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.

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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

The social media sandbox might feel a tad intimidating at first – especially if you are not a 20-something, fresh out of college, tech-/Web 2.0-saavy go-getter. Before your eyes glaze over and that Twitter-twitch sets in, relax! You too can use social media to cross promote your content or event.
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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

1. Do interview your existing clients and see what blogs they read. Start reading and commenting in those blogs.
2. Do not write meaningless comments just to get your Web site link attached. Do lend your expertise.
3. Do start blogging with relevant content.
4. Do not be inconsistent once you start blogging. Keep it up!
5. Do find out whether your customers Facebook, Twitter, or use some other social media platform. Open accounts and participate.
6. Do not Tweet or Facebook off topic. Your potential customers do not care that you are off to bed. They do care if you are testing a new and improved solution to their problem.
7. Do submit your news releases to Digg, Delicious, and a newswire (paid or free).
8. Do add RSS feeds to the content on your Web site and blog.
9. Don’t ignore negative comments about your company or product in social media.
10. Do address negative comments and see whether you can help solve the problem.
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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

It’s the simple things in life we sometimes take for granted. For example, the view from my desk of the Occoquan Marina in Northern Virginia is lovely, even on rainy days. Without question it puts me into a better frame of mind for writing. No matter how many times I see a bald eagle swoop through the sky, it never fails to give me a thrill! My poor husband works from a windowless cubicle deep within the Pentagon. How can I forget how fortunate we are at NetStrategies to see such beauty while working?
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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

My husband calls himself a Facebook widower. That’s because I spend on average 10-15 minutes an evening catching up with friends and updating my status. For me, Facebook is a wonderful way to stay in touch with old friends, many of whom I lost touch with over the years. I’ve reconnected with high school, college, and Army friends. Plus I’ve friended new people since moving to Northern Va.
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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

It happens. You make a short-tempered comment with your outside voice, wishing at once you had kept that statement to yourself. Yes, perhaps the auto mechanic is an idiot, or the cable company customer service rep should solve your problem sooner. But I know your mother taught you long ago, as did mine, take the higher road and never lower yourself. You’re better than that, right?

Your Tweet IS your outside voice. In fact, it’s louder and never fades away with the breeze. The Internet’s ability to remember is eternal. Like those dead sea scrolls, people can dig up your Tweets and anything else you write online for posterity.

Tweet responsibly. The New York Times recently reported that author Roberta Silman, upset by a negitive Boston Globe book review, Tweeted her displeasure and even posted the reviewer’s phone number and email, asking fans to “Tell her what you think of snarky critics.” Silman later issued a statement through her publisher, explaining “… in the heat of the moment I responded strongly and I wish I hadn’t. I’m sorry if I offened anyone.” She reportedly terminated her Twitter account.

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John Schultz joins us from Northern Virginia to share his secrets to successful blogging.

Learn Search Marketing with Stevan Loges

A good landing page is like a great bar of chocolate. Sure the packaging (your pay-per-click ad, e-mail, or organic search results) might entice a customer to tear the wrapper open, but the combination of first-rate ingredients gets the bite and the sale again and again!

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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

Army leadership began drumming operational security (OPSEC) into my head 20 years ago when my husband was a “butter bar” lieutenant. The recent explosion in social media caused me to wonder what the Army’s official take on this craze is, especially when it comes to OPSEC.
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Learn Social Media with Laurie Dunlop

I recently read Adam Ostrow’s Mashable blog entitled, “Is Social Media Making Corporate Websites Irrelevant” and wondered how my Northern Virginia team at NetStrategies would react to that headline. Keep in mind, our area of expertise is helping businesses optimize their Web sites! So I asked my team for a rebuttal and here is their take:

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