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Ideal for outdated Home pages, new website pages, or a new blog page.

If your website’s SEO hasn’t been updated for a year or two, or if your      website’s ranking is slipping on Google Search or Google Maps, this       SEO tune-up is for you.  We pretty much recalibrate all your website’s SEO.

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Take 15 seconds to scan your business profile and check your website’s off-page search engine optimization.  Scroll below to enter your business address.

Are you curious why your competitors seem to come up everywhere on Google, but your website doesn’t?  Take 15 seconds to scan your business profile and check your website’s off-page search engine optimization.  At Social Media MN, our focus is on helping you find an uncomplicated and results-driven solution to get your website to do what you need it to.  If you need help getting your website moving in the right direction, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

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Take 15 seconds to scan your business profile and check your website’s off-page search engine optimization.  Scroll below to enter your business address.

Are you curious why your competitors seem to come up everywhere on Google, but your website doesn’t?  Take 15 seconds to scan your business profile and check your website’s off-page search engine optimization.  At Social Media MN, our focus is on helping you find an uncomplicated and results-driven solution to get your website to do what you need it to.  If you need help getting your website moving in the right direction, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

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According to Google, when website visitors stay on your site for more than 10 seconds, buying decisions begin for your products or services.

What is the Google 10-Second Rule?

The Google 10-Second Rule goes something like this: if a website visitor stays on your site for more than 10 seconds, buying decisions begin.  It doesn’t mean a sale, but it does mean your website piqued the visitor’s interest and they begin navigating it to explore buying what you have to offer.  Generally, when a website misses the mark with the Google 10-Second Rule, the “bounce rate” is high.

One obvious reason for this is the website Home page fails to use images that “SHOW” what the business or organization does.  Instead, they write a lot of words explaining what they do and use overused stock photos to reinforce a point.  Another mistake is the headlines on the Home page don’t address their ideal customer’s pain points, and what the business or organization can do to provide a solution.

Stick to the “Rule of Threes”

Studies have shown that people recall messages by the “Rule of Threes.”  If your website Home page is missing the mark, ask yourself what your customers’ pain points are, what are your 3 main messages to address them, and how you can show them with images and coherent and concise headlines.

Getting Found on Google is One Thing.  Getting Selected is Another.

If you want to sell more of your products or services using Google, it is critical to apply the Google 10-Second Rule to your website and invest time in getting it right.  SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Google Adwords can help you get found on Google Search by people who don’t know your name but need what you do.  But, if website visitors “bounce” away immediately after they land on your Home page, what is the point?  The Google 10-Second Rule is the other side of the coin.  It helps you get selected and convert website visitors to customers.  At Social Media MN, we get it!

What Can I Do to Convert More Website Visitors?

 

Click Here to Schedule a Consultation, Send Us a Message, or Call Us Today! 763-244-4058

To convert more website visitors and hit the mark with the Google 10-Second Rule, first ask yourself the list of questions below about your business or organization and jot down your answers.  Next, compare your answers by looking at your website’s Home page.  Does your website answer the questions, address your customers’ pain points, provide 3 main messages on how you can solve them, and are you showing them with images and coherent and succinct headlines?   Finally, update your Home page with as many images/videos as possible to “show” your answers along with “zinger” headlines and fresh original content.  If you need help with this, don’t hesitate to contact Social Media MN today.

 

Questions to Ask

 

• What do you do?

• Why do you do it?

• When do you do it?

• How do you do it?

• Where do you do it?

• Are you trustworthy? Are your Google/Social Media Reviews visible on your website?

• How can I contact you?

• Is your phone number listed?

• Are you using images that “show” what you do or are you “telling” what you do?

• Does your website address 3 of your customer’s pain points?

• Does your website provide three coherent and succinct headlines/messages to provide a solution?

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RB’s Computer Service Elk River MN

Social Media MN outsourced our IT management to RB’s Computer Service about 7 years ago and we have enjoyed zero downtime, even when we migrated everything from Windows 7 to Windows 10 a few years ago.

Many of our website clients ask us to manage their hosting, domain names and help them with their computer network.  While we are happy to earn the website hosting and management, but we refer IT management, network set-up, and computer repair jobs exclusively to RB’s Computer Service in Elk River.

There are several reasons why we refer and outsourced our IT management to RB’s.  First, IT management is specialized.  Although Social Media MN employs a “Geek Squad” of its own, our job is to drive new customers to our client’s website, not help them set up, maintain, protect, and repair their computers, and networks.   Moreover, it is one thing to keep current with Google algorithm changes, but quite another for Windows 10 updates.  One thing we have learned from RB’s Computer Service is there is no magic bullet we can buy, like anti-virus software, to protect our computers and network from downtime, hackers, and malware.  But there are lines of defense and offensive monitoring we can take advantage of, and we do with RB’s Computer Service.

Windows 10 Has Frequent Updates

RB’s Computer Service offers remote IT support.

As mentioned above, it is one thing to keep current with Google algorithm changes, but quite another for Windows 10 updates.  By my unscientific count since last October, there been 17 major and minor updates to Windows 10.  At Social Media MN, we use OneDrive and Windows 10 that are synced to our desktops, tablets, and company smartphones.  If we lost just one day of auto-syncing and auto backing up or lost access to files, it would cause an immediate log jam in our production schedule and cost extra labor hours to recalibrate.   Working with RB’s Computer Service, we have peace of mind knowing they are on top of Windows 10 updates and committed to monitoring for potential issues and troubleshooting them before they become a problem.

There is no Magic Bullet to Protect Networks

In addition to Managed IT Services, RB’s Computer Service offers smartphone screen repair.

One thing we have learned from RB’s Computer Service is there is no magic bullet we can buy, like anti-virus software, to protect our computers and network from downtime, hackers, and malware.  But there are lines of defense we can implement and offensive monitoring we can take advantage of, and we do with RB’s Computer Service.  For example, about 6 years ago we got a minor virus in our network that affected everyone’s device despite using the best anti-virus software on the market.  Working with RB’s Computer Service, we learned hackers were relentlessly attempting to get in using the WiFi provided by the landlord.  The router he was using to provide an internet signal to all the tenants was a “consumer-grade” router, which was fast but had little security.  As a result, with RB’s Computer Service help, Social Media MN added a line of defense by getting its own commercial-grade router, which stresses security along with speed.

Uncomplicated Managed IT Services

RB’s Computer Service offers uncomplicated Managed IT Service Agreements that are tailored to specific business needs.  Social Media MN has 7 employees but not a budget for a dedicated IT professional.  They help us with email issues, storage, backup and recovery, local network issues, malware protection, and ransomware protection.  Best of all, RB’s team of technicians is very knowledgeable and has access to the latest technologies.  This helps Social Media MN maintain a competitive edge even though we lack the IT budget to meet those goals.  For about the price one pays for lunch each day of the month, small businesses like Social Media MN can afford to have their own RB’s Computer Service Managed IT Service Agreement.

If you run a small business and need help managing your computers and network, but don’t have a budget to hire an in-house IT professional, consider a Managed IT Service Agreement with RB’s Computer Service.  Contact RB’s Computer Service via phone or email: 763-441-3884, help@rbsmn.com.  In our opinion, they are the best team of IT professionals in Central MN.  But, if you need help building a website, website hosting, getting it ranked on Google Search, a social media marketing strategy, or professionally produced videos, contact Social Media MN today at 763-244-4058.

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Request a Vote by Mail in Under 2 Minutes HERE

With COVID-19 voting access uncertainties, protect your vote by requesting a vote by mail ballot today.

Below is a direct page link to the Minnesota Secretary of State.

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A scan takes 20 seconds and is free!

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Friends Sharing Something on a Smartphone

To connect with millennials, part of the solution is to be where they are at and be credible.  This means you need to get a branded business page on

See Sample Video Ad

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.  I’m old enough to remember Yellow Page advertising.  A two-color quarter column ad in the phone book with a good picture that showed what you do, reinforced with a good message meant you would get phone calls throughout the month.  But, who uses the phone book anymore?  Most people don’t, often people use Google in lieu of the phone book, but millennials have demonstrated time and again they prefer social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat to get information.  There is nothing inherently special about these platforms, millennials just grew up with them.  So it begs the question if would like to do more business with millennials, what is holding you back?  After you have set-up your social media accounts, the next step is to create ads that are credible.  Below are some golden nuggets you can use to formulate a strategy with your team or marketing professional.

Less is more, Video is best, Make an Ad Informative and Entertaining

• Less is more: Your main message should be a “zinger,” say everything in 40 characters or less.  Without question, this isn’t easy.  But,
  

  Learn More on the “Google 10 Second Rule”

  whatever you are considering, it is a lot easier if you find a picture for your ad that “shows” what you are talking about.  This will take the pressure off trying to describe a complex idea in 40 characters or less.  The picture can show it for you.  In this sense the “zinger” text just reinforces it.   Millennials have been stereotyped they are lazy with the English language, using “chopped up” sentences.  But this is not true.  All social media platforms limit the number of characters you can use in an ad, so when text from an ad is re-used (shared on social media) out of the context of its accompanying picture or image, no wonder it looks “chopped up.”

• Video is best: Video trumps pictures. If you can create a video ad, keep it short (30 seconds or less, click here for sample).   If you can’t create a video ad for a variety of reasons, use royalty-free video clips.  There are a number of companies out there you can purchase a subscription with to find clips of almost anything you want to show.  Social Media MN uses https://www.videoblocks.com/.

• Make it Informative and Entertaining: As much as it is important to get your message across, i.e. “buy my x, y, z,” your ad should have some entertainment value.  When you have your draft ad completed, ask this question: it this worthy to be “Shared” or “Liked?”  If the answer is “yes,” you are probably ready to publish.

Connecting with millennials doesn’t have to be a great mystery.  You just need the motivation to be where they are at on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat and be credible.  Many small business owners don’t have the time to implement a social media strategy.  They are already wearing too many “hats.”  At Social Media MN, we get it.   We pride ourselves on partnering with small businesses to create and implement savvy social media marketing plans that are uncomplicated, results driven, and affordable.  If this sounds like you, don’t hesitate to contact us today for a hassle-free phone consultation at 763-244-4058, or email us at socialmediaminn@gmail.com.

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Imagine if Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes came to your doorstep and turned away while they were about to ring your doorbell. While most small business owners rarely land a customer or client like Publisher Clearing House from their website, missing out on a dozen “decent ones” over several months could prove fatal to a business’s viability.

For many business owners, it is a great mystery that despite driving a huge volume of “traffic” to their website they end up getting zero or very little “bites,” calls or email inquiries.

When Social Media MN gets called in to help solve this problem, the issue is nearly always related to the “bounce rate” and what is known as the “Google 10 Second Rule.” Simply put, a poor bounce rate means people are leaving a website quickly after they land on it; they are not sticking around to do business with it.  A poor bounce rate is usually due to the Google 10 Second Rule.

Google 10 Second Rule Checklist

The Google 10 Second Rule goes something like this: if your website’s message can keep a visitor on it for more than 10 seconds, buying decisions begin. It doesn’t mean a sale, but it does mean your website piqued the visitor’s interest and they begin navigating it to explore buying what you have to offer.  One of the most obvious mistakes a business makes is they fail to use pictures or images to “SHOW” what they do VS “TELL” as it relates to the main message on their website.  Another is the Home page is full of text without a coherent message.  It has been scientifically demonstrated time and again, people remember and dial into a message by the “Rule of Threes.”  What are your 3 main profit centers and how can you show them with a zinger message?

How does your website stack up?

It the chart above, the Google “10 Second Rule” says your website should answer these questions on the website Home page and use pictures or images to reinforce it.

Social Media MN can help ensure your website captures the Google 10 Second Rule and nudges visitors to navigate beyond buying decisions to conversions and sales.  Evaluating your own website is not always easy though, which is where we come in.  Social Media MN is known for savvy, results-driven, and affordable internet marketing solutions for small businesses.  For a hassle-free consultation, contact us today at 763-244-4058 or email socialmediaminn@gmail.com

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