When Facebook changed their algorithm and reduced organic reach, a lot of businesses panicked. They worried that this change would torpedo all the work they had put into building a following on Facebook. For businesses that had made the mistake of buying low-quality followers just to boost their numbers, it’s safe to say that their “investments” didn’t pay off. But for businesses who have a real following, things don’t have to be so bleak.

It’s true that even if you have a quality following, you probably aren’t happy when you look at the current reach analytics for your posts. However, what businesses often forget is the reality of Facebook. When you pull up your personal Facebook feed or the feed of any other individual user, the first thing you’re going to notice is there’s no shortage of content. Read the rest of this entry →

Currently, there's a big disconnect between how many companies are using social media, and how many companies feel that their usage is effective. Specifically, a report by Harvard Business Review found that while 79% are utilizing social media, only 12% feel they're doing so effectively. Because most companies now understand the importance of social media but still aren't sure how to properly utilize these channels, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they're looking for employees who do. And if you want to be a job seeker who does have those skills, social media marketing courses can provide the training you need.

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While just about everyone has watched videos on YouTube, not every business is sure if this site is the right fit for them. Since the homepage is often filled with cats, pranks, sports clips and music videos, it may seem like the wrong place to focus any online marketing effort. However, it's important to remember that YouTube is a massive website that attracts millions of visitors a day. So for every person who's watching Justin Bieber sing, someone is searching for a tutorial or product review. With that in mind, if you're thinking about starting a YouTube training course, let's first look at exactly how uploading videos to this site can benefit your business:

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Although the site isn't as large as Facebook, one of the main reasons that so many people are still interested in LinkedIn training is because there's a lot of value in this network. And thanks to initiatives by the company like investing heavily in their mobile experience, the overall size and value of LinkedIn continues to grow. Read the rest of this entry →

When it comes to Facebook training, most people's interest in this subject stems from their desire to utilize Facebook to market a business. What makes Facebook such an appealing medium for marketing a business is not only is it a huge network with over a billion users, but there are also lots of tools and features that can be used specifically for marketing. Read the rest of this entry →

It wasn't that long ago when many businesses were still skeptical about the long-term effectiveness of social media. However, because social media has absolutely exploded over the last four years, that skepticism is gone. Not only are businesses embracing social media, but many are scrambling to put enough resources towards it. An area of focus for businesses of all sizes is social media training. Since businesses are realizing the benefits of having employees who are all socially savvy, they're looking for ways to provide effective training.

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Web Strategy Plus is pleased to announce Michelle Hummel wins
Alignable’s 2021 Local Business Person of the Year Contest

The largest online referral network for small businesses, Alignable.com is announcing the results of its search for local business leaders who’ve gone above and beyond to help peers during the COVID crisis. Today, Alignable’s network is honoring Cincinnati’s Michelle Hummel, CEO of Web Strategy Plus, Franchise Success Team, SEND Social Media, Social Media Enthusiasts and Web Media University as Local Business Person of the year

Alignable amassed an incredible 86,000+ votes and recommendations about hometown business heroes. During a time where at least two-thirds of small businesses have regularly reported suffering negative effects from COVID issues, it’s clear with this outpouring of support just how much small business owners wanted to recognize the extraordinary efforts of their peers.

A Testament to the Bond Between SMBs 

“To see so many business owners celebrate their peers was awesome -- 60 votes landed every minute at the height of the contest,” said Eric Groves, Alignable’s Co-Founder and CEO. “This frenetic level of participation is a testament to the strength of the business relationships forged and reinforced over the past year.”

Alignable’s 2021 Local Business Person Of The Year Contest took place from January 6 to February 5, 2021. Alignable invited its 6 million+ members to vote for their favorite peers.  In all, 2,962 local business people emerged victorious across North America, after 61,000+ votes were tallied and 25,000+ recommendations were reviewed. 

Hummel, who also won the honor in 2019, is passionate about helping fellow entrepreneurs with their online marketing strategies. She travels nationwide teaching social media training through Web Media University and with SCORE. Hummel has written three books in her series called, “The Social Media Magnet: Everything You Need to Know to Attract Customers with Social Media,” where she shares her best-kept secrets to success. A current contributing content writer for The Social Media Monthly, Franchise Dictionary Magazine and The Franchise Woman. Hummel has also established 22 chapters nationwide for the Social Media Enthusiasts. She specializes in helping franchisors and franchisees develop an integrated web marketing program to drive leads. Contact Michelle Hummel at michelle@webstrategyplus.com or 513-399-6025.

About Alignable

Alignable.com is the largest online referral network for small businesses in the U.S. and Canada. With 6 million+ members across 35,000+ local communities, Alignable is the network where small business owners drive leads and prospects, generate referrals, land new business, build trusted relationships, and share great advice. 

With hundreds of millions of people using social media in the United States and billions more across the rest of the world, it’s not surprising that businesses across all industries have taken notice of sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. While businesses of all sizes understand that social media is a powerful way for them to connect with potential and current customers, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do. Since so many businesses have personally experienced the challenges that go along with building a meaningful presence on social media platforms, there’s a lot of demand for solutions. One solution that many businesses pursue is hiring a social media manager. Because engagement is such an important driver of social media activity, businesses want someone who can build a thriving community through real interactions. Read the rest of this entry →

Since blogging has been around for more than a decade, it’s well established that this practice has evolved far beyond individuals talking about how their day went. In fact, blogging has become so prevalent that there’s talk about an overabundance of online content. As a result, some businesses are questioning whether or not blogging is right for them. In addition to concerns about there already being too much content, some businesses simply haven’t come around to this method of online marketing. Read the rest of this entry →

You've probably read at least a handful of blog posts that talk about content marketing. If you spend a fair amount of time reading about online marketing, you've probably actually come across a few case studies about content marketing. While both blog post and case studies are useful sources of information about content marketing, they're generally focused on how small and large businesses are utilizing this marketing technique.

What most sources of information about this topic don't touch on is whether or not content marketing is a good fit for personal branding. The answer to that question is not only is it a good fit, but if you're serious about building a strong personal brand, you definitely need to be engaged in content marketing. Let's go over four different reasons why this strategy works so well:

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