Manta Adds Social Connections to Online Business Community

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Manta Adds Social Connections to Online Business Community
Choosing a Web Design Company
The 3-Step Process For Creating Your Blog Voice
Are You Blogging for Your Small Business?

Posted: 27 Mar 2012 11:30 AM PDT

Manta, an online community of small businesses, has added Social Connections features for its members, which help small businesses grow their referral networks. The enhanced offerings are designed to help small business owners manage their online reputations by increasing engagement with Manta members. The main components of the new features are that they allow users to recommend a company as well as follow a company they have a connection with.

Manta, which was launched in 2005, and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, has more than one million registered users and 87 million company profiles, business owners and professionals. Initially, it was designed to become a “search destination for premium sources of business intelligence available via a pay-per-view sales model,” but in 2007, the company was thriving by offering detailed company information on small businesses. More than 22 million unique global small business owners and enterprises use Manta each month.

The Power of Referrals

Manta conducted a survey of 1,000 small business owners and found that 78% of them asked for recommendations, and 60% have given them for other businesses. Manta’s new social tools allow users to create recommendations for companies on Manta’s business listings. Companies have control over which recommendations appear on their company page.

"Unlike the traditional rating and review sites which have a very consumer-focused offering, Manta's recommendations are business-focused and can be controlled by the business owner, allowing them to better manage their online reputation," said Pamela Springer, CEO of Manta, "While some networks cater to individuals to help manage their career or others who help connect with family and friends, Manta is the only community dedicated entirely to helping SMBs market and grow their business."

“Follow this Company” Feature

Another component of Manta’s Social Connections is the ability of users to follow companies they are interested in. Members can follow companies where they have worked, or organizations that they have been members of. Small businesses can also follow other businesses. Any notifications the business posts will automatically appear on the follower’s profile.

Manta’s new social component is indicative of more business sites jumping on the social bandwagon. The more interactive and engaging a business site is, the stickier it becomes, and the more traffic it draws.

From Small Business Trends

Manta Adds Social Connections to Online Business Community

Choosing a Web Design Company

Posted: 27 Mar 2012 08:30 AM PDT

Fifteen years ago, finding someone to build you a website was the easy part – mainly because there were only a handful of people that actually could. Google was just getting started as a privately held company, and for the few people that did turn to the search engine to find services, the results were scarce.

pondering

Now, web design companies are as common as the websites they create. Google returns more than 961 million results for the search term, but as most everything, those 961 million results aren't created equally. And when you actually choose one from the pile – one that is likely ranked on the first page, if not in the top 3 results – your work has just gotten started.

Sure, a good ranking could help you make your decision, but if you just stop there, you're getting a company who's really good at SEO and maybe only partly good at the actual web design part. There are so many other things that should fall in the decision making because it's not one that should be taken lightly. This task is also probably handled by a marketing professional who is already overwhelmed with dozens of other "top" priorities.

So how do you know that the company you found in Google is the right company to be responsible for your online image?

Do you like their site?

First impressions matter. You wouldn't go to a dentist you had terrible teeth, right? No, you wouldn't. You are looking for someone to help you with your first impression, so you need to be impressed with theirs.

Do you like their work?

Direct industry experience doesn't matter — or, at least, shouldn't matter as much. Even if they haven't done a slew of sites in your direct industry, don't discredit it. You know what you like, so what matters is seeing things you like in their portfolio. The work should stand on its own.

Does their sales person know their stuff?

Do they need to be the actual developer? No, but they should be able to understand your problems and be able to articulate how their service can address those problems. It's surprisingly easy to spot people who are just talk. If you're not overly techy, try looping in your IT department so they can help you make some sense of it.

Do you believe their story?

It's not that people actually try to deceive someone, but if you are having a conversation about your needs and their ability to deliver on those needs, you should just ask yourself simply, "Do I think that they are shooting me straight?" If it's timeline, budget, technologies, expertise, or whatever, the story needs to add up. If you trust your gut, you will make the right decision.

Who does the work?

Sales people are great, but the designers and programmers are the ones actually building your website. Ask where they're located and if they're full-time or part-time. What you don't want is to get into a relationship with a company whose employees are all contractors or working oversees because if there's a problem with your site, you want it fixed now, not the next time they punch in.

Who owns the code?

This one is big. If you don't own the work at the end of the process you should run, don't walk, from that firm. You will have more problems in the long term with a company who owns your stuff. You want to know that they are going to be there for you after the launch because you want them to not because you have no other choice in the matter.

In this industry, the adage that you get what you pay for is by far the truest of all truths. There is no checklist or silver bullet when it comes to this kind of decision, but the above will help steer you in the right direction.

Pondering Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Choosing a Web Design Company

The 3-Step Process For Creating Your Blog Voice

Posted: 27 Mar 2012 06:00 AM PDT

You can admit it; it's a little terrifying. The idea of starting a small business blog and putting yourself out there for all to hear and critique, why do normal people do this?! Well, they do it because blogging remains one of the most effective ways to find new customers, lower your cost per conversion, and establish yourself in your niche. That means it's a fear you're going to have to conquer if you want to consistently be bringing in new customers.

Whether you're new to the world of blogging or you're not sure if your blog is attracting visitors the way it could be, below are three things to ask yourself and consider when building out your blog voice.

Wait – what's your blog voice, you ask? It's the tone, the personality and the persona you carry each time you share content on your blog. Master your voice and the rest is a cake walk. Okay, maybe it's not a cake walk. But it's way less intimidating.

1. Know who you're blogging for.

To nail down the voice and tone of your blog you need to understand who it is you're producing content for. We've already tackled the are you blogging for customers or colleagues question so hopefully that's been settled. [Hint: The answer is your customers.] Now that you know your core audience, it's time to learn even more about them.

What does your audience look like: Are they male or female? What age group are they in? How tech savvy are they? What stage of the buying cycle are they in when they land on your site?
Where else do they hang out: What other sites do they visit online? What blogs or communities do they hang out in? What social networks are they active on?
What do they want?: What problems are they coming to you with? What are they expecting? What do they believe in? What are their core values? What will they support/speak out against? What riles them up?

Answering these questions will help you to create a better picture of your audience so you know the types of content you should be targeting toward them.

2. Know who you are (or want to be)

Once you fully understand who you're blogging for, it's time to take a look within and get to know yourself a little better. You'll want to look at yourself from a couple of different angles.

Who are you in your industry?: What is the niche that you focus on? What's your competitive edge or your unique selling proposition? We all have something that makes us stand out, what do you want to be known for? What type of client are you trying to attract? What hole do you want to fill? Hopefully, as a business owner, you've already asked yourself these types of questions.
Who are you as a blogger: Even if you don't think of yourself as a blogger, asses the traits you have that may make you good at the job. For some people it's their humor or wit, for others it may be the gift of storytelling, for others it could an ease at making complicated subjects less so. What do you bring to the table that you can leverage on your blog?

Understanding yourself and your skillset is going to help you hone in on what you want to focus on and accentuate in your blog. Because even though your readers will be coming to hear your information, they'll also be coming to hear you. There needs to be something about your blog that stands out from all the others out there. It could be your unique take on the industry, how you approach posts, or your style of communicating. Figure out what hole you can fill simply by being you. That's where the best blogs are formed, regardless of topic.

3. Know what already exists

You don't live in a bubble and neither do your customers. Before you settle in one who you want to be, take a look at what's already out there. Who is doing what and who is doing it well and whose doing it not so well?

If you want to cover your industry by drenching it in sarcasm, is someone else already doing that?
Or maybe you have a journalistic background so you want to cover things that way? Is there a need for that type of coverage?

If you're not sure, try it. If it doesn't seem to be connecting, then try something else.

It's always helpful to take a snapshot of what's already happening in your industry to help you pinpoint what you can add and where a need may lie. Because if everyone is writing about the news in the same way, there may be an opportunity for you to go left and do something totally different that your readers would relate to.

Sure, when you first start blogging you’re going to sound a little uncoordinated. But by doing your homework and taking the time to nail down the direction you want your blog, your business, and your brand to go, it can help you find your way and your voice a whole lot sooner.

From Small Business Trends

The 3-Step Process For Creating Your Blog Voice

Are You Blogging for Your Small Business?

Posted: 27 Mar 2012 02:30 AM PDT

Are you blogging for your business? Of course, you’ve heard this question many times, we’re sure. But the question remains. If a tool at your disposal could help build your business at no cost other than time, why wouldn’t you use it? Here are some articles you won’t want to miss.

Tools & Tips

To create great blogs, start with great tools. Here blogger Darren Rowse shares a list of tools you may want to check out for help in creating your small business blog. Have a look at the resources. ProBlogger

Social blogging boosts business. There are many examples of how social blogging can benefit your business. If you want to know more about what the heck social blogging is in the first place, read on. Inc.com

Video & Audio

What video blogging can do for you. If you think the content on your business blog is already good, just wait until you see what video content can do. It’s a whole new dimension to your online marketing efforts. Patch

Audio blogging revolution. What is the future of podcasting? Or perhaps you’d prefer to call it Web radio. No matter what you call it, our friend Martin Lindeskog has these thoughts on the medium. Ego

Latest Trends

Blogging may be great therapy. More than just a marketing tool, blogging may be good for you, a study finds. Just like everyone else, entrepreneurs and small business people have pent up frustrations and thoughts that need expression. Here’s one solution. WSJ

Don’t have time to blog? A new generation of services aimed at the small business market can supply blog posts for your site when you don’t have the time or inclination to write them yourself. Would you buy these posts for your business blog? MarketWatch

Professional Development

Running on empty. On the other hand, if you do decide to blog for your small business, you’re not alone. But what do you do when inspiration alludes you and you need a post immediately? Small Business Trends

Leveraging your blogging efforts. Blogging may not be your only business or even the way that you generate revenue, but it can be a huge benefit when pursuing other business objectives. The Washington Post

Getting Involved

Blogging and the perfect mix tape. If you thought there were already enough metaphors for great blogging out there, get ready, here comes another one. We hope this inspires you. TodayParade

Get your employees into the act. If you want to be sure your business is getting all it can out of blogging, why not be sure your employees are doing it too? Here are some guidelines to follow. Marketo

From Small Business Trends

Are You Blogging for Your Small Business?