Digital Marketing

Discussing Digital Marketing Acronyms

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Have you heard the terms SEO, SEM, or PPC being used casually in a business meeting or conversation? It’s easy to nod along, never admitting that you don’t know what these acronyms mean. That’s okay. We’ve compiled a list that explains what these basic marketing terms, so you can feel empowered to use them and make informed business decisions. 

seo_acronym

SEO 

SEO stands for search engine optimization. Effective SEO gradually improves the online visibility of a website or brand through organic, or unpaid, results. SEO involves processes like keyword research and link building. A focused SEO strategy can increase the quality and quantity of incoming traffic to certain website pages. Google, Yahoo, and Bing are the most significant search engines in western countries and they operate using algorithms that calculate what and how to display the most relevant search results. These algorithms change frequently, and it’s essential to work with an SEO specialist who stays informed of these developments. Failing to adhere to updates can negatively impact a website’s visibility. 

In the past, devious individuals learned to bypass and shortcut the ranking process through what we call “Black Hat” aka Spamdexing techniques – such as buying links from link farms, keyword stuffing in pages, hiding words in invisible fonts, and other deliberate manipulations of search engine indexes. Search engines like Google caught onto this pretty quickly and started penalizing websites who weren’t playing by the rules. At Absolute, we deploy genuine strategies to develop effective organic marketing that will generate qualified leads for our clients. 

If you want to learn more, visit our page to read about our services and our successes in building SEO strategies for our clients in Tampa Bay and beyond. 

SEM 

On the other end of the digital marketing spectrum, we have SEM: search engine marketing. SEM includes paid placements, banner advertisements, or anything using Google AdWords which can generate positive results for businesses and brands. Paid activities in the digital marketing world include PPC, CPC, or CPA ads – don’t panic, we’ll explain in a second. 

SEM can be a powerful marketing tool for brand awareness and lead generation. Depending on the industry landscape, the efforts of competitors, and the cost of ads, we recommend a targeted SEM campaign to complement ongoing SEO and maintain momentum for your business. 

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PPC 

PPC stands for pay-per-click, a popular form of paid advertising via Google AdWords and other third-party platforms. These ads allow you to set a limit for the amount you’ll pay per click. This makes it easy to forecast how many clicks you’ll receive within your allotted budget. 

PPC is a powerful tool because you can bid for high placements and get an immediate return on investment (ROI). Ads appear above organic search results, and users are highly motivated to click them since they’re often searching for a specific product, service, or answer. 

CPC 

CPC means cost per click; every time an ad gets clicked, it costs money. CPC tells advertisers the exact price of each click on a particular ad. 

After running a campaign, you’ll be able to see the average CPC and then test variables such as keyword selection, ad copy, position in the ad space, and other factors accordingly. Keep in mind that depending on your competition, keywords can be expensive. For instance, a personal injury attorney or an insurance company should expect to pay double, if not triple, for a single click on their ad compared to niche companies.  

CPA 

CPA can be a useful form of advertising for a business owner who is focused on how much a new customer costs to acquire. The acronym stands for cost-per-acquisition and refers to exactly that: the cost to get a new customer.  

Search Engine Land conducted an extensive study in 2016 and published an article outlining the industry averages for CPA by analyzing more than 2,000 clients in all verticals. They found that the average CPA in AdWords across all industries was $59.18 for Search and $60.76 for display. The CPA’s across industries varied greatly, however, with legal services being a top CPA industry at a whopping $135.17. For more industry benchmarks, check out their article here. 

CPM 

If you want to venture into paid advertising, another option you have is to go with CPM as a cost model. As opposed to CPC, where you pay each time someone clicks on your ad, CPM stands for cost per mille (one thousand impressions). You set a budget based on how much you want to pay to have your ad shared with one thousand viewers, readers, or listeners.

CTR 

You may have heard of marketers talking about CTR, which stands for click-through rate. It’s typically expressed as a percentage because it represents the number of users who clicked on an ad compared to the number of users who solely saw the ad. For example, if you created an ad on Facebook that reached 12,000 people, and 120 people clicked, then your CTR would be 1%. 

Many of our clients ask “what is a good CTR?” however, that question is highly subjective. The higher, the better, but it will vary based on industry and competition. In a study conducted by Wordstream, the average CTR in AdWords is 1.91% on the search network, and 0.35% on the display network. For more information about average CTR’s by industry, visit the guide here.

CTA 

In the marketing world, CTA stands for call to action. This is a specific instruction given to your reader. It may encourage calling, clicking, buying, or subscribing. Successful CTAs rely on the persuasiveness and quality of the copy, the value of the promotion, and the price. Make sure to work with an experienced copywriter to develop powerful CTAs.  

MoM 

No, MoM has nothing to do with your mother, or how she may or may not be made of money. MoM is a key performance indicator (KPI) that stands for month-over-month. MoM can be a measure of growth, market traction, business expansion, or any other rates of change. It’s a particularly useful metric for businesses and organizations that are based on monthly subscriptions or memberships.  

If you’re still perplexed, contact the marketing team at Absolute Marketing Solutions. Starting with a free consultation, we’ll put together a strategy to help your business achieve digital success. Call us today at (813) 908-6862. 

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8 Necessary Elements for Successful Logo Design

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We are surrounded, from the second we wake until the time we lay back down, by logos. Not only do we look at them, but we interact with them on our phones, computers, and tablets. You may not always notice, but they are always present… and the ones you do notice stand out for a reason. Logos can project a powerful message, often without a single word. But how do certain logos convey meaning, grab attention, and stand the test of time while others are overlooked and soon forgotten? Our graphic designer, Chelsea Pence, gets to the bottom of this by delving into the processes and considerations behind notable logo design.

1. Why Are Logos Important?

“People often choose products based on their perceived value rather than their actual value” (Logo Love). A logo is often a consumer’s first interaction with a company, so it needs to be not only memorable, but compelling enough to convey the company’s branding and philosophy all in one. Your logo is a literal reflection of your company. When done right, logos will transmit values, ideas, and emotions to your intended audience.

2. How Do You Get Started?

Begin by talking to your client and hearing their needs. Learn about their branding goals and the image they want to establish. You want to know everything about the company that you can. What are their strengths and goals? How do they define their brand and what is their company culture like? Who is their target audience? Once you have a thorough understanding, sit down with the client to agree on a budget and deadline. From there, sketch and sketch some more. Try mind-mapping (visually organizing) your ideas. Put every possible idea onto paper and then hone it down to a few possibilities that you will further develop.

Logo Brainstorming

3. Are There Any ‘Must-Have’ Design Requirements?

All logos are different; there aren’t many widespread requirements, but the best logos are simple and recognizable. We all know the typeface for Coca-Cola, and the Nike “swoosh”, and what those images represent. Every logo is unique but every client requires different branding, so it’s important to know the design rules like a master. Once you get down to the process, you will make better looking sketches and have a better final result.

4. How Do You Choose Typeface + Color?

The optimal strategy when handling elements of style is to consider the form and font first, by working in black and white. It is crucial for your logo to be readable without color, however, colors are very important as they are tied to cultural and emotional values. There is much thought that goes into deciding what colors to use since this aspect most noticeably gives meaning to your design.

5. What Does the Rest of the Process Entail?

Oftentimes you and the client won’t see eye-to-eye about the design or process, so it’s important to immediately establish what the expectation will be. Make sure you know your point of contact, and if a committee will be involved in the final decision, so you’ll know how to communicate properly. Help your clients; make sure you’re able to explain the design process in-depth to all decision-makers and keep them involved as well. A good rule of thumb: always under-promise, and over-deliver. Being able to hit your deadlines and communicate clearly is key to a healthy client relationship. This process depends on communication and trust. You’re still questioning and checking with your client regularly, but it’s important to establish a good relationship from the get-go so that your client will trust you and give you enough creative freedom with the design process.

6. How Long Does the Entire Process Take?

It can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks to design a solid logo. Creating something from your client’s concepts is hard work and can often be time-consuming because of the back-and-forth communication. The best designers stick to rigid schedules and let their client know up-front what the process entails before starting the project.

7. What Happens if You Get Stuck?

No matter what, don’t look at too many other logos if you get stuck. Avoid the comparing mind, or you’ll wind up confused and discouraged. It is always good to have inspiration, but the best ideas come from intuition. It generally goes back to understanding the desired brand identity and your client’s target audience, so don’t be afraid to ask additional, clarifying questions. When in doubt, put a pencil to paper.

8. Is it a Good Idea to Buy a Logo Online?

The problem with quick and easy $5 logo sites is that you won’t receive the detailed thought that fuels the creation of a genuinely representative and artistic logo. A logo purchased online will usually be clip art from a stock image company, or at best some amateur work that today’s consumers will not give a second glance. Always choose to work with a trained graphic designer who can deliver quality work rather than using a random website.

A unique logo is a cornerstone of any prominent brand. Logos make up an international language that when designed properly, anyone can understand. Whether you are designing a logo from scratch or re-designing an outdated logo, the process is elaborate. A web-generated symbol will never make headlines or turn heads- it takes time, training, and a comprehensive understanding of the client to produce newsworthy results. If you need help designing or re-designing a logo, contact us at Absolute Marketing Solutions.

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Three Reasons Your Restaurant Should Embrace Employee Social Media Advocacy

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If you are like many restaurant owners, you know that your staff spends a great deal of time (hopefully off the clock) on social media. Yet if you are like most restaurant owners, you may not have considered how this behavior could have a positive impact on your business.

Restaurant owners have long understood the value and impact that word-of-mouth marketing can have on their bottom line. If a friend, colleague, or family member tells you about a good experience they had a local eatery, you are more likely to trust their opinion and may wish to try it as well.

In 2014, a study conducted by Verizon and Small Business Trends found that 85% of customers learn about a business through word-of-mouth. What’s even more surprising about this statistic is that when the study was first surveyed in 2005, the result was 83%.

By now, you likely know that social media presents an opportunity to leverage similar word-of-mouth recommendations and endorsements. However, there is one surprising social media tactic that is increasing in popularity: employee social media advocacy.

RELATED POST >> CONSIDERATIONS FOR ENFORCING A SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCACY PROGRAM

What is Employee Social Media Advocacy?

Employee advocacy refers to the promotion of an organization by its employees. This can take many forms including email, chat, forums, discussion boards, but the most common and effective channel is social media. Assuming your employees care about your restaurant (and if they don’t then maybe they don’t need to be there) then they can be one of your biggest marketing assets.

According to Marketing Profs, employees are hiding their superpowers regarding what they can do for your brand. Some of the most staggering statistics include:

–    Content shared by employees receives eight times the engagement than content on branded channels

–    1000 employee advocates can reach 1 million customers, drive 50,000 social engagements, and create 5,000 unique pieces of content.

–    A 12% increase in brand advocacy can double revenue growth

(source: http://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2014/24740/unleash-the-superpowers-of-employee-advocates-infographic

Three Ways that Employee Social Media Advocacy Works

A bigger reach

If you consider that each employee may have eight or more social network accounts with a few hundred followers, you can begin to see the size of your employees’ social media footprint and the marketing reach it presents. Every chef, sous chef, server, bartender, and host has a personal social media network that could amount to thousands of potential customers within your reach, dramatically expanding the possibilities of peer-to-peer endorsement.

Trustworthy endorsements

A study found that an employee sharing company content on their newsfeed had 20 times more impact than a brand publishing on their page, for the reason that individuals are more likely to trust and believe content shared by another individual rather than a company or brand sharing it about themselves. The same applies to the real world. Would you be more likely to believe that Starbucks employees have high job satisfaction because Starbucks posted it on their corporate press page, or because your friend who works there shared the story on their wall?

Amplified messaging

Social media advocacy works in tandem with your corporate or brand messaging to have a synergistic effect. With your employees contributing to the conversations around your restaurant brand, it further emphasizes your own messaging because you are not the only one having the conversation. Use your employees and their existing social media networks to deliver messages about your products or services in a way that feels authentic, natural, and trustable. Not only could their posts be influential to potential customers, but social postings can spread company culture and can express your values, missions, and goals to their audience.

Build a social media advocacy army

One of the most significant benefits of using employee advocacy on social media is that its momentum can be self-sustained by your employees once they understand the policies that govern your social media presence. Social media marketing’s success is often tied to not only a regular stream of valuable, engaging content but in remaining consistent and spreading approved messages to enhance your brand’s reputation online. In this way, you can leverage social media advocacy by using your employee’s existing social behaviors to grow your brand’s online presence further.

At Absolute Marketing Solutions, we partner with restaurant owners to help educate and empower their staff and employees to devise a custom social media marketing strategy to accelerate growth and build a world-class brand experience.

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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Are your employees on social media? Here are some considerations for enforcing a social media advocacy program

Posted on by absolute.admin3

Getting your employees to become social media advocates can be a great way to amplify your reach and acquire new customers. According to Brandwatch, 1,000 employee advocates can reach 1 million customers, drive 50,000 social engagements, and create 5,000 unique pieces of content.

Consumers care deeply about endorsements made by their peers and will listen to their friends if they show love of a brand. However, your employees posting content about your restaurant on your behalf might make you nervous. In fact, the first thing you may have thought when reading this blog was, “doesn’t that put control of my brand into the hands of someone else?” Yes, and no. It has been said that branding is what people say about you after you’ve left the room, and in this way, having employees as social media advocates can be the biggest brand endorsement yet. You may own your restaurant, but your customers and your employees create your brand.

Concern: Your employees might not fully understand your restaurant brand identity.

Communicating brand messaging effectively while maintaining a personal tone is not a natural skill for everyone. If your employees’ posts sound forced or insincere in any way, it can harm your efforts. If an employee has a negative experience at their workplace and turns to social media to vent their frustrations, they could damage your reputation.

To solve this, set guidelines and put official processes in place to make sure how they understand how to use the tools responsively and tastefully. Make sure all your staff is on the same page about organizational goals and objectives, so you can all work as a team. Whether your organization decides to post about events, shout-outs, company milestones, individual achievements, or other topics, make sure your staff is trained on how to identify and publish content on their LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook channels.

Even if an employee at your restaurant or bar is a stellar bartender or server, they may still need some training on how to effectively express their views, share company content, and build the brand in a way that is aligned with your organization’s overall brand strategy. Having a weekly meeting to go over some of the topics on social media can help your employees feel confident about what they are posting and to ensure that a consistent message is being conveyed.

Concern: Your employees will spend time on their phones instead of working

While a Facebook live video might garner high engagement with your page’s fans, you don’t want your employees using every excuse to check their phone and spend their time on social media instead of focusing on the customers in your restaurant. Training and teaching your employees rules about deciding who, what, and when to post is of importance. Keep a content calendar with important dates visible, so that all your employees understand what’s on the social media menu.

Some restaurants and bars start out a social media advocacy program with a small select group of employees who demonstrate social media savvy, are energized, and passionate about their jobs. Identify and select a few employees at your restaurant to start with, who you know will take the added responsibility seriously and won’t let it get in the way of serving customers or performing other tasks.

Concern: Shares and posts from your employees will sound forced.

This is a huge concern for any brand that engages in a social media advocacy program, and for good reason. You do not want your employees to feel obligated to share content, because if they aren’t into it, it will likely sound insincere. Perhaps they don’t want their friends seeing them post updates about their work. Perhaps they don’t want their personal social life involved with work in any way. They may have different views about privacy in this regard and may elect to keep their social media away from their job.

Make sure when you hire employees that they are aware of the social media advocacy program. Communicate clearly what is expected. If people aren’t on board, do NOT make it mandatory participation. Instead, consider a social brand ambassador program that incentivizes employees to leverage their networks and achieve thought leadership amongst their peers.

For more information about leveraging social media advocacy for your restaurant or bar, contact us at Absolute Marketing Solutions today. We can help you identify concerns with social media employee advocacy and craft a custom solution that works to amplify and accelerate your restaurant’s visibility on social media.

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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What’s Your Restaurant Brand Personality?

Posted on by absolute.admin3

A brief, but definitive guide to determining what characteristics your restaurant brand has.

Brandpersonality is a set of characteristics, often human-like, that are attributed to brands. Having a well-defined and developed brand personality gives consumers the ability to relate to brands and develop an affinity for them over others.

Let’s say you own a sushi restaurant in SoHo. Most of your customers describe your décor as “authentic,” or “eclectic,” and the food is surprisingly delicious for such a modest storefront. Your servers are passionate about providing awesome customer service. It sounds like your restaurant may already have a brand personality defined, but do you know what it is?

Brand Personality Defined

A brand is often defined in the way it presents itself, the language it uses, and the way it behaves. Just like a human being, different personalities achieve differentiation amongst people. Imagine that a brand is a living person, Malcolm. Malcolm is sassy, funny, and very sharp – he has many friends and is liked by others who share his sense of humor – though not everyone appreciates his witty comments. His remarks about social media are popular with people in his age group, but younger and older people don’t really get it. By leveraging advertising, packaging, customer service, and all the other aspects that encompass a brand, a personality is expressed, just like how a person has characteristics that define them and set them apart from others.

If done successfully, your restaurant’s brand personality can increase the value of the brand overall by giving it a consistency that certain consumer segments or groups enjoy.

The 5 types of brand personality

In advertising and marketing, there are five defined personalities that work as a framework to describe a brand. Each dimension is divided into a set of facets that can add depth and complexity to a brand’s overall personality. The five types or dimensions of brand personality are generalized as:

Sincerity – being down to earth, wholesome, unpretentious. Just like the sushi restaurant we invented in this intro.

Excitement – spirited, rebellious, imaginative. Dick’s Last Resort is a chain known for its outrageous, surly employees who dish out plenty of sarcasm and insults to their patrons alongside their fare. Feeling sensitive today? Don’t eat there or you may leave in tears.

Ruggedness – tough, wild, untamed, weathered. Dinosaur BBQ, Outback Steakhouse, and Holy Hog come right to mind.

Sophistication – glamour, romance, intelligence. You’re a 4-star Michelin restaurant atop a high rise building in Manhattan. Your reservations are booked up months in advance.

Competence – responsible, efficient, reliable. Every time I walk into a Panera Bread, I always get the same vibe during my experience.

The five types of brand personality were developed as a framework created by Jennifer L. Aaker in the 1990’s at Stanford, who also concluded in her studies that brand personalities are also derived from what they caused consumers to believe and dream in an aspirational way. According to this model, ruggedness and sophistication are two brand personalities that speak the most to the consumers’ sense of aspiration.

Brand archetypes

BrandZ, a global brand equity platform, analyzed nearly 15,000 brands internationally and identified archetypes for brands that tended to perform better than others.

restaurant_brand_personalityFor instance, some of the most inspirational personality archetypes include the Explorer – brands such as Jeep, GoPro, and Red Bull encompass the philosophy that “where’s there’s a will, there’s a way.” Other successful archetypes that have a profound effect on consumers are the Hero archetype. Think of brands such as Nike, TAG Heuer, the brands that let consumers overcome obstacles, slay dragons, and bring out the best in themselves and others.

How to choose your restaurant brand personality

While you may aspire to have a certain brand personality or archetype, first understanding your audience and values is of paramount importance in defining your brand personality. As a restauranteur, you’re familiar with the power of your restaurant’s atmosphere. Your dining room is not just a place to buy and eat food. It’s an extension of your restaurant’s brand personality. Consider what your restaurant offers that truly distinguishes it from the rest, and how your audience perceives it.

Brand personality is the summation of all the consumer’s experiences with the brand. It is unique and long-lasting. To learn more about developing your restaurant brand personality, contact us at Absolute Marketing Solutions and discuss our Tampa brand identity and design services. We can help you shape your restaurant’s brand personality to achieve success in the highly competitive hospitality industry.

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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Facebook has changed…. Again. What does it mean for your restaurant?

Posted on by absolute.admin3

facebook_algorithm_changeIf you have a Facebook page for your restaurant or business, you’ll want to pay particular attention to the changes that are getting rolled out over the next few months.

In January 2018, Mark Zuckerberg announced upcoming changes to handle the way content appears on news feeds. These changes would define what users see, and with what frequency. What this means is that posts from your brand will show up less and less on users’ feeds.

The changes are meant to increase user activity with the platform. Rather than showing than content put out by brands, media companies, and publishers, Facebook wants to put the power back into the hands of users, rather than content publishers.

How Facebook marketing used to work for restaurants

In the early days, it was all about the number of likes you had. Surely, that was an important indicator of legitimacy, and meant the more the likes, the more the customers. Facebook later told us that having a verified page was a critical visibility factor, and that your business may not be easily found if you did not take the steps to verify your listing. “Likes” became less important as users then became focused on online reviews, the response rate by which you could answer questions about your business, and your ability to carry out customer service. Good reviews became increasingly important, and since you couldn’t delete them, your users paid close attention to how you handled them.

>> Related post: The delicate art of responding to customer complaints

Coupled with this, Facebook showed preference to publishers that created short, catchy, and engaging forms of content. Often, this took shape in the restaurant industry as “snackable” videos – short videos of branded content that enticed users to learn more.

While maintaining customer service on your social media channel, and creating valuable content are still very important to maintain for your brand, Facebook is now focusing on bringing people together to share and watch content together, and bring the “social” back to social media.

So… what does the new Facebook news feed algorithm mean for your restaurant now?

More than ever before, engaging content is only as valuable as it brings people together, and makes people want to share it with their family, friends, and colleagues. Here are some immediate effects of the change:

  • People will spend less time on Facebook
  • People will see fewer posts by brands, including your restaurant
  • You have a narrower window of opportunity to be seen by your followers (because Facebook will display your content even less frequently)
  • Influencers will have a bigger impact on your social media visibility than ever before

Why did Facebook do this?!?

Facebook has done some soul-searching and wants to improve users’ lives, and expose them to fewer divergent views, opportunities to argue, or passively consume content.

If you think about it, the move totally makes sense. Think of all those hours you’ve spent on your phone, mindlessly scrolling through your feed, clicking through cat videos and quizzes about what Game of Thrones character you are, and other types of content from publishers, rather than engaging with friends and family. While Facebook has been decreasing the organic reach of content published by companies and brands, that’s made the platform increasingly pay-to-play, with publishers dishing out advertising spend just to get in front of the very people they wish to target.

Facebook used to be about the people; but in recent days, has been criticized for being a platform for dividing people, spreading “fake news,” and becoming an ad platform. This move is an attempt to cut through that and restore the sense of community and social engagement that the company started out pursuing.

How can I make sure my audience still sees my content?

Don’t panic; these changes may seem drastic, but they could help your restaurant’s position in the Facebook community. Doing this will motivate brands and companies only produce high-quality, highly-sharable, highly-social content. Here are two ways that restaurants can start planning their Facebook marketing strategy to rise above their competitors.

Watch Party

Rolling out with this change is a new product called “Watch Party,” a feature that will let groups of Facebook users watch a video at the same time.

Restaurants should certainly take advantage of this feature, which is different from live videos but is inspired by the video feature. Facebook said that live videos create six times more interactions than regular, non-live videos, and the reason for this is because people watch them together. When users are watching the same video, no matter where they are and are commenting, liking, and engaging with it, it creates a community.

Host an event, reveal news, or feature other exciting content that is so awesome, your restaurant fans will want to watch it together and share it with their friends. Make users want to visit you after seeing you announce a special new holiday special, a limited-time offer, or another promotion at your venue.

Influencer marketing

If you haven’t found local influencers in your community, you haven’t tapped into one of social media marketing’s most valuable resource. Influencers are tastemakers; people who have trusted followers and can endorse and enhance the reputation of brands by standing behind them.

With the newsfeed algorithm change, influencers will get a boost in value because they not only are engaging content producers, but because their content is user-generated, and their fans are authentic. Facebook is giving the opportunity for influencers to double down on this opportunity, and so should your restaurant.

Having an influencer outreach strategy is of vital importance, and coupled with an engaging content calendar, can massively improve your online visibility and help your brand stand out amongst a sea of competitors who are now racing for finite space on the social media platform.

How can I use Facebook marketing for my restaurant?

As a restaurant owner, you know how important it is for your patrons to visit your establishment with their friends, family, their tribe, and to connect and build experiences there. From here on out, your social media strategy has to reflect the same values of personalization to survive the new ecosystem.

To learn more about social media marketing for your restaurant, contact us today!

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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Has your restaurant been slammed by the Ripoff Report? Here’s what you should know

Posted on by absolute.admin3

EXTORTION!!!! SCAM!!! That’s how many describe the review site Ripoff Report. Ripoff Report is a for-profit website that many claim runs on the philosophy of being a BBB – “bad” business bureau. The website claims that it serves consumers by providing a platform for anonymous complaints. Having worked with numerous businesses that have been listed on Ripoff Report, I know the frustration that hardworking honest business owners feel when their reputation is being attacked online by anonymous sources. If this is the first time that you have been hit by a tarnishing review on the Ripoff Report, and you are looking for answers, then I hope this post proves helpful.

When you are listed on Ripoff Report, there are two unfortunate truths you must face immediately.

People Will See It  

Ripoff Report ranks very highly in Google’s search results and typically appears on the first page when a user searches for your business’ name.

Legal Action Won’t Likely Help

Despite dozens of lawsuits, very few, if any, reviews have ever been deleted from the website.

The founder of the Ripoff Report, Ed Magedson, has defended more than 100 defamation lawsuits since the website’s inception in 1998 – and has never lost a single case. Magedson describes his website as the following:

“The “Ripoff Report” serves people who are concerned about being cheated. This website allows people to be armed with the opinions, comments, and experiences of others like them so they can determine for themselves if they want to do business with certain listed companies or individuals.”

Unlike many review sites, Ripoff Report allows its review authors to remain anonymous by practicing the first amendment that free speech includes the right to remain anonymous.

What Can I Do?

Ripoff Report offers a limited number of ways for businesses to respond to a negative listing. One program called the “Ripoff Report Verified” to restore your business’ reputation, but because it is pay to play. Restaurant or business owners can go through the process to become a Verified Ripoff Report business, where they earn a badge and can display their comments above any other negative complaints. Ripoff Report insists that it is a trustworthy way for businesses to repair their reputation and would complement any other public relations strategy.

Regardless if you intend to play the Ripoff Report game and go through the verification process, there are activities you can engage it to mitigate the damages of a public relations crisis resulting from a devastating complaint or review from the website.

>>Related post: A guide to fake restaurant reviews, and what you can do about them 

That Sounds Like Extortion! Isn’t There More That I Can Do?

Step 1: Remain calm

The last thing you should do at this time is to make a hotheaded public statement about the reviewer, the review, or the Ripoff Report website itself. No matter how outrageous, false, or defamatory the review is, your reputation should suffer even more if you demonstrate anger, denial, or attempt to brush off the review. Analyze and examine the complaint, and investigate it thoroughly. Is it valid? Is it fake? Assemble a crisis management team to prepare approved statements and messaging should you be contacted by the media about the review.

>>Related post: How to handle the media during a PR crisis with former Fox 13 Consumer Lawyer Eric Seidel

Step 2: Issue a response

If the complaint made is a valid one, make a public response to them that shows you care about the customer’s experience and have every intention of making it right. Many restaurant owners must juggle between discerning fake reviews from legitimate ones, and their response to your earnest attempt to correct the situation will indicate which category their complaints falls under. Be sure to provide them with a phone number or customer service form so you can not only get more information about the incident but take the conversation offline and out of the Internet’s eye.

Step 3: Put your white hat on

In the search engine optimization world, “white hat” refers to all activities that are legitimately used to improve search rankings for websites, unlike black hat tactics which involve link farms and other shady practices.  Issue a PR release about something your restaurant or business is doing, perhaps donating to a charity, hosting a fundraiser, or another activity that is beneficial to the community. If you can generate positive comments from customers and get the attention of the press to cover your story, you will suppress the negative remarks from Ripoff Report and move them further down the search results page.

Step 4: If it applies, consider arbitration or a lawsuit

A recent change to the Ripoff Report’s service is that it now offers a VIP (Voluntary, Impartial, Private) arbitration service which costs $2,000 to file a complaint if the statements are false and can be proven as such. You will need to provide evidence that the facts of the review were false, and there is no guarantee that the review will be removed, as Ripoff Report typically favors the consumer as it considers itself a platform for the public, not business owners.

However, if there are comments of a highly defamatory nature involving rape, violent crimes, or other accusations of that nature, you have the option of hiring a libel attorney to represent you. Your attorney will produce a court order to demonstrate the falsehood of the accusations, and if granted, Ripoff Report will remove the false statements.

(While the author is not an attorney, please bear in mind that this blog does not constitute legal advice. However, research has shown that attempting to sue Ripoff Report will get you nowhere, because it is protected by the first amendment and freedom of speech.)

Step 5: Hire an experienced marketing company to manage your reputation

If your business has been maligned by a negative review on Ripoff Report or elsewhere, you may consider hiring a team of digital experts to monitor, maintain, and manage your online reputation. While it may seem like the end of the world when a customer tears your restaurant apart online, these comments are opportunities to turn your haters into advocates. Contact Absolute Marketing Solutions if you need help repairing, managing, or elevating your restaurant or business’ reputation. We’ll start with a free digital audit and devise a strategy to make you in full control of your brand.

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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“Siri, what restaurants are near me?” How to break into local SEO for restaurants

Posted on by absolute.admin3

Like many restaurateurs, you probably see a lot of new faces in your restaurant every week. But where are all these new diners coming from? Most restaurateurs we have spoken to believe the adage that “the only marketing a restaurant needs to do comes from the kitchen,” and that word-of-mouth is responsible for bringing in most new customers. As catchy as that sounds, it isn’t necessarily so.

Right now, you may be thinking “Who cares how they found us? As long as they come in and eat.” The answer is simple: if you don’t know where your customers are coming from, then you have no hope of controlling how effectively you attract new customers. We have yet to meet a restaurant that didn’t want to attract new customers.

For the past two decades, study after study has demonstrated that the internet has surpassed all other means by which people discover restaurants. If you have not considered how and where your restaurant appears in search results (if it appears at all), you may be losing opportunities to create new customers and increase your local visibility. Local SEO is the marketing tactic that puts your restaurant in front of consumers when they are deciding where to dine.

Are you interested now? Let’s dive in deeper and learn a little more about what trends are driving the need for Local SEO and how to use it to drive more customers to your restaurant.

Why Local SEO is Important

Location, Location, Location

It has long been a restaurant maxim that the three most important decisions when opening a restaurant are location, location, location. Unless you are a destination restaurant, customers will not travel far to visit you. According to Brightlocal, the average time a consumer is willing to spend traveling to get to a restaurant is 17 minutes, which in most cities could represent just a few miles. This means that the majority of your customers are likely in a limited geographical area, or in other words, “local.”

According to research conducted by SinglePlatform, 75 percent of consumers say they frequently choose a restaurant based on local search results.

“Siri, I Want Tacos”

Most local searches are conducted on mobile devices, a trend that has only increased since the release of digital assistants such as Siri, Google, and Bixby. This “voice search” technology allows users to request information and the device searches the internet for the best response. When a user makes a request such as “I want tacos,” the device assumes that the intent is to find nearby taco restaurants. When your customers ask their phones for tacos, does it send them to you or someone else?

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO encompasses several activities aimed at helping businesses promote their products and services to local customers. Whether you are a single restaurant or a multi-location chain, local SEO can help customers find your location at the moment they are most likely making a dining decision.

There are several elements to an effective Local SEO effort, including directories and citations, reviews, website optimization, and local link building.

Directories and Citations

Citations are defined as any online mention of your business name, address, and phone number. You may find citations listed in local business directories, social media platforms, or websites and apps. The purpose of citations is to help users find local businesses in their area. Citations also influence the results you may see on local search engine rankings like Google Maps or Bing Places. For this reason, you should make it a habit to manage your business’ citations to ensure that they’re accurate.

Since the number of citations for your business has an impact on Local SEO, your restaurant locations should be listed on as many local and industry directories as possible. This is easier said than done, as there are typically dozens of directories with new ones emerging almost daily. There are at least 13 core local citation websites in the U.S. that you must be listed on.

Here is a list of just some of the directories for restaurants to be listed in:

  • Acxiom
  • Apple Maps
  • Bing
  • Citygrid
  • Facebook
  • Factual
  • Foursquare
  • Infogroup/ExpressUpdate
  • Localeze
  • Superpages
  • Yahoo!*
  • YP/Superpages
  • Yelp
  • Google My Business
  • TripAdvisor
  • Allmenus
  • Urbanspoon/ Zomato
  • Manta
  • Indeed
  • BBB

There are three main ways to perform citation management, manually, semi-automated, and automated. In manual citation management, you manually build and manage your citations. This is extremely time consuming and error prone. For this reason, we do not recommend this approach. Semi-automated citation management occurs when a firm uses an automated service to manage some citations while building and maintaining others manually. This service is provided by a number of vendors and is one we often employ for our clients. Automated citation management is wholly automated by service providers such as Moz Local or Yext. This can be the most cost-effective method of citation management.

If you decide to choose a semi-automated or fully automated local citation service, make sure to ask the service provider what happens should you decide to cancel your service in the future. Some vendors will claim ownership of your citations, which means you will have to go through the process again if you terminate your contract with them.

Optimize your citations

In addition to the number of citations your location may have, it is important and vital that your citations are accurate (and consistent). You should pay special attention to the Name, Address, and Phone (called the NAP), and make sure they are spelled EXACTLY the same way as they are listing on your Google My Business profile. If you fail to remain consistent, it may result in duplicate listings, which could negatively affect your local rankings. This is because Google recognizes it as two different addresses and will believe that you are two different businesses instead of consolidating it into one. You should consider your customer as well, as you want them to easily find you online and know where you’re located. Don’t confuse or frustrate them with multiple listings of your business.

Regardless if you choose the manual, semi-automated or fully automated citation management system, you will always want to maintain consistency with every citation. Optimize each listing with additional information such as business hours, contact information, photographs, and other useful pieces of information to the user. Remember to update the listings frequently, and have a system or process in place should you need to change them.

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews

Did you know that Google will serve restaurant results with the highest reviews and closest proximity in a local search? According to a collection of online review stats by Vendasta, star rating is the number one factor used by consumers to judge a business.

While that may be specifically tied to your rating on your Google My Business page, the more positive reviews across a various number of review websites, the better. Consumers are heavily influenced by online reviews and for a good reason. Quality, frequency, and variation are what customers are looking for. Here are a few stats from Vendasta’s series that are of particular interest to restaurant owners.

  • 92% of consumers read online reviews
  • 88% trust reviews as much as personal recommendations
  • 95% of consumers suspect censorship or faked reviews when they don’t see bad scores

As you can imagine, it’s important to have a system and policy in place for handling customer reviews. For the positive ones, always make sure to thank the reviewer for their input. For negative reviews, always acknowledge them so that your audience can see that you care and are responsive. Next, try to take the conversation offline by directing them to a survey form, email, or phone call, depending on the nature of the complaint. For more information on how to handle negative online reviews, please visit our blog here. (link to how to handle customer complaints)

Is your website optimized?

There are several on-page SEO factors that play a role in helping or hurting your restaurant from ranking locally. Having a footer with your NAP displayed is highly recommended to make sure your contact info is consistent with your online citations. If your business has multiple locations, building a relevant landing page for each of them would be a best practice as well.

As for the specifics on your website, there are some parameters you can edit to get the most local SEO oomph. Let’s imagine that you operate Bernini’s, a fictitious Italian-style pizzeria in Hyde Park in Tampa. We recommend optimizing the following:

Page Title– This is the title of the page that the user will view on Google’s search results. In this case, we’d recommend you change it to something like, “Bernini’s Pizzeria | Authentic Italian Pizza Serving Hyde Park since 1981.” Try to summarize your business with as much information as succinctly as you can, so that the user can understand where you are and what you offer by taking a few seconds to read it.

H1 – This is the main headline of the page, and should describe what the user will find.  An appropriate H1 could be, ‘Bernini serves Italian-Style Pizza in the Heart of Hyde Park.’

URL/ Slug – WordPress allows you to edit the slug of a webpage so that you can include keywords as well. You should include the name of your restaurant, in addition to your location. For example, this is the text in the address bar containing the website name, ‘www.berninisitalianpizza/tampa-pizza.’

Page Content – Here you have a blank page to tell the reader (and Google) what your restaurant is all about. Be sure to include your target location, in addition to relevant keywords. You should aim for 300-500 words here, but make sure the content is valuable to the reader.

Meta Description – Under your page title in the search results, you have a snippet of text available to describe what users will find on that given page. In December 2017, Google officially expanded its snippet length from 160 to 230 characters. In your meta description, be sure to provide a brief description of your business, location, at least one important keyword, and a call to action!

Local link building

If you ask any SEO, link building is one of the most important components of a successful SEO strategy. Link building involves acquiring links back (backlinks) to your website from high quality and relevant websites. The more links you receive from trustworthy and authoritative websites, the more trustworthy and authoritative your website will appear. Google’s (and other) search algorithms weigh backlinks very heavily when determining rankings. Since newspapers, magazines, and niche publications are typically both trustworthy and authoritative, receiving backlinks from this sort of publication can help your website rank higher for local searches. You should also reach out to bloggers and writers in your area to be featured on their local blogs and publications. Link building can be a very time consuming endeavor, but it is crucial for increasing your ranking in local search results.

Getting in a local pack can be very challenging, depending on your local competition and your digital marketing efforts to date. However, it’s not impossible. Developing a strategy to improve your restaurant’s local presence is a multi-step journey that takes time and cumulative effort. To get started on a local SEO strategy to boost your restaurant’s local visibility, contact the Tampa local SEO experts at Absolute Marketing Solutions by calling 813-908-6862. We’ll craft a unique digital marketing plan that addresses your business’ objectives and goals.

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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5 New Years’ Resolutions Your Restaurant Should Have

Posted on by absolute.admin3

Every year, millions of Americans decide to make a list of ways to improve themselves in the new year. Whether it’s to drop a few pounds, land a dream career, or take a vacation to a bucket list destination, many people have dreams and aspirations.

As a restaurant owner, you’ve probably made a few resolutions in the past. A resolution to make more profit. A resolution to improve customer retention. A resolution to decrease employee turnover. Just like the will to lose weight, the motivation from new year’s resolution starts out strong, but can fizzle out after a few months when we go back to our normal habits and behaviors.

Sounds familiar? You’re not alone. While it’s human nature to always want to improve oneself, some goals need to be broken down into steps to be properly managed and executed.

New Year’s resolutions have a reputation for being hard to keep, but consider how successful your restaurant could be if you set achievable goals and reached them in 2018. At Absolute Marketing Solutions, we’ve worked with clients in the restaurant and hospitality industry achieve their goals that lead to revenue-boosting outcomes. Here are some New Year’s resolutions you should make for your restaurant, and how to nail them.

Improve your website

Does your restaurant order delivery or take out? If so, can guests order on your website? Over 57 percent of guests order from a restaurant online daily, weekly, or monthly. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly or responsive, then you could be sending customers to other restaurants.

Quite often, your website is the first impression that a potential customer has of your restaurant. Mouthwatering photos, detailed contact information, and a good user experience are all ingredients required to make a positive first impression. This is your best chance to encourage them to call, make a reservation, or order online.

>>Related post! To learn more about responsive web design for restaurants, visit our blog about 5 features your restaurant website must have in 2018.

Tidy up your local listings

Local listings are important for restaurant owners because listing mistakes can increase customer frustration and fewer visitors to your restaurant as they can negatively impact your local search rankings. Local listings and directory citations management can be a time-consuming process, so you may wish to enlist the help of an agency to manage it for you. For more information about restaurant listing and citation management, visit our local SEO services page and get a FREE powerlistings test!

Be a better listener

Part of creating a New Year’s resolution is to assess oneself and come to terms with your strengths and weaknesses. No matter how hard you or your staff may work at providing a world-class experience at your restaurant, not every customer will walk away satisfied. Reputation management is an ongoing process of reviewing and replying to your customers’ and critics’ likes and dislikes in a way that shows that your restaurant is a customer-centric brand. You do this by demonstrating a will to resolve problems and a desire to make the customer happy. Analyze the nature of your customers’ comments and sentiments, as it may indicate root issues that need to be addressed. If you need help putting together a reputation management strategy for your restaurant or business, we can help. Learn more about our Tampa reputation management services by visiting our page here.

Help your customers nail their resolutions

The chances are that your customers made resolutions too. Consider making changes to your menu such as offering lunch-sized portions for dinner, offering low-fat or low-carb substitutes for other menu items, and different ways to help your customers curb their caloric intake. Your customers will likely appreciate the flexibility in their ordering options, and it will motivate them to make healthier choices. If you offer smaller portions on your menu, it could also reduce the amount of food waste your establishment produces. As far as we can see, this is a win-win-win situation for everyone!

Partner with another business in your community

As always, you should aim to create meaningful partnerships with related brands in your community to increase brand awareness, and strengthen your position in your city. Let’s consider for a moment that becoming a health-focused restaurant is your business objective, and you want to partner with a local gym to offer discount and benefits for its members. You could create a campaign that rewards your customers with a discount to join that gym, and offer the gym’s patrons a discount at your establishment too. This may allow you to brand yourself as a health-focused eatery and attract a new clientele you otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Whether you need a website facelift, a local SEO audit of your directory listings, or a crash course on reputation management, your restaurant can benefit by paying closer attention to its digital presence. Make 2018 your year and take control of your restaurant’s presence online. Contact the team at Absolute Marketing Solutions today to get started!

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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Holiday Marketing Ideas for Restaurants and Bakeries

Posted on by absolute.admin3

My mind was blown when I learned that it’s a widespread tradition for Jews go to Chinese restaurants on Christmas Day in America. This tradition goes back many decades to a time when Chinese restaurants were among the few restaurants that were open on Christmas Day. Although more restaurants now remain open for Christmas Day, only 8 percent of Americans visit restaurants or bars on Christmas Day itself.

Despite the low number of diners on Christmas Day, the holiday season remains a prime time for restaurants to attract diners looking to celebrate or avoid preparing meals at home. The end of the year is a time for both celebration and reflection. It is a time when families come together, and businesses celebrate the successes of the year. It is also a time for stressful shopping and busy schedules which makes dining out seem a welcome break.

However, this is also a time in which we are inundated with marketing messages from almost everywhere. This makes it important that your holiday marketing messages stand out and offer something of value. This could be anything from creating an emotional connection such as nostalgia or humor or a diversion from holiday stress. In the spirit of the holiday season, we have curated the best holiday marketing ideas for your restaurant.

Plan Early

You should always start your planning of holiday campaigns early. Reservations will need to be carefully booked, and your staff will need to be prepared for the extra efforts required for holiday customers such as larger groups. You can also offer discounts for early bookings to fill up your catering and party reservations.

Show Your Spirit

The holiday season is typically one of high spirits, and you should show that your restaurant shares in this. Some ideas include:

  • Making things personal by showing off your staff in a festive way.
  • Add some holiday cheer to your social media cover pages.
  • Decorate your establishment.
  • Show off unique holiday menu items.

Partner with a local charity and make a donation

Holidays are a time of the year where people are more inclined to be reflective of those less fortunate. Restaurants can help by hosting a fundraiser, providing food for a needy family, or encouraging others to donate. Some other ideas include giving proceeds from a particular menu item or from a select night to a charity. We have also seen restaurants offer a meal to the needy for every meal served.

Participating in charitable activities benefit your community and helps grow brand awareness by introducing your establishment to new customers. We believe that partnering with charities in your community is in itself a rewarding experience. Do good, feel good!

Promote Your Holiday Specials On Social Media

In 2016, nearly 70 percent of business referrals were derived from social media or email, according to a study by Nielsen. Create eye-popping graphics to complement your holiday offers, and encourage your restaurant’s followers to share your promotions with their networks. Word-of-mouth remains a powerful marketing tactic, and social media is the ideal platform to leverage referrals during the holiday season.

Don’t Forget Email

Amplify the reach of your promotions by offering holiday specials through an email marketing campaign. Give them a reason to visit you by providing them a tempting deal such as a two-for-one meal special, a discount on group or corporate events, or a unique holiday-themed menu item that’s only available for a limited time.

Create a promotional holiday video

Videos receive more engagement and attention than static posts on Facebook, and can be a powerful marketing tool to share your promotions. Show your chef preparing a signature holiday dish, or show off your holiday ambiance to entice customers to book their corporate or holiday parties at your venue.

Hold an Instagram contest

Did you know that accounts that hold Instagram contests grow their followers 70 % faster than those who don’t? Contests that promote your holiday promotions can have two immediate benefits; they can increase the number of customers making reservations and dining at your establishment, and they can also increase the number of followers and levels of engagement you have on your social media channel. Consider running a contest where users “like” your holiday post for a simple prize, such as a $25 gift card. You may find that your posts will get higher engagement than others.

Reach out to last year’s customers

You may decide to segment your email list and reach out directly to customers who held parties or events at your establishment last year. Send them a personal email with a special offer for loyal customers such as a discount for advance bookings, or another promotion. The holidays are a time of tradition, and if you can become a tradition for a group, company, or family, the holidays can benefit your restaurant year after year.

If you have some ideas in place for a holiday promotion, but aren’t sure how to execute it in the most cost-effective way, or are unsure about how digital marketing works, contact the team at Absolute Marketing Solutions to learn more about your restaurant holiday marketing opportunities.

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.

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