<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><atom:link href="http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;Type=RSS20" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><title>Small Business Maize</title><description>Help your business grow. Learn to save time and money by promoting your business online. &lt;br/&gt;
&lt;a href="http://www.oolybooly.com.au/simon-eder" rel="author" title="by simon eder"&gt;By Simon Eder&lt;/a&gt;</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/</link><lastBuildDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 14:54:50 GMT</lastBuildDate><docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss</docs><generator>RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/</generator><item><title>Web Design - New Website Design Trends</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;The Challenge to Create Something Innovative&lt;/h1&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;In the world of ecommerce, web design matters. Online businesses know exactly what a good web design is. That&amp;rsquo;s why most of them are always searching for ways to become more competitive and user-friendly. While experience really does count in web designing, innovation and new web design concepts are what constitute an attractive website. Ultimately, the aim is to offer your customers the overall user experience that they want. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Evolution of Web Design&lt;/h2&gt;
In the past few years, businesses who want to plug in to the digital world had to be content with static pages. Static pages are online pages with fixed content - boring and un-innovative. However, with the discovery of JavaScript libraries and Cascading Style Sheets, a new gateway has now been opened to develop more engaging and user-friendly websites. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Since then, new trends of web design have changed exponentially to address the growing number of internet users - both desktop and mobile. New concepts such as responsive design and mobile sites have emerged to provide customers with a different kind of web experience. These two are outlined below: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Responsive Web Design&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A responsive web design is a highly flexible website that can easily adapt on varying screen sizes; a &amp;lsquo;one a size fits all website&amp;rsquo;, if you will. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Mobile Site&lt;/h2&gt;
A mobile site, on the other hand, is an optimized site for small screen devices. They offer rather limited content, albeit faster and lighter than a responsive website.&lt;br /&gt;
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&lt;h2&gt;Keeping Up with the Pace&lt;/h2&gt;
The online market continues to challenge not just big businesses, but also the small ones. You need to think of something really creative and innovative that will make your website standout from the rest, instead of getting dragged along by them, or worse, left in limbo. You can start by implementing a simple design concept with deeper functionality, like multi-screen experience, or the use of finger pointer.&lt;br /&gt;
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Don't want to get left behind by your competitors? Visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au and we will help you build a faster, stronger and smarter website.&lt;br /&gt;
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</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317852&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fweb-design-new-website-design-trends</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/web-design-new-website-design-trends</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Mobile Apps VS Mobile Websites</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;To app or not to app?&lt;/h1&gt;
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It makes sense to ponder on this kind of question, especially if you are starting to adapt to a trend that is moving fast. By now, you already have an idea of how important it is to have a mobile presence for your business. Both your customers and prospects have gone mobile and most businesses today have already transferred a huge portion of their marketing operations online.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;However, there are certain important aspects which you need to consider before implementing a concept for your brand&amp;rsquo;s mobile presence. You can only choose one of the two: a mobile app or a mobile site. If you are thinking of building both, think again.&amp;nbsp; Running two concepts at the same time is very difficult to develop, not to mention the high maintenance cost. So for now, let&amp;rsquo;s stick to knowing the pros and cons of each concept and then choose which works best. Here are some helpful guidelines to consider: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What&amp;rsquo;s the Difference Between a Mobile Website and Mobile App?&lt;/h2&gt;
Before we start evaluating the benefits of a mobile website and a mobile app, it is important to understand the key differences between the two. Both of them can be accessed on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.&lt;br /&gt;
A mobile website is like any other website, in the sense that it consists of browser-based HTML pages linked together and accessed online. The only distinct characteristic of a mobile site is the fact that it is designed for smaller screens.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A mobile app, on the other hand, is an application downloaded and installed a mobile device. Users visit device-specific portals such as Apple's App Store, Android market or Blackberry App World to download apps for a certain operating system. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Advantages of Mobile Websites&lt;/h2&gt;
If your goals are focused on marketing or public communications, then a mobile website is a great concept to implement. Why? Because a mobile website has broader accessibility, compatibility and cost-effectiveness. Other advantages include:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Low development cost/time&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Lack of red tape&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Simpler cross-platform scalability&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Analytic-friendly&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Advantages of Mobile Apps&lt;/h2&gt;
Although a mobile website has many inherent benefits, apps are still in demand due to the following reasons:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Faster and more interactive&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Functions without Internet connectivity&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Revenue and reach potential&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Integration&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Seamless operation&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There is no definitive answer to this ongoing debate. It really depends on a number of factors like the type of content being provided, the goals for the project and the needs of your customers. Nevertheless, do not hesitate to seek some advice from an expert or do some extensive research.&lt;br /&gt;
Need help deciding? Visit us at OolyBooly.com.au and let us help you discover what is right for your business.&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317851&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fmobile-apps-vs-mobile-websites</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/mobile-apps-vs-mobile-websites</guid><pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Web Design - Mistakes You Should Know in Web Design</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Web Design Blunders Going in Circles&lt;/h1&gt;
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There are a lot of things to consider when designing a website. Sometimes simple design mistakes occur unintentionally, which can have a detrimental effect on website success.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here are some design mistakes seen over and over again on the web: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Forcing Registration&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There is a reason why customers browse your website - they want to know if your site contains valuable information. But some website owners do not seem to grip this aspect; instead they force visitors to submit their email addresses or personal information early in the visit. Unless it is absolutely necessary for the functionality of your site, try to avoid this web design slip-up. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Not Presenting the Purpose&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Business websites need to explain their purpose clearly and efficiently. If your viewers are having a hard time figuring out what is being offered, the game is over. Make sure they immediately capture your company name, slogan and introduction. If your business sells fortune cookies, then say so! &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Burying Important Features&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Sometimes in an effort to keep a clean website, important features are hidden, forcing the visitor to look for it. Be careful when making changes to your site; make sure that key features are not lost in the process.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Unreadable Text&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What is the point of a clever slogan if your visitors cannot read it? If you think that this web design blunder is a thing of the past, then you are mistaken. It still happens on a regular basis and if you are not careful, it will continue to happen. The key here is simplicity. Make sure you use the right font size and color. Remember, good sites make sure that the important text gets attention and cannot be missed. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;No Call to Action&lt;/h2&gt;
Whether you want your target audience to purchase a product or receive information, you need to have a clearly designed call to action. This is usually in the form of "buy now" or "sign up today" buttons. Place a subtle call to action on every page of your site to allow faster customer buying decisions to happen.&lt;br /&gt;
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Need to know more? Visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au and prepare yourself for an ultimate web design overhaul!&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317849&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fweb-design-mistakes-you-should-know-in-web-design</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/web-design-mistakes-you-should-know-in-web-design</guid><pubDate>Sun, 19 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Web Development - Make Your Website Better, Faster, and Stronger</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Fast and Secure Website&lt;/h1&gt;
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Today website visitors are expecting online businesses to provide the best web shopping experience. That is why, as an online business owner, you should capitalize on providing a fast and secure website.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Remember, customers who shop online have little to no patience when it comes to slow websites. In addition to slow site speed, customers are also concerned with the continued rise of hacking and identity theft incidents. However, there are many tips and services out there to prevent these problems and keep your website customer friendly. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;The question is: how do you know what works?&lt;/h2&gt;
To help you come up with a better solution, here are the best practices for keeping your customers connected and your website fast and secure:&lt;br /&gt;
Go Faster - Hats off, website speed really matters. There have been quite a number of studies and research conducted which all points to the importance of a fast website. You need to make sure that your website runs smoothly and delivers results fast, even when the demand rises. Also, you need to have a reliable web hosting provider to ensure your websites run fast and meet the demands of increased traffic.&lt;br /&gt;
Get Healthy &amp;amp; Stay Safe - With hacking and identity theft on the rise, you need to make sure that your online store is safe and well-protected. Start by securing your site through &amp;lsquo;Secure Sockets Layer&amp;rsquo;. SSL is a protocol used to provide security over the internet and keeps your customers information secure.&lt;br /&gt;
Cyber crime continues to pose a threat to small and big businesses.&amp;nbsp; So, start looking for security services and make your website safe and secure.&lt;br /&gt;
KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) Often - Nothing beats a simple yet optimized website. Customers appreciate content that is relevant, to the point and loads quickly. Create a better web experience for your customers by taking away some irrelevant site tools and widgets.&lt;br /&gt;
Reinvent Your Content - How many times have we heard the phrase &amp;ldquo;content is king&amp;rdquo;? A lot of times, yes? So put those ideas into words and create relevant content for your customers.&lt;br /&gt;
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Keep it secret; keep it safe - Advice your customers to create a password that is unique and hard to guess. A strong password should have upper and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation marks. You can also implement a two-step authentication process to increase the security of your website.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Need expert advice? Visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317848&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fweb-development-make-your-website-better-faster-and-stronger</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/web-development-make-your-website-better-faster-and-stronger</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Social Media - Leveraging Hashtags</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Avoiding the Social Media Noise&lt;/h1&gt;
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Are you struggling to reach your target audience? Social media sites like Twitter and Instagram are cluttered with loads of people talking about many different things all at the same time.&lt;br /&gt;
The question is: how do you get past the clutter and bring clarity to your social conversation? The answer is: hashtags.&lt;br /&gt;
Hashtags are simply keyword phrases, spelled without spaces, with a hash sign (#) in front of them. For example, &amp;lsquo;#leadgeneration&amp;rsquo; and &amp;lsquo;#ILoveOolyBooly&amp;rsquo; are both hashtags.&lt;br /&gt;
Hashtags are powerful and effective, but only if you know how to use them. They can provide a way to cut through the "noise" of social media. But without a definite strategy, you will just be making even more noise.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here is a simple strategy of how to effectively use hashtags for your business: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Create Your Hashtag&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The hashtag you select is essential, so do your research before putting it out. Make sure that it is unique and not being used by a number of other social media users. If possible, select a hashtag that will describe your brand or industry. Lastly, make sure it is short and easy to remember. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Market Your Hashtag&lt;/h2&gt;
Place your hashtag on your products and ads. The more you utilize it, the more attention it will obtain. This will help you for two main reasons:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Tag Ownership - Others will not use it because it is already in use.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Hashtag Trademarks - They are unique monikers that have the power to draw attention in a crowd. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Use Your Hashtag&lt;/h2&gt;
This is where hashtags can be so entertaining. Try using the following:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Drive your audience to a relevant conversation by using an embed widget that combines hashtag related tweets into an effective brand proposition. Embedding the feed will allow your audience to participate in a branded conversation without having to follow each other. This is much better than putting your Twitter account feed on your page.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Create a branded hashtag landing page. You need to build a dedicated page with specific blogs, tweets, photos and videos related to your hashtag.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Start using tweet-chat. A tweet-chat is a regularly scheduled event that you monitor around your brand. Using a hashtag allows your audience to follow branded conversations and answer moderated questions at various times.&lt;br /&gt;
Hashtags offer a new strategy for mobilizing, engaging and activating your customers. However, using the right method greatly affects a hashtag's efficiency. So make sure to register your hashtags and offer some level of brand protection.&lt;br /&gt;
For more information on what hashtags can do for your business, please visit us at OolyBooly.com.au&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317847&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fsocial-media-leveraging-hashtags</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/social-media-leveraging-hashtags</guid><pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Blogging - Key components of a blog post</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;What does a quality blog post look like?&lt;/h1&gt;
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Today, blogging is one of the great ways to draw in an audience and create a community. The majority of businesses should be using it as a marketing tool to strengthen their brands and campaigns. Writing a blog is easy, writing a quality blog is not. That is why you need to exercise precision, accuracy and, most of all, empathy in all of your writing.&lt;br /&gt;
You can start by using these several key components to attract relevant traffic and convert them into leads:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;An interesting article title&lt;br /&gt;
Your blog article's title is the first thing visitors will see, so make sure it catches their attention. In order for you to attract readers, write a title that is brief and clear. The last thing you want to do is confuse your future customers.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Well-written and formatted text&lt;br /&gt;
The body of your article should be easy to read. You may want to use header tags and bullet points to break up the content into sections. Also, have your work reviewed by a friend or a coworker before you publish it. Makes sense, doesn&amp;rsquo;t it?&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Add multi-media content&lt;br /&gt;
Slideshow presentations, videos and info graphics are ways to make your blog article look good. Adding multimedia content to your blog post not only helps you break the blog parts successfully, but also makes the article more fun and memorable.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Links&lt;br /&gt;
Directing readers to a specific landing page using in-text links allows them to have a better understanding about your brand.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Call to Action&lt;br /&gt;
No matter what topic you&amp;rsquo;re writing on, always end it with a relevant call to action statement. Never hesitate to remind your readers the end purpose of your blog article.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If many of the things we have discussed are new to you, then visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au to learn more about blog marketing.&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317846&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fblogging-key-components-of-a-blog-post</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/blogging-key-components-of-a-blog-post</guid><pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Search Marketing - Increase the Searches Conducted On Your Site</title><description>How important is site search to your business?&lt;br /&gt;
A lot of businesses are looking at site search as a potential marketing tool that will convert potential customers and retain existing ones. The key to successfully turn this concept into a marketing machine is to provide a better search experience. Remember, your visitors will likely to convert, even return, if they are satisfied with what your website has to offer.&lt;br /&gt;
Here are a couple of things to consider before site search can become a contributing factor in your overall marketing campaign:&lt;br /&gt;
The Search Experience&lt;br /&gt;
Aside from having an easily accessible and visible search form, you also need to have these search features:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Auto-suggest &amp;ndash; makes any regular text input box look cool.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Auto-complete - enables the user to find and select a list of pre-populated values as he types.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Other search features which enable users to filter by date or omit specific terms.&lt;br /&gt;
Results Page Design&lt;br /&gt;
Most web visitors will run into a search box, but only a few will ever utilize it. However, many results pages are opportunities for businesses to market their products and services.&lt;br /&gt;
There are certain elements to keep in mind besides document titles and descriptions. You can start by asking these questions:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;What type of content will be shown to search users?&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Are there elements that can improve the quality of returned pages?&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;What specific approach will improve the number of conversions as well as the quality of interactions?&lt;br /&gt;
Pay close attention to the user's behavior; capture what motivates him/her to click and keep clicking and turn that into a marketing tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
Site Search Analytics&lt;br /&gt;
Have you already made changes to your website's search experience? Enhancing your website's user experience and rethinking the search results page is not a bad idea at all. But you need to have site search analytics to see if your modifications really work. Take note that in order to understand if your modifications are working, every possible interaction must be monitored.&lt;br /&gt;
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Do you want to put these web improvement ideas into action? Visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au!&lt;br /&gt;
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</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317845&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fsearch-marketing-increase-the-searches-conducted-on-your-site</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/search-marketing-increase-the-searches-conducted-on-your-site</guid><pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Mobile Marketing - Increase Sales Impact with QR Codes</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;QR Codes: both technology and concept&lt;/h1&gt;
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&lt;p&gt;The QR code concept is still in its infancy and a lot of businesses are having a hard time integrating this innovative technique with their marketing activities. But if integrated successfully, businesses that are looking to broaden their portfolio of communications tools will finally be able to do so. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;QR Codes for every business&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;QR Codes are not just for big brands with huge marketing budgets. The solution exists for one specific reason &amp;ndash; to enable businesses of every size to leverage a new kind of technology that will ultimately provide a high level of interaction with customers and prospects. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;The findings say it all&lt;/h2&gt;
Businesses can leverage the QR code technology to tap into a huge marketing potential of smartphones, another technological breakthrough which is expected to double worldwide come the end of 2013. In fact, a recent report done by Pitney Bowes revealed a remarkable growth of QR codes usage.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;QR Codes are fast becoming an essential addition to today&amp;rsquo;s&amp;nbsp; marketing toolbox&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;On average - across&amp;nbsp; the US, UK, France and Germany &amp;ndash;&amp;nbsp; 15% of people have used a QR code, which is a &amp;lsquo;significant minority&amp;rsquo;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Of the countries surveyed, QR code usage is most prevalent in the US (19%), followed by UK (15%), Germany (14%) and France (12%)&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;On average, across the countries surveyed, QR codes have&amp;nbsp; been used by 27% of 18-34 year-olds&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;QR codes placed in magazines attract the most usage across the countries surveyed (15%)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These survey results simply state that QR codes are no longer a niche application. This marketing tool is slowly becoming ubiquitous. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;What are the advantages?&lt;/h2&gt;
The marketing potential of QR codes is so enormous. The number of smartphone users alone, which is growing exponentially, provides businesses a ready-made marketing channel. A few more advantages to expect include:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Extended print value&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Immediate interactions being made&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Personalization&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Increased participation&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Overall, being a technology-driven company&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
QR codes definitely offer businesses a relatively inexpensive way of reaching out to customers while still in complete control of the resulting interaction. It is fast-becoming an essential marketing component and a business trend. If you are merely going with the flow, then you are not seeing the real return of this marketing investment.&lt;br /&gt;
Find ways to effectively implement QR code interaction and offer your customers a holistic brand experience with OolyBooly. We are experts in both print and online marketing. Visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au and experience full-blown marketing that really works!&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317844&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fmobile-marketing-increase-sales-impact-with-qr-codes</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/mobile-marketing-increase-sales-impact-with-qr-codes</guid><pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Social Media Lead Management - How to Nurture Your Following and Obtain Influencers</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Struggling to build a following&lt;/h1&gt;
It is amazing to see brands and individual marketers build their social media database with little to no difficulty. We have also come across businesses whose targeted communities continue to grow exponentially each year. Despite the growing awareness of social media lead management, there are still a few companies who are struggling in this area. We all know for a fact that if a company cannot overcome this hurdle, any social media marketing attempt will definitely backfire.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
The key to solving this problem is to obtain the right type of information and audience. This is where content becomes the driving force to attract new social media followers and build a strong targeted community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Ways to expand your social community&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While you have encountered various tips and tricks on social media management, we have collated the ones that are best for you: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Good Ol' Humor&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Facebook is a place where people are always looking for content that will make them laugh. An interesting read that will jar them out of their day-to-day tasks is something that you might want to look into. Be sure to invest some of your time making the audience happy. For starters, write a funny article. For all you know, you could be the next Mark Twain! &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Visual Content&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;According to psychologist Albert Mehrabian, 93% of communication is nonverbal and we process visuals 60,000 times faster than text. These stats alone are proof that visual content plays an important role in social media. Therefore, you need to think carefully of the visuals you present to your audience, making sure that the images are as good as the messages. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Educational content&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Your audience loves retweeting or resharing content that will make them look smart. Share something that is valuable to your audience and they will certainly repost it into their own networks. This is a great move to extend the reach of your content. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Include Influential People &lt;/h2&gt;
Amplify your social community growth rate by developing strategic partnerships with key influencers. Make sure to mention your influencers by including their Twitter handle or Facebook page in your messages. This way you will give them the opportunity to reshare or retweet your content to their following.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Social media is a powerful tool to improve customer service, increase client retention and reach certain business goals. All you need to do is manage it properly.&lt;br /&gt;
The next part of this series will give you tips on how to separate your social contacts from the regular ones.&lt;br /&gt;
For more ways to expand your social community, please visit us as OolyBooly.com.au&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317843&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fsocial-media-lead-management-how-to-nurture-your-following-and-obtain-influencers</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/social-media-lead-management-how-to-nurture-your-following-and-obtain-influencers</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Mobile Marketing - How to Make a Mobile-friendly Website</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Why Your Customers Want a Mobile-Friendly Website&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Mobile technology is one of the best trends embraced by both businesses and consumers today. In fact, typical online transactions such as product search, price comparison and online shopping are mostly done through a mobile device. This ongoing trend simply means that your business needs to provide an excellent web shopping experience to customers. Remember that they all want is a fast mobile site with large buttons and clear text.&lt;br /&gt;
But how do you do that?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are a couple of ways to make a mobile-friendly website, many of which are easy to do and cost very little. So if you are considering developing a mobile website, then this article is for you. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Mobile Web Design Consistency&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There is no way for you to determine the kinds of mobile devices your customers are using, so it is better to maintain web design consistency. This will allow you to strengthen your brand by engaging the audience with a simple web layout, meaning minimized scrolling and page transitions. In a nutshell - keep it fast, simple, and clean. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Resizing Images&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mobile shopping can be a fun experience for customers if your website loads fast. There is no better way to do that than by resizing the images on your web server. You can use media queries to resize these images. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Quickly Adjusting to Screen Size&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mobile customers are always on the move and could care less about your site's design. This means that your customers will not spend much time searching for something; they would prefer to get it as quickly as possible. So make sure your mobile website can detect all screen sizes and devices. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Give Emphasis to What is Important&lt;/h2&gt;
Is your business information hidden? Are your call-to-action buttons too plain? Jazz up your mobile site's functionality by providing your customer easily accessible call-to-action buttons and easily recognizable business contact information.&lt;br /&gt;
With millions of mobile customers embracing the new mobile ecommerce, creating a mobile-friendly website should be your top priority. Your mobile customers expect the best web shopping experience from you, so do not let them down.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Are you having difficulties implementing your mobile website? Visit us right now at www.OolyBooly.com.au and we will make everything easy for you.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317841&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fmobile-marketing-how-to-make-a-mobile-friendly-website</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/mobile-marketing-how-to-make-a-mobile-friendly-website</guid><pubDate>Sun, 12 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Search Engine Optimization - How to Leverage Link Baiting and Link Juicing</title><description>&lt;h2&gt;How to Keep the Juice Flowing&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The battle for search engine ranking continues, as companies from around the world vie for the top spot. With Google's 3 billion search queries fanning the flames, the question is how will your business survive?&lt;br /&gt;
The answer might have a little to do with the words 'juice' and 'bait'. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Google's complex algorithms have always puzzled online marketers for years, at the same time leveling the playing field. In the current digital marketplace, you will hear online marketers talk about link juice. Link juice is considered by marketers as Google's currency, which gives credibility to sites that backlinks from reliable sources. If you want that kind of reward, take a look at these best practices for a start: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Your Site's Own Link Juice&lt;/h2&gt;
Although it is good to pursue credible links from other websites, ignoring the link juice present on your site is a missed opportunity. Why? Because your website contains valuable content that can serve as 'link bait' so other sites will link to you.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Write High Quality Content&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Whether you like it or not, content plays an important role in every search engine optimization strategy. So you better start creating quality content that is not only relevant but also entertaining to your audience. You will most certainly extract juice (no pun intended) in content such as blogs, ebooks, infographics, product reviews and how-to-guides. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Press Releases and News Articles&lt;/h2&gt;
Submit press releases and news articles to trusted media outlets and you will reap backlinks and more juice. Not to mention the credibility these media sites will give you.&lt;br /&gt;
Sponsor an Event&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Sponsoring an event is not only good for public image, but a chance for you to earn more link juice. You can even start sponsoring non-profit's charity events and receive backlinks from them. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Start Your Own Blog&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Blogs are a great way to create a customer-centric web environment for your customers. Once you build a strong audience, bloggers from other sites will want to link to you. As a result, your site will earn valuable backlinks and reach more audiences.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Keywords&lt;/h2&gt;
Getting valuable links can be equated to targeting the right keywords. So if you want to improve your site's ratings and generate more link juice, monitor what your customers are searching.&lt;br /&gt;
Are you eager to have those credible backlinks for your website? Visit us right now at www.OolyBooly.com.au&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317839&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fsearch-engine-optimization-how-to-leverage-link-baiting-and-link-juicing</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/search-engine-optimization-how-to-leverage-link-baiting-and-link-juicing</guid><pubDate>Sat, 11 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Mobile Marketing - How to have an Effective Mobile Marketing Campaign</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Implement Your Mobile Marketing&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The number of mobile consumers is growing faster than ever and the need to provide engaging mobile marketing campaigns poses a great challenge for businesses worldwide.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We know how difficult it is to implement a mobile marketing campaign. Even top brands spend millions of dollars just to keep up with the pace. However, you do not need to mirror their marketing spending in order for your business to stay relevant. There are a couple of ways to craft an effective marketing campaign, but we have narrowed it down to just a few. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;The Correct Method&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Select a method that works for your business and customers. For instance, you can use an SMS campaign to reach across multiple demographics by linking it with Facebook. You can also include your business name as the sender to make it more professional. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;The Correct Message&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What is the purpose of your marketing messages? Your customers need to understand what you are selling and what they are getting. Giving your customers discounts and exclusive offers as a way of saying 'thank you' will compel them to receive more messages from you.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;The Correct Call-to-Action&lt;/h2&gt;
Never leave your customers hanging. How you do that? Add a &amp;lsquo;call-to-action&amp;rsquo; to your marketing message. Take advantage of SMS keywords such as go, see, click and call to have them reply to your messages. Also, invite them to share exclusive offers or deals on their Facebook accounts.&lt;br /&gt;
The Measurable Success&lt;br /&gt;
Having a &amp;lsquo;call-to-action&amp;rsquo; is one thing, but a measurable goal is another. Make sure to set measurable and realistic goals. For instance, if you are looking to implement an SMS campaign, a good way to measure is by using an SMS sending solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Find out more about mobile marketing. Visit us today at www.OolyBooy.com.au
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317838&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fmobile-marketing-how-to-have-an-effective-mobile-marketing-campaign</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/mobile-marketing-how-to-have-an-effective-mobile-marketing-campaign</guid><pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Social Media Management - How to effectively segment your existing social contacts</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;What will you do with your social contacts? &lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now that you have built a strong social community, the only thing left to do is to segment your social media contacts. But it&amp;rsquo;s not as easy as it looks. According to Crain's BtoB Magazine, 84% of Business to Business marketers utilize segment marketing as part of their email campaigns. However, 37% of these online marketers report that the lack of user data is a major hurdle to effective segment targeting.&lt;br /&gt;
This is where the unified marketing database acts as a marketing "trump card". Being able to segment your messaging effectively to the right people will result with a higher conversion rate.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Of course, there are various segmenting methods out there that you can play with, but we&amp;rsquo;ve picked a few examples to get you started: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Leverage your existing users with huge networks&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have an upcoming marketing campaign or event, send an email to a select group of influencers that have considerable number of followers to generate the buzz you desire. Empower your influencers by including their Twitter handle or Facebook page into your new announcement. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Advanced notice of exclusive offers&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Let your audience know if you are planning to host a chat or contest. Focus on those followers who have shown a great interest based on a certain number of clicks. Let your strong followers know that you value and appreciate their efforts by giving them some sort of head start on your upcoming contest or chat. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Ask for feedback from your audience&lt;/h2&gt;
One of the best things about social media is the creation of feedback mechanisms. You can leverage this social media tool to determine the success rate of your social media campaign. So if you notice some activity on your social posts, you may want to begin asking these questions:&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;What did your audience think about the content?&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Did they notice something to improve on?&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Was your content informative?&lt;br /&gt;
These are just some of the questions that will make them feel that you are a breathing human being, not just some automation.&lt;br /&gt;
By now, you already have an idea of how important social following is; how critical it is to know the methods of nurturing your own targeted community, especially if you are building a marketing database.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Are you ready to slice and dice your social following to extend your reach? Visit us now at www.OolyBooly.com.au and let us show you the future of social media management.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
And that future is now.&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317833&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fsocial-media-management-how-to-effectively-segment-your-existing-social-contacts</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/social-media-management-how-to-effectively-segment-your-existing-social-contacts</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Google&amp;#43; - Google&amp;#43; for Business</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Google+; a successful social media marketing tool&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When Google+ first came out on the social media scene, it did not create much of a buzz. In fact, Google did not intend to make a big deal about it. Google exec&amp;rsquo;s considered Google+ as a mere extension of Google, hence the "plus". But as users began to grow, they quickly understood its impact in the social media world. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Your Own Personal Google&lt;/h2&gt;
Google+ has its unique functions and features which stand out from other social media sites such as Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook. Even before Google+ launched, Google has been personalizing search results based on past searches, language and geographical location. Now a lot of Google+ posts and photos can be seen through web listings; another great opportunity for businesses to advertise their products and services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Although Facebook pages appear on search results, Google+ pages seem to dominate this area. In fact, if your brand has a Google+ account, users will automatically see your detailed information on the search results. It seems that this steady integration process is what drives people to sign up for Google+. This also keeps them by offering an ever-evolving array of useful apps. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Why Google+ Is Important For Your Business&lt;/h2&gt;
Even though Google+ is far behind Facebook's 700 million users, it still has a strong community of 343 million active users whom you can connect with. Not to mention a successful integration of the world's number search engine, having a Google+ page is not only essential for small business, it has become a necessity. Why?&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Google+ pages have a priority in Google searches and brands can appear in the coveted right hand white space of search results.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Google+ users and those simply using Google search will see Google+ businesses near them listed in personalized search results.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Apps within Google+ are making it easier and easier for businesses to track not only the reach of their social networking but the impact, down to identifying specific followers who inspire more people to visit their business pages.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Shared posts with keywords relevant to your business are more likely to appear in your friends and followers' search results.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&amp;lsquo;Circle&amp;rsquo; allows you to sort clientele from friends, acquaintances and family from the start and posts can be targeted to individual groups.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;Having a Google+ page improves your personal website optimization simply by building up internal links, such as with blog posts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
With Google+ page, the possibilities seem to be endless. As of today, more than three quarters of the top 100 global brands have active Google+ pages and the numbers are growing exponentially. Do you think Google+ can help you with your business marketing efforts? &lt;br /&gt;
Make the next step. Visit us at www.OolyBooly.com.au and we will show you how to successfully integrate Google+ with your existing marketing campaigns.&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317832&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252fgoogle-google-for-business</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/google-google-for-business</guid><pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Internet Marketing - Four Important Things You Need to Know</title><description>&lt;h1&gt;Establishing an Online Presence&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In this day and age, almost all of us are accessing the web to find just about anything. It&amp;rsquo;s an activity that has become a crucial part of our everyday lives. Well, the same goes in the business world. Most companies are looking for ways to strengthen their brand presence online and gain competitive advantage.&lt;br /&gt;
But how can a business like yours gain that edge?&lt;br /&gt;
Try browsing the internet, and you will find yourself getting confused with a seemingly infinite number of marketing guidelines. However, there are few which have been proven to be useful and effective. In this article, you will discover that having an online presence is not all about stunning web layouts, but rather a whole new level of online marketing integration.&lt;br /&gt;
These tips will help you boost your brand's online presence and gain more customers:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Not Just a Website, but a Well-designed Website&lt;/h2&gt;
Remember, the first thing your customers will see is the company website. A beautiful website does not focus on the visual aspect alone, but the overall customer experience. Your customers expect only three elements in your website: easy navigation, simple layout and quality content.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Optimize and be Recognized&lt;/h2&gt;
Google processes approximately 2 billion searches a day. Out of those searches, thousands of companies worldwide vie to get to the top ten spot. So if you are not aware of this marketing activity, then most likely your website is doomed to be thrown into the 'nowhere rank' spot. In a nutshell, no one will ever see your website. In order to avoid this, turn your website into a search engine friendly site by creating quality content.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Get Mobile&lt;/h2&gt;
One of the things a person cannot live without is a smartphone. This amazing technology has helped a lot of people find information with the touch of a button. This can only mean one thing: another great opportunity for you to market your brand! However, most businesses have embraced this concept and are already mobile, so try not to get left behind.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Embrace Social Media &lt;/h2&gt;
Most business gurus consider social media as the next big thing in online marketing. Facebook alone has a whopping 1 billion active users worldwide. Imagine what you can achieve with that kind of social network! Reach a wider demographic through social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Social media is free and a very powerful marketing tool.&lt;br /&gt;
Got more questions? Give Simon Eder a call at 08 6140 2608 or visit us at www.OolyBooly.com.au&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.oolybooly.com.au/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=609&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=317831&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.oolybooly.com.au%252fsmall-business-maize%252finternet-marketing-four-important-things-you-need-to-know</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.oolybooly.com.au/small-business-maize/internet-marketing-four-important-things-you-need-to-know</guid><pubDate>Tue, 07 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>