A generation or two ago, the world was a different place. We checked newspapers for sports scores and movie times. We learned about current events from Walter Cronkite and, later, Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw. We gathered information about businesses from friends or neighbors, then looked in the phone book for a number to call. Today, virtually all of the same information and infinitely more is available with a few clicks of a mouse or a few taps on a touchscreen. The internet has become an unimaginably vast resource with limitless possibilities, yet research suggests that nearly one third of internet traffic is driven by social media sites and apps. If you want users to find your company’s website, a presence on Facebook, Pinterest, or Google Plus is more important than ever before.

Social Media Delivers

While it may not seem important to the casual observer, the way in which a user accesses your company’s website is an extremely large piece of the marketing puzzle. It is vital to know where your potential customers are beginning their internet journey so that you can be better equipped to meet their expectations from the outset. Recent market studies suggest that more than 30 percent of hits to published websites originate through eight of the most popular social media networks. These include Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, Google Plus, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and, of course, Facebook.

When you are looking to build your brand and grow your business, you want to explore every possible avenue for success. Your current customers may understand that you provide high-quality services and are committed to their satisfaction, but in today’s world, that is only the beginning. Building an online presence is vital to attracting new clients and helping them to understand why they should be doing business with you. Effective use of social media should be a large part of any strong digital marketing campaign, and, while Facebook may be the world’s largest social networking site, Twitter may offer a number of advantages as well.

A Brief History of Twitter

In 2006, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sent the world’s first tweet: “just setting up my twttr”, and the service was born. Originally designed as one of the first truly mobile social media platforms, Twitter was intended to be SMS-based meaning it was to utilize the same Short Message Service technology as text messaging. Twitter’s 140 character limitation is a creative holdover from its SMS-based design, but the constraint has been credited as the inspiration for the emergence of one of pop culture’s most recognizable icons, the hashtag (#).

As you drive home from the office every day, if you are like many professionals, you probably are forced to deal with some level of rush hour traffic. Even if you rely on mass-transportation, the impact of a large number of people commuting at the same time is probably something with which you are familiar. Certain businesses, such as coffee shops, fast-food restaurants, and convenience stores have seized the opportunity to be available to rush-hour travelers by anticipating their needs and meeting them quickly. Similarly, websites which are prepared to offer users the information they need in a quick, convenient manner are poised for success with minimal expense, and live chat from OVC Chat Box can help your company’s site do just that.

New World, New Rules

For far too many companies, a website represents a new variation of an old static billboard. It may contain basic information such as office hours, phone numbers, and some mildly interesting details about the products and services that the business offers. While some information is better than none, such an approach to web design is not much different, and not much more effective, than buying ads in the yellow pages of the phone book.

In 1820, English author Charles Caleb Colton declared in his work Lacon: or Many Things in Few Words, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” George Bernard Shaw has been credited with taking that thought a step further by positing, “Imitation is not just the sincerest from of flattery—it’s the sincerest form of learning.” Whether or not these aphorisms are completely true, there is little question that, in today’s world, an idea with merit will quickly be imitated and incorporated into the products of many individuals and companies. Such is the case with Google’s algorithm update last month, aimed at rewarding mobile-friendly websites and essentially punishing those sites not optimized for mobile use. Last week, Microsoft announced that its flagship search engine, Bing, will be making similar changes to its search algorithm in the near future.

Google’s Big Changes

Over the last few months, much has been written in the tech community and in marketing circles about the impact that the change to Google’s search algorithm would have on the online world. The web giant was simply responding to current internet use trends which now show that in at least ten countries, including the United States and Japan, more Google searches are now being conducted on mobile devices than on desktop or laptop computers. As a result, Google sought to reward mobile-friendly sites with higher search rankings, while dropping non-mobile-friendly sites to a degree. The expectations for the change were so large that commentators and bloggers began using words like “mobilegeddon” to describe its possible effects.

What was the last thing you remember seeing on social networking site? Do recall a witty Facebook status or an inspirational tweet? Maybe it was a picture of a relative’s child or a vacation snapshot from a friend you have not talked to in years. If you are like most people in the current digital age, it is the images that you carry with you in your mind, much more than quotes or words. That is why savvy business owners looking to more effectively market their brand are moving toward photography and imagery to capture the attention of prospective clients

Move Beyond Text-Based Content

Page after page of marketing advice has been written to help companies better manage their online presence. In addition to creating mobile friendly and responsive designed websites, owners have been encouraged to incorporate dynamic content into their marketing campaigns. Regular updates, social media posts, and blogs can all help promote a brand and bring it to the forefront of public consciousness. However, many text-based efforts fall a bit short in personalizing a company or brand. Appropriate use of images and custom photography, on the other hand, can provide a company site with a personality to match that of your business.