14 WordPress Content Marketing Plugins

If you’re using WordPress for your small business website, you have access to thousands of WordPress content marketing plugins that can enhance your site’s functionality and effectiveness.

Nearly all companies engage in some form of content marketing. Whether you maintain a business blog, post articles on your website, use social media or combine these methods, there are WordPress content marketing plugins that can help you manage, promote and track your various content marketing strategies.

If you run a business blog, you can use the WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin (pictured below) to help you plan ahead for your posts and more.

The normal WordPress interface only shows one day of scheduled posts at a time, so this calendar plugin lets you zoom out and view the entire monthâ€"making it easy to see your schedule, add post ideas and drafts, and more.

Another great tool for blog posts and new content is the Content Scheduler (pictured below).

When you write or edit a post, this plugin lets you specify a future date to review the content. You can set the scheduler to automatically take an action you specify on that date, including:

• Unstick a post.
• Change the post category.
• Change the status to draft, pending, or private.
• Add or remove tags.
• Move the post to the trash.

WordPress Plugins for Optimization and Sharing

With a WordPress site for your small business, you can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) just by using plugins.

One of the highest rated plugins for this category is WordPress SEO by Yoast (pictured above). Easy to use, even for beginners, this plugin comes with several features to help you improve SEO.

Another popular plugin for this category is the All In One SEO Pack, with both beginner and advanced features.

Social sharing buttons are another easy way to improve your content marketing efforts. There are plenty of WordPress plugins that let you add customizable social sharing buttons to your site:

WordPress Plugins for Your Visitors

Content marketing relies on having people read your content. These plugins help you improve the user experience and encourage visitors to stick around on your website:

• Captcha (pictured above) is a plugin that requires blog commenters to answer a simple math equation to post. This not only cuts down on spammy comments (which discourage genuine visitors from interacting), but also makes comment verification easier than the standard hard-to-read random letter strings.
• Contact forms are handy and convenient for your website visitors to get in touch with questions, and easy for you with plugins like Contact Form 7.
• You can grab subscribers for your email marketing list through Constant Contact, Mailchimp, and other major email platforms with WordPress plugins.

Tracking Your Content Marketing Efforts

Finally, there are plugins that make it easier to use traffic tracking and analytics programs with your WordPress website. One of the best for the free Google Analytics program is the Google Analyticator, which includes a dashboard graph widget.

Which WordPress content marketing plugins do you use?

Plugin Photo via Shutterstock

Sponsored Content

14 WordPress Content Marketing Plugins

If you’re using WordPress for your small business website, you have access to thousands of WordPress content marketing plugins that can enhance your site’s functionality and effectiveness.

Nearly all companies engage in some form of content marketing. Whether you maintain a business blog, post articles on your website, use social media or combine these methods, there are WordPress content marketing plugins that can help you manage, promote and track your various content marketing strategies.

If you run a business blog, you can use the WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin (pictured below) to help you plan ahead for your posts and more.

The normal WordPress interface only shows one day of scheduled posts at a time, so this calendar plugin lets you zoom out and view the entire monthâ€"making it easy to see your schedule, add post ideas and drafts, and more.

Another great tool for blog posts and new content is the Content Scheduler (pictured below).

When you write or edit a post, this plugin lets you specify a future date to review the content. You can set the scheduler to automatically take an action you specify on that date, including:

• Unstick a post.
• Change the post category.
• Change the status to draft, pending, or private.
• Add or remove tags.
• Move the post to the trash.

WordPress Plugins for Optimization and Sharing

With a WordPress site for your small business, you can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) just by using plugins.

One of the highest rated plugins for this category is WordPress SEO by Yoast (pictured above). Easy to use, even for beginners, this plugin comes with several features to help you improve SEO.

Another popular plugin for this category is the All In One SEO Pack, with both beginner and advanced features.

Social sharing buttons are another easy way to improve your content marketing efforts. There are plenty of WordPress plugins that let you add customizable social sharing buttons to your site:

WordPress Plugins for Your Visitors

Content marketing relies on having people read your content. These plugins help you improve the user experience and encourage visitors to stick around on your website:

• Captcha (pictured above) is a plugin that requires blog commenters to answer a simple math equation to post. This not only cuts down on spammy comments (which discourage genuine visitors from interacting), but also makes comment verification easier than the standard hard-to-read random letter strings.
• Contact forms are handy and convenient for your website visitors to get in touch with questions, and easy for you with plugins like Contact Form 7.
• You can grab subscribers for your email marketing list through Constant Contact, Mailchimp, and other major email platforms with WordPress plugins.

Tracking Your Content Marketing Efforts

Finally, there are plugins that make it easier to use traffic tracking and analytics programs with your WordPress website. One of the best for the free Google Analytics program is the Google Analyticator, which includes a dashboard graph widget.

Which WordPress content marketing plugins do you use?

Plugin Photo via Shutterstock

Sponsored Content

Tech Thursday (10/3): Tech News and Updates from Comcast Business, Leaf, Epson and IBM

It’s Tech Thursday from Smallbiztechnology.com. Each week we take a quick look at recent small business and technology news and updates for the small business community and share them with you in a quick and simple round-up.

Comcast Business Adds New Mobility Features to Business VoiceEdge

Mobile App, Teleworker, Softphone and HD Video Calling Keep Today’s Mobile Workforce Connected and Productive from Anywhere

 

Comcast Business announced new capabilities for Business VoiceEdge™, a cloud-based PBX solution for SMBs, that extends its unified communications (UC) and video calling features to today’s increasingly distributed and mobile workforce. Now users can benefit from having their UC features easily managed from their iOS- or Android-based mobile phone.

“As organizations continue to integrate cloud computing and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) into the work place, there is an increasing need for mobile solutions that will deliver unified communications across today’s agile workforce,” said Diane Myers, Principal Analyst, VoIP, UC, and IMS at Infonetics Research. “Implementing a mobile work environment will enable today’s distributed workforce to communicate, collaborate, and deliver better customer service, and in turn provide organizations with increased productivity, reduced costs and an improved business processes.”

The following new capabilities are available now for current and new Business VoiceEdge customers:

• VoiceEdge mobile application - Available as a free download for iOS and Android operating systems, the mobile app provides an easy-to-use interface to manage business voicemail and “Be Anywhere” features that allow business calls to be answered from virtually any phone, anywhere.
• Teleworker - Business VoiceEdge can be installed at an employee’s home office, providing the same voice capabilities at home that they have in the office.
• Softphone - Available for PC or Mac, this application allows users to make and receive phone calls directly from their computer using their business phone number. When used in conjunction with a video camera, it also enables video calling.
• Video calling - This capability enables point-to-point HD-quality video calls for Business VoiceEdge phones with a built-in camera, or built-in or external cameras used in conjunction with the Business VoiceEdge softphone. Customers can easily add video during a phone call with the press of a button.

For more on this new features, click here.

Leaf Closes $20 Million in Funding to Advance Open Commerce Platform and Mobile POS

Investment from Heartland Payment Systems® Accelerates Development to Enable Greater Merchant Choice

 

Leaf , creator of the LeafPresenterTM, a tablet specifically designed for commerce, today announced it has closed $20 million in its first round of institutional funding from Heartland Payment Systems, one of the nation’s largest payments processors business solutions. The funding will accelerate Leaf’s mission to provide a unified, open commerce platform that redefines the way brick and mortar merchants operate. The Leaf platform enables integrated commerce solutions and gives merchants the ability to choose the business tools that best fit their needs. Leaf will use the funds to advance manufacturing capabilities of its proprietary, purpose-built tablet, the LeafPresenter, and expand its team of talented developers and employees to grow the LeafBusinessTM application and the Leaf AppstoreTM.

In addition to the investment, Heartland has also joined Leaf’s growing network of distribution partners with its national sales force of more than 800 relationship managers.

By bundling Leaf with their core payment products, organizations like Heartland and others within the Leaf Membership Network can strengthen their relationships with merchants by delivering additional value-added business tools, while also benefiting from new revenue streams and more loyal customers. Early partners of the program have substantially increased new merchant acquisition.

For more on this story, click here.

New Epson Connect Features Extend Mobile Printing Capabilities for Home and Business

Print, Create and Share from Anywhere with Free Epson Connect Solutions

 

Catering to today’s increasingly mobile lifestyles and productivity needs, Epson America, Inc. today announced several enhancements to its suite of free Epson Connect™ mobile printing solutions, making it easier and more powerful than ever for users to print documents, photos, emails and web pages from anywhere in the world using an Epson Connect -enabled printer and an iPad®, iPhone®, tablet, smartphone, or computer.

Headlining the robust set of upgrades is the all new Epson Creative Print App, enabling consumers to unleash their creativity and share customized photos, personal messages and more. With Epson Creative Print, users can access and print photos directly from their Facebook account and transform their photos into memorable keepsakes. Use Creative Print to create unique greeting cards and stationery, print onto CD/DVDs, and even turn photos into personalized coloring book templates.

Epson Connect mobile printing features and enhancements include:

• New Epson Creative Print App - Access and print Facebook photos, create custom greeting cards and stationery, print onto CD/DVDs, and turn photos into coloring book templates using this app on iPad, iPhone or Android tablet and phones.
• Epson iPrintâ„¢ App - iPrint transforms smartphones and tablets into a powerful productivity tool. Easily access files from Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, and Microsoft SkyDrive, and print them from anywhere even within complex corporate networks. Transfer files from USB drives or memory cards using the slots on the printer, or scan from a nearby Epson printer, then email or share files online.
• Epson E-mail Print - Remotely send documents and photos from any email-enabled device directly and simultaneously to multiple Epson printers with unique email addresses for printed output from 4” x 6” up to 11”x 17.”
• Epson Remote Print - Streamline productivity without worrying about formatting or adjusting fonts. Simply print remotely from a computer or laptop to an Epson email-enabled printer anywhere in the world using any Windows® or Mac application with a print function.

For more about these cool new features, click here.

IBM Acquires Xtify to Help Digital Marketers Reach Mobile Customers

 

Delivering Cloud-based Mobile Alerts for Consumer Brand Offers

 

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the acquisition of Xtify Inc.,a leading provider of cloud-based mobile messaging tools that help organizations improve mobile sales, drive in-store traffic and engage customers with personalized offers. Financial terms are not being disclosed.

The acquisition will help extend IBM’s mobile capabilities to digital marketers across all industries ranging from retail to citizen engagement in the public sector through cloud-based services.

Xtify will expand IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative providing campaign creation, personalized content, dynamic real-time segmentation and analytics for all mobile devices and browsers. The technology is designed to help companies engage, convert and retain mobile application users and site visitors. Xtify’s cloud-based campaign management platform notifies mobile consumers when new content and promotions are available - helping businesses deepen connections with their customers.

Mobile communication channels are completely transforming the way that organizations interact with their customers. Consumers expect personalized messages and promotional offers based on expressed interests and shopping and browsing habits. Together, Xtify and IBM will provide marketers with a new opportunity for client engagement anytime, anywhere, as consumers traverse across multiple digital channels - browsing in stores, shopping on mobile web sites or other online channels.

For ore on this acquisition, click here.

Tech Thursday (10/3): Tech News and Updates from Comcast Business, Leaf, Epson and IBM

It’s Tech Thursday from Smallbiztechnology.com. Each week we take a quick look at recent small business and technology news and updates for the small business community and share them with you in a quick and simple round-up.

Comcast Business Adds New Mobility Features to Business VoiceEdge

Mobile App, Teleworker, Softphone and HD Video Calling Keep Today’s Mobile Workforce Connected and Productive from Anywhere

 

Comcast Business announced new capabilities for Business VoiceEdge™, a cloud-based PBX solution for SMBs, that extends its unified communications (UC) and video calling features to today’s increasingly distributed and mobile workforce. Now users can benefit from having their UC features easily managed from their iOS- or Android-based mobile phone.

“As organizations continue to integrate cloud computing and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) into the work place, there is an increasing need for mobile solutions that will deliver unified communications across today’s agile workforce,” said Diane Myers, Principal Analyst, VoIP, UC, and IMS at Infonetics Research. “Implementing a mobile work environment will enable today’s distributed workforce to communicate, collaborate, and deliver better customer service, and in turn provide organizations with increased productivity, reduced costs and an improved business processes.”

The following new capabilities are available now for current and new Business VoiceEdge customers:

• VoiceEdge mobile application - Available as a free download for iOS and Android operating systems, the mobile app provides an easy-to-use interface to manage business voicemail and “Be Anywhere” features that allow business calls to be answered from virtually any phone, anywhere.
• Teleworker - Business VoiceEdge can be installed at an employee’s home office, providing the same voice capabilities at home that they have in the office.
• Softphone - Available for PC or Mac, this application allows users to make and receive phone calls directly from their computer using their business phone number. When used in conjunction with a video camera, it also enables video calling.
• Video calling - This capability enables point-to-point HD-quality video calls for Business VoiceEdge phones with a built-in camera, or built-in or external cameras used in conjunction with the Business VoiceEdge softphone. Customers can easily add video during a phone call with the press of a button.

For more on this new features, click here.

Leaf Closes $20 Million in Funding to Advance Open Commerce Platform and Mobile POS

Investment from Heartland Payment Systems® Accelerates Development to Enable Greater Merchant Choice

 

Leaf , creator of the LeafPresenterTM, a tablet specifically designed for commerce, today announced it has closed $20 million in its first round of institutional funding from Heartland Payment Systems, one of the nation’s largest payments processors business solutions. The funding will accelerate Leaf’s mission to provide a unified, open commerce platform that redefines the way brick and mortar merchants operate. The Leaf platform enables integrated commerce solutions and gives merchants the ability to choose the business tools that best fit their needs. Leaf will use the funds to advance manufacturing capabilities of its proprietary, purpose-built tablet, the LeafPresenter, and expand its team of talented developers and employees to grow the LeafBusinessTM application and the Leaf AppstoreTM.

In addition to the investment, Heartland has also joined Leaf’s growing network of distribution partners with its national sales force of more than 800 relationship managers.

By bundling Leaf with their core payment products, organizations like Heartland and others within the Leaf Membership Network can strengthen their relationships with merchants by delivering additional value-added business tools, while also benefiting from new revenue streams and more loyal customers. Early partners of the program have substantially increased new merchant acquisition.

For more on this story, click here.

New Epson Connect Features Extend Mobile Printing Capabilities for Home and Business

Print, Create and Share from Anywhere with Free Epson Connect Solutions

 

Catering to today’s increasingly mobile lifestyles and productivity needs, Epson America, Inc. today announced several enhancements to its suite of free Epson Connect™ mobile printing solutions, making it easier and more powerful than ever for users to print documents, photos, emails and web pages from anywhere in the world using an Epson Connect -enabled printer and an iPad®, iPhone®, tablet, smartphone, or computer.

Headlining the robust set of upgrades is the all new Epson Creative Print App, enabling consumers to unleash their creativity and share customized photos, personal messages and more. With Epson Creative Print, users can access and print photos directly from their Facebook account and transform their photos into memorable keepsakes. Use Creative Print to create unique greeting cards and stationery, print onto CD/DVDs, and even turn photos into personalized coloring book templates.

Epson Connect mobile printing features and enhancements include:

• New Epson Creative Print App - Access and print Facebook photos, create custom greeting cards and stationery, print onto CD/DVDs, and turn photos into coloring book templates using this app on iPad, iPhone or Android tablet and phones.
• Epson iPrintâ„¢ App - iPrint transforms smartphones and tablets into a powerful productivity tool. Easily access files from Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, and Microsoft SkyDrive, and print them from anywhere even within complex corporate networks. Transfer files from USB drives or memory cards using the slots on the printer, or scan from a nearby Epson printer, then email or share files online.
• Epson E-mail Print - Remotely send documents and photos from any email-enabled device directly and simultaneously to multiple Epson printers with unique email addresses for printed output from 4” x 6” up to 11”x 17.”
• Epson Remote Print - Streamline productivity without worrying about formatting or adjusting fonts. Simply print remotely from a computer or laptop to an Epson email-enabled printer anywhere in the world using any Windows® or Mac application with a print function.

For more about these cool new features, click here.

IBM Acquires Xtify to Help Digital Marketers Reach Mobile Customers

 

Delivering Cloud-based Mobile Alerts for Consumer Brand Offers

 

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the acquisition of Xtify Inc.,a leading provider of cloud-based mobile messaging tools that help organizations improve mobile sales, drive in-store traffic and engage customers with personalized offers. Financial terms are not being disclosed.

The acquisition will help extend IBM’s mobile capabilities to digital marketers across all industries ranging from retail to citizen engagement in the public sector through cloud-based services.

Xtify will expand IBM’s Smarter Commerce initiative providing campaign creation, personalized content, dynamic real-time segmentation and analytics for all mobile devices and browsers. The technology is designed to help companies engage, convert and retain mobile application users and site visitors. Xtify’s cloud-based campaign management platform notifies mobile consumers when new content and promotions are available - helping businesses deepen connections with their customers.

Mobile communication channels are completely transforming the way that organizations interact with their customers. Consumers expect personalized messages and promotional offers based on expressed interests and shopping and browsing habits. Together, Xtify and IBM will provide marketers with a new opportunity for client engagement anytime, anywhere, as consumers traverse across multiple digital channels - browsing in stores, shopping on mobile web sites or other online channels.

For ore on this acquisition, click here.

6 Myths and Fallacies about Small Business Startup

Starting and running a business entails creating products and services. Then there’s hiring contractors or staff, marketing your business, managing work, and accounting for every expense. Aside from the business ownership myth that creating a business is somehow easier than working for someone else, a few other myths about small business ownership are still prevalent.

Some of these are just outright silly, but others could really discourage you and hurt your business if you take them to heart.

All It Takes is a Great Idea

If this were only true, perhaps everyone could be an entrepreneur. But alas, it takes much more than ideas (great or otherwise) to make a successful business.

Besides a great idea, you will also need to:

• Create an effective business plan.
• Develop marketing that effectively introduces your great idea to the world.
• Network effectively to create the partnerships necessary to get your product or service off the ground.
• Handle customer service issues and make improvements as you begin to get feedback.
• Scale your business and add members to your team as you grow.

And these are just a few of things you’ll need to do to create a business that endures.

Finding Investment Will Be Easy

Unless Warren Buffet happens to owe you a big favor, not by a long shot!

Many lending institutions require considerable personal collateral before considering a loan. This leads back to the old standbys of friends and family. We’ll assume for the moment, since you’re looking for funding options, that you’ve already investigated these possible sources.

Another possibility is outside investment, including money from VC (Venture Capital) firms. But there are reasons VC funding may not be for you. In fact, only about 300 of the 600,000 businesses launched annually in the U.S. are venture funded.

Look instead for alternatives like bootstrapping or using funds from an existing business to launch your small business.

You Need an Office and Equipment to Get Started

Some of the biggest businesses today (Microsoft and Google, for instance) started without any fancy offices or equipment. It’s one of those myths that will kill your business even before you start it thanks to the drain that these overhead costs bring to your expense sheet.

For most types of businesses, you don’t need anything except your computer and a table to put that computer on. A phone and an Internet connection are mandatory too. Even if your business really needs commercial space, warehouse storage or the like, you can lease this space instead of buying.

You Should Do Your Own Accounting, Bookkeeping and Payroll

Taxing authorities require you to report earnings, expenses and profits with precision. It’s also critical for your business because your company’s well-being depends upon it.

Your personal earnings will depend on how well you manage your finances, accounting and bookkeeping.

It’s a professional skill and it’s a full-time job. If you try to do all of this yourself, who will you get to run your business in the meantime? Compliance, tax laws, corporate legalese, accounting and payroll are too much for a solo entrepreneur to handle alone.

Leave it to the professionals.

You’ll Need to Hire Employees

Maybe…and maybe not.

Identify the work you need to get done. Then figure out whether you can outsource it to the rest of the world. Telecommuting is on the rise. Elance - a leading freelance marketplace, and only one of the many out there â€" has more than 2 million freelancers from around the world. Together they reportedly earn more than $500 million annually. And that number continues to grow. All around the world, more and more people are becoming involved in freelancing and telecommuting work.

Freelancers don’t need a place to sit or employer provided equipment. No expensive Internet connections, electricity bills, ongoing training or hand holding necessary.

Companies save about $10,000 per employee thanks to remote workers.

Success is About Repeating a Formula

Apple changed the way we thought about computing. Amazon changed the way we shopped.

Nope, doesn’t seem like the most successful companies in the world have worried much about repeating formulas. Maybe small businesses shouldn’t either.

In fact, in a rather well-known presentation on the subject, author and marketer Seth Godin insists there’s no point in creating the same old thing anymore. Average products for average people are forgettable.

The key to success is to do something different - something everyone will notice.

Dragon Slayer Myth Photo via Shutterstock

Sponsored Content

5 Tips To Using Vine To Connect You To Your Customers

Have you hear of Vine? I bet your kids have! This Twitter-owned site, which offers the ability to create six-second videos using your smartphone, reached 13 million users this past June. Better than that, it’s become a great tool to connect you, visually, with your customers.

Part of the reason this tool has become so popular is the ease of use. But, as with any marketing tool and social media site, you have to have a plan and know exactly how to use it to optimize the results you’ll receive. In a recent article that I wrote for Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Report on “How to Use Vine To Connect With Customers”, I outline five tips on how you can use this powerhouse tool in your small business to connect with your customers.  Here is a quick view of those tips:

• Make a great profile
• Choose an eye-catching profile photo
• Provide value
• Use Hashtags
• Pay attention to what works

You can get a full explanation of all the tips and some other important things to remember by reading the full article on the D&B site.

5 Tips To Using Vine To Connect You To Your Customers

Have you hear of Vine? I bet your kids have! This Twitter-owned site, which offers the ability to create six-second videos using your smartphone, reached 13 million users this past June. Better than that, it’s become a great tool to connect you, visually, with your customers.

Part of the reason this tool has become so popular is the ease of use. But, as with any marketing tool and social media site, you have to have a plan and know exactly how to use it to optimize the results you’ll receive. In a recent article that I wrote for Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Report on “How to Use Vine To Connect With Customers”, I outline five tips on how you can use this powerhouse tool in your small business to connect with your customers.  Here is a quick view of those tips:

• Make a great profile
• Choose an eye-catching profile photo
• Provide value
• Use Hashtags
• Pay attention to what works

You can get a full explanation of all the tips and some other important things to remember by reading the full article on the D&B site.

Don’t Tell Me What To Do!: The Consequence of Pushy Content Headlines

In such a content- and noise-filled digital world, grasping reader’s attention, let alone sustaining it for even minutes at a time, can prove to be quite a challenge. Even though society claims to not judge a book by its cover, we are all sizing up a piece of content by its headline. A headline is an opportunity for writers to not only instantaneously attract browsers and turn them into engaged readers, but to also guide them into deciding whether the content is worthy of their time. It sounds simple enough, so why do only about 20% of people read past the headline? (Source: Copyblogger).

An analysis of engagement on paid content headlines in our Outbrain network has revealed an interesting trend among consumers. It seems that the harder they are pushed to click, the more likely they are to avoid a headline altogether.

We investigated some commonly used words that could easily be perceived by readers as overly pushy, sales pitchy and, at worst, spammy. The chart below illustrates the negative effect of headlines that directly address the reader or make use of demands.

 

Titles that make references to the reader by including the word, “you” “your” or “you’re” performed 21% worse than titles that did not contain any of these words. The attempt to make readers feel as though they’re being spoken to directly appears to do more harm than good.

Titles containing an imperative (“must” or “need”) generated a 20% lower CTR (click-through-rate) than titles that did not contain either of these words. Readers appear to be resistant to words that demand action or attention. It may be that these words are more reminiscent of advertorial calls to action than editorial language or that their overuse in headlines over time has weakened their ability to convey a true sense of urgency.

As much as we want to drive readers to our content, it’s important to remember not to push them too much. The risk of having your content headline sound like a call to action is not only likely to end in lost clicks, but also likely to jeopardize audience trust. The headline should mirror the quality of the content that lies behind it.

This analysis was based on a sample of over 100,000 paid links that ran in Outbrain’s network between April and November 2012.

Got content ready to be discovered? Try Outbrain Amplify and get your content recommended on premium publisher sites across the web. Get Started Here.

Don’t Tell Me What To Do!: The Consequence of Pushy Content Headlines

In such a content- and noise-filled digital world, grasping reader’s attention, let alone sustaining it for even minutes at a time, can prove to be quite a challenge. Even though society claims to not judge a book by its cover, we are all sizing up a piece of content by its headline. A headline is an opportunity for writers to not only instantaneously attract browsers and turn them into engaged readers, but to also guide them into deciding whether the content is worthy of their time. It sounds simple enough, so why do only about 20% of people read past the headline? (Source: Copyblogger).

An analysis of engagement on paid content headlines in our Outbrain network has revealed an interesting trend among consumers. It seems that the harder they are pushed to click, the more likely they are to avoid a headline altogether.

We investigated some commonly used words that could easily be perceived by readers as overly pushy, sales pitchy and, at worst, spammy. The chart below illustrates the negative effect of headlines that directly address the reader or make use of demands.

 

Titles that make references to the reader by including the word, “you” “your” or “you’re” performed 21% worse than titles that did not contain any of these words. The attempt to make readers feel as though they’re being spoken to directly appears to do more harm than good.

Titles containing an imperative (“must” or “need”) generated a 20% lower CTR (click-through-rate) than titles that did not contain either of these words. Readers appear to be resistant to words that demand action or attention. It may be that these words are more reminiscent of advertorial calls to action than editorial language or that their overuse in headlines over time has weakened their ability to convey a true sense of urgency.

As much as we want to drive readers to our content, it’s important to remember not to push them too much. The risk of having your content headline sound like a call to action is not only likely to end in lost clicks, but also likely to jeopardize audience trust. The headline should mirror the quality of the content that lies behind it.

This analysis was based on a sample of over 100,000 paid links that ran in Outbrain’s network between April and November 2012.

Got content ready to be discovered? Try Outbrain Amplify and get your content recommended on premium publisher sites across the web. Get Started Here.

Small Business Top Tips: Employee Benefits Open Enrollment

You know it better than anyone: One of the defining characteristics of small business owners is that you have to wear many hats. At this time of the year, you are likely working with your human resources consultant as you don your benefits bonnet.

I know that determining next year’s benefits enrollment for your employees is a big task and can quickly become overwhelming. But I have some tips to help you. I’ve worked with my team and we put together three top tips to help make open enrollment a success for small businesses.

1) Take Advantage of Tax Credits

If you are a business that employs 25 or fewer full-time equivalent workers whose average annual wages do not exceed $50,000, and if you offer those employees health insurance, your business may be eligible for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit.

Small Business Health Care Tax Credits can be worth up to 50 percent of a small business’ premium costs.

Note: As of August 26, 2013, IRS.gov states that fewer than 25 employees are eligible for these credits. However, Internal Revenue Code Section 45R (PDF) states that the term “eligible small employer” means an employer which has no more than 25 full-time equivalent employees for the taxable year. 

2) Provide Options to Your Employees

People love to feel loved. Understanding this and applying it to benefits will help ensure your workforce feels appreciated.

What does this mean?

Benefits are not one-size-fits-all. Provide employees with two or three options to help them create an overall benefits package that is unique to their needs. To expand the options you provide without adding costs to your bottom line, look into voluntary options such as accident, cancer, life and short-term disability insurance.

Fifty nine percent of employees say they would likely purchase voluntary insurance benefits if offered by their employer.

3) Communication is Key

Effective communication is essential to help employees understand their benefit options and to improve employee engagement with the benefits you offer.

Only 26 percent of workers indicate they always understand everything that is covered by their policy, meaning communication from you should be well-received.

Communicate About Benefits Year-Round

This will remind employees about the important health and financial choices available to them. Use layman’s terms rather than high-level jargon and target your language appropriately to different work streams.

More than 2-in-5 workers agree that a well-communicated benefit program would make them less likely to leave their job.

Use Multiple Avenues to Communicate Enrollment Details

Home mailers, emails, videos, benefits booklets, worksite meetings and online tools or portals are diverse channels to ensure your employees receive the necessary information.

Employees prefer to get their employee benefits information and advice from multiple resources, including their company’s HR professional (30 percent), company intranet (17 percent), benefits booklet (17 percent) and/or benefits provider’s website (12 percent).

Make Enrollment Information Available to Spouses and Partners

Many studies indicate that spouses of workers are often the decision-makers when it comes to benefit decisions. Women make approximately 80 percent of health care decisions for their families.

Happy Team Photo via Shutterstock

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6 Things Customers Want from Retail Stores and How You Can Deliver

Thanks to eCommerce, mCommerce, big data and more, the world of retail is changingâ€"perhaps faster than at any time in history.

How can a small retailer keep up?

Start by digesting Retail Rebooted, a new report on retail trends from JWT:

True, the report focuses on larger retail chains and while many of the things they’re doing aren’t (or aren’t yet) practical or affordable for small retailers, there is still a lot to learn. You’ll want to pore over the massive report yourself, but here are some of the key takeaways.

The primary trend affecting small companies is “Retail as the Third Space.” While this has been underway for a while, it’s really taking hold now. As eCommerce and mCommerce become more prevalent, JWT says, brick-and-mortar retail will increasingly serve as a “third space” that’s only partly about transactions. It’s just as much (if not more) about the customer experience, customer service and a unique, engaging environment.

1. Personalized Customer Service

Customers want in-person service they can’t get online. This is crucial to differentiating your store from the one-dimensional online shopping experience.

What to do: Make sure your salespeople are well trained in customer service and empowered to make the customer experience outstanding. Hire for personality. You can teach someone to work a cash register, but you can’t teach “people skills.”

2. A Sensory Experience

Retail locations that are visually attractive and appealing are a big draw. Sensory experiences can take opposite forms. If your target market is kids or teens, you might want sensory overload with lots of excitement. If it’s moms, you might want a restful, relaxing escape from the stress of daily life.

What to do: Look at your store with a critical eye to how it looks, sounds, even smells. Something as simple as playing the right music or adding comfortable chairs where customers’ friends can relax while they shop can make a huge difference in how much time customers spend with you.

3. Fun and Entertainment

Customers no longer have to go to stores to buy, so you have to work harder. It’s always been the case that retail is competing for discretionary dollars, but today it’s even clearer that your store is competing with other leisure activities like going to a park, museum or sporting event.

What to do: Hold events that make your store a fun, exciting gathering place. A cosmetics boutique could hold makeover sessions; a children’s bookstore can host readings; a gourmet food shop can have regular tastings.

4. A Curated Experience

Buying online is convenient, but can also lead to overload, as anyone who’s ever shopped for shoes on Zappos.com can attest. “Consumers often feel overwhelmed by the abundance [of choices] offered online and want retailers to curate,” the report states.

What to do: You can’t compete with Zappos or Walmart, so don’t even try. Instead, focus on creating a carefully curated experience offering the best of the best. Use window and store displays to highlight your selections and emphasize your picks (“Staff Favorites” or “Favorite Mother’s Day Gifts”). Your employees must act as curators too, being able to advise customers on their purchases and knowledgeable about your stock.

5. Online/Offline Integration

Customers expect a seamless transition between shopping on your website (if you have an eCommerce site) and shopping at your store. If your business has both an eCommerce and brick-and-mortar component, make sure the experiences are integrated so one is an extension of the other.

What to do: Take an in-depth look at your store and website. Does your brand look and feel the same online and off? Try navigating your website like a customer would, paying attention to ease of browsing and buying. Provide services like allowing customers to order in-store and have products delivered to their homes, or ordering online and picking up in-store, or returning online purchases in-store so they can deal with a live person.

6. Mobile Technology

Big retailers are taking advantage of customers’ reliance on mobile phones to grab tons of data and personalize the sales experience. Lots of this is still beyond a small business’s budget, but it’s important to be aware of.

What to do: Make sure your store has a presence on local search sites like Google and Local.com so mobile shoppers find you when they’re looking for what you sell. Also check into geofencing, which uses mobile GPS technology to send texts to consumers who opt-in to receive messages from you when they’re within a certain radius of your store. If a prospect is at your competitors’ across the street, they could get a text from you announcing a special offer or other reason to head into your store. Pretty cool.

Shopping Photo via Shutterstock

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Should I Use Surveillance in My Business?

It’s a controversial topic these days with privacy issues always looming. But using surveillance in your business may sometimes be a necessity. Dangers to your business and your employees range from the financial to the physical.

Should you have surveillance in your business? Here are some things to consider.

Reduce Theft from Inside and Out

Theft remains a major issue. In fact, there could be as many as 275 million incidents of retail theft globally each year, reports Matt Pillar. Pillar is the editor in chief at Integrated Solutions for Retailers, a website for the retail industry.

But of those, only an estimated 1 in 46 arrests are ever made in connection with those thefts. More concerning, however, is the fact that about 1/6 of those arrested, about 1 million total, are employees.

Of course, non-retail businesses face the threat of theft too. This includes everything from theft of company property to theft of intellectual property. So these are all factors a business owner must weigh.

Improve Overall Business Operations

When Ryan Elmore installed video surveillance at his restaurant a few years ago, the results were huge, reports CNN Money. Elmore is co-owner of Pepper Jack’s Neighborhood Grill in Erie, Col.

With the new surveillance, Elmore discovered his manager in charge was ducking out of his responsibilities. He also discovered that employees were giving away free meals to friends. They were also taking multiple smoking breaks and texting instead of working while he was gone, he says.

On top of everything else, Elmore discovered his restaurant was overstaffed. By adjusting work schedules, he cut his labor costs by 5 percent. And by clamping down on free meals, he decreased food costs by 3 percent.

Boost Productivity and Profits

Yet more data suggests surveillance of employees can actually boost productivity and profits. For example, electronic surveillance of employees allows managers to spend less time monitoring and more time in other more productive ways, reports Bloomberg Business.

Bloomberg also reports on a study of the effects of surveillance at 392 restaurants. Restaurants where surveillance was in force saw not only a 22 percent drop in theft but a 7 percent increase in profits.

The study concludes employees edged up productivity as a result of surveillance. One possible reason was a desire amongst those who may have been skimming to make up the difference by earning better tips.

Curb Sexual Harassment Issues in the Workplace

Sexual harassment in the workplace remains an issue despite laws against the behavior that date back decades.

While the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission received about 7,500 complaints in 2012, the number of occurrences is probably much higher, reports the Huffington Post. More to the point, monetary benefits last year paid as a result of sexual harassment claims hit $43 million, the commission reports.

Besides just being motivated by a decent concern for your employees’ well being, you should be concerned about how sexual harassment can adversely affect your company’s financial status, morale and even productivity.

Use of surveillance in the workplace can discourage such behavior from ever starting if employees know their actions are being watched. If not, at the very least it can help gather evidence once a sexual harassment complaint has been filed. It can also help your company formulate a response.

Reduce Incidents of Workplace Violence

Like sexual harassment, workplace violence remains a constant problem in the U.S. For example, nearly 17 percent of fatal work injuries in the U.S. in 2011 were the result of workplace violence, SecurityInfoWatch.com reports.

That’s close to 780 fatal work injuries a year.

Surveillance in the workplace may discourage these and other incidents of workplace violence, property damage or vandalism before they happen. Or, at the very least, it will allow your company to provide adequate information to law enforcement after an event has occurred.

Conclusion

Clearly there are many considerations when deciding whether to engage in surveillance in your business. For example, another study suggests surveillance may lead to more stress, anxiety, depression, health complaints and fatigue in the workplace (the other side of the coin).

However, it’s important to consider both positives and negatives for your business when coming to a decision on this difficult and potentially controversial issue.

Surveillance Photo via Shutterstock

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New Website Offers Valuable Information and Tips About Accepting Credit and Debit Payments

If you are a merchant that accepts credit or debit, you have a lot of information to keep in your head about accepting payments, staying current on the latest technologies and program rules â€" not to mention watching out for fraud and loss issues.

That’s where the website from Community Merchants USA (CMUSA) comes in. We’ve been bringing you a series on accepting electronic payments and what you need to know, sponsored by CMUSA, so we thought we’d tell you a little about the CMUSA resource.

Community Merchants USA, an educational nonprofit project of the electronic payments industry, has developed a:

. . .complete online resource for navigating the world of payment card acceptance in order to add the most value to your business.

The free site provides educational resources and tools to:

. . .help small business owners understand how electronic payments can help you start, manage and grow a business.

The site is aimed at any type of small businesses that accept credit cards and/or debit cards.

These days that can include merchants, consultants, engineers, lawyers, technology companies, marketing agencies and other B2B companies and professionals â€" because clients and customers increasingly want to pay via credit or debit. That means you need to know about the best possible options and solutions for accepting cards.

Let me highlight some features:

Tools and Tips About Accepting Credit and Debit Cards

No matter what your question is about accepting payments, you should find your answer on CMUSA.

The Savings and Tools page is a great place to start if you’re new to accepting debit and credit card payments. But even if you’ve been accepting cards for years, you will likely find information that will deepen your understanding and help you get more value out of accepting cards. The infographics, videos and articles offer information about interchange and checkout fees, the latest payment technology, avoiding fraud, choosing a card processor and more.

Many business owners will find the card processor comparison tool powered by FeeSeeker helpful. You simply input a few basic facts about your business, and you receive a list of card processors, their transaction fees and estimates for monthly costs. The tool makes it easy to shop around to find the right fit for your business.

You’ll also find opportunities for more in-depth knowledge as well as networking on the CMUSA events page. The page lists live events across the country as well as free webinars about accepting card payments.

Keep Up With Trends

The world of card acceptance is always evolving, and you need to stay on top of things so you don’t miss out on opportunities to grow. The CMUSA news page offers the latest electronic payment news from reliable resources such as Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal and even our very own Small Business Trends. You can also learn from the personal experiences and successes of other small business owners on the CMUSA blog.

If you’re looking for a little more personal attention, you can Ask an Expert. This feature is exactly what it sounds like: CMUSA brings together a panel of electronic payments and small business experts, and you have the chance to ask them about accepting card payments or business in general. The expert will respond within 48 hours and CMUSA will post your question and answer on their website.

“Share Your Story” and Build Your Online Presence

If you’re already in the “world of payment card acceptance,” you can write about your experiences through the Share Your Story forum. The payoff for you is this: If your entry is chosen, it will be displayed on CMUSA’s blog to give you extra visibility.

Plus, your story could help other small business owners like you. Everybody wins.

Participate on their Twitter and Facebook Channels

CMUSA also maintains an active Twitter and a new Facebook page. If you are on Twitter and Facebook (I recommend your business have a presence on both), I suggest following CMUSA. They will update both channels with new developments.

That way, you can stay up to date with new information.

The Bottom Line

CMUSA provides up-to-date information about the many facets of credit and debit card payments. It contains valuable tips for those just getting into card acceptance territory, as well as news and updated information for seasoned business owners who want to get the most value out of card acceptance.

Because CMUSA is regularly updated and actively tended, this site is a helpful resource for staying on top of the latest developments in card acceptance.

Podcasting Microphone: Review of MXL Studio 1 Red Dot

Podcasting is a popular and effective way to share your expertise. While newer social media methods dominate the news, audio and video continues to grow as a way to connect with a listener and viewer, that is, your customer. For some, recording audio from a simple computer microphone is acceptable, but as you increase your listener base you will want to get a dedicated, external podcasting microphone.

The MXL Studio 1 Red Dot is a great USB-powered microphone at an affordable price. You can get their recording “kit” for around $100 on Amazon or your local electronics distributor.

MXL is well-known and respected for its recording equipment.

I am not a sound expert, but I have used several external microphones over the years to record both audio and video (well, the audio portion of my videos).

But I have to say that this little microphone kit is now one of my favorites. It comes bundled in a durable carrying case, which is a small point. But one that makes a lot of sense given that most podcasting types are probably also mobile types. The company sent me a media review unit for this post.

What I Really Like:

• I already mentioned the nifty carrying case. What can I say, I like boxes and containers.
• Another nice thing to have is the 10-foot USB cable. Before you scoff, how many times have you received a short 2-foot USB cable with some peripheral gadget because the company was too cheap to give you some leash. MXL knows their customer.
• Comes with a useful little tripod. (That’s also the main disadvantage as you’ll see below.)
• Works with PC and Mac.
• This is the best part is that it comes with a 1/8 inch headphone jack so you can monitor the audio.

What I’d Like to See:

• A beefed up mic stand. This one will suffice as you get going, but you need a stable, secure spot for it.

This microphone is made well, feels solid and has a professional look to it. I have used it mostly for recording voice-over type recordings, but also some musical work and it performs well.

At the $100 price point, it can serve the needs of most podcasters until they start to get to the level where they are using a mixer board and other professional-level equipment.

I would add the wind screen (pictured left), by the way, to keep breath moisture away from the mic itself and to minimize popping when pronouncing P or T. 

The last thing I’ll mention is â€" it is plug-and-play, just as it says on the box. I plugged it into the USB-port and it was ready to go with Audacity, the open source audio program I use, in minutes. No setup required.

Take a look at the MXL Studio 1 Red Dot if you’re in the market to upgrade your basic computer recording gear.

Images: MXL

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GoDaddy Continues Acquisition Path - Acquires Ronin Invoicing

GoDaddy, the domain registrar and website hosting company, has acquired Ronin, an online invoicing application designed for small businesses, based in Mountain View, California. In a statement on its website, Ronin founder Lu Wang assures customers that nothing will change for the time being, noting, ”You can continue to access and use Ronin to track time and send invoices as you have been doing. You can expect an update by early January as to the future of the Ronin product.”

Ronin, while not quite as well known as an invoicing app as industry leaders such as Freshbooks, has been on our radar for at least 3 years.  We covered it in our list of 50 small-business invoicing apps as early as 2010.   It provides built-in time tracking, the ability to create estimates, and integration with PayPal and Authorize.net to allow clients to pay electronically.

GoDaddy is wrapping Ronin invoicing in with the features of GoDaddy Bookkeeping, a cloud product that currently goes for under $10 per month.   That product is the outgrowth of GoDaddy’s acquisition of Outright, also originally of Mountain View, in 2012.  Outright was designed as a bookkeeping application for small businesses and entrepreneurs who didn’t want or need all the complexity of a full-blown accounting application, but wanted something simpler and streamlined.

According to a statement by GoDaddy Senior Vice President, Business Applications Steven Aldrich (formerly the CEO of Outright before it was acquired), “One of our primary goals is to make the ‘business of business’ easy, and GoDaddy Online Bookkeeping does that by taking the headache out of knowing their numbers.”

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

This is one of those acquisitions that seems a natural.  It makes sense for GoDaddy, Ronin and, most importantly, small business customers.

• For customers it can be convenient and easier to have a seamlessly integrated invoicing feature in a bookkeeping solution.  Invoicing and bookkeeping are closely aligned activities in a small business.
• For GoDaddy, it expands the functionality around managing finances that the GoDaddy Bookkeeping solution offers its customers today.
• For Ronin it’s an advantage to have access to GoDaddy’s huge base of 12 million customers. That gives Ronin a chance to be part of something much larger. And with access to GoDaddy’s resources, Ronin can expand the services provided to its existing customers.

GoDaddy is in the process of transforming the company into a small business services platform â€" one that can serve the needs of small businesses beyond domain names and websites.  GoDaddy has been on the acquisition trail for the past year.  In addition to Ronin and Outright, it has also acquired M.dot, Locu and Afternic in the past 12 months.

In 2011 GoDaddy was 65% bought out from founder Bob Parsons by equity firms KKR Capstone, along with Silver Lake Partners and Technology Crossover Ventures.

GoDaddy is based in Scottsdale,  Arizona and has 4,000 employees.

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