Insider's Tip of the Week: Cindy Bohde
Each week, we feature tips from industry insiders. Have a tip to share with our readers? Let us know.
This week’s tip is brought to us by Cindy Bohde, Principal at Cindy Bohde Enterprises, Inc.:
“The days of just having a Website designed for your property are gone. It seems today if your property isn’t youtubing, twittering, or facebooking, you’re falling behind. You need an integrated new media program combining your website and social media.
It starts with your Website and search engine optimization (SEO), which form the basis to get your property’s Website noticed by the right type of audience.
For my clients, I work with a search engine marketing company such as Sheffield Marketing (www.Sheffield-Marketing.com). They evaluate the Website, keyword phrases and content with the goal of increasing traffic. It’s a very collaborative process—we define the desired audience and the SEO company assists in driving the most beneficial visitors to the Website. The SEO pros also are well versed in social media. They will help you to define your communities and get you set up.
The social media sites (like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter) are all independent viral communication vehicles that many malls should depend on to drive new customers to their Websites and properties. These third-party “community builders” are tied to your Website, but also separate. Unlike a Website, which you can update periodically, Twitter and Facebook need to constantly be refreshed to be relevant. And you need to respond to the messages you receive.
Participation is a valuable indicator. It says something about the kind of traffic you are attracting. Remember that an engaged customer is a highly valuable one. Interaction can be anything from leaving comments to participating in support forums to leaving customer reviews and ratings. It can happen on your Website and on other Websites. Keep your eyes and ears open!
Know going in that social media is very needy and time consuming, but the results can be worth it—an increased sense of community, deeper insight into your customers, virtually 24-7 communication and the ability to get messages out at the exact moment you want. Pretty amazing.”
Want to know more? Call Cindy at (312) 642-2484, e-mail her or send a message to
scott@sheffield-marketing.com. You can also visit Bohde Enterprises at www.bohdenterprises.com.
