Digital marketing as a mega-trend is quickly revealing Early Adopters and Laggards. Where are you on that spectrum?
A brief history of business technology:
- In the late 1980s you had to have a fax machine (and fax number on your business card) in order to be seen as a credible business
- In the late 1990s, no legitimate company would be caught dead without a website (in fact, any company without a website was probably dying as a result)
- In the late 2000s (and more so every day), any business without a proactive plan to manage social media was falling behind its competition
- In the 2010s, if you still have a fax machine (and fax number on your business card), you may be in more trouble than you thought
Increasing your web presence and social media footprint has never been more urgent. Whether you’re just starting a business or trying to make an existing one more accessible and appealing to customers, now is the time to dump the fax machine, jump on SEO, and avoid extinction. Take a look at the Diffusion of Innovation bell curve.
With respect to a viable web presence, where would you plot your company on this adoption curve? The latest adopters in this familiar model have traditionally been labeled “Laggards,†but in the world of SEO and social media, latecomers are plain old Dinosaurs because of the extinction-level event that is created by their inattention.
Finding a good SEO partner
Forbes.com contributor Joshua Steimle wrote an excellent article, 4 Tips For Hiring The Right SEO Firm, that might help those in need of this service cut through the fog that shrouds the overly crowded SEO industry. It is perhaps the ultimate irony that anyone searching the Internet for a company that can help them become more visible on the Internet, can easily experience confusion and information overload.
My company has used several SEO firms over the years. Some I would recommend and others I wouldn’t. Here are two that have done well by me.
Boostability. After interviewing Boostability’s CEO, and writing an article about the company, I was impressed enough to sign up as a client. Not having used them for very long, it’s hard to say what the long-term results will be, but their attention to detail and service levels have been stellar. Also, they seem to understand my business. For example, my rep is helping me extend the reach of my writing beyond Forbes.com, which is a good thing for a writer. So far, so good.
Mabbly. After using Mabbly for a while, I saw a relatively quick positive impact. What I like about Mabbly is the fact that they will work without a long-term contract. Also, they have a startup package that is pretty reasonably priced.
Whichever SEO vendors you choose, and however you find them, go forward with this strategy as fast as you can. Don’t be a dinosaur. And if you ever want to contact me—no faxes, please!
Follow me on Twitter @larrymyler, “Like†me on Facebook, or Contact me at lmyler@bymonday.com.
Special thanks to Jim Madsen for the excellent dinosaur art. Enlarge to enjoy the detail.
Â
Article source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymyler/2013/12/11/seo-social-media-and-digital-marketing-dont-be-a-dinosaur/