2. Why Online Branding Is Important
For individuals:
❖ 70% of hiring managers say they’ve rejected a
candidate based on information they’ve found
online. – Washington Post, 1/28/10
❖ 37% of employers use Facebook to prescreen
applicants. – Huffington Post, 4/12/12
❖ 91% of recruiters use social networks to
evaluate job applicants. – 2011 Reppler Survey
❖ Employers admit they’re looking for resume
exaggerations, whether applicant would be a
good fit for their culture & examples of
inappropriate behavior.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
3. Why Online Branding Is Important
For businesses:
❖ Online/Social Media is the new “word
of mouth” marketing...just with much
wider reach.
❖ Studies show that over 80% of Internet
users do research via a search engine
before they buy a product or service.
❖ Majority of people research local
businesses online before doing
business with them in person.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
4. Why Social Media Is Important
❖ Posts/updates are indexable points for the
search engines.
❖ Keyword-rich posts will help you get found
AND show off your interests & expertise.
❖ The more items you have indexed, the
more likely you are to show up in search
engine results.
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
5. What Will Make This Work for You?
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
❖ Individuals Should Open & Maintain
Profiles on the Major Social Outlets
❖ Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Google+, Pinterest, Blog
❖ Businesses Should Also Claim
Major Online Profiles & Directories.
❖ Google Places/Google+ Local,
Yahoo & Bing Local, Merchant
Circle, Insider Pages,
Superpages, Yelp, etc.
❖ Fill out info completely with keyword-
rich content to make them appealing
to the search engines.
6. How Can This Work for You?
sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
❖ Analyze which social media outlets contain your audience.
❖ Business - Where are your potential clients?
❖ Individuals - Where are your potential employers?
❖ Compose keyword-rich posts that engage your audience AND read
well to the search engines.
7. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
Strategies/Methods - Facebook
❖ Best for individuals & B2C
businesses.
❖ Businesses should be sure to set
up a company page, not a
personal profile with your business
information.
❖ Individuals should never trust
security settings.
8. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
Strategies/Methods - LinkedIn
❖ Best for individuals & B2B businesses, but works for
all.
❖ LinkedIn is considered a search engine in its own
right, and the keywords in your profile will allow you
to be found by searchers (like headhunters,
recruiters, potential customers, etc.).
❖ Personal profiles can be indexed for company name
and specialties, as well.
❖ Businesses should set up a company LinkedIn page,
as well as optimized personal profiles for another
SERP point of indexing.
9. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
Strategies/Methods - YouTube
❖ Take advantage of a YouTube channel - it’s the
2nd largest search engine, only behind Google.
❖ Google puts emphasis on their own properties
& YouTube is Google’s video outlet.
❖ Ideas
❖ Businesses: facility tours, staff member bios,
how tos, etc.
❖ Individuals: presentations, video resumes, talk
about your expertise/passion.
10. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
Strategies/Methods - Pinterest
Great way to show off interests, personal &
professional!
❖ Ideas
❖ Businesses: Show industry expertise with your
own videos & blog posts, repinning industry info,
etc.
❖ Individuals: Show personality with personal-type
pins (ie style, humor, etc.) while still showing
professional expertise with professional-type
boards & pins.
11. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
Strategies/Methods - E-mail
❖ Easy place to show professionalism.
❖ Grammar, spelling & punctuation matter!
❖ Do NOT use text-speak.
❖ Address matters. Employers & clients pay attention.
❖ Would you hire sexykitty@xyz.com or
stephanie@sbnmktg.com?
❖ Would you work with sbnmarketing@yahoo.com
or stephanie@sbnmktg.com?
❖ E-mail signature is a GREAT place to include links
to social media outlets. Shows you’ve got nothing to
hide!
12. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
Important Pieces of the Puzzle
❖ Make sure information is the same across
channels.
❖ Address, Phone Number, Web Address,
E-mail Address, Offers, etc.
❖ Make sure all pieces send the same message.
❖ Businesses: Print, online, e-mail, direct mail,
etc.
❖ Individuals: Social media, resume, e-mail
signature,etc.
13. sbnmktg.com ~ stephanie@sbnmktg.com ~ 704.218.9043
What to Expect for Your Brand
❖ OWN IT! Big brands don’t let others define them;
neither should you.
❖ Know what’s out there about you/your brand.
Don’t let your reputation proceed you without you
even knowing what it is!
❖ Stop thinking search results will appear
overnight.
❖ Search engine algos change a lot. Do your
best & don’t stop trying to learn.
❖ Keep an eye on new outlets - which are worth
your time? Analyze your audience & where/how
you want to be found.
❖ Social media can turn into a time suck. Figure
out how much you can handle, and handle those
things well.