Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 4, 2021

Probably every one of you who has a business and a website have been approached through email or personal contact, and asked to spend money on paid search results (appear on the first page of search results, despite low SEO rank). Thus I recommend that you stick with organic search, and use SEO to raise your ranking. Marty Zwilling.

PPC 154

PPC SEO Paid Search Search Engine Optimization 154

SoCal CTO

AUGUST 4, 2011

Almost every day I'm talking to early stage startup founders (see Free Startup CTO Consulting Sessions ) about what they plan to do. Before I jump into the 28 questions, let me start with 14 questions that I will want to go through first so I know a bit more about what we are talking about. SEO for Startups )?

Develop 384

Develop Development Startup SEO 384

SoCal Tech Calendar

OCTOBER 3, 2012

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 -- Do or Die: How to acquire and retain customers. Acquiring customers is the biggest challenge facing startups today. SEO used to dominate online customer acquisition but now a mix of owned, earned and paid efforts are proving equally effective. Dealmaker Media. See [link] (more)

Customer 124

Customer Custom SEO Acquisition 124

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Many startup businesses – tech or otherwise – fail. Trying outrageous new things or even trying mundane things but in new ways but with extreme quality & innovation is what fuels the tech startup industry. But today I want to give you advice on how to decrease your odds of failure in a startup.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 9, 2009

I just had an all-too common conversation with the founder of a startup who had spent more than a year working with a software development company who had produced a mess. The mess really comes from a developer who was willing to get started on a product that was not fully thought out. Who are the customers?

Software Development 292

Software Development Develop Development Startup 292

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

I made every textbook mistake at my first startup, which is why I believe I was much more effective at my second one. The following are some lessons I learned about early-stage startup marketing. Because market is such a broad topic, I’m restricting these lessons to PR marketing (as opposed SEO, SEM, product marketing, etc.).

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2015

As the number of sites on the Internet floats around one billion, the challenge with every new startup is to be found and stand out. Blogging is one of the best ways to do this and build a brand, even before you have a product or service. A great solution is necessary, but not sufficient, to build a great startup.

Blogging 110

Blogging Startup Search Engine Optimization Social Media 110

Tech.Co

APRIL 11, 2022

Starting today, they're going on strike for a week in protest of the price change, which they say is just the latest in a series of decisions that have squeezed the small-business sellers who depend on the Etsy platform to survive. The strike starts on April 11th — the same day that Etsy's transaction fee increase takes effect.

Platform 136

Platform Startup Sales Pricing 136

SoCal CTO

FEBRUARY 25, 2009

Fantastic post by Christian Gammill - Startup Delta Force… From a competitive perspective (e.g. Now, given our current economic crisis and VC ‘challenges’, the barriers to funding have gone up significantly as well. How’s that for duality.

Startup 150

Startup SEM IP SEO 150

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. The start of marketing is figuring out a market need and a way to solve that need better than anybody else.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2013

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Don’t start from how you want to sell.

Startup 105

Startup Search Engine Optimization Summary Customer 105

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2013

million new pages added to the Internet every day, the biggest challenge for every entrepreneur is to get found, and get some credibility for a new startup. The biggest excuse most startup founders mention is too much to do building a product, mapping strategy, investors, etc. Cultivate early customers.

Blogging 104

Blogging Product Startup Writing 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2022

Most startups, and many big businesses, still don’t have a clue on how to use social media productively for marketing their business. Good action plans include a listening plan, channel plan, SEO plan, and a content creation plan, with activities and metrics. You spend the months influencing the influencers.

Social Media 135

Social Media Framework Media Metrics 135

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2014

With the estimated 510 million live websites at last year-end, and 280,000 new ones being added every day, the biggest challenge for an entrepreneur is to get found, and get some credibility for a new startup. The biggest excuse most startup founders mention is too much to do building a product, mapping strategy, investors, etc.

Startup 101

Startup Blogging Writing Google 101

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

In essence Muhammad thinks the “growth hacking” is a charlatan term for online marketing that consists of a bunch of everyday tasks that all online businesses should be doing: SEO, SEM, Content Marketing, Social Media, Referral Marketing, etc. For starters it brings a mindset to startups that not all of them have innately.

Technical Review 384

Technical Review SEM SEO Marketing 384

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2011

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Don’t start from how you want to sell.

Customer 96

Customer Custom Search Engine Optimization Summary 96

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 14, 2010

Yesterday I wrote a post about top-down versus bottom-up thinking. They are tasked with “getting deals done&# so they race around talking to tons of potential partners inking anything from channel sale deals , product integration, international distribution agreements, co-marketing arrangements, M&A discussions, etc.

Startup 323

Startup Press Development Team Review SEM 323

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 3, 2021

Smart potential customers only visit and buy from credible and memorable websites. In the past, if your startup had a website presence, the company was credible by definition. No name, picture, address, or business history only convinces customers that you are hiding, located in an un-trustable country, or don’t have a clue.

Web 117

Web Search Engine Optimization eBook Advertising 117

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2012

I come from a high-tech software background, and only a few years ago, it would cost at least a million dollars ($1M) for a team of professionals to produce any commercial software product. Here are a few examples: Setting up the business. Do basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing (SEM) yourself. Technology costs.

Startup 102

Startup Search Engine Optimization SEM Social Network 102

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 10, 2009

He has a really interesting background as a product manager and now an entrepreneur. Like many product managers, my background is fairly eclectic. That's where I learned I enjoyed interacting with customers and working with development teams to build and launch products. What’s keeping you up at night?

Product 150

Product Entrepreneur Social Media Google 150

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2013

Probably every one of you who has a business and a website have been approached through email or personal contact, and asked to spend money on paid search results (appear on the first page of search results, right hand column, despite low SEO rank). This is NOT the same as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Marty Zwilling.

Paid Search 90

Paid Search PPC Organization SEO 90

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 18, 2013

Most startups, and many big businesses, still don’t have a clue on how to use social media productively for marketing their business. Good action plans include a listening plan, channel plan, SEO plan, and a content creation plan, with activities and metrics. entrepreneur Ric Dragon startup social media business'

Social Media 102

Social Media Media Product Metrics 102

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2012

It seems like everyone has an Internet startup these days. In addition, every business has operating costs, like customer acquisition, fulfillment, inventory, and customer service. So what are the key strategies that can improve the success odds for your online startup? Content is king of the road. Search engines.

Startup 96

Startup Social Media Content Paid Search 96

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Skyler Lucci is co-founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based HeyTutor (www.heytutor.com), a startup which has created an online platform which connects and matches students with in-person tutors. We caught up with Skyler to hear about HeyTutor, which already has 25 employees and is growing rapidly. That's a great question.

Startup 113

Startup Venture Capital Beverly Hills Acquisition 113

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2013

Entrepreneurs and startups often ask if they should use social media for marketing, digital media, or traditional media. The place to start today is if your company only uses traditional media for marketing, or no marketing. These give good customer connection and SEO. Traditional marketing is sales-focused, one-way push.

Social Media 103

Social Media Media Marketing Startup 103

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 2, 2009

As noted in Pour and Stir Part I , the key to the successful execution of this strategy is managing the following equation: The cost to acquire a customer < lifetime value of a customer. Decreasing Your Customer Acquisition Costs. This is equivalent to being handed a free customer for every ten customers you acquire.

Customer 164

Customer Custom Advertising SEM 164

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

Creating awareness for your brand and products is one of the lifebloods of technology startups yet in a world where so many companies are being created it becomes difficult to rise above the noise. Ever notice how some companies tend to be in the press all the time and your big new product launch struggled for inches?

Marketing 389

Marketing Press Blogging Startup 389

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2013

In the past, if your startup had a website presence, the company was credible by definition. Yet most startups I know experience the same shock of disappointment when they first open up their website to offer their “million dollar idea” product, and nobody comes. Set up an award, and show winners.

Search Engine Optimization 105

Search Engine Optimization Startup Advertising SEO 105

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2017

They are tasked with “getting deals done” so they race around talking to tons of potential partners inking anything from channel sale deals , product integration, international distribution agreements, co-marketing arrangements, M&A discussions, etc. Here’s how it goes: You have a business development group with two people.

Activity 164

Activity Conference Press Case Study 164

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2017

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Don’t start from how you want to sell.

Search Engine Optimization 58

Search Engine Optimization Startup SEO Customer 58

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2012

Entrepreneurs always work hard to create an innovative product or service, but often count on standard seller marketing for sales. But the reality is that sellers are no longer in charge of the customer buying process. The best way to do this is with real customer interviews. Don’t start from how you want to sell.

Tips 93

Tips Search Engine Optimization Summary Startup 93

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2019

Equally important, if someone does find your site, your content must stand out above all similar sites, to keep visitors engaged, close a sale, and get customers to return. It’s never too early to start marketing to define your brand. Market your ideas and expertise early for customer feedback.

Blogging 85

Blogging Search Engine Optimization Writing SEO 85

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2011

Richard De Silva started off as a journalist with the Washington Post after growing up in D.C. In the late 90’s he saw the internet boom and helped start IronPlanet.com, a construction equipment marketplace that is nearing an IPO. Startup after Iron Planet? (6:00 ESPN, Forbes, AOL were customers. 1:00 – 3:40).

Capital 265

Capital Venture Capital Veoh Startup 265

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2010

Their computers then cleverly merge your ads with search results only when users search words imply an interest in your products. This is NOT the same as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It pays only if a customer clicks through AND takes a further action (conversion), such as buying a product or filling out a web form.

SEM 90

SEM Marketing Startup Search Engine Optimization 90

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

In the past, if your startup had a website presence, the company was credible by definition. Yet most startups I know experience the same shock of disappointment when they first open up their website to offer their “million dollar idea” product, and nobody comes. Set up an award, and show winners.

Search Engine Optimization 88

Search Engine Optimization eBook Advertising SEO 88

socalTECH

OCTOBER 30, 2013

Those services work on volume, and the designs you can send--and which you receive--are from a limited selection, not at all personalized to the recipient, and for the florist delivering the flowers, provides slim margins and no opportunity to build a customer base. How does a startup like your fight such a dominant industry?

Beverly Hills 157

Beverly Hills Technical Review Design Startup 157

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 5, 2010

In the past, if your startup had a website presence, the company was credible by definition. Yet most startups I know experience the same shock of disappointment when they first open up their website to offer their “million dollar idea” product, and nobody comes. Highlight personal and product testimonials.

Tips 92

Tips Search Engine Optimization Startup Advertising 92