In this all-day conference, you will learn how to engage your customers and prospects online through your website and social media and track your activities so that you know what is working and what needs to be adjusted. Sessions for Spring 2023 will continue to be added as they are finalized! We anticipate 4 total presenters.
Semantic SEO is Changing the Google Search Game (presented by: Sarah Best)
In this session with digital marketing expert Sarah Best, we’ll discuss the basic types of search results, and the activities that influence how and where your business shows up in search. Special attention will be paid to recent changes in the search algorithm which, along with advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence, have changed the way that we need to write website content if we want to show up in search rankings. We’ll discuss tips, tools, and tricks for evaluating your website for its search engine friendliness, so that you can get in front of the customers you’re hoping to reach.
Key Takeaways:
- Learn the three types of search
- Be able to discuss the marketing activities that influence search
- Discover how to optimize content for semantic search
- Walk away with a checklist for evaluating a competitor, evaluating a piece of content on your site for search-engine friendliness, and a list of tools that can help
5 Star State of Mind: Engaging with Online Reviews (presented by: Emily Washcovick)
5 stars or 1 star, all reviews are an opportunity to market your business. Do you have a strategy for managing online reviews? 93% of customers read reviews of local businesses before picking one*, so it’s important to get it right. Engaging with reviews is an opportunity to strengthen your online reputation and champion your excellent customer service—two things that keep customers coming back. In this session, Yelp’s Small Business Expert Emily Washcovick covers:
- Best ways to respond to reviews—good and bad
- How to leverage reviews in your marketing
- Responding to reviews to drive new and repeat business across all platforms
Learn how to manage your reputation and engage with users on Yelp and other review platforms.
*BrightLocal, 2020
Key Takeaways:
Creating Professional Videos In-House to Help Grow Your Business (presented by: Faith Dey)
Key Takeaways
- Identify and plan video styles that provide long-term value for your business
- Learn the gear basics and how to set up like the pros
- Filming tips (when you’re on camera as well as behind it)
Registration
Location: Grainger Hall
Schedule: 8:30 am- 4:30 pm
Date: April 27, 2023
Fee: $299 (Includes boxed lunch)
Register Now for the Digital Marketing & Social Media Conference!or call 608-262-2451 to register. BONUS: Place 2 or more fall paid SBDC courses in your cart, and use discount code SBDC10 for 10% off. Classes must be purchased in the same transaction.
Registration policy: Payment will be required at time of registration. You must have either a credit card or valid UW-Madison funding string to be able to register.
Cancellation policy: If you cancel before the program begins, there is a $25 cancellation fee. If you cancel after the program begins you will be charged for the full program fee. To cancel, call registration at 608-262-3909.
Disability Statement: Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the UW-Madison SBDC office at sbdc@bus.wisc.edu to request accommodations.
Learned so much and also gained confidence in my current strategies and inspiration for future ideas!
Sales & Marketing, Nutkrack
I learned so much, even as an intermediate social manager... The variety of topics was so great. I feel better equipped to take next steps across the board.
Content writer, Naviant (Fall 2021 attendee)
Every speaker was amazing.....I will be back
Samantha Burke, Universal Home Protection LLC
Concise, good information that I can take home and continue to work on.
Randy, Cheers MKE
Presenters – more coming soon!
Faith Dey, Owner, Live Well Video
Faith started in front of cameras for ESPN Television and online productions. She has taught filming techniques and on-camera confidence tips through American Marketing Association – Madison Chapter, Madison College and Dane Buy Local. She is a past presenter and current Board Member of Social Media Breakfast Madison.
As a former brick-and-mortar business owner, as well as video producer within a creative marketing team, she relates closely to the internal needs of a business. She has created the online resource, “The Video Pro Playbook” for companies of all sizes that want to strategically create their own professional videos.
Live Well Video is a Video Partner for digital marketing campaigns, online course creation & YouTube channels, providing full-service filming, editing and instruction. Projects have helped businesses ranging from professional service providers to retailers, restaurants and real estate.
Sarah Best, CEO + Chief Strategist of Sarah Best Strategy
Sarah Best and her team have won over a dozen awards for their work including best use of a social media platform from Travel + Leisure Magazine. Recently selected as a 40 Under 40 by In Business Magazine, her work has been featured in SUCCESS, Mashable, TechCrunch, Crain’s Chicago Business, National Geographic Traveler, Chicago Tribune, and other publications. She was tapped to speak at Social Media Week for the MacArthur Foundation, has been selected twice for SXSW in 2014 and 2018. She is an alumna of New York University and holds a certificate in Entrepreneurship from Babson College / Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. She is a Rotarian, and a board member of several nonprofits.
(LinkedIn)
Emily Washcovick, Yelp’s Small Business Expert
As Yelp’s Small Business Expert, Emily hosts educational webinars and networking events to provide business owners with resources that help them succeed and grow in the world of online reviews. Emily’s expertise lies in customer engagement, reputation management, and all things digital marketing. Through thought leadership and speaking engagements, she shares industry insights that a variety of entrepreneurs can leverage for the future of their businesses. She is also the host of Behind the Review, a podcast from Yelp and Entrepreneur Media, where each episode features conversations with a business owner and a reviewer about the story and lessons behind their interactions.
Prior to joining Yelp back in 2014, Emily oversaw guest experience and large scale event execution at Marriott. She comes from a family of business owners and has a longstanding history of helping business owners learn about the world of online reviews and consumer engagement. In her spare time Emily works as a mental health advocate and frequently authors pieces and presents about work life balance, relationships and the importance of mental health for all.
The Wisconsin SBDC Network is a proud part of the Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship in the University of Wisconsin System.
It is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact us at sbdc@bus.wisc.edu or call (608) 263-2221.