The Buyer Group PR + SEO News

Websites, blogs, texting and social media are serving as a viral PR and marketing platform for the recent Haiti disaster relief efforts.

The Red Cross texting campaign went viral through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and donations for Haiti alone have already doubled the $4 million that was donated to all charities by mobile texts in all of 2009.

Think about how you can use your own website, blog or social media network to spread the word and make it easy for people to access ways to donate. If you haven’t already done so, think of these possibilities for your business to help Haiti.

• Create a banner add on your website linking to your favorite organization that is helping Haiti. Here’s one. http://www.redcross.org/psa/bannerorder/all/singular.asp
• Add Tweets to your Twitter broadcasts linking to an organization such as the Red Cross
• Post info on your Facebook
• Add a link to your  email signature
• Donate some time to helping locally

For example help a local Red Cross chapter. My sister’s restaurant La Gondola donated food to the Chicago Red Cross on Friday via @PrSarahEvans Tweet media push. Evans spent the day on location with the Red Cross Tweeting and pitching in to help spread the social good. You can too.

The Buyer Group will continue to donate time and a portion of sales to the Clinton Bush Haiti Relief Fund as well as ShopToEarth’s partner Charity Water.

What can you do? Get creative! Below is a list of some ways the media and social media are spreading the word:

1. The Huffington Post has an ongoing list of relief efforts and how you can get involved that it is going to continue updating. Check it out here.

2. CNN has compiled a list of organizations that will be providing support to the estimated 3 million people that have been affected by the earthquake.

3. Many people are engaging the Twitter community to raise awareness, as well as funds. Search “Haiti” and see what the latest updates are.

As 2009 comes to a close, Jeff Zbar of The South Florida Business Journal caught up with several marketing executives in the Sunshine State to see what they are wishing for in the New Year.

Lisa Buyer, President and CEO of The Buyer Group is hoping for some Google grace for her public relations clients and even more success bringing together the domains of social media and search engines.

Keep reading to see Lisa’s thoughts on client trust as well as which executive is wishing to land Tiger Woods as a client.

Happy New Year from The Buyer Group!

Marketing executives hope for success in the new year
South Florida Business Journal – by Jeff Zbar

“What I want for the holidays is … to have more successful clients,” admitted Gary Schweikhart of PR-BS, in Boca Raton. “The better they do financially, the less likely it is that PR will get the budget ax in a tight economy.”

The grace of Google to find her clients’ releases, and greater acceptance and understanding of that place where social media and PR converge were Lisa Buyer’s wishes. The more they get it, the greater the chance for return on investment from a social media PR campaign.

While they’re at it, a little hands-off trust would be nice, too.

“Let go,” said Buyer, principal with The Buyer Group, a Deerfield Beach-based interactive PR and branding firm. “I would like the control freaks and micromanaging type of clients to consider letting go and trusting who they hire.”

You can check out the entire SFBJ article here.

The battle for online market share is continuing to intensify as Microsoft opens a can of competition at the established search engine powerhouse, Google.

Microsoft’s latest attempt to thrust its newly released Bing.com into the fray has them teaming with Yahoo.  Under the partnership, Yahoo is abandoning its own search technology in favor of the newly developed Bing algorithms.

According to Mashable.com, a partnership with Yahoo provides Microsoft the scale and advertising opportunities needed to turn Bing into an actual competitor of Google, at least in the short-term.  From Yahoo’s perspective, this deal seems to suggest the site will never again be a major player in the search market.

At The Buyer Group, we believe that as long as Google continues to provide quality search and services, loyalty to the site will prevail, leaving Bing with little more than a temporary blip on the market share radar.

With rumors spreading that Google will soon offer real-time search capabilities, allowing for the indexing of Tweets and other up-to-the-minute data, it is becoming essential that users optimize their Twitter profiles and content to rank highly in search results.

The following list is a breakdown of the Top 10 Twitter SEO Tips from Mashable.com.  As an online public relations agency, The Buyer Group uses each of these strategies to manage and optimize clients’ social media channels, providing quality exposure and promotion for their businesses.

According to Mashable, “By following these 10 Twitter tips, you, your company or your brand can build up more prominent links in high places on the engines.”

1 -Choose a good handle - Usernames need to be memorable, relevant and add value to your brand.  Your username will also become part of your customized Twitter URL, making it important to be consistent among social media channels.

2- Select an account name wisely - Your account name appears next to your username.  The Buyer Group uses this field as an additional opportunity to incorporate relevant key words into a profile.

3- Make your bio count - Twitter allows users 140 characters to describe themselves.  Use them. Your bio needs to include relevant key words and phrases that boost the value of your brand and rank highly in search.

4- Spread the word – Placing your Twitter URL on other social media sites as well as on many of the pages of your own Web site will help drive up its link value in search engines.

5- Remember your URL – Including a link to your brand’s site or even another social media profile is one of the easiest things you can do to promote your business.

6 -Select the initial characters of each tweet carefully - The first characters of each tweet determine the message’s title tag as a search result and may end up having the most impact on its future SEO value.

7 – Write keyword-rich tweets if possible - There needs to be a balance between keywords and content.  Starting tweets with relevant keywords is a great way to theme your messages and capitalize on timely “buzz words.”

8- Mind your re-tweetability – Keeping your messages around 120 characters will allow for maximum re-tweetability.

9 – Provide some link love- Twitter has become a very useful tool for promotion of messages and driving traffic to specific content.  Using a URL shortener such as Bit.ly will not only make it easy to fit links into your 140 characters, but also allow tracking click-throughs.

10 – As always, give ‘em what they want -Your followers on Twitter want timely and informative content.  Making sure your tweets and links provide something of interest to your followers is the number one goal on Twitter.

Read on for more information and make sure to check out the original post by Mashable.

The Buyer Group’s Lisa Buyer with Sarah Van Elzen take the lead of a social media webinar designed exclusively for the Shop To Earn Network.  This Social Media Boot Camp gives interactive training on how to get started on social media sites, with a special focus on Twitter.  Shop To Earn’s President and CEO Dan Swiniarski fully embraces Twitter, now communicating meaningful updates twice a day to the 80,000+ Shop To Earn Network.  Follow him today @danswiniarski.
For information on how you can bring online public relations and social media to your business contact Lisa Buyer on Twitter @lisabuyer.

Looking for Lisa Buyer this week?  Check Twitter.com/lisabuyer for constant updates.

Speaking in 140 characters or less, Twitter users have up-to-the-minute information about the who’s, what’s, where’s, and why’s of business, plus a little extra. My current status would look a little like this:

In twitter language that translates to: I’m attending Pubcon, a search marketing conference that covers all aspects of online business.  I am speaking on the panel  “Moving Old Brands into the New Social Media,” but better yet — I’ll be attending the coolest sessions that will take The Buyer Group PR campaigns to a new level.

And how valuable is PR right now?

It’s about as valuable as you make it — and in this economy, you must make every dollar count.

Check out what I have highlighted from a PR perspective:

• Writing Headlines that Rock
• Web Site Design and SEO Deployment – Get your PR agency involved!
• The Twitter and Microbogging Revolution -
• How PR Agencies Intersect with PR
• Brand and Reputation Management
• Intersection of Search and Social Media
• Optimizing a Local Search Campaign using PR
• Personalized and Universal Search
• Leveraging Consumer Generated Content
• Tracking Results

Let us know if you are interested in getting together to see how you can apply some of these strategies and help get the best PR/Branding ROI in this challenging economy. And keep in mind, traditional PR is still The Buyer Group’s foundation, all of this new media only gives us new tools to make PR more powerful — and all strategies are not created equal.

On Valentine’s Day The Buyer Group kicks off online PR ways to share the love. What a better way to communicate with potential customers than with the power of social media? The Buyer Group is happy to share our expertise and social networking know-how with your company and help you show your love where it really matters!

• Share the love and become our fan on The Buyer Group’s Facebook Fan Page!
• Follow us on our journey to spread the love with The Buyer Group Twitter!
• Show some love to get some love with The Buyer Group’s Spring Discount blog for Beverly Hills Aesthetics.
• See the love Online PR can bring you by visiting our Beauty and Breast Implant blog for Dr. Wigoda.
• Feel the love and check out the great new site from Shop To Earn featuring online PR from The Buyer Group.

Interested in finding some online PR for yourself?  Contact us today!

Las Vegas, NV – January 16, 2008 – What do you get when you cross affiliate marketing with a hybrid multi-level marketing business model and social consciousness? ShopToEarn and ShopToEarth (http://www.shoptoearn.net).

Shop To Earn is turning e-commerce on its head with a platform on which well-known retailers – including just-inked deals with Victoria’s Secret and Expedia – discount up to 30 percent of the sales with shoppers and the people they refer. It’s a concept that has attracted 80,000 members and put Shop To Earn on target for $120 million in revenues annually in just two years.

“Our members aren’t pushing somebody’s powder, potion or pills,” said Dan Swiniarski, President of ShopToEarn. “There’s nothing sexy about getting paid to shop and getting paid to refer others to shop, but it’s a very simple way to save time, save money, save travel, and save gas – and receive cash back on your network’s purchases from hundreds of the biggest names in e-commerce retail.”

There are three levels of membership: Web Site Owner, Business Builder, and Broker. As a Web site Owner, Shop To Earn members control their own shoptoearn.net/user domain and receive cash back on every purchase from their Web site. As a Business Builder, members can earn commissions on their own shopping list and receive a $100 training bonus for every new Web Site Owner they refer. After the Business Builder refers three Web Site Owners and generates $100 in monthly business volume through his/her website’s link to Shop To Earth, the Business Builder begins receiving commissions on everyone in his/her network. Brokers, meanwhile, are both Web Site Owners and Business Builders. Once a Broker has referred three Web Site Owners, his/her website is free, and Brokers also earn the same commissions as Business Builders. Shop To Earn pays 100 percent of the retailer’s commission to the member.

“Shop To Earn’s multi-level marketing business model is fairly simple in comparison to other network marketing companies,” said Swiniarski. “Our members get paid to shop and refer; the more they shop and the more they refer, the more they earn.”

While members are shopping at online stores like Target, Best Buy, the Gap, and other leading brands, Shop To Earth gives shoppers access to natural, organic, and earth-friendly brands like Avalon, Kiss My Face and Nature’s Gate through member portals. The company generates revenue through margins on Shop To Earth products.

Shop To Earn’s goal is to become the largest shopping portal in the world. In the wake of a recession that is spurring more people to look for value-added products and services, as well as new income streams, the company is making great strides with new members springing up in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. In fact, ex-real estate agents, brokers, construction executives, and financial industry professionals are turning to Shop To Earn to save money on goods and to earn extra cash.

“E-commerce and the environment are at the forefront of the global economy. ShopToEarn and ShopToEarth are positioned strategically at the forefront of this revolution,” Swiniarski said. “With ShopToEarn we have the ability to make a difference and do the right thing for the environment, while also helping put cash back into the pockets of hard working people.”

About Shop To Earn and Shop To Earth
Empowering its members to choose a lifestyle of better health and increased wealth, the goal of Shop To Earn and Shop To Earth is to increase environmental awareness and social responsibility. Through its alliances with the biggest name retailers in traditional and environmentally friendly products, Shop To Earth members have access to natural, organic, and earth-friendly brands. While purchasing these products, Shop To Earth members receive a percentage of cash back on all their purchases through the Shop To Earn/Shop To Earth portals. For more information visit the Shop To Earn blog: http://officialshoptoearn.blogspot.com/.

Search Marketing Conferences
PubCon – The search-marketing event of the year that fuels a surge of new energy and ideas for The Buyer Group each year. Looking forward to the PubCon in Austin, Texas.
Search Engine Strategies (SES) – A yearlong schedule of search marketing and commerce events for our online fix. Next stop SES New York March 23-26, 2009.

2008 was great in the world of conferences, where Lisa Buyer held a spot in the speaker’s lounge. Lisa shared the latest trends in online PR on session panels at both PubCon and SES along side the top the movers and shakers in search.

People in Search
Joe Laratro – one of the first 100 Google AdWords certified professional, SFIMA President and Pub-Con Advisor Board Member, this year Joe Laratro worked with The Buyer Group in merging online public relations with the SEO world.
Dana Todd – From SEMPO Chair to SES favorite speaker to Newsforce dynamo, Dana Todd is the personality and brains behind search marketing and was responsible for Lisa’s SES speaking debut.

When it comes to personalities in search marketing, Joe and Dana take the cake. Each were influential in helping shape The Buyer Group’s online public relations and branding position in the marketplace.

Blogs
Top Rank Blog– The intersection of digital PR, social and search engine marketing, Lee Odden’s blog is our 2008 all time fave to follow. We like Lee’s mix and his ability to be at every search conference on the planet.
SEOMOZ – Slightly more techie, but still on our Google home page is Rand Fishkin’s SEOMoz blog. We like his style and his social media conference presentations inspire us.
Scene in the Tropics by Lesley Abravanel – Looking for where to see and be scene on South Beach? Ask Lesley. She is the best celebrity and trend blogger for those who want to know.

Online PR Wire Services
MarketWire – Recently winning over The Buyer Group for its high ranking news search placement and SEO option
PRWeb – Always a favorite of The Buyer Group for its user-friendly interface and video option
Newsforce – The best and easiest PR optimizer on the planet along with the perfect way to get clients instant national headline news.

Research Web Sites
Google – Need we say more? We love Google Alerts to track brands, keywords and our online PR campaigns.
Wikipedia – The year of the wiki, 2008, when The Buyer Group posted its first wiki page

Inventions
Retail DNA Tests– 2008 invention of the year, as scene in Time Magazine

New Business
Shop to Earn/Shop to Earth – The Buyer Group’s newest online venture and client. This hybrid MLM and affiliate marketing business model is destined to be the largest shopping portal on the planet and will bring the average shopper a way to earn money back while also being eco-friendly.
Oppenheim Pilelsky Law – Family of entrepreneurs at it’s finest. Read on about The OppGuide and please take the time to vote.

Books
“Groundswell” by Charlene Li – New and improved Buyer Group Bible of 2008 underlines why social media is a natural with online public relations strategies.
“Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness” – Suzanne Somers’ latest book that listed Buyer Group client as a source

Brands
Apple – Apple computers, iPods, iPhones and more.
W Hotels – “What is your wish?” the W Concierge asks

The Buyer Group is an online PR firm that prefers designer computers and boutique hotels, with an edge. Apple branded products help us work smart and be creative – so we have time to play at the W Hotels.

Best Use of Social Media
Change.gov – Obama’s presidential campaign couldn’t have been more successful as he rode the social media wave to victory.

Social Media Sites
Twitter – 2008’s Micro-blogging, social media site of champions. Familiar with the book, “Twitter Revolution” by Warren Whitlock? If not, pick it up for everything you need to know about communicating on twitter.
Facebook – Sent a martini to your friends Facebook yet? This social site is our 2008-networking favorite; it doubles as a corporate communication site as well.  Many of our clients have networking groups and fan pages on Facebook.
LinkedIn – Where professionals convene, drop recommendations, and share business contacts with each other.

Tweeters of the Year
Shannon Anderson – founder and president of babiesonline.com @queenofgeek
Tony Hsieh – CEO of online shoe giant Zappos.com @zappos

Escapes
Me Day Spa – The best mani/pedi on South Beach. Our monthly favorite escape.
Yoga South – Lunchtime workout? A must-have for The Buyer Group. Ohm.

Investment Banking
Infusion Capital’s Kelly McCarthy – Celebration, FL at its finest.

Online Tool
Google Analytics – The question of the century made to PR firms: How do you measure the success of your PR campaigns?  Easy Answer: The advent of Google Analytics let’s us measure the success of optimized press releases stats, social media facts and more.

Online PR Company Gifting Policy… meaningful more than monetary

Choosing client gifts can be tricky. Do you go with something professional like a paperweight, online public relations book, or logo business card holder? Or do you give something more personal like a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant?

The Buyer Group goes with meaning.

Gift giving for client birthdays and holidays is an important part of relationship building and maintenance.

Jeff Zbar, noted South Florida media writer and blogger, took note of the strategy behind The Buyer Group’s gift giving.

“Lisa Buyer with online marketing firm The Buyer Group has purchased her clients art (simple stuff, nothing from Sotheby’s), CDs, and one year, a copy of The Richest Man in Babylon”

Rather than typical “throw-away” gifts given by some agencies to clients, we like to gifts to send a message other than, here is our logo on something you might throw away.

Top of the list of The Buyer Group client gifts is the book Groundswell by Charline Li. This book helps to educate clients on the wave of social media, especially those that are intimidated or not participating in social networks.

Happy Gifting!