Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween!

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Halloween is a Scottish variant of All Hallows Eve. The holiday is thought to have both Christian and Pagan roots and has become a day of trick-or-treating, scary stories and horror films.


However you celebrate the day, Centel Media™ would like to wish you a safe and happy Halloween. 

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Amazon ReKindled After Losses

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Amazon has become an iconic website on the Internet and is widely recognized as one of the premier Internet-based companies alongside giants such as Google. Unlike its competitors, Amazon is known for dealing in quality products that all buyers can trust. Additionally, they have expanded their services. Amazon is no longer just the middleman in sales between producers and consumers, but a producer of its own, creating the Kindle Fire to compete against Apple's iPad and other tablets. This appears to have paid off, as in a recent report their investment has narrowed initial losses and boosted sales figures.

Knowing when to grow has been part of Amazon's success, and any business can learn a thing or two from them. The online retailer has actually been working with losses since they decided to produce their own products. Now, they have managed to cut those losses by almost 150% from the same time a year ago. This is due in large part to their expansion into more international markets, offering more services to their Amazon Prime users, and free video streaming content.

Their rebound is astonishing considering the fact that this year has been dreadful for any type of business who deals in product sales. Even EBay posted a disappointing forecast citing complete lack of consumer confidence, a statement supported by many analysts who expect this to be one of the worst holiday shopping seasons in recent memory. Amazon, on the other hand, is looking forward to a prosperous holiday season due to the loyalty of their Amazon Prime members, who will take advantage of sales starting on Black Friday.

If you want to make sure that your company is prepared for this holiday season, it would be wise to utilize your full online potential. Centel Media™ can help your company achieve this with our online outreach services. We will increase your number of followers and likes on your social media pages through our social media optimization services. We can also promote your company by issuing press releases, and increase your company’s appearance on search engines through Google AdWords optimization. While holiday sales figures are predicted to be dreary, that doesn't mean your company can't be like Amazon. Take advantage of the lull by embracing new opportunities.

Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-in-Chief,

Friday, October 25, 2013

U.S. No Longer Trusted

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Trust has always been hard to come by. When trust is broken, it’s often impossible to mend. In the case of the United States government and many other countries, trust has been lost. Germany's Chancellor, their version of the President, found out from a German magazine that the United States may have been spying on her through her cellphone. As we will see, careful wording, transparency and trust are closely linked.

While this isn't the first breach of trust between the United States and other countries, the topic hasn’t lost any steam. In a White house press release, the United States denied spying on the Chancellor and many other accusers, however, they did not deny spying on foreign leaders and other individuals in the past. Some of the media has pounced on the wording, but I don't think anyone is surprised by the terminology. Espionage has been a major, if illegal and immoral, part of both the public and private sector.

This is why trust is hard to come by. While we would like to be trusting of everyone, it simply does not happen in the real world. Competition is everywhere and many look after themselves to get a leg up against rivals.

Keeping trust often requires you to give it in return. You can’t expect others to open up to you if you’re not opening up to them. Transparency is the key. It may reflect on your company poorly in the short-term, but in the long-term, your clients and contacts will appreciate it. If you’re open, others will see that you’re willing to take on their opinions and adapt to make them more at ease.

For a business, maintaining trust with both clients and customers is one of the greatest assets your company can achieve in its lifetime. With proper trust comes business ventures, more customers, and greater opportunities that you would not have otherwise. At Centel Media™, we have the tools to help you attain that trust. A well-known strategy to build trust is to create press releases, which can develop a platform for your business's intentions. We also create company blogs and will even submit a Wikipedia article to further support your cause.

If you’re struggling to start or maintain a relationship between you and your customers or you and other contacts, Centel Media™ can help you regain a trustworthy name.


Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-in-Chief,


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Starbucks's Prices Boiling Over

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Coffee shops are a way of life for many Americans. The smell, the caffeine, and the atmosphere are enough to perk up even the worst case of the Mondays. The most notable chain of coffee shops is Starbucks. Starbucks distinguishes itself from its competitors by offering premium quality coffee with a price to match. While the prices are a tad high, many people in America don’t seem to mind, as the shop is one of the most popular destinations for coffee.

However, it seems that in China a report by the official China Central Television or CCTV news agency uncovered that Starbucks was making rather large profit margins on its sales there by taking advantage of unsuspecting Chinese customers. Apparently, their coffee is more expensive than in a majority of other markets. This negative report is not something any company would want, and the best way to counter it is by spreading the right information to fill in the gaps.

While it is true that Starbucks charges more in China than it does elsewhere, there are several factors that are responsible for premium price tags. In this Eastern country, the cost of food tends to be higher than in the United States due to differing regulations, which forces Starbucks to ramp up their prices. Additionally, the Chinese tend to behave more casually in cafés than they do in America: instead of taking their coffee on the go, Chinese people hang around inside the café more often. This has the side effect of forcing Chinese Starbucks to build larger shops in order to accommodate all of the customers. And finally, China has higher import rates and tariffs, which certainly doesn't help this whole situation.

Most interestingly, there is a lot of support for Starbucks online from Chinese users. This is quite a departure from traditional Chinese views on this sort of Western lifestyle. Like Apple, Starbucks is seen as a premium brand, and many are willing to pay a higher price in order to maintain that standard in their lives.

If your company needs to deflect damaging content, Centel Media™ can provide plenty of strong support in your endeavor. In a case like this, we would create a negative article suppression campaign. To give your brand more exposure, we can also create press releases that will boost the legitimacy of your side of the story in defense of your company. If you need more online support, social media might be the way to go. Centel Media™ has services to make the most out of social media by optimizing your pages.

We want your company to be in charge of your own image, not the media.



Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-In-Chief,



Friday, October 18, 2013

Breaking Bad Reputations With Good

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Most of the time, maintaining a solid online reputation requires you to combat negativity lobbied against you or your company. This can come from disgruntled employees, dissatisfied customers, and random users on the Internet who don't care for you or how you do business. But there are also many cases when online reputation management will help spread a positive message about you.

Whenever you receive an accolade for outstanding performance or news reporting the achievements of your company, you want to spread that message across as many platforms as you can. Don’t think that doing so will make you look cocky or arrogant. If you frame praise in the right way, it’s never a bad thing. Your audience or clientele will view such praise as a strong reason to invest their time and money into your interests.

For example, it was reported recently that Anthony Hopkins, one of the greatest actors still living today, sent an email to Bryan Cranston, another great actor, about his work on the TV show Breaking Bad. Hopkins had just finished watching a marathon of the show and was so impressed with Cranston's performance as Walter White that he sent an email heaped with incredible amounts of praise for the actor’s work. Hopkins called Cranston's acting the greatest he had EVER seen.

Usually, the public is amazed when actors and actresses receive awards at prestigious events like the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes. But for the performers themselves, I'm sure receiving a personal statement of utter respect and admiration from one of your greatest peers triumphs over any award. In the case of a business, your company would certainly be happy to receive a plaque from a convention of businesses for outstanding achievements, but it’s often sweeter to receive glowing praise from another company, individual or group that idolizes your efforts in the field.

If you want to bring awareness to your accomplishments, you can do more than just a simple ad campaign online. Consider utilizing Centel Media™, the top-rated online reputation management firm in the nation. We can create Press Releases to further spread the message of your achievements. Additionally, we can make such honors a focus on your Wikipedia entry through our Wikipedia Submission service so that anyone who sees your page knows your accolades.


Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-In-Chief,



Thursday, October 17, 2013

Centel Media'a Fall Radio Campaign





Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Don't Be Shut Down: Take the Risk


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In the news Friday, Washington Congressman and House Representative from Wisconsin Paul Ryan made a rather remarkable change to his position. As the public knows well by now, Washington has been stuck in a political gridlock that has shut down the government. Federal services across the nation have been affected and the majority of the public is understandably upset at the situation. Once elected, politicians are expected to get things done in office, but that certainly hasn’t been the case and the American people are fed up.


Representative Ryan decided to bolt from his party line, at least for a bit, as he tried to place a possible deal on the table that will not involve defunding Obama's Affordable Care Act, commonly known now as Obamacare. Whatever your political beliefs or ideology, the federal government cannot remain in shutdown forever. So unlike his fellow Republicans and Democrats, he took some much needed risks in order to help push a bill through.


I emphasis risk-taking because, in today’s market, there are so many companies that need to stop waiting for catastrophe and start making the necessary moves to push ahead. When times get tough, the majority of businesses and business owners just do their best to outlast the problem, instead of trying to reach out to customers and break new ground. These companies either don’t change the way they market or take a more passive approach so that, in the end, they don’t have to spend as much money. While this may be the safe road to travel, there are opportunities that, if you take the risk, could improve your company right in the here and now.


A cheap, easy way to expand your business is to improve your online presence, which is much less expensive now than it has ever been before. We at Centel Media™ have services that will help you manage your online reputation. While this may be a turbulent time, a solid presence online will give your company a boost in exposure and provide more opportunities to gain clientele. If you’re just starting up online, consider our Website Design, Blog Creation, Domain Name Registration, and Facebook/Twitter Page Design services. If you’re already on the web, but don’t have the reputation you’re looking for, you should utilize our Social Media Optimization and Google AdWords Optimization. Don’t let economic woes strangle your business, take that initiative and invest in online reputation management.


Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-In-Chief,


Friday, October 11, 2013

Twerking an Online Reputation

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From her controversial twerking performance at the VMA’s in August to her Saturday Night Live appearance as Michele Bachmann last week, Miley Cyrus continues to make waves in the media with her sexually-charged image. In just a few years, Cyrus quickly changed the media’s perception, and her overall public image from that of a goody-two-shoes, to a sexual deviant.

In response to recent questions 
about her twerking, Cyrus said “it went exactly as planned,” “I mean, it’s a month later and we’re still talking about it.” In many ways her plan to stay in the spotlight worked, her controversial performance at the MTV Video Music Awards is the most-tweeted moment of the year, breaking the Twitter record with 306,000 tweets per minute. The internet can be a harsh pool of negative content and a reminder of bad moments in history. While her intention may be to keep her name in the media, through any way possible, she could change that attitude twenty years from now. But, by that point it will be impossible to remove any of these reminders.

In spite of her current choices in behavior, Cyrus is a talented singer and budding actress.  She has no regrets. "I can't change anything, can't go back," she said. "I can do a lot of things, but I can't change the past.” She is right about that, there is no way to undo the cyber damage already done.  While Cyrus may not yet see the backlash and consequences of her actions, negative content could hinder her career and her personal future. Social media and search engine content will continue to unearth negative content about this point in her life, whether it’s relevant or not.

She might not be interested in negative suppression services now, but at some point Cyrus may want the opportunity to redeem herself and her public image. It doesn’t matter who the victim of negative online content is, online reputation management is for everyone.
Centel Media™, the leading online reputation management company, could repair Cyrus’ online reputation and maintain a positive image. Centel Media™ is the best in their field, with a number of effective services available at a fraction of the cost of their competitors. Centel Media™ believes that damaging online content is an opportunity for brand growth and positive recognition. With the speed and accuracy of Centel Media™ professional services, they take care of each online reputation, popstar or not.
Courtney Fisher,
Assistant Press Secretary,

Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-in-Chief,

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Cut Out the Middle-Man: Take E-Commerce Into Your Own Hands

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Everyone knows about EBay and Amazon: they are two of the largest online product distributors in the world. Known for selling all kinds of items ranging from books, electronic gadgets, and clothing to the leftovers in someone's junk yard collection, these two sites are synonymous with online sales and are the best friends to any small business producer who can't afford or don't have the ability to distribute their products on their own. However, if you are capable of moving products on your own, then your company should definitely consider selling without the need of a middle-man distributor.

Being able to sell a product online is a big plus compared to the alternatives of recent past. Instead of needing a building solely designed as a distribution center for the public, your customers can buy directly from your warehouse or equivalent. There is no rent to pay to landlords, no clerks to run your business, and no maintenance of your shop. With half of your old-world business removed from the equation, all you have to worry about are your production or service facilities.

The biggest argument against online sales is often focused on trust. The customer never gets to hold the product in their hands and only has a photo of a factory-perfect model of the product to rely on. This is indeed a problem and one both EBay and Amazon have struggled with since their inception. For them, it’s a major issue because their products come from any number of sources, but for you and your company, it will be a lot easier depending on how well the reputation of your company's brand fairs. If you’re respected by the public, you’ll find a lot of customers willing to buy your products and services without too much thought.

Reaching that level of respectability is easier said than done. But, with Centel Media™ article, review, image and video suppression services, our professional staff will help improve your online reputation and boost E-Commerce for your website. If you have other needs such as raising your company’s presence on a search engine results page, finding ways to make your website stand out, or designing the perfect social media page, we have the right services at your disposal to help improve your online experience.

Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-In-Chief,



Monday, October 7, 2013

How to Design an Effective Website

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Due to the propagation of the Internet from the early 1990s to the present day, having a website for professional use is one of the most important aspects to running a successful business. Most companies now have their own websites or, at the very least, attempted to build one. With the countless number of websites all vying for attention, it’s necessary to find a unique strategy that adds variety to your content while also distinguishing your business from the competition. Some keep the design simple, with tabs that link to various services and simple pictures that show what they do. Others have complex wheels of links intended for guests to navigate a large assortment of resources which most likely include videos and certificates proving brand authenticity.

Whatever method a company prefers, having an effective website is very important. However, the key is to have a website design scheme that is easy to navigate. If guests who visit your website find it too cluttered or so simple that it becomes too difficult for them to do much of anything, they might lose interest in your company simply out of pure frustration.

A site lacking professionalism is also a turn off: if the design looks like a child drew it using crayons, most of your potential customers might be a little suspicious of your company's commitment to quality and integrity. Thematic presentation should always be considered. For example, if your business is a florist, running a website that has a mechanical feel doesn't make your potential customers feel at home. Maintaining a strong level of interesting content, along with a great layout, will give your visitors reason to return. If your website is filled with nothing but words and a logo, consider adding a few pictures and even a video for variety.

The key to simplifying navigation is to use a color palette that is easy on the eyes and a design that clearly shows where everything is. At Centel Media™, our staff has professional experience in website design and will happily support your company through our Website Design Service. Not only will we help with the design, but we’ll also assist in connecting your business with social media sites like Facebook, video sites like YouTube, and other optimizations that will increase the overall traffic to your website. With a solid design, you’ll find it much easier to draw attention to your site, giving you the recognition you need to succeed.


Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-In-Chief,

Friday, October 4, 2013

Criticism: What's Constructive and What's Destructive?

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Constructive criticism on the Internet you say? Isn't the Internet full of people who post things because they can and do so mostly with limited perspective? When browsing comments and reviews on blogs, forums, and video content, you tend to find a lot of people who cling to each other in support of a dissenting view. This can be anything from disgruntled employees on a business forum slamming their former employer, to reviews on a blog about the “poor writing” of a particular television show. Despite the consistent negativity across the Internet, there are some critiques that have value, shedding light on aspects of your company that need improving.

Filtering out the good criticism from the bad can be tricky. The Internet is full of people who wish to derail your progress in any way they can, especially through the use of slanderous comments and reviews. When these people or businesses target your company with their biased viewpoints, it’s often best not to directly respond to them and utilize some of Centel Media™ negative article, review, image or video suppression services to mitigate the damage.

Although all of the above is indeed true, there are also people with good intentions who want to encourage your company’s development. The first place to look would be your customers and supporters, rather than some anonymous person doing a video blog or a random forum post. If your company has a comment section or even a dedicated support page, you can usually find a good mix of both constructive and unrealistic criticism. Working out the differences can be challenging, but finding constructive advice and ironing out the reported problems will allow you to fine-tune your company's weaknesses and even recover the unhappy customers you’ve previously lost.

In fact, the simple act of responding to constructive criticism really makes your customers and clients feel as if they’re actually making a difference and not simply just another customer. Even if their constructive comment was overtly negative due to an error you know your company made, being respectful in your response will reinforce the credibility of your image. In the past, support hotlines would handle issues like these, but with the popularity of the Internet, online outreach has become an imperative part of customer service. We at Centel Media™ are here to help. Our trained professionals can design you a proper website and make it so customers and clients can more easily connect with you via the Internet.


Jonathan Wong,
Creative Writer,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-In-Chief,


Thursday, October 3, 2013

Graduate with a Strong Online Reputation

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For those attending an institution of higher education, college is a time for growth, enlightenment, and discovery.  However, content posted to social networking sites can have dramatic consequences for students, possibly resulting in long-lasting damage to their future.


College students are very active social media users, always keeping up-to-date with trending topics and joining all the latest social networking platforms. What these students don’t often consider is how their online reputation could harm them later in life. Posted pictures of a night of drinking could mean the difference between landing a job or being unemployed, living with your parents. It’s also possible that, when these images are uploaded to social media websites, they won’t have significant repercussions right away, but five or ten years into a career, those pictures could resurface and call your reputation into question.


Another issue that college students should be mindful of, is writing on social media while in a compromised state. When doing so, tweets and status updates are oftentimes misspelled, garbled, or lead to revealing information that should remain private. The best advice is, if you’re going out for the night, to resist posting on any social media platform until you’re clear-headed the following day and can think over your posts a little better.


More and more employers are checking social media websites for information about their prospective employees, therefore, as a college student, be mindful of your future goals and keep a vigilant eye on your social media reputation. If inappropriate content has been posted, delete it right away and remove any tags associated with your name.


Unfortunately, suppressing negative content and cleaning up an online reputation can be tricky, and in many cases require personal confrontation. If there is someone in particular that is constantly posting negative content involving you, it may be time to delete that contact and use your social network’s blocking services to be sure they no longer have influence over your online reputation.


Be diligent about how you appear online. By starting out young, you have plenty of time to develop and build a solid and lasting reputation. If you want to ensure that your presence online is clean, consider Centel Media™ negative article, review, image or video suppression services.



Courtney Fisher,
Assistant Press Secretary,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-in-Chief,


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Escape the Spam Folder: Tips for Email Marketing

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Emails are an important component to any online marketing campaign. But, if your brand fails to craft intriguing newsletters or promotional material, they’ll end up in the spam or trash folder, never to be seen by the recipient. There are ways to construct emails that can grab your recipient's attention and widen your customer base.

It starts at the subject line. Work carefully on a catchy subject, something that is engaging and interesting. If the subject is too vague, the reader may not consider opening the email. Keep it short and sweet and to the point. If the subject line is too lengthy, or sounds like a traditional sales pitch, the recipient may not read further, automatically discarding the email. Find the balance between being too simple and too clever.

Creating excellent content starts by knowing your audience and respecting your readers. Be witty, but not condescending, and advertise your product with caution. If your brand has a large and diverse audience, perhaps sending a few different newsletters would reach your audience more effectively. For example, one email for clients associated with restaurants, and a separate email for clients in the automotive industry. The message and goal of the email campaign is the same, but the language and content is tailored for each client.

While images, hyperlinks, and videos can be great promotion to use on your social networking pages, resist the temptation to go overboard in your emails. Doing so could cause slower download times and discourage your readers from waiting to read your email. You don’t want your reader deleting your emails due to boredom, or long wait times, so keep it concise and respect the time your reader is taking out of their busy day.  

Always add a friendly reminder encouraging your readers to add your address to their contacts, preventing future emails from ending up in their spam folder.  While encouraging them to save your address, this could be a great opportunity to showcase your brand’s other links, peaking interest in your website or social networking sites.

Email marketing not enough? There are tons of ways to improve your company’s online presence. Online reputation management, search engine optimization and website design are just a few of the services Centel Media can provide to better your online experience. Visit Centel Media’s products & services page to learn more.

Courtney Fisher,
Assistant Press Secretary,
Matthew Shaffer,
Editor-in-Chief