Online Scams: How to Make an Educated Purchase Decision

In the previous two articles we investigated two common internet scams featuring Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Fake Online Reviews. Each of these had their own individual tips on how to avoid falling for suspect marketing techniques.

But how can an a savvy consumer reduce the risk of being taken by an Online scammer when making a purchase?

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Online Scams: Google SEO Promises Over the Phone

Recently, we had an unsolicited phone call from 818-420-4298 asking if we were interested in being on the front page of Google if we qualified. Of course the offer was for free.

The whole call seemed fishy to us. The caller identified his company as a "Google Partner" in his noticeably scripted spiel. At no time did he mention his name or his company's name. With a waft of other voices in the background it sounded like one large telemarketing scheme as opposed to a genuine SEO Marketing company. So what was the full story?

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Online Scams: Faking Online Reviews

CBC Marketplace recently aired two segments investigating online reviews both on review websites (i.e. TripAdvisor and Yelp!) and company websites (i.e. Amazon, TigerDirect, etc.). CBC Marketplace found that many of the posted reviews were from either regular average customers, paid marketers or even average customer reviews that have been edited.

The original intentions of online reviews both on review websites and company websites were to allow average people to provide authentic reviews on their experiences in purchasing goods and/or services. For quite a while this was the case until marketers researched the influence of these reviews and how they impacted consumer purchasing. Marketers quite simply found the more positive a product or service was reviewed positively the higher sales increased. This finding resulted in marketers writing their own reviews on review websites and possibly editing customer reviews on company websites as needed. Excellent examples of marketer's using these tactics can be found in the aforementioned CBC Marketplace segments.

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CLIENT PORTFOLIO: D. Castro Bookeeping Services

D. Castro Bookkeeping Services is an Ottawa area full service bookkeeping, accounting, payroll and tax service provider that focuses on small business and the non-profit sectors. The company focuses it's attention on listening to client needs, developing an accounting process that works for the client and yet meets or exceeds government and industry regulations.

Dayani Castro founded the company to share her expertise in making bookkeeping and tax preparation processes customizable to the average business owner whose booking experience rangesf from very little to a lot. As part of promoting D. Castro Bookkeeping Services, Dayani provides bookkeeping courses that help introduce business owners to the needs of having a good set up financial records as well as some tips on how to do it.

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CLIENT PORTFOLIO: Big Guide to Condos

BigGuideToCondos.com is the main website for Toronto area realtors Chris Dawson & Elizabeth Machula. These leading Toronto area realtors specialize in buying and selling condominiums in the Downtown Toronto area.

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) realty market, serviced by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB), is quite competitive with plethora of real estate agents and condominiums available. How can one overcome this and easily be found? One way is to leverage the power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to make sure your website appears at the top of search engine listings in a variety of search terms. This was exactly the tactic Big Guide to Condos aims to take advantage of.

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CASE STUDY: Why allow others to tag photos in Facebook?

Social Media provides plenty of opportunities for interactions between not only users but also businesses and their customers. Suddcorp Solutions attended both the July and October 2014 eSAX events. Jarrod Goldsmith, the founder of eSAX, uses a number of social media platforms to promote his quarterly networking events. As well, during these events many attendees take photos of others and the event venue.

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CLIENT PORTFOLIO: Bird's Eye Marketing's Website

Bird's Eye Marketing is a leading Ottawa area company at implementing Google Analytics for medium and small businesses so that they can make improved business decisions. The company's owner, David Bird, is regarded as a leader in Analytics implementation having been invited to present at conferences in Boston, Ottawa and Montreal. As well, David has been invited to provide educational seminars to both the Ontario OSEB program and the City of Ottawa's Invest Ottawa.

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Shine a Spotlight on Your Awards!

Many different industries hand out awards on a yearly basis either at a suit and tie event or tradeshow. These awards make great opportunities to do one of two things:

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CLIENT PORTFOLIO: YourLocalArt.com on Linkedin

Your Local Art is an online art gallery that features the work of Ottawa based artists that can be printed on demand for customers wishing to purchase artist prints.

This web based gallery was looking to increase their online presence as well as provide an opportunity to connect with current and prospective ones they have met from networking events.

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How to Advertise Your Event on Facebook

This past weekend we had the opportunity to take in Ottawa's Nuit Blanche. One of our friends, Marcia Lea of Davis Art School had her paintings at The Rectory where her art school is also located. We had a short conversation about how the evening was going with a steady flow of visitors coming through.

Our conversation eventually evolved around to Facebook. One of Marcia's questions was how to properly advertise an event using Facebook. She had created a Facebook event page but couldn't figure out how to invite those that liked the The Davis Art School's Facebook page to the event.

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Should I Keep That Linkedin Endorsement or Remove It?

Linkedin has two ways to prove your professional worth, written recommendations and endorsements. These provide excellent opportunities for those who know you recommend you via both written testimonial or endorse you for a certain skill. We have previously written on the difference between the two and how to obtain them here.

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What is a Social Media Audit?

Many use Social Media to communicate with customers or provide feedback to businesses. There are strategies and techniques that businesses can use to attract a following, maintain connections/followers and build a community. How can businesses know they are doing this successfully? Can social media channels be re-energized? Can businesses tweak their current profiles to perform even better?

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CLIENT PORTFOLIO: Curb Signs Inc's Rejuvenated Facebook Business Page

Curb Signs Inc. is a well known printer and installer of signage for the development and retail sectors within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). As a company in a business to business (B2B) relationship, a professional online brand is needed.

After re-energizing the company's Linkedin profiles and arranging the behind the scenes necessities for administrative access, we turned our attention to Curb Signs Inc.'s Facebook page. 

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How to Get Recommendations and Endorsements on Linkedin

Linkedin is a great way to investigate others you may want to partner with, purchase products or services from or to work for. Whether looking for employment or being a business person, recommendations and endorsements on Linkedin are a powerful way to show credibility in what you are claiming to be and not just trying to sell yourself.

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Look Professional with a Custom URL for Your E-mail

In business a professional image is always being sought after. One of the first things prospective clients are going to see is both your website and your e-mail address. Whether it be through searching online or meeting a representative of your company at a networking event, a prospective client is going to see an e-mail address to contact you. Which would you rather see as a customer:

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CLIENT PORTFOLIO: A LinkedIn Solution for Curb Signs Inc.

Curb Signs Inc. is a well known printer and installer of signage for the development and retail sectors within the Greater Toronto Area. As a company in a business to business relationship a professional online brand is needed.

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Writing vs Editing Content

Recently Suddcorp Solutions has received inquiries about writing services for both individuals and businesses who need content writing services for written content for a variety of industries (e.g. science, construction, technology, etc.). As well, some are inquiring about ways to turn their already drafted content into something fit for posting onto their social media feeds and promoted correctly. So what are the options for both of these types of customers?

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Rideau Centre Food Court Preview

Wednesday evening Suddcorp Solutions was invited to preview the new food court at Cadillac Fairview's Rideau Centre in downtown Ottawa that is to open Friday, August 1st at 11 A.M. We arrived at 5 P.M. to be treated to cocktails and hors d'ouevres presented by Tulips & Maple catering.

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Expand your Reach on Social Media: Try Some Hashtag Hijinks!

A great way to expand your audience on social media is through the use of "Hashtags". First popularized by the social network Twitter, hashtags are used to index a message to a certain subject. These hashtagged subjects are usually a topic (e.g. restaurants, networking, etc.), city (e.g. Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, etc.) or a way to follow an event (e.g. eSAX, etc.). Hashtags generally are a word or phrase preceded by a “#”. Example: #examplehashtag.

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Importance of Niche Market Social Media SEO: Restaurant Industry

Many business owners and marketers spend hours trying to optimize their websites and other online advertising material to appear on the first page of search engine results. Social Media is a great tool to not only ensure businesses are showing up in prime locations on search engines like Google, but also ensure the information prospective customers are looking for is found. This is especially so in the restaurant industry which provides a great case study on how business can use social media to ensure customers find the information they need to enjoy a meal.

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