Wyoming Entrepreneur Blog

Website Drudergy; Are you willing to change?

Websites are a real hot topic these days because they are your word of mouth, your advertising and your customer service all rolled into one. They are really a new model for management. The trouble is they are always changing. We used to build things to last, now we build things to change. We have to listen to customers and be willing to change to meet their needs. Google Gerry McGovern and read his Web Experience: From Built to Last to Built to Change article. Gerry is an international author and consultant on the subject of content management.

The old style of reading from left to right on a webpage is not how people view web pages anymore. Customers don’t read; they scan. They look at headings and subheadings first; they scan for hyperlinks, numerals, and keywords. They jump around, scrolling and clicking and their fingers never far from the browser’s “Back” button. Customers are very impatient these days.

The number one design principle for websites is simplicity. A website should be designed to make life easier for the reader to find content and then make it easy for them to read that content. The goal is to get the right content to the customer as quickly as possible.

If the content on your pages is scattered and poorly formatted, you have poorly named headings or if your content contains lots of fluff that makes it hard for customers to find information, they might just pass you by.

I talk to a lot of people about their websites, both businesses and web developers. The underlying problem I see from talking to business people is that they don’t really understand that they are ultimately responsible for the content on their website. Web developers really don’t know your business and will most likely not know how to market it for you. They don’t usually don’t have time to study up on the keywords, content and backlinks specifically related to your site. They will design a site for you, but YOU are responsible for giving them the content. You are responsible to provide them with keywords, titles and descriptions for your pages. Your images, videos, links and social media are all included in your marketing strategy. You need to take a proactive approach to site and tell them how you want to be represented on the web. So, if customers can’t find you, take a good hard look at your website and see where it could be improved. The Wyoming Market Research Center is here to help you with that process.

 

Your Company’s Name – It’s Where It All Starts

I’ve had a number of clients over the years ask me why their company never shows up on search engine results.  There can be any number of reasons why search engines aren’t “seeing” your website.  However, I’d like to discuss one that often times is missed in the rush to “optimize” a web site.  A key reason for search engine invisibility can simply be the name of your company.

When Google looks at a search term, it tends to first think of it as a brand before anything else.  Ann Smartly, writing on the MarketingProfs website (www.marketingprofs.com) gives an example of the results for the term “Armstrong”.  She indicates that most people would think of “moon”, “space” or “Tour de France”.  Most people would be wrong.  Google shows “Armstrong Flooring”, “Armstrong World Industries” and “Armstrong One Wire (an internet service).  The astronaut and the bicyclist follow these “brands”. ; As Ms. Smartly says, “Google seems to favor brands and is likelier to suspect that your intent is navigational instead of informational (go instead of know).”

One way of winning the war is to instead of fighting a battle against multiple opponents; try to make your brand name unique.  This can be challenging if you have a common name.  “Jones Consulting” would be a pretty poor choice.  There are a lot of companies with that name out there.   Renee Jones Engineering Consulting would be better, but with such a common name, you might need to look for a more unique usage.  “Rock Springs Engineering Consultants” would, as I write this, probably come up first in Google as there are no companies showing up with that name. 

The idea is to become the dominant interpretation of the combination of words in your company name. Google suggests that if you can make your name and brand stick together, you instantly become a dominant interpretation.  Using this concept, a company called Renee Jones Mining Engineering would likely rank number one on Google.

So there you have it.  Before you worry about optimization of your site, and certainly before you sign incorporation papers, spend some time searching names on the internet.  A unique business name can be an important first step in achieving online visibility.

Have you had problems naming your company?   Do you have a great name?

I have recently been contacted by a company offering to help my website to be found by search engines. Are these companies good or are they fraudulent?

Yes and no on both counts.  If you cannot manage your website’s search engine optimization yourself, here are some things to look for and to look out for in any company you hire:

First, I would be very cautious about companies coming to you, especially those who telemarket or send unsolicited emails.  If they are good at what they do they shouldn’t have to engage in push marketing (people would find them on the internet, right?).  The exceptions would be a familiarity with your industry, geographic proximity or some other compelling reason to engage in business with them.

The next often-omitted step is checking references.  If the business was referred to you, this might already be taken care of.  Find out what they were able to do for other businesses and see what their expectations are for your website and what they can do to improve your search engine rankings.  This is important, as there are different levels of competition for different terms.  For example, imagine trying to be on page one for a Google search on “iPad” vs. “Procurement Technical Assistance Center in Wyoming” and you can imagine which term would be easier to have better rankings for.

Find out how they seek your input and keep up to date with your search terms.  The search terms should not be industry jargon.  They should be the words your customers use, especially when searching for you, your product or service and these search terms should appear in your webpages.  Normally these terms change over time, so what will they do to keep up?  Will they monitor and report your rankings on important terms?

Finally, if you have the slightest concern that the company might use unscrupulous techniques, stay away.  The techniques I am mentioning are things such as using phony web pages that backlink to you, stuffing your pages with text the same color as the background (Google (or any other search engine)can read it in the code whereas your visitors will not see it) and other tricks.  When (not if) Google catches people using these techniques it will blacklist the entire site.  Being blacklisted means instead of just being on the fifth page of results, your site will never be found. 

If you have questions about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), how your site is doing or would like some help optimizing your site, please contact us at www.wyen.biz.

 

Why Use Social Media?

Increasingly, many consumers are using social media channels like Facebook and Twitter to discuss companies, products and experiences with their friends and peers.  Monitoring what people say about your company, your service and your products is an excellent way to find out what you’re doing right or wrong. 

Consumers are also using these sites to research buying decisions.  If you are being discussed, it’s probably a good idea if you are part of the discussion.  A recent survey by ROI Research asked social network users the reasons they use social media to discuss products and services.  The table below shows some of the results:

View this photo

The study points out that when consumer voice complaints using social media channels, they tend to be in the areas of household products, telecommunications and healthcare.  Sports-related brands, magazines and newspapers and alcoholic beverages tend to receive relatively low levels of complaints. 
Would you refuse to discuss your products and services with a customer who came into your store?  If the answer is “yes”, then social media is probably not for you.  However, if you refuse to talk to your customers when they are trying to tell you what they like and dislike, then you may find it very challenging to be successful.  However, if you are interested in understanding how your and your products or services are perceived by the people who pay your bills, then social media can be a valuable tool and a way to connect with your customers.

No matter the industry, your customers are using social media and the web to research and discuss you.  If you want to be part of the discussion, you have to enter the conversation.

What have been your experiences with social media and your business?

With All of the Abilities of Social Media Are Websites Necessary?

Social media has exploded over the past several years.  In a listing dated August 17, 2011 showing the most popular websites, Facebook at number two is only topped by Google.  YouTube is third, Twitter ninth, Linkedin is 13th and WordPress 18th.  I’m pretty sure that our WyEn.biz isn’t in the top 1,000 and I guess that yours is not either.  So why maintain a website in the face of the barrage of social media?

The reason is simple.  Handling all of the options available to market your business on-line is a huge challenge.  Customers are faced with an absolute deluge of information and data, and if you want to help them, they need a central location to go to act on the interest that all of the social media efforts you may be doing has generated.  Social media is changing rapidly and social media sites come and go.  Your website can be a source of stability for both you and your customers.  Your website is where customers go when they want to get detailed information about your products and services.

Another reason to maintain your site is that YOU control the content.  Social media by its very nature is uncontrolled and you can present the story you want customers to read and address any problems on your terms.  This doesn’t mean that people won’t look you up and confirm your information on social media sites, but it does mean that in at least one area you can manage the discussion.
A final reason to keep your website is to avoid limitations.  Facebook, Linkedin and MySpace can all have e-commerce tools added in.  However, these tend to be limited in terms of layouts, size and content.  With your website, you can tell your story your way and be much more creative and unique.

In today’s world social media is a vital part of the marketing mix for any business, but don’t neglect your homebase – your website!

Are you using social media in conjunction with your website?  Have you decided to eliminate your website altogether?  If so how is it working?

Promoting Your Business Online - What is Social Media?

By Jason Kintzler
We live in an unprecedented time. You, as a business owner, now have tools at your fingertips that allow you to connect your services or products directly to your customers and customers-to-be. Better yet, it doesn't cost much to make an impact. This fundamental shift is called, social media. Simply put, it's blending social interaction with technology. The cool part? New tools exist that can help you interact with your customers directly, instead of spending thousands on old advertising models. Tools like email, Twitter, Facebook and PitchEngine make cultivating of networks and sharing content more efficient.

These new channels allows organizations to interact directly and individually with customers and influencers. Organizations that do this well will naturally prosper (e.g., New Belgium Brewing, American Red Cross, and GEICO). The internet has brought us unprecedented transparency. Your ability to reach out directly to your consumer means no longer relying upon others to tell your story. The story is now yours to share, complete with all the passion and experience that you bring. After all, doing good business shouldn't depend on your ad budget.

Jason Kintzler is a former journalist turned PR pro. Jason is Founder and CEO of PitchEngine, in Riverton, Wyoming. Pitchengine has 30,000 brands ranging from Fortune 500 to independent business owners using the platform to promote their business online. He maintains a blog at: jasonkintzler.com and can be found on twitter at @jasonkintzler.

The Internet and the World - an introduction

By Anya Petersen-Frey, Regional Director, MBA, PhD (abd), Certified Global Business Professional

Recently, Amy in Burns asked me about tips to use the Internet to explore reaching the global market for her retail product.  Below is just a small initiation into this topic but it is a starting point. 

First let's review the value of considering the worldwide market.  Anne Kennedy, in an article for Web Content Today (January, 2011 from http://www.wilsonweb.com/seo/kennedy-global1.htm),  offers the following data:

• 86% of the people using the Internet around the world are outside the US, quite a drop from 1996 when two-thirds of the world's Internet users were US-based. Europe is home to more of the world's online population than all of the Americas combined. Add the burgeoning Internet use in large populations in Asia and it becomes clear the best opportunities for website marketing will be outside the US.
• US search engine searches expanded only 18% last year. But China's searches grew 32%, Korea's 34%, and Brazil's 38%. The biggest gainer was the Russian Federation with a whopping 92% increase in search engine use.
• The percentage of Internet shoppers in the US has been edged out by South Korea, Germany, Japan and the UK, where virtually all those with Internet access shop online.

In theory, as soon as you build and publish your website to the world-wide web you have created a globally accessible page.  But just because a global audience can get to it, does not mean that your page will be understandable around the world.  And this does not mean just language. While a great deal can go into creating a more world-wide friendly website below are a few things to consider that are relatively easy to implement:

• If your page is about a regionally specific topic, then make sure you indicate that. Preferably right in the title of the page. Put the region in the keywords and page description as well. This will insure that someone in another country does not get frustrated by a site that only caters to a certain geographic area.
• Even a regional topic or product might have value to global viewers. What if someone from another country, say Germany,  is visiting your home town and needs a particular service there? You might consider expanding your site to give more generic information that would appeal to a more global audience.

Have you ever found your way to a website in a foreign language and attempted to buy something on it, or even to just navigate it? Think about how confusing that experience was for you and realize how confusing your US-based English language website could look to visitors in other countries.  Simplify pages as you are able and assess ease of navigation.

The first step might be to have a web optimization and review done on your website as it is now - and then decide where it can be simplified or adjusted to better meet a broader world view.   Contact our Market Research Center or myself to order a web optimization report at no cost.

The following blog, Building Keystones, gives some nice examples of how website are viewed in different countries.

http://www.buildingkeystones.com/2010/11/designing-for-different-markets/

If you have a business that has had success getting orders via your Internet site, please share your experience with us here. 

Boring Website? Try Running it Like a Magazine!

One of the things we hear frequently at the Market Research Center is that a company's website is not generating the traffic that the owners would like.  If this fits your situation, one of the first things you need to do is to make sure that your site is being indexed by search engines.  The Market Research Center offers a free web optimization service that provides a report on how well your site functions, how visible it is to search engines and gives advise on how to improve.  If you would like to take advantage of this service contact me at mikelamb@uwyo.edu

However, once you’ve optimized your website, you still may not get the number of visitors that you want.  Many times the problem is content.  Ken Gordon, writing on MarketingProfs.com, suggests that many company websites are “incredibly, absurdly, infuriatingly dull.”  A boring site is one that doesn’t get many visitors.  His suggestion to avoid website doldrums?  Run your website like it is a magazine.   Try some of the following ideas:

1. Feature Stories.  These are the main attraction and have content that relates to your website and to what your customers want to know.  If you have exclusive content that is of value, then your website will tend to thrive.

2. “Front of the Book” section.  These are the short articles that tend to be at the front of magazines.  Highlight a new trend, a new product or service.  Make the articles short and fun.

3. Service Pieces.  These are articles that give things like “the five best ways to start a stalled engine”, “10 ways to save $15”, etc.  These need to relate to your company, but can be a great way to make people interested in your content.

4. News.  Include journalism on your site!  Stories should be fresh and should address the “who, what, where, when and why” of an issue.  Interview people, but be even-handed and fair.  By providing true news you can become a trusted source.

5. Opinion.  Go ahead a give your opinion.  Typically this is done on your blog.  Here you can say what you think.  However, it’s always best to make sure that you offer a forum to opposing views.  By doing so, you increase the discussion and relevance of your site.

6. Humor.  Humor is hard work, but if done properly can be great.  If you have someone who is naturally funny…put them to work.

Don’t be afraid to experiment.  With your website run like a magazine, you can add and remove departments, try new types of features and experiment.  Eventually you will end up with content your customers love and that they’ll recommend to their friends.

What do you think of this idea?  Do you do anything like this with your website?

Web Analytics

There is a disconnect between people who are looking on the internet for specific information and web developers that make it hard to find.  People want to do business with you and give up because of a difficult website.

I attended a web analytics conference in May.   It was all about conversion and web measurement.  How will you know if your website is doing its job unless you can measure it in some fashion?  I knew about Google Analytics but I did not know that there is a whole emerging field surrounding analytics that includes not only static web pages but product pages, check outs, forms, surveys and now the ever popular social media including the fastest growing way to reach folks…video.

Everything can be measured; the amount of time people are spending on an interactive page, where and when they left, how much of a video they watched, and how much of a form did they fill out before they got disgusted and left.  All of this information is needed so that a website can be re-worked and customers will stay on your site, resulting in higher revenues.  The key is to not only gather analytical data, but to act on it.  Transform your website into one that will lead to conversions and a richer ROI.

If your website is not doing what you want it to do, I suggest studying up on analytics so that you can have an intelligent conversation with your web developer to see what changes could be made.  The Wyoming Market Research Center offers a website analysis service at no charge to

Wyoming

folks.  Contact us at 307-766-5405 or visit our website at

http://www.wyomingentrepreneur.biz

ROI ON SPONSORED GOOGLE ADS

As some of you may already know - I really Like vacations and planning vacations.  This summer, we are heading to Alaska.  After spending several frustrating weekend mornings trying to figure out how to format this trip, I accidentally arrived at "The Place" (and . . . I'll let you know if this is truly "the place" after our trip in August).  I got into a conversation with the proprietor about how he advertises, as I only found the lodge through a link on a rather obscure outdoors website.  He explained to me that he spends around $10,000/year on a sponsored Google ad, which fills-up all of his cabins all summer annually.  He does essentially no other advertising.  So . . . to all the Wyoming tourist folks, this might be a good (albeit somewhat expensive) medium to try.