Social Media is a hot marketing topic this year in Kelowna! The number of inquiries we get about using social media for marketing has quadrupled in 2011. We have seen some media coverage in the traditional press too (see Face to Face is a click away). In the past year, we've had a chance to leverage social media as a marketing tactic for a number of businesses in Kelowna have witnessed very positive results in general. This article digs into some stats about social media's effectiveness vs. other forms of online marketing. It's interesting to see how the different tactics stack up, as well as the shifts over the last year.

In a recent survey by eMarketer.com, small to medium businesses (SMB) in the U.S. were asked several questions about their online marketing efforts and their effectiveness.

Small Business Still Prefer "Traditional" Online Marketing Tactics

From the survey, SMBs are still more likely to say they found new customers by using websites (85.8%), over email (74.3%), and search marketing (74%). Web sites are considered a more “traditional” online marketing tactic and are well entrenched in the marketing programs of most companies whether a site operates as an online brochure, order system or supports the full sales cycle.

Is Satisfaction in Online Marketing Decreasing?

Despite the rise in use of online marketing, SMBs surveyed indicate that satisfaction with many of these channels is decreasing.

Specifically, large decreases in satisfaction were seen in audio podcasts (-53%), webcasts/webinars (-44%), Twitter (-38%), Linked In (-36%), Banner/display ads (-34%) and Blog (-32%).

Are Internet Users Changing Their Behaviour?

While new online marketing programs by inexperienced marketers are going to be less effective, this doesn’t account for such a huge decrease in so many of the online marketing tactics.  Instead these decreases suggest a change in behaviour by Internet users in obtaining information. This change in behaviour is both a reflection on the increased maturity of the average Internet user, the amount of time users are willing to spend looking for something, as well as the ever increasing use of mobile Internet devices.

• Users are more aware of paid advertising including banner/display ads and search marketing (PPC);
• Users are less tolerant of lengthy sales pitches such as podcasts and webinars however informative. Instead users are turning to quicker ways to obtain the information they need, often on a “just-in-time” basis.
• Use of mobile Internet devices has increased to the point where users aren’t looking for information until they actually arrive at their destination, often using tools like Gowalla and Foursquare which alert you to sales and deals near your current location.  This focus on location based marketing is also seen in the popularity of coupons like Groupon and Twongo, as well as the increased use of Google Places.

In fact, the survey statistics show that new channels made up for these decreases, including emailing offers, Google Places, Groupon and other coupon sites, mobile marketing, and location services like Foursquare. These are all new entries on the list for 2011 and yet they all have between a 25% and 50% effectiveness rate according to the SMBs surveyed.

A Key Advantage When Marketing Online: (Nearly) Everything Measurable!

Many of these new marketing tactics are more measurable than some of the earlier tactics. It is far easier to measure the number of Groupon coupons sold or Foursquare discount coupons used over the number of sales resulting from Blog and Podcast consumption. Similarly, savvy Kelowna businesses are taking more interesting email open rates, click-through rates to gauge newsletter performance.  Perhaps this is why small businesses are jumping on these new tactics in such large numbers.

Popular email management tools like Constant Contact have great tracking and measure the number of email opens and internal link clicks on each email campaign. Website analytics software like Google Analytics enables business to see the number of visitors, clicks, time spent, and online purchases.

What does this mean for Kelowna businesses?

The move away from less measurable and out-of-vogue methods of communication towards new and often more measurable methods of communication will help businesses track the effectiveness of their online marketing efforts.  It's easier to justify spending $ on marketing when you can measure the results!

It's Free, right?

Since many of the new digital marketing channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and so on are seemingly cheap, small and medium sized businesses in Kelowna should certainly consider them.  Beware that "cheap" and "free" are not really good descriptions of these tools.  Your time is worth money!

Here's a few pointers to get started...

• Create clearly defined goals for your online marketing plan
• Identify your audience (Hint: Use the marketing channels, tools, and websites that your customers are ALREADY using)
• Understand that social media is a 2-way communications channel... it's a party line, not a megaphone
• Do a batch process (eg. write a whole week's worth of content for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn on Monday morning and schedule the release using a tool like Hootsuite)
• Measure the results (Who is clicking on your links in the updates? Do people ask more questions? Do they call for an appointment?  Do they walk in the door?)
• Integrate social media efforts with things like blogs posts, email blasts, in-store contests, special events, radio, print, and video
• Consider hiring a company if your time is better spent elsewhere!

Position: Website Developer
Duration: part-time/full-time contract leading to full-time employment
Salary: $15/hr to $30/hr based on skills/experience
Experience: 2 years experience preferred
Location: on location at Twin Creek’s Kelowna office
Reports to: Technical Director

Are you a nerd with heart?

Do you like programming clean, efficient code that is a functional work of art?

Are you driven, fun to work with, on time, and detail oriented? (Nod your head.)

Twin Creek Media is an integrated marketing agency in Kelowna, BC. We work with companies across Canada to create the strategic ideas, words, and images to communicate their products and/or services. By building integrated marketing campaigns, we combine the best of web, print, radio, and video for greater results.

This is an opportunity to develop and grow your career in an expanding, lively, active marketing company where you can gain knowledge every day.

Responsibilities: (don't worry, you're not alone in any of the tasks):

* Web production
* Set up
* Domain registration/set up
* Hosting set up
* Deployment
o Slicing new design mockups for use online (Basic use of Photoshop and how site layouts are put together)
o Uploading/Installing/Implementing a CMS system on new sites
o Data Entry
* Development
o Making custom changes/upgrades to existing CMS (requires development of deployment skills, understanding and modifying pre-existing code)
o Developing entirely new modules as needed ( also requires development of deployment skills; starting from scratch in a pre-existing framework)
o Preparing sites for launch
* Post production
o Maintenance/Tech Support (Same skills as development; ability to debug and troubleshoot problem code)
* SEO (Knowledge of relevant SEO practices)
* SEM (Knowledge of online advertising practices, AdWords, Email Marketing)

Technical skills & Knowledge required:

* Clean, documented and consistent code with cross-browser and W3C web standards compatibility
* Comfortable with working on a Mac development system
* Familiar with server setup and maintenance (Linux, Plesk control panel)
* Basic Photoshop skills, slicing, and how site layouts are put together
* Use of HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, MySQL, and other common web-technologies
* Knowledge of CSS and XHTML standards, working with cross-browser issues, quality assurance
* Ability to debug and troubleshoot problem code
* High level attention to detail
* Ability to learn new technologies if required
* Effective with time management, estimation and recording

The following skills are not required but are a definite plus:

* Experience with Adobe Flash and Actionscript
* Knowledge of Search Engine Optimization techniques
* Knowledge of online advertising practices, AdWords, Email Marketing

Next Steps:

If you think you’re the bee’s knees, the bomb, Mr. Fancy Desk, or Ms. Webilicious, then you’d better apply right away. We thank all applicants for responding, but will only contact the short-listed candidates.

At the interview stage we will ask many interesting questions as we seek to understand your strengths and weaknesses and how you will fit in with the Twin Creek team. We will also ask you to sit down for a gruelling 15-20 min computer test related to web development. The test will cover basic object oriented programming skills. It’s fun. Really it is!

How to Apply:

Please send your resume including work examples of recent sites you've programmed to careers@twincreekmedia.com

Social Media Marketing is a lot easier with the right tools - organize, team share, update, schedule, and generally rock n' roll your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn pages with Hootsuite.

Twin Creek Media has recently partnered with Hootsuite to make life easier for Okanagan businesses who market themselves on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. It is our tool of choice for social media management.  If you own or market a business in Kelowna, Vernon or Penticton, we can help you connect with other local businesses and customers through social media.  Take the conversation online, and join in the fun!

Hootsuite will save hours of pain and frustration trying to manage a bunch of different accounts and keep up with the blur of activity.  Think of Hootsuite as your Giant Hammer in a world full of Fisher Price squeaky hammers.

If you're just getting started with social media and wondering if there's any point for your business, read our Social Media 101 Guide first and download our handy Social Media Reference Card.

What's it about?

HootSuite - Social Media Dashboard. With HootSuite, you can monitor keywords, manage multiple Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Ping.fm and WordPress profiles, schedule messages, and measure your success.

Scheduled Updates: Optimize delivery by choosing the best time and date to reach your audience.

Monitor Mentions: See who is talking to you, and about you!  Don't miss out on what people are saying about your brand, company, and customer service (or lack of!)

Spread Messages: Update multiple networks at once... easily send your update to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn without logging into each individual account.  You can pick and choose which network is updated - you don't have to post everything everywhere.

Social on the Go: Compose and and converse on your iPhone or Android device.

Track Results: Measure success in real-time by click through to stats and exportable reports.

Team Collaboration: Manage multiple contributors without sharing passwords.

Custom Interface: Create your own lists, tabs, and colours.  Organize your information the way you want to see it.

Assign Tasks: Fine-tune your work and tasks by delegating to your team.

We'd like to take the opportunity to say CONGRATULATIONS to a few of our clients that recently won awards in the Best of the Okanagan Reader's Choice Awards put on by Okanagan Life magazine.  Way to go guys!

	Voted #1 in Home Furniture (North) Voted #2 in Home Furniture (Central) Voted #2 Home Accessories Store (Central)
	Voted #3 in Garden Centre (Central)
	Voted #1 in Hair Salon (Central) Voted #3 in Day Spa (Central)

It's been a very busy Q2 and Q3 at Twin Creek Media.

As a Kelowna marketing agency with a special focus on internet marketing and web design, we never seem to be able to breathe long enough to update our portfolio with new launches and interesting case studies.  In this project update, we'll give a taste of what the team at Twin Creek Media has been doing over the last 6 months.  (We can't tell you all the goodies though... our clients don't want us to spill the beans about their new competitive advantages and we have trade secrets to keep!)  You'll just have to hire us to reap the rewards of an integrated marketing campaign.

We have been creating new brand identities, database-driven websites, corporate brochures, direct mail pieces, running radio campaigns, shooting videos, building blogs, and driving web traffic through email marketing, search engine optimization and pay per click tactics like Google Adwords and Facebook Ads.  Just one item in that list is powerful, but done together, business goals are targeted with a type of marketing synergy that is amazing to watch.

A Sample of Completed Projects

Okanagan Regional Library

Completely redesigned website, photography, animation, print materials, and Facebook and Twitter efforts lead to many people to rediscover the library's relevance in the 21st century | Name the Marmot Contest big hit with 3000+ kids (and their parents!)

Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors

Promotional videos and unique email marketing campaigns draw people to national conference at the Delta Grand Okanagan

Case Furniture Gallery

Online contests builds brand awareness & drives retail store walk ins | Local media get VIP treatment at private event

Quantech Software

Online industry survey reveals what customers really want | Targeted email marketing campaign generates many new leads

SJF Sports

Internet marketing strategy leads to blog and intense social media campaign using Facebook and Twitter | Web traffic increased by 109.4% in 2 months

Our Okanagan

New Okanagan business networking website attracts 800+ new business/association sign ups | Employment, investment, and collaboration opportunities excite valley residents Watch the recent by Global/CHBC here.

The Greenery Garden Centre

Massive online photo contest creates a fun customer experience | web traffic soars with 600+ submissions & 3000+ votes

A Sample of Current Projects

Best Western Inn Kelowna

Search Engine Marketing Analysis reveals what Google thinks |Internet marketing campaign begins to take a leading brand higher than ever

Quantech Software

SEO and Website Usability Score Cards uncover the missing ingredients that will turn "tire kickers" into buyers | Web development focuses on amazing user friendly site which supports Sales & Marketing Dept's goals

Impact Radio Accessories

Continued magazine ad design, catalogue, and eCommerce website improvements assist in great sales performance for 2010 | Work done over the last 4 years spur on international expansion

Clement Turf Farms

Strategic research and industry surveys get to the heart of exactly how where the new revenue opportunities lie | Integrated marketing campaign underway involving both digital and traditional marketing tactics

Okanagan College - Green Business Awards

Easy to use Wordpress blog-style website will help students organize and promote the local Green Business Awards competition

Last week Global Okanagan (or what some people remember as CHBC) featured a recent project that we've been heavily involved in over the past year. Called Our Okanagan, the project is a web-based local search engine and business hub that is focused on connecting local businesses and creating new opportunities for collaboration, employment, and investment.

TIP: If your business hasn't signed up yet, click the link above and create your profile!  The site is very powerful and goes beyond what you're used to seeing in a typical "business directory".  Make sure to check out the many advanced features and fill out the different sections of your profile for best results.

The project was a great experience for us and we enjoyed working with the project leaders Okanagan Partnership, and the folks at Community Futures North Okanagan.  The story aired by Global was great, but I believe the way it was edited gives us too much credit.  We were chosen as the development partner, (and Touchpoint was chosen as the branding partner) but we certainly were not the initiators or the driving force behind the project.  We feel obligated to explain these points in case anyone gets the wrong impression.

I'd like to especially thank a couple of our own staff, Thomas Berger and Cara Reed who worked tirelessly on this project and helped make it something we're very proud of.

We're pulling back the curtains today to show how our Kelowna SEO company gets results. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is part of a larger topic called Search Engine Marketing (SEM) which the art and science of promoting a website on the internet through organic (unpaid) efforts, which is SEO, and paid efforts, like Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns.  But we're getting ahead of ourselves.  Let's rewind.

The world wide web is a big place. In fact there are around 110 Million websites in the big ol' WWW. It's pretty easy for your website to get lost in the mix.  A website is more or less pointless if no one is finding it. Web traffic is the life blood of many businesses (yes, even bricks and mortar!)  About 80% of people search for what they want on the web using Google, Yahoo or Bing.  As a business owner or marketing director, your job is to make sure that people searching for your products and services find your website.  Sounds simple, right?

Do a quick Google search for "kelowna marketing firm" and you'll see us near the top. We're actually No.1 right now, but things swap around a bit at the top of the pile. Also understand that we are in the organic (free) listings - these get clicked on about 77% of the time vs. the paid ads like the ones on the lilac background.

Business people are getting more familiar with internet marketing now, so you've probably heard of the term SEO which stands for Search Engine Optimization.  SEO encompasses a variety of different techniques, unique to the individual client, that will help them rank higher on Google and other Search Engines.  Then when people are searching for things like "kelowna bike store" or "best coffee shop" or "RV dealership software" your website will appear in the search engine results pages, called SERP's.  Page one is where you'll want to be - only 1 in 5 people ever look past page one.

At Twin Creek Media we work hard to make sure that our clients' websites are ranking high for the words that potential customers are searching for. The tricky thing about SEO is that Google and other search engines like to keep their ranking algorithms secret, so while we generally know how to kick butt out there, the rules are constantly changing.  Plus, you can't fix something unless you know what's broken.  This is why we measure a website's current performance first before jumping into making changes.  Twin Creek Media's SEO Score Card and Website Usability Score Cards will cost a business about $900 each.  About 90% of our clients choose to do our Score Cards first. It's surprising how many so called "experts" don't care to do this!  If you're talking with an Kelowna SEO firm, make sure you ask about baseline measurement and SEO analysis. 

Think about it like this: if your car is making "squeaking" sounds and you bring it in to the shop, would you rather the mechanic inspect it first and fix the source of the problem, or just randomly put on new tires, brakes, muffler, and fan belts "cuz it's gotta be one of those things..."?

Check out the image below and you'll see the numbers from Google Analytics for a month over month comparison.  We pulled the data today for a few of our websites that we manage... you'll see most are receiving more visitors this month compared to last month.  Not all of the news is good.  Those of you that understand web analytics will see that some the Bounce Rates are high and Time On Site is less than ideal.  Hey, we're not perfect, but we're not trying to hide anything either.  Note: The site names are blurred out for privacy reasons.  You'll also notice two of the sites are receiving very low monthly traffic... those are actually single pages, not full websites, that we're tracking but not currently promoting right now.We make continuous improvements based on the data.  SEO is an ongoing challenge.  It doesn't ever end. Translation: when you're budgeting, internet marketing & SEO should be planned as a monthly investment.

Bottom line?  Twin Creek Media will measure, improve, and grow your website's traffic. Tip: Traffic is great but the work isn't over.  Are the visitors high quality?  Do they match your customer profile?  Once all those people land on your site do they find what they're looking for?  Do they buy?  Do they sign up?  Do they fill out your form?  Do they phone?  What we're talking about now is page conversion - a topic for another time!

Contact us to find out more about our Kelowna SEO services: 250-762-4001

The Okanagan's Quickest Mobile Phone Survey is active... CAST YOUR VOTE!

The Twin Creek Media team were curious to find out (A) the most popular smart phone and (B) the favourite service provider in the Okanagan and area.  We thought others might be interested too, so the results are public.  So place your votes and share these polls with your friends!

We are pleased to share with you a video interview of Twin Creek Media that was showcased by The Fire Within on ShawTV. We hope you enjoy the behind the scenes look of the team at Twin Creek Media. : )

Since 2004, Twin Creek Media has been a strategic and creative marketing agency located in Kelowna, British Columbia. The firm has carved a place in the marketing world by becoming known for integrated marketing: combining the best of internet and digital with the traditional mediums of print, radio, and TV.

Twin Creek Media employs an executive team of five and a part-time creative team of 12 who together form a powerhouse of talent and experience. We are passionate about marketing and especially leading Okanagan businesses to integrate their current communications with the digital methods, such as lead-generating websites, ads on Google (Google AdWords), and engaging clients with current social media like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

http://www.facebook.com/twincreekmedia
http://twitter.com/twincreekmedia
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/twi...

Today Internet Marketing is at the forefront of most business improvement, marketing and advertising initiatives. We provide our clients with a single resource for dynamic, fully-integrated and seamless communication services. Our solutions for each chosen media are based on their individual and supportive strengths.

http://www.twincreekmedia.com/

Read our company blog on internet marketing, our marketing services and latest company news:

http://www.twincreekmedia.com/blog/

As part of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's Breakfast Education Series, Twin Creek Media was invited to give a presentation on the topic of Social Media Marketing for Business. The presentation is included below for reference. Press play, and use the arrows to navigate through. When you're finished, don't forget to "share" the knowledge with others using the buttons below.

Please connect with us and let us know what you think...
Web: www.twincreekmedia.com
Twitter: @twincreekmedia.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/twincreekmedia

The presentation covers:

• What is social media?
• What's the "big idea"?
• What are the benefits for small businesses?
• How are others successfully using social media for marketing and promotion?
• What are the current trends?
• How do I get started?
• Good tips and tools?