by Belinda Lui | Jan 26, 2014 | Interactive, Latest
When a business embarks on a site refresh or re-design, one of the key factors to consider is whether search optimization has been implemented in the content that lives on each page. Is the website complicated and busy? Is it intuitive and easy to navigate? While there are many elements to successfully creating a site with search optimization, this post will focus on “busy-ness” and how that may affect your sales:
Using less will give you more when it comes to search optimization.
Consider this as an example:
A recent test was done on MECLABS’ online retail Research Partners and how the team was able to achieve a 10% lift in checkout completion rate by simply removing distracting elements.
The MECLABS team recently ran a test within the checkout pages for an online retailer. The goal of the test was to increase the checkout completion rate. The team identified a number of elements causing friction within the checkout pages and likely distracting visitors from completing the checkout process. The most drastic change was removing the static navigation bars (left and top navigation) from the checkout pages.
This removed visually distracting elements from the pages as well as deleted possible exit points for visitors, keeping visitors focused on proceeding through the checkout process.
The team also took out a page within the checkout process that was simply confirming the visitor had created an account.
This step was unnecessary and forced visitors to make one extra click to proceed through the funnel, giving them an additional opportunity to abandon the funnel, and again, distracted them from the goal of the checkout pages.
By simply removing friction-causing elements from the checkout pages, the team was able to increase the checkout completion rate by 10%, which turned out to be a 19.95% increase in revenue per visit to the checkout process.
When implementing search optimization to your website, you should evaluate each page element and consider whether it is helping the goal of your site or distracting visitors. Any potentially distracting element is an opportunity to test how your pages perform with those elements removed.
Always remember that less is more when it comes to your website. Keep your pages focused and remove any elements that prevent visitors from completing your goals for the site, such as completing a checkout.
by Miriam Hara | Sep 7, 2013 | Business Success, Design, Interactive, Latest
Gone are the days when having a static website was good enough – essentially showcasing an online brochure of a business. The introduction of flash animation and all the other bells and whistles have also run their course, (thankfully going by the wayside) now becoming passé. The evolution of websites and their role in the business arena has changed substantially; first playing a superficial role to one that is key in the success of any business. Business websites need to work harder to achieve differentiation and assist Marketing and PR initiatives.
A website’s relevancy in today’s business environment has become a necessity. It is no longer a nice to have to but a need to have. Here are a few elements that websites should have.
Social Media Icons: The integration of social media is key. It says a lot when you go to a site and there are no social media buttons… and at the same time that business site speaks of being innovative and cutting edge! I am not saying that businesses should include social media icons if they aren’t really doing anything on social media. But then, you must ask yourself, is this a company you want to start a relationship with?
Fresh Information: Minimally a website home page should have fresh content. That’s the only way Google will come over and visit the site.. helping the website ranking within the world-wide web. A feed from the business blog would be ideal… or a feed from a recognized industry newsletter or publication. The rotation information is also a good way to keep a site fresh, but that too needs to be updated and refreshed.
Page Naming: Website design, website navigation and website user experience are all important. However, how a site identifies and names each one of its pages is an easy way to maximize the performance of the website’s SEO (search engine optimization). Each page url on a business website should be unique and should be formulated with relevant keywords.
Build Relationships: The business website is the first step in developing some very important relationships. Websites should create valuable information for its visitors. Requesting visitors’ information through special offering such as ebooks, surveys or giveaway offers is a good way to start those relationships. Events should also be promoted, such a business milestones and contests, integrating the total digital experience for that business.
Websites are the first impression businesses make and they speak volumes about the culture and persona. As we enter the last quarter of 2013… (Bob Dylan stated so eloquently) “Times they are a-changing”. It’s time to take a good look at your business website to assess if it measures up.
by Lisa Wedmann | Jun 18, 2013 | Business Success, Latest
Are you finding it rough juggling your job with your home life? Do you struggle with your basic commitments, miss doctors, dentists, optometrists, appointments because you can’t seem to get the time off work?
Even worse do your kids miss their doctor’s dentists, optometrists because you don’t have the time to take them? And what about your aging parents? Who is there to help them? Where do they fit into the schedule?
Cutbacks, technology, efficiencies, aging population, our commitment to putting our children into a zillion different clubs and activities, it doesn’t matter the reason, balancing work and home life is causing Canadians stress.
And if you are like most Canadians you are taking more days off work, using up your company benefits, turning down promotions, being less productive and working fewer hours according to a major Canadian study by Carlton University in partnership with Desjardin Insurance.
This stress is serious stuff. And if you think it’s not that bad, ask yourself, why a major insurance company is paying for this study? Does it have anything to do with the fact that stress increases the risk of heart disease, asthma, obesity, diabetes, headaches, depression and anxiety just to name a few. Does it have anything to do with the fact that health issues like this increase the risk of death and increase payouts from insurance companies?
I can’t answer these questions but they do make me wonder what I can do to achieve work life balance in my own life.
Here are a few important tips I have found:
“Above all, to thine own self be true”
Take care of yourself and you will be able to care for others. Take time out for yourself. You will clear your mind, become refreshed, invigorated and more effective in all your walks of life. Allocate a specific time each day that is your time. It doesn’t have to be long. It could be that morning cup of coffee, walk around the block or a brief break with a cup of tea and a good book. You pick it and control it. And as the Shakespearean line continues, … “thou canst not then be false to any man”.
Prioritize
Rank everything you need to do. This includes at work and at home. Break them into 3 categories. Must, Maybe and Mmmmmmmm that would be nice. It stands to reason you will do the Musts first. The Maybes come next but chances are the Mmmmmmmms will fall off the radar.
But not in isolation
But what is most important about prioritization is do not prioritize in isolation. Ask your boss what is important; ask your family what is important. What you think is important to them may not be important at all.
Conquer the challenge
Creating work life balance is a challenge but like any challenge we face, we can take steps to overcome or we can run away.
Me… I’m not much of a runner. How do you balance work and life? Do you think work/life balance is attainable?
by Stephanie Fasulo | Jun 5, 2013 | Advertising, Branding, Latest, Social Media
A crabby situation!
Mr. Clean seemed to have had a long day a couple of weeks ago being attacked by giant crabs. He literally had a crabby situation on his hands! I wonder which line of cleaning products he used to clean up that mess. I can imagine giant crabs leaving quite a disaster, more so for the social media manager! However appalling this jaw-dropping hacker scenario may be, it’s sadly something every company should be aware of when jumping into managing online brands.
Most marketing communications departments have a process for internal or external crisis – but how many people ever face the actuality their Twitter or Facebook account might get hacked!? Why wouldn’t you think that? It’s the internet and that’s what the “bad guys” use the internet for causing havoc and unleashing giant, man eating crabs!
There is obviously a bad side to being hacked, other than facing the humiliation of very bad advertising on a global scale, your account loses the quality and authenticity you’ve been working so hard to attain. You’ll probably lose followers or your followers will help share the hacker’s message by telling all their friends about it. I found out about Mr. Clean because my friend Tay posted that picture above on her Facebook page commenting “hackers at it again”. She was blasé about the whole thing because she’s in public relations and understands social media challenges. But the majority of followers won’t be!
So how can we, professional communications people, protect ourselves against being hacked and keeping our online brand reputations in tact?
Variety is best
It’s always best to have a very difficult password to protect the Facebook and/or Twitter account. In many cases have a log of passwords safely stored and try and make them, where possible, different for each account.
Don’t pass around passwords
If you’re managing client accounts, don’t give them the passwords. They may want it to check in on what you’re doing, but it’s best if one person has access and can maintain relationships with true followers and keep an eye on internal hackers sending inmail, or posting spam. Someone without regular knowledge about an account may open messages flagged as spam and they wouldn’t even know it!
Open an email or not
In most cases hackers access through the webpage hosting sites, but for more secured accounts such as Facebook or Twitter, internal messages sent as spam can be the link a hacker needs to break into your account. Be watchful and cautious.
When Mr. Clean was hacked imaginably it was embarrassing, however, Mr. Clean’ social media manager chose to leave the hacker’s content and make a joke about it.
Burger King was probably the most memorable hacker attack as tweets explained they had been sold to McDonalds and even changed the profile image to the McDonald’s logo! But in a strange turn of events the community of Twitter thought it was the funniest thing and the story went viral. Once back on track, Burger King shouted out to its new followers and all was well in the world again.
Hacker situations are very real and very personal. As a social media manager I couldn’t imagine being hacked but I will prepare for it. Even though some people may take it lightly, I highly doubt clients or businesses will. I think the best way to deal with a hacker is to acknowledge it and go on with the show. And for the mean time, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for those mean, giant crabs!
by Stephanie Fasulo | May 15, 2013 | Business Success, Interactive, Latest, Social Media
Admit it. At least one time during the course of your social media twitter campaign (or tweeting on your personal account) you’ve asked yourself: what am I going to tweet right now? Even the most experienced social media expert must ask themselves: “geez, what IS going on in the world today?” Great writers get writers block and even the most seasoned novelists need to ask themselves what is their next book series is going to be about. It’s okay to admit that sometimes, we just need some help to find that great content and share it among our communities and Twitter friends. I put together my personal 5 Easy Steps in locating that great content:
Step One: It is important once you’ve logged on to your Twitter account to take time and read the posts your community is sharing. You follow these accounts for a reason, and it is important to stay engaged with them. If you’re mindlessly adding followers and not actually reading their content then you’re not doing it right. The point is to use this information. Share it, spark a conversation or debate; you’ll get some great content to share and you’ll make a few new social relationships in the process.
Step Two: Make a habit of reading the news outlet Twitter accounts. CNN, The Globe and Mail, Huffington Post, Anderson Copper, even Barack Obama just so you know what’s happening and what is going on in the world. Your Twitter content can be diverse and adding some news can add quality to your account and attract other people to read your posts.
Step Three: Bookmark your favourite blogs. We all know in a busy day, life is much more simple when information is a click away. Why not take advantage of that? You’ll be more inclined to look if your daily blog hit-list if it’s staring you in the face and sitting up on your bookmark toolbar. It’s an easy step that can ensure you great content once, twice or three times a day!
Step Four: Think outside the box for inspiration. My personal favourite website to spark some new content is Pinterest. When in doubt, Pinterest is an awesome tool to research techie updates, health topics, recipes and even check out company’s Pinterest accounts. There is also sharing platforms like Reddit, ScoopIt….the list goes on and one. Just pick your favourite.
Step Five: Don’t forget about the real, page flipping hard copies! Magazines, newspaper, essays, and white papers. These are published monthly and the content is forever there ready to read…bringing up old articles and talking about new ones is a great way to be creative with content and find journalists online and share what you’ve read and make a potential new relationship.
Update: This article was written well over 5 years ago…and things have since changed. Here is an updated comprehensive article on “12 Digital Content Strategies To Elevate Any Brand” which adds some timely and relevant value. You can check it out here: https://presentationgeeks.com/blog/12-digital-content-strategies-to-elevate-any-brand/
