Blogs are a great way to increase web traffic, making you more findable on search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.  Blogs are also essential to giving your company a voice and personality. In the business world it is important to appear personable, fielding and answering questions organically via the content you upload to your blog.

However, a blog that remains stagnant garners no attention from clients or anyone else. In order to turn an average web surfer into a potential client, your Blog must be RELEVANT, EFFICIENT, and most importantly MAINTAINED. One cannot expect their blog to be useful if content is not being updated and comments are not being checked and responded to. Here are 10 tips towards a better blogging experience.

1. Make your blog an extension of your main website. Having a link on your main site to your blog and vice-versa, ensures that traffic will flow through both avenues so that potential clients will get both the look and feel of the company (through the main site) as well as having the opportunity to participate by reading blog posts and commenting.

2. Solve or share, don't just talk. Blog posts are intended to be CONVERSATION STARTERS or PROBLEM ENDERS. The only way to ensure steady traffic to your blog is to have posts that are helpful or interesting. This means that your blog is not a place to talk about how great your company's product is. It is place to engage the people who are using your product or service on a semi-personal level.

3. Show up. This is arguably the most important step other than having RELEVANT content. If your company's blog is garnering traffic, but no one shows up to respond to comments or answer questions, then your will quickly lose attention and become just another lonely asteroid floating through cyberspace. Remember, the success of your blog is not determined solely by visibility and content quality, but by how much effort you're willing to put into keeping up with the conversations you've started.

4. Avoid War and Peace posts. Make your point clear and concise.

5. Pen a killer headline. In the same vein as point number 4, make a headline or post title that encompasses almost the entirety of your blog post. In this world of fast-paced information gathering, the louder and stronger your title, the more likely you are to receive traffic. Imagine if you had to make the entire point of your blog in one short sentence. Your title should come from that one short sentence. EFFICIENCY is what we're going for on this one.

6. Link to other resources. Hyperlinks are a wonderful tool for connecting people on the Internet so using them in a blog is a must. Whether it is a link to another blog that further shapes your post's content, or to the dictionary defining a word you used in your blog, links will ensure that your blog's content is not stuck in some useless corner of the internet. Use links as often as you can. The more entities your cyberspace presence is linked to, the easier it is to keep traffic flowing.

7. Embed companion calls to action. So now that someone has read your blog's post, what comes next? Ideally, they will have made it through the entire post and want to leave a comment. But if they don't, they should be prompted to some sort of action. This could be anything from reading related posts, to registering their e-mail address. But for the best results for your blog, ALWAYS have a call to action that will keep the reader on pages related to your site or blog.

8. Offer subscription services. If people are enjoying your blog, then it is crucial that there be an obvious way to "subscribe" to it. People may love your content, but it is more than likely they have other things to do than remember to check your site for new articles or posts. That's why subscribing was invented. To give the users reminders that the sites they enjoy have new content. User likes blog, user subscribes to blog, user returns to blog. It's that simple.

9. Trick out with social bling. SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!!! There are so many sites on the web geared toward sharing content that it would be foolishness not to utilize them for your company. Make sure that your company has a presence on the big social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and then use these avenues to share LINKS to your blog.

10. Remember one final thing. No one will visit your blog if they don't know it exists, and chances are people aren't going to LOOK for your blog unless they know it's there. The success of your blog is up to you, and how much effort you are willing to put into its upkeep. Blogs are only as good as the minds keeping them fresh.

Just a quick note to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to our customers and potential customers! We wish you the best in the coming year and hope we can help you make it a great one!

The course of internet marketing in Chicago and beyond has changed dramatically since the launch of YouTube.

YouTube took what once was a static brochure website for companies and turned it into a living, talking and - best for product sales - demonstratable medium. With the rise of high-speed internet - website owners don't have to worry anymore about loading times.

Some say video on the internet is akin to taking TV from black and white to full color.

While using YouTube is free, it still takes expertise to properly edit, upload, tag and manage your videos for best search engine results. The most amazing thing is, so many people visit YouTube, that your video will get views no matter what the subject. It's a media avenue all on its own. It should be a main medium of your internet marketing arsenal. If you aren't there right now, you are losing potential customers.

Contact Our Marketing Works today to talk about the best way for your company to take advantage of this world-changing website.

There are many approaches to direct response television advertising (DRTV). You can hit viewers with facts, stats, emotional hooks. But one tried-and-true method that Our Marketing Works has seen succeed time and time again is getting a celebrity to endorse your product or service.

Simply, a known celebrity gives you instant credibility and attention. Without it, you need much more time and awareness before making your brand known.

Of course, you can't just hire any celebrity. You have to think about their demographic - who would know them and who they would appeal to. Also, consider their trust level. You'd be surprised at what celebrities are trustworthy and which aren't. Some faces, even if you can't recall their names.

Our team's diversified client list has included many of Hollywood's legendary acting and musical talents. Julie Andrews, Joan Crawford, Martin Landau, Gene Hackman, Peter Falk, James Garner, Telly Savalas, Dorothy Hamill, Shakira, Michael Buble, Johnny Carson, Count Basie, Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Tom Bosley, Florence Henderson, Enrique Rocha, Angelica Aaragon, Lenny Bruce, Rowan & Martin, and Barbara Eden together with her long-running NBC franchise hit, "I Dream of Jeannie", to name a few.

Eden is our current talent partner, and you can read more about hiring her here.

Local SEO is search engine optimization for people looking for services or products nearby. If you have a store or a business that meets with clients and customers, SEO is more important than anything.

When is the last time someone used the yellow pages? They are hitting Google, Yahoo and Bing and searching for "watch store" "golf lessons Chicago IL" or whatever your keyword may be. Our Marketing Works helps you be found on the search engines for these terms in as many ways as possible. Did you realize there are six distinct slots of page 1 in Google that you can rank for?

1. Pay Per Click ads ads at the top and right column of search results.
2. Maps feature on Google, Yahoo and Bing.
3. Top 10 organic listings (traditional SEO)
4. Video listings.
5. Photo listings.
6. Product listings.

For local business, the maps feature in particular brings in lots of website traffic. Even if another listing on the page is closer, by being on the map the user feels that it's a direct, close match for their search.

Are you already on the map? Do you have correct information on your listing? Have you claimed your listing for future use, reputation management and better rankings? Our Marketing Works can help you get the most out of your local SEO listings. E-mail for a free quote today.

Who better to help you hang ten on the most innovative and pervasive marketing tool of the century than Our Marketing Works - the company that's leading the field in providing clients with proven marketing techniques that blend creative expertise and strategic aptitude?

Quick Response ("QR") codes show up on all manner of paper and electronic advertising, including promotional materials, business cards, company letterheads and merchandise.  They're those little boxes of scrambled patterns that contain URLs and contact information. Any smartphone can decode them, as can an increasing number of electronic devices running the appropriate applications. You can reach potential customers in mere seconds this way.

But you may be wondering why you need any assistance when you've already got a website and people can just go there, right?  Sure, but with a partnership with Our Marketing Works, you can maximize your direct marketing, branding, and digital advertising through QR codes. Since QR can connect the viewer to anything electronic, your marketing strategy is limitless.

Plus, the QR code speeds up the process when a potential customer is interested. They don't have to write down your name or website address. They scan and find out more immediately, when it's still fresh in their mind and their interest is still piqued. They won't forget an hour later!

QR codes are not only quick, but unlimited in terms of length, size and space. No more 3x5 ad spaces; connect to a 2-minute video ad.  Or connect to statistics that underscore the strength of your particular business.  Or connect to a price list, a catalog, photo gallery - or all of the above.  Those little codes are a portal to whatever information you want to share with potential customers. And Our Marketing Works knows how to line them up in the most effective ways.

So is this technology really all it's hyped up to be? We've got to say a resounding "Yes" to that. Accessing the Internet through mobile devices has become much more commonplace and the improvement in connection speed continues to accelerate that behavior. There are well over 50 million smartphones in use in the United States alone. That's a huge customer base that can be tapped into efficiently and cost-effectively when you partner with us.

Can you picture strategic planning involving QR codes? We can, and we're here to share those planning tips with you. Can you imagine the impact QR codes can have on your consulting relationships? We can and we're ready to advise. Your creative endeavors and advertising dollars - imagine them put to maximum use. We will help you realize that maximization through the best use of QR code technology.

As part of the business world, you can't avoid hearing the latest buzz about social media - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more - just about every second of the day. If you have any say in the use of these networks for your company, you have read and heard dozens of articles on effectively using these new media. That's overwhelming. Seriously, how do you know who to listen to? Where to turn?

Our Marketing Works' experience is that a lot of the social media jungle is not for everyone. Sure, you'll read a story about how Dell dominated Twitter, or the Mayo Clinic thrives on Facebook. Yeah, well, we're not all Dell and Mayo, are we? Let's be realistic!

How can you get your community to care about your business? It's not easy.

Our Marketing Works believes firmly that your business should have a clear voice, choose only certain social networks, and have a concise and easy-to-follow plan for use. Let's not expect 20 posts a day on Facebook without a dedicated employee or with an audience of 20 people!

Consider giving Our Marketing Works a call for further consultation and advice. We can help you rethink your strategy, set realistic expectations, save time by linking several social media accounts, and more. Take advantage of our free consultation. We'll evaluation your current status in social media and help you figure out next steps! Call Mike Haas of Our Marketing Works today at 630-404-4290.

Working with small and midsize businesses each day, we hear two distinct strategies of marketing in this tough economy:

1. Some are cutting back, or even more common, fearful of spending too much.
2. Others see opportunity. You can't grow if you don't advertise to your target market.

There's nothing wrong with changing strategies, in face, we at Our Marketing Works are the first to encourage it. Today's media world is different than even five years ago. More people are online. More are using phones.

More than ever, you need a marketing and advertising expert to help you navigate the new waters. But how can you afford to do this when you're afraid to hire full time? Our answer is hire a "virtual marketing company" that is, outsource it. That way it's not a long-term commitment, and you know for certain you are getting an expert team who can help you right away. No training time, no learning curve. No college graduates.

A "virtual ad agency" like Our Marketing Works also has an advantage in that they have put together a team of experts in so many specialties- marketing strategy and planning, acquisition, lead generation, and retention programs, direct response television, internet marketing, SEO,  website development, and  more. Our Marketing Works' management team can find the resource for whatever your project requires. Even the best new employee that you may hire can never have that many talents and skills.

So give Our Marketing Works a call today. At the least, take advantage of our free consultation. Call Mike Haas of Our Marketing Works today at 630-404-4290.

Integrated marketing is an umbrella approach to communication in marketing that not only utilizes multiple avenues of advertising, but also capitalizes on the overall theme of your campaign. It's also making sure you are consistent in marketing - both online and offline. Consistency is key in making sure that consumers understand your message. This is what leads to a great result and return on your investment. Integrated marketing allocates your marketing budget, putting the right number of dollars toward the most effective approach.

Originally you would think of marketing in two avenues - online and offline. But now, marketing is shifting and you get the best results by using an integrated approach.

For example, if you send out a direct mail piece, or have a radio commercial for XYZ Restaurant in Chicago, consider that someone may go home and do an internet search for XYZ or "Chicago Italiant Restaurant" if they forgot the name. If they do this search, are you going to be found in Google Places? Organic search engine results? If neither, you at least should have a paid link on page one. After your offline ad runs, you can then turn off the online ad.

So, with Integrated Marketing, 1 + 1 = 3. The consideration of all avenues of marketing plus the synergy the produce can create a bigger buzz, a memorable campaign.

Qualitative research reveals a target audience's behavior and the perceptions that live behind it. It uses in-depth studies of small groups of people to develop and support hypotheses. The results of qualitative research are descriptive rather than predictive.

Qualitative research methods originated in the sociology, anthropology and psychology. But today, qualitative methods in the field of marketing research include in-depth interviews with individuals, group discussions (usually between 2 and 10 participants); diary and journal exercises and in-context observations. Sessions may be held in person, by telephone, via videoconferencing or online.

Why Qualitative Research Works

The following traits of qualitative research are unique and contribute to rich, insightful results:

• Synergy among respondents, as they build on each other's comments and ideas.
• The flexible nature of the discussion process, which interacts with respondents more actively than is possible in more structured survey.
• The opportunity to ask follow-up questions, enabling the researcher to go beyond initial responses and rationales.
• The opportunity to observe, record and interpret non-verbal communication (i.e., body language, voice intonation) as part of a respondent's feedback, which is valuable during interviews or discussions, and during analysis.
• The opportunity to engage respondents in "play" such as projective techniques and exercises, overcoming the self-consciousness that can inhibit spontaneous reactions and comments.

Interested in doing your own Qualitative Research? Contact Our Marketing Works today!