improvement.

Optimizing your website will improve your page speed and help you rank higher in Google. Plus, your site will be more user-friendly, which is a major determining factor in retaining web traffic and earning conversions! After Lift Division’s launch of the new website, Allens Ordinary’s desktop page speed improved to a score of 86, surpassing the benchmark that indicates a page is performing well.

Digital Marketing Services in Columbia, Mo

The team at Lift Division takes pride in watching brands come to life through digital marketing. If your Columbia, Mo business is in need of web development, web design or creative branding, reach out to Jake Bowlby at jake@liftdivision.com! We’d love to partner with you and help your business grow.

Read more of our client case studies here !

By Rusty Brett

The Essential Guide to Navigating Local SEO: Recap

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 17:18:28 GMT

When it comes to your business’s online presence, understanding the rules of the web is crucial. With unfamiliar terms, algorithm changes and evolving SEO standards, having a guide to refer to can make all the difference. Luckily, the digital strategists at Lift Division are here to break down ways to improve your online presence. We know there are multiple factors that go into SEO, but having a solid foundation of the three main components can help you propel your business’s overall digital strategy.

Three-Step Plan to Improving Local SEO

The following three components should be the foundation of your SEO strategy. No matter what changes Google implements, you can guarantee organic content, on-page content and reviews will play a factor in the success of your website. Explore how to further your digital presence through our three-step plan!

Create Organic Content

Having organic content rank on Google not only propels your business’s SEO rank, but also deems your company trustworthy in the eyes of consumers. When your content is considered useful by a consumer they will explore more of your website, increasing your chances of gaining a customer. Check out our blog How to Improve SEO Content for Local Search Results to review examples of successful organic content.

Optimize On-Page Web Content

Not only is it essential to produce quality content, but ensuring your website is readable and helpful to the user’s intent will increase your rank on Google. By implementing keywords and continuously updating aspects of your site, you can improve your company’s digital presence. Not sure how to begin? Don’t worry, fill out our free online marketing assessment to get a better understanding of where your business can improve!

Whether you are interested in a site redesign or optimizing your site’s content, the strategists at Lift Division are here to help. Explore our blog How to Increase Website Traffic for Your Local Business for tips on optimization and implementation.

Obtain Business Reviews Online

Did you know 82% of consumers read local online reviews ? Reviews are increasingly becoming an important factor in SEO as society begins to rely more heavily on digital. If your local business is not online, you are missing out on a tremendous market. Learn more about how your business can obtain online reviews through our blog How Online Reviews Improve Your Business’s Local SEO.

Not only do reviews allow you to increase your SEO and digital presence, but they also give you the opportunity to provide exceptional customer service through reputation management and interactions. Ask our team about our Lift Local Marketing Packages to learn how we can assist you in building your online review profile.

Key Digital Marketing Terms

Don’t let complex abbreviations or terms deter you from improving your company’s digital presence. With our guide and digital marketing term glossary, your local business is one step closer to improving its digital presence.

Landing pages may have a similar layout and design to your website’s homepage, but it is important to note these two pages are different because they have different goals and objectives. By adding landing pages to your website, your business can improve it’s SEO through targeted content. The expert web developers and digital strategists at Lift Division are here to help you understand the purpose of a landing page versus a homepage.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of strategically increasing the number of visitors your website obtains by ranking high in Google search results.

Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

The list of webpages Google curates once a search is entered. Typically 10 organic webpages are curated on each page.

Organic Content

Organic content is unpaid content that Google curates for the search engine results page. It can include blogs and other posts your website puts out.

On-Page SEO

On-Page SEO is the practice of optimizing specific web pages on a site to increase its rank in the search engine results page.

Bounce Rate

Bounce rate is the web analysis term used to define the users who navigate away from your site instead of clicking other pages on your site.

We know our Local SEO blog series is just the tip of the digital marketing iceberg. If you are interested in learning more about how your company can improve online, contact our experts today. Our data-driven work is sure to improve your business, just ask our clients !

Lift Your Digital Presence Today With the Experts At Lift Division!

By Sarah Carnes

Guide to Rank (and convert) Leads with Mid-Missouri Landing Pages

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 17:06:42 GMT

What is an SEO Landing Page?

How to Create a Landing Page With the Power to Rank and Convert Leads in Mid-Missouri.

A landing page is online copy and development focusing on targeting a particular type of customer or client in a specific location or area. This page can be reached through search engine optimized search results, marketing emails or pay-per-click advertising campaigns. Whether the landing page is directly linked to your website, such as a location page, or is a stand-alone page linked to an online marketing campaign, landing pages are created for a customer’s convenience and benefit.

What are the Differences Between SEO Landing Pages and Homepages?

SEO Landing Page and Homepage Intent

The goal of a landing page is much different than a homepage’s goal. A homepage gives the user an understanding of who you are as a business, what your site offers and encourages them to explore your services and connect with you.

A landing page, on the other hand, is meant to be the destination for the user via organic search or SERP. For example, if a user was looking for a specific service in their city, a business could create landing pages designated to the services they offer targeting a specific city or service area. Developing a landing page boosts your SEO and increases the likelihood your business or service will show up in local organic results. Ultimately providing an authentic user experience for potential clients! Additionally, implementing a local landing page strategy allows users to easily access information or a service they are wanting. With landing pages, users do not have to explore your entire site to find the information they need, reducing the bounce rate and increasing the customer’s satisfaction.

The Target Audience of SEO Landing Pages vs. Homepages

Target audiences differ with respect to homepages and landing pages. For example, a homepage has several objectives. It’s designed to explain what services your business offers, who you are as a company and how you are different from your competitors. Also, homepages usually offer several different opportunities for potential customers or clients to connect over a variety of services.

A landing page is created to help your business connect with users when they search a specific service or location. By creating copy that targets a specific location or service, your page has a better chance of ranking organically on the SERP, increasing your business’ overall SEO efforts. Also, landing pages are often used in pay-per-click advertising or email campaigns. However, to increase the success of the landing page and campaign it is very important the content created on the landing page reflects the advertisement or campaign.

How Landing Pages Improve Your Business’ SEO

When looking to improve your digital presence, your first thought may be to redesign your website. While redesigning your website may sometimes be the necessary solution, it is not always the only option. Adding landing pages to an existing website can be what you need to propel your business’s online presence and SEO efforts. A recent report states , “Consumers expect the content they're shown to be relevant, accurate and, increasingly, customized to their preferences and location.” Building landing pages does just this! Explore the benefits of building several landing pages below and contact our web developers to learn how they can elevate your business.

Since landing pages encourage users to take a specific action, search engines will better understand the purpose of your site and rank it higher.
When users are easily able to find the answers they are looking for, your site’s bounce rate is reduced and your site’s click-through-rate is increased .
A better consumer experience ultimately leads to a higher chance of conversion and a relationship with a new customer.
Easily track a single page to better understand the visitor’s actions and then optimize the page for better results.

Adding a landing page to your site allows customers to find exactly what they are looking for. Continue reading about Landing Page FAQs and contact our digital strategists if you have questions about implementing landing pages on your website!

Landing Pages: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If your business serves multiple cities throughout your state or region, adding landing pages to your site can help potential customers find your company. Explore the frequently asked landing page questions below.

Why can’t I just create a homepage that lists the cities I serve?

This is certainly an option and not a bad idea! However, simply adding the locations will not be enough to generate locally-focused SERP results for services. So, if you are hoping to rank highly in Google for each city you service, it would be best to add landing location pages as well. Depending on the number of cities you service and the industry in which you reside, it may be difficult to organically rank in each city without location pages. For more information on how location landing pages can enhance your business, contact the web developers at Lift Division.

If I serve several cities in my state, do I need to create landing pages for each city?

Answer: It depends. The number of locations in your service area could impact the amount of pages created. The strategy should be created to support your goals and deliver the results you need. By having a few strong location landing pages, you can increase your chances of ranking on Google in the designated city and surrounding communities.

Can I build Google My Business pages for each city I service and link my landing page to it?

If you offer services to multiple cities throughout your state you are only able to create a Google My Business account for the cities with a physical location. However, you can create landing pages for each city on your site to help your company rank in Google’s SERP organically. From there, you can add your location to your service area within Google My Business. Contact our digital strategists at Lift Division for help with Google My Business! .

Can I create multiple location pages with the same content?

When creating location pages or landing pages, it is important to create unique content for each page. In the eyes of Google, duplicate pages are deemed bad practice and will negatively affect your digital presence. If you serve multiple cities and want to create a page for each, you will want to ensure the content for each page is unique ? do not just swap the city name! The design and layout of the page can be the same, but if you want to appear on Google’s search engine results page you will want to ensure the pages are not exactly the same.

Whether you are interested in rebuilding your brand’s site, adding landing pages to an existing site or discussing ways your business can improve online, the experts at Lift Division are here to help. We help good businesses grow. Get started today by contacting Lift Division at 573-445-0658.

Grow Your Business’s Online Presence Today with Local Landing Pages!

By Sarah Carnes

How Online Reviews Improve Your Business’s Local SEO

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:48:55 GMT

Looking for ways to improve your company’s online presence? Look no further — the digital strategists at Lift Division have created a guide to local SEO to assist you in your SEO efforts. Unsure where to begin? No worries! Explore our blog series today to learn the ins and outs of SEO. Whether you are interested in creating organic content or optimizing your on-page content, we have all the tips and tricks to improving your local business’s digital marketing efforts.

The Essential Guide for Navigating Local SEO: Part 4

Did you know 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations? Think about your own preferences when determining which companies you trust. If you have no previous knowledge, you may find yourself exploring reviews before making a decision. Business reviews are increasingly becoming an important factor in determining whether or not your company ranks highly in Google’s search results.

Google associates reviews with the popularity of a business. Their main goal is to give users the results they desire with every search. By associating reviews with the popularity of your business, the likelihood of your business appearing during a user’s search increases.

Why are Reviews Important for my Local Business?

According to the Google My Business support page , “High-quality, positive reviews from your customers will improve your business’s visibility and increase the likelihood that a potential customer will visit your location.” When Google encourages reviews and interacting with your customers, you can guarantee reviews are a factor in determining your SEO rank!

In addition, a recent consumer study showed on average consumers spend approximately 13 minutes reading reviews before making a decision. When 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, not having them can mean a loss of business. Whether the review is negative or positive, a review ensures authenticity and credibility for consumers.

How do I Encourage Customer Reviews for my Local Business?

Receiving reviews can not only increase your SEO and digital presence, but also gives you a better understanding of what experience your customers are looking for. Whether they have a positive or negative review, a business can find ways to improve through customer feedback. In addition, interacting with your customers through reviews increases your chances of earning their business again.

When asking a customer to review your business it’s important to remember not all customers will want to review your business, and that’s fine! Being pushy and overwhelming will only result in a negative experience and in return a negative review.

If you do receive a negative review, don’t try to hide it. Responding politely and asking if the customer would provide more information by calling your business can improve your customer service and your business’s trustworthiness in the eyes of Google users. When companies are caring and looking for ways to improve, consumers are more likely to think highly of them.

For more details about encouraging reviews, contact our digital strategists about the Lift Local Marketing Package. Our team can give your business the tools to easily receive feedback and increase your reputation with Google. With various price options and plans, we are sure there is a Lift Local Marketing Package for you!

We understand obtaining reviews and responding to your customers can be time-consuming, especially when you are focused on running your local business, That’s why our digital strategists want to help you! Call today to learn more about our Lift Local Marketing Packages .

Let us help you determine how to lift your local business - Contact our experts today!

By Sarah Carnes

How to Increase Website Traffic for Your Local Business

Thu, 21 May 2020 16:39:05 GMT

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing specific web pages on a site to increase the site’s rank in the search engine results page (SERP). Optimizing the content of the site includes both the text and images. Improving your online presence doesn’t always warrant a complete site redesign. Sometimes adding a paragraph or rephrasing a title can make all the difference!

The best way to know what improvements to make on a webpage, or how to begin implementing changes, is to look at the data and determine what is not ranking. For example, having a high bounce rate on specific web pages can mean new content is needed.

You may be wondering — what is bounce rate? Bounce rate is a web analysis term used to define the users who navigate away from your site instead of clicking other pages on your site. Most consumers will do this in less than 15 seconds if they do not quickly find what they are looking for. Having a high bounce rate suggests content you provided did not interest users or give them the answer they were searching for.

Analyzing your site’s performance and implementing optimizations can be time consuming when you run a business. No need to worry — the digital marketing strategists at Lift Division are here to help! Let’s begin by looking at ways to reduce your bounce rate and improve your on-page SEO.

Top 3 Ways to Improve Your On-Page SEO

The first step to improving your on-page SEO is to analyze your website’s data. Taking a look at the data can give you a place to start when considering which site elements could be improved. If you see a specific page is not ranking well, begin strategizing ways to improve it by considering user intent and why it was not fulfilled.

Optimizing Your Website’s Content

Google works to provide the best results on its SERP. Your site will not appear if you do not tell Google what your website offers, or why users will find it relevant through your content. In order to show Google your site is important, you should have relevant page titles and text.

Implement Keywords

Sprinkling keywords throughout the page title and content will increase your chances of ranking on Google. Keywords in the digital industry are words commonly searched by users. It’s important to keep the content readable by not stuffing the content with keywords. Google prides itself on providing relevant content for its users. Having unreadable content will irritate users and prevent Google from ranking your site.

Provide Easy Navigation

Allow your reader to easily follow your content with subtitles, images and links. When users find your site easy to navigate, they are more likely to stay on it. In addition, by providing users with links to other parts of your website, it will allow them the chance to easily explore more of your site.

Maintaining Your Website’s Content

Proper SEO efforts are made over time, so don’t let your site’s content sit forever. It’s important to continually make content relevant to the consumer and what they are searching for. Continuing to analyze your site’s data and strategize ways to improve it will increase your rank in Google.

How Often Should I Service My Webpages?

Traffic volume of each page will determine the amount of maintenance needed. Usually every six months you should begin looking for ways to update content and improve the webpage. Maintenance does not have to be extensive. Rather, it can be minor edits to the site’s title in an attempt to improve its rank. However, if you are interested in consistently ranking higher on Google’s SERP you’ll want to optimize multiple parts to your site. The strategists at Lift Division can help with this!

Implement Trending Topics Into Your Website

When strategizing ways to improve your website, consider trending topics. However, always make sure the content will be relevant to your business and the user’s search. You shouldn’t add trending topics to your website if they do not relate to the products or services you offer. One of the best ways to naturally introduce unique topics into your website is through blog posts. Explore our post on Improving SEO Content for tips on implementing relevant content into your site.

Optimizing, maintaining and implementing relevancy into your website’s content is important to improving your digital presence. The process can seem daunting, but trust us — the outcome is rewarding! Data shows users believe the top websites displayed on Google’s SERP are the most authentic businesses in their industry. Assess your website with our free online marketing assessment to determine where you stand!

If you haven’t already, we encourage you to go back and take a look at our Navigating Local SEO blog series to explore how your company can improve digitally. Interested in determining was to improve your digital presence? Contact our digital marketing strategists today to see what we can do for your local business!

By Sarah Carnes

How to Improve SEO Content for Local Search Results

Wed, 13 May 2020 16:28:57 GMT

The Essential Guide for Navigating Local SEO: Part 2

Ranking highly in search engines does not happen overnight! Strong content and SEO practices take time, effort and a tremendous amount of patience. If you read our previous post, Navigating Local SEO , you know Google doesn’t give step-by-step instructions on how to improve your company’s digital presence.

There is no guarantee your website will always show up first on Google – if there was, everyone would be doing it! However, the experts at Lift Division believe putting time and effort into your SEO efforts will vastly improve your business’s rank. Our digital strategists fight hard for our clients every day! Check out what our clients are saying about us and explore recent projects with our Facebook and Instagram .

What is Organic Content?

If you’ve watched a video on SEO or read articles on digital marketing, you’ve probably heard the phrase “ranking organically”. You may be left wondering what it means, and how to accomplish it.

Organic content is the copy Google curates for the search engine results page (SERP). The link to the content has not been placed high in search results because advertisers paid for it to be, but instead has been analyzed by Google and deemed relevant to the user’s search. There are a variety of reasons Google may place a site on it’s SERP. This is where SEO comes into play!

How to Organically Rank Your Site

Understand What Customers Want

Google works hard to predict what consumers are looking for. You should too! Having a better understanding of what customers could potentially be searching on Google allows you to provide relevant and quality content consumers will enjoy. Did you know consumers will click out of a site in less than 15 seconds if not satisfied with the content? Knowing your consumers’ intent is important for creating content and keeping traffic on your site.

Regularly Produce Content

The digital world is fast-paced and having content on your site more than a year old may not be relevant to your consumer. Continually produce blogs and unique content for consumers to stay engaged with your brand.

Understand Local Keywords

When Google curates search results, they do so based on the user’s intent. As consumers, we put a lot of trust in Google. If you want your business to appear at the top, you have to make sure the content you are creating is including the local keywords people are searching for. This can mean including your city or service areas throughout the content created.

However, it is important to understand stuffing your content with keywords is not best practice! Having readable and helpful content is just as important as including keywords in the text.

How Does Organic Content Benefit My Business?

Organically ranking on Google is not only budget-friendly but also deemed more trustworthy with consumers. By creating relevant and engaging content you are more likely to attract consumers who are interested in your product or service.

Did you know the top organic spot is 20 times more likely to be clicked than the top paid ad? People trust Google to give them the information they want to see. Although it may take longer, improving your organic ranking on Google will be better for your business in the long run.

As you can see, a lot goes into creating high-quality content to improve your SEO. It may seem overwhelming at times. The best part is you don’t have to do it alone! At Lift Division our expert digital marketers work to create content that is not only helpful to your customers but also will rank highly on Google. For more information on how our expert digital marketers can improve your business’s online footprint, contact us today !

Interested in seeing what organic content can look like for your business? Check out our client’s content, strategized and written by the digital strategists at Lift Division.

Whether it be a blog about upcoming holidays or a guide on the industry your business resides in, we write content with your company’s goals in mind. Call our strategists today to see what we can do for you!

By Sarah Carnes

Lift Division Tips for Working From Home During COVID-19

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:20:13 GMT

How to Make Working From Home in Columbia, Mo a Breeze

We have all dreamt of it. Laying around in our PJ’s all day, working at our own pace and eating bon bons while we send off emails. It seemed like an ideal situation in hindsight, however, now that we are in the thick of it some of you may be regretting those daydreams. Working from home isn’t a walk in the park, although you may be taking a lot of those recently. No, working from home takes discipline, routine and balance. That is why we are bringing you some tips to help you through this trying time!

Make a Routine and Stick to it

Making a routine is essential to a successful work day at home. Try to implement a schedule just like you would during a normal work day. Setting your alarm clock and having a designated time you log in to work will kickstart your day with productivity and fight off procrastination. We know it’s easy to hit the snooze button but if you want to work from home successfully, it’s important to stick to a routine. One tip to make sure you don’t crawl back into bed is to make it! Making your bed signifies that it’s a new work day and you will be mentally more prepared to not be tempted to stay in it.

On the other hand, if you tend to be more of a workaholic, set a time each day to put down your laptop and relax. Try to take a walk, Facetime a friend or read a book.

Designate a Space for Work

This may seem simple, but it will do wonders for your productivity. If you are able, set up a desk or corner of your house completely designated to be for work only. This means no working in bed or on the couch. Keep those areas of your house for relaxation and fun! By not mixing work and home life, you will be sure to have a more focused and productive work day. Some tips for how to make your work space feel productive and comfortable are adding a comfy chair and setting up a calendar or cork board to write ideas and tasks.

Communicate Regularly With Coworkers

During this time of social distancing, it is so important to stay connected! Whether that looks like daily emails or Google video chats, you will feel more motivated by staying in contact with the people you work with. Try encouraging each other daily, talking about what has been hard or good and what you have been discovering or learning during this work from home period. We are all in this together, so staying connected is essential for emotional health and productivity.

Speaking of coworkers, here are some productivity tips from Lift Division employees:

Natalie McIntosh, Content Strategist: Rolling out of bed and going straight to my desk still looking (and feeling) like a hot mess doesn't work for me. I've found that stepping outside, whether that's stretching on my balcony or taking a short walk, and making breakfast gives me time to get in the right headspace and is a smooth transition into the workday. Work from home must haves include podcasts, an essential oil diffuser and working near a window!
Kyla Phillips, Designer & Photographer: Have one place you go to get work done and keep the same routine. When working from home, it's tempting to lounge around and work from the couch in your pjs. It's just not productive. I transformed my guest bedroom into the ultimate office space for this stay at home stint and completed it with all the essentials! Keeping the same routine and space helps me separate my work and home lives even when they're in the same place right now. Work from home must haves include a dual monitor, music and a water bottle to keep hydrated!
Sydney Bennett: It's okay to take breaks! When working from home, you have the ability to work all day and night. However, breaks are important to maintain focus and productivity. Scheduling a set time for work, school, exercise and calls with friends allows me to separate my time and not be continuously thinking about the tasks I could be completing. Work from home must haves include a planner to schedule out her day, snacks to munch on and open windows to let in fresh air.

Take a Break

Columbia, Mo is home to so many beautiful walking trails. From the MKT to Shooting Star trail, there are plenty of outdoor activities to choose from. Working from home is all about balance so taking the time to go for a walk will help clear your mind and allow you to work more efficiently afterwards.

Speaking of taking a break, who doesn’t love a coffee break? It’s the perfect excuse to get your fix in while supporting locals. Many local Columbia, Mo coffee shops are offering delivery through a third party, drive through or curbside pick up! Here are a few to consider for your next mid-day coffee run:

Lakota Coffee South offers drive through and Lakota Coffee Downtown offers curbside pick up or delivery through GrubHub. A late afternoon latte never hurts.
The Grind is offering mobile ordering through their app and curbside pick up! Try their Chai Latte, it’s to die for.
B & B Bagel Company offers delivery when you order the day before! Coffee and bagels equal the most perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

Did you find these tips helpful? If you plan on implementing them into your work day let us know in the comments below. Please share anymore tips you have for working from home as well, we could all use the extra encouragement! #BetterTogether

By Sarah Carnes

The Essential Guide for Navigating Local SEO: Part 1

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:10:48 GMT

How many times a day do you type questions into Google? Whether you are looking for home builders in your area or the best coffee shops near you, Google can estimate your intent and pull the most relevant results. Have you ever wondered how these results populate or how Google can provide answers for questions you didn’t even know you had?

Our upcoming blog series will help you understand the importance of your business’s digital footprint through SEO. We will address what it means to have SEO-focused content, properly optimized web pages, and the value of reviews for local businesses. The rules of the SEO are often evolving, but the foundation for growing your business’s online presence remains the same. Let’s begin!

What is Local Search Engine Optimization?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of strategically increasing the number of visitors your website obtains by ranking high in Google search results.

When searching on Google, there are national and local results. Local results are curated when Google associates your search with local intent. Whether you are looking for a service, store, or restaurant , Google takes location and relevancy into account.

Did you know 50% of users searching Google visit the business within 24 hours of a local search? The importance of your online presence in a digital-native world can not be overstated. If you own a local business or provide services locally, creating a credible website and ensuring your business appears in the top search results is crucial to your success. Explore our blog on the local search trifecta for more information on local SEO and how it benefits your business.

How to Improve Your Business’s Local Ranking

As digital marketing experts at Lift Division, we can identify what Google takes into account when determining search results. By identifying what Google deems to be best practices with every algorithm change and by implementing these practices in a business’s online presence, the site’s rank is sure to improve.

Dive deeper into SEO with us as we analyze organic content, optimized web pages, and business reviews in our upcoming blogs. Furthering your understanding of local search result rankings will help drive traffic to your site and achieve your business goals.

You may offer the best products and services, but if consumers are unable to find your company online, there is no way for them to know you are the best! Invest in your online presence today. Our free online marketing assessment can jumpstart your SEO efforts. Contact us today for more information!

By Sarah Carnes

How to Support Local in Columbia, Mo During COVID-19

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:05:43 GMT

What Can I Do To Support Local Businesses in Columbia, Mo?

COVID-19 has hit the local restaurant industry hard. According to CNBC, “ One analyst predicted that the disruption to businesses from coronavirus could lead to 15,000 permanent retail store closures in 2020, with the Economic Policy Institute predicting that the disease outbreak could potentially wipe out three million jobs from the U.S. economy before this summer.” This means Downtown Columbia and other highly saturated local businesses could be gone before the end of summer 2020. Keep reading to explore how you can support local businesses during this hard time.

Take Out is the New Dining In

Before the Coronavirus hit, take out seemed lazy or unnecessary, however, small businesses need you now more than ever. We aren’t saying you need to order delivery or curbside for every meal but once or twice a week from your favorite local restaurants would boost sales and help them stay afloat. Not sure which businesses are offering takeout or curbside? Below is a list of Savor clients that are offering meals to go; making supporting local restaurants a breeze!

Barred Owl offers curbside pick up and posts daily menus to their Facebook page so you can easily choose one of their delicious meals.
Cafe Berlin is offering delivery through Door Dash as well as bulk ingredients to make your favorite Berlin cuisines at home.
Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot better because Las Margaritas is offering their full menu plus drinks for curbside carryout or delivery within 5 miles.
Those are just a few of the many local restaurants offering curbside or delivery. Check out Savor’s website to search for more meal delivery options from your local favorites.

Kyla’s Experience Propelled her Into Food Photography

By purchasing gift cards now, you are helping small businesses stay in business. You can use these gift cards at a later time or give them away as birthday gifts. A single gift card can go a long way for a local business in need during this time. Check out great places to purchase online gift cards.

Surprise a loved one with a CC’s City Broiler gift card for their birthday! Contact CC’s City Broiler via their website or give them a call to purchase a gift card!
Plan a date night or girls night out for the summer by purchasing a gift card to 44 Canteen . You can mark your calendar and look forward to something fun while supporting them through this difficult time.
Give the gift of coffee by purchasing a Lakota gift card via their website!

Like and Share Their Posts

We understand this is a stressful time financially for many people. You may want to help local businesses but are trying to support yourself first. Support doesn’t have to be financially straining. One of the best ways to support local restaurants without spending any money is by liking, sharing and engaging with their online posts. A great way to start this is by searching Facebook or Instagram for your favorite local shops, restaurants, and other businesses. Following them, engaging in posts and continuing to support them through this platform is a great way to show local businesses you care. It may seem simple but a like or share can go a long way.

We hope that these suggestions were helpful and you feel more confident on how to support local restaurants. Learn more about local restaurants in Columbia, Mo via Savor on Instagram and Facebook for more updates on how to support our local businesses! Do you have other ways you are supporting the locals? Feel free to get creative and let us know how you show your support in the comments!

By Sarah Carnes

Food Photography: The Secret Sauce Behind Sweet Smoke BBQ's New Website

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 15:51:32 GMT

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes during a food photoshoot? It involves delicious food, preparation and experience. Our talented in-house photographer, Kyla, is at the forefront of all our photoshoots and she shared a peek into the world of food photography for us. Kyla is an exceptional photographer with over seven years of experience. We were thrilled when the opportunity arose for Kyla to capture Sweet Smoke BBQ’s delicious food and fun restaurant atmosphere.

We are going to share all the greatness of food photography with you from Kyla’s perspective, but first, we need to start with how it all begins.

Preparation for a Photoshoot Starts Way Before the Day of

After meeting with Sweet Smoke BBQ staff, Kyla started by researching competing barbecue establishments and sites the client liked in terms of style. “Preparation is key to having a successful shoot day,” said Kyla. From there, she took her expertise in food photography and design to create a unique vision for the big day.

When developing a website, people often forget about the importance of quality photography and its influence on the entire site’s visual appeal. However, Kyla knows photography is one of the most critical aspects of a new website. She begins by making a list of the elements she wants to incorporate into the design. Then, Kyla decides on the aesthetic for photography and how to best capture the feel of the restaurant through lighting, colors and ambiance. From there, she creates a shot list for the day of the shoot, communicates with the clients and ensures everyone is comfortable with the goals and expectations of the photoshoot.

Kyla’s Experience Propelled her Into Food Photography

Kyla has over seven years of experience in photography and held a coveted food photography internship at Thriving Home , a local cooking blog. It was there where she learned the art of food photography. She worked there before joining Lift Division and was eager to jump into a new scene of food photography with Savor Magazine.

Savor is a local magazine guide to all the restaurants in Columbia, created and published by Lift Division. Savor’s goal is to become the best resource to help everyone indulge in Columbia’s finest restaurants, coffee shops, taverns, dessert spots, food shops, events and everything in between.

Savor is growing just like Columbia’s cuisine! Are you a local restaurant needing advertising? Contact Savor to start building your foodie reputation in Columbia today.

Expect a Little Mess in Food Photography

What is creativity without a little mess, right? Especially when it comes to food photography. Kyla shared how even when she spilled sauce during the photoshoot it was an opportunity to bond with the employees and get their take on why they love Sweet Smoke BBQ. She mentioned how rewarding it was to have employees on set while she staged the shoot. It gave her insight into how Sweet Smoke BBQ serves its customers. By being able to capture customers in the background of the photos, Kyla felt Sweet Smoke BBQ’s friendly atmosphere and authenticity were displayed.

In it From Start to Finish

Kyla is also a web and graphic designer at Lift Division, which means she has been the go-to person for Sweet Smoke BBQ’s website from the very beginning. From designing the custom website to capturing the atmosphere of Sweet Smoke BBQ through photography, Kyla has executed the client’s vision effortlessly.

After all the hard work, sauce spills and happy customers, Kyla brought Sweet Smoke BBQ’s vision to life. We are excited to share the completed website with you. Check it out in the link below and let us know what you think!

Are you looking to spice up your website or social media? Email us to receive a quote for website photography or website design from Lift Division.

By Sarah Carnes

Celebrating the Site Launch for Harpo’s Bar & Grill

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 15:40:30 GMT

Lift Division's Latest Web Design & Development in Columbia, MO

In spite of the crazy times we’re living in, Lift Division is celebrating a victory: The recent launch of Harpo’s Bar & Grill’s website ! The team at Harpo’s came to us in December of 2019 looking to revamp their online presence. Their old website had outdated information, was difficult to navigate and had disproportionate design elements. Our team at Lift Division was tasked with creating a modern, functional website that still honored Harpo’s vintage appeal and deep-rooted heritage. So, our web developers, designers and strategists got to work. The end result? A beautiful, updated site that timelessly showcases one of Missouri’s most beloved brands.

Our Web Strategy for Harpo’s Columbia

It’s no secret that Harpo’s is a favorite sports bar among college students and alumnae in Columbia. From a classic pub scene to a popular nightclub, it really has it all. However, Harpo’s wanted to communicate more than that with their new site. It was important to them to prove that Harpo’s is a bar for everyone.

They had recently developed a new menu that deserved the spotlight. For audiences of all ages looking for a place to eat, the website needed to reflect their food options more prominently and clearly. Our creative director and web designer arranged a food photoshoot to achieve this. The new photo gallery boasts high-quality photos not only showcasing drool-worthy appetizers and entrees, but the connections people share over a meal.

Additionally, Harpo’s wanted to better emphasize the versatility of its event spaces with clear, updated information. The local favorite offers six full-service bars for rental, as well as a state-of-the-art Top Golf Swing Suite . Taking all of this into consideration, our content strategists set out to tell Harpo’s story with a wider, more dynamic target audience in mind.

Implementing a Fresh Digital Design

One of Harpo’s biggest complaints about their previous website was the confusing design elements. Beyond making the new website visually appealing and easy to navigate, graphic designer Kyla had a vision of her own and took the creative liberty to create custom illustrations.

“Harpo’s is known for its culture, and I knew right away I wanted to use graphics to pull that personality out of their business,” Kyla said, adding that the texture really brings out that vintage appeal the client wanted to showcase. This artistic effort resulted in an exciting surprise for the client upon launch and a creative touch unique to Harpo’s.

Website Launch Ahead of Schedule: Adapting to Covid-19

In these uncertain times, businesses are closing their doors, people are working from home and restaurants are turning to carry-out. To adapt to the situation, Harpo’s needed its website to communicate curbside and delivery options to the public. Our team picked up the pace and launched the Harpo’s website ahead of schedule with an added touch: a call to action on the homepage linking to Doordash , encouraging people to order from their menu online and take advantage of carry-out. In times like these, acting fast is crucial to keeping our clients happy and their customers informed.

Let Lift Division Elevate Your Mid-Missouri Business

Interested in how we can lift your business through its online presence? Lift Division offers web design and development, inbound marketing and research and strategy services in Missouri (and beyond). Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve your business goals!

LIFT YOUR BUSINESS

By Sarah Carnes

Lift Division Lifts up Female Empowerment

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 15:25:56 GMT

Happy International Women’s Day From Lift Division in Columbia, Mo

To all of our gals out there, Happy International Women’s Day! Yes, it is your day and you should be celebrated for all your hard work, patience and female power you bring forth every day. It might feel like a man’s world, but we’re leveling the playing field. Sixty percent of the staff at Lift Division are women, and that’s not by chance. At Lift Division, we pride ourselves on placing women in prominent roles and empowering them to be their best professional and personal selves. How do we do that? Hear from the women themselves.

Candid Quotes from the Women at Lift Division

“Lift Division gives me the freedom to educate myself to ensure I am always growing my expertise.” Kelsey Blackman, Digital Marketing Director

“Simply being recognized and appreciated for my experience and talent has reignited a sense of excitement, passion and confidence in my career and professional goals.” Sarah Carnes, Creative Director

“Often, there’s this image of women competing with each other to survive and succeed in the workplace. For me, it’s been encouraging to walk into a business where women are the driving force. At Lift Division, we celebrate and merge our strengths and talents for clients, which helps drive the creativity behind our excellent work.” Kyla Phillips, Web & Graphic Designer + Photographer

“The women at Lift Division are intelligent, creative, funny and tremendous role models. They inspire me to think outside of the box and confidently present ideas for blogs, web content, or design work.” Sydney Bennet, Content Strategist

“I’ve never thought twice about being a woman here because it’s very normalized and inclusive. I’m surrounded by women who work their tails off; naturally, I want to emulate that!” Natalie MacIntosh, Content Strategist

“The moment I stepped foot into Lift Division I felt heard and appreciated for my talents. Lift has given me female role models to look up to right from the start and I am forever grateful and empowered as a working woman every day.” Molly Sullivan, Content Strategist

According to AdAge , even though women may be getting hired at ad agencies, many of them feel like they’re still not heard. The industry publisher even refers to agencies as a “dude fest.” We get it, change takes time, but at Lift Division, we are always ahead of the game. That is why our Digital Marketing Director, Creative Director, Graphic Designer and Photographer are all women. We believe that women have the expertise, capability, strength, knowledge and communication skills to lead our team.

How Lift Division is Empowering Women in Columbia, MO

Oftentimes people view empowering women as to then to degrade men, but that couldn’t be further from the truth at Lift Division. “I believe equality is something we should fight for. However, I don’t see my male peers as competitors. I view them as experts and team members. As we work together, we’re able to overcome challenges and deliver for our clients. I’m so thankful our office culture allows for conversations around equality while empowering women and men to step into leadership roles,” Blackman said.

To empower the women at Lift Division, we first start with the atmosphere we create. Men are not viewed as competitors or obstacles, but rather team members we respect. Women at Lift Division feel this way because we make sure each person has a seat at the table and everyone’s thoughts and ideas are valued. Rusty Brett, Chief Executive Officer & Owner, and Jamie Stephens, Chief of Strategy & Co-Founder, have provided an “open door” policy for communication. Blackman believes that this helps Lift Division thrive as a company and makes room for both women and men to speak up about anything.

Unsurprisingly, Rusty Brett, Owner & CEO of Lift Division, is entirely behind hiring women at Lift and promoting them into positions of influence. “I was lucky enough to be raised by a strong and compassionate woman that deeply cared for others without a prejudice bone in her body. I learned the sport of tennis, which I am obsessed with to this day, from a woman who was my first real mentor. My first boss was a woman who was not only highly proficient in the workplace but could outwork everyone around her. Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed to be around strong, amazing women, and they have given me so much. Every day, I get to witness an amazing woman, my wife, who is the rock of our family. Honestly, hiring new talent for our agency without prejudice comes very naturally for me. When I want to add talent to our team, I make the best pick regardless of gender or race. And so far, the women are edging out the men,” Brett said.

Want to learn more about The Lift Division in Columbia, MO and how we operate as a team? Check out our about page and learn more about who we are as a company and the kinds of diverse individuals we are proud to call employees.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

Celebrating Each Other on International Women’s Day and Every Day

We celebrate the women at Lift Division because it creates confidence and eagerness toward personal and professional goals. “It’s one thing to be recognized, and quite another to be appreciated. When you put those two things together, it creates a sense of belonging and happiness,” Carnes said. We celebrate the women around us because we know they are talented, creative, full of potential and will help our clients succeed. This produces a balanced workplace environment of encouragement and enthusiasm. Who wouldn’t want to be a woman working at a company like that? Moreover, who wouldn’t want to be a client of a company like that? Female empowerment is top of mind at Lift Division and we plan to keep it that way.

To sum up International Women’s Day at Lift Division, “We work together, we grow together, we win together and we celebrate together." Carnes said.

By Sarah Carnes

Creating Quality Blog Content For SEO

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 15:01:20 GMT

You remember that time you just got home from work and all you could think about was what you were going to have for dinner? You decided you wanted to try something new so you went to Google and looked up a recipe for lasagna. After browsing, you decided you wanted to make a meatless sauce or use non-dairy products so you modified your search until you found the recipe that fit your needs. Now you have a trusted resource to go to the next time you want to make meatless, non-dairy lasagna. But what about when you are on the other side providing the answers and you want to be sure that your recipe for delicious non-dairy lasagna is reaching consumers?

To improve your organic rankings on search engines, it's important to understand how search engine algorithms work and how to optimize your content and website accordingly. Search engine optimization is an overarching strategy that refers to creating content, optimizing existing content and developing websites in a way that appeals to searchers and search engines. Here's some of what goes into creating quality content from an SEO company's perspective, and the techniques and guidelines we use to put your business in front of more potential customers as they're making purchasing decisions.

Planning and Strategizing SEO Websites

Before we even get started on content creation, we will strategize the design and layout of your website.Your site navigation should be clear, the flow of the website should be easy to understand, and there should be numerous calls-to-action.

When creating content, our number one concern is your target audience. We ensure that your website, photos and content accurately depict who you are, what you do, how you do it and why you're better than your competitors. For example, if your site is for a restaurant you will want to include information such as your menu, and location whereas an auto repair shop might include a list of services provided and customer reviews.

Staying Up-to-Date with Search Engine Best Practices

More than 90% of worldwide searches are done on Google, making it the king of search engines. Google receives over 63,000 searches per second. With this many searches happening, Google is constantly updating its core ranking algorithm. Since Google does control such a large majority of the search market, we make ourselves experts in its ever-changing algorithm. Many people feel overwhelmed and see the constant updates as a way to penalize sites but it is actually meant to help searchers connect with content easier.

Google's main focus is always user experience. Because of this, Google updates its core algorithm often. By using search engine marketing trackers, attending webinars and looking to leaders in the industry we are able to stay up to date. These updates can be minor changes or major ones. As a digital marketer, we look to Google to inform us on best practices for user experience and audience engagement through content creation.

Identifying High-Impact Keywords

Searches don't just happen. They require a user to enter keywords. As a digital marketer and SEO content creator, we must understand how people are searching. This means we're looking at what words they're using, how they're using those words, what similar words appear, and so on and so forth. One big issue content creators run into is not writing for their audience. As mentioned earlier, it's essential that a digital marketer understands the target audience in question and how they talk about the product, business or idea. By removing jargon and anticipating consumer behavior, we can incorporate keywords that bring a business in front of those customers.

Many people jump the gun by creating quick and easy keywords; but we have found that there is also a place for using very specific phrases that target things a user can be looking for. For example, if a searcher looks up shirts, it’s a safe bet that they will probably browse your shirt store. But if they search white shirt with bow in front, there is a good chance that this person is ready to buy once they find what they are looking for.

Another thing we look at when compiling keywords are your competitors. First we look at the industry standard and see what you may be missing that is giving your competitors an upper hand. Once we fill in these gaps we go even further to make your site go beyond what everyone else in your industry is already offering. Once your site is more comprehensive than your competitors, you naturally fit more searchers’ keywords.

Creating SEO-driven Content

It's easy to write a page about home remodeling; there are literally thousands on the internet. Great content goes beyond the basics and explores deeper to provide the best content a consumer can access. This means that we'll write about what home remodels increase a home's value, smart home remodels, remodeling for specific climates or weather patterns, remodeling for different life stages, and remodeling for different budgets.

We start by looking at your company and making sure we have a strong understanding not only of who you are but also the changes you want to see in your website. When you are working on your site, of course the basics come to mind like making sure you have a header and a title. We help to make sure that your website is prioritizing exactly what you want both with searchers and search engines. By using header tags and title tags it can tell crawlerbots how you see your site and what you think the most important things are in transcending order.

Once you got this we will help to make sure that your content flows naturally and will be easily read by your page viewers. All content written at Lift is read by at least two additional pairs of eyes. By having a diverse range of people look at the content we like to make sure that the content is understood by a variety of people.

One thing that Google updates have shown is a preference for long style comprehensive webpages opposed to multiple pages with little information on them. Therefore we make content that is backed by research and goes into depth rather than having basic content that can easily be found in many different places.

Promoting SEO Content Across Social Platforms

With so many tasks involved in running a business, it is easy to let updating your site or socials fall by the wayside. By creating scheduled or automated posts you can set things to appear at a time that is shown to have online audience success without having to make sure that you post it within that time frame. It is so accessible now to make automated content but often these have a robotic tone and make people confused or uninterested when reading, so when we use these things we are sure to make it is effective by fitting the voice your site already presents. Many sites add pictures to help people get a text break and visual stimulation, by adding descriptive alternative text to your images we help not only the visually impaired to navigate your pictures but also crawlerbots. When working on your content our goal is to use the resources we have with the brand you have cultivated and turn it into a strong online version of your business.

Give Lift Division a Call for Effective SEO and Content Marketing

This isn’t all that our services offer but it is a start on how we help your business with online growth. With all of the updates of the online world we want to help you with the tools you need to become a trusted content creator no matter what your business focuses on. If you’re interested in learning how SEO content can improve your business, give us a call.

By Sarah Carnes

The Evolution of Social Media for Business

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 19:20:46 GMT

When you think of increasing traffic to your website, what comes to mind? Likely your initial thoughts consist of plans for email campaigns, SEO strategy, and banner ads. All of which are valid means of approaching the issue but what about social media? We all use it and have likely interacted with the brands we love while on it. For a business social media provides another opportunity to build relationships with customers and receive real time feedback on initiatives ranging from product design to philanthropic initiatives.

What is Social Media?

At its core social media is a way for people to connect online and share personal content including but not limited to thoughts, opinions, pictures, and videos. Mirriam-Webster formally describes social media as “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.”

Often consumers utilize multiple social media platforms throughout their day. For example, I, like most of my millennial cohort, primarily use Instagram and Twitter. However, I have a Facebook account that typically lies dormant unless I need to check for something specifically on the site. This pattern of usage isn’t uncommon in today's e-commerce driven market. Over half of Generation Z and 42% or Millennials say that social channels are the most relevant in regard to advertising.

When used effectively social media allows your brand to showcase its personality through deliberately curated content. This presents a major opportunity for engagement and brand awareness for businesses, both of which can lead to increases in sales

Benefits for Business

Social media is a valuable asset for companies of all sizes and stages of growth. The culture of sharing and critiquing present in this channel means that your brand is likely to be a part of that discussion at some point, if it already isn’t. Having a clear idea of how you want your brand to be presented helps to lift your image in the public eye.

When it comes to engagement social media is quickly becoming the consumers method of choice. As of now, 45% of consumers use social media as one of the first channels they go to in order to interact with a brand.

Having a strong presence on social media allows businesses to manage their reputation in real-time before an audience while still engaging in routine customer service.

Marketers have taken note of social media’s surging relevance. In 2019, 90% of brands use social channels to increase their brand awareness. This means that maintaining a consistent social media presence isn’t an option any more. Instead it is an integral part of maintaining any type of competitive advantage.

When it comes to converting consumers to customers social media has become an invaluable tool for marketers. With a majority of consumers preferring content that informs knowing the strengths of each platform will enable you to maximize the effort spent curating your company's social image.

The Top Social Media Apps

Facebook

Despite being the current punching bag for data privacy concerns, Facebook still dominates as the largest social media platform. The Big Blue App boasts 2.38 billion monthly active users which is significantly higher than its closest competitor. Facebook in recent years has gradually become the domain of older consumers with more than 11 million millennials either leaving or becoming inactive on the platform.

Facebook however continues to dominate the social advertising landscape. On average users in America click on 8 Facebook ads every month. Its this rate paired with the sheer volume of users that creates such immense value for companies advertising on the site.

Business owners looking to access older, wealthier consumers should consider Facebook advertising to augment their current efforts.

Instagram

Instagram, the choice app of influencers and travel enthusiasts, is another app dominating the social media landscape. With 1 billion monthly active users The Gram ranks as the second most engaging social media platform around. Unlike its parent company, Facebook, nearly three-quarters of Instagram users are age 35 or younger making it a distinctly youth driven platform.

In a realm where aesthetic reigns supreme having a cohesive profile featuring good looking products is what. Starbucks, for example is a top tier account when it comes to Instagram engagement. The national coffee house has millions of followers and effectively uses a cohesive profile aesthetic to keep their audience engaged and interactive.

People love pictures. Plain and simple. Finding your aesthetic and putting it on display is the goal here.

Twitter

Known for its short form post approach and thread capabilities Twitter rounds out the ranks of the most influential and engaged social media platforms with about 330 million active users. Twitter is often associated with being an incubator for social movements. From this culture cultivated on the app have come a number of trends useful for digital marketers. For example, having consistent logo placement in user’s feeds leads to 60% higher ad recall. In regard to cost effectiveness, businesses save over half of their cost per engagement using promoted tweets that contain a video.

Twitter interactions are witty and quick, yet still meaningful. Mastering the language of short form communication is the key to success.

We work strategically to gain your business optimal traffic through different social media outlets, appealing to specific target demographics, planning media distribution and promoting effective content. Aside from improving your brand and increasing visibility, incorporating measured social media tactics can greatly increase traffic to your site as well.

-Lift Division

Takeaways

Three to Four Actionable Steps:

Have a Go-To Social Media Specialist
Social media takes effort. When looking to grow your presence having a dedicated team,either internal or external, will assure that your profiles are up to date, relevant, and in-alignment with the societal climate.

Keep a Steady Cadence
Those tweets from 2016 still sitting at the top of your profile aren’t going to draw in followers. Today, when numbers of social media users are concerned about their follower/following ratio, there's no room in their feed for placeholder accounts.

Post Content that Matters
Know yourself, and know your channels. Consumers want unique, informative content and you are the business that will provide it.

Thinking that increasing your businesses social media presence is the right move? At Lift Division we work with brands of every size to develop effective social strategies that drive engagement. Learn more about what we can do for your business here .

What is Inbound Marketing and Why Does it Work?

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 15:18:35 GMT

Inbound marketing is the practice of placing your brand into channels that are easily accessible to potential customers. Inbound efforts engage both knowledge seeking and passive consumers in a way that encourages interaction and exploration of your brand.

The rise of the internet and social media have changed the way people shop and, as a result, changed the ways in which businesses market to consumers.Through inbound marketing, businesses are able to engage consumers and receive near constant feedback that’s used to further engage consumers, with the ultimate goal of converting them to loyal customers. The results of inbound marekting’s booming popularity are evident throughout all forms of media. Blogging, social media marketing, search engine optimization, and video have become key components of successful marketing operations evident by the rise in spending on each. Blog posting and guest content creation are expected to make up almost 30 percent of marketing budgets this year followed by video marketing at 18 percent and these figures are expected to increase in correlation with advances in consumer technology.

Buyers now have a wider variety of product choices in each category than ever before. Recommended and similar products overwhelm each buyer’s shopping process, which means that proactively engaging buyers in their research is the most effective way to stand out in a market saturated with options. That’s where inbound marketing comes in.

What is Inbound vs Outbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing is all about drawing customers in with organic and paid media that engages their sense of curiosity. Unlike traditional marketing efforts, which were heavily one-sided, inbound marketing leverages technology to create interaction between your business and potential customers. Mediums like search networks, streaming sites, social networks, and messaging applications are the standard platforms that marketers use to connect with today’s online-immersed consumers.

In the past, outbound marketing was the most effective way of reaching customers. TV, radio and print dominated as mediums for advertising and salespeople were an integral part of business-to-consumer interaction. Advertising revenue had steadily increased from its inception in the 1950’s through the turn of the century in 2000. After 2000, on the tail end of the Internet Boom, the scope of these traditional marketing channels began to wane . Outbound marketing focuses on pushing brands towards consumers using one-way communication strategies which, while effective in some cases, isn’t adequate when trying to engage today’s consumers.

Simply put, inbound marketing is empowering for both consumers and businesses. In a world where most people are inundated with information and 47 percent of buyers view multiple pieces of content before engaging with a brand placing a quality message in front of a potential customer at the right time is the most effective way to create loyalty among shoppers. Potential customers want companies to provide resources that are readily available, helpful, and add objective value to their shopping experiences. This is where inbound benefits both parties. Through inbound, consumers are able to receive the meaningful content that they are looking for and brands are able to position themselves as both product leaders and industry experts.

“Where outbound marketing is all about getting your brand out through advertising and one-way communication, inbound marketing focuses on building your brand — providing valuable content and interactive, two-way communication to bring customers in.”

- Lift Division

Inbound marketing also makes financial sense for your business. Using meaningful content and branded digital advertising to draw customers in creates a wider organic and paid reach than traditional outbound methods. According to Hubspot’s annual State of Inbound report “Inbound marketing costs 62 percent less per lead than traditional, outbound marketing.” The efficiency and cost effectiveness of inbound strategies are self evident. Marketing professionals across industries have taken notice are adopting the practice with significant results. Additionally, 75 percent of marketers using inbound strategies see their marketing efforts as effective. In comparison, a little over 65 percent of outbound marketers see their efforts as effective.

How Can My Business Use Inbound Marketing?

Given what we know now about the importance of inbound you may be wondering how to start integrating inbound into your own marketing efforts. Consider the ideas below:

Fully embrace mobile.
In addition to being immersed online, today’s customer is mobile-integrated; so to be effective, your marketing efforts should be too. A report examining internet usage across platforms found that mobile usage accounted for over half of all web browsing activity in 2017, up from just .07 percent in 2009. Tapping into the mobile market creates an immense opportunity to engage customers in inbound video, social and messaging campaigns through mobile friendly channels.
Make friends with Google.
There are a number of algorithm-based advertising and search platforms but Google is the most prominent and therefore sets the standard for inbound requirements. 61 percent of marketers say improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority according. Staying up-to-date with platform policies and changes increases your chances of reaching customers without disruption.
Create content with meaning.
In order to create a two-way dialogue using inbound marketers have to understand what matters to their potential customers. Content without substance appear as clutter to be navigated in pursuit of content that speaks to the needs of consumers. The content you create should be helpful without pressuring the reader to purchase your product. Objectivity is key. Engaging content can be the first step toward converting leads into paying customers.

Consumers have a variety of choices when it comes to buying, which means that quality is the new quantity when it comes to marketing. Inbound engages consumers without being disruptive and that is why it is so effective. The important things to remember are to utilize the best channels at the right times, stay current with search engine updates, and create meaningful content across all mediums.

If you’re looking for a way to attract potential customers, adopting a tailored inbound strategy is the most effective choice. Here at Lift Division we provide a number of services that work together to create a unique and effective inbound strategy for our clients. Learn more about what we can do for your business here .

By Sarah Carnes

How Digital Marketing for Small Businesses Helps Your Community

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:10:13 GMT

We all know that shopping local is important for boosting your economy, supporting local groups, and more. But when you are competing against big chain retailers, you can be edged out by their marketing. Strategic digital marketing through Lift Division gives you a chance to go up against the competition. A strong presence on digital gives you the opportunity to have your products discovered.

There are some simple and plain reasons why shopping local boosts your community; and a lot of people don’t realize how it can benefit them, specifically.

Studies have shown that big chain retailers only contributed 13.6% to the local recirculation of revenue in 2018. While local retailers invested 52%, with 3.1% of that being charitable giving. Local companies give over half of their earnings back into their community in the form of jobs, local spending, and charitable giving. Through a stronger digital advertising presence, we can make sure people in the area are aware and encouraged to shop local.

One study showed that locally owned businesses enhance the local economy. For every $100 in consumer spending with a locally owned business, $73 remains in the local economy. Compared with a national business, for every $100 spent in the community, only $43 dollars stays.

Beyond the financial benefits, there are many other positive consequences of shopping local.

What’s the best way to advertise your small business?

As a local business, you know you make a greater effort to get to know your customers compared to national retailers. Your customers will celebrate when you succeed and mourn if you have to close your doors. This same personal investment isn’t there with big chain stores.

You only want the best of the best for your community. If you sell produce, it’s fresher and grown closer to home. Buying from a local store, produce and meat are fresher and sourced from farmers in the area. This makes for a better taste and healthier nutrients.

But with national businesses, studies show that the average distance that food travels is 1,500 miles in a week-long journey before it even reaches your table.

We know that you only provide first-rate products for your community. Lift Division can help you stand out against national brands so people are aware of your products.

How Do Small Businesses Support their Communities?

Local businesses donate more per sales dollar to local nonprofits, events and teams compared to national chain.

Shopping at local businesses also helps to create a relationship-based economy, where restaurants may work together to create demand for local ingredients, and consumers and small-business owners know each other.

Local business owners tend to be more caring of the community, whether they’re sponsoring local Little League teams, volunteering with local charities, or participating in community charity events.

Lift Division can help you showcase your nonprofit and community involvement to increase your position in a relationship-based local economy, and encourage individuals to shop local, instead.

Your Community is One-of-a-Kind

Local businesses make your community unique. That hole in the wall diner down the street or the local boutique downtown makes your town what it is. This combined presence of local businesses in your town makes it stand out against other cities in the world.

Supporting these businesses more ensures that your one-of-a-kind town continues to have it’s unique flair. We know your business is one of a kind. You have a unique business and want to make sure you’re discovered by the people in the community. We can help you enhance your digital marketing to help you and other local businesses grow.

Boosting your local businesses is good for the economy, and Lift Division can help in areas from SEO to logo design to optimize your local brand.

BY Jake Bowlby

Why Professional Photography Matters

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 06:35:43 GMT

The cliche goes: a picture is worth a thousand words. And maybe in 1950, a single photo was worth a thousand words. But in the age of high-resolution images, social media and iPhones that rival professional DSLRs, the standard for photography has risen tenfold.

Why Does Professional Photography Matter for Businesses and Brands?

Let’s start with some simple truths:

Not All Photography Is Equal

Though anyone can go out and purchase a professional grade camera, not all photographers are created equal. Great photography, especially outdoor, food, business and interior photography, requires a significant amount of skill. Photographers utilize different lenses, will custom adjust aperture and shutter speed, and must take positioning into account. A good photographer will take an OK picture and make it look good with editing. A great photographer takes a great photo, and needs to make minimal adjustments.

Photos are the First Impression

Since online research is less intrusive than coming into a store, 65% of people are more likely to visit your website before ever picking up the phone or stopping by your physical location. This means your first interaction with a potential customer happens via your web presence. First impressions are a powerful tool that shapes purchasing behavior and interactions of potential customers. This is especially true for small businesses , or businesses that sell goods and services that are irregularly purchased like home construction, tree removal or an exterminator. With these types of businesses, a customer is likely to make a purchase just once, or have several years between purchases. A website with well lit, colorful, clear and quality photography paints your goods or services in the best possible light.

People are Drawn to Visuals

Did you know that 90% of the information sent to the brain is visual? Or that the average person only reads 20% of a web page but will view every image? Though more and more people are starting their market research online, images remain a crucial feature for potential clients and customers to connect with your business or product.

Photos Influence Behavior

Researchers at the University of Iowa studied how photography impacted food choices in children. “The more vivid the image, in terms of movement, color and accuracy of representation, the more realistic, the more it’s going to stimulate your response to it,” professor and researcher Brian Mennecke said. “You respond to the image on the display like you would respond to a plate in front of you. If you’re hungry you respond by saying, ‘I’ll have what’s in that picture.’”

If we know that great photography can make someone choose a specific lunch, it’s not a stretch to apply this same effect to shopping or service behavior. One key note in the University of Iowa study is the term “realistic.” This means that filling your website with high quality stock images will not produce the same result as custom photography of your exact business, goods or services.

The Bottom Line:

Is Professional Photography a Good Investment? Yes!

While the thought of spending several hundred dollars on professional photography may seem exorbitantly expensive or unnecessary, you have to think of it as an investment. With photography, you are investing in a media asset that can be used in multiple places. Photos can be used on your website, for promotional campaigns on and off the web, for social media, and for printed materials. Professional photography also ensures that the dimensions and size of the image are large enough for these endeavors, and the photos won’t look grainy or distorted. If you added up the cost of taking new photos, building custom graphics or personalizing an existing stock photo for different campaigns and promotions, you’ll quickly find that professional photography saves you time and money in the long run.

Professional photography matters, and that’s why Lift Division offers photography as an available add-on to any custom website, advertising and branding contract.

BY Jake Bowlby

4 Things You Can Do to Win at Local SEO

Sat, 09 Dec 2017 06:27:17 GMT

Proximity, prominence, and pertinence: the local search trifecta.

With the release of the 2017 Local Search Ranking Factors survey by Darren Shaw this month, there is a plethora of data showing what moves the needle in local search.

Before we dive into the results of the survey, let’s touch on the state of local search and the trends that define consumer behavior at the local level.

Local searches are made by consumers in search of things near their geographical location. This can include finding directions to a local business, checking local store hours or searching for a particular product within close proximity.

A study spearheaded by Google details the most current stats on the local search habits of consumers. Check out this handy infographic to learn more.

Major consumer trends in local search

Consumers search with their location and proximity in mind and often take action quickly.

4 out of 5 consumers use search engines to find local information.
50% of consumers who conducted a local search on their smartphone visited a store within a day.
18% of local searches on smartphones lead to a purchase within a day.

How to capitalize on consumer’s local search trends in 2017

The respondents who provided the data for this survey are some of the brightest, most experienced minds within the local search community. The resulting summary of ranking factors are a combination of common best practices in local search and real-world evidence of the application of those practices, as those surveyed also shared anecdotes from their experiences with local SEO.

Now, let’s take a look at the key takeaways from the survey:

Signals from Google My Business listings reign as the most important factor in local rankings. Signals include proximity to searcher and proper category listings.
Links are not dead. Positive signals from earned links can often be a competitive advantage, especially to rank in saturated local markets.
Authentic, real-world reviews grow in importance. Truthful reviews provide transparency and utilize an incredibly powerful tool: social proof.
Citations remain the foundation of consistent local ranking.

For some context surrounding what influences local search, I took Darren’s three defining categories (proximity, prominence and relevance) and put my own spin on the the third to create a memorable moniker…

The 3 P’s of Local Search

Proximity

Quite simply, proximity is how close a local business is to the user performing a search query. Which businesses are closest to the searcher? This factor is meant to assist with decision making based on closeness to searcher, but often times it can skew results. Closest ? best, which brings us to…

Prominence

Multiple factors go into prominence, which is a local business’ clout. For example: the amount of quality reviews, the quality of the business’ website and its reputation in the local community. Prominence helps to identify the cream of the crop nearest to you. But does the most prominent business nearest you have what you’re looking for?

Pertinence (or relevancy)

Pertinence measures how relevant the products and services a business offers are to the searcher’s need. The final P fine tunes a search for a local business, using the first two categories to help the searcher find a solution to their need.

In other words, being relevant often means being “just what the customer was looking for.”

With the 3 P’s of local search in mind, here’s how to leverage local ranking factors to successfully grow your local SEO footprint and win your fair share of local searches.

4 action steps to winning your fair share of local search traffic

Increase the frequency with which you ask for reviews. Ask EVERY customer. High frequency leads to higher quality reviews and higher rankings.
Build digital links with professionals you work with locally , including service providers, partners and sponsors.
Create in-depth, helpful long-form content for every service or product you provide. Provide value to your visitors. Why should they choose you?
Be a great (not just good) business.

Google is growing increasingly behavioral, using data from real-world sources to form a better idea of which are the best businesses online. They have access to vast amounts of data from various industry-specific platforms, location-based services and even credit cards, giving them insight into information such as:

How frequently tables are reserved at local restaurants.

Which convenience store has the cheapest gallon of gas.

When your business is busiest, based on trends in foot traffic to your store.

Darren Shaw ’s advice for how to rank in local search in the next 5 years?

It’s simple: Be a great business.

Being a great business is easier said than done. What defines a “great business” is often the perfect combination of a number of factors, both online and off.

Consistently providing quality experiences for your customers both digitally and physically proves your worth as a great business and prepares you to reap the benefits of authentic reviews, increased online exposure and most importantly: more business.

If you’d like to learn about concrete ways to put these steps into action and improve your local SEO, email me: sarah@liftdivision.com. Let’s chat.

BY Jake Bowlby

Why Contractors Should Invest in Web Development

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 06:09:40 GMT

Contractors and subcontractors: I have some good news and some bad news.

The good news is business is booming. Anyone who’s been in Columbia in the past couple of years has seen the expansion of real estate in and around the downtown area. Contractors and subcontractors alike are benefiting from the increase in these big building projects, whether it’s another apartment building downtown or a housing project in the suburbs. But you already knew that.

What you might be reluctant to think about is the bad news: business isn’t going to stay this good. We’re sitting on a real estate bubble that is probably 2-3 years away from bursting, taking with it a lot of big contracting jobs. Competition will increase, and it’s going to be a fierce battle of marketing efforts to win the smaller amount of contracting jobs.

Don’t worry, though, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel – it’s the LED lighting from your customers’ computer screens. By investing in your digital marketing efforts you will have a leg up on the competition when business gets slower in the future. Your customers aren’t going to be flipping through the Yellow Pages to find a good contractor – they will go straight to Google search. Not only do you need to appear high in their search results to be visible, but you also need a captivating website. This means investing in a functional, optimized and well-designed website, which will be well worth the investment .

If you wait too long, competitors who have already invested in their website will have a huge advantage online. A developed website can act as a digital employee for your business, working to convert customers 24/7. The ultimate goal of a website is to grow your business. If you invest now, it will keep you from playing catch-up when your competitors’ websites take over the web.

Barry Cameron of Barry Cameron Design and Build hired the Lift Division team to redesign his website . He wanted an interactive and engaging platform for his customers to explore easily. Clients can now view his impressive portfolio and list of services simultaneously, and then call the number strategically placed on the home page.

“That’s where the market is going,” says Cameron. “People now search for me online and then look at the work that I did and make a decision on whether to call me.”

With a website like Cameron’s , potential customers can easily develop trust in his business. They can see the services he provides, the product of his work, his certifications and background experience – and all of it in a format that is visually appealing. If you’re a contractor, you need to be able to compete with sites like these if you want to maintain your business.

Start thinking about your digital marketing efforts now. Look at your website – what do you like or dislike? When you search for one of your services, on what page of the results does your website come up?

Whether you think you need a complete makeover for your site or just a few tweaks, you need to consult a digital marketing specialist about how to get the most out of your site.

Don’t leave your business up to fate or word-of-mouth; a one-time investment in an amazing website will help your contracting business experience growth even when the real estate market doesn’t. Lift Division offers a free Aerial Snapshot assessing your online presence and reputation, so you know exactly what to focus on to secure your business for the future. Interested in more information? Call me at +15734450658 or email me at jake@liftdivision.com .

BY Jake Bowlby

8 Reasons to Invest in an Amazing Website

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 05:59:10 GMT

In today’s hyper-saturated media environment, quality marketing matters more than ever — and nowhere is it more important than online. As a business owner, your online presence has become the de facto face of your business, with landing pages replacing storefronts and social media continually disrupting traditional marketing channels.

And this isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the return on investment for a quality website can be significant; several of our clients have seen a return of over 1,000 percent within one year as a direct result of purchasing a new website.

When it comes down to it, your website likely interacts with more customers everyday than your average employee. In fact, it can function like another person on your team: your Digital Employee™. Not only can your website sell your product or services on a 24/7 basis, it also can be a catalyst to recruit new talent to your team, answer frequently asked questions, help answer common objections in a FAQ’s section and can even showcase testimonials, reviews or case studies that will help potential buyers trust your brand. What’s more, a quality website will work more hours for you than any employee you have, you won’t ever have to pay your Digital Employee™ benefits, and it’ll never miss a day of work.

Here are 8 reasons why investing in a website is the best thing you can do for your business:

1) Your website is a customer’s first stop in the buying process. Many business owners rarely look at their own website. However, you can safely assume that every potential customer of yours is checking out your website before purchasing the product or service you’re offering. In fact, it’s the most common thing someone who is curious about your products or services will research. A great website will build trust with your potential clients, and trust creates sales.

2) If your site isn’t responsive to smartphones and tablets, you are losing business. A recent survey from MarginMedia found that 48 percent of users say that if they arrive on a business site that isn't working well on mobile, they take it as an indication of the business simply not caring. Besides the complete loss of interest in your company, do you really want people to land on your website and have an awful experience with your brand because they can’t easily view your website from their smartphone? If you’re going to succeed in today’s oversaturated media landscape, every interaction with your brand must be optimized for all mediums — because I can guarantee other brands’ are.

3) An incredible website can give you huge advantage over your competition. All businesses have competitors, and most consumers check out a few of your competitors before they decide who to contact. You have the opportunity to wow someone who lands on your site, and guess what happens when someone loves what they see? You got it: more sales.

4) Your website gives you control over your brand. There are a lot of ways people can say negative things about you online: you can impress a hundred customers in a row, and they’ll never give you an online review; do something wrong one time, and you’ll get blasted on a Yelp or Google review. On the other hand, your website is your property. It’s your way to control the conversation. You can showcase your products or work, include testimonials and even share helpful tips if you’d like. No one can take anything from you on your own website.

5) An investment in a website is 100 percent write-off-able. I’m not sure write-off-able is even a word, but you get my point. Web design and development costs are considered an advertising expense and advertising is tax-deductible. What better way to take advantage of tax benefits than via a gorgeous, highly strategic, fully functional website?

6) If your site isn’t responsive to smartphones and tablets, your online rankings will be lower. If your website is not responsive to mobile devices, then you’ve just put yourself at a disadvantage. Google, Bing and other search engines will rank your site lower because one of the factors going into page rankings is the greater user experience that a site has to offer. If your site isn’t responsive, search engines will display a comparable competitor that has a mobile-responsive website higher than yours.

7) Your website can strategically target the most valuable keywords to your business. If you choose the right web design firm, they will talk about the products or services you want to showcase and develop your website using proper on-site SEO practices. Why is that important? Because moving from the eighth position to the third position in a Google search, for example, will increase site traffic for that keyword phrase by approximately 350 percent.

Sound too good to be true? Take a look at our Brett and Erdel Law Firm case study. After we launched their new website, online rankings for the firm’s key practice areas improved by an average of 1,342 percent, which resulted in more new calls to the firm than they could have possibly expected.

8) Your website is the center of the marketing universe, and it complements all your other marketing efforts. If you have an average website and are investing in other types of marketing, you might as well be throwing money out the window. You’re simply not getting the best return for your marketing dollars. Think about it. If I see your TV commercial, magazine ad or read something about you online, the first thing I’m going to do is check out your website — and if you have a crappy website, I’m out. If you have an amazing website, I’m calling you. Focus your attention first on your website, then strap on the marketing horsepower. You’ll get a higher return on the rest of your marketing spend.

A website is not just a business expense. It’s an investment that, when done correctly, can make you more money than anything else you’ll ever invest in.

A word to the wise: I wouldn’t advise going cheap. This is the one of the few times a business owner shouldn’t get stingy, because your website is literally the face of your company. Your best friend’s sister’s cousin doesn’t know how to write SEO focused, keyword-targeted content, create lead magnets, use title and meta tags properly, nor has a master plan of how to implement the next steps of lead generation possibilities once the new site is up. Spend a little more and get an amazing product from a professional marketer.

So what are you waiting for? Invest in a stunning website to deliver an exceptional experience to the next person who visits your website and reap the benefits for years.

By Rusty Brett

7 Marketing Stats Every Business Owner Should Know

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 05:47:43 GMT

I’ve seen a lot of marketing statistics over the years. While there’s something to learn from every statistic, I’ve aggregated a list of seven that I find particularly compelling, including my thoughts on each. Following are seven statistics that every business owner should know — simply stated, they can help business owners make smarter marketing decisions.

1. SEO leads have a 758% higher close rate than outbound leads (such as direct mail or print advertising).

— SearchEngineJournal

The takeaway: This statistic is staggering, but it makes sense if you think about it. Outbound marketing is paid promotion and paid leads are understandably much harder to close. Who likes being pitched to, right? On the other hand, SEO is essentially word of mouth or referral marketing that organically draws leads to your business (through valuable content that an inbound marketer generates). When consumers are naturally drawn to your brand, they have a higher chance of converting (or closing) because there is more established trust. Additionally, clients who are drawn to your brand (as opposed to paid leads) have a much higher probability of becoming a lifetime customer.

2. Inbound marketing costs 62% less per lead than traditional, outbound marketing. (For outbound, the average cost/lead is $373. For inbound, the average cost per lead is $143.)

— Hubspot

The takeaway: If you enjoy saving money in both the short and long term, it’s worth considering an inbound marketing strategy. So what exactly is inbound marketing? It’s essentially the opposite of outbound marketing, which is how we traditionally experience marketing (through TV, radio, and print advertising). For cost reference, 15 local radio spots can run around $2,000 on average, and a half-page ad in a local magazine usually costs around $1,500 (depending on your market, of course.)

So that’s pretty straight-forward. Inbound marketing, however, isn’t quite as black and white — it’s essentially data-driven marketing that includes SEO, content marketing and social media. With SEO, you can bring customers to your website by identifying relevant keywords that your audience searches for, and optimizing your website for those keywords. Content marketing involves creating, publishing, and sharing content that’s targeted to your audience, which includes articles, infographics, case studies, videos, etc. Not only does this content help you more genuinely interact with your audience, it also establishes value and authority in your industry, leading to consumers naturally being drawn to your brand.

It usually takes longer to see the ROI from an inbound strategy, but from this statistic it’s clear that inbound is worth a hard look, especially considering the strategy’s long-term value.

3. More than 60% of all online traffic now comes from a mobile search (e.g. smart phone or tablet).

— Comscore

The takeaway: You better make darn sure your website is built with responsive design. Honestly, you’re losing new clients if it’s not — especially when you consider the fact that Google is now penalizing sites that aren’t mobile friendly. You may ask, “why would Google do such a thing?” Well, it’s because Google is in the business of promoting websites that provide a good user experience (and therefore value to searchers). If Google is directing traffic to sites that aren’t mobile friendly, it isn’t providing the most value to their searchers. A responsive website is a one-time investment, but the value you bring to your current and potential clients is ongoing. You will provide a much better experience, which will undoubtedly benefit your brand as well. Your website is the face of your business, and it should provide a pleasant experience no matter how it’s being accessed.

4. 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

— BrightLocal

The takeaway: Consumers are now reading reviews as a step in the purchasing cycle. Based on the statistic above and others like it, consumers really trust reviews from other consumers. If you don’t have enough good reviews or if you have too many poor reviews, you are offering very little social proof of your competence to consumers who aren’t familiar with your business. Without that social proof, there is little reason for someone to begin the trust process and ultimately they may see little reason to purchase your product or service.

5. 76% of all clicks in search engines go to the first five listings in the search results.

— Chitaka

The takeaway: Most business owners know how important it is to be on the first page in search results… but did you know that the last listing on the first page only gets about 2% of all clicks? If you have a product or service that people are searching for, you should definitely consider investing in SEO and content marketing to improve your rankings. (Advice: Make sure you work with a firm that is very experienced in both on-page and off-page SEO. We’ve run into several situations where a client went with “cheaper” SEO firms and then came back to us needing help to repair the damage the inexperienced group caused, such as a Google penalty.)

6. 79% of leads never convert into sales.

— MarketingSherpa

The takeaway: Just because you’ve got leads, doesn’t mean those leads are going to turn into sales. In truth, this isn’t a shock at all to us at Lift Division. We own a site called ServiceNoodle.com, and I can’t tell you how many leads we’ve generated for local service providers who ultimately drop the ball when we’ve hand delivered a hot lead to them. Whether offline or online, make sure leads are properly taken through an organized conversion funnel until a buyer makes a decision (one way or the other). Having a process in place is crucial to converting a prospect into a client.

7. Companies that blog generate 126% more leads than ones that don’t.

— Hubspot

The takeaway: B ased on these statistics, it’s wise to consider spending some time and resources creating blog content others would find interesting. If you don’t have time to blog (or don’t know how to blog with SEO and conversion in mind), find an inbound professional who is experienced with content marketing. Creating content that is helpful to searchers not only shows off your expertise, but also adds value to consumers and searchers that will return through sales and conversions.

I hope you find these statistics as valuable to your organization as we have. If you want to know how an inbound marketing strategy can add value to you and your business, we can help. Simply fill out the Audit Request below and we will create a personalized Aerial Snapshot that outlines opportunities for your business.

By Rusty Brett

What Really Goes into a Logo?

Sat, 03 Dec 2016 05:35:28 GMT

What’s the first thing you think of when you imagine the perfect logo? Chances are Apple, Coca Cola or Nike come to mind. You’ve heard it again and again; a good logo should be simple and pleasing to the eye. However, when it comes to a great logo there’s more than meets the eye. There are a lot of research and design skills that go into creating the perfect logo. That’s why we sat down with our Head Graphic Designer Melissa to dissect what truly sets a logo apart.

When you first walk into the Lift Division office you may not immediately notice the tiny blonde working determinedly at her tall desk. However, this petite designer packs a big punch. With over five years of design experience, Melissa knows the ins and outs of creating successful design that remains timeless.

“I don't put anything out there that I'm not proud of. If I can't stand behind the design and fight for it, I don't have any right to even show it to the client.”

As the face of your business, your logo sets the tone for the perception of your entire company. Not only should a great designer catch the essence of your work, but they should also be able to research and identify the success of your competitions’. A lot of thought goes into a great logo, and sometimes Melissa will make 30+ logos and only end up sending the 3 strongest to the client.

“I look at any marketing materials, pictures I can find, reviews, articles and anything else pertaining to their business; and then I do the same for their competitors so I know what’s out there and what we're up against.”

One of the struggles for designers and customers alike is the overall vision for the finalized logo. It can be difficult for a customer to trust a designer when it comes to their business, something that is constantly on their mind. However, an experienced designer that has worked with countless clients will know what will suit your business and garner the most success.

A common problem can be a client with an overly set vision. Having an open mind to your graphic designer’s ideas is often the best idea for your company. It’s their job to fit a logo to your business that expresses and reinforces what you stand for. A great designer will know the ins and outs of your business, industry and the design world to make a timeless and fitting logo that will represent your business the way it should be.

So how exactly can you make this work for your own company? Lets take a look at some of the logos Lift Division has created in the past.

AAA Handyman and Hauling Service

Before: The logo AAA had before didn’t express the professionalism of their business. The fonts and colors of their logo didn’t translate well to black and white and it didn’t show the essence of their business.

After: The new logo is easily translatable and is easy to read. Meaning is added to the logo, making it more memorable to the customers who see it. The truck hauling heavily outlined “AAA” shows how their business can haul objects of all sizes.

Mack Hils

Before: The fonts on this logo were difficult to read, particularly the red font against the blue background that read “metal fabrication.” The logo didn’t grab potential customer’s eyes and was easily looked over when trying to find a respectable metal company.

After: The “MH” is impossible to miss. Not to mention, we have incorporated bold color in a different way, using orange to differentiate between “Mack” and “Hils” and speaking to the building and construction industry. The metal finish in the “MH” now reflects the high-end metal work that Mack Hils does for their customers. The new logo is now easy to read and professional.

Design Build Homes

Before: With heavily outlined stairs and mismatched script fonts, Design Built homes needed a renovation. While their motto was “Custom homes of distinction,” their logo hardly stood out at all. The stairs were a great symbol for their business, but were being presented in the wrong way.

After: Design Built Homes, Inc. was just looking to update their logo to a more memorable and timeless design. In order to create a logo that reflected the distinction of their work, the logo for Design Build Homes was made cleaner and more modern. By simplifying the stairs and utilizing negative space, our designers insured that both the emblem and font stood out much more than before. The clean set of yellow stairs now still symbolizes “distinction,” however now that distinction is one of modern and quality work.

Dr. Craig Meyer

Before: With only a simple font as the logo, Dr. Meyer’s design fell flat. It was plain and forgettable amongst a sea of doctor’s logos in a field where you need to stand out. The logo wasn’t living up to the Dr. Meyer’s reputation as a spinal surgeon.

After: The logo is clean and simple, but still interesting. The techy style of font speaks to his knowledge of the newest technologies. It becomes easily understood that he is a spine surgeon without physically writing in the logo.

A great logo consists of meaning, visual appeal and timelessness. However, picking a great designer will ensure this for you. A fantastic designer is also a great researcher, and will spend the time to make sure that your logo ends up becoming the perfect representation of you and your business.

By Sarah Carnes

Introducing Apps: Your next step

Mon, 16 Nov 2015 05:24:42 GMT

Since our founding, our team has been innovating inbound marketing to create purposeful strategy and measurable results to enable our clients to reach their online goals. Throughout this time, we have furthered our mission of helping good businesses grow. And as a result, we’ve turned toward content-rich websites, mobile ready pages, and effective optimization to deliver marketing-based solutions that work to increase digital traffic and engagement. This strategy is continued with the introduction of elegant and highly interactive mobile apps fit for any market. It’s the next step.

For mobile apps, the possibilities and capabilities are as diverse as the businesses able to utilize them. But what remains consistent are the benefits offered by adopting a more mobile-friendly strategy. From increased engagement to building brand recognition, a custom app is able to connect businesses with customers in a meaningful way by taking their marketing to the next level.

In an article in Forbes Magazine , contributor Melanie Haselmayr analyzes the various benefits of creating a marketing plan involving apps and how the mobile-based format can instigate growth and brand recognition incomparable to other strategies.

“More and more small and midsize businesses are following the mobile trend, understanding that an effective mobile strategy involves more than just a mobile-friendly website.”

In short, consumers are always looking for new ways to engage with their favorite businesses, and the most successful businesses are always looking for new ways to engage with their customers. Mobile apps provide the opportunity for increased customer engagement because of their accessibility and versatility.

With e-commerce, mobile menus, messaging boards and more, our apps have the ability to be designed around the needs and goals of the business. As websites create a space for your brand online, apps create a custom and interactive space in the hands of potential and existing customers. From targeting local demographics and providing special offers to generating valuable feedback and improved customer support, they work efficiently to represent your business virtually anywhere.

It was not too long ago mobile ready websites were at the forefront of any inbound marketing strategy. Now, mobile marketing involves a more complex, strategic approach that is not afraid to adapt to new trends. Apps are the next step for your marketing strategy as they illustrate a progression in technology and capability.

Our development team can create a wide range of apps to serve nearly any purpose, and we’ll work with you to ensure your business’ app is exactly what you had in mind. For more information about apps, their benefits, and our services, head to our website .

By Jamie Stephens

Jamie Stephens is our Chief of Digital Strategy and is a co-founder of Lift Division. He has been designing websites and developing simple, usable tools on the web for over 15 years and has has built sites and web applications for companies such as Miller's Professional Imaging, adventur.es, The Ad Sheet, Reynolds Journalism Institute, and many more.

The Science Behind Success: Six ways to withstand the holiday competition

Thu, 05 Nov 2015 05:17:29 GMT

Over the years, digital devices have transformed the way we live—and the way we shop. Marketing today is all about strategy and starting early to beat out the competition. Sticking out in today’s multi-channel world can seem overwhelming at first, so we made this guide to help you beat out the holiday competition.

1. Do Your Research

Many businesses get trapped in the cycle of using the same keywords each year. In fact, holiday keywords change year after year! It is smart to research any trending words in your area, state, and country. Depending on your business, you may want to strategize differently. While an online retailer or service may focus on more broad keywords, a local business may prefer the data from their area alone.

2. Start Early

Starting your digital marketing early is essential to your business’ holiday success. Unique ad copy can be written, but the best way to gage which of your ads are the most successful is to have them out at least a month ahead of time. This will give you helpful data to pick out the most competitive of your ads and give your business the most click-through ad success. As for the ad copy itself, it is smart to use current promotions and holiday themed language. This attracts your customer because they can tell your ad is current.

3. Know Your Customer

Knowing your customer and how their shopping habits change year after year is essential to your holiday marketing. In a recently posted Google Adwords blog article , data found that customers are more digital than ever, partaking less in shopping “marathons,” and more into shopping “moments” on their phones throughout the day and over a couple months. Research has become key to the customers both in your store and online as informative YouTube product videos (particularly for electronics), reviews, and blogs continue to change the competitive holiday landscape.

4. Get Mobile

Mobile optimization is essential in today’s digital world, especially during the holiday season. Data shows 54% of holiday shoppers say they plan to shop on their smartphones this holiday season. Not to mention, 52% will use their phones to research products before they enter a store, and 82% of shoppers will be consulting their phones while they are in your store.

5. Get Festive

Your brand should utilize the holidays to build personality! From a themed site and ads to a friendly social media presence, the holidays are one of the best times to engage your customers and media followers. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are great places to reach out and spread the holiday cheer with behind-the-scenes photos, employee holiday events and more.

6. Content is Key

Creating useful content around the holidays is essential to gain traffic on your site. From “top 100” shopping lists to an increase in festive emails and promotions, your content needs to stick out from the competition with engaging, relevant language. Not to mention, customers expect to receive more emails over the holidays. It is important to keep in mind that your competition is sending more emails too. Beat them out with relevant, engaging information that is targeted to your customers.

No matter what marketing tactics you decide to utilize, it is important to have fun with whatever you do! The holidays are a time to spread joy and your marketing can be one of the many ways to do this.

BY Jake Bowlby

The Unwritten Rules of AdWords

Fri, 21 Aug 2015 05:11:39 GMT

1. Be keyword-oriented, especially in your headline

Your headline is the first part of the ad someone will read, so it is important to be intentional and strategic with the copy. Keywords help to connect your ad to your customers, as they are the bridge between their search and the solution. By being keyword-oriented you will make the most of your ad and provide relevant information to the searcher. Keywords should be the heart of your ad. They are on the mind of your searcher and should be in the headline of your ad.

2. Impeccable spelling and grammar

Accurate spelling and grammar are always important when you are representing a brand. A misspelled word or wrong verb tense can diminish your authority and reflect poorly on the product you are trying to promote. With Google, every ad must meet their specific expectations for spelling and grammar; a simple mistake could prevent your ad from being shown or lower your quality score. Sometimes a faulty ad gets lost in the shuffle and it appears with an error. To avoid this or your ads getting denied, have the copy of the ads checked and edited.

3. Know your audience, know your product

With any form of advertising, it is important to understand your audience and product and the relationship they share. AdWords gives you little space to get the attention of the searcher so each word needs to be purposeful and targeted towards the customer. Relevant verbiage and language will appeal to a certain demographic where others will not. Lingo or common abbreviations will resonate with the searcher and help you stay within the character count. Your tone is another way to focus the ad on a particular set of customers.

4. Beat the character limit with abbreviations and symbols

The limited amount of characters allotted per ad can make it tricky to navigate AdWords and effectively communicate your message. If you are writing a marketing ad concerning pay-per-click advertising and you know your targeted audience is proficient in the terminology of the industry, you can save characters with abbreviating it to PPC. This can be applied to almost any field.The same could be said for using a number or dollar symbol rather than writing out the entire word. Google is very specific with their rules for symbols and abbreviations, so only use them when it is accurate and necessary. This will save you precious character space within an ad shorter than a Tweet.

For reference: the headline is allowed 25 characters and each description line has a limit of 35, making for a total character count of 95.

5. Capitalize every word

This practice has become the norm in the AdWords world because it creates an eye-catching ad when contrasted with the other search results. With the previously mentioned character constraints in mind, capitalization allows you to make the most of the small ad space and give your copy the power only more space could create. Capitalization of AdWords has become standard practice within the copy community. To understand this more, think of the ad as a title in regards to it being the first piece of information a potential customer will see about the product.

6. Add dynamic keyword insertion when appropriate

In its simplest form, dynamic keyword insertion turns the user’s search into the headline of the ad. If you were to search for “apple pie recipes”, the headline of the ad would be just that. The following copy would integrate keywords and language that could be part of a more universal ad group. In this instance, it could be baking or fruit recipes. Dynamic insertion is great tool to catch a searcher’s attention and make the ad more personal. It adds a layer of relevance to your copy that otherwise would not have been there.

7. Experiment with your copy

AdWords can become repetitive, causing many ads to be read over or ineffective. Do not be afraid to experiment with your copy to find new ways of conveying your message. Because Google has strict restrictions on the use of punctuation and symbols, it can be tricky to write your ad in a provoking manner. Mixing up the vocabulary can be a great way to give your ad a leg up against its competition.

8. Mirror your landing pages

When writing copy for AdWords, it is important to mirror the ad to the landing page. If a searcher were to read your ad and click, you want the languages to be similar. Knowing what to expect when you land on a site improves the experience for the searcher and adds authority to your message. Mirroring your pages increases your quality score, ad rank and position.

9. Make a compelling offer

It is important to keep in mind the competition within AdWords. When writing copy, highlight what makes your offer unique and influence the searcher to click. By including key benefits like prices, promotions or exclusives, you will add depth to the copy and entice them to interact. Know the strengths of your product and integrate them into your copy.

10. Choose a relevant call-to-action

With your ad, make it clear what the next steps are for your customer. If you are selling something, tell them what they need to do to buy it. For services, provide them with your contact information. This is an important component of the copy because it gives your customers direction and leads them where you want them to go. A strong call-to-action will be at the end of your ad with interesting and provoking content. This is your last chance to get the searcher to click. Go ahead, try it out!

BY Jake Bowlby

E-Commerce Outside Of The Amazon

Wed, 15 Jul 2015 04:58:54 GMT

There are many misconceptions with e-commerce and what it can do for your business. Amazon.com, the revered leader and trailblazer of e-commerce, doesn't have to be the gold standard for online sales anymore. Today, business owners are utilizing services like online payments and like-to-buy to grow their business and keep up with the changing consumer climate. From email marketing to social media, brands are expanding their influence and client base with the reinvented version of e-commerce.

In the past, online shopping consisted solely of retail hegemonies providing products to customers around the globe. There is a misconception that this practice is exclusive to businesses with large amounts of capital and other resources. As a result, there has been a misnomer created around e-commerce. With a website and a few social media accounts, any business can reap the benefits of online business.

With 40 percent of online users reporting they have engaged in e-commerce, it’s a facet of business that cannot be overlooked. Although the traditional brick-and-mortar is important, online sales and transactions enables the traditional consumer discourse to be replaced. Rusty Brett, Lift Division’s owner and CEO, says it’s important to take a different perspective. Rather than to view it as simply online shopping, think of it as your 24/7 digital sales employee.

While your website is your virtual building, your participation in social media is your opportunity to engage with your existing and potential customers. With e-commerce, you are able to expand who you’re targeting and reach virtually anyone. Riffraff is an Arkansas-based boutique that expanded its sales first on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, then to a robust e-commerce site. In the six years Riffraff has been in business, it has expanded itself from a corner store to online business with over two million customers. The owners of Riffraff attribute their success to their willingness to innovate and utilize the many opportunities within e-commerce.

Furthermore, the average American spends over six hours a day online. E-commerce allows a business to put their product or service in front of a potential consumer. Similar to how advertising has adapted to digital trends, e-commerce allows that call-to-action to be answered. With mobile optimization, that interaction can even occur in the palm of a hand.

Today’s e-commerce has reached its pinnacle with local businesses. Staying with Riffraff, they found success by capturing the attention of their local costumers and catapulting that into a lucrative online authority. By branding your company as one that appeals to its demographic, you can foster loyalty and action, especially with the demographics who find themselves connected to the web. Different from Amazon’s version of e-commerce, you are able to bring your brand’s personality and service to its online presence by incorporating it into your digital marketing plan.

As of 2013, e-commerce boasts over a billion users. If the online sales business is successful for larger and more global retailers like Amazon, it can easily translate to a local market. Establishing e-commerce for your business can be quickly added as an extension of your existing site or part of something completely new. From products to services, the options are abundant to reach customers who otherwise would not pass through your door.

BY Jake Bowlby

The New Face of Pay-Per-Click

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 04:54:37 GMT

Pay-Per-Click advertising is getting a facelift. Later this year, more targeted advertisements will appear on Instagram. The aesthetically appealing photo-based app is just one of many companies cashing in on the potential of social media marketing. With Pay-Per-Click, a business is able to utilize their social media accounts to influence a particular action by a consumer or follower. In the past, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest have found success with this form of digital marketing. As Instagram enters the arena, it will combine its visual appeal with advertising to create a new, unique user experience. But what does this mean for your business?

Pay-Per-Click is an increasingly important marketing strategy aimed to direct traffic to your website or page. In the context of social media, it gives you the power to advertise where your customers are. The ability to measure and target ads is an added benefit of PPC. Instagram advertisements will integrate these features with the photo and video format that currently exists.

Similar to the other social media platforms, any Instagram user will be able to advertise or boost their account. From big-box retailers to your local coffee shop, anyone with a handle will have the opportunity to reach Instagram’s millions of users. In fact, the app boasts over 300 million users each month who spend an average of 21 minutes on the interface per day. That’s nothing to dismiss. Targeting allows you to specify which user will see your ad or post. From age to gender, you have the opportunity to direct the content to the customer of your choosing. In other words, you have the ability to put a billboard in anyone’s backyard. For a business trying to reach a specific demographic, that is a powerful and valuable tool.

Different from other Pay-Per-Click platforms, ads that will appear will have to fit a certain aesthetic. Instagram was founded with a goal of providing a visually appealing social media experience. Editing everyday photos and videos into amateur works of art is the main appeal of Instagram, but this shouldn’t be a deterrent. PPC through Instagram allows you to put your business in the hands of your future or existing customers.

Your business’ marketing strategy is not complete without social media. It gives you the opportunity to connect with people you want to do business with. Engaging with existing or potential customers is a necessity in today’s marketing climate. If nothing else, having a presence on Instagram and other social media accounts deepens that connection with your desired demographic. The utilization of hashtags, geotags and image tagging allows you to boost your rankings and reach new people. Social media is just that; it is social. Being a brand that connects and engages with users gives you the power to influence them. With the expansion of PPC into Instagram, that interaction has a new face.

To learn more about PPC and our services, Click Here .

BY Jake Bowlby

It's All About Delivery - Mastering Your Content Medium

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 04:21:45 GMT

When you’re creating content it can be daunting to figure out what medium you should use to best present your ideas. There are so many different options for presenting information. However, if you’re using the same medium to present every idea that you have every time, you probably aren’t utilizing some of these tools you could be using to more effectively convey your idea. Here are a few different mediums for presenting your content online, and the pros and cons of using each:

Article: This is generally the most common medium for content marketing. Articles are fast and easy to create, and virtually anyone can produce them. While editing and a strong voice will help elevate the level of quality content, first and foremost it is necessary for the basis of the article to have depth. Generally, in order for people to understand an idea through an article they are going to have to spend a few minutes reading the entire article, or at least a good portion of it. This is not the medium that you want to choose if you are trying to get an idea across quickly. However, because people are so comfortable with articles, it is generally the most common medium used.

Picture: Humans tend to rely on vision as our most prioritized sense. We will trust our eyes over our other senses in most cases. The best time to use pictures is when you are trying to show something. Like the old saying, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. There are some concepts that you just convey better with a picture. In journalism, it’s impossible to describe the devastation that happens after major events or disasters, such as a big tornado. You need a picture to convey the complete effects. The same concept applies in marketing—sometimes you just need a picture. Readers’ eyes are naturally drawn to visually striking images. Many times, even if you are going to be writing an article to deliver an idea, you will want to have a picture to go with it.

Infographic: Infographics are another great way to grab people’s attention. If you have a large set of data, or you want to display data in a way that is easier to digest, you should consider creating an infographic. When you are trying to show a correlation with data or explain a concept that is hard for many people to grasp, the best way can be through a visual graph or chart.

Video: This might be one of the most time consuming products to make, but there’s a reason that the movie industry is so successful. Videos are costly to make, but often they reap great rewards. Videos can show and evoke emotions just as something in real life would. Visuals also tend to get shared more on social media, which can help you deliver your content to an even bigger audience.

Social media: Does your idea involve feedback? Then your idea probably needs to be shared on social media. You can share most of your content on social media platforms, but many times you will also need to be creating content that is specific to each medium. While the types of content you can share on each of these platforms can be repurposed to share on each different medium, these are some things that do well on a specific platform.

Facebook – The most mainstream of platforms. Generally, Facebook is the platform that gets the most feedback. If you are trying to reach a lot of people from different demographics, this is the social media tool for you.

Twitter – You can share the same content on Twitter as you share on Facebook, but make sure it’s more condensed. If you are trying to get an idea across quickly, this is a good platform.

Pinterest – This platform is key for sharing portfolio work or products that are available for purchase. This is also a key platform to reach the female demographic.

Instagram – This is great for showing behind the scenes shots of your work. Make sure that content you are sharing on Instagram is very visually appealing. This is also a great platform to reach young people.

Hyperlapse – If you are trying to show an overview of something, this is a great app in addition to Instagram that allows you to speed up videos. This is a key tool for giving someone a sense of what happened or what something looks like in a short period of time.

Tumblr – If your idea is strong artistically, this is probably where you will have the most success with presenting your idea.

Slideshow: A unique, new tool for sharing content is Slideshare, an online platform for sharing content that ranks really well with search engines. It also can provide a greater depth to content than just a regular article might. You might consider using this medium if your idea requires multiple steps that progress in an orderly fashion.

A good idea can get lost in the shuffle if you aren’t presenting it the right way. Unless others can hear and understand your idea, the idea is worthless. It doesn’t matter how good it is. When people create content they tend to think the only way to convey their idea is through words. However, there is almost always more than one way to deliver an idea. By using a different medium, you can make it easier for your content to pop and standout among the millions of other things that are vying for the attention of your consumers.

BY Jake Bowlby

Marketing re:Marx Part II: Planned Obsolescence & The Sharing Economy

Wed, 04 Mar 2015 04:14:24 GMT

Previously in Marketing re:Marx, we explored Karl Marx’s concept of commodity fetishism . In particular, we dissected Marx’s formulation of the idea, the nature of its existence, and how the current trend of corporate social responsibility may eventually provide a means to its end.

This time, we’re dealing with a whole other topic: Planned obsolescence. Although not an explicitly Marxist concept, planned obsolescence is certainly worthy of discussion in a Marxist light. Not only does it relate to online marketing and the sharing economy, it’s also something that Marx would have probably had a lot to say about – were he grumbling around, scratching his beard in today’s capitalist society.

Planning for the Obsolete

Planned obsolescence is a business practice that has been exercised since the 1920s, and its questionable implications have been debated about ever since by economists and sociologists alike – long after Marx himself had kicked the bucket, however.

First off, an example: You know how your iPhone works great for the first couple years, but after a while it starts to break down? Or how about the fact that a lot of electronic or mechanical products aren’t made first and foremost for longevity, but are rather only expected to last for a limited about of time before they need replacing? (Think lightbulbs, headphones, laptops, etc.) Doesn’t it always seem like right when your gadget starts to break down (roughly 2-4 years), there’s a new one on the market?

This is the idea behind planned obsolescence. Simply stated, it’s the notion that firms actually have an incentive not to create products based around longevity; as long as they offer products that consumers want at an acceptable price, we will purchase them, even if they don’t last very long. It’s very plausible – in fact it has happened before – that large corporations purposefully sell products that are designed to only last for a certain amount of time.

So, why would anyone actually want this? At face value, most people probably view planned obsolescence as a bad thing because it implies inferior products and higher consumer spending, but unfortunately it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Weighing the Sides and Callin' Up Marx

Proponents of planned obsolescence argue that the practice stimulates the economy by stimulating demand, while detractors contend that planned obsolescence unnecessarily increases consumer spending. No matter what side you fall on, however, it’s worth noting that planned obsolescence does have distinct advantages for producers – while consumers always get the short end of the stick.

With this in mind, it’s not hard to speculate what Marx would have said about planned obsolescence: “ Hell nah! ” (All right, he probably would have been a little bit more articulate, but the sentiment is still there.)

Marx’s opposition would stem from his orientation toward the consumer (which we can identify as his proletariat in this context), and he was therefore not in favor of giving producers/suppliers (his bourgeoisie) any benefits – especially in a capitalist economic system, which he was also decidedly opposed to because of the classism he viewed inherent to the model.

What’s more, Marx was big on the environment. He understood the role that humans have in nature, and he was careful to explain this in his 1844 Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts , wherein he wrote,

“Man lives on nature – means that nature is his body, with which he must remain in continuous interchange if he is not to die. That man's physical and spiritual life is linked to nature means simply that nature is linked to itself, for man is a part of nature.”

A little out there, but you get the point.

And since planned obsolescence naturally creates more consumption and therefore waste and environmental degradation, we can pretty accurately speculate that Marx wouldn’t have been too hot on the idea of planned obsolescence. (Not to mention the glaring fact that Marx didn’t favor a capitalist economy in the first place, of course.)

Online Marketing and the Sharing Economy

What does any of this have to do with online marketing? Well, on one end it’s relatively simple: B2C online marketers mostly focus on creating content that will draw users to their website. Although it may seem like this has nothing to do with planned obsolescence, in a way — albeit a somewhat circuitous way — it actually does.

Think about it: For businesses that are primarily based online, customers require a lot more information before they’ll even try out a new product. When they’re just starting out, these new businesses have a natural disadvantage because they, in turn, can’t rely on simple market share and relative ubiquity to sell their goods. (Most planned obsolescence-based businesses rely on their being oligopolistic, after all.)

New online businesses need to offer quality goods and services that are backed up by reviews and social media endorsements. They need to show people that their product is worth buying by saying, “See, look at all these other people who agree!” One way to ensure people won’t be saying good things about your business? Base its model around planned obsolescence. On the internet, transparency and genuineness are valued heavily – and incorporating planned obsolescence is undoubtedly going to get discovered by your customers and tarnish (perhaps even destroy) your brand.

The same is true for the ‘sharing economy’, which puts a high value on innovation, information, authenticity and human interaction. Simply put, planned obsolescence is too deceptive to work in this new economic sector. It’s not innovative, not authentic, and undermines human interaction/experience in exchange for profits for producers. Perhaps most importantly, it relies on consumers’ lack of information. Yeah, even with the Marxist lens aside, that’s not going to fly.

Low Marx

So let’s recap this whole spiel of planned obsolescence: Supply-side economists like it, consumers generally don’t like it, Marx wouldn’t like it, and it’s not going to be a viable business component for new businesses that rely on online marketing or new businesses in the sharing economy. Sure, new businesses that rely on online marketing might be able to benefit from some planned obsolescence if their product is good enough, but it should never be used as a primary means to profitability.

By Kelsey Blackman

What Google's New Announcement Means For Your Business

Tue, 03 Mar 2015 04:02:59 GMT

If you haven’t already heard, there’s some big news out of the Google Webmaster Central Blog involving mobile content: In short, mobile friendliness is about to become a lot more important for search rankings. How much more important? That is always hard to say for sure, but we can confidently assume it’s going to significantly impact how websites show up in search results on the web — beginning April 24th.

But that’s not all. The announcement also detailed more relevant content from app indexing, which is essentially what it sounds like. Google will now use the information they’ve gained from crawling and indexing apps, to offer signed-in users useful content that is within an app they’ve installed. This change goes into effect immediately and, truth be told, it isn’t nearly as big of a deal as mobile friendliness. Google has already been indexing apps for some time; this update just puts that information to use in search results. Unless your business has an app, you don’t need to worry about this change.

Wasn’t Mobile Friendliness Already a Factor?

Sure, mobile friendliness has always been a priority for Google, and to some extent they’ve been signaling an upcoming, larger update for a while now. For instance, they’ve made continual updates to make sure that sites are configured properly and viewable on modern devices, and they’ve rolled out algorithm updates that focus on mobile and local searcher behavior.

While all those previous updates can be compared to patchwork fixes, this is rolling out a whole new blanket for the world of SEO. Google is basically telling everyone that if you want your site to show up at all in relevant search rankings, it will have to be mobile friendly. Period.

Why The Change?

It’s not hard to see why Google decided to roll out this update. In their own words, as a result of the update, “users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.”

But that’s a pretty vanilla line. Sure, Google cares about searchers (and they definitely care about the value of their product ), but let’s not kid ourselves and say that this company of programmers and data hounds doesn’t care about the numbers, too.

So let’s take a look at some of the numbers:

There are 1.4 billion smartphone users in the U.S.
Approximately 60% of all online searches are performed via mobile device
The average American spends 2 hours per day on their smartphone
57% of users won’t recommend companies with poor mobile sites

Those are just some of the most salient statistics. Depending on where you’re looking, there’s data about all kinds of mobile browsing behavior… but it all points toward the same thing: an increase in the trend toward mobile browsing (and, accordingly, searching). There’s no doubt that Google realizes this, and so they’ve updated their algorithm to reflect the trend. From now on, optimizing a website for mobile friendliness isn’t just going to be an auxiliary to normal SEO services — it’s going to be just as important as regular SEO. It’s going to be a mandatory part of all web design.

What Should Businesses Do?

It’s this simple: Make sure your website is responsive and mobile friendly. There are a couple ways to do this, both of which are relatively straightforward and described on the announcement page. If you discover your site isn’t mobile friendly and you don’t know how to make it so (or if you just don’t have time), consider contacting an online marketing company that offers inbound marketing services. Chances are, they’ll be eager to help you get your website ready for the update.

Come April 21st, any business that doesn’t have a mobile friendly website is going to see that reflected in a precipitous drop in the rankings and ultimately their search traffic — and that’s something no business wants to have to go through.

(References: SmallBizTrends.com , Search Engine Journal )

By Rusty Brett

Link Building Strategies for Success in 2015

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 17:23:28 GMT

Online marketing experts agree that link building, also known as authority management, is one of the best strategies a website can implement to increase search engine ranking, authority and traffic.

At its core, link building is all about leveraging the authority of one site to increase the authority of another. Any time that one website links to another website, some of the original website’s authority is passed on to the website that it is linking to. Typically, this is done by creating content and placing it on the “linking” site. It’s as simple as this sounds, but if it is not done well it can be very unsuccessful at passing authority, and this could cause a site to get penalized by Google or another search engine.

The following tips will not only help you get the most authority from your links, but also help you to avoid penalties.

Focus on Creating Valuable Content

By far the best way to begin a link building campaign is to focus on creating quality, valuable content. Since link building is all about leveraging other sites authority, you need to have something of value to offer those sites, and content is extremely valuable.

Create content that is focused, unique and appealing to readers. You are not just creating content that is going to be put on a website, you are creating content for the readers and clients of that website or blog. So take the time to study the audience and past content on websites you intend to reach out to.

Target Narrow, Relevant Websites for Guest Blogging

When beginning to link build and create content it is easy to find places that will accept your content. However, not all websites are created equal, and some can actually be harmful. Avoid blogs and websites that have large amounts of broad categories. While some of these websites can be fine to post on, the search engines do not think highly of a majority of them.

Instead, focus on websites that specialize in the same services and products that you do. Not only will you be able to produce content that they will find valuable and understand, your potential audience and customer base is probably reading these blogs as well.

Get Creative with Your Content

Anyone can write up a simple top ten list. In order to stand out to readers and to the websites you are reaching out to, you need to be creative with your ideas, topics and content. Take the time to come up with in-depth articles that are focused and different than all of the other content that is out there.

Content does not have to be just an article, either. Consumers and websites both like content that is engaging, to the point and easy to consume. Consider creating infographics, videos and visual aids instead of or paired with written articles.

Promote Your Content on Social Media

The end result of link building is to gain both search engine authority and traffic. While a majority of that traffic may come from increased rankings in the search engines, you can also build traffic by leveraging the authority that is gained by eyes that read your content.

Create social media campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ to complement your guest blogging efforts. This can be as simple as providing links on social networks when your articles get published, and creating pre-publish campaigns to get people excited about your upcoming posts. It can be as detailed as hosting Google Hangouts to take Q&A’s about articles you have published, or even recording and posting an interview with someone from the website where your content is posted.

Link building is something that businesses and websites should engage in if they are looking to increase authority, rankings and traffic. If done correctly, it can be a great strategy that will bring you much success. Focus on looking for relevant blogs where you can place valuable and creative content, and do everything you can to leverage your efforts on social media for maximum success.

By Rusty Brett

The Anatomy of Design: Hungry for Concept

Wed, 18 Feb 2015 17:09:53 GMT

Design Trends

Each season, there is a popular trend or style that everyone wants a piece of. This fad becomes ever-present - until something new comes along. As an artist, I tend to stray away from the trends of the moment and maintain uniqueness through my own individual creativity. However, I find that this is not always easy, and it begs a few questions. How is this possible when what is popular in the world of design is everywhere you look? How do we distinguish ourselves from what has already been done before, and how can I make my design different from the designs of others? These are the set of questions I ask myself before each and every project I begin.

Research

Research is always my first step. Good design research can come in many forms, but the most important way to research is to first ask questions. The answers will allow the creative process to take a natural direction. It is important to cover all your bases, and know all your angles before you begin your work. This is why I find that knowing the background story of a client or a project before I begin always helps. To know the purpose and origin of a specific project or a company is the key to finding the right design fit for them. It is important to know your clients as people. Sure, some may think a certain design looks good, but as a designer I want to push past the admiration of a good design and get to a concept that evokes something more than admiration. Designs can be visually pleasing, but without a concept a design can just be something that “looks good.” In order to create a concept you must brainstorm. This could be a collective of brainstorm that involves both the designer and the client. This is a time to get together and let creative minds generate ideas. Brainstorming allows ideas to flow and bounce off one another, which allows a unique, feasible design concepts to emerge.

Drawing Board

From personal experience, going back to the drawing board, literally, is the best way to begin bringing that concept to life. A pencil and a blank piece of paper staring back at you can be intimidating at times, but with a solid concept in mind you will feel like nothing can stop you. This process creates the perfect medium to record a flow of ideas. This brings back the old-school process of drawing your idea out in front of you, looking the idea in the eye. I’ve found that the best ideas spark from relatable topics and experiences. This could be anything that stuck with you through the years. A concept that is personal is one that will stand out from the rest. We may have similar experiences, but no two people have the same reaction to it. Material consumption is so easy to duplicate. However, if we build designs based on experiences, they’re more likely to be unique. What if we built design from feeling that could wage philosophy? Philosophy meaning social wisdom, a wisdom that we look for not from buying stuff from a pile of consumerism but the untold story that is behind the product.

A concept is a structural reason behind a visual idea. Concept remains abstract until something brings it to life out of a collection of materials. Designers really serve as professional organizers of these materials. How we arrange these materials is what makes them differ from the rest. Every company starts with a story. They have two visions: the way they see themselves, and the way they want to be seen. It is the details that start a direction for the design to take. A good design contains more than what meets the eye. Imagine a balloon without air, it could be a great looking balloon but its not going anywhere. Something else has to fill the design to make it more than just visually appealing.

Concept is the Heart of the Design

Personally, as soon as I know the right concept I want to use for a design, I write it down somewhere I will look often. It is easy to get lost in a sea of design visuals and lose track of where they originally came from. Stick with your idea and follow through with it; let it grow.

Without concept, designs would overlap and not allow the design world to evolve, in which case computers could do my job...and I really love my job. A concept can be anything from a philosophical definition to a simple guideline to produce framework. No matter what form a concept may emerge from, it is the beating heart that gives the design life.

By Sarah Carnes

From Startup Weekend to Silicon Valley

Mon, 09 Feb 2015 17:02:17 GMT

Smack-dab between Kansas City and St. Louis, the city of Columbia has once again reminded Missouri and the world that we’re much more than just another “flyover” or a “drive-through” town. In fact, we are as impactful as any large city when it comes to culture, education, entertainment — and especially new business.

The latest startup to hit the radar, EquipmentShare.com , not only won Startup Weekend Columbia 2014, but as of today we're excited to break the news that they have been invited to join and are currently working from one of the most prestigious business accelerators in the world, Y Combinator in Silicon Valley.

Startup Weekend in Summary

For those unfamiliar with Startup Weekend , it is an annual event hosted by some of the most forward thinking communities across the country. Columbia, Missouri, hosts one of the most highly regarded Startup Weekend events in the U.S. — not only due to the amazing ideas constantly being churned out, but also due to a robust community of helpful and proactive entrepreneurs (led by adventur.es CEO Brent Beshore).

Every year, Startup Weekend Columbia kicks off around the first week of October. Beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, rookie and veteran entrepreneurs alike take turns presenting their business ideas (in 60-second pitches) to an audience of roughly 150 web designers, developers, graphic designers, marketers, business mentors, investors and of course, judges. All entrepreneurs who pitch must be prepared; they must explain their vision in an inspiring, articulate and persuasive manner to draw a team to help execute their business idea.

Soon after the pitches wrap up (typically there are about 45), the audience disperses and audience members determine the idea they’d like to work on. Web developers, marketing specialists and other audience participants approach the aspiring entrepreneurs they are most interested in working with, teams are formed and the weekend begins, initiating a 54-hour frenzy that would rival Shark Week footage.

The host venue, the Museao building, quickly transforms into makeshift living and office quarters for the weekend as teams scramble to set up shop and get to work. Two sleepless nights later, the Sunday deadline bell sounds. Finalists pitch the business they developed over the weekend, judges ask questions and the top three businesses receive cash and B2B service prizes.

For 54 hours, intellectually charged and highly motivated people from all walks of life give up everything and work for free to turn a business idea into reality. And from personal experience, it’s more fun than you can possibly imagine.

Silicon Valley Startups with Mid-Missouri Mojo

Startup Weekend is an event where entrepreneurs can intersect with opportunity. Columbia has proven itself time and again to be a breeding ground of success and thought leadership.

In 2011, Zapier won the inaugural Startup Weekend Columbia and things have been going full throttle for them ever since. Zapier is an application that connects and integrates over 350 different web apps (e.g. Gmail, Mailchimp, Twitter, Evernote) to easily move data and automate tasks. They use event-based automation to avoid repetitive tasks and since their founding at Startup Weekend Columbia, they have exploded with more than $1.2 million in funding and 400,000 users.

Shortly after winning Startup Weekend Columbia, the company was invited to Y Combinator, an exclusive business incubator and accelerator in Mountain View, California. For those unfamiliar with the process of joining a business incubator, it typically involves startups being carefully vetted, interviewed and eventually selected. In the case of Y Combinator, however, the selected startups are moved out to Mountain View, California for three months, where they are funded and mentored by a remarkably experienced team of business mentors, web developers, marketing strategists, investors and others.

Although a number of their employees still live and work in Columbia (among other parts of the world), Zapier has relocated its headquarters to Silicon Valley. But employing a small Columbia office isn’t the only way Zapier stays true to its roots — founders Wade Foster , Bryan Helmig and Mike Knoop revisit Startup Weekend Columbia every year to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs and give back to the launching pad that helped them make their dream a reality.

EquipmentShare, which received first place at Startup Weekend Columbia 2014, is a platform for contractor-to-contractor equipment renting. Contractors by trade, EquipmentShare founders Jabbok and Willy Schlacks had a simple business idea that would solve a problem they regularly encountered in the construction industry. Like many contractors, Jabbok and Willy often had a lot of equipment they weren’t using, which would instead just lay dormant. After realizing how many other contractors had the same problem, they launched EquipmentShare as a platform for equipment owners to make some extra money on unused equipment and contractors in need of rental equipment to receive more reasonable rental rates than those charged by traditional equipment rental companies.

The idea behind EquipmentShare is an innovative one that helps solve a critical problem for contractors everywhere. Beginning today, EquipmentShare will work side-by-side the brilliant people at Y Combinator, just like Zapier before them, who have mentored many companies that have been tremendously successful in their own rights, such as AirBnB, Reddit, Stripe, Dropbox and WuFoo.

When you consider there are an estimated 8,000 applicants to Y Combinator and less than 100 businesses are invited, simply getting a formal invitation (and the $120,000 in initial funding and mentorship resources) to join Y Combinator is an incredible accomplishment in and of itself.

Other Startup Successes in the Heart of Missouri

Success stories in Columbia don’t stop with the successes of Startup Weekend. Several successful startups have come out of Columbia in recent years (or in Newsy’s case, came into Columbia), including:

Newsy : multi-sourced, multi-platform news
Influence&Co : a content marketing and thought leadership platform
Book'd : a platform for appointment scheduling
9thandElm : an eCommerce site for handmade and independent fashion designers
ScoutandNimble : a unique eCommerce site making home decor shopping more fun
Gladitood : a platform for goodwill projects to find funding and volunteers
MedSocket : a clinical decision support platform to improve patient care
ServiceNoodle.com : a platform to request services from multiple local service providers at the same time
(Disclaimer: ServiceNoodle.com is a Lift Division property)

While each of the companies above have shown incredible traction, it’s possible many central Missouri residents haven’t heard much about them, simply because they are built with scalable technologies (i.e. they monetize regionally or nationally as opposed to locally).

Cheers to Our Local Entrepreneurs

One of the guiding principles at Lift Division is to help fellow entrepreneurs — and we are proud to have been in the trenches with many growing business owners over the years. It has been our privilege to have members on three of the winning teams at Startup Weekend, helping with strategy, web development and design, SEO and content marketing plans. We are incredibly proud of our friends at EquipmentShare and we look forward to watching them grow in the coming months.

It takes a village to launch a startup company. Columbia has once again shown that its village is an interlaced web of talented thinkers, doers, supporters and backers — all of which are critical to create a big business from a big idea. If you’re thinking about launching a business, it doesn’t get much better than doing so in Columbia, and at this point it almost goes without saying that Startup Weekend is a great place to start.

Cheers to the entrepreneurs of Columbia. Your stories help motivate us all to transition from idea people to action people.

By Rusty Brett

Welcome To The Age of the Consumer

Thu, 29 Jan 2015 16:33:28 GMT

Welcome to the age of the consumer, where the consumers are faster, smarter and bolder than you. Today’s consumers read online product reviews, share content with their 300+ followers, and, most importantly, complain about you. We no longer live in the pre-tech days where one bad experience with a brand or product reaches just a few people by word of mouth. Today, these consumers are taking their complaints to social media platforms. Say goodbye to the good ole’ word of mouth days, and say hello to the thousands of followers your message is reaching.

Social Customer Service: The Good, the Bad and the Highly Underrated

A 24-hour call center is no longer the kind of support your customers are looking for. If your brand isn’t listening and responding online today, you’re losing your potential customers of tomorrow. It’s time to hop on the bandwagon; social customer service exists, and it is here to stay. It is a nonstop public display of your relationship with each and every customer. Once again, in the age of the consumer– they control the relationship, and as a brand you are expected to listen.

Posts on all of your brand’s social media accounts should have a personalized response that answers the consumers’ post within one to two hours, even on nights and weekends. Unlike your apologetic significant other, flowers and a nice gesture is not going to get you out of the doghouse in this relationship. The absence of a quick and appropriate solution to your customers’ needs leads to the worst kind of break-up, a nasty public post on your brand’s social media accounts, and definitely no call back.

Why do You Care?

When it comes to social media, everyone should know that nothing is private. An angry customer calling into your call center is much different than an angry customer writing on your Facebook page. As of right now, the consumers’ experience and relationship with brands on social media is severely lacking. But good news! No brand right now is really doing it right. This means that there is a wide-open opportunity to become the leading brand on social media within your segment.

Customers end up spending 20% to 40% more time with companies who engage and respond to social media customer service requests. Brands can break through the clutter that is social media marketing with a customer-obsessed approach. When you are customer-obsessed you act on consumer insights to create better products and services, build a relationship on trust and adapt to consumer needs. This approach leads to higher customer retention, and a seamless service experience. Taking this approach to social media means being transparent, responsive, personal and relevant. It’s time to capitalize on your social investment by producing worthy content, facilitating conversations and creating meaningful relationships.

The Shift

Today’s consumers want to provide just as much thought leadership and important content on social media as you, the business. These consumers love to be recognized for their opinions, especially by the brands and businesses they love. There are ways to engage consumers and utilize this relationship to improve experiences with your brand. Inspiring consumers and giving them the tools to create, share and respond are the first steps. It then falls back on you to engage, react and adapt. This social media relationship can lead to customer loyalty for active users.

Community Management

When you are managing your community on social media, you need to keep contingency planning in mind; this goes along with adapting to your consumers. You, the brand, need to anticipate how your marketing efforts will provoke various responses from your consumers. Just like crisis management in PR, by planning ahead you can be quick to take action with emerging scenarios. Be prepared to answer questions, talk like your diverse consumers and pop in on conversation when the opportunity arises.

Brands should be listening to customers in more ways than one. Not only should you be paying attention to what your customers say on social media, but you can also learn from your analytics. Truly getting to know your customers through data is a strategic way to adapt to their behaviors, interests and demographics. Getting started on proactively managing your communities online can seem like a daunting task, but becoming a leading brand on social media will be worth the investment.

By Sarah Carnes

2015 Online Marketing Checklist

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:26:22 GMT

As we begin the new year, there are a few things that companies need to make sure they are up to date on in order to ensure maximum online potential for their company. Some businesses may think they are completely up to date and ready to hit the ground running, but many of them are more than likely to have a few things they need to take care of. To make sure you are as prepared as possible, take a look at our Online Marketing Checklist For 2015.

Directories & Local Profiles

If you are a brick and mortar business and you don’t have your Google Plus, Bing and other directory listings completed and as up to date as possible, you’re missing out on easy points to gain authority in the eyes of a search engine. This brings me to NAP. No, not the quick bout of relaxation kind of nap, but your Name, Address and Phone number, or the important information kind of NAP. Having your NAP consistent and accurate online is a vital step for a brick and mortar business to score points in search results. They’re not an end all, be all solution, but don’t miss out on something that isn’t difficult to complete. Time consuming? Yes. But well worth it down the road? Absolutely.

Website

When was the last time you had your website redesigned? I hate to be the breaker of bad news, but if it wasn’t done in the last couple of years, it’s probably time to get a new one done. On the flip side, the good news here is that if it is done right, you’ll be setting your business up for quite a while.

So what do I mean by “done right?” Well, the most important thing when it comes to redesigning your site right now is responsiveness. Responsively designed websites, or sites that are conducive and able to look perfect on any device, tablet, etc., are not only a much better experience for your potential clients, but search engines are also valuing them higher than a non-responsive site.

Design is also key, so hiring an agency with a keen eye for design that stays up to date with the latest trends is very important.

One last thing to consider with your website is that it needs to be optimized for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). While most agencies don’t have the expertise in all 3 previous mentioned verticals, I happen to be a part of one that does, and I can attest to the fact that SEO is critical for a website to succeed. I have seen client websites begin to rank higher by just optimizing the sites pages. With an ongoing strategy (more on this later), they could be dominating their competition.

A website is not just a pretty picture anymore. It should be a digital employee for your business that works 24/7, 365.

Logo

Brand recognition is extremely underrated, and yet crucial for a complete user experience. Your logo says a lot about your business, and it’s one of the first things people will remember and associate with a company. When push comes to shove, it’s worth the one time investment for a phenomenal logo, rather than letting a relative or intern do it at a lesser expense. Quality is most important when it comes to your logo, and your website for that matter, so budget if you need to in order to get the best possible design and execution of a logo for your company.

Strategy & Growth

While the above mentioned checks are foundational and mostly one time things (minus a few updates here and there), do you have a plan to gain traction for your website?

If not, DO NOT put it off any longer. There are multiple ways to increase your online presence, and they depend on what your goal is. Content has become the king in the online marketing world. Having a content strategy that compliments your other online marketing efforts is essential. Not only can this strategy help drive engagement, but it can also help your website rank better.

Additional strategies include paid search, which can help drive more qualified traffic to your site to increase conversions, and email marketing, which will help keep your brand at the top of mind. Email marketing can also help increase conversions and increase the amount of repeat customers you get.

You do not have to utilize all of these strategies, and some of them may not be the best fit for your goals or customer acquisition strategy. This is why enlisting the services of a firm specializing in these services is important. Not only does it take the workload off of your shoulders, but it also puts the work in the hands of experts.

There is not just one, but several things that you can do for your online marketing efforts, and that is why we have created a checklist. Going over your current profiles, website, logo and strategy is the first step in improving your online marketing. From there, implementing changes and making improvements will take you that much further and ensure that you are doing everything you can to maximize your company’s online potential.

BY Jake Bowlby

3 Steps for Local SEO Success in 2015

Wed, 14 Jan 2015 16:04:24 GMT

As we enter a new year, most business owners are planning and putting strategies in place to make this year one that is defined by growth and increased profits. Many of those strategies will revolve around marketing and advertising.

For local businesses, very few things can bring about more clients, better retention and larger growth than being found in search engines for local searches. The statistics are clear: If you want to have success, you need to be found in the local search. For example:

97% of consumers use Internet when researching local products/services (BIA/Kelsey)
54% of Americans have substituted the Internet and local search for phone books (comScore)
98% of searchers choose a business that is on page 1 of the results they get (brightlocal)
88% of consumers consult online reviews before they purchase local services ( BrightLocal , Local Consumer Review Survey 2014)
77% of smartphone users contact a business after looking for local Information (Source: The Mobile Movement Study, Google/Ipsos OTX MediaCT , Apr 2011)
59% of mobile users who look for local information visit the business on same day (Source: The Mobile Movement Study, Google/Ipsos OTX MediaCT , Apr 2011)

So what can local business owners do to make sure they have success in 2015? Here are three simple things that can set your business apart and make sure that you are found when people are searching for the goods and services you offer.

Setup Your Local Profiles

When it comes to local search, it is essential to understand that the local results are not based on your website. Of course, your website can have an effect on how high you rank, and it is included in Google’s algorithm, but it isn’t the most important thing.

When you search on Google and see local results, those results are being pulled from Google+ business profiles. When searching on Bing, they are being pulled from Bing Business.

In order to be found in local search results, you need to set up or “claim” your local profile in the search engines. So, not only do you need to have a local profile, but you need to make sure it is optimized. Simple optimization techniques include making sure the name of your business, its address and phone numbers are consistent across the internet. Optimization also includes making sure your profile is filled out completely, including targeted keywords in your business description and selecting the proper categories.

Leverage Other Directories

Both Google and Bing use outside directories in their local algorithms. Therefore, it is essential for businesses that desire to rank well in the local search results to have profiles in outside directories. Directories like Yelp!, Merchant Circle, LinkedIn, YellowPages.com and CitySearch help the search engines to verify your business information and pass along authority to your business.

Businesses should also consider signing up for directories that are niche-specific for their industry. A simple search on Google or Bing will help reveal niche-specific directories that you will want to consider being included in.

One key factor in the local search algorithms are citations. Citations are simply other sources that the search engines can find to verify your information, address, phone number and areas of expertise. Directories are a great citation source and many of them are free and quite easy to sign up for.

If you don’t have the time to submit yourself to all the directories that will benefit you, many SEO and online marketing companies offer services to submit your information for you.

Create Valuable Content

The final easy thing that businesses can do is create relevant and valuable content. Whereas the previous two suggestions focus more on the search engines and the algorithms, this tip is focused on the searcher. Ultimately, you don’t simply want your business to be found — you want searchers to call, come in and become a customer. Creating content that showcases your business's skills and expertise can help searchers become clients or customers.

As a business owner, you most likely know the common questions and concerns that your customers have. You also know what sets you apart from your competitors and your competitive advantage. Create content that focuses on these areas. For instance, you can produce simple FAQ's or more in-depth items such as whitepapers or infographics.

You can host your content on your own website via a blog or dedicated FAQ page or, if you are focused on being found in Google, you can place this content directly on your business’s Google+ page. You may also want to find local sources, such as blogs or your local newspaper’s online version, and see if you can contribute and produce content for them.

Search engines love content and so do searchers. Creating valuable content will separate you from your competitors and give you a competitive advantage.

January is a great time to look back at the previous year and begin to create a plan for success moving forward. As more and more people continue to use the internet, via computers and mobile devices to find local businesses, it becomes increasingly crucial for businesses to be found in the local search results. By setting up local profiles in search engines, leveraging directories and creating valuable content, businesses can increase their visibility in local search in 2015.

By Rusty Brett

What Happens at the Christmas Party, Stays at the Christmas Party

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 15:56:34 GMT

We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but every time the Lift crew gets together there is an anticipation level that is palpable prior to the event— and a fun meter for the event itself so high that friends outside of our organization feel compelled to crash the party. This year’s Christmas Party did not disappoint so we decided to share a few of our favorite photos.

WINNER

There’s nothing special about our Christmas party, really. We don’t give away extravagant presents, we don’t get super dressed up and our decorations are courtesy of the dollar store. To us…it’s all about the people and we simply do what you would expect from a tight team of friends. We bring food together, we enjoy some adult beverages together….and we give big hugs, share laughs and create great memories.

We have learned many things in past experiences together (like we can never go on a winery tour again without everyone eating first). This year’s Christmas Party we learned that you should warn your +1 that he could potentially get punched in the stomach by one of our Type-A personality team members for no reason. (Sorry Ryan!)

Also... a BIG thank you to our friends at Logboat Brewery for hooking us up with some incredible beer for our soiree!

By Rusty Brett

The Buddha, Suffering and Inbound Marketing

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 15:47:01 GMT

What comes to mind when you think of inbound marketing? Web design? SEO? Content marketing? Whatever you associate most closely with online marketing, one thing is certain — it’s probably not Buddhism . In fact, ordained Buddhist monks are barred from even handling money, and the Buddha himself was a deeply spiritual being with no interest in profit. Talk about an ROI nightmare.

The Buddha was from another age entirely (around 560 BCE, to be exact). And while it’s probably a greater challenge than any time before to be a Buddhist monk in today’s booming consumerist society, we’d be remiss if we didn’t think such a lasting tradition could allow some insights into the nature of all things — including inbound marketing.

The Life of the Buddha

The core of Buddhism naturally lies with the life of the Buddha, so it’s necessary to first summarily delve into the main events of the Buddha’s life. Born a wealthy prince, the Buddha was shielded from the negative aspects of society as he had an opulent upbringing full of luxury and abundance . But this insular rearing didn’t last long: When he was a teenager, the Buddha left his palace at the behest of his family, witnessing the sick and impoverished members of society that he had never before been exposed to.

Shocked at the suffering he saw, the Buddha realized that nothing in life is permanent. Sure, he can be happy in the palace, but in time he will grow old and die; he can feel happy, but soon that will pass as well, since emotions are temporary as well. Upon realizing this conundrum, the Buddha abandoned his life of opulence for a life of willful asceticism, determined to wander as a mendicant until he found the meaning to life.

To make a long story almost painfully short, the Buddha found the meaning of life within The Four Noble Truths, which are: (1) that suffering exists, (2) that suffering can be stopped (3) that the path to the elimination of suffering lies in the Eightfold Path, and (4) the Eightfold Path in and of itself. (Which consists of a lot of things — you can read about it more in-depth here .)

Suffering

While the Eightfold Path and the nuances Buddhism are much too complex to fully summarize in this blog post, those Four Noble Truths provide a solid backdrop to understand how Buddhist principles can be incorporated into inbound marketing. For instance, it isn't even much of a stretch to posit that searchers and users essentially ‘suffer’ from poorly executed SEO or bad web design. If a someone is searching for a service but no quality results are displayed, then the searcher will be inconvenienced and therefore ‘suffer’ in a mild, very 21st-century sense.

Likewise, when it comes to web design, users also ‘suffer’ from bad UX/UI all the time. If you’re trying to access a site and it isn’t mobile responsive or has glitches in its code, it’s likely that you’ll have a hard time navigating it and will therefore ‘suffer’ as well. Since quality marketing is really just about marketing with everyone's experiences and expectations in mind, the suffering element of Buddhism can really be extrapolated into any area of inbound marketing, and even online marketing as well. And although online marketing isn’t part of the Eightfold Path, Buddhist principles can provide some key insights into some of the biggest points of online marketing — and even inbound marketing.

Good Things Take Time

For instance, let’s meander back to the life of the Buddha… because it was certainly a meandering life for him. As the Buddha was wandering around India as a mendicant, searching for the meaning of life, he took part in many ascetic practices, but to no avail. In fact, the Buddha wandered around for the majority of his life, and it wasn’t until he was in a seasoned middle age that he settled beneath a bodhi tree, meditated for days and days and only then, he realized the Four Noble Truths.

All told, this is a great metaphor for the ostensible mantra of inbound marketing these days: Good results take time. Too often, our clients find themselves confused why their SEO packages or content marketing campaigns aren’t seeing ROI after one week, one month, or even one quarter. While it’s tough having to keep reminding a client of the undeniable utility of inbound marketing, it’s even tougher to try and dispel the idea of inbound marketing altogether. Because when it comes to inbound marketing, there’s no question that this is a marketing approach that works .

Like all groundbreaking things, however – indeed, like the Buddha’s epiphanic realization itself – good results take time.

BY Jake Bowlby

Questions to Ask When it Comes to a New Website

Sun, 14 Dec 2014 15:40:09 GMT

Some businesses think that when they purchase a website – poof! – they’ll appear in search results for relevant searches! However, a good digital marketing firm will work on foundational issues, such as actually building a website, before trying to rank it. Like with anything we do, from starting a business to building a home, everything online must have a solid foundation — and your website forms the foundation of all your digital marketing efforts.

For small business owners who haven’t spent much time in the digital marketing space, here are some questions you should ask any digital marketing firm before buying a website from them.

Do You Have An Office?

You may ask, “why does an office matter?” and that’s a valid point, because a lot of online work can be done remotely. However, a significant problem in the digital marketing industry right now is that anyone can claim that they are a ‘web designer’ or a ‘digital marketing firm’ online. To avoid being bamboozled into purchasing a website from someone you’ll never meet face-to-face, you should ask for the first meeting to be held in their office. This way, you can get a better sense of how stable and successful their company is... or isn’t.

Do You Have Differentiation of Expertise; Graphic Designers, Developers and Programmers?

There is a lot that goes into building a website — and not only for the users but for Google’s eyes as well. Most of the time, these skills are not found in just one person. To make sure you are hiring experts in their respective fields, ask to meet with the people who will be working on your website. If a company cannot produce experts in their individual areas, they may be outsourcing their services, which can ultimately result in lower quality products. You might as well hire Jo Schmo from Nantucket! (Note: No offense to Mr. Schmo.) Simply put, you should demand to know the team that works for you. Anything less than that will show in the performance of your website.

Are You a Design Firm or a Digital Marketing Firm?

Of course, design firms can build beautiful websites — but as many of our clients have realized before they came to us, even the most beautiful websites can lack proper on-page SEO. In the choice between the two, unless you have extensive digital marketing experience and just need design help, it’s in your best interest to hire a digital marketing firm. The research and planning that a marketing firm does before and during the building of your site is invaluable; the time lost time with a site built only for beauty can never be regained.

Do You Build Mobile Responsive Websites?

With mobile search on the rise, buying a website that is not mobile responsive will negatively affect your bottom line. As explained by Josh in a recent blog post , Google has updated their searches to show your potential clients if your website is mobile friendly. Essentially, this informs searchers that if they click on a website that is not mobile responsive, they will have a bad experience. Let’s go mobile!

Will You Perform Updates and Maintenance Once Our Website is Launched?

Some firms will charge you for everything under the sun, while other firms will include updates in their hosting plan. Always ask for full details about what’s included.

Note: The last thing you want to do is launch a website and then forget about it. Make sure you are making monthly changes to stay fresh and relevant.

Will We Be Able to Update the Website Ourselves?

This has been a biggie for some of my clients. Some firms will hold your website hostage and not allow you to make any updates so they can charge fees left and right. The other pain point here is that most of the time, it takes forever to get ahold of some digital marketing firms. As long as the site is built with a user friendly administrative system (look out — sharks sometimes build admin systems that are naturally difficult to use so that you have to pay more), you’ll want the ability to update your website, and the option to send updates to your firm if need be.

Note: There are updates that only your developer can do depending on the difficulty of the request.

How Much Will a Website Cost?

If a digital marketing firm gives you a cost estimate before sitting down and talking with you about your goals, this is a red flag. There is a good amount of research that needs to be done before a results-oriented website can be quoted. Also, as a rule of thumb: if the price just seems too good to be true, it probably is. An extremely cheap website will not be customized to your needs and likely will not be optimized for search engines, either.

BY Jake Bowlby

Focus on CVO, Not SEO

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 15:30:53 GMT

I’ve been in the search marketing business for nearly five years now, and in that time period the organic search marketing and SEO industry in general have both completely changed. SEO used to be about figuring out how to make Google think you were more authoritative and popular by getting inbound links all over the web, creating authority back to your website. Often, this led to a lot of a businesses being viewed as more popular than they actually were, and often SEO was being conducted on shady site after shady site. And it was easy. Too easy, in fact. And because it was so effective, it led to SEOs sticking with what worked and essentially gaming the system because it was painless — and because Google couldn’t understand the manipulation very well.

That day has changed.

The search marketing world has evolved so much in recent years that an SEO from 2009 would barely recognize it as the same industry as it stands today. While there are still best practices of on-page SEO that will probably always hold true – such as making sure title tags, meta descriptions, headers and images are optimized – the art and science of off-page SEO is dramatically different.

Very few off-page SEO tactics are the same today as they were five years ago. Link building, while still incredibly valuable, requires significantly more work. Not only does it require the production and publication of original, compelling content, but the outreach and posting process is more difficult as guest blogging and contributions are being reviewed very carefully by Google. Unlike five years ago, today’s SEO also involves a very social aspect for ranking well . Social mentions of your business online, reputation, reviews and the value a business brings to others are paramount metrics for getting great rankings in search results.

The Shift from SEO to CVO

Today, the most savvy inbound marketers are making a change centered around one concept: optimizing and providing value for the searchers themselves, as opposed to optimizing for search engines. Off-page SEO has moved from optimization for search engines and “spiders” to optimization for real readers and live people. In fact, at Lift Division, we no longer focus on what search engines want at all. We focus on what real people or searchers want to consume… which is value.

If I had my druthers, my inbound marketing peers would stop referring to the term SEO for off-page SEO at all. Unfortunately, most business owners are just starting to understand the concept of SEO, so I’m afraid changing the term may just end up confusing everyone. Regardless, I strongly believe we have moved beyond optimizing for search engines as an industry. .. at least for the savvy marketers. In fact, I believe we should strongly consider using the term consumer value optimization — because that’s what we’re doing with today’s off-page SEO, right? We’re hired by our clients to create optimal value for their consumer, and to organically pull in new leads and clients through their doors.

Think About It

Google is in the business of showing the best possible results to the searcher, right? They want you to keep coming back to their search engine, so naturally they must continue to deliver exceptional search results. In an objective sense, in order to rank higher in Google, simply leverage what you already know to define your digital marketing strategy. If you’re the most knowledgeable business owner in your location/industry, then prove it. Put your expertise online with a robust content marketing strategy, raise money for charity and spread the word, or aggregate positive reviews. After all of this, watch visitors flock to the value you’re providing.

Because let’s face it: We know Google’s business model revolves around finding the best companies for what you’re searching for. So why, then, would Google rank your business higher than others? What are you doing to make a mark? Are you providing value to your audience with compelling content on your blog? Is your team helping raise money for charity? Have you been published in news articles for great work you’ve done? How many positive reviews do you have? How much value do you bring to others? These, as well as a wealth of content on and linking to your website, are all vital components in Google’s ranking algorithm.

Content Truly Is King

Lift Division moved our offices across from the University of Missouri School of Journalism for one primary reason. We know that content truly is king when it comes to online marketing, and we know that producing great content with the help of the brightest journalism school students in the country would provide great value to our clients. Ultimately, this translates into more value for their customers, more conversions for our clients, and a wider client base to develop stronger relationships with. When it comes to effective marketing, content-based CVO is a win-win-win for all parties involved.

By Rusty Brett

"Mobile Friendly" Label Appears In Google Mobile Search Results

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 15:09:33 GMT

It’s official: Google has launched a “mobile-friendly” tag that will appear alongside mobile search results. Now, this isn’t exactly surprising for online marketing professionals — it has been known for a while now that Google devalues or penalizes websites that are not mobile responsive when searchers are using a mobile device.

But what exactly does this mean for business owners?

Simply put, it means mobile responsivity is more important than ever before when it comes to SEO.

Why Does This Tag Really Matter?

I have heard from some clients that they don’t understand why this tag matters. To them they are getting penalized anyway, so what is the big deal?

The big deal is that the average searcher does not know that you are being penalized for non-mobile — and truth is, in some sectors that penalty is actually minor, maybe only dropping a result from 2 to 4. The big impact lies in the fact that by not having the tag, Google is basically telling searchers, “Hey, don’t visit this website. You will have a bad experience. ” Essentially, you can think of it as the scarlet letter of online marketing. The reality is that if Google displays this tag next to your website in the search results you can expect a large decrease in clicks.

What is Google Looking At

There has been talk of something that would notify searchers if a site was mobile or not for some time. It looks like Google finally determined what criteria they were going to use. According to Google , Googlebot is grading each site for mobile friendliness based on the following criteria:

NWhether it avoids software that is not common on mobile devices, such as Flash
Whether text is readable without zooming
Whether content is sized to the screen (so users don’t have to scroll horizontally or zoom)
Whether links are placed far enough apart so that the correct one can be easily tapped

It is interesting to note that Google is not simply looking at responsiveness, but is also looking at software and user-experience factors as well. That said, I personally believe that the biggest factor in the overall equation will be if a website is mobile responsive or not.

How To Find Out If Google Likes Your Site

The good news is that any webmaster can quickly determine if their website is being seen as “mobile-friendly” by Google or not by using the new “ Mobile-Friendly Test Tool ”.

This simple to use tool allows you to enter your URL and see what Google sees. Here are the results for LiftDivision.com:

Clearly, the goal is to get the “Awesome! This page is mobile-friendly.” response. However, what’s so great about this tool is that if the page is not mobile-friendly, it will help to identify why. I suggest that every webmaster go ahead and check their website — after all, it only takes a few seconds and could end up providing some useful diagnostic information about your website’s overall SEO.

So What’s The Big Deal With Mobile Anyway

For a lot of business owners and webmasters this update is going to be a huge headache. It is going to force many to make big updates to their websites or build out totally new ones . It is going to cost resources for a lot of businesses.

But this isn’t a Google issue. It is a people issue. Since 2013, statistics have shown that mobile search is expected to surpass desktop search by 2015 — and the reality is that users are driving this change to mobile. As more and more of us search from phones and tablets, search engines have been forced to make sure they are providing the best experience. We really are the ones driving this change.

Get On Board

Let’s face it, we live in a mobile world. We search, shop, browse, read and consume from our phones and tablets. And many of those actions start with a visit to Google. For businesses and websites that not only want to rank well, but also provide a great user experience, mobile responsiveness is a must. Find out if your website is mobile-friendly and if not take the steps needed to make it so. Not only will you make Google happy, but your visitors will appreciate it as well.

By Sarah Carnes

Give Me Internet, Or Give Me Death!

Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:00:01 GMT

Very plainly stated, the debate over net neutrality is one that will forever change the landscape of this magical medium we have come to know as the Internet. However what isn't quite so plain, at least at the outset, is how the outcome of this debate will affect you as a consumer in your everyday Internet usage.

If you're unfamiliar with the term, net neutrality refers to the idea that Internet service providers (ISPs) should not be able to discriminately alter Internet speeds on the basis of things such as content, user or even platform. For instance, right now an ISP cannot charge users more for faster Internet speeds, nor can they slow internet speeds for users accessing certain types of content or using certain platforms to connect to the internet. This is, in effect, net neutrality. The question is: Is this how the Internet should work? Or should there be content ‘fast lanes’ for content streaming, which would allow ISPs to charge companies like Netflix and Hulu a premium in exchange for faster speeds?

In the United States, the Internet falls under the regulation of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Currently, the FCC has a pro-net neutrality stance, but recently there has been talk of it changing this stance to allow for things like content ‘fast lanes’.

However, given this is where the idea of legal precedence comes into play, which essentially means that recent rulings on similar issues dictate the way courts judge current cases. This principle could open the floodgates in terms of what your ISP is able to do to the service you receive. For instance, this may lead to ISPs being within their rights to alter the speeds at which consumers receive content, solely based on what brand of device they’re using to access it.

A more realistic outcome might be an ISP providing the ability to purchase different ‘packages’ based on what content you'd like to access on the web. For instance, it’s not unlikely that if net neutrality were to be reversed, consumers may find themselves in positions whereby they are required to purchase a ‘premium’ package from their provider in order to access a certain site. This restriction could be based on who is willing to pay for unrestricted access. For example, ESPN may decide to pay your ISP in order to make sure that they are the only major sports website that you can visit without upgrading your plan. It’s unrealistic to assume that sites like Google and Facebook would face very much limited access given the pure volume of traffic these sites receive. In short, any Internet service provider would be shooting themselves in the foot by restricting access to such high-demand sites.

Neil Irwin simplified this debate quite nicely in his New York Times article, "A Super-Simple Way to Understand the Net Neutrality Debate" . He explains that the debate over net neutrality will essentially set the precedent for looking at the Internet either as a utility such as electric, or a commodity like a cable subscription. For instance, your electric bill doesn't fluctuate on the basis of what brand of appliance you're using in your kitchen, or what types of food you are storing within it. Conversely, your cable bill most definitely does fluctuate based on what channels you are getting access to. Granted, it may initially seem that the Internet falls much more under the same umbrella as your cable subscription than your electric bill, and that is where the real core of the debate comes in.

There are three key questions that I personally think are vital to answer in terms of which direction we decide to pursue. Your answers to these questions will probably give you better understanding of which side of the fence you fall on when it comes to net neutrality.

1) Should the Internet be regarded as a tool to entertain, or a tool to educate?

- If you believe that the Internet should be regarded as a tool to entertain, you are likely anti-net neutrality.

- If you believe that the Internet should be regarded as a tool to educate, you are likely pro-net neutrality.

2) Will the absence of net neutrality make the Internet an even playing field for all in the free market, or will a handful of conglomerates have an advantage?

- If you believe that the absence of net neutrality will create a level playing field, you are likely anti-net neutrality.

- If you believe that the absence of net neutrality will mean that a handful of conglomerates will get an advantage, you are likely pro-net neutrality.

3) Will the Internet thrive more in the long-term if all content is given equal access, or if there are fast-lanes and premiums? (this one is fairly straightforward)

- If you believe that the Internet thrive more in the long-term if there are fast-lanes and premiums, you are likely anti-net neutrality.

- If you believe that the Internet will thrive more in the long-term if all content is given equal access, you are likely pro-net neutrality.

Of course, the purpose of this blog post is just to present the issue in gist. This is an important issue that certainly warrants a more comprehensive discussion – not just about the Internet, but also about the role of institutions, the market, and the future of human communication. However, given the topic’s inherent complexity, there is simply no such thing as a ‘perfect’ guide to understanding net neutrality.

But for now, I think I’ve explained the issue sufficiently enough in company-blog-post form. Regardless of your personal beliefs on the subject matter, the FCC's decision on net neutrality has the power to forever change not only the way we view the Internet in society, but may also have drastic effects on consumers' practical day-to-day usage of it.

By Geoff Revis

Geoff Revis is Lift Division’s Chief Technology Officer. A code-junkie through and through, Geoff has been building mobile-responsive websites and custom applications since way before they were cool.

Why You Should Choose Quality Over Cost When it Comes to Logo Design

Thu, 13 Nov 2014 14:50:13 GMT

In today’s fast-paced, digital marketing world, it’s no secret that we’re all looking for the next best deal to save us some serious cash. Now, don’t get me wrong: I love a good bargain. However, there are some things you just don’t cheap out on. For instance, you should never skimp on toilet paper, tires, haircuts or sushi (never buy that last one from a gas station).

In all those cases, you get what you pay for — which never ends well when quality is critical. This same logic applies to logo design. If your business’ logo costs less than your lunch, I can guarantee that you won’t be saving any money in the long run. Simply put, you get out what you put in, people!

The Process of Professional Logo Design

Generally speaking, this is what the process of a professional logo designer usually consists of:

1 - The First Meeting:

At this initial meeting, the designer will likely give the client a questionnaire to fill out about their business’ brand, goals, history, client base and future ideas/plans. This is basically like an interview with the client in order to flesh out a general idea of what they are looking for, what they are interested in, and what they want to see in their logo design.

2 - Research

This is when the real work starts. In this stage, the designer will conduct research focusing on the client’s business and their industry. The designer will scope out some logos and designs that are already out there for other businesses in the same industry, and will gauge the effectiveness of each one.

3 - Sketching & Conceptualizing:

Using everything they have learned from the first two steps, the designer will start to develop logo design concepts in the form of sketches. This lets the designer dig deeper and get out a lot of ideas that anybody could think of first. (Basically, part of this stage allows designers to get all of the boring, commonplace, uninspiring designs out of their system so they can move on to awesome designs). After sketching, the designer moves to the conceptualization part of this process. Here, they take the best ideas from their sketches and start to fully form complete designs to show to the client.

Note: There is a lot of trial and error as well as frustration with this step, and the majority of these sketches should probably never see the light of day. However, this stage is critical because it gives the designer room to play and pushes them to come up with tons of quick ideas that are unique to your business.

4 - Design Presentation:
From the created designs, the designer presents a selected few, or a collection of designs, to the client from the whole process. This gives the client an in-depth explanation of the choices they made, including why and how they think the designs will benefit the client’s business. The designer and the client then collaborate on ideas, and any edits they may want to see and work together from there to iron out all of the details.

5 - Edits:

If necessary, the designer will do a brief round of edits, or tweaks, to the designs so that the client is getting the best possible logo for their business.

So… do you really think all of that thought and effort should cost only $10.00?

More and more at Lift Division, I see clients who undervalue the importance of logo design. They either (a) don’t have one, or (b) have one so simple that it would never be recognized or remembered and can easily be recreated. People don’t seem to take into consideration how essential a good logo really is and how it can contribute to the success of their business and their profits. They are entrusting their business’ entire look – which should inspire trust, loyalty, recognition and superiority in a potential customer – to someone spending little time and thought on the project. You wouldn’t hire a dentist to work on your car, would you? So why hire someone who isn’t a professional to work on your business' image?

Cheap Logo Websites

“But Melissa,” you might say, “why would I pay a professional when I can just upload a design brief into www.Cheap-Logos-By-People-Who-Probably-Arent-Designers.com?!"

"That way, I can get a lot of logo designs from different people I’ve never met and who know nothing about my business and I only have to pay for the one logo I happen to like. I save money and I get a lot of options!”

There are a ton of websites that hold contests like this, or that otherwise offer cheap routes you can take with ‘on-the-side’ designers trying to make a few extra bucks, whipping out mediocre logos left and right. But what kind of quality will you get from that? The problem that comes from entering these contests and/or working with cheap non-professionals is that you receive submissions for your logo that “designers” have ripped off or copied from others. They may want to make some quick cash, but why spend time on something when the client may not pay you for your work?

This is why so many copied logos and sad, unimaginative clip art designs make their way into those logo submissions. You need a designer that is going to spend time on your logo. They should value your business as much as you do, and they should build a client-designer relationship. With little or no one-on-one interaction, you as the business owner may remain uninformed and unaware of the technical and visual issues with the designs you are viewing and choosing from. The bottom line is, you may pick a crap logo that does nothing for your business without even knowing it. With logos, you aren’t just paying for a pretty picture. A lot of people can make pretty pictures. Design is about problem solving, and making your business look good is just part of the process.

What You Can Expect From a Cheap Logo

Here is a recent brief submission for a logo design for Jet Branding, LLC and a few of the logos submitted:

Name: Jet Branding, LLC
What we do : Oilfield welding in drill pipe
Industry: Natural Resources
Logo styles Interested in: Symbol (like Pepsi logo), Corporate (like Citi logo)
Color Preference: Green, Blue, Orange
Ideas & Concepts: Simple

First and foremost, even some of the best designers would have trouble creating a logo for your company that totally encompasses who you are, what you do and your target audience with a weak brief like that.

Simply stated, we need more info; a background, who you are, who your company is catering to, why you are looking for a design/redesign. These are all critical for a designer to adequately understand what your logo should look like.

Next, there is no real uniqueness to submitted designs. Almost all of them use simple, standard-issue fonts that are found on most computers or are easily downloaded for free, and don’t assign to the rules of what makes a good logo just that — good (i.e. memorable, timeless, versatile, original, etc.).

These are the standard questions you should ask yourself regarding logo design:

Is it memorable?
How many of the logos can you describe or remember without looking back at them?
Is it effective without color?
Will any of these have the same effect or even the same design if transferred to black and white?
Is it scalable?
If you put any of these on letterhead or business cards, are they still readable (both the text and design)?
Does it gain immediate recognition?
Will your clients be able to recognize you as a company if they see any of these logos for a second time?
Does it convey the company’s personality, character or attitude?
Did you chose the right colors and overall stylization?
Does it relate to your clients by conveying a feeling of familiarity and credibility?
Who is your target audience and what will they see when looking at it?

You don’t want a logo that any Joe Shmoe business could have — you want something that is original and unique to what you do. Professional designers don’t provide their clients with a logo based purely on attractiveness, or one that took a half hour to create. They delve into your business strategy, your company mission, your background, your way of dealing with clients and potential customers, as well as many other aspects about your brand in order to create something that is right for you. Ultimately, this earns you a timeless identity that doesn’t need to be redesigned as soon as the latest trend has passed.

So while it may seem like a great idea to hire your brother’s girlfriend’s sister’s friend to create your logo because they have taken a design class, at the end of the day, the smartest decision is a simple one: Hire a professional. After all, you’re investing in the ultimate visual image of your business — not your lunch order.

By Sarah Carnes

Marketing for Your Real Audience: Humans

Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:32:44 GMT

It’s no secret that marketing – whether for online, television, radio or print – can be tricky. As a business, any time you’re trying to get a message across, it seems like you’re staring out into an endless sea of options, each one riddled with challenges and pitfalls. And in digital, the fastest-growing marketing medium , these options and pitfalls are especially prevalent.

One of the biggest issues that I see with clients is that when they’re faced with all the different components of online marketing (SEO, PPC, display advertising, content marketing, link building, on-site optimization and conversion rate optimization), it becomes very easy to forget that marketing efforts should all revolve around attracting one group: humans.

In this post, I will explore three areas where I most often see businesses missing the mark in terms of marketing for a human audience.

Google, Bing and Yahoo

I often talk with new clients and their first question is something like: “What do I need to do on my website to rank well in the search engines?” While having a high ranking is a great goal that can lay the outline for a good strategy, simply getting high rankings should never be a business’ ultimate goal for online marketing.

In fact, we hardly ever work with clients whose main goal is ranking higher, which they hope will lead to increased traffic down the road. Rather, our clients typically assume that if they rank higher and increase their organic traffic, a conversion will take place, and then they’ll increase sales. While a robust sales funnel is important, businesses often neglect to determine what exactly that conversion is . When it comes down to it, that conversion always involves human interactions.

First and foremost, businesses looking to improve their online presence should be asking the question: “What do I need to do on my website to engage people that visit it?” That is very different than the question of ranking high in the search engines. Humans use search engines, therefore they should be your first focus.

Website Design

On one hand, the topic of websites is very similar to that of search engines. Many websites are so focused on SEO that they forget that humans are the ones interacting with websites. But at a more fundamental level, many websites are underutilized in terms of being a digital employee. Many websites exist simply as an online brochure or a place to dump information that a searcher then has to sift through to find what they want from the site.

A properly designed website first takes into account human visitorship… and then is optimized for things like search engines and conversions. This appropriate design begins with identifying your target audience and building something they not only want to interact with, but can interact with. Navigation, page layout, color choice, reading level, calls to actions — proper implementation of these factors depends on knowing your target audience and knowing what they want.

All marketing – but especially online marketing – should be done to move closer to your audience. However all too often, websites actually make someone work harder to find what they want. Imagine if you visited a grocery store that didn’t have signs that signaled what was in each aisle. Even worse, what if there was no rhyme or reason to how the goods were laid out. Odds are, you would become so frustrated at this store that you would either leave for another store or just never shop there again.

A lot of websites have the information or products that people are seeking — but due to poor design and not putting the human element first, the process to find that information or product becomes frustrating to the point that clients will go elsewhere.

Content

“Content is king.” Browse through any online marketing blog or forum and you are bound to see this axiom thrown around. In a lot of instances, the phrase is certainly true. After all, content is very valuable — it can build your brand, demonstrate expertise, establish you as a thought leader and boost your standing in search engines.

...but content can also be confusing, mistargeted, over-written, over-optimized and a waste of time and resources.

Quality, targeted content adds value for both humans and search engines. The problem is that the term ‘content’ is used, for the most part, with a marketing connotation in mind. In fact, for B2B marketers, it’s just put right out there — anyone heard of content marketing?

In truth, the most value is in producing great content that is also produced with marketing in mind. There is a big distinction here. Content that is all about marketing focuses mainly on things like SEO, authority and getting published. Producing thin content over and over again simply to boost SEO, authority and get published does little to provide value to readers.

Producing content that is marketable focuses on providing value to your target audience. This means writing first and foremost for your audience — not just for the sake of getting published or to build your backlink profile. It’s no coincidence that if you write content that people actually want to consume, that content will be found, shared and can be more easily placed on a publication that is visited by your target audience.

The foremost purpose of content on a website, blog or online publication should not be SEO value. Rather, it should be the actual value it provides for your audience. Once you have produced content that is really valuable, you can then optimize it for search engines and authority. Because as important as search engines are, they aren’t the ones buying your products or paying for your services — humans do that.

Final Thoughts

Technology has opened a lot of doors for businesses and for marketers alike. But it has also blurred the lines of what is valuable. Ranks, traffic, blog posts, SEO authority and click-through-rates are too often the focus and goal of marketing efforts and budgets. It’s time we got back to the basics, to the important things. As simple as it is, marketing should never lose sight of its real objective: to engage with a targeted human audience.

By Sarah Carnes

Marketing re:Marx Part I: Commodity Fetishism at The Dawn of CSR

Thu, 06 Nov 2014 14:23:35 GMT

Most people immediately associate the name ‘Karl Marx’ with socialism, communism and the failed economic policies of the USSR. Although the USSR was founded on Marxist principles, Karl Marx wasn’t just some wacky socialist revolutionary. For those unfamiliar with his work, Marx was a prolific philosopher, economist and social scientist — and it’s tragically narrow-minded to dismiss discussion of his theories simply because they challenge capitalist principles.

In fact, exploring capitalistic topics (such as marketing) through a Marxist lens can lead to novel perspectives, new ideas, and a more robust understanding of our capitalist society in general . Because let’s face it: While the treasures of capitalism have proven plentiful, there is always room for improvement.

In the end, improvements come from challenges to the status quo, and exploring historically prominent ideas of sociology and commerce up against competing philosophies is a perfectly valid way to bring such improvements to light.

Marx in Context

A polarizing figure by anyone’s measure, it’s important to first lay some groundwork about Marx and his views regarding capitalism. Challenging prevalent views of capitalism, Marx’s foundational perspective was that a capitalist economy doesn’t just revolve around people having complementary interests (i.e. one worker produces a good in exchange for another, growing the economy and bettering society).

Rather, Marx’s big idea was that capitalism centers around a conflict between different social classes — in particular, Marx was concerned with the relationship between labor (his “proletariat”) and the business owners (his “bourgeois”). Generally, if someone is said to have a ‘Marxist’ view of an issue, this can be interpreted as fundamentally a stance based around class struggle. Of course, there’s a lot more to Marx’s views than that. For this blog’s discussion though, that key element is all we need to lay the groundwork.

Commodity Fetishism

In 1867, Marx published Das Kapital, which was a critical analysis of capitalist political economy. Chief among the ideas posited in Kapital was his concept of ‘commodity fetishism’. Essentially, this is the notion that under a capitalist system, goods are evaluated for their quantifiable economic value above all else; market mechanics naturally don’t take more subjective social implications of production into consideration (they are market externalities). Ultimately, this transforms every good, no matter the social impact involved, into a commodity that is valued outside of social relationships between labor and consumers.

For Marx, this desocialization of the processes of production ultimately has a negative effect on society, due to the notion that human social relationships are therefore eliminated and replaced with a coldly quantitative valuation system. The notion of a ‘fetish’ has a religious connotation, ascribing commodities with a holy, worshipful status in a capitalistic society. To this extent, Marx’s iteration of commodity fetishism implies a sort of capitalistic worship for the cheap and abundant commodity, entirely stripped of labor implications and social relationship values.

Commodity Fetishism in Everyday Life

Like anything abstract, in order to fully wrap one’s head around the topic of commodity fetishism, examples are critical. So say, for instance, that you are at your typical grocery store, and you need to pick up some bananas. You get to the produce section and start comparing prices: $3.99, $4.50, $3.50 per bushel.

Now, there are a lot of different factors that go into the pricing of bananas, but let’s just think about some of the many people that went into the ‘production’ of that banana (i.e. the fact that it is available for you at the store.) For instance, someone picked the bushel, someone cleaned it, someone drove it to the store, someone unloaded a pallet of bananas, and someone put the bananas on display in the store. Of course, there are many other upper-level people involved with getting these bananas to you, but for the sake of Marx, we’re just going to focus on what he’d consider the proletariat.

At the end of the day, we don’t interact with the proletariat whose labor went into bringing these commodities to us. Under Marxist thought, this social relationship is effectively severed through the idea of commodity fetishism. By primarily evaluating goods by their prices – as opposed to some other, more qualitative measure where societal well being is more accurately gauged – we mask any sort of exploitation of labor that may have been required to deliver such prices.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Commodity Fetishism

How does any of this tie into marketing, though? Simply stated, the growing industry trend of corporate social responsibility (CSR) may provide a solution to Marx’s theory of commodity fetishism. Over the last two decades, ethical consumerism has been linked to the rise of CSR, and it’s been shown that consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental and social implications of their day-to-day consumption decisions .

With consumers asking more of corporations in terms of socially responsible practices, it’s possible that, somehow, social relationships will be incorporated back into the commodities that we fetishize today. It will be a slow process for certain, but as consumers increasingly view their purchasing decisions from a social perspective, it is possible that commodity fetishism will be eliminated – or at least greatly assuaged – in time.

Of course, as long as we have capitalism, some sort of Marx’s conception of commodity fetishism is going to be present. Consumers will always gauge the value of a good foremost according to price; we aren’t immediately exposed to the people that went into bringing that good to market.

However, what happens when corporations actually benefit from being unabashedly transparent about their products and the social relationships that are involved in their production through marketing? What happens when consumers recognize commodity fetishism and demand that prices somehow incorporate a sort of social relationship? If corporate stakeholders are faced with the prospect of internalizing these social relationships (and making these decisions widely public through their marketing) or losing profits, you can bet they’ll espouse the former every time.

Better Marketing, Better Society

CSR is still at its dawn as a marketing trend, and its something that's likely to flourish in time. Over the next century, we can expect to see CSR and ethical consumerism grow at a steady rate ( as it has for the last two decades ). I, for one, am confident that the capitalist critique of commodity fetishism will someday not hold any water at all, as consumers increasingly demand goods from companies with the most socially conscious business practices.

Undoubtedly, marketing will play a key role in bringing all of this full circle. At root, marketing and advertising is all about communicating the right message. By constantly performing, publicizing and actively promoting socially responsible practices, future marketers can make the current trend of CSR into the status quo of marketing everywhere. Ultimately, this won't just benefit companies — it will greater benefit society as well.

By Kelsey Blackman

Penguin 3.0: What You Need to Know

Tue, 04 Nov 2014 16:37:44 GMT

Google recently rolled out a new update in its Penguin algorithm. In case you’re unfamiliar, Google’s Penguin algorithm targets sites that are considered spammy or otherwise violate Google’s linking guidelines. While past algorithm updates have affected up to 3% of search queries (and it’s important to note: that is actually a lot, considering how many search queries happen everyday), this update only affected around 1%, putting it somewhere in the middle compared to those in the past.

With that said, let's take a look at a few things regarding the update.

Hard Work Pays Off

Many sites were penalized in the last Penguin update due to spammy links to their website that were considered “fake” authority. Many businesses affected by this had to pour hours of work into getting spammy links cleaned up through removal or disavow requests. Despite all their hard work, many site owners were disappointed to find out that these removal/disavow requests had little to no effect on the penalty (and therefore their search presence). However, from this latest Penguin update, some business owners who spent time cleaning up their backlink profiles are starting to their hard work pay off with dramatic increases in their rankings; this is a signal that Google has noticed their hard work. If your site has been hit by Penguin and you haven't seen any increase or movement in your rankings, then you may still have some work to do.

Should I Be Concerned?

As noted above, this update appears to have only hit about 1% of all search queries. Unless you were a very big offender in terms of SEO, your online presence will probably be fine. However, if you have been acquiring spammy backlinks to your site, whether you are doing it or you are paying someone to help you increase your rankings, you may be at risk. If you are working with a marketing company that says it is building your authority in a non-spammy way, but you get penalized or your rankings otherwise take a big hit, it may be a good idea to reconsider your relationship with that company.

Once you have identified the problem, it is important to identify bad links in your backlink profile, and remove them by contacting the site with a removal request. A good example of this happened last year, when we had a client who had been working with several other companies to obtain backlinks come to us because they had been hit with a penalty. Their rankings plummeted and they enlisted us to help them clean up their backlink profile through link removal requests and then a couple of disavow requests to Google. Fortunately, we were able to get their bad links removed, and their rankings rose back up to where they were pre-penalty in about a month.

Post-Penguin Strategy

To earn links in the post-Penguin world, you’ll simply have to be more careful and produce higher quality content. With that in mind, following are some key ways to earn links after Penguin 3.0.

Guest Blogging

Although many people believe guest blogging is dead, if you believe that then you should probably reconsider. Of course, guest blogging is not a panacea for rankings and authority — but it can still have a positive effect. Moving forward after this update, your goal should be to create relationships with authoritative publications and blogs within your industry. While it’s great to get posted on a widely read blog like Business Insider, Mashable or LifeHacker, these sites may not be as beneficial as reaching your target audience within an industry publication.

Infographics
Infographics are a great way to engage an audience without laying out a 2,000 word article. While the latter can be more effective at times, most people have much shorter attention spans, and people generally like graphics and videos more because they are easier to engage with and don’t to involve as much time. Moving forward, a good mix of written content and graphically displayed content is a great strategy.
Amazing Content
If you haven’t heard by now, the quality of your content is pretty important. Your “boring” industry might not be so boring if you spend time crafting a creative piece of content.

Active Social Media Presence
Having an active social media presence is very important moving forward. This doesn’t mean you have to have 10,000 likes on your Facebook. While that helps, it’s more important to focus on actually engaging your following. 1,000 likes can go a long way if people are sharing your content. While your business may not need to utilize every social media outlet there is, it is important to identify which ones your target audience is using, and to hop on those ones as soon as you can. Once you have done this, utilize those social networks as much as you can.

There was a lot of talk in the industry that Penguin 3.0 was “the most anticipated Google update in history.” While this may be true, there’s a big difference between “most anticipated” to “most effective.” I, for one, don’t believe it to be the most effective update in terms of affecting business' online presences. Post-Penguin, the core of SEO remains the same: stick to a “white hat” strategy, and your website will remain unaffected. However, this (like anything else in online marketing) is not set in stone. As Google continues to change and evolve, we do too with our search habits, so it’s not impossible that even this may change down the road.

BY Jake Bowlby

Four Benefits of Working With an Outside Marketing Firm

Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:23:40 GMT

As I speak with more and more small businesses about the benefits of digital marketing, I am beginning to hear some usual suspects: Things like, “Our secretary handles that,” or “we should be able to do that ourselves.” For the smaller businesses out there, it’s understandable that the most convenient thing to do is sometimes just to take a current employee and deem them “Digital Marketing Director” of the company.

But the truth is, under this ‘strategy’, you are unlikely to obtain an online presence that’s really valuable (i.e. one that converts; one that will help direct potential customers to your website when they are searching for your services or expertise.) With this in mind, following are four benefits of hiring an outside digital marketing firm for small business owners.

A marketing firm is in business to help you grow.

CAUTION to businesses who are considering taking a current employee and re-assigning them as their head of marketing: While this may seem like a convenient solution at the time, there’s simply no way to guarantee that your existing employee will be an effective marketer. In fact, if they only have a rudimentary grasp of digital marketing (which is nearly always the case), you can almost guarantee they won’t be successful to this end.

Not only does effective marketing require expertise and experience in order to help grow businesses and brands, by handing off a big chunk of your business’ marketing duties to a current employee, you risk overloading his/her workload, which could ultimately have a damaging effect on your business down the road.

A marketing firm will take their expertise and experiences and successfully apply them to your brand. Client growth is the raison d’etre of every marketing firm; while an existing employee may be the easiest to take over marketing, you can count on an outside firm to go through leaps and bounds to grow your business for you.

With a marketing firm by your side, you will get a bigger bang for your buck!
Good marketing firms devote the majority of their waking hours to successful marketing partnerships. There is an incredible amount of thought, research and time that goes into successfully developing and executing a marketing plan — not to mention the energy and time that is required to keep up with the ever changing world (i.e. rules) of the Internet.

Giving a current employee that task will not only hurt their routine workload, it will require him/her to stop and learn the many facets of SEO, SEM, graphic design, social media strategy, e-mail campaigns, copywriting, ad placement, video production and so much more. Don’t lower your standards in hopes of saving a few dollars today — you may end up paying for a poorly executed marketing plan that will end up needing to be fixed by professionals in the future.
With a digital marketing firm, you are hiring a team.
It can be tricky to find the right agency, as some firms may sell you a team-based approach, and then outsource some of your marketing needs to their “partners” on the other side of the world. On the other side of things, there are firms out there that have robust in-house teams made up of experts, who continually work with you to help meet your goals for each project. Simply stated, do not hire a marketing firm just because they sound like they know what they are talking about.

A good marketing firm will always consult with you in order to become, in the truest sense, an extension of your company. The team will work with you based on your ideas and current market evaluations. A solid, well-rounded marketing team will be able to effectively lead your company through the marketing process so that you are involved and informed of the intent and are sure that they are aligned with your goals.
Sometimes you just need the outside perspective.
All that I am saying here is that it can get hard to market your own business to your target audience when you are so close to managing the internal aspects of everyday business. Who is your key audience? Is it clear to each audience what solutions you bring to the tablet for them? Why should they trust and engage with your company? Working with an outside digital marketing firm is a great way to balance company ideas with a dose of outside perspective.

BY Jake Bowlby

Reaching the Summit With Conversion Rate Optimization

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 16:15:38 GMT

Ask around: Today's marketing landscape is "dynamic".

No, really. Follow any marketing blog long enough and you'll read that descriptor littered across blog post introductions ad nauseum. Realizing that marketers across the web have suffered through enough trite, 'navigating-the-dynamism' rhetoric (though still having to lay the concept for this blog post), I'd venture to say a more concrete, creative term to describe the current state of marketing is 'mountainous'.

Not only does 'mountainous' convey what 'dynamic' does in a way that's more unique, it does so more accurately when it's used to describe online marketing. Think about it: businesses (hikers) have a whole range of new resources (mountains) through to reach new customers and increase brand loyalty (hike, enjoy nature, life, etc.). To drag the analogy further, a few of the most prominent 'mountains' right now would probably include content marketing, social media marketing, and advanced analytics , all of which provide a new opportunities for businesses to grow.

But while all these new resources can hold a ton of potential for businesses, as mountains they can seem intimidating and dangerous. Where should a business invest resources? What strategies should a marketer leverage? These are all valid questions and perhaps predictably, the answers vary widely from client to client.

However, one thing is always true: A marketing strategy measured through the lens of any one resource alone will never provide a clear map to the very highest online marketing peak. To reach the summit, you need to only focus on one thing: Conversation rate optimization.

Race You to the Top!

High search rankings are awesome. Increased traffic to a website is great. More social shares and followers can pole-vault your brand in front of many potential clients. Becoming a thought leader can elevate you and give you a platform to increase your brand awareness.

But are those the most important things? I would say no. Are they the ultimate goal for a brand or for marketers? The answer to this is decidedly ‘no’, as well. The ultimate goal for brands and marketers should be to leverage rankings, traffic, followers and thought leadership in such a way that a goal (or, conversion) is reached.

Rankings, traffic, followers and being perceived as a thought leader don’t ultimately determine or guarantee success. Measuring and increasing the number of conversions from those things does.

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

One of the biggest issues I see is that many websites aren’t designed around conversions. Most websites simply give information or showcase products or services, effectively serving as no more than a digital brochure.

The truth is that most businesses miss out on the fact that their website can be so much more; it really can become a digital employee. Think about this: a website can inform, take information, answer questions, gather contact information, allow transactions and promote your brand. That sounds a lot like what I ask of my employees every day.

If you have a website, it needs to be designed with a specific conversion in mind. This is similar to having expectations for an employee: We hold employees to sales quotas, we ask them to answer the phone and give information, we ask them to be brand ambassadors and we hold them accountable to how well they do their job.

But too often we don’t think “How well is my website doing its job?” The reason is because many websites don’t have a specific job by which they are measured. If there is nothing to track, no specific data points to analyze and no conversion to track, it becomes impossible to know whether or not your website is working efficiently

Climbing With Cold Carabiners

Having a website is necessary in today’s connected world. But simply having a website does not guarantee success. Conversions don’t simply come from building a great looking and well optimized website. Conversion rate optimization is as much of a science as it is an art.

There is a very well defined decision making process that occurs online. It consists of four stages:

Awareness
Interest
Desire
Action

Each of these stages is essential for leading searchers towards a desired conversion. Yet only 20% of websites have been optimized for this decision making process and for conversions.

According to SwayHub, for every $100 spent on driving traffic to websites, companies spend only $1 converting that traffic into business. No business would spend that kind of money getting people into a physical store or location and have under-trained employees interact with them. Yet that happens everyday on millions of websites.

Behold A Sprawling Horizon

Companies that realize the role a website can have really do benefit from the resources they invest in making sure the website not only has defined conversion funnels, but benefit greatly from continuing to invest in optimizing conversion.

Marketing Sherpa reports that 74% of conversion rate optimization programs boost sales. Conversion rates on most websites range from 1% to 3%. Websites that have been optimized for conversion typically see a 20% or greater increase in conversions.

Find a firm or consultant that is willing to work with you to identify goals and put the correct processes in place to measure the results of their efforts. It is also very important to understand what to expect from conversion rate optimization in order to know if it is succeeding or not. With this in mind, you should be willing to ask hard questions about success and be willing to hold your conversion rate optimization expert accountable to expectations.

While metrics like traffic, time on site, social shares, how many people read a blog and search engine rankings are important, these alone do not paint a true picture of the success of your online marketing efforts. For that, you need to have specific goals and conversions setup and you need to track their success. This will ultimately determine if you are seeing a true return on your efforts.

By Sarah Carnes

What are Infographics and Why Do I Need Them?

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 15:57:55 GMT

BY Sarah Carnes

Beyond Pandas and Penguins: SEO and Quality Content

Tue, 14 Oct 2014 15:52:13 GMT

From pandas to penguins and even hummingbirds, one of the best ways to understand the current state of SEO is through the different algorithm updates that Google has rolled out over the years. Understanding these changes – as well as the two core methods of performing SEO – is key to realizing how quality content is now the most critical component for businesses seeking to improve their search rankings for the long haul.

Because after all, nowadays the phrase, “Content is king,” is parroted throughout the SEO industry like it’s nobody’s business. And while it’s true that quality content is probably the most important part of solid SEO strategy, it’s also true that a lot of businesses still don’t understand what quality content even is — not to mention why it’s paramount in when it comes to SEO.

Google's Algorithm Updates

There have been virtual libraries written about all of Google’s algorithm updates, but following is what you need to know about each of them. It’s also worth noting that all these algorithm updates are fluid and continually updated. (So for example, even though Panda was one of Google’s first and foremost critical algorithm updates, Panda 4.1 just rolled out on 9/23.)

Panda: Google’s Panda update targeted websites that used low-quality on-site content. Prior to Panda, businesses were able to populate their websites with pages of “thin” content, that didn’t provide any real value to customers. Before Panda, these pages served to boost the search rankings of these companies, but they ultimately dropped these companies' rankings once the algorithm was released.
Penguin : Google’s Penguin update aimed to reduce the trust and authority that Google had placed in sites if they were found to have “cheated” by creating unnatural backlink profiles in order to gain an advantage in their search results. Whereas Panda was Google's fix for poor "on-page" SEO practices, Penguin was Google's fix for "off-page" SEO (both of which terms will be explained later in this post).
Hummingbird : The Hummingbird algorithm aimed to boost the authority of websites that are delivering answers to people through quality content. With Hummingbird, businesses have an incentive to post more quality content (i.e. content that answers people's questions and provides key value to searchers.)
Pigeon : Pigeon is Google’s latest algorithm update, was all about local search and served to more closely mimic the organic searching patterns of local searchers. This made things easier for local searchers and also penalized some local search strategies that were being used prior to its implementation.

Even though each update serves a distinct purpose, all of these algorithm changes are broadly designed either to penalize people that are trying to game the system or to improve results for searchers. Looking at things through that lens beckons a question, however. Namely, what can businesses do to safely improve their search engine rankings and abide by Google’s guidelines?

Two words: Quality content.

And conveniently, there are also two main ways of creating quality content that will improve your search rankings: on-page SEO, and off-page SEO.

On-page SEO Explained

At root, on-page SEO is pretty self-explanatory — it’s the optimization of your website’s content, literally on its pages. More specifically, on-page SEO involves creating web content that’s both highly informative and contains relevant keywords you’re trying to rank for.

As I alluded to earlier, this was pretty easy to circumvent pre-Panda, because websites could just populate an endless amount of pages with a bunch of keywords that they were trying to rank for. However, these pages weren’t providing any real information (and therefore value) to searchers, and ultimately hurt the sites’ rankings once Panda was implemented.

In a lot of cases, online marketers will boil on-page SEO down to: (1) keywords and (2) valuable information.

Off-page SEO Explained

Off-page SEO is a little trickier, but it comes down to the practice of getting informative content posted on relevant websites in your niche/industry, with at least one link back to your own website. The amount, quality, and nature of these links is referred to as a “backlink profile”, and it is a critical component of Google’s search algorithm.

Back before Google rolled out Penguin, it was relatively easy to rise in search rankings through shady off-page SEO practices. If you wanted to improve your backlink profile, you could find someone in the same boat and post a zillion links to their site on your site, in exchange for a zillion links to your site on their site. Needless to say, people who used these tactics were penalized by Google once Penguin came barreling in.

If you ask an online marketer what off-page SEO is all about, they’ll typically tell you that it comes down to (1) links and (2) valuable information.

The Upshot

Although algorithm changes are sometimes associated with uncertainty and weariness of past tactics, one thing is certain: Quality content (i.e. content that provides searchers and visitors with relevant, valuable information) is here to stay. With this in mind, businesses that carry out their SEO the right way – by putting content first, and realizing that SEO is typically a marathon, not a sprint – don’t really have anything to fear from algorithm changes.

By Kelsey Blackman

Beach Bumming and Marketing

Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:41:41 GMT

This past week, I was blessed to be on vacation with my family. Every year we take a trip to the Gulf Shores, and every year I struggle to put down the phone and computer and focus on my family instead of what I am leaving behind at the office. For the most part, I manage to turn the work volume down and spend quality time with my family — but I also give myself time to think and reflect on work and marketing.

This year, as I was enjoying some of the best weather we have had in years, I was struck by a few things that the beach was teaching me about marketing. So I thought I would share these thoughts from a beach bumming marketer.

Beach Bumming (Like Effective Marketing) Takes Planning

Grab a towel, a cold drink and maybe a good book and some warm sand. Sounds simple, right? Well, not if you have two young children like I do.

Getting to the beach is a lot like taking a trip to the moon. There is sunscreen to be applied (then wiped out of eyes), toys to be wrangled, floatation devices to be securely fastened to those that can’t swim, beach chairs to be dragged through the sand, towels to be laid out, and sunglasses and an umbrella to be erected to help us avoid the sun that we drove 13 hours to enjoy.

Once on the beach, there is no time for bumming around. Rather it is like a scene from Baywatch as I scan the beach, making sure my kids aren’t swimming too deeply, hugging a jellyfish or eating sand.

If there is to be any bumming, it must be strategically planned. Everything we want to take to the beach needs to be packed securely and efficiently, and activities have to be planned that will keep the kids safe and close by so I can watch them while relaxing. If there is no planning, utter chaos is inevitably the result.

That seems to be the same with many of the clients that we work with. Everyone wants something (like how I wanted to relax on the beach), but they have not defined what exactly they want or how they expect their marketing efforts to get them there.

Effective marketing requires planning. It involves knowing who your target market is, where they are and how you can move closer to them. It is not simply about having a website, Facebook page or blog. Rather it is about knowing how to strategically leverage those components to create conversions.

Planning is work. It isn’t always easy and it certainly isn’t exciting, but the companies that want to see a good ROI from their marketing and really rise above the competition plan meticulously.

You Can’t Stop the Tide — But You Can Leverage It

I love watching the tide come in and out; for some reason I am fascinated by all of that water being affected by something thousands of miles away. For me, the tide is a thing of wonder and awe… not so much for my kids.

For my kids, the tide is something that only exists to destroy the sandcastle they built yesterday or wash away the drawings they made. For them it not understood or appreciated.

I think that’s how marketing is for a lot of businesses. Everyone knows the buzz words like SEO, content marketing, pay-per-click, conversion rate optimization, responsive design, mobile optimized, etc., but not everyone really understands each concept and how they can be used to form a holistic marketing strategy. Like a kid building a sandcastle in a tidal zone, businesses often invest marketing resources into these strategies only for their efforts to be washed away.

I may be in awe of the tide (and my kids may hate it), but there are also those that truly know how to leverage the tide. Everyday as the tide began to shift, I noticed a fisherman walking down the beach, scanning the water. As a fisherman myself, I stopped him to chat. I wanted to know specifically what he was looking for when picking his spot. What he told me was that as the tide moves in or out, it creates these areas just off the beach of calm, deeper water. It is at the very edges of those “holes” that the larger fish hang out and wait as the tide and waves push smaller fish to them.

Good marketing isn’t just about knowing where the tidal line is and building a sandcastle that is safe — it is about studying and learning how to leverage the tide for success. Marketing is an ever-changing game. It requires agility. Your target audience doesn’t stay in the same place forever. As technology advances, everything changes. What worked last year isn’t guaranteed to work this year. With this in mind, businesses need to watch for the changes, the ebbs and flows of the tide, and know how to use them for success.

Vacations are great. They allow us to spend time with those we care about, relax a bit and turn down the volume on life. They are also good because at times we see things in a new light. We can see how a day at the beach is akin to marketing in that in order to be successful planning is needed. We can also learn that something like the tide, which can’t be stopped, doesn’t have be merely looked on with wonder or scorn, but rather can be leveraged, just like the ever-changing marketing landscape.

By Rusty Brett

Is Google Really That Bad?

Wed, 01 Oct 2014 15:22:08 GMT

Dinner Conversation Becomes Business Conversation

A few weekends ago, I had an insightful experience at Jake Bowlby’s house. The setting was nothing new: Each summer, Jake (Lift Division’s Regional Sales Manager) invites around 25 people over for a feast, featuring the most important guest, Beau Davis of the Calderello Italian food family. Every time he is in the kitchen, he prepares sausage and meatballs aromatic enough to make a group of vegetarians go against their better judgment. Truth be told, I’m usually not much of a sausage-and-meatballs type of guy — but Beau bears the secret Calderello family recipe, which is so incredible it’s like a completely different food group or something.

Equally amazing was the company; I mean these were my type of people. The group was composed of completely transparent people asking compelling questions and telling hysterical stories (some of which I can’t un-hear). These were also my type of people from an action standpoint: A group of driven individuals, people who don’t just talk about ideas, they go execute them. Among those sharing stories were fellow entrepreneurs in the mid-Missouri area, including the founder of 9thandElm.com , the owners of Logboat Brewery and the Chief Production Officer of Veterans United , just to name a few.

Whenever cocktails and strong-minded people come together, there are always some engaging and passionate conversations — and that night was no different. At one point, one of the entrepreneurs turned to me and asked, “Russell, what do you think of Google?” Putting aside the unconventional nickname (few call me Russell except close friends, my parents and the cops), my reply was simply, “I think Google is an amazing company and they do some really awesome things on an ongoing basis.”

...and the next sound I heard was his jaw hitting the floor. “Are you serious?” he said. “You’re the only person I’ve ever asked that question to who replied like that, and I’ve asked some very smart people.” He continued, “Don’t you know Google is basically a monopoly and we are forced to play by its rules? How do you feel about Google saying a particular optimization strategy is okay for a long time, and then completely changing its mind the next day?”

We went back in forth on this for the next 20 minutes or so, talking and listening as each of us tried to make points that were somewhat watered down by Tito’s Vodka. By the end of the conversation, not much had been reached in terms of a point, except that I kept returning to the following question: “Is Google really that bad?”And I kept giving myself this answer: I really don’t think so at all.

From A Business Owner’s Perspective, Google’s Changes Can Be Challenging

Thinking back to the conversation, I totally understand most of this entreprenuer's qualms with Google. He’s the owner of an emerging eCommerce business and he’s scared to death of what Google will do tomorrow and how those changes may require him to change his business practices. Each move Google makes requires entreprenuers to invest to stay updated, and I completely get that. Like 100%. And I’m sure every smart business owner can sympathize to some extent.

So do do these frustrations surrounding continual change actually hold water? Absolutely. Just listening to Matt Cutts , Google’s head of Webspam, will give you a slight headache. He talks a lot in the grey about ongoing algorithm changes, but never really says anything concrete. And yes, it’s a little annoying, but frankly, how can he actually say anything conclusively? The likelihood of what he says changing somewhere down the road is near 100%, seeing as how change is so inherent to the digital world. So why set himself or Google up for failure by saying one thing and then having to go back and change his story later? In this light, it makes sense for Cutts to be somewhat ambiguous and inconclusive in his talks.

It's not uncommon to hear comments stating that Google is a monopoly and they can do whatever they want. While I think it’s easy to make that statement, simply because Google has such a strong impact on us all, I’m just not exactly on the same page here. Putting aside the fact that the Justice Department hasn’t stepped in just yet, Google’s practices and quality standards aren’t significantly different than that of Bing or other search engines. It may have the lion’s share, but that doesn’t make it a true monopoly, since there remain several other comparable options (although I still think that all business owners are crazy not to pay close attention to every move Google makes.)

A Matter of Perspective

I believe that, initially, he and I were on different pages because we were both trying to tackle a question from completely different perspectives, and I don’t think either of us realized it at the time. He was speaking from a business owner’s perspective, and he was (again, understandably) tired of the constant change. I was speaking as the owner of a digital marketing firm that specializes search marketing, web design and branding. Every day, it’s my job to understand Google to the best of my ability, and to adapt client strategies with them. While many small business owners are tired of a constantly changing search environment, I’m well aware that change in this space is naturally constant and should be expected. In fact, my competitive nature eagerly accepts the challenges that change brings.

When it comes down to it, I don’t believe Google is making the rules at all in the first place. I believe it’s actually all of us, the web users, that are creating and dictating the rules. I believe Google is simply trying to keep up with the changes in technology and culture, not to mention everything else society sees as valuable and worth searching for. Google does this by making changes on its search platform to keep up with the dynamic state of society (of humanity in general, in fact!)

Each and every day, there are new websites, apps and devices that spring up, bearing the potential to completely alter our online ecosystem. This year there will probably be another game-changing social network, entirely new industry, or something that will otherwise force search engines like Google to adapt. Google doesn’t want to spend a bunch of resources to change its algorithm, but it does have to adapt its business model based on consumer behavior, just like other smart business owner. Google must provide the most accurate results with the most valuable information, as quickly as possible. If it didn’t adapt, not even the mighty Google would be around very long.

So while I agree Google’s changes can clearly cause a business owner pain, I also believe nearly every change I’ve witnessed is better in the long run for all of us. I believe Google’s changes challenge every business owner to do better things and indirectly help us bring more value to our clients. In short, I don’t blame Google for change because change is inevitable.

Recent Google Changes and Why They Make Sense

Let’s take a look at some recent changes in order to better understand the logic behind Google algorithm updates:

Google is ranking sites better if they’re mobile responsive. Does this suck for organizations that don’t have responsive websites? Yes, because now a business owner is crazy not to strongly consider investing in an updated, responsive site. Is there an argument that Google is forcing businesses to change? Perhaps. But really, it’s what mobile searchers want to see, right? Google isn’t making rules, they’re simply changing its algorithm based on what people are doing.

According to a 2013 Mobile Path-to-Purchase study , 46% of searchers now use mobile exclusively to research, and that number will only increase. Don’t we all want to view a site that we can read quickly instead of one that we have to figure out how to use two fingers and expand without wrecking the car? (Sidenote: I am absolutely not advocating browsing and driving.) Google is indirectly helping all business owners by saying:”Get your site updated, for the love of God, so that all these mobile searchers can actually view your site and convert on it.”

Google is rolling out changes that penalize businesses for having unnatural links. The quick backstory here is that many shady and amateur SEO companies were in the business of writing and spinning crappy articles for their clients and getting them published on link-farm websites simply for the purpose of building backlinks. By doing so, the SEO companies could theoretically generate additional authority (or popularity votes) in Google’s eyes for their clients.

Google has changed its algorithm to heavily factor social media mentions. Again, a business owner could respond to this along the lines of: “Dang it, now I have to invest more of my time in social media because Google changed on me again.” And again, I get that. But Google is in the business of providing awesome, valuable search results, aren’t they?

So What Should Business Owners Do?

Look, there’s no reason to fight Google. In fact, business owners shouldn’t worry about Google; instead, they should think like Google for their audience. In that sense, they should seek to continually improve the quality of their work and the value they bring to others. By working on consistently providing value to their customers both online and offline, business owners can expect to experience a natural, accurate, and appropriate ranking from Google.

Sure, it’s important to pay attention to what Google does — but it’s much more important to focus on creating a strong digital brand for Google to rank higher in the first place. So how can business owners do that?

Figure out what your target audience values and focus on creative ways of providing it.
Create and share great content (articles, videos, white papers, infographics, etc.) that people will be compelled to consume and share.
Do SEO the right way.
There’s no reason to try to game the system. In SEO, it isn’t worth it to shortcut anything, and you simply can’t go wrong by doing things the correct way. Sure, it’s a little bit harder and frankly, it is a little more expensive, but each shortcut you take in this business will eventually catch up to you.
Gain authority in real life to gain authority online.
Do things in your community and industry to gain authority and respect — get published in a trade publication, offer free seminars or workshops. In general, do something noteworthy. Then make sure you, your teammates and others share the story with others.
Give back whenever possible.
Google loves positive sentiment and there’s nothing better for doing so than giving back. For example: Rally your team together to volunteer and pick up trash on the highways, then post pictures of your good deed on social media so that it will get people talking about all the cool and virtuous stuff you’re doing.
Do great work and ask your clients to share their experience with others. As mentioned previously, Google is very interested in what others are saying about your business. Consistent, positive social mentions online will likely see your rankings grow in search results rankings.

Google and all other search engines motivate us to do great things on a consistent basis. Great work fosters great reviews. And great social proof builds brands.

Am I a bit overly complacent with Google’s changes, a bit on the positivity bandwagon no matter what they may do next? Admittedly, generally yes. And considering I’m in the search marketing industry, I realize that it may sound a bit like a cop-out, but I truly do believe Google is in the business of providing value and making changes to continue adding value.

Like nearly all business owners, I depend on Google’s search results for qualified leads, online visibility, and a countless number of transactions every day; I, for one, appreciate a business that focuses on providing a better, more authentic and valuable experience for us all.

By Rusty Brett

Why Design is Key for Small Business Marketing

Wed, 24 Sep 2014 14:42:01 GMT

It’s not uncommon for quality design to be either left on the back-burner or ignored altogether by small businesses who are just starting out. Some of these cases are a result of simple neglect — the perception that quality design is merely an accessory. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Quality design is as vital as having a business card, a website, or even a product itself. In fact, when it’s executed exceptionally well, design can add significant emotional value to a product and overall brand . Simply put, design can bring significant benefits to small businesses in countless ways and should not be overlooked. Because think of it this way: You literally have seconds – 7 seconds to be exact – to harness the attention of a potential customer (according to Business Insider .) So needless to say, you’re going to have to get the most out of those 7 seconds. You’re going to want to stand out — and I’m tellin’ ya, a few sentences slapped on a piece of paper just ain’t gonna’ cut it.

To achieve real marketing success, you'll need quality design, which ultimately does the following:

Gets Your Name Out

First and foremost, great design gets your name out there. As a small business, this is key. Quality design increases visibility and allows you to stand out from your competitors. In order to harness the most powerful aspects of design, look for something unique — something that caters toward your target market and will really stand out from the rest of the clutter. This is where hiring a proven and legitimate graphic designer comes into play, even for the most simple marketing needs. Anybody can throw a few pictures and words in different fonts onto a campaign; a good graphic designer will make something your customers won’t soon forget.

Improves Conversion Rates

Having strong design will help your small business deliver conversions, which is ultimately what every business is seeking to do. Whether it’s your website, a flyer, or something as simple as email marketing, your call to action is what brings in leads and new customers, and it’s something that should stand out. With solid graphic design, you can achieve a better success rate by leading your audiences eye exactly where you want them to look. However, it’s not always just about having a pretty design — your marketing design also needs to be psychologically compelling. In my experience, people sometimes fail to understand this key differentiation.

Sets Your Business Apart

For businesses of any size, there are many ways that design contributes to successful marketing. However, the main thing a business should focus on is a balance of professionalism and utility. All marketing components should set your business apart, instilling trust and engaging with your target audience. Raising awareness of your brand in a positive light will help you cater to your target audience more effectively and stand out from the clutter of the competition. At the end of the day, great design should evoke an emotional response in a way that captures leads and converts them into customers.

Whether you’re a new business owner or have owned a business for many years, the importance of quality design should be well understood for any kind of marketing campaign. In particular – and though it’s admittedly trite – you should always try to ‘think outside of the box’ when it comes to design and marketing efforts . What is the best way to capture your target audience’s attention? What are your competitors doing? How can you work off of their efforts to make your design even better? This is where a team of designers and other marketing-minded creatives can definitely come in handy. With the right team, you can generate great design and marketing concepts that will have a significant impact on your end-user, and ultimately make your business more successful.

BY Sarah Carnes

Google Tightens Down on Security: HTTPS Now a Ranking Signal | Lift Division

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 10:40:21 GMT

In early August, Google announced a change in their search ranking algorithm. This update takes into account whether sites use secure, encrypted connections such as HTTPS, which is now being used to determine a website’s authority and therefore search ranking. For a quick overview, following is a portion of the exact release that Google published on their Google Webmaster Central Blog:

Security is a top priority for Google. We invest a lot in making sure that our services use industry-leading security, like strong HTTPS encryption by default. That means that people using Search, Gmail and Google Drive, for example, automatically have a secure connection to Google.

Beyond our own stuff, we’re also working to make the Internet safer more broadly. A big part of that is making sure that websites people access from Google are secure. For instance, we have created resources to help webmasters prevent and fix security breaches on their sites.

We want to go even further. At Google I/O a few months ago, we called for “ HTTPS everywhere ” on the web.

We’ve also seen more and more webmasters adopting HTTPS (also known as HTTP over TLS , or Transport Layer Security), on their website, which is encouraging.

For these reasons, over the past few months we’ve been running tests taking into account whether sites use secure, encrypted connections as a signal in our search ranking algorithms. We've seen positive results, so we're starting to use HTTPS as a ranking signal. For now it's only a very lightweight signal — affecting fewer than 1% of global queries, and carrying less weight than other signals such as high-quality content — while we give webmasters time to switch to HTTPS. But over time, we may decide to strengthen it, because we’d like to encourage all website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to keep everyone safe on the web.

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2014/08/https-as-ranking-signal.html

Now, it almost goes without saying that anytime Google makes an update to their algorithm, webmasters should take notice. I believe that this update, although currently not carrying a lot of weight (in fact, only affecting somewhere around 1% of global queries) is one that we should consider carefully. This is because unlike many previous modifications that aimed to catch people trying to manipulate it, this modification shows that Google is really redefining – and in my opinion, improving upon – best practices for webmasters, and the standards of the Internet in general.

Why This Update Is Needed

At the heart of this change is the issue of trustworthiness and security (lest Google is actually slyly abandoning their “Don’t be evil.” mantra). Simply put, Google has customers. I am one of them and you probably are too. Everyday, Internet users around the world rely on Google to navigate the web — making purchases, finding specific websites, aggregating cat pictures, etc. But what’s more, this dominant popularity when it comes to web navigation means that Internet users don’t just use Google, they inherently trust Google as well. And so, a critical question is raised — and in truth, there are valid points made by both sides.

Should We Place Our Trust in Google?

Yes

We should trust Google to deliver us relevant results based on our search queries. And for the most part, Google is great at getting me the information, products and services that I want in an efficient manner. Like most people, I find search results so accurate that I rarely even need to navigate to the second page of results. In fact, for what it is designed to do – point users in the right direction and lead them to relevant, popular, authoritative websites – Google excels beyond its competitors.

We should not trust Google when it comes to the security or even the validity of the websites that it leads us to. Google is not responsible, nor should they be, for our safety on each website that appears in the search results. What someone does on a website – the information they give up, the things they sign up for, and the files they download – is ultimately the responsibility of the individual, not Google.

The problem that arises (and it’s at the heart of why I think this algorithm change is a good idea) is that most Internet users do not know very much about security. Case in point, just look at the eternal, invariably successful scams of the world — dating scams, lottery scams, loan scams and even dead relative scams. Over time, these scams have led to huge losses, both in terms of money and invaluables such one’s identity as well. Today, the scam industry remains alive and well, and perhaps that shouldn’t surprise us. After all, why do we keep seeing them over and over again? The answer doesn’t rely in the flaws of victims, rather the incentives of the scammers: scams exist because people profit from them. With this in mind, the same logic follows through to the Internet. Most searchers want to believe what they hear and trust the websites they visit — but truth is, the internet is not always open and honest, and there is always someone looking to make a quick buck off of someone else’s relative niavety.

From a security standpoint, it’s safe to say that most high-traffic websites aren’t out to scam users. However, many websites have begun to ask for more information as a means to deliver content, such as requiring email addresses for mailing lists or to download a whitepaper or report. Additionally, many popular websites have some sort of signup process, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, e-commerce sites and various publications. Simply stated, any time you are giving information, that information is at risk. In the past, hackers, disgruntled employees and identity thieves have all been responsible for taking that information and using it for malicious purposes. Adding an extra layer of security allows our information to be more secure, and should also increase the level of trust we have in how that information will be used or not used.

Google and other search engines often get blamed for what searchers do when they find a website via search engine. At the end of the day, we all naturally want to trust that everything that we are pointed to is legitimate, secure and real; Google is doing its part to help us out by adding HTTPS as a ranking signal.

What Webmasters Need To Know

The first thing that webmasters should know is that this is not something that will have a huge affect on your ranking or traffic — at least right now. In its announcement, Google made it clear that this algorithm modification involves “a very lightweight signal”. Signals such as high-quality content still carry much more weight than having a secure domain. However, as more and more websites adopt HTTPS in the coming months and years, I expect the weight of this factor to increase. With this change (and like all their changes), Google is attempting to update and improve the best practices for webmasters everywhere, ultimately enhancing the Internet we know and love. Once enough websites adopt this standard, it will be easier for Google to increase the weight and necessity of HTTPS. With this in mind, I encourage webmasters to either go ahead and adopt HTTPS, or at the very least keep an eye on your competitors and be ready to change when it looks like adoption has become the norm.

How To Implement This Change On Your Website

Here are some tips from Google to make the HTTPS adoption process easier, and to avoid common mistakes:

Decide the kind of certificate you need: single, multi-domain, or wildcard certificate
Use 2048-bit key certificates
Use relative URLs for resources that reside on the same secure domain
Use protocol relative URLs for all other domains
Check out Google’s Site move article for more guidelines on how to change your website’s address
Don’t block your HTTPS site from crawling using robots.txt
Allow indexing of your pages by search engines where possible, and avoid the noindex robots meta tag.

For a more in-depth look at security and what webmasters can to do improve security on their sites, check out the full article over at Google’s help center .

It’s no secret that Google has built a lot of trust equity with searchers. Most of that trust equity leads to more searchers, a bigger market share, and ultimately more profits. But at times this can come at a cost, like when Google is blamed for the actions of websites, their lack of security, or even our general lack of knowledge and awareness. Google may simply be doing what they can to cover themselves from blame with this algorithm update, or they may genuinely be concerned with the overall security of the Internet and its users. Regardless, a move to a more secure and trustworthy Internet is one that should benefit us all.

By Rusty Brett

Release Your Content Kraken

Wed, 17 Sep 2014 10:23:51 GMT

The Story of The Content Kraken

In the beginning, the Content Kraken was just a Kraken — a squid-like sea monster that lay beneath the sea, terrorizing maritime wayfarers everywhere.

Sinking ships left and right, the Kraken was instilling fear in the hearts and minds of sailors everywhere. In fact, there was a long stretch of time when the Kraken really was in control of oceanic travel. He had everything he ever wanted, but at the very heart of his slimy, tenticular being, he knew something was wrong.

“What’s the point of it all?” he thought. “Is this all there is? Why am I even here?”

Rapt in existential contemplation, the Kraken fell fast asleep… and didn’t wake up until the latter half of the 20th century.

Waking From The Great Snooze

Needless to say, a lot had changed. When it woke, the Kraken came into a whole new world — one with a booming human population, globalized world trade, and an ocean that wasn’t just uncomfortably acidic and polluted, but was also filled with barges and stronger ships that the Kraken knew it didn’t stand a chance terrorizing.

With nowhere else to turn, the Kraken came to a conclusion: although it provided a lot of good to mankind as well, proliferating business was ultimately at the heart of this current condition. The Kraken knew it had to find a way into the business world in order to truly make an impact in today’s society.

…but he also knew it wouldn’t be easy. In fact, he realized there was a whole lot of problems with the way things are currently done — plenty of businesses were trying too hard to obtain new customers, and were ultimately hurting their brands in the process by overemphasizing promotion over value. The Kraken witnessed outbound marketing in the form of a print advertisement, and his mystical spirit immediately understood how compromising content for promotion can ultimately hinder brand equity in today’s age.

Becoming the Content Kraken

The Kraken knew what he had to do. Reading about the growing industries of inbound marketing and content marketing, the Kraken changed his name and entire being around this newfound, more effective form of marketing. He polished his head, waxed his tentacle, and even got a Wordpress account to display off a new and more articulate self. With success in mind and virtue in heart-thing, Kraken filed a name change with the Department of Social Scary Services and became… the Content Kraken.

Today, the Content Kraken has retired from wreaking havoc on the seas, but remains similarly destructive — striving to disrupt traditional marketing tactics with premium content marketing. By producing valuable content for a specific target audience (instead of marketing via traditional outbound means), the Content Kraken aims to help move individual businesses forward, while also enriching the bustling social media landscape and progressing the marketing industry as a whole. In time, the Content Kraken may even be able to instigate a state of enlightened marketing; with inbound marketing and the advent of conscious consumerism , brands (and society) may benefit from cultivating a more open and socially responsible brand identity.

More benevolent than chaotic, the Content Kraken has moved to the toolboxes of businesses everywhere, waiting to be utilized for the highest quality branding and lead generation . The Content Kraken represents how the best and most audacious content marketing campaigns should be viewed from the start: as valuable and highly engaging, aiming to pull customers in with tenticular accuracy and interesting content — as opposed to just reaching out to customers with sloppy, slippery appendages that serve to foremost promote a product rather than appeal to customer interests or actually solve problems.

Content Kraken In Action

Catching a glimpse of the elusive beast can be tough, but rest assured he’s out there. Case in point, following are some great examples of Content Krakens set free by their respective brands, now exercising their full might. Additionally, it’s worth noting that all of these campaigns have had virtual libraries of blog posts and articles written about them (as per the industry norm), so all you need to do is Google each of them to learn more.

Coca-Cola 20/20

In 2011, Coca-Cola rolled out one of the most audacious content marketing campaigns ever when they introduced Coca-Cola 20/20 , their vastly original approach to marketing — a huge portion of which involves content marketing. The strategy involves sourcing content from literally everyone, from individual customers to small agencies looking to do pro-bono work. Ultimately (and aside from the their self-described purpose to “Inspire moments of happiness and optimism,”), what Coca-Cola aims to accomplish with this new strategy is a holistic new method of story-based marketing for their brand — allowing everyone to contribute their content in order to form a more collaborative, interactive and vibrant brand image.

Red Bull

Did you know that Red Bull has their own magazine? It’s called the Red Bulletin. With a circulation of about 2.2 million, it’s available in five languages, and it’s also free. Now that’s an outstanding content marketing campaign in its own right. What’s more, you’d be hard pressed to find a piece of content in the Bulletin that discusses anything about Red Bull’s energy drinks. Instead, each issue is filled with articles and rich visuals about what appeals to Red Bull’s target audience and brand: Extreme sports and an active lifestyle. In addition, Red Bull sponsors countless concerts worldwide and frequently hosts extreme sporting events — all of which serve to further enhance Red Bull’s brand and progress the marketing industry overall.

Xerox

A multifaceted, multinational corporation, it’s no secret that Xerox has a lot of customers — and that those customers come from a wide range of backgrounds and demographics is also no surprise. But what’s one thing linking them all together? (Hint: Not printing.) Healthcare. Everyone who uses Xerox also needs healthcare, and with all the big changes to our healthcare system of late – and with the state of journalism being what it is – Xerox took a bold move to fill a big gap of content production. With HealthBiz Decoded , Xerox aims to, “provide a go-to resource for providers, payers, employers and government agencies.” Behold: this is a Content Kraken in full view.

Monsters Aside

While these content marketing campaigns are all vastly different in their approaches and the industries they span, they also demonstrably put their customers’ problems and interests first, displaying how versatile content marketing can be for any business. What’s more, even though these are national brands with enormous marketing budgets, that doesn’t mean smaller, local businesses can’t reap the benefits of quality content marketing too. The fact is that businesses of any size and scope can improve their branding – and our entire marketing paradigm – by implementing valuable content into their marketing mix.

And while the fabled tale of the Content Kraken may be somewhat of a stretch to get these ideas across, it’s nonetheless an interesting lens through which to view the content world. On a medium where novel headlines are key, and in an industry where value ostensibly comes from saying “content marketing” in as many different ways as possible, sometimes it seems that there are only so many ways to skin a cat.

It’s with that notion in mind, though, that I ask: What’s more differentiated and original than personifying content marketing as a mythic, sea-dwelling beast? I encourage all businesses, large and small (and all content marketing influencers alike): Release your Content Krakens!

By Kelsey Blackman

If You Build It, They Will Come...But What Will They Do When They Get There?

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 10:08:03 GMT

When it comes to websites, it’s not uncommon for businesses to take the Field of Dreams approach — holding the film’s classic quote close to heart: “If you build it, they will come.”

…more importantly, will they know what to do when they arrive?

It almost goes without saying, but over the last 20 years, the Internet and websites in general have become an ingrained part of our society. From providing more access to information, to making things more convenient, to raising money for mankind’s next giant leap in potato-salad financing , our society is growing increasingly web-based and we’re using websites for more than ever before. However, there is one thing your website definitely shouldn't be a tool for: confusing people.

Every website should have at least one clear goal (called a “conversion” in online marketing) and it shouldn’t be difficult for your ideal user to reach it. Truthfully, this goal should form the foundation of your online presence — after all, as a business owner, the last thing you want is for your customers to have trouble understanding how to purchase your goods or services. In a world where value follows ease and convenience, your web presence should follow suit.

Having a beautiful website that doesn't help your business grow is really the same as throwing money away. This is especially problematic considering the greatest thing about online marketing is that it’s measurable and fairly inexpensive when compared to other forms of promotion. While there are myriad things that go into a successful web presence, following are a few key pieces that you should take into account when building your next site.

1) Goal-Based Strategy is Key

We build websites that serve as digital employees for our clients. Simply put, since so many people turn to the web for answers to their problems, it's crucial that businesses can either solve these issues or provide valuable information to help resolve them. By having a strong web presence that guides their visitors in the right direction, you ultimately help them meet their needs, and you increase the chances that they’ll convert to customers as well.

2) Users Don't React Well To Confusion

If your goal is for people to call your office, but they can't find your phone number anywhere on your site, it's unrealistic to expect success. While this is a simple example, the same idea follows through to all aspects of user experience: It is absolutely essential that your site provide easy, straightforward access to the conversion that you want your customers to reach.

3) Speed (Or Lack Thereof) Can Kill

Optimizing your site is a must. Slow servers, photos larger than 1.5mb and unnecessary media elements can seriously slow down your site. In fact, a slow website can have a crushing effect on your conversion: Studies have shown that 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in two seconds or less.

In the grand scheme of things, there aren’t many benchmarks for a good website outside of a user-friendly web presence that doesn't force customers to think too hard about how to achieve the goals you’ve presented for them. After all, there's no use in spending your resources on a website (or any other business expenditure, for that matter) if it doesn't provide a solid return on your investment. The bottom line? In order to build lasting value in your website, you should always have a goal — there’s no room for nil-nil when it comes to web design.

BY Jamie Stephens

Not All That Glitters Is Gold - Especially When It Comes to Marketing

Tue, 09 Sep 2014 09:04:16 GMT

We’ve all heard the saying, “Not all that glitters is gold.” Having been in the marketing game for a while, I have seen this first hand. I am the Chief Strategy Officer for an online marketing firm. Yes, we do SEO, PPC, content marketing, web design and development, conversion rate optimization and a bunch of other things. But at the core, what I feel all marketing firms should do is develop strategy.

You may not realize it, but this is actually a huge distinction. In fact, I really don’t like the terms SEO, PPC, content marketing, online marketing or even web design. Truthfully, I try to use them as little as possible. Why? Because in our industry, these marketing solutions are too often sold as singular products... and unfortunately, that’s usually to the detriment of many businesses.

Simply put, every business can benefit from marketing themselves online — however, that also means they need to invest time, energy and resources into succeeding online. But what happens far too often is that marketing firms neglect unified, coherent strategy in order to sell singular products.

When I meet with potential clients and ask them what they are doing to attract customers and clients online, they usually say something like “We signed up for an SEO package”, “We have an SEO optimized website”, or “We are doing content marketing and link building”. However, when I dig deeper and ask what they are getting from those services they usually have no idea. Over time, what we often come to realize is that they’ve actually just bought a marketing product. In most cases, it’s the same product that the same sales rep tried to sell to the guy down the street and the guy next door. In effect, they’ve invested in resources that lack any sound strategy behind them.

No business needs a new product named after a trendy buzzword — they need a strategy carefully designed to meet their specific needs and goals. They need a plan that clearly lays out how the products and services they’re investing in are actually going to work together to achieve something. Does this mean that you don’t need SEO, PPC, content marketing, authority management, keyword research or a new website? Maybe, maybe not. What you need is a measurable, scalable goal and a firm that can create a detailed plan to help you achieve that goal. It may very well include a few of the services above, but then again it may include just one.

In any case, before you sign on the dotted line, you’ll need to know what each of those services is going to accomplish, how to measure the success of each of them, and what kind of return on investment potential is associated with each service. How do you know if you are working with a firm that is actually focused on strategy and not on selling products? Following are some things you can use as a checklist:

1. Did you ever talk about measurable and scalable goals?

2. Were you told what you need before you were asked what you want to achieve?

3. Do you know what you are actually paying for?

4. Do you know how to measure the success of what you are paying for?

5. Did you sign a time-based contract?

6. Is your strategy agile?

I think the last item on that list is an extremely important one that’s often overlooked. The lack of agile strategizing can clearly demonstrate if you are working with a company that is selling products disguised as services. When you buy a product, you are stuck with that product. When you are working with strategy however, you are actually investing in an end result. Within a strategy the end result is always the focus, and the path to get there must remain agile. That means if a process isn’t working, or if the market or audience shifts behaviors, then your strategy can change in an attempt to continue moving forward.

Time, money and resources should not be invested in something that is clearly not working or which changes in the market have rendered obsolete. Rather time, money and resources should be reinvested into a re-evaluated strategy that is still focused on the end result.

I think it’s shameful for marketers to take advantage of a lack of knowledge in their clients, focusing on selling products rather than evaluating the actual needs and goals of each individual client. As an industry, we should be developing sound strategy designed to meet the needs and goals of our respective clients. We should put agile plans in place that always keeps the end result at the forefront and we need to be willing to be transparent and honest about why we are recommending certain things. Yes, this approach takes more time and energy, but it allows clients to evaluate whether they actually see the value in what we are offering, and makes it possible for them to make an informed decision on where to invest their marketing resources.

BY Sarah Carnes

Social Media: Black Hat vs. White Hat

Fri, 05 Sep 2014 08:57:58 GMT

In the SEO world, the titles “black hat” and “white hat” are for two very different ways of practicing SEO. In short, black hat SEO focuses on improving search engine rankings without following any search engine guidelines (this is bad). Conversely, white hat SEO optimizes your ranking strategies for the search engine, focusing on relevancy, searcher intent, and human interaction. Basically, black hat SEO tries to game the system, while white hat SEO tries to make the SEO system better for us all.

Recently, I came across an article discussing “black hat” social media strategies, and intuitively assumed that they would be very similar to black hat SEO. In fact, it’s a little more nuanced than that: black hat social media is essentially the practice of using a social media outlet for some kind of gain (likes, shares, follows, retweets, etc.), in a way that falls outside the specific media’s guidelines. Due to the differing policies of social media sites, such practices could include any variety of things, including buying fake likes, follows or shares, faking virality, making fake accounts to boost your main one, or writing faking reviews.

Needless to say, all of this stuff is bad news for anyone involved, and no one should perform any kind of “black hat” anything, lest they’d like it to later blow up in their face. With that said though, following are a few insights into the effects of these strategies, how to avoid them and lastly, a few tips for executing a “white hat” social media strategy.

“Black Hat” Social Media

Buying Likes, Followers, etc.: While buying your likes and followers may seem like a good idea for a rapid online popularity boost, and although it may even influence your search rankings right now, it is undoubtedly a bad long term strategy. Google’s search algorithm and the social factors that may be included in it, is getting smarter each and every day. Soon enough, Google will be able to decipher whether or not you bought your online popularity — and when that day comes, this strategy will definitely end up backfiring on you. Like almost everything else when it comes to business services, quality over quantity is better here. For instance, would you rather have 1,000 unengaged followers, or 200 brand advocates that constantly like and share the crap out of your content? Chances are, the 200 advocates will multiply into 1,000 fairly quickly, and you’ll be in Google’s good books for the whole deal.

Viral Fraud: Everyone wants to create a piece of content that goes viral. It can be a quick 15 seconds of fame, and in some cases it can even yield up to 275-plus million views . In some cases, people may feel that it’s in their best interest to buy some views to initiate their viral campaign. However, buying fake views to create the illusion that your piece of content is going viral is not only frowned upon — Google (which owns YouTube) can easily ascertain that you’re using this strategy since they are laser-focused on organic growth. Ever come across a video that says it has 301+ views? That’s because Google is measuring organic behavior and the quality of actual views in order to determine if it deserves to go viral or not. Inviting friends and followers to view, like and share your content is how you get the virality ball rolling, not by purchasing views so that a bot or an otherwise non-organic source can do so.

Faking Reviews: Whether you’re writing a stellar review of your own business, or writing one to badmouth a competitor, faking reviews is simply never going to work out in your favor. Google is well aware that local business owners are doing everything in their power to scam online reviews, and in turn Google has warned businesses by saying that they will take down any blatantly false reviews. Encouraging your customers to go online to leave you a review is fine, but make sure you are letting them know that they shouldn’t just point out the good things about the service — they should also point out areas where your company can improve.

“White Hat” Social Media

Social media tactics that are considered “white hat” will not only keep you safe from committing potential SEO fraud, such tactics are also designed to engage your following and to keep you at the top of mind.

Vhe Harlem Shake Effect: Who started the Harlem Shake? I honestly couldn’t tell you, but in late 2013, people, companies and even professional sports teams were doing the now-famous dance as the next biggest viral sensation. Perhaps needless to say, taking part in such viral trends certainly work to your benefit by engaging your audience. Most recently, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge turned out to be a great opportunity for companies to participate. Not only did the videos bring out the fun side of a company brand, they also generated awareness for a disease that affects a lot of people. It’s a no brainer that all businesses should try to get involved in these viral campaigns — not only due to the fact that they’re fun, but also because people are going to engage with you through them.

Personalize Your Company: Sharing industry news and articles is great, but what really helps your company develop a personality online is sharing everyday things that go on in the office. Sharing photos of company events or your graphic designer being more fascinated by a box than most cats are things that people engage with because they give your company a human element. Incorporate this tactic into your social media strategy if you haven’t already; it’s a great way to show people that you and your company are not a bunch of robots working behind a computer screen.

Share Your Opinion: While I would say it’s probably a good idea to steer clear of political discussions in your social media strategy, offering your insights and opinions about updates and news in your industry is a great way to show your expertise and knowledge of what you do. Chances are, your followers could use that information to improve an aspect of their company, and they may even end up contacting you to help them.

Hats off — to White Hat Social Media!

Though Black and White Hat social media strategies aren't always as easily distinguishable as their titular colors, the main social media takeaway here is that if a strategy seems unnatural, you probably shouldn't be doing it. In essence, when Google or any other search engine is analyzing your social media presence, they're looking for natural engagement with the content you're sharing. That means White Hat techniques are met with higher rankings, and Black Hat tactics can be spotted from a mile away.

BY Jake Bowlby

How To Prepare For Your Business Rebrand

Wed, 03 Sep 2014 08:42:19 GMT

So you’ve found the one — the graphic designer that’s going to rock your business world. But how do you know he/she is the one? Your answer should be that your designer has already asked all the appropriate questions, and knows how to execute the best branding for your business. In other words, they did their research; your designer has evaluated your existing brand image, and learned all there is to know about what you do and who your competitors are (and what they’re doing).

In your initial meeting, you’ll provide your designer with the specifics your business. However, one way to get ahead of the curve as a business owner is to think in concrete terms about how you want your business to be viewed and who your target audience is. When I step into a meeting with a potential client, I always come prepared with their logo and a branding questionnaire, aiming to obtain specific information about their business. In fact, following are some of the questions I always ask clients:

Getting to know the Client and Brand

1. Tell me about your business and what you do?

Just describe the basics here — pretend like you’re talking to a stranger in passing who has asked you what you do.

2. What values do you want your logo and brand to communicate?

e.g. feminine vs. masculine, modern vs. classic, playful vs. serious, or simple vs. complex? Those are just a few adjectives to consider conveying in your branding. As designers, it’s our job to translate these words and concepts into brand imagery.

3. Who is your target market?

Get as specific as possible here in terms of demographics: Gender, age, income, geography, hobbies, where they shop, their favorite brands, etc. These insights will help your designer figure out the proper logo design.

More About the Logo Design Itself

1. Do you have any ideas or examples of other logos you like?

It’s always good to provide appealing design samples to help your graphic designer get a sense of the style you’re after. Let them know any color choices or font styles you may want as well. Also (perhaps most importantly), make sure to also tell your designer what you don’t want to see in your branding.

2. What is your ideal logo?

Unsurprisingly, there are an abundance of choices for different logo styles and designs: Typographic, Pictorial Mark, Abstract Mark, Letter Form, Emblem, Character and/or Web Form. If any of those peak your interest, you should let your designer know.

3. Where will you be using the logo (i.e. stationery, websites, signage, T-shirts)?

Although it may not seem very important, the answer to this question could end up affecting your logo design in a big way. For instance, your designer may take an entirely different approach if your logo is primarily going to be used online vs. on signage or T-shirts. What’s more, you can also use your answer to this question to plant the notion of continuing work with the designer for additional projects down the road.

Answering this brief questionnaire as thoroughly and accurately as possible ensures that you’ll get the best possible final product. A stunning logo has certain qualities that the designer should be aware of, and having answers to the foregoing questions will really help get the ball rolling on an awesome brand.

BY Sarah Carnes

Welcome to Lift Division’s New Website

Sat, 26 Apr 2014 08:32:21 GMT

The Lift Division team is excited to finally launch our new website! The new and improved website is replacing a site we built a year and a half ago when, at the time, we were thinking to ourselves, “Yeah, this site is pretty average — but we’ll start working on our new website soon…” By this point, you can only imagine how good it feels to show off a little more of what we can do with our creative!

When building the new Lift site, we wanted to tackle a lot of things. One of our main objectives was to demonstrate how much we've grown as a company: from the small SEO firm we were in 2010, to the much larger, full-service digital marketing firm we are today. However, our core objective was to make our website a Digital Employee™ for our company.

Much like any employee, we wanted our website to tell our story — to talk about where we came from, what we can do, and how we’ve helped others grow their businesses. We wanted visitors to see us not just as an SEO company, a web design company, or a content marketing firm. Instead, we wanted our visitors to see us for who we are: a digital marketing firm, and perhaps more accurately a group who likes to have fun, yet bears a powerful, unique, and diverse skill set that has helped businesses nationwide.

Like any project involving many people and several moving parts, there were a lot of challenges. And it was fun to work through them together (which seems a lot easier to say now than a few weeks ago!) Sure there were some differing opinions, style incongruencies, some eyes rolled and of course healthy rivalries formed — but in the end, we all worked together as a team to come up with the best online version of our company, and persevered until we finally had lift off.

While there were countless takeaways from our time spent together, there are three key things I learned throughout this process that apply to many business owners:

Designate time to work specifically on our own brand. I realize it may seem absurd considering we’re a marketing firm, but we actually end up doing little marketing for ourselves since we’re just so darned busy marketing other businesses. After speaking with other business owners, I know many often find themselves in similar situations. I’ll be the first to say that taking some time to conceptualize about your own brand, although easily neglected, is certainly a valuable investment. The process helped us delve more deeply into our core values and think more critically about who we are, what we stand for, and the value proposition we can deliver.
Setting deadlines and motivating teammates is critically important for project execution. Throughout this entire process, we all learned that internal work is no different than client work and that setting deadlines, even for our own branding goals, is crucial. People work best under pressure, and deadlines help squeeze out distractions and keep things focused.
Leverage the assets and skills of the people you have around you. We really have some amazing creatives on our team. In addition to executing a site we’re all really proud of, it has been very fulfilling for me personally to look around at some of the key people who helped build the website and think that these guys worked in their off-hours, were constantly challenged, and ultimately produced a stunning website. I simply couldn’t be prouder of all those involved and in particular Brad, Melissa, Geoff and Hayden.

We hope you’ll find our website educational, entertaining, and hopefully inspiring. Simply put, today’s business begins online. Your online presence is now the face of your business, and it’s what every intrigued buyer inspects before taking the next step to contact you. If your website is a Digital Employee™, one that can tell your story and create a conversion (a call, a download, a sign-up), then you’ve taken a huge step in creating an efficient funnel for all the other marketing you plan to do.

Going forward, we hope to maintain our blog with at least two articles per week until it’s chock-full of valuable content for business owners to grow their business in a digital, mobile and highly connected world. Thanks for having a look at Lift Division’s new website!

Cheers,

Rusty Brett, CEO

Lift Division

lift-division

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Call Lift Division Today for Video Production & Other SEO Services for Your Mid-Missouri Business

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Lift Division developed a modern new logo for the Columbia, MO’s PCE

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Don’t Overlook the Importance of SEO & Web Design for Your Business’ Marketing Efforts. Learn More About Lift Division’s Process by Contacting Us Today.

The Advantages of Hiring an Experienced Digital Marketing Agency for Your Company’s Digital Marketing Needs

If You Want to Improve Your Digital Marketing Efforts, Work With a Digital Marketing Company That Specializes in Growing & Maintaining Your Online Presence

Why should I outsource my digital marketing when I could do it in-house?

Choosing a digital marketing agency will save you time & energy while your business grows

Outsourcing your digital marketing can save money & resources

One wrong move could result in your business being banned from a digital marketing platform

Choose a digital marketing agency that can support your business with an experienced team

Why is a digital marketing agency better than a traditional marketing company or advertising agency for my business?

Only a marketing agency that specializes in the digital marketing space can help you grow your business's online presence

Look for a marketing agency that scales with your growing business

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How to choose the RIGHT digital marketing agency for your business

When you are ready to hire a digital marketing agency in the Columbia, MO area, choose the experts at Lift Division

Why work with Lift Division in Columbia, MO?

Contact Lift Division in Columbia, MO to Be Your Digital Marketing Company!

Why Hire An Experienced Marketing Agency vs. a Freelancer?

Achieve Results for Your Business by Working With a Savvy & Knowledgeable Marketing Agency

Why Choose an Agency Over a Marketing Freelancer?

Lift Division offers a team of experienced SEO & digital marketing experts to take your website to the next level

See the proof of our marketing efforts in the positive feedback from our clients

Get outstanding digital marketing services & support from the beginning with Lift Division

Lift Division has the digital marketing background to provide for your business, consistently & continuously

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Clean Air Columbia

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Need the Picture Perfect Shot for Your Home Page? Call Lift Division for Website Photography Services

Lift Division Promotes Sarah Carnes to Chief Operating Officer!

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