Get ready to crack out your fatigues and black face paint, because Search Engine Boot-Camp is right around the corner.

Okay, it probably won’t be completely necessary to get army-styled up for the workshop, hitting Auckland October 2. But those attending will be given all the tactical knowledge they’ll need to survive and thrive in the virtual jungle that is search engine marketing.

This will be the third year Search Engine Boot-Camp has been held in Auckland, programmed with marketing executives in mind and aimed to help you understand why you need to be directing your marketing budget towards the all powerful world of search and web promotion.

The one-day Boot-Camp held at the Auckland Hilton will give you all the tactical know how to put a paid search campaign into action, optimising you company website for organic search traffic.

Search Engine Boot-Camp will be divided into 12 sessions throughout the day, covering all the important search engine optimisation and pay per click search marketing techniques.

Highlights will include keyword research, search engine optimisation content creation, link building fundamentals, paid search optimisation, link building fundamentals, paid search optimisation, landing page optimisation, and more.

Also being held in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in 2009, the Auckland even will be the only Search Engine Boot-Camp run in New Zealand.

Enlist now for a full day or a half day at the Search Engine Boot-Camp.

Want to boost your online marketing tactics but not sure where to begin? Updating your web marketing strategy isn’t as tricky as you think, and we give you the low down in our latest Website Resource, Refresh Your Web Marketing Strategy.

The latest featured sites showcasing New Zealand businesses on NZS.com are a must view for home owners, businesses and anyone wanting to indulge this week.

Home owners, read about DIY tiling options with Tiles Online, kitset homes from e-Homes, home renovation with Fix It Building Services, investment options with Vault Property Group, and home loan options with Squirrel.

Business owners looking to update their signage and promotional material may like to check out solutions from Sabre Signs, while anyone who is looking for a little luxury can indulge in designer jewellery from Jeni B, delicious Macadamia nuts from Nuts About New Zealand, and the ultimate in relaxation with Polynesian Spa.

Savvy business owners to recently claim their websites and make the most of their Site Profile by adding contact details, links and marketing descriptions include Red Creative Event Styling and Consultancy and Go Deep Scuba.

Claim your website and add your business details with Website Resources on NZS.com.

Millions of people user Twitter everyday, and as many businesses are jumping on board to promote and connect for free, the Tweet phenomenon continues to grow.

All that free promotion isn’t flying under the radar of the head honchos at Twitter though, and the powers that be have announced plans begin charging users for premium accounts.

At the moment the popular micro-blogging and social networking site doesn’t charge for its service or run ads. Co-founder Biz Stone says Twitter will not charge users for existing usage habits.

Instead the company will launch a set of premium marketing and promotion services, such as more detailed analytics or deeper CRM services, for which companies using Twitter may be willing to pay. The accounts will also include ID verification so that businesses don’t have to worry about having their brands hijacked by impostors.

One of the most interesting new APIs Twitter is working on are programming languages companies can use to create apps geared specifically toward business customers.

The premium service is expected to bring in US$140 million in revenue next year.

So what do you think? Would you pay for a premium service with Twitter as part of your business development and strategy?

So what’s new on NZS.com this week? Well, if you’re interested in advertising your website or business on social networking sites such as Facebook, read about the benefits and pitfalls in our latest Website Resource, Targeted Ads on Social Networks.

The latest featured sites showcasing New Zealand businesses include designer streetwear from 21 Grams, medical insurance brokers Medical Direct, Neuservice plumbing, and sexual health supplement providers Herbal Ignite.

Recent businesses to claim their websites and make the most of their Site Profile by adding contact details, links and marketing descriptions include Brightspark Consulting and Perfect Venue.

To claim your own website and add your business details visit the Website Resources section.

I’ve become obsessed with Professional Flossie this week, having stumbled upon the new Flossie channel after spotting a Twitter tip from editor Tee Twyford.

There’s been a shift in online communities and e-zines over the past couple of years, and websites and their spin-offs solely dedicated to professional women are on the rise. And they’re not the boring business related websites of yester-year. These online communities are for young, smart women who can run their own companies while donning fabulous designer heels.

Inspiring and engaging, while still maintaining an air of style, ProfessionalFlossie.com is designed to act as a one-stop-shop for female targeted career, business, personal development and money advice. Throwing in information on technology and trends, executive style, and interviews with real-life professional women for good measure, Professional Flossie incorporates hand-picked feeds of content from the Professional Flossie family to ensure fresh content daily.

Websites such as Australian Women Online, Career Mums, Entrepreneur-ette and savings guide offer some great advice and inspiration for business minded women, but my favourite site from the Professional Flossie family so far has got to be Snobs.

What can I say? The title speaks to me…

Snobs (an acronym for Social Network for Opportunistic Businesswomen) is an online magazine, social network, and resource for news, information and advice. With a fun 50’s style inspired twist, it’s a website that doesn’t take itself too seriously while still dishing out great advice.

As Professional Flossie editor Tee Twyford writes, you’ve only got one moment of coffee inhalation, so don’t waste it trawling the web or reading bad articles. These no-fluff, no bore, no ball-breakers websites are just what professional women everywhere have been looking for.

The team here are very excited with the way the recently launched Website Resources section on NZS.com is building momentum since it was launched last month. Businesses from across New Zealand are getting involved by adding their business details directly to NZS.com including using the extra marketing options for marketing descriptions, search tags and even marketing URL’s like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Anyone adding their business details also receives a “Business Info” button next to their website listing in the normal category results which is proving a valuable addition. For an example, have a look at the Black Sheep Marketing listing further down the page on the Strategic Marketing category. This helps increase clicks through to your website from NZS.com and it only takes a few minutes to complete.

To give you an idea of the information you could have on NZS.com as well you can see what Avatar Web Promotions have entered on the Avatar.co.nz Site Profile.

All you need to do is head along to the Website Resources section on NZS.com, register and follow the instructions.

While you’re there, if you’re interested in a succinct introduction on how New Zealand websites can enhance their performance, usability and visibility, read The First 15 – A Guide To Improving Website Performance.

NZS.com is proud to announce that we have offered $4,000 of online advertising to the winner of the Smart Marketing prize at the Bizzone Business Expo in Auckland later this month.What do you need to do to be in the draw?Just attend to the Bizzone Business Expo, May 27 – 29 and you’ll be able to enter. Make sure you come and see us at Booth 359a!We’re even offering free expo entry tickets (worth $20), just follow this link and register as a Guest of NZS.com.The expo is the largest business to business marketplace held for business owners in New Zealand, and the three-day Auckland show is expected to attract more than 200 exhibitors and 7,500 attendees.The show will bring together every kind of product and service required by a business owner or manager, offering free advice and tips and the latest smart marketing tools to help you run a more effective and profitable business.We look forward to seeing you there!

Everyone’s looking at ways to cut costs at this time of year, especially on necessities like the design and printing of promotional products and materials. Did you know that you can custom design all of your marketing materials and anything for printing NZ online, all by yourself?

Making the expense of a graphic designer unnecessary, custom online design is easy for your business cards, postcards, calendars, promotional giveaways, t-shirts and almost any other marketing products you can think of. Instead of going to a small printer who will laboriously do everything on a small scale, custom online designing and printing means you get the benefits of fully-automated manufacturing: low prices.

Because everything is digital and fully automatic, you can have anything you custom design online printed in small quantities, meaning the big savings don’t just come with the big orders. You can choose from pre-made templates and images, or upload your own easily, and spend as much (or as little) time organising the design of your marketing materials as you like. You’re then just a few clicks away from having the printing process started for you and delivered to your door!

Image from Flickr.

When was the last time you had a look at your strategic marketing plan? It’s commonly known that during periods of economic slowdown, marketing expenses are some of the first to drop off the necessity list.

But with tax cuts on their way next month and petrol prices lowering, New Zealand’s economic situation is perking up and looking brighter, so why not re-invent your marketing strategy ahead of your competition, and nab the rewards first?

E-mail marketing is set to increase by 24% this year, according to the UK-based Email Marketing Platforms Buyer’s Guide. More companies are using e-mail marketing solutions as customer retention tools. This is particularly important in an economy which is renewing its strength – many of your customers and clients may have been reluctant to use your services or buy your product this year, owing to belt-tightening. Now things are looking more relaxed, it’s time to recapture any lost business by reconnecting with them, and reminding them what you can do for them.

Get a little spring cleaning of your marketing strategy by contacting a consultancy who are marketing plan and branding experts, and will inspire breakthrough growth in your business.

Image from Flickr.

Imagine walking into a nightclub or outdoor dance party to hundreds of people dancing to silence… sounds a little crazy, right? Saturday night in Christchurch saw a unique phenomenon hit the South Island for the first time: a silent disco.

There are only a few companies I can think of that regularly produce brilliantly innovative marketing campaigns, so it was only logical that world class (kiwi made) vodka brand 42 Below put on an event like this for free.

Silent discos are a new concept whereby party goers are provided with wireless headphones and can tune into one of several channels streaming music from different DJ’s. The May 17 event saw DJs T Rice (Auckland), Josh Sinclair (Christchurch) and John Manson (Christchurch) pump out their tunes for eager dancers in a basement in the popular bar and nightclub district of SOL Square in Christchurch city.

So while the woman in the red dress was getting her freak on to some hot vocal house, the man with the dreadlocks was grooving to his own drum & bass tune. The silent disco experience was put on by UK Based company SilentArena, who offer their services worldwide and are able to provide in excess of 2500 headphones for clients.

Image from Flickr.