A few simple rules should be followed when interacting with customers online:

• Time is of the Essence: Social media and online interactions happen in real time, with millions of people having access to view comments left by users. For comments that require a response, be sure the reply is posted in a timely manner. The commenter and everyone else is watching.

• Be Aware of Your Surrounding: Social media content is public; hence actions there are representative of the brand just as much as commercials or your website.

• Avoid Automated Responses: Templates and automated messages make customers feel distanced from the business, defeating the purpose of social media, to engage businesses with their customers. Respond on case by case basis, personalizing the response to the original comment while maintaining your desired level of professionalism.

• Keep it Short: The attention span of a social media networker is short, meaning your message needs to be as well. Be succinct and to the point.

• Thank the Customer: Whether the feedback is positive or negative, it is important that the customer be thanked for taking the time to interact with the company.

• Solve Problems: Often times, feedback will point out a problem – it is then your obligation to produce a solution which solves said problem.

• And remember…the customer is always right.

Taking the steps to ensure your brand image is being improved, rather than damaged, with your social media presence will help to build a community of loyal fans, friends and customers.

Social media is an important tool for any business, and is part of the much larger Search Engine Optimization process. Fasturtle offers Search Engine Optimization packages for any size business. Contact Fasturtle today to learn more about our social media management and other digital marketing services.

The Fasturtle Team at the AMA Spectrum Awards

The American Marketing Association held its annual Spectrum Awards on May 9^th, 2012, featuring keynote speaker Derrick Hall, President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and recognized outstanding marketing and advertising campaigns from across Arizona. A panel of judges scored nominated campaigns on: objectives, design implemented, strategies used and overall campaign results.

While the entire Fasturtle team worked together, it was the enormous effort and talents of Designer Amanda Sett that clinched the win.

Eric Olsen and Amanda Sett

Fasturtle was also nominated as a finalist for our work on Straight Talk Wealth Radio’s website, reaching the final round of the best Interactive/Online Website for Corporation.

We are excited and humbled to be recognized for our work, and thrilled to join the elite group of Spectrum Award Winners.  Special thanks go out to AMA Phoenix for hosting the awards; we are already looking forward to next year!

Fasturtle has been providing email marketing, search engine optimization, website creation and social media to small businesses since 2000. Contact Fasturtle today at (480) 348-0467 to learn more about our services.

Click Here to register for Fasturtle’s May 18^th Seminar: The Power of Email Marketing & Search Engine Optimization: Improving the Visibility of Your Website  

The complex algorithms used by Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines to rank and return relevant content, now factors in information from Facebook, Twitter and other social media networking sites to affect the organic rankings of a web page.

The following social media activities have become highly important to search engines for determining the page ranking of a website:

• Status Updates
• Sharing Posts
• Sharing Links
• Page Likes
• Tweeting & Retweeting

Recent updates to the Bing and Google algorithms now return “real-time” results, showing status updates or ‘Tweets’ above other content. This change has made it so that content on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ will be indexed quicker than site content, influencing overall ranking. The bottom line is that search engines have come to assume that if people (on social networks) share content it’s probably useful, resulting in higher rankings.

As search engine algorithms continue to evolve, businesses wishing to maintain or improve their page rankings will need to invest time in developing and maintaining a social media presence.

With increasing emphasis placed on social media, it is important for any business seeking to maintain a competitive ranking advantage to participate in social media. Social media platforms offer a convenient way for businesses, both large and small, to connect with consumers at levels unrivaled by any other channel since the creation of television.

Search Engine Optimization is a complicated and detailed process. The social media aspect is only one important part of an overall SEO campaign. Fasturtle offers Search Engine Optimization packages for any size business. Contact Fasturtle today to learn more about our small business digital marketing services.

Simply stated, keywords and keyword phrases are the terms people enter into search engines to find information online. Deciding which keywords to use can be challenging process, when selecting keywords, consider the following points:

• Traffic – there are many popular tools that can be used to determine the amount of traffic a keyword gets. The most well-known of these tools is the Google Keyword Tool. Traffic reports will offer insight as to the success of a keyword.

• Conversion Rates – Keyword research assists in targeting the best keywords to most appropriately describe the products and services offered by a company. The use of accurate keywords is the most effective way of driving targeted traffic to your site. Conversely, inaccurate keywords will have a negative effect as searchers may not find your site relevant.

• Keyword competition – Popular keywords, while offering high search volumes, may have too much competition to make an impact on your rankings. Thorough keyword research will help identify alternative keywords for profitable niches in the market.

Keeping these points in mind during keyword research will aid in targeting the best terms and phrases for your business. Appropriately applying the researched keywords will offer the best chance of ranking well on the major search engines.

If you are interested in learning more about the importance of keyword research or the other steps involved in an effective Search Engine Optimization campaign contact a Fasturtle Representative at 888-468-8785.

Fasturtle also offers FREE seminars teaching small businesses the basics of Search Engine optimization, click here to learn more and register for an upcoming event!

“Our new site is now truly in line with our philosophy that learning is a joy at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix,” said Marion Wiener, Director of Marketing and Communication for the Museum. “Visitors to the site will see a much more playful design and have an easier and intuitive way of learning about the Museum, and engaging with the Museum on many different levels. The site is also photo rich with pictures of children enjoying themselves in the many Museum spaces.”

The main features of the new site are:

•  Easy navigational tools

• A home page that provides a snapshot of what is happening in the Museum that day

•  Quick links to easily engage with the Museum either by planning a visit, becoming a member, booking a party, or making a donation

• an easy access link where educators can take steps to schedule a field trip

The Museum engaged in a formal review of web design companies last Fall and chose award-winning website design and internet marketing company, Fasturtle, to design the site. The company was chosen based on their expertise, reputation in custom website design, superb customer service, and understanding of the Museum’s mission and unique environment. CEO of Fasturtle, Eric Olsen, said “Fasturtle understood the importance of highlighting the Museum’s mission of engaging minds, muscles and imaginations in their new website. The new site is designed to reflect the interactive nature of the Museum while providing valuable information to the community. The entire Fasturtle team is very proud to have been selected for the project and to provide the Children’s Museum with a fun and functional new site.”

The new site can be accessed at www.childrensmuseumofphoenix.org.

About Fasturtle

Since 2000, Fasturtle has been a leading provider of website marketing solutions and award-winning website production. Fasturtle is a Ranking AZ top 10 website and internet marketing firm based in Scottsdale, AZ and offers awide range of services, including custom website design development, hosting, E-mail setup and support, as well as internet marketing including social media and search engine optimization. Specializing in small business, clients are located across the United States. More information can be obtained by calling (480) 348-0467 or visiting www.fasturtle.com.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is located in the historic Monroe School Building at 215 N. 7th Street in downtown Phoenix. The Museum opened to the public on June 14, 2008 and offers 45,000 square feet of hands-on, fun and educational activities for children ages birth to 10. The mission of the Museum is to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them. The Museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 9am to 4pm. Admission is $11 per person, children under the age of 1 are free.

 AzTAP Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities conducted an accessibility evaluation in August 2008 and summarized, “the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is the most exceptionally disability aware arts institution this evaluator has ever surveyed.”

Kunysz Construction selected Scottsdale based web design and internet marketing firm, Fasturtle to build its website. Due to the time sensitive nature of this project, a pre-designed Micro-Site plan was chosen and the website was completed in only 10 days. Fasturtle’s Micro-Site program allows for semi-custom web solutions to be integrated with a selected pre-designed template. The Kunysz Construction site features an interactive contact form, photos of storm damaged homes and a blog. The site was built in a Content Management System which allows for Kunysz Construction employees to make changes to the website without detailed knowledge of computer programming.

Kunysz Construction has completed residential and commercial storm restoration construction projects across Southern California. The new site includes a gallery of recently completed projects as well as a list of client references.

The partnership between Fasturtle and Kunysz Construction will continue, as Fasturtle provides ongoing search engine optimization services to the new site.

For more information on Kunysz Construction, please visit the company’s website, at www.kunyszconstruction.com/. For more information on Fasturtle, please visit the company’s website at www.fasturtle.com.

About Kunysz Construction

Kunysz Construction provides superior residential and commercial restoration services following weather related property damage. Kunysz Construction offers complimentary 10-point inspections, document all property damage, meet with the insurance adjuster, coordinate all roofing work and repairs and bill the insurance company.  Their expert claims adjusters work one on one with homeowners to file the necessary insurance paperwork following storm damage.

About Fasturtle

Since 2000 Fasturtle is has been leading provider of website marketing solutions and award winning website production. Fasturtle is a Ranking AZ top 10 website and internet marketing firm based in Scottsdale, AZ and offers a wide range of services, including custom website design development, hosting, E-mail setup and support, as well as internet marketing including social media and search engine optimization. Specializing in small business, our clients are located across the United States. Call (480) 348-0467 or visit www.fasturtle.com for more information.

With the enormous growth in mobile and smartphone usage, now is the time to integrate mobile marketing into your business strategy. Regardless if your business operates solely online, or has a brick and mortar location, you must have a mobile website. If customers can’t find you while they are on the go, you are not only losing business, but driving business to your competitors that do have a mobile site.

*Statics provided by Microsoft Tag

To prevent you from making some of these blogging mistakes here are the 7 deadly sins of business blogging, and how to avoid them:

• Not Blogging Regularly

The Sin: One of the most challenging aspects of blogging is posting on a regular basis. Running out of time, ideas or creative content can cause you to push blog writing onto the back burner. Consistently posting is crucial to improve the viewership of your blog. Regular posting can also greatly impact your search engine optimization efforts.

The Fix: Set a posting schedule for your blog and stick to it. Brainstorm topics and write posts ahead of time to avoid a time crunch. If one person can no longer manage the blog alone, consider using a team of employees to write posts or invite guest bloggers to develop articles.

•  Bad Writing

The Sin: Unclear writing, poor grammar, bad spelling; all of these factors make posts difficult to read and understand. Avoid overly complicated and technical jargon if the topic can be explained in a more simple way. If the post cannot be easily scanned and understood, it will be ignored.

The Fix: Before posting be sure you have spell checked, fact checked and re-read your writing. It never hurts to have a second pair of eyes look over your work to catch errors you may have missed or identify unclear ideas.

• Publishing Too Much “Sales” Content

The Sin: The content published is focused only around sales pitches and promotional content. Your customers are interested in your products, but they want to know how these products will improve their daily lives. Limiting content to only products and company news will not establish your place as an expert within your industry.

The Fix: When writing blog posts avoid only thinking about what your company needs to promote. Instead, focus on information a customer may want to know. Offer informational, customer-centric thought articles. Content that offers value to your customers is much more likely to be read than a repurposed sales pitch.

• Covering too Many Topics

The Sin: Readers visit your blog to learn about your products and services, not to get a recap of last night’s game, your weekend activities or your opinion on the new french fries at the restaurant down the street. So unless you are a sports broadcaster or a food critic, leave these topics out.

The Fix: Stick to what you are good at. Write about topics related to your business or industry. It’s ok to be creative with topic selection, but be sure there is some value to your customers and relationship to your business.

• Failing to Optimize

The Sin: One of the primary reasons for a business to manage a blog on their site is for search engine optimization efforts. Failing to utilize keywords in the title and content negates one of the main purposes of the blog – to be found by search engines and improve rankings.

The Fix: Optimize all content with researched keywords. Provide links to any products you may have discussed so readers don’t have to search for it.

*Note: Keyword stuffng in a blog is just as much of a sin in blogging as not optimizing. Overusing keywords in an attempt to be ranked higher can backfire and search engines will penalize the site.

• Being Hard to Find

The Sin: It’s impossible for your readers to find the information on your blog useful if they cannot find it.

 The Fix: Display the blog link prominently on the company website. Utilize social media to send out notifications of updated content. Share the link to your blog in newsletters, email signatures and other marketing material.

• Expecting to be an Overnight Success

The Sin: Establishing readers and moving up in search engine rankings takes time. When you start off you may feel like you are writing for no one. You cannot expect immediate returns, however if you write quality content on a consistent basis your efforts will pay off and you will increase both readership and search engine rankings.

The Fix: Don’t get discouraged after three weeks and give up. Set monthly, attainable goals to help you track your progress. Invest at least one year to your blogging efforts, and make sure your blog is interesting to read and easy to find.

Avoiding these sins is an important first step in making your blog a success. Remember, blogging isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon, long term dedication and effort is required to meet your goals.

CampusLogic’s recently redesigned website, www.campuslogic.com, is a semi-custom web design by Fasturtle. The semi-custom project allows for the use of a pre-designed FastSite, which is then customized to include the necessary plug-ins, such as a rotating header, to expand the functionality of the website. CampusLogic’s new website features easy navigation, information on services, an industry related news blog, case studies and testimonials, other financial aid resources, and an easy to use contact form.

Fasturtle and CampusLogic will continue their partnership post-site launch as Fasturtle provides ongoing search engine optimization services.

“A large part of enrolling in school is the financial aid process, which is often difficult for students to navigate,” said Gregg Scoresby, Chairman and CEO of CampusLogic. By simplifying the financial aid process, CampusLogic services allow colleges to focus on providing quality higher education for anyone who aspires to have a degree.

For more information on CampusLogic, please visit the company’s website, at www.CampusLogic.com. For more information on Fasturtle, please visit the company’s website at http://www.fasturtle.com.

About CampusLogic

CampusLogic provides interim staffing, project-based consulting, and business process outsourcing solutions across the entire financial aid lifecycle including student contact, document collection, verification services, award packaging, disbursement processing, refund management, and default prevention. CampusLogic has a track record of providing measurable results including faster processing times, higher compliance rates, and greater student satisfaction.

About Fasturtle

Since 2000 Fasturtle is has been leading provider of website marketing solutions and award winning website production. Fasturtle is a Ranking AZ top 10 website and internet marketing firm based in Scottsdale, AZ and offers a wide range of services, including custom website design development, hosting, E-mail setup and support, as well as internet marketing including social media and search engine optimization. Specializing in small business, our clients are located across the United States. Call (480) 348-0467 or visit www.fasturtle.com for more information.

Application: Rolling, as applications are received

Position: Intern

Hours/Week: Not to exceed 30 hours/week

Salary: $7.65/hour plus school credit

Description:

Fasturtle is looking for qualified marketing interns interested in working at a fast-paced web design and internet marketing firm. Our marketing department seeks an intern who can participate in various stages of online marketing campaigns including blogs, SEO campaigns, email marketing, and social media. The intern will collaborate closely with the team, but be expected to take the initiative in executing. There will also be opportunities to collaborate with the team on client projects.

Requirements:

Marketing/English/Creative Writing Major or Minor

Junior or Senior preferred

Must be a local candidate with reliable transportation

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Extensive knowledge of Web, branding and social media a plus

To apply: Please email resume and 2+ page writing sample to careers@fasturtle.com