We understand the pressures your business faces over speeding up the process to make it to the top of Google, but we want to caution you over some new spam attempts circulating the internet. Have you gotten emails trying to sell you a “Get to the top of Google” scam and you were skeptical whether it was spam?

They may have claimed that they can scan your site and provide you with information that only experts can provide. They also may have claimed your website not being up-to-date, missing information, or lacking speed. These emails or calls may be full of promises about your business being able to leverage this success overnight and gain a large quota of sales quickly!

Tempting.

We know.

These scare tactics can convince anyone to jump in on the investment, but before you hand over any private or financial information we wanted to provide you with some valuable tips to help you recognize spam, as well as reasons as to why you should stick to the experts.

How to recognize spam:

• Unsolicited emails and/or comments left on your website from random companies or contacts that you have never had contact with before. These are often full of exaggerated promises that seem too good to be true – because they are.
• Consider the email address. For example, are they sending you an email from an unprofessional email address or a free service such as @gmail.com or @hotmail.com?
• Research their company and consider the professionalism or the lack there of, their website, social media accounts, and email addresses provided.
• Requesting private information too soon. For example, are they requesting your private or banking information simply after your first interaction? If they seem pushy at all – RUN.

Why you want to use SEO experts instead:

• You will be better off because the experts are not out to trick you, but actually want to see your company succeed. Our success is directly correlated with your company’s success!
• You will save money by not trying to find a quick fix that doesn’t work and results in you needing to start ALL over again. Invest your money the right way the first time and avoid detours along the way to your SEO success.
• Your company will grow when you avoid the shortcuts.

Bottom line, trust your SEO success with the experts. SEO isn’t an overnight fix. It’s about promoting your site and overtime beating your competitors in the Google race.

Remember: slow and steady wins the race.

The post SEO Spam: How to Recognize and Avoid It first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Who are Gen Xers?

From a marketing standpoint, think of modern moms & dads. These are adults who currently make up the filling of the American demographic pie. They are working long hours, raising kids, and paying mortgages. Many of them are at the peak of their careers or are building businesses.

Though they are self-proclaimed mavericks and individualists, in many ways, from a marketing standpoint they are a hybrid. Some researchers call them the bridge generation. They’ve adopted some aspects of “boomer-ism” from their parents, and they have clearly been one of the major influences in making millennials so–well–millennial.

In this post, we’ll examine how an understanding of this generation’s unique characteristics can help us market more effectively to them. Here are some tips on marketing to Generation X.

The Busiest Generation

Gen Xers are busy. They must juggle marriage, kids, parents, and careers like no other generation. If we want to gain them as customers, we have to catch them first. Here are a few suggestions for marketing to the busiest generation.

1. The @ Factor

Though some prematurely prophesy the end of the email, it’s still the most effective way to market to this generation. They are online to a much greater degree than boomers, and they are very comfortable with online shopping. Outlook is an integral part of their business and home communications, so email marketing is a natural fit.

2. Chill Time

Gen Xers need a break more than any of us. According to research, 80% of Gen Xers with an annual income of over 250k say they’ll take a vacation this year. Over half of the rest said they plan annual vacations as well. Even if you’re not in the travel business, consider a sweepstakes promotion or other travel-related marketing.

3. Get Social

One of the ways to help this generation save time is to be where they are. Gen Xers are on social media almost as much as millennials. This means that your social media marketing needs to address them as well. Develop specific strategies to target them, however, since their needs are very different from those of millennials.

Conscience Counts

This generation certainly has a conscience. They have grown up in difficult times, and it has made them want to make the world a better place. Here are a couple of ways to appeal to the Gen X conscience.

1. Remember the Planet

Finding out what causes your prospects are interested in can be a great way to win their business. For Gen Xers, the environment is number one. Be cautious about associating your brand with anything perceived as hurting the environment. Proactively, find ways your business can facilitate the support of environmental causes. Gen Xers will genuinely appreciate this effort and take notice of your brand.

2. Rock the Vote

Though early predictions about this generation’s political personality were gloomy, they have grown up to be quite politically loyal. This gives you another simple way to research and target this demographic. Their voting habits can be relatively stable, so learn what they are. Research their hot-button issues and you’ll know them much better as a group.

A Few Curveballs

I have three kids. They all surprise us from time to time, but the middle one is just full of surprises. This seems to be true with most middle children, and it’s true with this demographical “middle child.” Here are a few statistical curveballs Gen X has thrown at market researchers.

1. They go to the store.

Gen Xers are hybrid shoppers. Though they often shop online, they also still go shopping. You’ll find them at the mall with their kids, at discount and specialty shops as well. In addition, though they claim to be list shoppers, statistics say otherwise. They are among the most likely to make impulse buying choices.

2. They use coupons.

These are some of the most coupon-ready prospects in the marketplace. They entered the workforce just as the Great Recession hit, and they tend to be pessimistic about retirement, so they focus on saving. Self-professed bargain-hunters, many of them try to buy only with coupons. Therefore, in your social media and email marketing, make sure to provide useful coupons.

3. They bring in the mail.

One place you might not expect to find this generation is at the mailbox. However, as the Postal Service struggles for its existence, many Gen Xers pick up their mail every day. In fact, many of them say they have bought based on direct mail advertising. Though the bulk of current marketing will tend to be digital, feel free to kick it old school on occasion. As long as you are careful not to waste paper, you may be able to win some Gen X business for the cost of some printing and postage.

Don’t Forget the Middle Child

Next month, we’ll explore what’s on everyone’s mind, marketing to millennials. However, we hope this information inspires you to remember the tremendous opportunity of marketing to this unique group. Generation X, like Baby Boomers, are often forgotten in our haste to adapt to what’s new and what’s next. Remember, this demographical “middle child” is and will continue to be a crucial target for any successful marketing strategy.

Effective Digital Marketing in Tulsa, Oklahoma

At McWilliams Media in Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, we are committed helping businesses develop effective digital marketing strategies. From web design and video to social media and SEO, let us be your digital marketing partners.

Call (918)791-3128 today and set up a free consultation, or click here to contact us.

The post Generational Marketing Part 2: Marketing to Generation X first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Market Awareness – Understanding Your Target Market

A business without market awareness is like a ship without a rudder. If the wind happens to blow in the right direction, success is possible. The chances of that happening, however, are almost none. In order to succeed in business, we must know our markets.

Multiple Generations/Multiple Strategies

One of the most important ways to analyze our markets is in terms of demographics. Right now, perhaps more than ever, marketers need to consider three distinct generations in our culture. Those generations are usually known as Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Millenials.

These three groups are dramatically different in terms of how they buy, how much they buy, how they view money and business, and how they communicate. Therefore, we must market to them with these distinctions in mind. We need multiple strategies for multiple generations.

Generational Marketing

This is the first in a series of blogs on how to market to these three generations. We’ll briefly identify each generational group, and give some insight on how to tailor your marketing strategies for each. Of course, these are not hard lines or hard and fast rules, but benchmarks to help give direction.

Marketing to Baby Boomers

Who are Baby Boomers? Baby Boomers are the ones who still listen to and leave voicemails. They were born between 1946 and 1964, so they grew up in the idealistic post-WWII era. In general, theirs is a rather “white-picket-fence” view of the world.

Though their kids say they are technologically challenged, they are not averse to it. Researchers say that by 2014, over 65% of people ages 50-64 were using social networking sites. In addition, Boomers spend more on technology than any other generation.

Most importantly, this generation is a huge and often untapped market. Though the over-50 crowd accounts for over 50% of all expenditures, we marketers currently only spend 10% of our budgets going after them. Oops! Let’s see how we can correct that. Here are some tips on marketing to Baby Boomers.

1.  Don’t Low-Ball

According to the AARP, US adults over 50 spend $3.2 trillion annually and have accumulated $15 trillion in financial assets! This means that they’re not afraid to spend. They spend more per purchase, more per shopping trip, and more per year than any other group.

Baby-boomers not only aren’t afraid to spend, but they may, in fact, be suspicious of prices that are too low. Their years have taught them that quality matters, and they believe they deserve it. So market premium, full-priced products to Boomers. Just make sure your products are worth the price.

2. Win Their Loyalty

This brings us to the next tip. Baby Boomers tend to be very brand loyal. Once they’re convinced a product is great and they like it, they’re committed. My mother is on her “umpteenth” (that’s the word she would use) new Buick, and she’ll keep buying them because that’s what she buys.

The trick with boomers is often to become “what they buy,” “what they use,” or “who they go to.” If you can become their brand, you can build serious consistency. The key is to make sure your products and services are really great and do a great job convincing them of that fact.

3. Reward Their Loyalty

Consistency and longevity are important to Boomers. One way to communicate that you’ll be around is to set up programs that reward their longevity as a customer. Cash-back programs or loyalty discounts are excellent ways to make these customers stick. To most of them, front-end discounts often mean something is wrong. Loyalty programs do the opposite, adding value instead of taking it away.

4. Go Old-School

Facebook ads just annoy most Boomers. According to research, they use social media to revive old friendships and not much else. Therefore, they will most likely tag your FB ads as spam.

The most effective way to market to this generation is through direct contact. These big-spenders are more likely to buy from a real person than any other way. Call them on the phone (by the way, many of them still have landlines), but just make sure it isn’t during dinner!

If personal sales contacts are not practical for your business, the next best thing is email marketing. Boomers are more likely to read an email than a blog or pop-up ad, especially if it’s brief and professional. Particularly if you’ve already won them as a customer, used wisely, email can be a powerful tool for keeping yourself in front of this generation.

Speaking of blogs, don’t count them out. Boomers do read blogs as long as they are brief. Researchers have found that most people 50 years and up will read a blog if it’s about 300 words or less. The long-form blog that takes forever to get to the point won’t work. However, if you can write concisely and get your message across quickly, Boomers will get it.

5. Always Tell the Truth

This is just good business, and we assume the vast majority of our readers know and practice that. However, if you’re tempted to fudge occasionally, don’t. If you read about the next two generations, you’ll find that this is one of the tips for all three generations. However, the reasons differ slightly for each one.

For Boomers, it’s about trust. Many of them feel that the moral fiber of our culture is eroding. They have been burned by slick salesmen and misleading ads, especially on the internet. In order to gain and keep these loyal customers, you’ll have to prove yourself. You’ll need to establish integrity.

Speaking of integrity, there’s a fact we all need to remember while we’re working to get ahead in business. Author and researcher Tom Stanley surveyed vendors, friends, and family of self-made deca-millionaires (people who had achieved a net worth of $10 million or more) and found they had 38 things in common. The number one thing they all shared was fanatical integrity.

Market Personalities

Maybe you’re already marketing to this generation. Perhaps you see this as uncharted waters. Either way, remember that these guidelines are intended to shed light and open doors, not to draw hard lines.

Every customer will differ slightly, but research shows that in general, these three groups have distinct market personalities. Learning how to approach them can greatly increase your ability to win and keep them as customers. Watch for our next entry in this series, “Generational Marketing Part 2: Generation X.”

Digital Marketing Strategies

At McWilliams Media in Tulsa and Broken Arrow, we are passionate about helping you succeed in today’s market. From branding and overall strategy to web design, video, and social media, we can help you build a marketing strategy to win in the digital age. Contact us today for a free consultation.

The post 5 Unique Strategies to Utilize When Marketing Baby Boomers first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

The Buzz

Drones are creating quite the buzz these days–literally and figuratively. Because they can capture such stunning content, they are becoming the tool of choice for many photographers and videographers. First seen mostly in genres like extreme sports and action film, drones have now brought their very specialized set of skills into the business world.

Smart business owners and entrepreneurs recognize the immense value of compelling video and photo content in marketing themselves and their products. Now, through the use of drones, the value of that content can literally take off! Here’s why drones are the new secret weapon of effective marketing.

1. Aerial Perspective

The most obvious value of drones is that these little guys can fly. Aerial video and photography have an impact that nothing else does. You now have the ability to give your customers a unique and powerful perspective on your business and products. You can literally fly your audience down your street and into your front door.

2. Endless Angles

Flying high isn’t their only skill. Since they are so small and agile, drones can shoot from almost any perspective you can imagine. Shoot from underneath tables, fly through hallways, windows, or tunnels. Outdoors and indoors as well, the possibilities are almost endless.

3. Exceptional Quality

As camera technology advances, video quality elevates. Drones now shoot video in full HD and even 4k resolutions. This means that even at significant heights and distances, your image is clear and crisp.

With image stabilization, the camera movements in drone videos can be smooth and seamless. This takes a level of skill, of course. Make sure you hire a skilled and experienced videographer to produce your marketing videos.

4. Limitless Applications

If you own a business, I’m sure you’re already dreaming about your next drone video. We have lots of ideas as well. Here are just a few examples of how we’re using drones to create impact for our customers.

Roofing Company

Home Builder

Day Spa & Salon

Showroom

5. Emotional Impact

Most of all, videographers use drones because of the emotional impact they can produce. All the tricks and creative ideas have a purpose. That purpose is to move people. This is especially true in marketing.

Marketing is first and foremost about impact. The goal is always to deliver a message that connects with people and moves them to act. Drones can help create the emotional impact that gives your marketing content the power to do just that.

6. Unforgettable Content

Like it or not, marketing is more than just storytelling. Marketing is a competition. Whatever your business, you need messages that help you stand out from the crowd. Just having the right information isn’t enough. You need content your audience literally can’t forget.

This is why drones are such a valuable tool. With the right creative team behind it, a drone can be the key to making your marketing content sparkle. Whether it’s video, still photography, or both, the drone can make your content unforgettable.

7. Brand Power

If there’s one thing business owners want for their businesses, it’s brand power. You want people to remember you and think about you first. Lots of things go into creating brand power. You have to do an exceptional job at what you do, have integrity, and maintain good customer relationships.

Once you have those things in place, effective marketing is the next step in empowering your brand, and drones can play an important role in that. Through video and photography with creative perspectives, exceptional quality, and emotional impact, your content can be powerful and memorable.

At McWilliams Media in Tulsa, Oklahoma, we specialize in brand power. Through web design, branding, social media, and professional photography and videography, we help you build your dream. Contact us today and let us show you how drone video and photography can be your new marketing secret weapon!

The post Not Just For Spies Anymore. The Drone: Marketing’s New Secret Weapon first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

“If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.”

If you’ve experienced any business training or been to a motivational event in the past 30 years or so, you’ve probably heard some version of this quote. It’s attributed to Zig Ziglar, sales guru and master of quips and one-liners. And I don’t think there’s anything truer when it comes to website design.

Above all, you must have a clear target when you put your business online. Gone are the days when just putting your name on Main Street or even an Interstate billboard was enough to set you apart. Those things can help, but once your customers are online, the “billboards” are way too numerous. And if you’re lucky (or skilled) enough to get them to your site, your competition, often global, is just a few clicks away at any moment.

How to aim well.

In order to make your website attract your customers and keep them, you have to aim. And you have to aim well. But taking aim is not as simple as it sounds. That’s why professional web design is essential. But in order to make professional web design do its best for you, there are some essential questions you must answer for yourself.

The post Ready, Aim, Design! 7 Key Questions to Help “Aim” Your New Website first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Chrome Users Warned About Non-SSL Sites

Google is making a bold move beginning in July. They have always worked to “nudge” website traffic away from unencrypted (HTTP) sites. This has been accomplished by displaying a green padlock icon and a “Secure” sign whenever Chrome users visit encrypted (HTTPS) sites. And in 2015, Google began down-ranking unencrypted sites.

However, starting in just a few days, all Chrome users will see an extra warning when visiting any HTTP site. The browser will now mark all HTTP sites as “not secure” rather than simply marking HTTPS sites as secure. This is bad news for any site that does not have an SSL certificate.

SSL Basics

For those of you who may be a little lost right now, here’s a primer on what an SSL certificate is. First, and most simply, if your site has a current SSL certificate, it becomes an HTTPS site. That means that the letter “S” for “Secure” is displayed at the beginning of your web address. This lets the user know their connection to your site is being encrypted.

That encryption is what makes sure their information is not visible to anyone else on the web. When a customer connects to your website, their information passes through connecting computers in order to get to your server. If the connection is not encrypted, those computers can read your customer’s username & password, credit card numbers, and any other information being passed.

What is an SSL Certificate?

The SSL certificate is what assures that your customers’ connection to your site is secure. Having an active SSL certificate gives you a way to keep others from spying on what people are doing on your site. And it helps you take care of your company’s information as well as your customers’.

In a technical sense, an SSL certificate is a small data file. This file digitally binds an encryption key to your site’s details. This cryptographic information acts as a padlock. This activates HTTPS protocol and allows secure connections between your customers’ browser and your site.

Customers Driven AWAY From Your Site?

As a website owner, you want your customers’ information to be secure, as well as your own. And starting in July, if you don’t have an SSL certificate, all Google Chrome users will be warned NOT to visit your site. That could significantly drive users AWAY from your site!

We’ve got you covered.

Good news. If you signed up on any of our hosting packages from 2019 on, you already have an SSL certificate. That means you’re secure, and your visitors won’t receive any warnings on your site. But if you are on an older hosting plan, we have options .

Hosting Options for SSL

First, you can upgrade to our silver, gold or platinum hosting plan. These plans not only include free SSL but many other advanced features that could significantly enhance your site’s potential. But if our basic plans is still best for you, you can also purchase an SSL plan separately.

SSL Add-on

We also offer an SSL add-on. This service provides a complete SSL certificate set-up for your site for a one-time fee of $175. Then just pay an annual maintenance fee of $100 to keep your certificate current and active.

At McWilliams Media, we are passionate about your success! And one of the most important elements to your success is website security. If you do not have a current SSL certificate or have questions about securing your site, contact us today!

The post Google & SSL: How Chrome is Pushing Owners to Secure Their Sites NOW first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

If you are in the sales industry and you have salesmen on your team; before you put out all the money, energy, and effort it takes to hire additional team members or replace lost ones, let us take a look at your website.

Is your website a salesman for you?

If you’re consistently spending money every month to keep your site current and up to date, it needs to be doing something for you in return. Let us look at your site and see how we can make it a valuable salesman for your company. There are numerous ways that we can help you generate leads, communicate with clients, and connect with potential clients.

Before you spend all the time, energy, and effort it takes to find another salesman, let’s make your website a salesman for your company. If you have any questions, contact us anytime at Mcwilliams Media. We’ll be happy to take a look at your website and see what can do to help you start making more money.

The post Make Your Website a Salesman first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

If you’re looking at someone else’s website and it makes you go “Ooooh! I really like that. I like the color, the feel, I like how their logo is; they’ve got cool buttons.” If their site makes you go “Ooooh!” and not your own site, then we want to change that. Let’s make your website awesome!

We can take a look at the other site that you like. We can dissect it, figure out the small pieces that you love, and incorporate them into your current site. Or, if you don’t have a site already, then we can start from scratch and create something amazing!

If you don’t feel like your site is worth saying “Ooooh!” over, call Mcwilliams Media. We’ll be happy to look at what you have, give you a quick site audit, and see how we can help you love your site again.

The post Tulsa Website Design | Things That Make You Go “Ooooh!” first appeared on McWilliams Media | Website Design | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.