Recently, my friends and I have been hiking every weekend. It’s a great way to get some exercise in and it’s a fun activity to explore nature with friends. Not to mention it’s something that I can do with my dog on the weekend to give him a much needed energy release after being cooped up in the house all week. But, it wasn’t until I wrote a blog post for a client on Maine’s Waterfalls that I started to get really inspired.

Maine has a crazy amount of beauty and so many things to discover. But, the caveat to that is, in order to see a beautiful waterfall or awe inspiring mountain view, you first have to make the hike to do it. Hiking is NOT easy. In fact, many of the trails that are required to get to these Mountain Tops can cause you pain and exhaustion. However, once you hit that apex you get to stroll down and the endorphins kick in and it was all worth it.

But, the more you hike, the easier it gets. You develop your muscles, strengthen your heart and lungs and build endurance. In the end, it becomes more natural and more enjoyable.

SO, what does this have to do with web marketing success? EVERYTHING!

Social media doesn’t come naturally to everyone. I can’t count how many times we hear clients say that they didn’t know it was going to be so much work.  Blogging is work, creating content is work, posting updates takes time and imagination and it all has to be valuable and interesting information for your audience.

Waterfalls were my inspiration, what’s yours?  What is going to get you excited to put the work and effort in to get the web marketing and social media results that you want? You can look for inspiration for your posts in many places, did someone say something to you today that sparked an idea, did you hear something on the radio, did you read a blog or magazine article that got you thinking? Anything you hear, read or do can be used to spark an idea for a blog post or Twitter update.

Like with starting a workout or starting to hike, it takes time to adjust and adapt to your new activity until it becomes easier or a habit.  This also goes for web marketing.  Right now it may not seem like it fits in your schedule or it may not feel natural to you.  But, the more you do it the easier it becomes.  Create an editorial calendar for yourself and stick to it. Commit to posting one blog post a week or making 3 updates on Facebook a day. Do that until you master it and then add on the next phase of your web marketing plan.  Like with taking a hike, the first trail is the hardest and with every new trail (or marketing step you take) the easier it becomes.

Results! We all do this because we want the web marketing results.  With a hike it’s an amazing view, endorphins released from exercise, fresh air or a waterfall, with web marketing we want to get our message to the right people resulting in our end goal.  Whether that goal be more leads in the sales funnel, more people attending your event, more traffic to your website or better customer service web marketing and social media are just our tools to help us achieve those goals.

So, what are you waiting for? Find your inspiration, make the commitment, and take the first steps.

If you’d like help developing a social media plan for your business, or a personal trainer for your social media marketing to help you stay with it, flyte can help. Just contact us to get the ball rolling.

Joan Woodbrey Crocker
Hiking Web Everest

It’s official. I’ve got a new partner in crime. (Mu ha ha.)

We’re super excited to have another Search & Social person in the office…and especially someone as awesome as Joan. She’ll be in charge of blogging at the Maine SEO Blog and we’ll be tag teaming projects and working with clients together.

…Or we might just spend our time taking long walks on the beach with our dogs. [Aside from being search/social geeks, Joan and I are also both obsessed black lab puppy mommas!]

(My) Brady

(Joan's) George

According to her bio, Joan’s been called a social butterfly all her life, so it only makes sense that you should follow her on Twitter, friend her on Facebook, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

Welcome to flyte, Joan! We’re psyched to have you!

A while back, we relaunched a website for Reflection Films, a video production company in Boston who specializes in marketing, fundraising, and training videos.

Reflection Films already had a website before they came to us, but weren’t able to edit it like they wanted to. We took their existing design and converted it to a WordPress platform, where Rachel and Geoff now have the ability to edit content to their hearts’ desire.

We also created a blog for Reflection Films which, as we’ve talked about in the past, is great for SEO. Since they specialize in video, they’re pros when it comes to video SEO and have written quite a few posts on SEO at their blog already, including: keyword research and video optimization and optimizing video for websites.

They’ve also recently joined Facebook, so make sure you like them there!

If you need help creating a professional marketing or fundraising video, give Reflection Films a call. If you want the ability to edit and update your website, then give flyte a call.

Nicki Hicks
Maine SEO

It’s official. I’m moving out of Maine this summer and heading to St. Augustine, Florida!

It’s just the right time

I’m selling my house, downsizing most of my possessions, taking my dog, and moving down to the beach with my best friend.

It’s just the right time in my life, plus it’ll be good for me to get out of Maine for a little while and do something fun and different.

The move is certainly bittersweet. I’ll desperately miss Maine, my family, friends, coworkers, and Portland peeps…but don’t worry, I’ll be back one day.

What’s next?

When I told him I was planning on a big move, my amazing boss, THE Rich Brooks, offered me a remote position: my dream come true!

So, I’m staying at flyte and continuing to do SEO and social media marketing! I’ll just be working remotely from my new home in sunny St. Augustine, Florida. I will still have the esteemed pleasure and opportunity to work with an amazing crew and help awesome clients. (I’ll just be a phone call away now.)

I’ll also soon start blogging at the Florida SEO Blog from now on, so be sure to follow me there

There’s good news for you, too!

Flyte is hiring another Search Engine Marketer! Even though I’ll still be on board full time, we need someone in the office to help out our awesome clients. So if you have SEO and social media marketing experience and are interested in working for an amazing company, be sure to apply!

And if you’re ever in Northern Florida, I’ll just be a tweet away!

Nicki Hicks
Born/bred in MD. Raised in ME. [Soon to be] Transplant to FL.

Recently, flyte launched the new and improved website for Maine Huts & Trails, your source for outdoor adventure in Maine. Like Rich, I was under the impression that “huts” meant some sort of cabin like I was used to vacationing in as a kid in the wilds of West Virginia (if you call that kind of thing a vacation).

Fear not, my electricity-loving friends, Maine Huts & Trails has truly amazing accommodations, from luxurious furnishings to home cooked meals. Plus, there’s a ton to do outside the hut – no matter the season – and with all the snow this winter, you’ve got to check it out!

Maine Huts also offers great resources, from their ski and trail report to their blog, where you’ll find such gems like the history of Maine cross country skiing, information on the ski marathon, and more on their locally-sourced kitchens. The folks from MH&T are also on Twitter and Facebook – so be sure to follow them there!

If you’re looking for your next outdoor adventure, contact Maine Huts & Trails today. If you need help increasing your online visibility, contact flyte.

Nicki Hicks
Maine SEO