Some of the things we look for in email marketing systems include:

Single Optin Forms. I keep reading how great double optin is to make sure a list contains only legitimate and truly interested contacts (MailChimp and Vertical Response love double opt-in and don’t even offer single optin).  I largely disagree.  To address the spam contact issue – of all the clients and email marketing systems we work with only rarely do we see spam email addresses entered, and when they are entered they are usually very obviously spam.  It’s a slight nuisance to delete these, but it happens so rarely it’s no big deal.  As for “qualifying” people who sign up for a list I object to this for several reasons.  One, people tend to sign up for a list to learn more about a company.  Why would you want to test someone who expresses any interest in your business before they even have a chance to learn more?  Let them receive the messages and they can decide to opt out if the content isn’t relevant to them.  Second, many times people never receive the email optin confirmation.  Why?  Because of spam filters, and as I’m sure you’ve noticed, we’re all busy.  People skip emails they think they’ve already dealt with or they don’t want to take extra time to confirm an email subscription they already took the time to sign up for in the first place.  I say make it easy on your prospects/contacts.  Make it easy for them to sign up and easy to opt out if the info isn’t for them.  Third, with double optin forms the email marketing service usually direct people to a URL letting them know an email confirmation will be sent to them, and frequently this is a set URL that can’t be customized. This is really uncool.  What works best is as soon as people sign up they get directed to a custom URL you create just for them to thank them, let them know what they can expect and present them with any special offers for having signed up.  This is why you want single-optin forms.  Make it easy and give people what they want!

Customizable Forms. We’ve all seen tacky sign up forms that are just the boring black and white and sometimes even the logo of the email marketing tool gets plugged in there.  You will get many more people opting in if your form confirms to your brand identity and includes some specifics about what they are signing up for. “Enter your name and email to receive our monthly ezine” is a lot more effective than “Sign up for our mailing list”.  People are far less likely to sign up for a mailing list because they don’t want to be bombarded with emails.  Consumers are more vigilant than ever about protecting their email inboxes.

List Segmentation. This is a biggie.  The whole point of email marketing is being able to send out specific messages to target audiences.  If you go with one of those email marketing services (like Constant Contact) that puts all sign-ups in one list you then have to manually segment you’re bound to have errors and huge headaches.  It’s much better to choose a solution that lets you create lists that contacts can opt in to so that you can deliver targeted messaging just for them.

You can compare some of the simpler email marketing tools out there at http://email-marketing-service-review.toptenreviews.com/.  Make sure you think about what is important to carry out your email marketing strategy and check if that’s provided by that service.  You can usually sign up for a free trial or submit your question to support if you don’t find your request in the feature comparison tool.  One tool that isn’t mentioned in the list, but does provide a very good email marketing service is 1Shopping Cart.  They are comparable in cost and offer an autoresponder only option so you don’t necessarily need to be selling products online.

If you have questions about an email marketing service, let us know.  We’ve probably used it and can save you some time by answering your question in our blog.

First of all, what’s an app? In a nutshell, an app is small pieces of software with compressed chunks of functionality and content that can be widely dispersed.  They act as powerful marketing tools to keep consumers involved and attract new consumers.  You can engage users on different technologies such as iPhones, iPod Touch, Blackberries, Facebook, browsers and other platforms.  You can offer tools such as financial assessments, networking, sharing photos, birthday reminders and so on.

What are the key rules for apps? They have to be easy to use and not too distracting with extraneous information or ads.  The objective is really to engage the user – not overwhelm and confuse them.  Apps are your big chance to connect with your target market in a way that is both useful and easy for them.  They have to have a need for the information you are providing.  It’s not the time to try to change their ways and behaviors.  Also, obviously, the easier the app is to use, the more often they will use it and therefore the more valuable it will become to them.

How can you get an app for your business? There are a number of companies that provide platforms for basic app development, or of course they can be custom designed and programmed for specific functionalities.  If you are targeting a sophisticated audience or your competition has already set the bar high, then your best option is to custom design your app with your company brand feel.

How can you market your apps? First of all you need to look at your target audience and their consumptive behaviors.  Look at how users search for apps, what they’re interests are and how much time they spend using applications.  Give them fun tools that enhance their web experience.  You can also provide them with rewards and benefits for having downloaded your app and continuing to use it.  You want to amplify what that user will do – not create anything extraneous or detracting from their experience.  Make sure you pay attention to changing consumption behaviors and keep in mind this varies country to country.  You will also note there are major changes in user types across platforms – certain devices and platforms attract different demographics.  iPod Touch is younger audience than iPhone for example.

How can I advertise my app on a small budget? Constantly maximize word of mouth and buzz so you can keep your marketing spend low.  Make sure to create ongoing value offerings across all platforms and update the app constantly.  These regular updates will increase your fan base and drive significant blog traffic.  When you create conversations, your audience gets involved as active participators which increases the likelihood that they will refer you to their friends and contacts.  Users that download Apps or toolbars are typically vocal and loyal users – they tend to be Facebook Fans and influential in the online community.

Using an app to promote your business and engage consumers is a fun and innovative way to market your business and showcase your expertise.  Engaging with your customers in a one-on-one online experience will be tremendously helpful, not only in terms of company exposure, but also in getting business feedback you can use to shape overall business and sales strategies.  Never before has there ever been such an interactive way of engaging an audience and also obtaining business-critical information in a real time format.  Simply follow these guidelines for application marketing, and you’ll be on your way to greater online success!

For more insight into using app marketing for your business, become our Facebook fan and sign up for our free report http://www.facebook.com/VerveFactor.

The day after Facebook invented this toned down ‘like’ feature they let us know about all the great partnerships they have with websites like Bing and Yelp where those sites would sync our Facebook public information so that we could “like” things via those sites and businesses.  Sure, we all know what public means on the internet by now – anything you say can and will be held against you (and embarrassing photos/stories/comments will forever live on a la Pamela Anderson).  The problem I see here is that the average Facebook user doesn’t take the time to adjust their Facebook privacy settings.  When this new ‘like’ feature came out FB did have a message upon logging in about their brilliant scheme to share information and the average user nodded their head and clicked “close” to get to the next page where they could share or catch up on the latest news feed.

The problem here is that internet privacy is a real issue that a lot of people don’t take seriously enough.  They might be “googling” other people, but they aren’t always considering what is googleable about them.  Public settings means Google indexes your profile in search results.  That’s HUGE.  A few months ago when FB announced this indexing they didn’t cover any details about the magnitude of that.  Everything you put out there on FB (your address, phone number, email, personal details, who you’re friends with, photos of you, etc, etc, etc) were automatically set to Public.  These are details you may have been comfortable with your friends knowing, but certainly not telemarketing companies and other total strangers mining Facebook.  Not cool.

I highly encourage you to check your FB settings every time FB makes a change announcement – and even better do it periodically as well. Give some serious thought to what you want to share with people you don’t even know.  It’s one thing for businesses to put their already public profiles on Facebook, but it’s another for individuals just looking to connect with friends and family online. All of us need to be vigilant about what we put out there.  Remember, most websites don’t default to making your information secure/private.  You need to read the fine print and check your account settings – and that extends to sites beyond FB.

Here are some resources you should know about:

Facebook’s Privacy Policy http://www.facebook.com/policy.php

How to edit your FB profile privacy settings http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=15668

Facebook’s very own guide to privacy http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php

Facebook Privacy Loophole http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/apr/26/facebook-privacy-hole

The Audience
Did you know that twenty hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute?  Consumers demand information quickly these days, and that includes business owners. Their lean budgets and tight schedules require them to find helpful information they can digest quickly.

Today’s Web-savvy public devours YouTube videos, comments on them and helps them “go viral” without a big financial investment from video producers. YouTube’s simple video upload process and enormous global audience make it the perfect place to inform consumers about your solutions.

With a B2B audience dominated by adults over age 35, you can tailor your video segments to answer serious questions your target audience faces. Here are some ideas for maximizing your online marketing with YouTube videos.

The Strategy
Just about anyone with a good quality camcorder and video editing software can create an interesting YouTube video. If your video is simply someone speaking about a topic, a webcam can also work.

When you’re ready to get started, create a YouTube user profile and be sure to link back to your websites and blogs. You’ll also want to tag your videos with the appropriate keywords so they’ll appear in search results.

There are several ways smart marketers are using YouTube to increase sales.
1.    Subscribe to YouTube’s advertising services and take advantage of sponsored videos, YouTube’s Brand Channel and formal video ad campaigns to reach more customers.
2.    Create “interactive” video opportunities such as video contests based on your products. These can be advertised on your website, blogs and other marketing channels.
3.    Create original content that’s useful and interesting to your target market. These aren’t ads, they’re video segments showing how something is done or discussing topics relevant to your industry. They can even be funny vignettes that sympathize with problems people might be facing. The key is to make them easy to watch (in the right video format for YouTube) and interesting enough to cause viewers to comment on them.
4.    Sharpening video production skills and content increases the chance your video segments will be featured on the YouTube search results and home page. Pay attention to viewer comments so you can shift with your audience.

YouTube represents a tremendous B2B marketing opportunity. Learn to create video content that captures your market’s interest. Start small with a free YouTube membership if your marketing budget is strained.

Track what viewers are watching by using the free YouTube Insight tracking tools. Experiment with topics, backgrounds and styles until you find what your target audience responds to best. With a little creativity and attention to viewer preferences, you could be the next YouTube marketing success.

That’s one idea that definitely needs to be put out to pasture! Today’s in-bound marketing draws web traffic through many channels, including social networking. The idea is to combine traditional SEO strategies with blogging, posting on forums and developing a following on Twitter. The ultimate goal is to have as many “fans” as possible linking to your content, so their friends will want to know more, too.

Starting the Conversation
So, how can you start a conversation that goes ‘round the world? Make the commitment to starting, and maintaining, a content-rich blog. What does your target audience care about? What issues are they facing that your company can help solve? Are there industry blips occurring that you can explain in-depth?

Anything you post on your blog that is interesting, compelling and useful, especially if you depend on B2B sales, can help increase your fan club. Make sure RSS tools are visible on your blog, so readers can receive new content. Most blog applications have widgets that allow readers to share your posts easily on Facebook, Twitter, Digg and other social media sites. Make it easy for readers to get the word out about your fascinating content.

Another great way to increase your visibility and build a following is by making interesting comments on industry discussion forums. Your market research should include where your target audience hangs out online to chat. Become a visible participant there, but skip the sales pitch.

Most forums allow participants to include a link to their websites in the signature line. By contributing comments that help others or cause them to think, you increase the chances readers will want to get to know you.

Have the picture now? No matter whether you’re blogging, posting status updates on your Facebook page or discussing topics dear to your audience’s heart, it takes a multi-pronged approach to build social media popularity. Combine that fame with great website content optimized for search engines, and your company could soon be winning prizes for savvy marketing.

What’s Your System?
Here’s the most important question: Are you tracking marketing results at all? If you don’t have a formal system for doing so, start today. Even if it’s only a spreadsheet, you must have a method of recording the sales, leads and traffic that result from your marketing channels, if you ever hope to become really good at marketing.

Here’s a good way to get started: Make a list of the marketing channels you’re currently using—blogs, social media sites, emails to your list, web content, Google AdWords, etc. Under those headings, create a new listing for each campaign you’ve run for the past six months.

Now, record as much information as possible about new leads, web traffic or sales gained as a direct result of each campaign. You may not be able to record much this time around, but it’s good to go through this exercise to get in the habit of tracking ROI.

Which Worked Best?
The next question is: Which worked best? Did you see a big burst of traffic when you started pinging blog posts on Technorati? Did your latest email marketing campaign yield lots of new leads?

Which AdWords brought the most click-throughs? Can you see a marked difference in website traffic each time you update your Facebook page or get serious about tweeting on Twitter?

This is the time to compare each marketing channel in terms of traffic and leads. Not only will it give you a sense that your marketing is actually working, it will also tell you what’s worth spending time, money and effort on.

Once you know which channels attract the most interest, it’s time to look at sales conversions. Record how many sales resulted from the traffic each marketing channel generated. This conversion rate is the holy grail for marketing, the reason for all that tweeting, updating and keyword agonizing. Once you know which methods of marketing online result in the highest conversion rate, you can focus your efforts effectively.

Tracking your marketing ROI isn’t just about how much money you’ve spent. It’s also about knowing how much time to spend on marketing channels, and when to cut them loose. What you don’t know about your ROI may be hurting you now, but with a little focused effort, it can make all the difference in your future success.

Reason #1: Product-Heavy Content
One sure way to turn off customers on your company’s Facebook page, Twitter tweets or blog posts is by bombarding them with references to your products. The point of using social networking as a marketing tool is to form a more personal connection with customers and potential clients.

Before you make another post to your social networking sites, study your planned content. Are you constantly making references to your products or services, or are you also offering information your readers can use?

Reason #2: Lack of Connection
Another way to turn off your audience is to remain aloof. In other words, are you connecting with them or are you pronouncing from on high? Do you ask your readers, followers or Facebook friends to offer their comments, or are you controlling the entire conversation?

Do you actually respond to their tweets or posts? If you hope to strengthen your link to your target audience, dive in and get to know them. Find out what they like, what issues they face and how you can help. Otherwise, it’s not social networking, it’s just advertising.

Reason #3: Confusing Your Audience
Look at your social networking efforts from your reader’s viewpoint. Can you easily tell who you are, or do you deliberately remain anonymous? Is it obvious what you and your company do?

After reading a few posts, would a reader be able to state what you’re offering that’s of value to them? Although you need to steer clear of heavy-handed advertising, it’s best to be transparent about who you are and what problems you can help them solve.

Leave the obvious marketing ploys to the amateurs; getting to know your target audience is fun and effective. Get out there and socialize, you won’t believe what it can do for your business!

Because you’re spending so much time buying lists and writing emails, though, you probably aren’t blogging or even updating your website content. So, how’s that working for you?

If you aren’t making tons of sales sending emails to your lists, it’s time to diversify! Start focusing on inbound marketing, attracting prospects with a wide marketing network, instead of spending all your time in people’s inboxes.

“But Everyone’s Buying AdWords!”
Another common basket to put all your marketing eggs in is paid search terms. Google AdWords and Yahoo Sponsored Search are two of the biggest places Internet marketers like to spend money.

Don’t kick yourself if you’re betting the farm on this single marketing area. It’s very attractive, since those search engines are so darn powerful! But what happens if you’re suddenly outpriced in the bidding wars? Keep your pay-per-click account open, by all means, but start looking at other marketing channels, too.

Beef up your keyword-rich content on your website, and create an interesting blog tied to those same keywords. Those are two ways to actually increase your organic search engine ranking without ever spending a dime.

“But My Website’s Wonderful!”
It’s easy to focus all our time on a website, if I seems to be attracting a lot of traffic. But what about conversions? And what happens if the search engines change their algorithms (again)? By building a marketing network of linked channels, you won’t be devastated by the ups and downs of search engine rankings.

In Internet marketing, as in any other kind of business, depending on a single marketing source for customers can become a nightmare. Broaden the scope of your reach by using several inbound marketing channels to attract interest. In that way, you can skip the nightmares and begin building the business of your dreams.

We’ve put together a list of things you can do to optimize your websites for Internet searches. If your website doesn’t measure up, it may be time to implement at least a few of them.

1.    Make Links Easy for Search Engine Spiders to Follow: Search engine spiders, those clever “bugs” that crawl the web in search of new content, don’t like links that make them work. If you have multiple pages on your site, include at least one link to them that doesn’t require the user to fill in the blanks.
2.    Avoid URL Sprawl: Search engine spiders tend to ignore links that are too long and complicated. For example, use www.nosejobs.com/smallernose instead of www.nosejobs.com/876547668899&@#smallernose&*((abc.
3.    Write Content That Makes Sense: Web content should make sense to your readers! If you aren’t comfortable writing in the language of your target audience, it pays to hire someone who is. One component of search engine ranking is how long Web users stay on your site. Poorly written copy won’t hold their interest long.
4.    Proof Your Web Page Copy: Broken links and misspelled copy don’t project a professional image and will kill your search engine ranking. If the spiders hit a brick wall when navigating your links, you can bet your web page won’t be on page one.
5.    Don’t Lie with Your Links: Web links that redirect to completely unrelated content are a “no-no” in SEO. That’s an old trick used by blackhat Internet marketers, and it simply doesn’t work under today’s SEO rules.
6.    Forget Keyword Stuffing: The old days of filling the top of your blog with nonsensical text stuffed with keywords is also over. Search engine spiders are too smart to fall for that, and Web users will quickly click away.
7.    Focus on Useful Content: Speaking of keywords, they’re still important, but only in the context of valuable content your readers can actually use. One more content tip: rather than repeating your primary keywords over and over, use synonyms.
8.    Use Relevant Title Tags: Is the title in your site’s search engine result irrelevant, or does the reader know immediately what’s inside? When building web pages, be sure to use title tags that relate to what’s actually on your website.
9.    Keep Track of Your Site: Nothing’s more devastating to your search engine ranking than being dropped because your site’s been hacked. Check your site often to make sure internal links are still connected to your content and not some hacker’s website. If this happens to you, you’ll need to apply to be reinstated on the major search engines once your site is repaired and republished.

You can have a great website that receives plenty of attention on the search engines, if you pay attention to the new rules of SEO. Implement one or two of these ideas if you’re not getting the ranking you want. Keep track of increases in click through rates and tweak your content until the search engine spiders approve. All you have to gain is more interest online, and more opportunities to sell.