October 4 to 6: Search Engine and Social Media Marketing Strategy Workshop

(Photos from earlier 2 workshop batches held at Ateneo de Manila University, Rockwell Center, Makati City)

The DigitalFilipino.com Club, in collaboration with Search Profile Index, will be having its 4th workshop on "Search Engine and Social Media Strategy Workshop" this October 4 to 6, 2011 from 9 am to 4:30 pm at Ateneo Graduate School of Business #20 Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City. Target participants are entrepreneurs, marketing, and sales professionals who would like to explore further use of the Internet to promote their business online.

Search Profile Index was created to help companies assess their current or planned website versus their competition including online marketing and sales strategies. In addition, listen and monitor online conversations. Reports are produced on a monthly basis, giving insights and suggestions to its subscribers.

DigitalFilipino Club Members are entitled to the following free slots:

• Corporate member - 2 slots and can attend for 3 days
• SME member - 1 slot and can attend for 3 days
• Individual member - 1 day session (not transferrable). Discounted rate of P5,000 for the remaining 2 days.
• Non-members can attend this workshop for P10,000. (pay through Paypal)

To reserve your slot, please contact Janette Toral.

This workshop will:

1. Discuss tips and techniques to get your site to the top of search engine rankings (e.g. Google, Yahoo and Bing) and stay there. 
2. Help you create a social media strategy and work plan.
3. Use tools (e.g. Search Profile Index) to monitor your website, search engine, and social media campaign performance.

Participants are requested to bring their own laptop. The venue has wi-fi Internet access. However, bringing of back-up Internet access gadget is encouraged. Note also that food is not included in this workshop.

Day 1: Creation of a Search Engine Marketing Plan

Discussion and Demonstration
Introduction of search engine marketing and optimization. Topics include:

• Identify niche positioning for products and services that you will sell, target customers, buying frequency and motivation
• Keywords discovery, attractiveness analysis and navigation
• Competition analysis
• Improving your website page titles, description, menus, body text, other assets and good content (on-page optimization)

Day 2: Creation of a Social Media Plan and Presence Online

Discussion and Demonstration
Techniques to improve ranking on search engine results and engage your readers. Topics include:

• Web copywriting
• Developing content designed for the buying cycle.
• Creating your social media presence online
• Social media plan development
• Building an online footprint
• Social bookmarking and tagging
• Directory submission
• Links through blog posts
• Microblogging
• Social Networks

Day 3 Plan Presentation and Monitoring Performance

• Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Plan Presentation
• Tracking results and calibrate
• Using Search Profile Index to track performance.
• Working with service providers

To earn a certificate of attendance from DigitalFilipino Club, participants should: 

• complete the 3-days session
• submit and present completed assignment work and any revision asked for through webinar on October 13, 2011.

To reserve your slot, please contact Janette Toral.

Sales Tactics Using Search Engine and Social Media Marketing

The DigitalFilipino.com Club, in collaboration with Search Profile Index, will be having a workshop on "Sales Tactics using Search Engine and Social Media Marketing" this September 28 to 30, 2010 at Room 207, Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Rockwell Center, Makati City from 9 am to 4:30 pm.

Search Profile Index is created to help companies assess their current or planned website versus their competition including online marketing and sales strategies. In addition, listen and monitor online conversations. Reports are produced on a monthly basis, giving insights and suggestions to its subscribers.

DigitalFilipino Club Members are entitled to the following free slots:

• Corporate member - 1 slot and can attend for 3 days
• SME member - 1 slot and can attend for 2 days
• Individual member - discounted rate of P10,000 for 3 days
• Non-members can attend this workshop for P15,000.

To reserve your slot, please contact Janette Toral.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE 

Day 1: DEFINING YOUR TARGET AND HOW TO AIM AT IT

1. Understand your goals, products, audience, and potential leads.

• Identify niche positioning for products and services that you'll sell
• Profile of target customers, buying frequency, and motivation. 
• Business potential (one time , short – term, long – term, seasonal, cross-sell, up-sell) 
• SWOT, Porter’s, Blue Ocean 

2. Learn from the Best: Find market leaders, conversations, and influencers.

• Introduction to Search Engine Marketing / Search Engine Optimization
• Keywords discovery, attractiveness analysis, and implementation. 
• Profiling and learning from leading websites. 

3. Sending the message: Best practices in creating a web presence.

• Improving your website structure, navigation, and performance.
• Web writing techniques to persuade customers and readers to trust, get in touch, buy, subscribe or read more. 
• Improving your website page titles, description, menus, body text, other assets, and good content (on-page optimization). 
• Positioning an effective message. 

Day 2: GETTING THE WORD OUT

Guest talk:

• Managing Your Online Reputation (Advocacy, Public Affairs, and PR Online) by Amor Maclang, Co-Founder, GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications.
• Loyalty Marketing as a Sales Tactic by Yayu Javier, CEO, Avanza.
• Search Engine Advertising Tips by Aileen Apolo, Google.

4. Effective digital marketing strategies

• FACEBOOK: Tapping into social networks to generate buzz.
• EMAIL: Developing a person-to-person e-mail campaign. 
• SEARCH ENGINE: Improving search engine visibility.
• PAID ADS: Effective utilization of paid advertising programs. 
• BLOGS: Jumpstart conversation with consumers. 
• Utilizing social media for brand awareness and traffic generation. 

5. Ignite conversations and generate leads

• Support an advocacy, movement, greater purpose.

6. Building relationships that last

• Listen and respond to customer feedback.
• Build trust and inspire community ownership. 

Day 3: BASIS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: PERMANENT BETA

7. Tracking results and calibrate.

8. Working with Service Providers
9. Workshop presentation

To reserve your slot, please contact Janette Toral.

Search Engine Optimization, Link Building Techniques, E-Commerce Law, Blogging 101, E-Mail Marketing, Blog Marketing & Advertising Webinar Series

In partnership with our corporate member - ProFora Professional Linkage Webinars, I'll be conducting a series of webinars this October.

Note that DigitalFilipino Club Members can attend these sessions for free following this allocation of slots:

• Corporate members can have one representative in all 5 webinars or 12 sessions.
• SME members can have one representative in 6 sessions.
• Individual members can participate in 2 sessions (non-transferable).
• Club members wanting to attend additional sessions or have more than one representative can pay five hundred pesos (P500) per session.

Please click on the registration below to reserve your slot and receive confirmation.

Non-club members who wishes to attend can pay the corresponding fee of seven hundred fifty pesos per session (P750).

Topics for this webinar series are the following:

1. Search Engine Optimization Techniques Certificate Course
   October 6, 8, and 10
   6 pm to 8 pm
   
2. Link Building Techniques Certificate Course
   October 13, 15, and 17
   6 pm to 8 pm
   
3. E-Commerce Law Overview
   October 21
   6 pm to 8 pm
   
4. Blogging 101
   October 21
   6 pm to 8 pm
   
5. E-Mail Marketing Certificate Course
   October 26, 28, and 30
   6 pm to 8 pm
   
6. Blog Marketing & Advertising
   November 4
   7 pm to 9 pm

To participate in the webinar, please note the following:

• Register ahead in order to receive the link where you can join the webinar on the actual day.
• Be online at least 10 minutes before the webinar.
• You will need a headset or sound speakers to listen while the live presentation and discussion is happening.
• You will need a microphone if you want to join the discussion via voice (although you can also type in your questions).

Full Certificate Webinar Course: Search Engine Optimization & Link Building Techniques

Due to popular request, I'll be conducting a Full Certificate Webinar Course on Search Engine Optimization & Link Building Techniques from October 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, and 17 from 6 pm to 8 pm.

Note that DigitalFilipino Club Members can attend these sessions for free following this allocation of slots:

• Corporate members can have one representative in the Full Certificate Course on SEO & Link Building Techniques (register for this webinar).
  
  Another way is to send a different representative for Module 1: Certificate Course on Search Engine Optimization Techniques (register for this webinar) and Module 2: Certificate Course on Link Building Techniques (register for this webinar).
  
• SME members can have one representative in for Module 1: Certificate Course on Search Engine Optimization Techniques (register for this webinar) OR Module 2: Certificate Course on Link Building Techniques (register for this webinar).
  
  Individual members can participate in 1 session (non-transferable). Just contact me and choose from either October 6, 8, 13, 15.

Please click on the registration above to reserve your slot and receive confirmation. Should you like to attend more than the allotted session or slots, the club member rate is P500 per session.

This workshop will discuss tips and techniques to get your site to the top of search engine rankings (e.g. Google, Yahoo and Bing) and stay there.

Full Certificate Webinar Course on Search Engine Optimization & Link Building Techniques
Schedule:

Module 1: SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUES
October 6 and 8, 2009 from 6 pm to 8 pm (Manila time)

Discussion and Demonstration
Introduction of search engine marketing and optimization. Topics include:

• Identify niche positioning for products & services that you will sell, target customers, buying frequency and motivation
• Keywords discovery, attractiveness analysis and navigation
• Competition analysis
• Improving your website page titles, description, menus, body text, other assets and good content (on-page optimization)

October 10, 2009 from 6 pm to 8 pm (Manila time)
Discussion and comments on submitted Work

Participants are expected to submit their work before the start of this session. Submitted work will be shown and discussed for comments and feedback from Janette.

Module 2: LINK BUILDING TECHNIQUES
October 13 and 15, 2009 from 6 pm to 8 pm (Manila time)

Discussion and Demonstration
Link building techniques to improve ranking on search engine results. Topics include:

• Link exchange programs
• Article submission
• Social bookmarking and tagging
• Directory submission
• Links through blog posts
• Microblogging
• Social Networking

October 17, 2009 from 6 pm to 8 pm (Manila time)
Discussion and Comments on Submitted Work

Participants are expected to submit their work before the start of this session. Submitted work will be shown and discussed for comments and feedback from Janette.

To earn a certificate of attendance from DigitalFilipino Club and Profora Media, participants should:

• complete the 6 sessions (or module 1 or module 2)
• submit completed assignment work for the October 10 and 17 sessions and any revision asked for.

To participate in the webinar, please note the following:

• Register ahead in order to receive the link where you can join the webinar on the actual day.
• Be online at least 10 minutes before the webinar.
• You will need a headset or sound speakers to listen while the live presentation and discussion is happening.
• You will need a microphone if you want to join the discussion via voice (although you can also type in your questions).

If this is your first time to join a webinar, this orientation can also help.

Cebu: Search Engine, Social Network, Blog Marketing & Advertising Hands-on Workshop

All DigitalFilipino.com Club members are invited to attend the forthcoming Search Engine Marketing, Social Network, Blog Marketing & Advertising Hands-on Workshop series this June 8 to 9 at Netopia Internet Cafe, Lower Ground Floor, SM Cebu from 10 am to 6 pm. On June 10, the training will be in one of the offices in Cebu and disclosed directly to club members.

DigitalFilipino.com Club members can send participants for free on this training noting the following conditions:

• Corporate members - 3 days (1 participant per day)
• SME members - 2 days (1 participant per day)
• Individual members can attend a one-day session. Not transferable.

Participants should fill-up the registration form and await slot confirmation. We can only accept a maximum of 16 participants per day. Participants should bring their own food and drinks during the training.

The training program shall be as follows:

June 8 - Drive Search Engine Traffic to Your Site Search Engine Marketing, Optimization, & Copywriting Workshop
(16 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will discuss tips and techniques to get your site to the top of search engine rankings (e.g. Google, Yahoo, and MSN) and stay there. It will also teach participants how to write web content that is useful and attractive for its target audience to attain search engine rankings.

On-page Optimization 1o1

• Introduction to Search Engine Marketing / Search Engine Optimization
• Identify niche positioning for products and services that you'll sell, target customers, buying frequency and motivation.
• Keywords discovery, attractiveness analysis, and implementation.
• How search engines process information as it crawls websites.
• Improving your website structure and navigation.
• Improving your website page titles, description, menus, body text, other assets, and good content (on-page optimization)

Web Content and SEO Writing Workshop

• How the Internet user reads online
• Web writing techniques to persuade customers and readers to trust, get in touch, buy, subscribe or read more
• SEO writing skills to:


• Inform search engines what your site is about.
• Push your article and website to a high position on search results.
• Encourage target readers to click on the links.
• Connects with your readers once they reach your website.


• Writing effective newsletters, blogs, Web 2.0 content, among others
• Encourage readers to subscribe to your website content updates.

Off-page optimization 101

• Getting your website linked through directory submissions, article writing, online press releases, and social media/networking tools. (off-page optimization)
• Introduction to paid advertising programs.
• Tracking and fine tuning your website.

June 9: Social Network Marketing & Advertising
(16 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will tackle how to use the top social networking sites as a tool to promote your products, services, and website.

• Introduction to Social Networking
• Top social networking sites in the Philippines
• Using social networks to promote yourself


• Improving your profile
• The power of tags


• Using social networks to promote your company


• Creating groups
• Creating fan pages
• Uploading photos
• Uploading videos
• Disseminating updates
  
• Advertising in social networks
  
• Audience targeting
• Ad campaign text
• Monitoring results


• Creating a Social Networking Strategy

June 10: Internet & Blog Marketing & Advertising
(16 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will look into various ways that blogs can be tap as a medium to reach out to target market segments as a new advertising and marketing alternative.

• Blog Marketing
  
• Tapping Blogs to Create Buzz (events, give-aways, promo)
  Tapping Bloggers for Insight and Feedback (alerts)
• Identifying target blog
  
• Internet & Blog Advertising


• Direct advertising
• 3rd party banner or text ads (Google AdWords & other sites)
• Paid review
• Paid features
• Identifying target blogs and websites
  
• Blog Advertising Campaign Plan and Actual Hands-on


• Product, Service, or Website to Promote
• Keywords or keyphrases identification
• Registration in a blog advertising marketplace for blog post & site-wide linking
• Blog selection
• Campaign placement: blog post and site-wide links
• Monitoring of output


• Joining the Internet & Blog Advertising Specialist Program

All training materials shall be posted at the club member site and also at our social network for online interactive learning purposes.

Interested non-members are requested to sign up as an Individual, SME, or Corporate member prior to the workshop and confirm attendance for slot reservation.

Visiting Urdaneta City University

Micaela joined me this morning on my road trip to Urdaneta City University (UCU) to check out the venue of our upcoming SEO/SEM workshop. We left the Five Star bus station in Cubao at 5 am and reached the venue before 9 am.

The expected number of participants, that may reach to more than 120 resulted to conversion of this event from a simple workshop to a full blown seminar type. However, we are still allotting time in the late afternoon for those who would like to join the hands-on part.

I'm happy about the interest gathered in relation to this event with folks volunteering to help out and even share knowledge. Unfortunately, I won't be able to accommodate all at this time.

The good news though is that the SEO Pangasinan community, where Gary Viray is an active player, are currently organizing Search Engine Marketing Conference (SEMCON) Pangasinan. I'm sure that will bring the best of the best from Pangasinan and reach out to bigger audience. We will also actively support that event in anyway we can.

Lunch at Matutina's

I joined the Bitstop Network Services team for a hearty lunch at Matutina's Restaurant. Easy to say that I ate more than my fair share (so no dinner for me tonight).

See you tomorrow! Thanks again to Bitstop Network Services, Urdaneta City University, and ICT Pangasinan for making this possible.

Search & You Shall Find talk at De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde

Through DigitalFilipino Club member Adolfo Aran III, I got invited to be a speaker by the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde Emerging Trends in Marketing Class and Junior Marketing Association. This will be at the Case Room, 3rd floor, Mutien Wing, CSB Main Bldg on February 24. The talk will be at 6pm expected to be attended by marketing and business students.

My talk, dubbed as "Search & You Shall Find", is an introduction to search engine marketing.

My visit to this school has been long overdue and look forward meeting the students this Tuesday. See you DLS-CSB!

SEO / SEM Workshop at Urdaneta City University

I'll be conducting a workshop on Search Engine Marketing - Search Engine Optimization this February 27 at the 4th floor new building of Urdaneta City University (UCU), Urdaneta, Pangasinan.

The organizers of this training are Urdaneta City University, College of Computer Studies in cooperation with ICT Pangasinan and DigitalFilipino Club member Bitstop Network Services, Inc.
I was able to catch up with Wilson Chua last February 9 at E-Services Philippines who made this workshop possible.

This hands-on workshop will discuss tips and techniques to get a site to the top of search engine rankings (e.g. Google, Yahoo, and MSN) and stay there.

• Introduction to Search Engine Marketing / Search Engine Optimization
• Identify niche positioning for products and services that you'll sell, target customers, buying frequency and motivation.
• Keywords discovery, attractiveness analysis, and implementation.
• How search engines process information as it crawls websites.
• Improving your website structure and navigation.
• Improving your website page titles, description, menus, body text, other assets, and good content (on-page optimization)
• Getting your website linked through directory submissions, article writing, online press releases, and social media/networking tools. (off-page optimization)
• Introduction to paid advertising programs.
• Tracking and fine tuning your website.

I am excited to meet IT Graduating Students, IT Instructors, and other interested individuals who are expected to attend this one day hands-on workshop.

First-come first-served basis. Interested parties are requested to contact Ficer Dofredo - IT head of Urdaneta City University at 0908-2299114 to register. The workshop fee is one hundred pesos (P100). Food is not included. As computers are limited, if possible, bring your own laptop with portable Internet access (such as through your mobile phone).

2/20 Update: My tag team speaker at SEMCON Bicol, Gary Viray, will join me in conducting this whole day workshop. He will also talk about off-page optimization.

See you this Friday UCU!

SEO, Content Writing, Blog Marketing & Advertising, E-Commerce, E-Payment Workshop Series

All DigitalFilipino.com Club members are invited to attend the forthcoming E-Commerce, Search Engine Marketing, and Corporate Blogging Hands-on Workshop series this January 26 to 30 at Netopia Internet Cafe, Ground Floor Greenbelt 1, Legaspi Street, Makati City from 9 am to 5 pm.

DigitalFilipino.com Club members can send participants for free on this training noting the following conditions:

• Corporate members - 5 days (1 participant per day)
  
• SME members - 3 days (1 participant per day)
• Individual members can attend a one-day session

Non-club members (those who have not paid annual membership fee) can send a participant for three thousand pesos (P3000) per day, exclusive of VAT. Slot is confirmed upon receipt of payment.

Participants should fill-up the registration form and await slot confirmation. We can only accept a maximum of 18 participants per day.

The training program shall be as follows:

January 26 - Drive Search Engine Traffic to Your Site Workshop
(10 confirmed, 8 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will discuss tips and techniques to get your site to the top of search engine rankings (e.g. Google, Yahoo, and MSN) and stay there.

• Introduction to Search Engine Marketing / Search Engine Optimization
• Identify niche positioning for products and services that you'll sell, target customers, buying frequency and motivation.
• Keywords discovery, attractiveness analysis, and implementation.
• How search engines process information as it crawls websites.
• Improving your website structure and navigation.
• Improving your website page titles, description, menus, body text, other assets, and good content (on-page optimization)
• Getting your website linked through directory submissions, article writing, online press releases, and social media/networking tools. (off-page optimization)
• Introduction to paid advertising programs.
• Tracking and fine tuning your website.
  

January 27: Web Content and SEO Writing Workshop
(13 confirmed, 5 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will teach participants how to write web content that is useful and attractive for its target audience and attain search engine rankings.

• How the Internet user reads online
• Web writing techniques to persuade customers and readers to trust, get in touch, buy, subscribe or read more
• SEO writing skills to:
  
  • Inform search engines what your site is about.
  • Push your article and website to a high position on search results.
  • Encourage target readers to click on the links.
    
  • Connects with your readers once they reach your website.
• Writing effective newsletters, blogs, Web 2.0 content, among others
• Encourage readers to subscribe to your website content updates.
  

January 28: Creating an eStore (Your Own or Affiliate Site)
(7 confirmed, 11 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will help the participant plan and put up an eStore. They will also be introduced to the largest affiliate program online (Amazon.com) and set-up an actual eStore.

• Identify niche positioning for products and services that you'll sell, target customers, buying frequency and motivation.
• Competition analysis
• Features list (prioritization)
• Product pricing
• Delivery options
• Content plan
• eStore Creation using Amazon.com aStore (example posted at Busby SEO Test)
  

January 29: Accepting Payments Online Through Credit Card, Paypal, and Mobile Phone
(12 confirmed, 6 slots available)

This hands-on workshop gives participants an overview on various payment options that can be explored online. Demo of local payment systems and Paypal for credit card payment acceptance shall also be done

• Introduction to online payments
  
• Evaluating online and mobile payment providers (comparative analysis)
• Demo of Philippine-based online payment systems (email billing, web-based payment, mobile payments)
• Using Paypal to accept payments online
  
  • Account creation
  • Creating Buy Now / Subscribe Now payment buttons
  • Creating an Invoice Billing
  • Creating Recurring Payments/Subscription option
  • Adding Paypal code to your website or blog
    
• Fraud detection

January 30: Blog Marketing & Advertising
(17 confirmed, 1 slots available)

This hands-on workshop will give participants an appreciation on how blogging can be used to promote a company's products and services. It will also look into various ways that blogs can be tap as a medium to reach out to target market segments as a new advertising and marketing alternative.

• Corporate Blogging Introduction and Uses
• Creating a Corporate Blog
• Corporate Blogging Guidelines
• Blog Marketing
  
  • Tapping Blogs to Create Buzz (events, give-aways, promo)
  • Tapping Bloggers for Insight and Feedback (alerts)
  • Identifying target blogs
• Blog Advertising
  
  • Direct advertising
  • 3rd party banner or text ads
  • Paid reviews
  • Paid features
  • Identifying target blogs

All training materials shall be posted at the club member site and also at our social network for online interactive learning purposes.

Interested non-members are requested to sign up as an Individual, SME, or Corporate member prior to the workshop and confirm attendance for food count purposes.