“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”
André Gide
SEO, made simple.
Many times, terminology can really mess up a persons day. In this case, for me, its the term SEO (search engine optimization). My motto is why use a big complicated word when you can use one that people understand? Isn’t that the point? Sometimes I think not. So, anyway, to us, all SEO really means is DISCOVERY. When clients or customers are looking for a service or product, can they easily find you on the web?
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist(even though they are super cool).
The goal is to be discoverable, whether it’s you as an individual, a salon or a brand. The way to be more discoverable is to have an active, engaging and relevant social + digital footprint. That means Facebook, YELP, YouTube, etc. Easy, right?
Not all platforms are created equal.
If you are a salon or stylist, the most discoverable platforms for you are YELP, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, online booking and marketing platforms such as Schedulicity or a communication/review platforms such as Demandforce and your website or blogsite such as WordPress or Tumblr. If you are a brand, it’s your website, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and a blogsite such as WordPress or Tumblr. If you are super active on Twitter, its a great platform for discovery, which our industry as a whole is not at this point.
My love don’t cost a thing.
Now, there is a way to pay for discovery (paid search), such as Google ads and Facebook ads, and while we believe in both of these for certain businesses and objectives, the great news is if you are active on the platforms above with relevant, engaging and consistent content, your discovery will be organic (un-paid search), meaning, its free.
So there you have it. Now back to the original question, are you DISCOVERABLE?
While there is much more to learn about discovery and more pieces to the puzzle, the above is the most important to understand for a small business. To learn how to become more discoverable, ask us about The Social Beauty Intelligence Check-Up, a super cool service we provide to expand your social + digital IQ. We also offer one-on-one mentoring if that’s more your thing. Click here for more info.
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
Charles Dickens
(image courtesy of Instagram user @newyorkcity)
We’ve all seen the photos now, the news, the destruction, the lives lost from Sandy. We also have witnessed people coming together, being kind to one another, helping friends, family and even strangers.
The social + digital web has allowed us to connect, share news, get updates on our loved ones. It also can help us come together to help people who are in need. Each one of us can do our part, whether with our time, our money or both.
We discovered over 600,000 images on Instagram using the hashtag #sandy, as well as several MILLION Tweets. During the heart of the storm, “We are OK” was the most popular status update on Facebook, bringing some type of calm and comfort to millions who were so worried about their loved ones. WOW.
Here are a few ways you can help those affected by Sandy’s destruction.
Disaster Relief Fund
The NCA Disaster Relief Fund was established in 1955 to assist salons in rebuilding following the devastation of natural disaster. Over the course of five decades, the fund has been there for professionals in times of dire need.
Red Cross
Each year, the American Red Cross immediately responds to about 70,000 natural and man-made disasters in the U.S., ranging from fires to hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hazardous materials spills, transportation accidents and explosions.
FEMA
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
We can all do our part to help the victims of this devastating natural disaster. Even if you cannot give money, you can share resources on the social web, volunteer your time, anything, just do something. We thank you, and those in need thank you.
(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)
“We’ve GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”
Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears A Who!
One week from today, we will be electing a President. We are not nor would we ever tell you who to vote for, we just want you to vote. Because every vote, and every voice, COUNTS!
While many of us are exhausted by all the rants and ugliness being shared on our Facebook news feeds, there is a good news side to all of the craziness. This infographic on How Social Media Inspires Voters is an awesome example of the engagement and empowerment the social + digital web has brought to us all. Wow!
(Infographic discovered on Mashable, courtesy of Online College Courses.)
Has the social web inspired you to get out and vote? We sure hope so.
(shared with LOVE from your voting passionistas, Nina + Gordon)
PS: Please vote. Please make sure your voice is heard. It counts.
“What you seek, exists within you. Every resource you need is available to you.”
Marcia Wieder
When we think of “tools of the trade”, we think of scissors, combs, blow dryers and products, not about the platforms and technology we need to empower our business in the awesome new social + digital world.
Remember, it’s about providing value to your community and becoming more discoverable on the web, to ignite word of mouth and referrals, and this happens by creating fresh, consistent and relevant content on the web.
So we decided to share a few of the “resources” we use, in hopes of making it easier for you to begin your content creation process.
Websites and Blogs WordPress
We use WordPress for our website. You are on WordPress reading this blog post right now. It’s fairly easy, we have full control, and once it’s designed, it costs nothing.
Tumblr Tumblr is a great, and free, social blog platform that is awesome for salons to “anchor” beauty content as its really about images and very few words.
Inbox Marketing MailChimp
We use MailChimp for our inbox marketing (emails to you). It’s super easy and free (up to 12,000 emails a month). Email marketing is still one of the BEST ways to engage clients and drive traffic to your social and digital pages and most importantly, into your salon.
Images Photo & Quote Apps While we do not create anywhere near the amount of images you will for your salons social pages, there are some great apps you can use to capture some pretty fantastic, quality images. You can find these in the App store.
Instagram
Camera +
Instaquote
Over
To learn more on this topic, we just had an awesome webinar this week on Content Creation and Curation for Salons. If you want to view it simple click here and we will send you the link to view the recording.
We also offer one-one-one coaching and mentoring to help you better engage in the social + digital space to empower you and your business. If you are serious about taking your marketing to the next level, click here, and we can chat and see if our program is right for you.
(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)
“Social Media is about sociology and psychology more than technology.”
Brain Solis
When we talk about the social + digital revolution, many immediately think about the technology side of things. The screens, the platforms, and the “smart” people behind all of it. It can sometimes be very intimidating.
We propose we think about it in a different way. Instead of thinking about the medium or the technology, lets think about the power of the medium, and how it is engaging, empowering and connecting people both locally and globally. Now we’re talking, yes?
Most people need to be connected, to be engaged, to be recognized, to be listened to, to seek knowledge and information. And when we look at technology and platforms this way, it all becomes a bit more exciting and way less intimidating.
Beauty professionals are masters of sociology and psychology, you practice it every day in the salon, with your team and your clients. So guess what, you got this!
But can society be too connected? Check out this super funny clip from last weeks Parks & Recreation. Can you relate?
Is it really technology’s fault that we cannot put down our iPhone? The honest answer is its not about the technology, its about how we choose to use the technology. So no more hating on technology, instead, think about all the ways you can use these platforms to get closer to your dreams. And yes, we can be too connected, but remember, its a choice.
If you are serious about learning how to engage and connect on social + digital platforms, we offer one-on-one coaching and mentoring to help you grow and become more discoverable on the web. Click here to learn more about our program. We look forward to helping you live your dream.
(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)
(image courtesy of Instagram user @newyorkcity)
