You will have the opportunity to learn and grow in one or more of the following areas:
• Google Analytics
• Search engine optimization
• Pay per click advertising
• Social-media management
• Online-reputation management
• Blogging
• Website writing and content creation
• Website video production
• Online engagement

You will receive:
• Mentorship from our Internet Marketing leader with monthly evaluations
• Direct training with experienced industry leaders
• Experience working in a business casual office environment
• A computer to use during your internship
• Academic credit if coordinated with your school
• A flexible schedule
• Linkedin recommendations and a written job performance/recommendation
• A foot in the door at a growing company
• Practice talking with clients and learning to evaluate their needs
• Opportunity to test for certifications
• A company intern blog

Requirements:
• Rising college junior (or above) pursuing a degree in marketing, advertising, pr, communications, English, or other applicable field.
• Availability to work in our office 15 – 20 hours per week and on your own 5 – 10 hours per week during an approximate 3-month period.
• You need to be organized and able to speak and write clearly.
• You must be an active user of the Internet, enjoy writing, have a knack for analyzing data, and have experience with social media, such as Twitter, FaceBook, or blogging.

We are not Metro accessible, therefore you must have your own reliable vehicle; however, because we are at the Occoquan River, most area commutes are against traffic.

To be considered for this internship, send us your resume and, where available, marketing materials, writing samples, and links to any publicly available online presence you wish to share.

Newer browser versions provide a significantly better online experience because of their improved features and security. As the web continues to change and evolve, more complex applications and functions are now available and are a key component of a modern fully functional website.

Support of older browsers and technologies like IE6 limits our ability to upgrade and make use of new web features. Please upgrade your browser today so you can take advantage of features only available in newer-version browsers. There are many choices, including:

• Internet Explorer 8
• Firefox 3.6+
• Google Chrome 3+
• Opera 10+
• Safari 4+

If you need additional information about difficulties which can arise with older browsers, the following sites provide more details:

• Google
• YouTube
• Basecamp (project management)
• SalesForce

Please note, we are not “blocking” older browsers. If you use an older browser, you can continue to do so; however, websites may not look right or work properly in an older browser.

Let us know if you have any questions concerning NetStrategies’ discontinued support of Internet Explorer 6 or other older browsers.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/benmurray/4346823749/

Though NetStrategies is located in northern Virginia, in the midst of the blizzard, Internet marketing services for our customers marched forward uninterrupted. Our team members telecommuted from home, managing PPC campaigns, updating customer sites for search engine optimization, implementing Web development changes, and more.

Today’s technology is an amazing thing! It surprised a few customers to hear our voices when they telephoned that week for help. We communicated through instant messaging, telephone, and email…with no break in service…pretty cool.

If you have a D.C. Blizzard story to share, please add your comments!

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/frankblacknoir/

Once you determine goals for your Web site and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to drive and measure that goal’s success, the next step is to create goals and KPIs for your supporting Internet marketing efforts including content.

Content includes everything from the text on your Web site pages, to your blog, video, Tweets, white papers, case studies, calls to action, forms, AdWords campaigns, e-mail campaigns, PowerPoint presentations, news releases… Whew! It’s no wonder content is so vital to online success and precisely why you need a strategy!

A sample content goal: Company ABC is a leading online resource center for energy-saving ideas in your home.

Who are you writing for?
Company ABC must first clearly understand its target customer. What words would this customer use online to search out this kind of information? How basic or advanced is the customer’s understanding of in-home projects? What are the key demographics for your target group? Any details you include help you choose the right kinds of content and speak in the language of that customer.

What do you want them to do?
Once you understand the target customer, decide what types of content work best. You also need to decide what outcomes you desire. Do you want a visitor to simply read, listen, or watch your content? Or do you want the prospect to take additional action and pay for a service? Watch this Internet Marketing TV video for an in depth look at cross promotion ideas.

Key points to remember…
Set a goal.
Know your target audience.
Plan your strategy.
Map it out on the calendar.
Cross promote.

For an in depth look at content strategy, follow Joe Pulizzi’s blog.

If you want to read some fantastic writing advice, watch Copyblogger.

The Google Business Solution Center lists several options for getting your content out through Google.

DoshDosh wrote an article about content strategy with some great suggestions.

How do you ensure online success? You set measurable goals and key performance indicators, or KPIs, to drive those goals.


Photo Credit: Matt McGee, http://www.flickr.com/photos/pleeker/123027910/

Setting online goals can be tricky. You want them to be meaningful and measurable. Without them, you cannot determine whether your site benefits your organization. More importantly, you cannot drive progress.

Think about your business or organization and decide what success looks like. Here is an example of an online goal and two KPIs a business to business company might select.

Company ABC’s main Web site goal is to grow the business 25 percent in 2010. They determine two main KPIs to drive and measure. The first: average 50 qualified leads per week. The second: sign 50 new customers this year. They can track these KPIs through Web site analytics.

Once you have your main online goal and a few concrete, measurable KPIs, break down activities to support that goal, track them, and make adjustments each month as necessary.

Let’s look at another scenario as an example. This time we’ll use an association.

Association XYZ sets an online goal to increase membership 10 percent in 2010. XYZ’s supporting KPIs could be as follows. First: increase new visits to its site by 30 percent. Second: increase visits to their online job openings page by 25 percent.

From there, Association XYZ’s online marketing plan could include steps to create and distribute content focused on member needs. It might also choose to start a PPC campaign highlighting the online jobs section.

These are examples meant to get your brain working!

Don’t get caught up in the numbers. If you need to adjust your goal after a few months or change your KPIs, that’s OK. The important thing to remember is you must set your goals and then drive your online activities to reach them! Without measurable goals and KPIs you leave your online business to chance.

Please add your own goal and KPIs to help others brainstorm!