Last month Microsoft announced that both Facebook and Twitter posts would be included in search results. Google and Yahoo are expected to follow suite – most likely before the end of the year. This is huge news for anyone who has a Web site that want to appear at the top of search.

What this means is that search engines will now index real-time news generated at both social media sites. Currently you can search in either Facebook or Twitter (they have their own search engines). In the past these results didn’t necessarily appear in the search engines we use daily.

This is a pretty big deal for Bing as Microsoft continues it’s mission of dominating search. More than that, though, it’s a bigger deal for those of us who want to gain top search positions in results for all the engines.

If you have been using Facebook or Twitter, now is the time to get started because this will impact your results, your traffic and your online presence. The playing field is now in the midst of a huge shift and small business needs to take action now before the marketing big guns take over – again.

Tip: make sure you use your top keywords in the posting titles and posts. Also, posting once every six months may not be all that beneficial. Time to commit to a regular publishing schedule.

If you want to learn more, their are many books and web sites on the top of search engine optimization and social media marketing. I’m also running workshops and starting a social media group. If you want to join, contact me at sanger@thewebdivision.com

Starting May 1st, I’ll be conducting a workshop series at the Peabody Chamber of Commerce in Peabody MA.

The first workshop session is on Twitter: what it is, who’s tweeting, why tweet. Workshop participants will learn how to set up an account, find some people to follow and will follow each other as we continue through the series. We’ll also learn how to craft a useful tweet in 140 characters or less. Additionally, we’ll discuss using Twitter as a search engine, a research tool and how to manage online reputation using this popular tool.

The upcoming social media marketing sessions include setting up a facebook page for business, utilizing Linkedin as a business networking tool and blogging, and each workshop will include setting up accounts, modifying settings, working with templates and more.

Participants will become part of the SMM Club, which is a great way to business owners to compare, consult and communicate with each other has they learn how to harness the power of social media marketing.

Workshops are limited to 12 and run from 9 am to 11 am each Friday through May. The Chamber member rate is $15 per workshop and a package rate is also available; non-members are invited to participate – call (978) 531-0384 for pricing. http://www.peabodychamber.com/

If you own or work in a business in the Peabody MA area and are interested in learning more about social media, the Peabody Chamber is running a hands on Social Media Marketing Workshop Series starting Friday May 1st.

Each workshop is $15 per member, non-members may participate as well at a different rate, and limited to 12 participants. All workshops run from 9 – 11. Bring your laptop to learn while doing in a focus-group type environment.

Each workshops focuses on one social media marketing tool at a time. The small group size allows for true hands on learning so that you have enough information to decide what’s right for you as well as how to use social media tools to your advantage.

The May 1st workshop is on Twitter: what is it, why use it, setting up an account and twitter best practices. Upcoming workshops include facebook, Linkedin, Blogger.com. Visit the PACC site or call (978) 531-0384 for details such as package rates and program highlights.

YouTube for Business – Online Video Marketing for Any Business by Michael Miller gives you some solid information to get you started.

I only recommend books I’ve read. This book will help you decide if video is for you and then give you the tools you need. If you feel you can’t or don’t want to do it yourself, let me know. I work with a few different providers and one could be the right match for you.

Viral marketing: individuals passing along a marketing message to others which then creates the potential for exponential growth of the message – the message multiplies just like a virus does and is similar to offline viral marketing referred to as word-of-mouth and creating  buzz.

YouTube is a viral marketing tool, and a very effective one at that. Consider the popularity of the most recent McDonald’s commercial. If you haven’t seen the commercial, it’s a mounted fish on the wall that sings a catchy tune that is sticking in the ears of many and creating quite the YouTube viral sensation. This is a television ad that has managed to catch on the Web and become a media sensation.

For me, the jingle didn’t stick … it’s different for everyone. The one that does stick with me is the $5 foot long for Subway. I can’t get that thing out of my head for hours once I hear it and have to listen to something else to get rid of it. That commercial has enjoyed similar success. My personal favorite ad right now is the California milk commercial about Soo, from Korea, who dreams of coming to America. First time I heard it I laughed out loud. I wasn’t watching, I was listening and I stopped to listen and watch. (That says a lot – I usually flip through the ads or walk away when watching TV.) Will I buy a filet-o-fish, a subway sandwich or California milk? Maybe, maybe not. But I am talking about it and that means I’m spreading the word and someone else just might. Additionally, if I see the signs, I will think of the ads and who knows what might happen … a craving, a hunger, a thirst?

So why talk about professional produced expensive commercials on a small business blog? Because these are tough times for ad agencies and their clients. They know that people are bypassing commercials using digital video recorders which means they had to come up with a different way to capture our eyes, ears and wallets. These commercials have caught on with consumers and they are creating a viral buzz and the impact far exceeds what even the agencies expected.

I think the fish ad shows that humor is a good approach (although I was so distracted by the singing fish that I had no idea which company was being advertised until I heard it on the news). The Subway ad is different; definitely a catchy jingle that you can sing along with  (no, I don’t do that …). And Soo? Who doesn’t love a dairy cow that dreams of coming to America? The agencies and their clients were willing to try something different and it’s working … people are listening and passing the message along.

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from small business owners is about video: do it or not, worth it or not, professional or do-it-myself.

Video isn’t right for all businesses and it won’t be the first thing we tackle if it’s suitable at all -  it’s not the hardest thing to do yet it’s the not the easiest or quickest either. If you can find a creative way to entertain people without getting into the hard sales pitch, you could be on your way to your own viral marketing sensation. Perhaps not as popular as the fish, the sandwich or the cow, but enough to have people stop, listen and remember you. I think as small business owners we tend to believe that we are too small to do things like the big companies, that we need to sell hard all the time and that we need to be serious about how we promote our business. In the process we don’t have much fun and our intended audience may not be inspired about what we have to say. If you want to engage your audience, take a lesson from the big guys: think way outside the box and dare to be different. Then create your own video that gets you noticed.

Do start with a plan, write a script and don’t be afraid to add some humor or develop a catch phrase. If humor isn’t going to work (and it won’t for every business) try to be different enough to really stand out. If you have trouble coming up with ideas, brain storm with some friends and see what you come up with or search through the YouTube videos. Then get out your video camera and give it a try on your own. YouTube followers embrace the do-it-yourself video and it’s a good way for you test before you invest in a professional production. (By the way, professional video will be far more effective for some companies that want to post to their Web sites, but testing by doing your own will help create a stronger plan and script.)

Take a chance. The worst thing that can happen is nothing – and you can always remove the video.

And now for the true viral part: here’s the link to the singing fish and the $5 foot long and the Soo the Korean Cow.

At the program we briefly touched on the popularity of Twitter and how to use it for business. Just about everyone raised their hand when asked if they’d heard about the service; less than a dozen indicated they use it. Since then (and up until), Twitter has been at the top of news.

There’s a big story about Twitter in the Boston Sunday Globe (and an interesting video too) that talks about what it is and speculation about how it will make money. What’s even more interesting to me is how the service may become the real-time search tool that changes the way we look for information (read the Ad Age story about the possible future direction of Twitter). The potential could significantly change how we market and talk about our businesses online. But speculation means nothing in the here and now … when we’re trying to get our businesses noticed and at the top of search. So let’s look at how Twitter can help us right now.

This morning on NECN (New England Cable News) Matt Noyes, the weather guy, talked about using Twitter to get the latest snow accumulations in the area (a bit more than 2 inches where I live, btw). And the technical news guy, Ted McEnroe, talks about how Twitter is used for searching and spotting trends. In fact, lots of people are using Twitter for search, either in addition to or in place of google. (Watch the video here.)

Twitter is still a fairly main stream tool for the masses – kind of like instant messaging and instant chat – and it’s an example of viral marketing at its most effective among those who use it. Yet we haven’t quite figured out how useful it could be for small businesses like ours. Business people don’t necessarily want to communicate real-time with world but rather with their coworkers, teams and associates. So what does this mean for us? Here’s my take for business application for the business world:

Twitter as a PR source – since trends can be “spotted” by Twitter and Twitter searches return real-time results, or what’s happening right now, editors and reporters can look to Twitter for story inspiration and sources. If you are involved in a popular trend and tweet about it you might be contacted for comments; this is a new opportunity for your PR. More immediate, it allows us to be our own reporters for our chosen topics. That information can then be used on our “regular” blogs – a handy way to create content and helping us to create more viral sharing of information.

If you are looking for blog material, search Twitter to see what you might find. Granted, it’s stated in 140 characters or less, but it could ignite an idea for a blog entry, possibly even Web site content, and definitely networking ice-breakers.

Hi everyone!

A winner has been selected and will be contacted first for permission to announce the name on this blog.

In an earlier comment, you’ll see that I’ll be conducting a pilot program in April and May. This will be a program offered at no charge in exchange for feedback. I’ll keep you posted about this tremendous opportunity for all who provided me with contact information.

Thank you all for your great feedback and participation in yesterday’s program!

PS: Don’t forget about the clocks this weekend – a sure sign that Spring is upon us – a great time for new beginnings for all!

At the end of yesterday’s meeting I was asked if there are any good books I would recommend for Internet marketing.

I do recommend any of the “Dummies” books. They are a good starting point for people who like to have a book handy as they begin their i-marketing strategy. The only thing about Internet related books in general is that they may become outdated in less than a year. That said, the basics – the foundation of online marketing – remain the same regardless of the tools and strategies you use and the Dummies books tend have a long shelf life for business owners.

Web Marketing for Dummies is a basic overview that also offers some more indepth info for people with more experience.

For those who want to explore email marketing and get started the right way, Email Marketing for Dummies is a great choice. There are so many things to know, such as creating a organizing your plan, choosing your provider and details about setting up a campaign with the right subject line and more.

As promised, this blog is just for you and created specifically for this event. Here you will find links to sites mentioned during the Internet Marketing Intro Program at The Enterprise Center in Salem.

I will continue to update this site after the the program has concluded and invite you to continue sharing ideas and questions with me.

So let’s get started with some of the sites I now you’ll want to visit as well as some other information.

Sign up to win the 2 hour one-to-one marketing session (oh, yes, the flying monkey does come with that). Upon confirming joining The Web Division’s Web-Marketeers Email you’ll receive the free tip sheet “7 Steps to Keyword Success” – ready? Click here to go my The Web Division home page where you’ll find the login form.

Constant Contact for email newsletters and surveys (additional monthly fee). Good local company with free & paid workshops in Waltham, MA – I’ve heard rave reviews about the workshops from clients.

Aweber for email newsletters and auto responders – great for sending out info on demand after signing up with the expensive of a custom Web solution.

Google Adwords – paid ads can help you sell or generate leads faster than the other online marketing methods which take a little more time to get results.

Google Keyword Generator – great tool to help you create keyword phrases – it’s free and you can use this for all your keywords, not just those you’d use in an Adwords campaign.

An interesting Newsweek article about social media networking for business.

More to come. I’ll update this blog based on the questions we discuss at the end of the program.