There are a lot of buzzwords that get thrown around in the world of online marketing, and one of the most popular is “SEO.” Web hosting services claim to have the best SEO out there, companies sell their SEO services, and small businesses obsess over whether their SEO is optimized. But at the end of the day, what is it really? And how can you achieve the best SEO possible?

In its simplest terms, SEO is Search Engine Optimization. It is a ranking given to a website that will push it higher or lower in search results. The ‘gold standard’ of SEO is to be on the very first page of results for a particular search, because the amount of people who visit your website will increase dramatically when yours is the easiest to find…

Why Facebook Likes Don't Matter

One of the questions I most frequently hear is, “How do I get more Facebook likes?” or “How do I get more followers on Instagram?” And above all, the follow-up question is, “How can I get more social media fans for free?”

Social media is a whirlwind, and it can be difficult to cut through the noise and actually get your message heard. Business owners everywhere struggle with finding and keeping a following, and even when you’ve accomplished that, it’s frustrating to post on your page and hear virtual crickets from your followers. What’s worse, when you compare your page to a competitor’s, you’ve noticed their audience is way bigger…and seems to actually love the content they’re producing. So what gives?

The Entrepreneur Experience with Amy Porterfield

I first discovered Amy Porterfield years ago when I was working at a desk job full-time, and I continued to follow her throughout the years as her business continued to grow and change. When I jumped into the realm of small business marketing, I decided to invest in her List Builder’s Society course. I loved it, learned from it, and grew as a result, so when she announced The Entrepreneur Experience, a conference for business owners just like me, I was all in. Add to that the fact that it was in San Diego – a dream city to visit! – and I booked my tickets and started to plan.

Now that I’m home, I can look back on the conference and say that it was worth every penny and every second I spent to get there (although I was SO ready to squeeze Willow again when I came home!). I have pages of notes and a whole lot of stuff to process - plus some REALLY exciting new projects! - but here are some of my biggest takeaways from all that happened…

Tips for Taking Large Group and Family Photos

If I’ve learned one thing from being a wedding photographer (and I’ve learned a whole lot!), it’s the fact that taking pictures of large families and groups is always a challenge. Throughout the years, I’ve photographed large extended family pictures during portrait sessions and at weddings, which for a lot of people is extremely important. After all, how often do you have your entire family in one location at once? A picture of everyone is an absolute must!

Actually taking the picture, however, is a different story. How do you arrange large groups of people for a picture? How to you make sure the kids are looking at the camera? How do you organize a lot of people in one photo? The questions are endless…but thankfully, the answers are here! If you need help taking great family pictures, here are my best tips…

The 5 Best Cameras for Any Budget

Don’t get me wrong: the camera on your phone is about 10x better than my first digital point-and-shoot that boasted a full 5 megapixels, and at the end of the day, the WAY you use a camera generally matters a lot more than WHICH camera you’re actually using! (Check out this video to learn the best way to take pictures on your phone) However, there’s a reason that professional photographers invest a lot of money in their camera gear…I even have a separate insurance policy just for my camera bodies and lenses!

The good news is that you can buy an inexpensive digital camera that still takes great pictures, whether you want a cheap camera for traveling or you want to take great pictures of your kids. These are my top five picks for digital cameras on a budget, and it can help inform your next purchase! As always, if you have any questions, email me or leave a comment below!

Five Minute Marketing: How to Find New Customers on Social Media

Let me start off with a disclaimer: there are literally books written about this topic that I’m covering in a five minute marketing segment, so I am by no means claiming to cover it all with one article. I can, however, share some effective strategies most of my clients aren’t already using to find new customers using social media.

My second disclaimer is that although this article will only take about five minutes to read, the strategies themselves will require time and consistency, since nothing done randomly can be effectively repeated. With all that said, here are some things you can do right now to find new clients using Facebook, Instagram, and more…

Five Minute Marketing: How to Use Hashtags on Social Media

Oh, hashtags. Such a big, beautiful, and confusing topic that provides frustration for every business owner and entrepreneur. While opinions differ on the best hashtag strategy for Instagram and social media in general, there are a few rules that can help inform exactly what you do and why. Here is what I’ve learned through years of marketing about how hashtags can help - and hurt - your social media presence.

1) There is a limit to hashtags on Instagram.
Right now, you can use no more than 30 per post. Creator Studio will tell you exactly how many you are using, but if you are writing the caption yourself or using another scheduling service, you will have to manually count them or your post/comment will be rejected…

Five Minute Marketing: 15 Ideas for Social Media Posts

When you have to post content to social media every.single.day, it can feel completely overwhelming - and it’s easy to run out of ideas. I know this firsthand - besides my own social media channels, at the present moment, I am managing content for 9 different businesses and all their profiles and pages! There are days when I’m just out of ideas, and it’s hard to find good, creative, compelling content to post on Facebook, Instagram, and everywhere in between.

So, in case you’re running out of options and need ideas to post on social media, here are 15 quick ideas for social media posts. Enjoy!

Five Minute Marketing: How to Take Better Phone Pictures

While most of us aren’t professional photographers, it’s a pretty safe bet that if you’re reading this article, you own a smartphone - in fact, you’re most likely reading this on your phone! I have watched countless people take iPhone pictures throughout the years, whether it’s a selfie at an event or a formal family picture at a wedding, and although your picture might not match the quality of a professional or their camera gear, there are a few things you can do to take the best phone pictures possible!

1) Light from the front, not the back…

Five Minute Marketing, PhotographyMaria Grace PhotographySeptember 10, 2019iphone, android, smartphone, photography

Maria Grace, LLC
Online Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday; 8am-5pm

Copyright 2023 Maria Grace, LLC

Maria Grace, LLCOnline Marketing Solutions for Small BusinessesHours of Operation: Monday-Friday; 8am-5pm

Maria Grace, LLC
Online Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday; 8am-5pm