Posts Tagged ‘Website’

What you need to know when considering a website for your business

By Michael Chernin

Many small business owners are faced with tough questions when considering building a business website for the first time. These questions often prevent them from achieving their goal, resulting in either an unfinished or an overpriced site—detrimental to the originally intended purpose. Sometimes the process of building a site becomes so tedious and time-consuming, the owner decides to scrap the idea altogether.

Building Web presence can be a hassle-free and enjoyable task when there’s a clear understanding of what the business owner is trying to accomplish, and an easy process is made available that will guide them through what they need to supply to bring the site to fruition.

A good Web development supplier will help by tackling a number of common myths that address these questions and concerns:

Myth 1: I can design and develop the site myself.
Even though the Internet is inundated with do-it-yourself solutions that promise an amazing-looking site for a fraction of the cost, this approach is rife with pitfalls. People with little or no technical background will find themselves in trouble while trying to build the site, and end up with incomplete and unattractive results. Even if you feel that you are fairly computer-savvy, lack of time will make it difficult to maintain the site, since running your business is your first priority. Achieving that “professional look” takes the work of up to three specialists: a Web developer, responsible for coding; a designer, responsible for graphics; and a copywriter, responsible for content.

Myth 2: A fancy-looking website will attract more clients.
People assume that the more elaborate their site looks, the more clients it will attract. In reality, extravagant sites attract the same amount of potential clients. Moreover, if a site with all the aesthetic bells and whistles offers a poorly designed layout, clients will be turned off. Heavy graphics or flash pages with sound serve to slow loading time, are inaccessible through mobile devices, and are simply irritating to most users. This choice is also more expensive, since more development time is required. Fancy promo sites are a good option for large corporations with established brand names and big budgets, but completely impractical for small business owners with a main goal of showcasing their products or services and providing clear and concise information about their business.

Myth 3: My site will start bringing in new customers the moment I get it out there.
Prepare to be disappointed if you believe that the new site will yield a healthy marketing outcome without systematic efforts such as regular content updates and URL promotion. Imagine a shop window display that has been neglected, or is completely outdated—why would you want to enter that store?

Myth 4: I absolutely have to be first in line on Google.
Being first in line on Google is nice; however, the definition itself is incorrect. You have to ask yourself, “When do I want my business to come up on a first page or link in Google?” The answer depends on your business niche; for example, if you are in the business of making bagels and your bakery is located in Vaughan, Ontario, you would want it to appear on Google’s first page if someone were to type, “bagels in Vaughan,” or if a customer looking for your bakery typed in the actual name, as opposed to just “bagels,” where there’s little, if no, chance of being first in line, no matter what you do. Also, you are probably not interested in people from another city or province or country being able to find your website. Knowing the exact demographic you want to attract, and whether the products or services you are selling is tied to a specific geographic location, will help you create better content for your site. In turn, this will result in a higher probability that your site will be first in line on Google when someone searches for products or services relevant to your business niche and location.

Myth 5: I don’t get a lot of traffic, so my site is useless.
Even after the site has been deployed, many business owners wonder why the site is not getting enough traffic. In order to determine the site’s effectiveness, you must let it sit for at least a couple of months while monitoring visitor statistics. It is also very important to understand that sometimes having 30 visitors per month is better than having 1,000 visitors a month. Why? Because if out of the 30 visitors, 90% are potential clients, then you have a new potential client every day, as opposed to 1,000 visitors with a relevancy of 2%. You also have to consider your business capacity—if hundreds of clients start calling, are you prepared to handle the volume?

Myth 6: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the answer to all my troubles.
SEO is often perceived as the ultimate answer to site promotion, sure to result in increased traffic and more customers. It is true that accurately established SEO will eventually drive more people to your site, but many people forget the time and money factor involved. Most SEO techniques will provide a business growth effect that’s minor in comparison to the time and money invested. Proper SEO could easily cost thousands of dollars, so before you explore this route, it’s better to create solid site content with keywords that your customers will use search engines to seek out, and allow your site to grow organically. Invest money in solid advertising and marketing strategies that will promote your site: reprint your business cards to display your new site address, make sure your Web address is highlighted in any advertisements or flyers you are distributing, and spread the word to all of your clients when you meet with them.

To recap… Make your business Web presence an easy and enjoyable experience by keeping these factors in mind:

Put yourself in the shoes of your customers; present your audience with simple and concise information that they will find when they look for your business online.

A fancy look and feel is secondary to properly organized and professionally written content.

Complex and expensive does not necessarily mean better.

When developing site content, think about your potential customers, as well as your existing ones.

Hire experienced professionals to design, implement and maintain your site.

Keep your site up-to-date and monitor visitor statistics.

Promote your site by highlighting your URL in all of your marketing materials.

And remember, if you can’t build it within five business days, then ask yourself this: “Do I clearly understand my website needs?”

Michael Chernin is a business development manager at OnThe.Net (www.onthe.net), which helps small businesses establish competent, hassle-free and extremely affordable Web presence solutions. OnThe.Net understands the needs and struggles of small business owners when it comes to establishing and, most importantly, maintaining their Web presence, and delivers results quickly without compromising quality. If you are looking for an alternative, fresh approach to establishing Web presence for your business, please visit our site at www.onthe.net.

Posted by Ashley in Getting Organized, Growing Your Biz, Marketing on July 4th, 2011

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The Search for Bananas: Building Better Websites, PART ONE

By Rick Sloboda

In his 2002 book, The Big Red Fez, marketing author, Seth Godin, critiqued selected websites, commenting on how they helped or hindered their visitors. He likened the website visitor to a monkey looking for a banana. If the banana is too hard to find, then the monkey will go elsewhere. Today, are websites making it easier to find the banana or is the furry guy starving?

Godin’s Principles of Website Design and Today’s Websites

From Godin’s critique, we can derive some guiding principles for website design. Here is a brief description and thoughts on how websites today measure up:

Use technology to convey information, not obstruct it.

In his book, Godin described a company home page that comprised a list of technological requirements for viewing. If visitors didn’t have the right browser version or software plug-in, they couldn’t view the site. They needed to either download the required software or, more likely, try somewhere else.

Thankfully, we see fewer home pages like that today, but it is still common for sites to require specific software plug-ins. Website elements built in Flash or saved as PDFs still require visitors to have the appropriate software to view them.

This continues to be a challenge for website developers. Website visitors use a vast array of different hardware and software. Building a website that works for all possible combinations is time consuming and costly. For most companies, deciding how inclusive to make a site comes down to an analysis of risk and return on investment.

Limit each web page to one objective.

Godin argued that if a web page offers too many objectives, you risk alienating visitors. Instead of building one page to meet the objectives of all visitors, he recommends building different pages that cater to different needs.

Today, it is still standard practice to build one home page to handle multiple objectives. This practice might be partially a result of search engine preference for flat site architecture. It is also easier to manage and brand one domain name than several. However, aside from home pages, there has been a definite movement to build web pages specific to different markets. For example, Toyota segments its site into pages for prospective car buyers and pages for Toyota car owners. Webcopyplus also segments web copy solutions for designers and businesses.

Website segmentation reflects the influence of marketing on website development. Eight years ago, technology and engineers dominated website development. Today, companies apply fundamental marketing principles and target audiences’ needs and feedback to website design.

Stay tuned for PART TWO of The Search for Bananas: Building Better Websites on Monday.

Rick Sloboda is a Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus, which helps designers and businesses boost online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s largest service providers, including AT&T (formerly Cingular), Quest Diagnostics and Scotia Bank. Rick advocates clear, concise and objective website content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S., including Yale University. He speaks frequently at web-related forums and seminars, including Small Business BC, Content Convergence & Integration, SUCCESS and HRMA. Rick also serves as a consultant to various organizations, such as the Web Development Advisory Committee at Vancouver, B.C.’s Langara College.

Posted by Lynnette in Getting Organized, Technology on February 25th, 2011

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Don't Let Poor Website Design Hold Your Business Hostage: Part Three of Three

By Rick Sloboda

Designers Can Be a Copywriter’s Best Friend

With design forming first impressions before visitors even have a chance to process headlines and body copy, designers can make copywriters’ jobs awfully hard, or easy. Poor design can put visitors into a negative mindset, which sets the stage for a grueling uphill, nearly impossible battle for the Web copy.

On the contrary, good design, explained Dr. Lindgaard, can prime visitors for a sale, and make them more lenient and forgiving. Reflecting on the study, she said, “The strong impact of the visual appeal of the site seemed to draw attention away from usability problems. This suggests that aesthetics, or visual appeal, factors may be detected first and that these could influence how users judge subsequent experience.” She added, “Even if a website is highly usable and provides very useful information presented in a logical arrangement, this may fail to impress a user whose first impression of the site was negative.”

Therefore, it’s wise for Web copywriters and other Web specialists who take their craft seriously to partner with high-caliber, experienced designers. Professional designers have the know-how and skills to set the right tone to help websites gain credibility and trust, and achieve desired objectives, goals and conversion rates.

While many people say, “content is king,” on the Web, Webcopyplus has politely turned down several prospects whose website design was so dismal, no Web copy — regardless how optimized and engaging it might be — would be able to produce the desired value, results and ROI.

Just last week, we told a business owner of a moving company start-up to “invest in a professional designer.” The flaw-filled website comprised a long lineup of trucks, each with a company logo amateurishly Photoshopped on its side. The image was clearly fake, even to the untrained eye. If visitors feel they’re being misled, why would they trust the business behind the website?

Good Design Produces Happy Visitors and Healthy Businesses

Designers are at the core of the Internet’s abruptly advancing speed, sophistication and reach. Good designers can make websites aesthetically enticing and so much more. They can make them findable, usable, distinct, helpful, productive and profitable.

As Thomas Watson of IBM said in the 1950s, “Good design is good business.”

 

clip_image002_thumb.jpgRick Sloboda is a Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus , which helps designers and businesses boost online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s largest service providers, including AT&T (formerly Cingular), Quest Diagnostics and Scotia Bank. Rick advocates clear, concise and objective website content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S., including Yale University. He speaks frequently at web-related forums and seminars, including Small Business BC, Content Convergence & Integration, SUCCESS and HRMA. Rick also serves as a consultant to various organizations, such as the Web Development Advisory Committee at Vancouver, B.C.’s Langara College.

Posted by Lynnette in Growing Your Biz on October 29th, 2010

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Optimizing Your Press Release: Part I

By Rick Sloboda
Rick Sloboda

Rick Sloboda

A great press release can go along way in terms of gaining virtually free publicity for your business, especially in an increasingly digital media environment.

Learning to combine old tricks and new in your press release composition and distribution can help you leverage the power of both traditional media outlets, such as newspapers and magazines, and newer ones, such as blogs and social media networks, to effectively get your message to your target markets.

What Has Changed?

A press release is defined as ‘a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value’ (Wikipedia).

Traditionally, when public relations and marketing professionals disseminated press releases to news media, that meant sending them to specific news editors and reporters via mail, fax, or email to consider running the story in print, or more recently, online.

However, as our focus increasingly shifts from print to digital, the role of mass media gatekeeper, normally reserved for editors and reporters, has expanded to include bloggers and regular Internet users who like to share stories they deem newsworthy with their friends and followers on social media sites. Public relations professionals must consider the power these new gatekeepers can have in propelling a story or brand message, since social networks can reach a large number of people if the story they post goes ‘viral’, or rapidly spreads across the Internet through endless networks of users.

As the PR landscape changes, certain techniques can help maximize exposure in this new landscape. For example, since online press releases are indexed by search engines, keyword optimization is a smart move. According to Melanie Waldmann, Social Media and Search Marketing Manager at Marketwire, 75% of public relations professionals now use keyword placement in their press releases. Releases can also be formatted with specific social media sites in mind, like Twitter, for instance, where headlines must fit within the 140-character status update limit.

Writing a Press Release – Basic Tips

Though the press release has evolved to adapt to the increasingly digital world, some essential elements remain the same. Following are some basic tips for writing traditional press releases that have stood the test of time:

  • Write your press release like a news story, with all the most important information (who, what, when, where, why) in the beginning (inverted pyramid). The less an editor has to change, the more likely your press release will be printed as is.

Example:

Poll: Internet Users Place More Weight on Web Design

Vancouver, B.C., June 3, 2009 — The demand for good web design is increasing, reveals a recent Webcopyplus online poll. Almost 25% of web users indicated “poor visual presentation” is the number one element that drives them away from websites.

  • Find a unique angle that makes your story newsworthy. For example, tie it to a recent event that made headlines or an upcoming holiday. Or, if your story has an unusual element, highlight it (e.g. ‘first ever,’ or ‘record breaking’).
  • Make your press release short; one page is ideal. News editors don’t have a lot of time to sift through long releases, and studies have shown that the average consumer of Internet content has an online attention span of just a few seconds.
  • Use widely understood terms to reach a wider audience.
  • Specify release date (immediate, or delayed) and ensure the timing is relevant.
  • Keep your release factual and avoid fluffy, sales-type writing.
  • Include quotes from authority figures, including sources within your company.
  • Include a call to action along with all the necessary information needed to act (e.g. enter a contest, visit a website, etc.).
  • Include a boilerplate at the end of the release. A boilerplate includes information about the source of the release that can be reused for subsequent releases. It should include basic company information and where the reader can go for further details on the company.

Example:

About Webcopyplus

Webcopyplus is a Vancouver, Canada-based web copywriting firm that helps designers and businesses increase online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent designers to international service providers, including AT&T, Scotia Bank and 1-800-Got-Junk.

For more information, please contact:

[PR contact information]

Visit tomorrow to read Part 2 of Optimizing Your Press Release.

Rick Sloboda is a Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus, which helps designers and businesses boost online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s largest service providers, including AT&T (formerly Cingular), Quest Diagnostics and Scotia Bank. Rick advocates clear, concise and objective website content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S., including Yale University. He speaks frequently at web-related forums and seminars, including Small Business BC, Content Convergence & Integration, SUCCESS and HRMA. Rick also serves as a consultant to various organizations, such as the Web Development Advisory Committee at Vancouver, B.C.’s Langara College.

Posted by Lynnette in Growing Your Biz, Marketing on September 1st, 2010

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Building Your Business on the Web (Part Two): Turning Online Visitors into Customers

Q&A with Rick Sloboda, Senior Web Copywriter for Webcopyplus

(Part two of a two-part series. Also see Generating Online Traffic.)

clip_image002So you’re getting people to your website, which was covered in Generating Online Traffic, the first part of this two-part series. Now, how do you turn these visitors into customers? Rick Sloboda, Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus, which produces professional Web copy for businesses around the globe, including Scotia Bank and AT&T, answers your questions.

How important is the first impression on a website?

It’s essential. Studies show you have no more than a few seconds to make a positive first impression on the Web – and as little as .55 seconds. Your website should have a clean, appealing design, with relevant, engaging and informative Web copy, and intuitive navigation and information flow. If you don’t answer key questions right off the bat, Google, Yahoo and Bing will take your visitor to a competitor that does.

What are the key questions?

Am I at the right place? Can these guys help me? What makes these guys different? Several factors are already at play. For instance, is the design professional looking, does it generate trust and credibility? If you get your niece or nephew to do website design and development for $500, chances are it’ll show. That’s like selling retail products or consulting services from a lemonade stand. Also, is your Web copy clear and customer centric? Does it explain why people should choose you over competitors? Or is it full of self-centered, empty hype? Business owners need to that when a person arrives at your website, the visitor doesn’t really care about your business. They care about what your business can do for them.

That’s where experienced copywriters and marketers come into play?

Whether you write the web copy yourself, or hire a copywriter, make sure you flesh out and promote your benefits. Most business owners and copywriters write exclusively about features – what the product or service is, or has. Benefits are what the visitor gains as a result of the features. For instance, binoculars might have oversized lenses. Fine. But what will engage a visitor is the fact that they deliver low-light performance.

Benefits engage people emotionally, which is how we make decisions. We then rationalize decisions logically. For instance, does a person really need a $120,000 luxury vehicle? No. They might desire it for status, which is an emotional desire. And then they’ll justify it with rational, practical reasons, such as cutting edge brake technology, safety rankings, and so on. Benefits appeal to a person’s self-interest, and get people to act. People purchase things for three basic reasons: to satisfy needs; solve problems; or make themselves feel good. That’s why experienced copywriters often say, “Features tell, benefits sell.”

If benefits are so important, why do most websites promote features?

Because it’s easier to list features. A copywriter has to really understand a product or service, and have a good marketing mind, to define and convey benefits effectively.

So isn’t it better for a business owner to write their own web copy, as they know their business best?

Well, most people can write. But most people can also take photos. Take your own photos, and chances are you’ll have an amateurish website representing your business. The same goes for copywriting. Moreover, business owners tend to write what they want to say rather than what website visitors need to hear. A copywriter can bring an objective view to the table.

How much information is necessary on websites?

It varies. For instance, if you’re in fashion selling perfume, and want to build presence and nurture a brand, a few words might do. Visuals would play a key role. But, if you’re actually trying to get visitors to purchase a product from your website, or sell a subscription to a publication or software, you’d need a lot more web copy to make the sale.

As a general rule, web copy should be about half of what you’d use in traditional print, such as brochures. This is partly because it’s harder to read content on monitors and handhelds, and people tend to be impatient and easily distracted when using the Web. So it’s good to keep web copy concise.

What other elements are important to engage and convert visitors?

Since about 80% of people scan copy on the web, meaning they don’t read word for word, it’s helpful to provide visitors web copy in digestible chunks. To achieve this, web copywriters and designers often apply information layering techniques, using links to let visitors drill down to get more detailed information. It allows visitors to quickly access info relevant to their needs, without having to wade through huge chunks of text.

In line with keeping web copy lean and clean, you should kill any filler and clichés. Also, keep the language at about a grade 8 to 10 level, which is in line with Time and Newsweek, so you don’t alienate visitors. And include lots of testimonials. Third-party endorsements effectively generate trust, credibility and sales. Just edit them down to a sentence or two, and be sure to include a full name and city, when possible. A vague “John S.” reeks of spam on the already suspect Web. 

And, finally, ask for the sale. What do you want visitors to do? Whatever it is, it’s in your best interest to ask. This is your call to action. We might be writing copy for the cutting edge Internet, but the old-fashioned ‘ask for the sale’ still applies.

Note: This is the second of a two-part series. Also see Generating Online Traffic.

 

Rick Sloboda is a Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus, which helps designers and businesses boost online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s largest service providers, including AT&T (formerly Cingular), Quest Diagnostics and Scotia Bank. Rick advocates clear, concise and objective website content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S., including Yale University. He speaks frequently at web-related forums and seminars, including Small Business BC, Content Convergence & Integration, SUCCESS and HRMA. Rick also serves as a consultant to various organizations, such as the Web Development Advisory Committee at Vancouver, B.C.’s Langara College.

Posted by Lynnette in Growing Your Biz on June 2nd, 2010

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