One of the biggest challenges on Facebook for small businesses is how to keep their fans frequently engaged.  Other than that, Facebook’s algorithm for showing your page’s posts is dependent on how much user interaction is coming to your page  How do you work with that?

Here are 3 ways you can get your fans active on your Facebook page.

1. Spice Up Your Status Updates.

• Word your updates in fun or quirky way such as “We’re concocting a new item on the menu! It looks like uncooked pasta dipped in peanut butter.”
• Don’t forget to add a call to action like, “Like this if you want a sneak peek!”
• If you’re posting questions and get no replies, you might just be asking the wrong ones.  In the point of view of your fan, ask yourself if you would answer the question.

Having a professional-looking agent website is important because they are the first impression a potential client will have of you.  It will also help them decide if you are the right agent they should do business with.  Here are 6 web elements you don’t want on your real estate site.

1. Unprofessional portraits.
   • Having a professional profile photo on your website is expected.  After all, you represent your business’s image, so have your photo taken by a professional photographer.

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Google Panda, first released in February 2011, is an update “aimed to lower the rank of ‘low-quality sites’, and return higher-quality sites near the top of the search results.”

This has influenced the way web developers and publishers think of website building because Panda sifts through and penalizes sites with mediocre content. Since its first rollout, the filter has affected 12% of the internet’s content farm that are poorly written or irrelevant. Now on its second year, Panda has gone through major changes and upgrades to ensure quality search engine results to the Google market.

Related Searches

A bigger coverage is developed for the section on related searches. In effect, this provides more websites and correlated content depending on a user’s query. This section also features advanced settings, which allows the user to filter the search results.

Although there are many factors that contribute to how and what people buy online, Color remains one of the strongest and most persuasive visual cues.

Web and graphic designers depend on a set color scheme for each of their designs. Color is laid out not only to set out an overall mood for your site, but also to influence your site visitors to do certain actions like view, read, click or purchase. Here are some quick tips before deciding what color scheme to go with for your business website or online store:

1. Know your target market.

• Identify your target market. What age bracket are they in? Who are your products for? Do you want to convey a feeling of luxury  in your homepage?

1. Got a website? Then know the language.

While most businesses now have online stores or business websites, there are many who still haven’t embraced social media to the fullest. If you already have a Facebook fan page for your small business, why not add your Google+ page next.

Like Facebook, Google+ allows you to post and share photos, videos, messages, and other information of value to your customers and circle of virtual friends.

Create a Page

• To setup your own Google+ page, you must have a Google Account so register one if you don’t. Once logged in you can now create your Google+ page.

Showcase Yourself

• Sign in with your Google account, a “Create a page” section will be available and you will be asked to select the best category that fits your business — Local Business or Place; Product or Brand; Company, Institution, or Organization; Arts, Entertainment or Sports.

• Add your business name, tagline, logo or profile photo, address, store hours, contact info and a descriptive information about your company on the about link.

• Aside from the main icon or photo, you should also upload five photos that can work as a page banner or photo strip under your page name.

• You can also post several links to your business website, marketing blog and other social profiles.

In a social world where just about anything has become shareable, people love to talk about great deals and services both online and offline —from excellent restaurants to the hottest product or the latest online exclusive.

In an October 2011 study by Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), survey shows that the typical American drops specific brand names about 60 times in a conversation, may it be online or offline. This is one of the principles behind word of mouth marketing-a common strategy of start-ups, local entrepreneurs, and small businesses.

The Association defines word of mouth marketing as any business strategy that warrants customer recommendation and subsequent purchasing of a product or service.

With more people using smart phones, iPads and other tablet devices, many business websites have moved from the old computer screen to the mobile interface-fusing mcommerce or mobile commerce and online shopping.

People with busy lifestyles turn to the convenience of browsing and ordering items through their phones while going about their daily tasks. And business transactions can now be done through the mobile version of websites or mobile apps provided by establishments such as banks, restaurants, retail stores and cinema houses.

Let’s take a preview at how top retail companies are leveraging mobile apps, mobile websites and ecommerce web design to reach their customers:

Amazon is one of the major players the industry of online shopping and they have developed their mobile app wherein you can access your account in a streamlined dashboard and easily shop from your wishlist, deals and recommendations lists.

Best practice tip: Write for humans, not solely for search engines.

Site readability is a must when you have a website. Studies have shown that web readers don’t read everything on a page and that we consume content by skimming through chunks of text. As you would have on a physical store, customer experience is key to good business, and your business website should be user-friendly as you can make it.

Aside from having search engine-optimized content, you also need to have readable typography, concise text and supporting images on your page.  Some tips:

• Text contrast. If you have a light background, it’s common sense not to put white text on top of it. No matter how good their eyesight are, people won’t be able to read it.