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During January Ambidextrous Services hosted a “Free Pressure Washing Website” drawing.  Well, January is up and it’s time to announce the winners!

Our drawing hand grabbed more than one name, so to be fair, we decided to give out prizes to all three names that got stuck together.  Didn’t seem right to choose just one from the bunch.   Here they are:

1st Place

Jason Murphy of HydroClean
A Brand New Website!!

2nd Place

Russ Spence of ProKleen
Professional Facebook Branding!!

3rd Place

Micah Kommers of EcoClean Upstate
Free Web Hosting for 1 Year!!

Congratulations to our winners!

In short, yes.  Now let me tell you what, why and how.

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is the creation and sharing of content for the purpose of promoting a product or service.

Why Should Small Businesses be Using Content Marketing

Every business wants to succeed. But not every (small) business is doing what it needs to succeed.  Corporations have invested quite a bit in blogging and social media the past few years, which has increasingly earned popularity because of its successfulness.

Small businesses who act on content marketing have an edge over those who do not.  Your niche market will be performing either localized searches, or specific searches that are unique.  Your knowledge about these items will make your content invaluable to those readers, and in turn, search engines.

How Small Businesses Should Be Using Content Marketing

Share that knowledge with the world by means of blogging and social media by means of a blog hosted on your website.  Promote your knowledge.  By positioning yourself as a resource in your industry, you will gain the trust and brand recognition your small business needs.  This will lead to more traffic on your website.

Here’s the punchline: Use That Traffic To Qualify Leads and Nurture Prospects

Getting traffic to your site and gaining brand recognition is not the end.  Promote something on your site to qualify your traffic.  Offer a coupon, an e-book, an exclusive tidbit, something.  You get the point.  Capture their name, email address and phone number.  This takes them from a “Visitor” to a “Lead”.  Compile organized lists of leads, then nurture them through email marketing.  You’ll see results faster than you can imagine.

Let Ambidextrous Services Help with Content Marketing

In June 2011, Google+ was launched as a social network site that attracted millions of users by it’s exclusive “Invitation Only” registration.  In early November, Google+ announced business pages.  Now that the platform not only enables the public to interact together, but also invites businesses to sign up and get involved, what should you be doing?

Google+ For Business, Made Simple

The Google+ Button In Search Results

We’ve all seen it. That little icon with the plus sign in it, beckoning for our attention.   It is essentially, similar to Facebook’s “Like” button.  Only it’s implemented by Google, so not only is it going to show up on search results, but your “Circle’s” recommendations will be visible there to you as well.  As a business, wouldn’t it be helpful if a prospective customer saw your link in a search result, with a “This site is recommended by (insert someone’s name they know!)”?  This gives your business an immediate reputation boost, without you needing to do anything at all.

The Google+ Button on Your Website

To take this a step further, Google has added a way to make your website the “Official” website of a Google+ Business page, thereby increasing the reputation of your business just by having a page and inserting the code on your site.  Websites using Google’s +1 button get 3.5x the Google+ visits.  Putting the button on your site will increase it’s effectiveness even if one person ‘+1′s’ you.

The Google+ Business Page

Having a Google+ Business page will soon be just as expected as having a Facebook & Twitter business page.  Promoting your website, new content, interacting with customers, community projects, new releases, etc are all ways to utilize your Google+ Business page.

Google+ will keep evolving.  Many right now might be underestimating the potential of Google+ due to its low membership base compared to Facebook, but it is worth recognizing its youth as well as its strong tie to search results.  Google+ is not just any social network.  It’s a platform that is directly impacting search results, so getting on board now will pay off!

Our automotive web design team at Ambidextrous Services in Raleigh has been hard at work creating several new web designs for automotive shops around the country! We would love for you to check them out. Here are are latest auto shop web design works:

Hubbard Woods Motors

Hubbard Woods Motors wanted a clean, refreshing web design that complimented the professional atmosphere found in their automotive shop. Serving the Mini Cooper and Volvo owners in the greater Chicago area, Hubbard Woods Motors required a professional, yet modern web design that was easy for their customers to use. Their web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Home & Secondary Page Layout Designs
• Custom Submission Forms
• Landing Pages
• Owner Operated Bulletin Board
• Advanced SEO
• Parallel Mobile Web Site

Garry’s Auto Repair

Garry’s Auto Repair is not only a  full service auto repair facility, but they also offer collision repair as well.  With easy to use features such as a online appointment scheduler and interactive directions page, Garry’s Auto Repair is ready to serve it’s automotive customers

• Custom Graphics
• Advanced SEO
• Interactive Directions Page
• Online Appointment Scheduler
• Landing Pages
• Dynamic Content

The automotive web design team has several more auto shop web design launching soon, so keep your eye out for them!

Our web design team is proud to have our new clients, and congratulates them on their new web designs!

Our fabulous web design team at Ambidextrous Services in Raleigh has been hard at work creating several new web designs! We would love for you to check them out. Here are are latest web design works:

Shallotte Family Dentistry

Shallotte Family Dentistry wanted a clean, refreshing web design that complimented the atmosphere found in their new office. Combining their awesome logo design and cool colors, we created a web design that not only calms but is eye pleasing as well! Their web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Home & Secondary Page Layout Designs
• Custom Submission Forms
• Advanced SEO

Peak Pool & Spa
Peak Pool & Spa was in great need of a web design that not only demonstrated their high standards of quality, but also performed online with a highly competitive market. The online competition was strong, but is no match for the web design team at Ambidextrous Services! Combining our creative web design and marketing techniques, Peak Pool & Spa can barely keep up with the flow of work that their new web design brings in! The Peak Pool & Spa web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Advanced SEO
• Content Managment System
• Blog
• Dynamic Content

KM DJ Company

KM DJ Company is a long-standing customer of Ambidextrous Services. While their previous web design still performed, it was in serious need of a web design update. Our team went to work to add in as much of the latest technology and techniques to create an awesome and interactive web design. The fresh, new KM DJ Company web redesign includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Advanced SEO
• Content Managment System
• Social Media Integration
• Blog
• Dynamic Content

DanielBJackson.com

DanielBJackson.com needed a bright, colorful and upbeat web design to appeal to the weight loss market. The web design needed to not only include all the selling points to a weight loss program, but also feature the money-earning opportunity of the campaign. The Your Business Can Trade web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Content Managment System
• Blog
• Advanced SEO
• Video Integration
• Dynamic Content
  

Our web design team is proud to have our new clients, and congratulates them on their new web designs!

So you have a following on Facebook…what now?

Building a branded Facebook business page has become a must for many businesses.  Since the marketing game has evolved into social media, you should put some thought and energy into planning and managing your Facebook page.  It is a public portal into your business, just like your website!

“The rapid adoption of the ‘like’ button and the rise of the Facebook ‘homepage’ are indications that marketing on Facebook has become a necessity for businesses large and small,” said Kimberly Maul, eMarketer writer/analyst and co-author of the new report, “Facebook Marketing: Strategies for Turning ‘Likes’ into Loyalty.” “Yet the fact that some companies have made Facebook the primary way they engage with consumers online raises serious questions about the risks and rewards of marketing within another company’s structure and rules.”

Big business use Facebook for marketing.  The progression of businesses utilizing social media outlets like Facebook is astounding, doubling business usage in less than 18 months.

How can you engage your fans and build loyalty? 

• Video posts
• Solicited Fan Stories or Comments
• Replying to Fan Posts or Comments
• Posting Exclusive Coupons or Specials

“‘Like’ is only the beginning,” said Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer principal analyst and co-author of the report. “It is much harder to sustain the relationship post-click than it is to get consumers to make that first click. A brand’s Facebook fanbase is only as strong as the effort put into managing it.”

The web design team at Ambidextrous Services in Raleigh has been putting the final touches on several new web designs! We would love for you to check them out.  Here are are latest web design works:

All Dolled Up of Raleigh

All Dolled Up of Raleigh is an event benefiting Interact.  Our web design team had to accomplish attracting a high end female market and also sponsors to make the event successful.  The web design also had to feature an easy to use payment system that would email attendees a reciept and an entry ticket for the event. Their web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Home & Secondary Page Layout Designs
• Payment Gateway
• Scrolling Facts
• ** Also Matching Magazine Ads, Entry Tickets, Banners, Programs and Handouts Were Produced **

BluSphere, Inc.

BluSphere was an interesting web design simply for the dynamics.  To accomplish this unique web design our programmers had to include a graphical home page, ecommerce site, content manager, photo gallery with custom user-rating system, webcam, live weather feeds, and a newsletter! Our web team was in need of a vacation when we were done!  The BluSphere web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Flash Alternative Enhancements
• Live Weather Feeds
• Webcam Integration
• Multiple Photo Galleries with Custom Rating System
• Search Engine Optimization
• Content Management System
• E-Commerce Store
• Newsletter Integration

Heartland Log Home Supply

Heartland Log Home Supply wanted a unique web design that would appeal to homeowners accross the nation.  Their web design includes custom graphics, and e-commerce store, multiple photo galleries and an easy to use administration section.

• Custom Graphics
• E-Commerce Site
• Photo Galleries
• Content Management System

 
YourBusinessCanTrade.com

YourBusinessCanTrade.com has one focus: educating business owners on the benefits of trading instead of paying cash.  Our web designers had to portray not only a professional appearance in the web design, but also attract business owners by not looking scammy.  The Your Business Can Trade web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Video Integration
• Multiple Contact Forms
• Content Management System
• Social Media Integration

Our web design team is proud to have our new clients, and congratulates them on their new web designs!

It’s been a busy few weeks! Our web design team has been working hard on several new designs, and we are proud to announce MORE web design launches! Here are are latest web design works:

Entertainment & Sports International
Entertainment & Sports International develops unique entertainment experiences which deliver great value for consumers, increased attendance for venues, and tremendous exposure to marketers. With three dynamic markets, our web design team had an interesting dilemma in presenting a web design that would appeal to all three. Their web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Home & Secondary Page Layout Designs
• Landing Pages

Born Again Pressure Washing

Born Again Pressure Washing is owned and operated out of Jacksonville, FL. Which by the way is a fiercely competitive market for power washers. Our web design not only had to captivate interest quickly, but also incorporate advanced seo tactics. This web design has it all! The Born Again Pressure Washing web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Flash Alternative Enhancements
• Multiple Photo Galleries
• Search Engine Optimization
• Content Management System
• Blog
• Newsletter Integration

Sparks Wings & Ribs – Mobile Website!

Sparks Wings & Ribs is a hot spot in Apex, attracting the masses with secret sauces, big screen tv’s and live entertainment. With a large amount of traffic already streaming to their web site, Sparks decided it was time to make their presence known in the mobile web design world. Since the current Sparks web design includes a content manager, our web design team had to make sure the mobile web design could automatically stream their updated content without updating two web designs. Mission accomplished!!! Our web design team rocks! The Sparks Mobile Web Design Includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Streamed Content From PC Web Design
• Dynamic Content
• Click to Call Feature
• Click for Directions Feature

Our web design team is proud to have our new clients, and congratulates them on their new web designs!

So you pull up your email after getting your first cup of coffee, and this email subject line grabs your attention: “Get Your Business At the Top of Google in 24 Hours!” You click on it, and it reads somewhat similar to this:

We get your business on the Front TOP Page of Google in less than 24 hours for NO COST! 

What would being on the front page of Google do for your business?
Plain and simple, it would increase sales / profits by over 45%. 

Not only does being on the front page of Google bring in much more business, it also helps your company’s reputation and marks you as an expert in your field

•  We do the work and get you on the top front page of Google next to the map before you pay a dime!
• No Contracts….everything’s month to month based on your satisfaction
• First page Google placement within 24 hours & we keep you on the first page -Guaranteed
• Complimentary 2-page Website if requested

Call Us Today!  You can’t afford NOT to!

So is this worth looking into?  Who are these people, how can they guarantee results, and, more importantly, how did they get your contact information?

The bottom line is, THIS IS SPAM.  You are on a computer generated list of email recipients, who are ALL getting this same email.  There is NO way that a company or person can do the correct research for your market, business and needs, and do the same for EVERYONE else on the email list too.  Consider some facts:

1. Google and other search engines do not publish their algorythms (formulas for calculating who gets placed where) to ANYONE
2. Google and other search engines change these algorythms periodically
3. NO ONE, business or personal, can guarantee a particular spot in organic search results.  They are not sold.

How Do I Get Good Placement on Search Engines?

Google gets 74% of search traffic, 7 out of 10 consumers look to Google for advice on who they should spend their money with. 84% of Google searches never make it past the first page, while 75% of all clicks come from the first 3 listings on Google.

Here are some things that are considered when search engines look at your site:

• Unique, Fresh Content
• Unique Title Tags, Descriptions & Keywords for each page
• Page Load Speed
• Inbound Links that are Relevant to Your Site’s Content

Business Listings with search engines oftentimes show up in search results higher than other listings, so it is important that this information is accurate and links back to your site as well.

NEXT WEEK: What To Look For In A Search Engine Marketing Company

Ambidextrous Services has been busy putting the final touches on several new web designs! Our web design team has worked hard and we are proud to show off some of our recent work:

DC Electric of Raleigh

DC Electric of Raleigh is a locally owned electrical service firm. Their web design needs were quite simple: present their business with the same quality and style of the work they perform. Our web design team got to work and launched a new web design. Their new web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Flash Alternative Enhancements
• Multiple Photo Galleries
• Live Online Calendar for Scheduling

Picture Perfect Makeup

Picture Perfect Makeup is owned by a fabulously talented makeup designer out of St. Paul, MN. The web design needs of Picture Perfect Makeup centered around showing off their wonderful work. Their web design is fresh, soothing, and includes some wonderful photography! The Picture Perfect Makeup web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Flash Alternative Enhancements
• Multiple Photo Galleries
• Content Management System
• Blog

Underwood & Roberts, PLLC

Underwood & Roberts, PLLC is a unique law firm that provides a wide range of tax, legal and business services. The web design focus was to ensure the presentation of professionalism, security, and quality. Our web design team created a web design that loads quickly, provides clear, concise content, and conveys quality. The Underwood & Roberts web design includes:

• Custom Graphics
• Flash Alternative Enhancements
• Dynamic Content
• Click to Call Feature for Mobile Devices

Our web design team is proud to have our new clients, and congratulates them on their new web designs!