Lakeshore BrandingSearch results for 'small business workshop' (page 1 of 70)

How to Build an SEO Strategy for Small Business Websites

Guest Blogger — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:50:12 +0000

Small businesses have a daunting task as they compete with larger companies that boast more resources and staff. How can a small business compete for a share of the search engine market with so much stacked against them? Here are some tips on creating an SEO strategy for your small business: Learn from the Competition Promodo’s SEO specialist Anna Moseva suggests starting your small business SEO strategy with a thorough analysis of the competition. You’re probably familiar with piecing together keywords on Google in order to figure out what people are searching for and what’s already out there by way of content, but Moseva advises that you take the top 20 results in Google and analyze their Alexa Rank with the SEO Quake plugin for Firefox. Once you know the top sites among your competition, you can analyze the kind of traffic they generate and which keywords and adwords are linked to their sites at SEM Rush. This technique will - Read the full article

How to Build an SEO Strategy for Small Business Websites is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

A Business Consultant’s Tips for Online Marketing With a Small Budget

Guest Blogger — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:19:38 +0000

Are you afraid of wasting money on Internet marketing/online advertising? The idea of paying per click for visitors who may not buy could be frightening to you. A lot of website owners believe that Internet marketing campaigns will bleed a lot of money before they become worthwhile. You don’t have to fail miserably to figure out how to succeed. You can learn from the experts who’ve made mistakes and developed winning formulas for internet marketing. Even if you’ve only got a small marketing budget, it could make a big difference. Here are some low cost / big impact tips from a business consultant who helps small to medium-sized UK businesses. Create and Optimize a Website Do you have a website? What is it currently doing for you? A website should be more than an online brochure. It should be a beacon that attracts traffic. But it shouldn’t end there. Once the traffic arrives on your website, you need to convert - Read the full article

A Business Consultant’s Tips for Online Marketing With a Small Budget is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

81 Stunning Small Business WordPress Themes

Chris Campbell — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:00:57 +0000

We talk to small businesses and startups all the time that are looking for affordable solutions to build a really sweet, easy to use website. In this post we have compiled 81 high-quality and premium business WordPress themes. We have spent countless hours searching for stunning, user friendly, business oriented WordPress themes. If you think this post is awesome make sure you save it on Delicious you can Digg it or let your followers know on Twitter. If you have a favorite theme that we missed please be sure to let us know and leave a comment below, Enjoy! Vision WordPress Theme $35.00 | Demo | Buy Chalong WordPress Theme $35.00 | Demo | Buy WP Pro Real Estate 2 WordPress Theme $35.00 | Demo | Buy WP Sharp WordPress Theme $35.00 | Demo | Buy Collection WordPress Theme $30.00 | Demo | Buy Luxuos WordPress Theme $35.00 | Demo | Buy Creator WordPress Theme $45.00 | Demo | - Read the full article

81 Stunning Small Business WordPress Themes is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

5 Cheap but Effective Small Business PR Tips

Guest Blogger — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:31:11 +0000

We have witnessed a dramatic evolution in media in the past few years – the media elite matter less every day, everyone is the media, and everyone matters. Reaching the big media gatekeepers of yesterday is no longer the challenge. Now the challenge is effectively reaching the audience that will be interested in hearing your story and engaging with you. Fortunately this new media environment has had great benefits for small business PR, giving small business owners more power to disseminate their message and reach their target audiences. Here we offer some of our best, cost-effective PR tips for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Create a Press Release There are several cheap and free options these days for issuing a press release. Platforms such as PR Web offer business owners access to a large network of media outlets and bloggers on the cheap, while giving them the ability to target specific and relevant audiences. You may also want to consider submitting your press release to the editors of specific news outlets you are trying - Read the full article

5 Cheap but Effective Small Business PR Tips is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

Best Cloud Computing Services and Apps for Small Business

Chris Campbell — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:49:54 +0000

Cloud computing is one of the fastest-rising technologies on the Web today. There are a number of large businesses and corporations who have already adopted the “cloud” to replace their existing computing platforms – and small businesses aren’t far behind. What is cloud computing and what can it do for you? Simply put, cloud computing is a set of computing resources delivered online. It’s also an emerging model for delivering information technology services, one that offers scalable and virtual resources. (Geek speak alert! Don’t worry; we’ll break it down for you.) The term “cloud” is used as a metaphor for the Internet, which basically serves as a hosting environment for applications like E-mail, productivity, file backup and storage, and more. Previously, all the data and applications of a user were stored and hosted by a hard drive on a computer or a set of servers at the IT department; with cloud computing, there isn’t going to be any need for - Read the full article

Best Cloud Computing Services and Apps for Small Business is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Small Business Edition

Chris Campbell — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:00:37 +0000

Christmas is fast approaching. It’s time to start making those wish lists. Sure, family and friends will have their usual go at giving and receiving, but small business owners, Internet marketers, technology professionals, and entrepreneurs are entitled to have their own holiday fun, too. So, in lieu of technology and Internet marketing coming together in the most wonderful time of the year, Lakeshore Branding presents its Holiday Gift Guide 2010 – Small Business edition. An Android mobile device: If you’re tired of hearing how awesome the iPhone is, but still want to experience what it’s like to be part of the ongoing smartphone revolution, then an Android-powered mobile device is an equally viable alternative. The Android app marketplace has over 100,000 apps, so you’re not really going to miss out on a lot should you decide to shun Apple. Android phones, moreover, are available on most major U.S. carriers. Check out our top picks: HTC Droid Incredible: Launched last spring, - Read the full article

Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Small Business Edition is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

7 Essential Tips: Foursquare for Small Business

Chris Campbell — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:36:44 +0000

Foursquare sounds like fun. We’ve said it before: as a location-based social networking platform, it is able to engage mobile users to explore neighborhoods, do “check-ins”, find friends, play social city games, unlock cool badges, win “Mayorships”, and earn points and rewards. And thanks to its innovative social mechanics, Foursquare is making city after city a social media playground. Let’s admit it, though. Foursquare doesn’t sound business-y. It doesn’t exactly have the feel of a traditional corporate strategy – and if you had to present this in the boardroom to your marketing director or CEO, you might be disposed to think you’re speaking in a language that they can’t understand. Here’s some good news. Foursquare – if leveraged properly – is as viable a marketing tool as any, perfect for boosting your business. Foursquare users check-in at all kinds of places – cafes, bars, shops, malls, hotels, restaurants, parks, homes, offices, recreational areas, day spa, and events, among many others. - Read the full article

7 Essential Tips: Foursquare for Small Business is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

Navigating the Shark infested Waters of Small Business Funding

Guest Blogger — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:34:48 +0000

Finding the right funding at the critical time can be a crucial factor in a firm’s success, and many developing businesses go through several different rounds of investment as the business develops. On some occasions an initial owner’s capital investment of perhaps just a few dollars to give birth to an idea will eventually lead to a listing on a stock exchange. Along the way, however, the business may need to source several different types of funding, with each type requiring its own unique approach. Finding any source of funding will be reliant on the owner having an accurate understanding of the finances, and being able to project these to potential investors. Thanks to a plethora of modern affordable apps and solutions on the Internet – such as new accounting software for small business that makes bookkeeping easy – what was once a huge stumbling block is no longer such a concern. Many businesses struggle due to receiving inappropriate or inadequate - Read the full article

Navigating the Shark infested Waters of Small Business Funding is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

LinkedIn for Small Business: Some More Tips You May Not Have Thought Of

Chris Campbell — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:24:21 +0000

Not long ago we published a blog post with essential tips on how to use LinkedIn for your small business. Since then, Facebook and Twitter continued to rise and flourish under the social media spotlight. But it doesn’t mean that LinkedIn had not gone through its own evolution, because it did. Just check out the stream of activity on the official LinkedIn blog. Or take numbers as proof: today, 80 million professionals – and counting – have signed up to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities through the social networking site. After all these new LinkedIn features and developments, we thought it would be a great time for an update. Here’s a list of tips on LinkedIn for small business – tips that may not have occurred to you just yet, but which will certainly give your online presence a huge boost. Upload that picture. Okay, we did mention this in that previous article – “brand your profile” – but judging - Read the full article

LinkedIn for Small Business: Some More Tips You May Not Have Thought Of is a post from: Lakeshore Branding

Flickr for Small Business: 14 Tips for the Social Media Tool Few Are Using

Chris Campbell — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 07:54:40 +0000

A number of the world’s biggest businesses and brands are using Twitter. Chances are, they’re also using Facebook. And their employees are using LinkedIn, to connect with other professionals. How do you, as a small business owner, set yourself apart from the competition? Obviously you’ll have to be more creative with leveraging social media, and with finding alternative platforms where you can engage with customers. You’ll have to seize overlooked opportunities for marketing, or create these opportunities where none exist. Start by knowing there are other social networking tools in town. Like Flickr, for example. Okay, so we can almost hear you say it. Flickr? Really? How do you use that for marketing? Um, isn’t Flickr a picture community for hobbyists and photographers and artists? Just like Vimeo is a video community? And doesn’t Flickr explicitly say that you can’t use the site for commercial purposes? All of the questions above have a point, but that doesn’t mean you can’t - Read the full article

Flickr for Small Business: 14 Tips for the Social Media Tool Few Are Using is a post from: Lakeshore Branding