new customer acquisition using organic search

The Association is here to help business owners who are tired of promoting like crazy, making 100's of phone calls and end up getting stonewalled by the deflector shields of their target audience.  Wondering if there is another option to expensive Pay-Per-Click Campaigns? There is! 

Qualifed and educated customers new customers CAN be acquired with less effort and cost. 

This blog explores different options available for new customer acquisition. Fortunately, one of my jobs at The Association is to "translate" online advertising and promotional tools (and other related elements) into plain english.  I deliberately avoid being over-techincal with terms and try to use lots of stories or analogies.  Pictures and charts too if I can get them! 

Confused about all the online options available? Check out our other blogs and get some answers.  Can't decide what to do? Then get more information! Call us, we can help.

1. What are the basic 20 steps for setting up your camera?  

2. What is the transcoding process?

3. What are the limitations of the 4:2:0 color space?

4. What are my options for support & handheld rigging?
 
5. Should I shoot FAITHFUL or...?

6. How can I avoid the CMOS sensor overheating?

7. How do I import my shots into Final Cut Pro? 
 
8. What are my audio options? 
 
9. What kind of memory cards do I use? 
 
10. What do I use to offload the cards in the field? 
 
11. How do I avoid moiré and rolling shutter issues? 
 
12. What do I do if my camera overheats and shuts off?

13. Can I shoot Auto Iris?

14. Can I shoot Auto Focus?

15. Is the sensor bigger than the RED?

 

Not so say that these are the ONLY questions we'll answer. This Boot Camp is for YOU, the independent filmmaker. Or the still photographer. Or even the newbie struggling with settings. So if there is a question not represented here, ask by submitting a comment below. We are very interested in what you want to learn.

New to our Canon Boot Camp? Scan the QR code below with your phone to sign up for our newsletter, or click the sign-up icon below.

 

 

Last night The Association had the pleasure of meeting Dawn Hope of the Clickers & Flickers Photo Network. Celine had found the group online, and we inevitably got invited to their next networking event. So sallied forth wondering if we were walking into yet another dry and boring dinner with overdone chicken breasts. 

What we found was a passionate group of still photographers and other creatives (even a nun!) who shared a desire to tell stories with light. And as Fletch poignantly pointed out during the introductions, filmmaking is simply a succession of still photographs.

Never heard of Clickers & Flickers? Here's a blurb from their website about who and what they are: 

 Clickers and Flickers is a dynamic, ever expanding network of photographers, digital artists, darkroom artists, filmmakers, curators, photographic vendors and photo enthusiasts of all kinds. Our members range in expertise from complete beginners to working professionals to nationally known artists. This mix is one of our strengths. The combination of an amateur’s passion and a professional’s expertise stoke the creative fires of all our members.

Our premiere event is our monthly dinner lecture. We attract world class photographers and photo professionals, such as publishers, curators, collectors, photo magazine editors and writers to speak on their area of expertise. Check out our list of past speakers. Your favorite photographer is most probably there.

It's true. They've had an amazing array of speakers at their dinner lectures. Architectural photographers Julius Shulman and Marvin Rand. Rock and roll photographers Henry Diltz and Jim Marshall. Into Travel? How about  chatting it up with National Geographic photographer Gerd Ludwig and stock photographer Jim Zuckerman?

Then there's landscape photographer Marc Meunch or wildlife photographer B. “Moose” Peterson.  Andrew Bernstein and Howard Bingham headed up the sports arena. And of course, the  photojournalism end has been held up by Boris Yaro and Steve Schapiro.

The list goes on. Fashion: Melvin Sokolsky. Nudes: Howard Schatz. Museum photography curator: Tim Wride. Stock photography: John Lund.

Dawn's got it going on in the networking department. She probably knows the Pope. Or someone who's photographed him. She's has the energy of a puppy, maybe even more enthusiasm. In short, she's a joy. And she's in love with photography.

The event was held at the Castaway restaurant right here in Burbank. Asides from the lovely view, we were treated to a nice dinner with our choice of salmon, chicken or London broil. I had the salmon, which was quite tasty. The speaker of the night was William Carter, who presented us with a selection of photographs spanning 5 decades. The evening was split more or less evenly between the initial networking at the beginning, and William's gentle and humorous monolog paired with his slideshow.

Along with a few other artists, we had access to a table to promote the Canon Boot Camp, which attracted a fair amount of attention. We met a number of fine photographers and other enthusiasts. Suffice to say, we may find ourselves giving a future boot camp in Africa while on safari. So keep your eye's peeled for a future Filmmaker's Notebook newsletter so you don't miss out on the trip!

Anyway, filmmakers are welcome to attend the events! The next dinner lecture is May 30th (Wednesday) with Mark Boster, called the  "Four Seasons of Yosemite." Those interested in attending should contact Dawn or visit the Clickers & Flickers website for more information.

 

 

The Association's Canon Boot Camp has been busy since the start of the year! Prague. Burbank. Palm Springs.

Since the start of the year we have trained over 80 Canon Boot Camp participants in the ways of Canon DSLR. Here's a few comments from recent classes:

"Overall I loved it. Had a blast and learned a lot." S.H.

"Fletch and crew were wonderful!" C.L.

"I enjoyed the course. I was worried I might be ahead of the curve since I have shot before but I learned some great tips and tricks." R.H.

"Thanks, I enjoyed the workshop. It was an excellent experience!" J.H.

We've really enjoyed the process of creating and improving both Pro Level I (basic DSLR training) and Pro Level II (Advanced DSLR).  Unique to our training is our hands-on approach while still maintaining a strong foundation in the basics.  And with over 2 years of experience in getting shooters of all backgrounds quickly up and running with the Canon HDSLR, we've decided to make a fundamental change in how we deliver our signature Canon camera classes.

Up to this point, the Basic class (Pro Level I) and the advanced class (Pro Level II) have been offered as separate classes, each for $399 (early discount sign up rate - it's $499 if you wait till the last minute!). However, the full benefit of the Pro Level I training really ripens when you get down and dirty with an actual shoot, complete with script, lighting, etc.

We've also discovered that no matter how trained or experienced participants are, if they only take Pro Level II, they need at least some of the basic training offered in Pro Level I. One of those, "you don't know what you don't know" situations, but with the number of mental light bulbs going off in Pro Level I, it didn't make sense to deprive even the most well seasoned shooters of the basic training.

 

So, to cover the bases for everyone, we are combining Pro Level I and Pro Level II into one, 2-Day Boot Camp. Really, nothing changes except that there's only one Boot Camp now instead of two. We still deliver both basic and advanced/pro levels! The pricing stays the same, in that the combined classes are $699 if you register by midnight the Weds before the Boot Camp starts (after that it's $989 - so save $300 and register early).

The Burbank Boot Camps will still be on Saturdays and Sundays (usually the last weekend of the month).

If you had your heart set on only attending Pro Level I or only Pro Level II, you're in luck. We still have a couple slots left in the April 28th and April 29th classes. The month of May won't see any classes, and in June, we switch to the new 1 Boot Camp mode of one 2-day class. If you want in on the April 28th class, book right now or you might miss out. There are literally just a couple seats left as we limit the class size.

If I've completely confused you, give me a ring at The Association! We're down for real conversations on the phone or in person. We'd love to hear from you either way!

There's a lot of competition in the film and video industry no matter what specific role you might play.  Actors, filmmakers, editors, voiceover actors - pretty much everyone has a ton of other people just as good as them or better vying for a spot on an upcoming production. So how can anyone create a presence that really stands out with it's own brand?

One tool that I have come across recently is a branded video show. Simply called "My Video Web Show." this tool allows anyone to create a customized online video resume without having any programming experience. It's been available for about 9 years, but only recently arrived in the United States once the streaming video infrastructure was advanced enough to support the MyVideoWebShow technology. Here's an example of a branded video resume we created for Carlos Reig-Plaza, "Actor Without Borders" featuring some of his movie roles.

The MyVideoWebShow tool allows Carlos to upload all his video clips and demo reels and host them in the cloud without having to download any software. The site may be easily customized with a branded banner and preferred colors. Viewers may leave comments, share the site on a variety of social networks, as shown below:

This video platform allows the user to create multiple shows and cross promote them in one place. For Carlos, we created separate shows for movies, TV shows, and voiceover. Each show features content that relates to its specific category. But no matter which show you're viewing at the moment, the other shows are listed as well for quick access and viewing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The videos play on iPhone, Android and other mobile devices as well. Not only does MyVideoWebShow act as a branded Youtube or Vimeo site, users can host a live webshow at anytime. This is a great feature for anyone with upcoming events, such as a movie or show release, grand opening etc. Got a new movie coming out? Host regular shows to brief fans on the latest movie developments, record each show and host it on your MyVideoWebShow site for 24/7 access. Each WebShow may be optimized for search engines using tags, just like YouTube and Vimeo sites - but automatically without all the ads. The WebShows even integrate with Google AdSense.

While most will prefer to allow full public access to each video clip on their MyVideoWebShow site, it is also easy to password protect each video for the purposes of privacy, limited access or in order to monetize the videos. So there is a whole host of options available. This is just one of the video options available as part of the MyVideoWebShow package. It also includes several other useful features for promoting. Here's the short list of main feaures you have access to at no extra charge:

 

1. Branded Video Email marketing tools (MyVideoDesigner)
2. Live Video Web Broadcasking (MyVideoBroadcaster)
3. Branded HD Video Channels with no advertising (MyVideoChannel)
4. 24/7 Video Web Show (MyVideoWebShow)
5. 16 Person Video & Web Conferencing solution (MyVideoBoardroom)

Cost varies depending on how many videos need to be uploaded into the system (they have an easy to use encoder for translating any format, built right into the platform), but it's very affordable. It ranges from $299 to $429 setup fee and $50 a month for the WebShow package. Branded Video Emails are available for as low as $15 per month, also a great promotional tool.

Interested in a demo? Email Trevor to schedule a demo and go over possible application for your business, movie or video production capabilities.

 

 

 

Optimization may seem like it's really hard to understand. At least, I thought it was when I first got into the field of online marketing.

After studying it, and taking it apart, I came to realize optimization is quite simple. Since online optimization is crucial for any effective marketing plan, it's best to understand it as well as possible. Even if a business owner isn't personally going to "optimize" anything online, and the work is hired out, don't you want to know what your expert is doing?

Behind the shroud of complication is a really simple concept: Get found online.

Just about every business online is online because they want to get found, right? Why else would a business have a website? Actually, it almost doesn't matter what kind of online presence it is; website, Facebook Page, blog, etc. As long as it supports text and can be accessed by Google, it can be an effective tool to help a business get found. But let's keep it real and compare optimization to something we all are familiar with, which is finding a life partner. I know, strange right? But it's pretty similar and makes for a good analogy.

Here's the scenario from a bygone era: Potential Groom is looking for a Potential Bride. Today's it's online dating, but not so long ago, a well-to-do gentleman hired a professional matchmaker to help him find a compatible mate. The Potential Groom describes qualities he desires, and the Matchmakers checks against her list of Potential Brides and their qualities. Since the Matchmaker's business is to know exactly what those qualities are, she has her little black book all filled out in advance so she may make matches more quickly.

For a business, the roles are as follows:  The potential customer or prospect is the Groom who is looking for certain qualities. The website is the Bride, and has listed her qualities in specific, known places for the Matchmaker to locate and categorize.  The Matchmaker in this case is Google (and other search engines like Yahoo or Ask.com) who makes it their business to know every publicly listed website on the web and their qualities. Google's systematic categorization of websites could be likened to the Library of Congress. Can you imagine walking into a library and not having access to an index to find a book or other publication? Obviously you'd never find the book you were looking for without a systematic approach and an index. Indexing documents and publications (websites, etc.) is the role that Google fills, except that it's online.

The bottom line is that optimization comes down to making sure your online presence (whatever it consists of) is findable and maybe categorized properly by Google and other search engines. There's no magic, just systematic and precise procedures to get the right words into the right places. While that's a whole technology in itself, and it's best to have professionals optimize websites, anyone can leverage a blog and learn basic techniques to create better visibility for their business. Of all the tools, blogs are the best and easiest to implement.

For more information and an increased understanding, watch my free webinar which discusses blogs in more depth, and clears up a few other basic terms used in corporate social media. Ever wonder where the word "blog" comes from? Or "Google?" Find out by watching the webinar! Happy blogging.

 

 

Canon HDSLR video technology is moving fast. Are you on the Canon Cutting Edge?

Nearly every day here at The Association we get requests and resumes from DPs, Directors, actors and various other industry pros that would like to work with our company in various areas. While it would be wonderful to give everyone employment, it's just not feasible for a variety of reasons. The primary one being that we can't hire everyone, obviously. But what if there was a way to get work into the hands of many of these pros even if we aren't the ones hiring them directly?

And so the Canon Boot Camp was born. As a result of taking the class, many of our graduates have been able to book jobs using their new DSLR skills.

Fletch Murray, the chief instructor for the class, started the Canon Boot Camp to bring this cutting edge technology to anyone who wants to grasp it and run with it. I know, I know. You've probably been to a "workshop" to learn the video capabilities of the Canon DSLR 5D or a similar camera, paid $30 or so and sat through a class that didn't really make you more capable. This isn't the kind of training we deliver.

Our attitude is more like this: we assume you've lied your way onto a video job and you need to know how the camera works. How it REALLY works. Not just the theory behind it. The actual settings, how to set up the lighting, and even the post production work flow.

To accomplish this, we've created two levels of classes: Pro Level I and Pro Level II.

Pro Level I: The Basics to Shoot Like a Pro

Pro Level I is geared for anyone. We have had industry pros, still photographers and even a few people who had just purchased a Canon DSLR 5D and weren't sure yet how to turn it on. To prepare people for the class, Fletch has prepared a Reference Manual with the terms and concepts each person needs to know before they come to the class. This class is a level playing field for anyone that wants to learn Canon HDSLR Video basics, and comes with Canon Certification.

Pro Level II: Advanced Training: Shoot With the Pros

The Advanced level of our Canon camera classes, this is where we put into action what was covered in Pro Level I. Complete with script, actor(s), cameras, lighting and all the trimmings, the participants shoot a sequence of scenes designed specifically to impart specific skills. Here's a few videos that were shot by Pro Level II participants:

The Association's Canon Boot Camp Pro Level II class is in production on a soon-to-be released short film titled "...kindle" starring Anna Easteden and Rachid Makhlouf.

This excerpt shows the results of our scenes lit by candlelight shot at ISO 1250-2500, using Canon lenses on a 5D and 7D.

 

Our Pro Level II Boot Camp grads try out their new found skills with the Canon 5D Mark II camera in this exciting vampire short, "The Nun Who Lied".

We chose a Film Noir, black and white camera setting to show off the exceptionally thick, rich (no grain) blacks the Canon 5D can produce.

Our Canon Pro Level II class uses a dolly, jib arm and car mounts to follow our nun's escape from a dangerous, blood-sucking casting call. Thanks to our Boot Camp Alumni, who helped with the jib arms and car mounts.

Be scared. Be very, very scared.

(Special thanks to EVS for the use of their stage and generous support, to all of our talented cast and crew, and to Vara Reese for her editing.)

 

Curious about what's covered in the classes? Email me and get a copy of the Reference Manual for Pro Level I and look it over. Then you'll know.

The Association's Canon Boot Camp is going full force in Prague, our first international Canon Camera Class! Here's a few shots to give everyone a quick taste of the experience. If you'd like to sponsor a Canon Boot Camp in your town, shoot us an email, we're happy to discuss possibilities.

Our Canon camera classes were born out of a desire to help Industry Pros increase their skills with cutting edge cameras that reduce production costs while making film-making more nimble than ever. We provide our own Canon certification on Canon's DSLR 5D and other models. As new cameras like the Canon C300 and the Mark III come out, we'll be adding them to our class schedule.

Canon Europe was kind enough to make a Mark III available, so Fletch and the crew are already getting familiar with it's features. They'll be sharing everything they know at our April 28th Pro Level I Boot Camp. Join us!

The Association's now famous Canon Boot Camp has taught hundreds of Canon shooters the basics and advanced techniques of using the Canon DSLR 5D and other Canon digital cameras over the past few years. Over time we've worked out hands-on drills, in sequence, to teach our students what they need to know to get DSLR work of their own. We assume that each student has "lied" their way onto a production job the following Monday, and they need to know the camera fast.

We've been to the other available Canon classes. Tired of listening to someone drone on and on about the shots they took? Maybe you could look at the camera but couldn't touch it? That's not an active learning process that results in being able to take action with the camera. In contrast, Fletch Murray, the Chief Instructor and President of The Association, even created a Reference Manual for the Canon HDSLR to accompany the Boot Camp materials and prep the student in advance of taking the class. Just to make sure they can get the maximum benefit during the actual Boot Camp!

In the next few months we'll be expanding our Canon camera classes to include the new Canon C300 and the even newer Canon 5D Mark III to help our students stay on the cutting edge of EOS technology. As I write this, Fletch has his hands on the new Mark III courtesy of Canon Europe, a sponsor of the Prague Canon Boot Camp being hosted by Creovision. So even though the Mark III isn't generally available yet here in the US, Fletch will be one of the few who have checked out this camera's capabilities and will be sharing his knowledge at the upcoming April Boot Camp.

For those who'd like a first-hand peek at the Reference Manual for the Canon DSLR that Fletch created, it's available for limited time to those who inquire to me directly via email, even if you aren't planning on attending an upcoming Boot Camp any time soon. You'll be added automatically to our email newsletter for Boot Camp updates, and I'll send the Reference Manual via email.

 

 

A "Face Off" is a open competition or confrontation.

Every year the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), an organization that measures and scores companies of all kinds across 10 economic sectors (including governmental) scores Facebook and Google (along with many others) on how happy their customers are. Amazingly, Facebook scores among the lowest (bottom 6%).  Even though Facebook is clearly the social network of choice by sheer size.

So does Facebook have any real competition? Only time will tell. No one thought My Space was going to go anywhere, but it's a faint memory after being crushed by Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Anything's possible. But the current contender is definitely Google+.  I suspect that because of this competition, Facebook has been making sweeping changes to solidify their current holdings by improving their Business Pages and making it easier for businesses to tell their story online in a visually pleasing way. While it's true that people generally resist any change, personally I find the improved interface for Page Admins to be much nicer and easier to understand.

Google has very high ACSI scores (it maintains a score in the 80's) and if Google+ were to take down Facebook a notch or two, it's probably going to be because of their focus on customer experience. On the other hand, they have yet to nail the social network aspect despite several attempts. So it's going to be an interesting year to see who takes the lead. Many people, even older generations, have become somewhat familiar with Facebook while Google+ is still a new (and quite different) experience for the less savvy user. It may be a couple of years yet before Google+ is broadly adopted by consumers. Probably business owners incorporating Google+ into their corporate social media plans will be more proactive in getting on board.

What's your take? Do you prefer Facebook over Google+? If so, why?

 

Do you use the web as a research and shopping tool? Join the club.

In working with various business owners and individuals on enterprise social media campaigns, it has become increasingly clear that there are 2 activities nearly every modern human is familiar with, regardless of age. 1) Email, and 2) Online search.

Both email and searching online have been around for awhile, so nothing special there, beyond being super useful.  They just had more time to get embedded into everyday "normal" use. Business owners, especially small to medium sized businesses, can take advantage of this by promoting discussions and deals on social networks like Facebook and Yelp. For example, Facebook has profiles specifically tailored to business. These profiles are called "Pages" and are similar to personal profiles. However, a very important difference is Pages are fully indexed by search engines like Google. Personal profiles on Facebook are private by natures, and are only minimally indexed. 

Due the enormous size of Facebook, carving out a little bit of real estate on this network can provide a budding business with both online visibility and the ability to offer deals while maintaining discussions with customers/potential prospects. I'd go so far as to say that a new business should establish a presence with a Facebook Page first, then get their website going as a more long-term effort to "show up" online. It's just going to happen sooner on a social network like Facebook, which has tremendous momentum with search engines. The lag time to show up in search results for specific terms relating to your business could be as little as 3-4 months on Facebook, compared to a new website, which might take 6-12 months (if you work it and do it right).

If you're not familiar with long tail keyword research, now would be about the time to find out about it. Making your social network presence more "findable" through search can be accomplished by locating and using long tail keywords in your marketing copy. Really, part of any effective marketing plan today requires an online presence with long tail keywords. Or you can spend a ton of money on advertising with Google Adwords, which is another common option.

But considering the high amount of usage social networks get for deals, coupons and discussions relating to products and services, it's important to represent your own business on sites such as Yelp or Angie's List. Just because a business owner ignores these review sites doesn't mean their customers won't create an online profile on their behalf. Many restaurants and other brick and mortar shops are discovering they already have profiles, and both happy and unhappy customers have been talking about them for months. So get online, get involved. The conversation's already been started, all you have to do is join it.

Sometimes we get so busy producing our boot camps and handling productions that we forget how much talent we have coursing through the veins of The Association. For the benefit of those meeting us for the first time, perhaps through this blog, an introduction is in order for a couple of "The Boys." 

First up, Paul Fletcher Murray, or "Fletch" as we call him, our multi-Emmy award-winning director of photography. Fletch has shot over 200 films in 25 countries. Having been in the video production business for decades, there isn't much he doesn't know about production, filming and cameras. Getting his start producing local shorts for a TV news station in Tulsa, OK, he moved on to start his own production company in Los Angeles. For nearly 30 years (an impressive length of time for a private production company to be in business) The Association of Film and Video Producers has produced everything from commercials for Coors, Kawasaki, Alpine, Universal Studios Jaws Lagoon etc. to 90-minute documentaries.

Although Fletch is getting a reputation for knowing Canon DSLR cameras from our Canon camera classes, he has shot with a number of cameras: VistaVision, Panavision, Mitchell, Cinemascope, and Arriflex. Of his eighteen documentaries, the first won the Chicago Film Festival, his last documentary, ‘Google Me the Movie’, was spotlighted on ‘Oprah.' An excellent story teller, Fletch's scriptwriting skills once earned him a personal request from the now late J. Paul Getty to conduct an interview at his estate in England, as part of a docuseries Fletch created on Oil Tycoons, Getty being the last remaining living tycoon of his time.

Having shot hand-held, car-to-car, and helicopter, aerial shots in his award-winning career, there isn't much he hasn't mastered, and there's even less he's afraid of. 

So for those who want to shoot with the pros, Fletch has forgotten more than many filmmakers will ever master. He continues to be on the cutting edge of technology, constantly studying new cameras like Canon's C300 and the newly released Canon 5D Mark III. We'll be hearing more about these cameras in upcoming blog posts and our newsletter, so keep up to date by clicking on the event RSS Feed on this blog page or email us to be added to our newsletter. 

It appears we are getting social on the go. What's interesting to me is the age group that has expanded the most is the one stereotyped as "not social" or at least not that savvy with social media. Still, as tools and the social networks themselves become simplified, and perhaps because mobile phones are practically the only way to actually get through to anyone under the age of 25, the 55+ crowd is apparently getting better at navigating tiny keyboards

The statistics above don't show how engaged this older market is in actually sharing, however. I suspect that the younger set is much more active and less inclined to filter what they say online. So even though the 55+ market is rapidly expanding as far as mobile and social use go, the effect on business remains to be seen.  Or I should say that it's not represented in the graph above. From my experience, the 55+ and older crowd is willing enough to be social on channels like Facebook, but often lack the understanding to be effective. I know this because I often coach these more experience business owners on the use of social tools and blogging.

This graph from my Facebook Page "Really Simple Social Media" shows that the largest audience I have is 55+. Probably because the focus is on keeping social media simple. Younger people don't need my help in quite the same way as they don' t have as much trouble navigating through social networking sites.

What's this mean for companies engaging in corporate social media? Make it easy for Baby Boomers. Hidden menus like the kind found in Facebook (yes, there are navigation tools you can't see unless you hover your mouse over them) are not exactly 55+ friendly. 

Does Your Website Compete?

There are many websites out there. Only 10-15 websites show up on a Google search page for a given search term. Does your website show up the right search terms? Does it show up for ANY search terms?

Online marketing can be a frustrating experience. Back in the day, when the Internet was just getting started, just having a website (even if it was ugly) was enough. Now the online landscape is littered with websites and even more spam. If online spam could be converted to canned ham, we could feed the world.

Is your website being given the cold shoulder by search sites like Google and Yahoo? Wondering why no one seems to find your site? Well I used to wonder as well. But my analyses over the past few years have turned up an interesting piece of the puzzle. There is a common weakness I have observed for most websites, and if you could turn that weakness into a strength as a solution for the visibility of your own website, you'd have more visitors.

The solution is inexpensive. It can gain momentum as a marketing effort. It can drive up customers over time while driving down advertising costs. Sound good? What is it?

It's blogging.

Online Journaling

"Blog" is really just slang for an online diary or journal. Ever hear of "World Wide Web?" Of course you have. Also known as "The Internet," the World Wide Web (www - as in your website address) is so pervasive in our every day use, commerce would probably halt completely if we lost access to it.

Well, take the word "web" from "world wide web," and add it to the word "log" (like a log book), and you have the word "web log," the original word for blogging. Since saying "web log" makes people sound like they have a speech impediment (or perhaps are related to a species of frog), web log has been shortened down to just "Blog."

But it's just an  online journal. A self-published column of sorts. Yes, essentially you become your own journalist.

I'm not going to get technical on why Blogging is so important in today's blog post. I'm just trying to get across that blogging is an effective way your site can get more traction online, and get found by more searchers who are looking right now for what you offer. Yes, social media factors in their too, but social media is less important than blogging in the long run. Here at The Association we implemented a corporate blogging platform and now at least half of our of Canon Boot Camp sign ups come from search traffic, with no extra effort on our part.

Blogging has some built-in hurdles. Similar to having children, there's a learning curve (hey, it's less than 9 months!) as well as a long-term investment in terms of time and commitment to success. It's pointless to conceive a blog and then just let it sit unattended, orphaned by lack of time and/or content.

But like all problems, there is a solution if you look for it. I've already found the solutions to the above hurdles, and those willing to roll up their sleeves and learn some new tricks can overcome them easily. With a little coaching, you can learn to maximize the benefits of a blog, minimize the costs and time involved and reap the benefits for years.

 

 

 

 

Our February 25th Pro Level I Canon Boot Camp may feature TWO guest speakers. It's officially "Rig" day, as we'll be focusing on rigs for the Canon DSLR 5D and other models. This is one Canon camera class you won't want to miss! Both guest speakers will be covering rigs.

Our first guest speaker is Michael Valentine, AC. Michael has done TONS of work since graduating from the Los Angeles Film School in 2008. His resume features 15 commercials, 9 music videos, 3 fashion videos, 12 feature films and 15 short films. He's worked with Polly Morgan, DP on productions like "Mobius" and Emmanuel & The Truth About Fishes (starring Jessica Biel), as well as a number of other DPs.

His digital skills include experience in Arri Alexa, Canon DSLRs, Canon C300, the RED EPIC  & RED ONE, Sony F35 and the Panavision Genesis.  Currently he's the 1st AC for Polly Morgan, DP, and is doing a lot of filming with the Canon 5D as well as the our new fav camera, the Canon C300. Fletch Murray, the Chief Instructor for the Canon Boot Camp, will be interviewing Michael (and our other featured guest speaker) on the technical aspects of rigging cameras: car mounts, underwater, custom rigs, building rigs and adapting cameras to different situations.

So if you have any interest in underwater shoots or rigs for the Canon DSLR 5D/7D, don't miss the first part of the Feb 25th boot camp! To find out more about our Canon camera classes, visit www.canonbootcamp.com. Availability of speakers is subject to change without notice and does not affect class cost.

Mobile is an increasingly important aspect of an effective online marketing plan. It's not enough to have an incredible website even if the content is optimized with long tail keyword research. It's got to be mobile-optimized. What does that mean? It means it's got to read well on a smartphone, iPad or other small mobile device. Just because you have a website doesn't mean it shows up well on a mobile device.

If over half of US smartphone users are accessing Facebook on their phone, there's probably a 50% chance that your customers are also trying to access your website on their phone. Can they? Websites that aren't optimized for mobile are harder to navigate. Paging through the site is a pain because of the extra scrolling one has to do just to navigate the site. 

It also just plain looks ugly when I access a site on my smartphone that isn't optimized for mobile, as the elements of the site can move out of place instead of being laid out with some kind of sense.

So how do you know if your site is optimized for mobile? There are a number of apps available that will tell/show you the current state of your site's "mobileness" online. I tried some out, and the one I liked the most was http://validator.w3.org/mobile/. It gives a simple overview of where a site stands on mobile effectiveness, along with a list of where it needs to be improved. 

If a site is fairly new, it's probably on a platform that is already mobile optimized, but it's worth checking out! Some may argue that most people still do their Internet browsing on their desktop. Stats on mobile usage indicate increasing usage worldwide. Still not sure? Well, how would you rank your own use of mobile? Is it increasing? Mine is. Sooner or later it's mobile will be more mainstream than not, is my guess. Is your website going to be ready?

Owners of Ecommerce sites are probably going to be more interested in this statistical set of information. For those not familiar with Facebook Business Pages (like a personal profile on Facebook, only it's for a business), Pages allow businesses to create a version of their website on Facebook. Pages are completely indexed by search engines (unlike personal profile pages), and it's an excellent opportunity to improve your search rankings online. For a full explanation of the "Like" feature in Facebook, read Exact Target's excellent report (mentioned in the graphic above) HERE.

The search optimization part aside, if you're going to have a Page for customers, best to offer something! There are a variety of applications and tools you can use to provide an offer. We used Constant Contact's new Social Promotions tool to create a simple custom welcome page on our Facebook Page. It allowed me to quickly and easily offer a free downloadable article in exchange for "Liking" the page.

Email Marketing by Constant Contact also allows you to do the following:

• Choose from more than 400 easily customized email templates—or create your own from scratch.
• Create highly visual, professional-looking email newsletters and promotions in just minutes.
• Drive more traffic to your website with focused, targeted email communications.
• Build and manage your email list: import existing customer lists, add names individually, or capture contact information from website visitors.
• Measure your email campaign results instantly-check click-through rates, review new subscribers, and see who opened and clicked on each link so you can tailor your follow-up communications.
• Send automated communications to new sign-ups via our Autoresponder tool.
• Communicate with your audience with confidence, knowing that Constant Contact will take care of getting your email delivered and keep you CAN-SPAM compliant.

 Click on the link below to start a free 60 day trial.

For most business, there will be something they can offer that would give a new visitor enough of a reason to click "Like" and connect to the page. Test out different downloads, discounts or other offers and see what gets the most action.