Brands looking to improve their search engine optimisation (SEO) performance should try using blogs as they generate a lot of interest, according to an expert.

Nick Baggott, founder of Navigate Consulting, said that blog content tends to get more comments and be linked to by other sites as it is less sales focused than other types of online marketing.

“Blogs are about creating content that other people are going to link to and because they tend to be about your opinions they generate more links and can become link bait for other sites, so they work very well in search engines,” he added.

Mr Baggott also said that from a search point of view, businesses which have not got a huge budget can often get their blog higher up the rankings than their website.

These findings are backed up by Helen Costeloe-Hughes, Commercial Director of Insight Data, who notes that blogging is a great way for companies in the window industry to engage with new and existing customers. “Blogs generate interest as they are less about sales and more about informing or sharing thoughts and ideas with the reader” Helen comments.

“This means you can build more meaningful relationships with customers and they wont feel like you are pressuring them into a sale. Also, companies in the industry are increasingly turning to the web to research potential suppliers or to place orders. Blogs will push your website higher up the Google rankings and drive more potential customers to your site.”

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If you would like to discussing blogging or any other aspect of your marketing with Helen or another member of the Insight Data team, please call 01934 808 293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

Window Widgets, the supplier of specialist products for the glazing industry, is one company who recognise the benefit of database marketing. After seven years using another data supplier, the Gloucester based company signed up to Salestracker – the world’s first online fabricator and installer database developed by Insight Data – to track down new customers and as MD Dan Gill explains, they have never looked back.

“Salestracker is now a vital ingredient in Window Widgets marketing strategy. The Insight database allows us to target prospective customers through phone, fax and email and keep track of all our sales leads quickly and easily. Since teaming up with Insight Data our customer base has grown considerably and I have been delighted with the results.”

Aside from being impressed with the accuracy of the data and easy to use features of Salestracker, Dan is also delighted with the working relationship Insight Data has forged with his sales team. “If we ever need anything, someone at Insight is always on the end of the phone or able to visit our offices to ensure we are getting maximum value from the system” Dan comments. “Insight provide us with a very professional service and I would certainly recommend Salestracker to any companies in the glazing industry serious about growing their business.”

So what sets Salestracker apart from other online prospect databases available on the market? The system has been developed by Insights own in-house software development team which means it is continuously being developed and improved and can easily be tailored to meet individual customers needs. For example, a new Credit Manager application (APP) has recently been launched. This APP gives users a snapshot of financial information in an easy to understand format, meaning they can select prospects with good credit history. In short it provides credit status, credit rating, recommended credit limit, details of any County Court Judgements against them, and net worth, helping sales and marketing people to make informed decisions.

According to Dan, this new APP is worth its weight in gold and has saved Window Widgets considerable time and money. “The new Credit Manager APP gives us a snapshot of our prospects financial information before we contact them, making sure we only deal with financially sound companies. This is priceless information and helps our sales team use their time much more effectively and not chase after prospects that simply wouldn’t make suitable customers.”

So what does the future hold for Window Widgets? Dan concludes, “We plan to continue our growth throughout 2010 and bring our products to a wider range of customers. Salestracker is going to play a major part in this growth and will give our sales team the tools they need to prospect for new business.”

For more information contact Insight Data on 01934 808293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk or for more on Window Widgets visit http://www.windowwidgets.co.uk/

WHS Halo is the latest big name to subscribe to Insight Data’s architects and specifiers database, opening up a market worth £31.372 billion a year (according the Office of National Statistics) and giving them an opportunity to further cement their position as one of the UK’s leading system companies.

Containing the contact details of 15,000 professionals in the building industry, the database allows WHS Halo to target architects early in the specification process, giving them a greater chance of having their products written into the architects design.

“The nature of the commercial market means it makes sense to get your products in front of architects at a very early stage” comments Gerald Allen, WHS Halo’s Marketing Manager. “This new database contains the details of the people we need to target and allows us to contact them through by phone, fax, direct mail or email – giving us a great opportunity to get a slice of the massive £31.372 billion on offer.”

Helen Costeloe-Hughes, Insight Data’s Commercial Director comments “the commercial database is accessed online meaning WHS Halo can simply log on and instantly pinpoint architects specialising in key sectors such as housing, education, health, retail, or leisure and if necessary, drill down further into sub-sectors such as social housing or schools. The system also has a built-in Contact Manager so they can track marketing campaigns, record notes and follow up leads effectively.”

Insight Data have recently reported a surge of companies signing up to the architects and specifiers database, highlighting how more companies are beginning to move into the commercial market in search of potential customers. “Fenestration plays an important role in the aesthetic and functional design of most commercial, public sector and residential buildings” comments Insight’s Helen Costeloe-Hughes. “And with changes to the Building Regulations meaning that architects need to design carbon neutral buildings, they are very willing to receive marketing material on the latest glazing products. Our customers are using our architects database to take advantage of this and to move into this lucrative new market.”

Contact Insight Data on 01934 808293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk

As leading aluminum conservatory fabricator Europa Conservatories knows all too well, if you really want to generate leads quickly and cost effectively you need to use direct mail.

Europa was looking to promote their aluminium portal frame system and used Insight Data to send out a direct mail campaign targeting potential customers in the Midlands and South East region.

“Insight took care of the whole process and I was delighted with the service” comments Glenn Upton, Europa’s MD. “We got a stream of quality leads and turned many of these into customers. Sales of the portal frame system are very strong and I will certainly be using the service in the future.”

Insight Data’s Commercial Director Helen Costeloe-Hughes comments “we have our own fulfillment centre capable of personalised laser-printing, collating, folding, inserting and franking several thousand items in hours, while our creative team designs eye catching fliers and writes powerful sales letters that will grab your prospects’ attention. Direct mail is the most effective form of direct marketing and I would urge any companies looking to win more customers to get in contact now and find out how we can help them grow.”

For more information please visit http://www.insightdata.co.uk/Directmail.htm, email us on info@insightdata.co.uk  or call 01934 808 293.

According to a recent study published by Dr Nora Barnes, senior fellow and chair of the society for new communications research at the University of Massachusetts, more than a quarter of Fortune 500 firms have set up Twitter accounts.

Eric Mattson, chief executive officer of Financial Insite and co-author of the report, said: “The continued steady adoption of blogs and the explosive growth of Twitter among Fortune 500 companies demonstrate the growing importance of social media in the business world.”

This trend is echoed in the window industry, with the number of windows companies using Twitter rapidly increasing.

Insight Data’s Business Development Manager Justin Ball comments “many businesses are using social media to communicate with their target audience and the window industry is no exception. We regularly ‘tweet’ our latest news and it is great way of keeping our customers up-to-date with any new developments.”

While twitter may not be an obvious route to market for window companies, Justin Ball believes the growing presence of systems companies, fabricators and industry magazines using the medium is evidence this is beginning to change.

“Lots of people who have desk based jobs in the window industry are likely to visit social networking sites such as Twitter in their lunch-break. Some of these people are using this time to set up business accounts while others are simply following window industry companies using their personal accounts. This means there is a great opportunity to communicate with potential customers and prompt them to find out more about your company or visit your website. Exploring these less obvious routes to market can yield excellent results and we would encourage any of our customers looking to find new customers to embrace this new technology.”

To see Insight Data’s Twitter account follow this link www.twitter.com/insightdata

If you would like any more information on this blog or Insight Data in general, please call 01934 808 293 or visit www.insightdata.co.uk