relations activities, blogs and social media marketing can all improve your search rankings.
More technical skills are required for “optimizing” your web site. This means that key phrases and words are embedded to help ensure good ranking. When you’re looking to hire an SEO or PPC expert, be sure to screen for the right types of talent.
Business and marketing savvy is as important as technical know-how, according to Eric Stein, a marketing search consultant and PPC expert.
“Three things are essential when you hire a paid search advisor,” he counsels. “He or she should truly understand your business and industry, provide regular (ideally monthly) reporting, and provide a high level of customer service. Although all three are important, the last two can drain your budget if not well managed. “You can wind up paying for visits to your site by people who aren’t even looking for camp.”
When it comes web marketing, be patient. Effective search pro- grams can take from 60 to 90 days to show results. You will learn and refine your program as you go, getting a deeper understanding of how quality leads are being driven to your site. You have a right and a need to understand what your search partners (e.g., consulting firms, agencies, PR people, SEM special- ists) are telling you. Although so much of marketing these days is technology-based, the best advisors know how to translate the most complex concepts into simple, timely reports and plain English. Above all, remember that search marketing is just one tactic in an integrated marketing strategy. As you prepare for 2011, make
sure you spend appropriately on search and have enough of a budg- et to allocate to other important efforts like branding and brand development, research, print advertising, social media, e-market- ing, PR, events, and other potentially effective tactics. Follow these simple guidelines and you can be sure that the only thing getting “lost” this summer is your worry about enrollment.
CC
Nancy A. Shenker is founder and CEO of theONswitch (
www.theonswitch.com), a marketing consulting firm that special- izes in “break through the clutter” marketing, public relations, and social media for a variety of businesses, products, and services, including summer camps and teen programs. She speaks regularly at the ACA Tri State Camp Conference and other professional events on topics, including brand marketing, social media, PR, research, and e-marketing. Contact:
nancys@theonswitch.com.
www.canadacampsmag.com
Fall 2010 Canada Camps 11
Photo: Camp Wahonowin
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