Redeco-right Your Site!

Recently I’ve been thinking it’s been a while since I last blogged, and have been feeling pretty guilty about it.  With a little extra time on my hands the last couple of days, I finally ‘forgot my password’ and logged back into my WordPress account.  I couldn’t believe it had been over a year, it felt like just a few months ago, honest!

Truthfully, over the last year I’ve spent most of my spare time renovating and updating my new-to-me, old home.  Constantly busying around the house fixing things up, painting, buying furniture and art, the whole bit! (There’s a point to me telling you this…)

Feeling uninspired, I started to procrastinate and navigate some other blogs.  I quickly realized that besides not posting, my blog was generally out of date.  It looked stale compared to some of the cool sites I was checking out, had no pictures (sad, but true), and only a couple of widgets.

I started fiddling with the dashboard, modernized my theme, added photos, more tags, and some extra widgets…basically redecorating my site I thought….

Light-blub moment! I realized that I wasn’t only updating the look, but also some important and valuable content. Really, I was beginning to ‘redeco-right’ my site by making it a better experience for my readers and also for search engines.

I now understand how businesses can neglect their websites for so long without making important changes and updates.  It’s so easy to get caught up with day-to-day life and forget how quickly technology and the internet change around you.

A year later, after re-doing almost my whole house, take my advice and don’t be intimidated. It’s a big job and takes time, so start with one thing like the artwork and update/add some pictures!

If you haven’t done it in a while, it might be time to do some ‘redeco-righting’ to your website or blog!

- Aleya Suleman

Who Cares if Search Engines Find You…

Who cares if search engines find you…if your clients can’t!

Lately, everyone I seem to speak to is so interested in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), that they seem to forget the whole point!  The primary objective of search engines is to provide searchers with relevant results. Results that match as closely as possible to what the searcher is looking for.

It’s not possible to be well optimized if you are unclear on what keywords and phrases will drive quality leads to your business. Quality leads that will ultimately result in increased sales (last time I checked, most companies are in business to make money)!

The foundation of a solid online strategy has to be a comprehensive understanding of your client’s needs and search habits. It is important to note that this is not limited to website content, but any online presence you may have including Search Engine Marketing, Blogs, News etc…Basically, any digital content related to your business.

When you begin devising an online strategy there are some key questions you need to ask yourself. This is the time to put your green hat on and really brainstorm!

• What are clients looking for when they need my business? Get specific. Make a list of all the products, services and brands that you offer. Don’t forget about what differentiates you.
  
• What might clients type into the search box in an effort to find me? If a client wants a white watch, are they likely to look for ‘white watch’ or ‘jewelry store’? Search has changed, people look for what they want.
  
• What are some of the common requests I am asked for on the phone and in person? If a client calls a plumber, do they say ‘I need a plumber’ or ‘I need my toilet unclogged’? Think beyond the common business categories.
• Are my clients likely to use industry terms that I do? Is a client likely to look for ‘Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Insulation’ or ‘foam insulation’? Don’t forget about the layman.

There are lots of different ways to come up with the answers, but first you need to start asking the right questions!

So, question… How relevant are you for what your potential client is looking for?

- Aleya Suleman

Social Media and Social Class in Organizations

With the multitude of varying definitions of social class, I want to start by summing it up to the simplest and most relevant definition for my post.  Social classes are the hierarchical arrangements of people in society into groups.  Social stratification is defined by unequal access to desirable resources.

Based on this simple definition, it is clear that organizations have a social class system which is arranged hierarchically into groups such as senior managers, middle managers, first line managers and regular staff.  As you move up the hierarchy, decision making abilities and access to desirable resources increase. These desirable resources in relation to career development are exposure, information sharing and connections to the right people.

In the past, these resources were not accessible to all employees which was a significant barrier that made advancement within an organization challenging.  With the rise of social media, exposure, access to information and good networks are no longer luxuries that are exclusive to the “upper class” in organizations.

Today, any employee now has access to online social media resources such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and several other communities that can be used to communicate thoughts and ideas increasing exposure, gain knowledge of an industry, competition, trends etc. and network with the right people.

Social media is helping to level the playing field and creates more opportunity for advancement in organizational social class.  Are you leveraging your social media resources for your career development?

- Aleya Suleman

Where is Your Finger?

As I delve further into this world of social media, I can’t help but think how so many businesses are out of touch. They just don’t have their finger on the pulse!

So where are their fingers anyway? Seems all too many have their thumbs (in this case), up their you know what and are just not doing anything to figure it out.  Others have their fingers up their nose, staring into space waiting for someone to tell them what to do.  There are a few with their fingers on the pulse, sort of aware of what is going on and trying what they can to keep up…but these days, that’s just not enough! So where’s the right place for your finger?  I think probably sticking right up at your competition while you blow by them at full speed.

In today’s world it’s the businesses that are willing to take risks and lead the way with innovative strategies that are going to build the brands of the future. The ones that are not worried about what the competition is doing, but what the consumer is doing.

So, where is your finger?

- Aleya Suleman