14/01: 7 Keyword Sins To Avoid
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
If you are the owner of a website or in the process of creating one, you may have heard of the phrase keyword and/or keywords: proper use of both in your website's content are vital to its online success. The following is a primer on what we find to be the 7 most common mistakes of keyword usage.
1. Failing to use them at all
Warning: failure to use proper keywords can be hazardous to your website's health. Although flippant, this is serious business and can result in your website getting lost in space.
2. Using only one keyword research tool
Without going into too much detail, Search Engine Marketer's have a number of keyword research tools and resources at their disposal, some free and some for a fee. Results vary depending on the keyword research tool used, as certain keyword research tools draw from different data. It is wise to use a few differing resources to compare and cross-reference results; thereby ensuring your keyword list is complete and accurate.
3. Using a single keyword or phrase on a page
A good rule of thumb is to use a theme rather than one word or term repeated over and over. For example, if we offered web design in Toronto (hey, that's what we do!), we may create a page under our services section and use the term 'web design in Toronto' a number of different ways; for example,
Web design company in Toronto
Toronto Web design company
Web design in Toronto
Web design services in Toronto
In this case, the theme is 'web design services' offered in 'Toronto'. Although similar keyword phrases are being used in different combinations, they all support the same theme.
4. Using too many keywords relative to the amount of overall text
In geek speak, this may be referred to as 'keyword spamming' or 'keyword stuffing': search engines consider it a deceptive practice and if flagged, could get you penalized or banned from the search engines results pages. Also, it may be seen as redundant or poorly written from the reader's point of view. Although there are no hard & fast rules and/or ratios (i.e. keywords cannot exceed 10% of total combined page or website text); common sense should prevail. If your text starts to read or sound like a broken record, chances are the search engines will view it the same way. In essence, keyword stuff at your own risk.
5. Using too few keywords relative to the amount of overall text
Rest assured that you'll never get penalized or banned by search engines for using too few relevant keywords in your content: that said, your results in the SERP's won't be much to write home about either.
It can be challenging knowing where to draw the line. That said, web content and copywriting is not an exact science. Some would call it part art and part science and I would have to agree. The best web content and copywriting contains a good mix of relevant keywords and reads/sounds natural.
6. Aiming too broadly
There are keywords and there are keywords. For example, if you are in the Automotive Industry, perhaps a Honda retailer, optimizing your website for the keyword 'Honda' would be a challenge: it would require $$$, skill and lots of patience. As of January 14, 2008 there were 231 million results for 'Honda'.
7. Being too specific
Conversely, by being too specific, you risk alienating and missing potential traffic. Going back to the 'web design services in Toronto' example, it wouldn't make good business sense to focus on too small an area or niche. For example, specializing in 'web design for silkworm hatcheries in Toronto' would make us unique in the web design space, in addition to poor. As of January 14th 2008, there were 863 results in Google for 'silkworm hatcheries in Toronto'.
In essence, be creative in your keyword research and usage. There are industry specific terms and phrases that present opportunity; it's just a matter of doing your homework and finding those opportunities. If you dig hard enough, you'll find keyword gold.
Business Development – Toronto Web Design Company
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
1. Failing to use them at all
Warning: failure to use proper keywords can be hazardous to your website's health. Although flippant, this is serious business and can result in your website getting lost in space.
2. Using only one keyword research tool
Without going into too much detail, Search Engine Marketer's have a number of keyword research tools and resources at their disposal, some free and some for a fee. Results vary depending on the keyword research tool used, as certain keyword research tools draw from different data. It is wise to use a few differing resources to compare and cross-reference results; thereby ensuring your keyword list is complete and accurate.
3. Using a single keyword or phrase on a page
A good rule of thumb is to use a theme rather than one word or term repeated over and over. For example, if we offered web design in Toronto (hey, that's what we do!), we may create a page under our services section and use the term 'web design in Toronto' a number of different ways; for example,
Web design company in Toronto
Toronto Web design company
Web design in Toronto
Web design services in Toronto
In this case, the theme is 'web design services' offered in 'Toronto'. Although similar keyword phrases are being used in different combinations, they all support the same theme.
4. Using too many keywords relative to the amount of overall text
In geek speak, this may be referred to as 'keyword spamming' or 'keyword stuffing': search engines consider it a deceptive practice and if flagged, could get you penalized or banned from the search engines results pages. Also, it may be seen as redundant or poorly written from the reader's point of view. Although there are no hard & fast rules and/or ratios (i.e. keywords cannot exceed 10% of total combined page or website text); common sense should prevail. If your text starts to read or sound like a broken record, chances are the search engines will view it the same way. In essence, keyword stuff at your own risk.
5. Using too few keywords relative to the amount of overall text
Rest assured that you'll never get penalized or banned by search engines for using too few relevant keywords in your content: that said, your results in the SERP's won't be much to write home about either.
It can be challenging knowing where to draw the line. That said, web content and copywriting is not an exact science. Some would call it part art and part science and I would have to agree. The best web content and copywriting contains a good mix of relevant keywords and reads/sounds natural.
6. Aiming too broadly
There are keywords and there are keywords. For example, if you are in the Automotive Industry, perhaps a Honda retailer, optimizing your website for the keyword 'Honda' would be a challenge: it would require $$$, skill and lots of patience. As of January 14, 2008 there were 231 million results for 'Honda'.
7. Being too specific
Conversely, by being too specific, you risk alienating and missing potential traffic. Going back to the 'web design services in Toronto' example, it wouldn't make good business sense to focus on too small an area or niche. For example, specializing in 'web design for silkworm hatcheries in Toronto' would make us unique in the web design space, in addition to poor. As of January 14th 2008, there were 863 results in Google for 'silkworm hatcheries in Toronto'.
In essence, be creative in your keyword research and usage. There are industry specific terms and phrases that present opportunity; it's just a matter of doing your homework and finding those opportunities. If you dig hard enough, you'll find keyword gold.
Business Development – Toronto Web Design Company
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Question: How do I Optimize Content for Generic Searches on Google, Yahoo! and MSN?
This is the $64,000.00 question and a challenge faced by any website owner serious about attracting qualified traffic and leads. As smart as search engines are, they can't always determine a searcher’s true intent. For instance, the word ‘bridge’ has many meanings to Google, especially since the context is not clear. Google returned 206,000,000 results at the time of this search for the word ‘bridge’: some of the ‘bridge’ references included;
o dental ‘bridges’
o construction ‘bridges’
o The card game known as ‘bridge’
o ‘bridge’ mixture candies and more...
While recently at a business meeting, I met a manufacturer of high end ‘neon signs’. He was disappointed with the search engine results – or lack thereof – that his expensive website was getting. He asked if we would look at it to see if we could determine the problem. Upon further analysis, the website had been poorly written; the only relevant key word visible – and used sparingly- was the word ‘sign’. A search for the word ‘sign’ on Google delivers 176,000,000 results of today, with Google prompting the searcher by providing other ‘sign’ related references, such as;
o Zodiac signs
o Astrology signs
o Pregnancy signs
o Wood signs and more...
Question: I have a sense of how people search for my products, how can I confirm if I’m right?
There are a number of ways you can determine the key words and phrases that your target audience will use, both qualitative and quantitative, such as;
o Guessing what the words are based on your industry experience
o Reviewing what key words/phrases the top ranked websites in your industry use
o Using proven research methods to determine which key words, phrases and combinations of both are most popular and often used
Essentially, all 3 methods can be helpful in nailing down the best key word phrases for your website. I like to create a list of keywords that I feel should be popular for a subject and compare it to the feedback I get from my quantitative key word research: I’m always surprised at the differences in the way I would search versus how other people search for the same products and services, especially when you add synonyms and plurals into the mix. For example, would you use the term ‘car’ or ‘automobile’, or ‘baby’ and ‘infant’ if you were targeting car products or baby products? More importantly, which would your audience use? After all, they mean the same things, right?
Knowing who your audience is and how they search for your products and services will help put more food on your plate. For more information on professional key word research and discovery for you and your website's success, contact us today for a free no obligations q
Business Development – Toronto Web Design Company
Phone: 416.482.8932
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
This is the $64,000.00 question and a challenge faced by any website owner serious about attracting qualified traffic and leads. As smart as search engines are, they can't always determine a searcher’s true intent. For instance, the word ‘bridge’ has many meanings to Google, especially since the context is not clear. Google returned 206,000,000 results at the time of this search for the word ‘bridge’: some of the ‘bridge’ references included;
o dental ‘bridges’
o construction ‘bridges’
o The card game known as ‘bridge’
o ‘bridge’ mixture candies and more...
While recently at a business meeting, I met a manufacturer of high end ‘neon signs’. He was disappointed with the search engine results – or lack thereof – that his expensive website was getting. He asked if we would look at it to see if we could determine the problem. Upon further analysis, the website had been poorly written; the only relevant key word visible – and used sparingly- was the word ‘sign’. A search for the word ‘sign’ on Google delivers 176,000,000 results of today, with Google prompting the searcher by providing other ‘sign’ related references, such as;
o Zodiac signs
o Astrology signs
o Pregnancy signs
o Wood signs and more...
Question: I have a sense of how people search for my products, how can I confirm if I’m right?
There are a number of ways you can determine the key words and phrases that your target audience will use, both qualitative and quantitative, such as;
o Guessing what the words are based on your industry experience
o Reviewing what key words/phrases the top ranked websites in your industry use
o Using proven research methods to determine which key words, phrases and combinations of both are most popular and often used
Essentially, all 3 methods can be helpful in nailing down the best key word phrases for your website. I like to create a list of keywords that I feel should be popular for a subject and compare it to the feedback I get from my quantitative key word research: I’m always surprised at the differences in the way I would search versus how other people search for the same products and services, especially when you add synonyms and plurals into the mix. For example, would you use the term ‘car’ or ‘automobile’, or ‘baby’ and ‘infant’ if you were targeting car products or baby products? More importantly, which would your audience use? After all, they mean the same things, right?
Knowing who your audience is and how they search for your products and services will help put more food on your plate. For more information on professional key word research and discovery for you and your website's success, contact us today for a free no obligations q
Business Development – Toronto Web Design Company
Phone: 416.482.8932
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Question: How do we get on the First Page of Google?
This is a common question our web design and development teams are often asked. And it’s a great question. It makes sense that the majority of web traffic to your site should be driven vis-à-vis search engines – emphasis on SEARCH. In response to this question, we will ask the client the following; “What do you want to show up on the First page of Google for?” For example, if they happen to be from Kapuskasing (A small town in Northern Ontario) and running a worm hatchery, chances are excellent we can guarantee first page placement for them on Google in the 'Organic' or 'Free' Search Listings. That being the case, a popular search phrase may be ‘Kapuskasing Worm Hatchery’ (of which 40 results appeared at the time of this search on Google; with little or no competition). If on the other hand, someone wants to rank on the first page of Google for ‘Web Site Design in Toronto’ of which 2,600,000 results appear, this may be more complicated as competition is fierce.
Question: Who is searching for us on Google?
Generally speaking, there are 2 types of searchers. There are those that know you and your company and are looking specifically for your business name and/or website address. Let’s call this a ‘direct search’ in that they have direction. In the case of the first example, they will most likely enter ‘Kapuskasing Worm Hatchery’ as the search string. If the site has been properly and professionally optimized for search engines, they should appear prominently on the first page in the free portion of the search engine results. At the very least, their business name and website address should appear on the first page of Google (i.e. www.kapuskasing-worm-hatchery.com) for this search.
The second types are those that do not have a specific business name and/or website address in mind: Let’s call this an indirect or ‘generic search’. In the case of our fictional ‘Hatchery’, the search string used would likely be ‘Worm Hatchery Kapuskasing’ or ‘Hatchery Worm Kapuskasing’ and/or a number of other variations on the same theme.
Question: Who do I optimize my website for?
You optimize your website for both types of searchers – those specifically looking for you and your business and those looking for the products and/or services you offer. It helps to be as specific as possible. For example, if our fictional ‘Hatchery’ was a local business only servicing ‘Kapuskasing’, it would make sense to localize the search and your website to that product, service and region. Optimizing this site for the more generic term ‘Worm Hatchery’ would yield more generic, non-regional and more competitive results (70,700 results as of the time of this search): in essence, the more generic the website and its target audience, the more generic the results. Know your audience, what they want and need. This will result in a more targeted website which will yield more targeted results and a higher Return on Investment
Business Development – Toronto Web Design Company
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.657
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
This is a common question our web design and development teams are often asked. And it’s a great question. It makes sense that the majority of web traffic to your site should be driven vis-à-vis search engines – emphasis on SEARCH. In response to this question, we will ask the client the following; “What do you want to show up on the First page of Google for?” For example, if they happen to be from Kapuskasing (A small town in Northern Ontario) and running a worm hatchery, chances are excellent we can guarantee first page placement for them on Google in the 'Organic' or 'Free' Search Listings. That being the case, a popular search phrase may be ‘Kapuskasing Worm Hatchery’ (of which 40 results appeared at the time of this search on Google; with little or no competition). If on the other hand, someone wants to rank on the first page of Google for ‘Web Site Design in Toronto’ of which 2,600,000 results appear, this may be more complicated as competition is fierce.
Question: Who is searching for us on Google?
Generally speaking, there are 2 types of searchers. There are those that know you and your company and are looking specifically for your business name and/or website address. Let’s call this a ‘direct search’ in that they have direction. In the case of the first example, they will most likely enter ‘Kapuskasing Worm Hatchery’ as the search string. If the site has been properly and professionally optimized for search engines, they should appear prominently on the first page in the free portion of the search engine results. At the very least, their business name and website address should appear on the first page of Google (i.e. www.kapuskasing-worm-hatchery.com) for this search.
The second types are those that do not have a specific business name and/or website address in mind: Let’s call this an indirect or ‘generic search’. In the case of our fictional ‘Hatchery’, the search string used would likely be ‘Worm Hatchery Kapuskasing’ or ‘Hatchery Worm Kapuskasing’ and/or a number of other variations on the same theme.
Question: Who do I optimize my website for?
You optimize your website for both types of searchers – those specifically looking for you and your business and those looking for the products and/or services you offer. It helps to be as specific as possible. For example, if our fictional ‘Hatchery’ was a local business only servicing ‘Kapuskasing’, it would make sense to localize the search and your website to that product, service and region. Optimizing this site for the more generic term ‘Worm Hatchery’ would yield more generic, non-regional and more competitive results (70,700 results as of the time of this search): in essence, the more generic the website and its target audience, the more generic the results. Know your audience, what they want and need. This will result in a more targeted website which will yield more targeted results and a higher Return on Investment
Business Development – Toronto Web Design Company
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.657
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
07/11: Is Content Really King?
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Simply put – YES…
The previous web design blog post dealt with the ‘management of content’; however, let’s take it one step further – how does your existing (or new) content stack up in the eyes of the major search engines and your target audience? The answer to these questions boils down to one word – RELEVANCE. Merriam Webster defines relevance as, “the ability (as of an information retrieval system) to retrieve material that satisfies the needs of the user”. Naturally, it helps to know who your users/visitors are and what their needs are.
Inform Your Web Visitors by Answering Who, What, When, Where, Why and How
Based on our expertise as web designers, web developers and web content creators in Toronto, we can speak intelligently on the subject: the majority of visitors to any website are looking for information – more specifically, information on your products and/or services. Visitors to your website will have 2 questions in mind; especially if they are new to your site. Question #1 – “Do You? Question #2 – “Can You?” For example, someone searching online for a web designer or web design company in Toronto (hey, that’s what we do!) may want to know if you also do web hosting. Keep in mind that if you don’t let them know what you do, they won’t know you do it. It’s kind of like winking at someone in the dark – you know you winked at them, but do they know? The subject of quality web content is more complex than this web design blog post addresses, but for the sake of brevity will suffice for the time being.
Google's View on Content
Now that we reviewed a few of the things visitors expect to find on your site, it’s time to review a few of the things that search engines expect and value: As Kleenex is to Tissue Paper, so Google is to Searching and is where we’ll begin. Posted under Google’s ‘Design and Content Guidelines’ are the following pointers;
• Create a useful, information-rich site, and write pages that clearly and accurately describe your content.
• Think about the words users would type to find your pages, and make sure that your site actually includes those words within it.
• Try to use text instead of images to display important names, content, or links. The Google crawler doesn't recognize text contained in images.
Yahoo's View on Content
Posted under the ‘Yahoo! Search Content Quality Guidelines”, Yahoo! tells us that they “strive to provide the best search experience on the Web by directing searchers to high-quality and relevant web content in response to a search query.” Furthermore, they point out the following in regards to website content and ask that you provide users with;
• Original and unique content of genuine value
• Pages designed primarily for humans, with search engine considerations secondary
• Links intended to help people find interesting, related content, when applicable
• Metadata (including title and description) that accurately describes the contents of a web page
• Good web design in general
The verdict is in…
The 2 most popular search engines want your site to have ORIGINAL, USEFUL and CONTENT-RICH INFORMATION. Writing for your audience – and the search engines – will yield quality traffic and an attractive Return On Investment.
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
The previous web design blog post dealt with the ‘management of content’; however, let’s take it one step further – how does your existing (or new) content stack up in the eyes of the major search engines and your target audience? The answer to these questions boils down to one word – RELEVANCE. Merriam Webster defines relevance as, “the ability (as of an information retrieval system) to retrieve material that satisfies the needs of the user”. Naturally, it helps to know who your users/visitors are and what their needs are.
Inform Your Web Visitors by Answering Who, What, When, Where, Why and How
Based on our expertise as web designers, web developers and web content creators in Toronto, we can speak intelligently on the subject: the majority of visitors to any website are looking for information – more specifically, information on your products and/or services. Visitors to your website will have 2 questions in mind; especially if they are new to your site. Question #1 – “Do You? Question #2 – “Can You?” For example, someone searching online for a web designer or web design company in Toronto (hey, that’s what we do!) may want to know if you also do web hosting. Keep in mind that if you don’t let them know what you do, they won’t know you do it. It’s kind of like winking at someone in the dark – you know you winked at them, but do they know? The subject of quality web content is more complex than this web design blog post addresses, but for the sake of brevity will suffice for the time being.
Google's View on Content
Now that we reviewed a few of the things visitors expect to find on your site, it’s time to review a few of the things that search engines expect and value: As Kleenex is to Tissue Paper, so Google is to Searching and is where we’ll begin. Posted under Google’s ‘Design and Content Guidelines’ are the following pointers;
• Create a useful, information-rich site, and write pages that clearly and accurately describe your content.
• Think about the words users would type to find your pages, and make sure that your site actually includes those words within it.
• Try to use text instead of images to display important names, content, or links. The Google crawler doesn't recognize text contained in images.
Yahoo's View on Content
Posted under the ‘Yahoo! Search Content Quality Guidelines”, Yahoo! tells us that they “strive to provide the best search experience on the Web by directing searchers to high-quality and relevant web content in response to a search query.” Furthermore, they point out the following in regards to website content and ask that you provide users with;
• Original and unique content of genuine value
• Pages designed primarily for humans, with search engine considerations secondary
• Links intended to help people find interesting, related content, when applicable
• Metadata (including title and description) that accurately describes the contents of a web page
• Good web design in general
The verdict is in…
The 2 most popular search engines want your site to have ORIGINAL, USEFUL and CONTENT-RICH INFORMATION. Writing for your audience – and the search engines – will yield quality traffic and an attractive Return On Investment.
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Content Management Systems Give You Control Over Your Website
If you’re reading this web design blog post, you’re most likely the owner of a website or considering having one built: whichever one applies, consider what happens after your shiny new website goes live. More specifically web maintenance, updates and changes.
The better websites out there tend to be ‘interactive’, ‘dynamic’ and like the Internet, are constantly evolving. You may have heard of Web 2.0, also known as the next evolution of the Internet: essentially, Web 2.0 is about user-generated-content; some examples being www.flickr.com, www.technorati.com, www.digg.com and others: all of these Web 2.0 examples allow users to have control over their content in addition to easily publishing content.
Make Instantaneous Text and Graphic Changes to Your Website
Like the above mentioned examples, Content Management Systems allow you – the website owner – to have control over what visitors to your website see and do. Some of the more common changes you’ll want to make as a website owner are the following;
• Text i.e. editing, updating, archiving, deleting and publishing
• Images i.e. uploading, resizing, cropping & naming
• Catalogues i.e. changes to price, descriptions, sku’s, tax and shipping rates
That said, there are limitless other applications that can benefit from web content management systems. Case in point: we were recently contacted and contracted for a web design project in Toronto by a non-profit organization – www.fswc.ca. They hired us to create an interactive ‘online calendar’, ‘course registration process’, ‘secure credit card collection form’ and ‘interactive reference library’; all with the ability of staff to manage the flow of information and content vis-à-vis a robust password protected administration panel and secure back end. In essence, they now have the ability to make changes to the CMS portions of their website 24/7/365. The content management system has saved them countless hours and has put control of their website back in their hands.
To find out more about how a Content Management System can help save you and your organization time and money, contact Leading Website Designs in Toronto today...
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
If you’re reading this web design blog post, you’re most likely the owner of a website or considering having one built: whichever one applies, consider what happens after your shiny new website goes live. More specifically web maintenance, updates and changes.
The better websites out there tend to be ‘interactive’, ‘dynamic’ and like the Internet, are constantly evolving. You may have heard of Web 2.0, also known as the next evolution of the Internet: essentially, Web 2.0 is about user-generated-content; some examples being www.flickr.com, www.technorati.com, www.digg.com and others: all of these Web 2.0 examples allow users to have control over their content in addition to easily publishing content.
Make Instantaneous Text and Graphic Changes to Your Website
Like the above mentioned examples, Content Management Systems allow you – the website owner – to have control over what visitors to your website see and do. Some of the more common changes you’ll want to make as a website owner are the following;
• Text i.e. editing, updating, archiving, deleting and publishing
• Images i.e. uploading, resizing, cropping & naming
• Catalogues i.e. changes to price, descriptions, sku’s, tax and shipping rates
That said, there are limitless other applications that can benefit from web content management systems. Case in point: we were recently contacted and contracted for a web design project in Toronto by a non-profit organization – www.fswc.ca. They hired us to create an interactive ‘online calendar’, ‘course registration process’, ‘secure credit card collection form’ and ‘interactive reference library’; all with the ability of staff to manage the flow of information and content vis-à-vis a robust password protected administration panel and secure back end. In essence, they now have the ability to make changes to the CMS portions of their website 24/7/365. The content management system has saved them countless hours and has put control of their website back in their hands.
To find out more about how a Content Management System can help save you and your organization time and money, contact Leading Website Designs in Toronto today...
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Lately we’ve been receiving a number of website re-design requests; the most common request being a site owner’s desire for a website facelift. At the end of the day, what they are really want is;
o Clarity
o Increased response
o Higher conversion rates
o More sales
Should the client engage our services, we’ll start reviewing their existing website from a user-centric point of view. The first question we ask is, “Can a visitor to your website’s Home Page determine what your company does at a glance”?
Simply put, is there a short description, image or both summarizing your product, service or value proposition? A glance is all a visitor will give your site once they’ve happened upon it. If your site lacks focus, consider creating a Tagline. Wikipedia defines Tagline as, “A variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product, or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product”.
From a Corporate standpoint, you may recognize some of the following taglines;
o “Drivers Wanted”
o “This Bud’s for You”
o “Just do it”
Most of us won’t have the multi-million dollar advertising budget to mass market the brands that the companies mentioned do: That said, your marketing efforts have resulted in a prospect landing on your site; once there, are they able to quickly discern whether you can fulfill their need? A good tagline can help the prospect determine this in addition to embracing your company’s message, mission, purpose, benefit or difference.
The litmus test is whether the message is clear and compelling: Some of the more memorable taglines I’ve encountered have come from fellow webpreneurs, for example;
“Write For The Net” – Creating original web content emphasizing your 'edge'
“Wild Apricot” - The Ultimate Membership Management Resource for Non Profits and Associations - Web 2.0 style!”
“Search Engine People.get found!” A Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm
Still not sure what an effective tagline is? Whether your site has one or not, ask 5 people to review your site and describe its purpose. Their answers should help to either determine the clarity – or lack thereof - of your message; or reinforce it.
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
o Clarity
o Increased response
o Higher conversion rates
o More sales
Should the client engage our services, we’ll start reviewing their existing website from a user-centric point of view. The first question we ask is, “Can a visitor to your website’s Home Page determine what your company does at a glance”?
Simply put, is there a short description, image or both summarizing your product, service or value proposition? A glance is all a visitor will give your site once they’ve happened upon it. If your site lacks focus, consider creating a Tagline. Wikipedia defines Tagline as, “A variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product, or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product”.
From a Corporate standpoint, you may recognize some of the following taglines;
o “Drivers Wanted”
o “This Bud’s for You”
o “Just do it”
Most of us won’t have the multi-million dollar advertising budget to mass market the brands that the companies mentioned do: That said, your marketing efforts have resulted in a prospect landing on your site; once there, are they able to quickly discern whether you can fulfill their need? A good tagline can help the prospect determine this in addition to embracing your company’s message, mission, purpose, benefit or difference.
The litmus test is whether the message is clear and compelling: Some of the more memorable taglines I’ve encountered have come from fellow webpreneurs, for example;
“Write For The Net” – Creating original web content emphasizing your 'edge'
“Wild Apricot” - The Ultimate Membership Management Resource for Non Profits and Associations - Web 2.0 style!”
“Search Engine People.get found!” A Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization firm
Still not sure what an effective tagline is? Whether your site has one or not, ask 5 people to review your site and describe its purpose. Their answers should help to either determine the clarity – or lack thereof - of your message; or reinforce it.
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Being the Sales & Marketing person for our web design company means fielding inquiries for those seeking web design & web redesign services: our advertising’s goal is to drive prospects to our website and compel them to contact us for more information or meet to discuss their web design needs. If Venus and Mars align and the client’s goals are in line with our value proposition, we’re in business.
Furthermore, another goal of our web design firm is to NEVER have one of our web designs appear on Vincent Flanders’ http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com.
Prior to this happening, I would sooner go on American Idol and let Simon abuse me in front of millions. The reason for this rant is the result of a lead that recently came to us and is titled;
Does your Website Compel or Repel?
The caller in question asked us to provide a proposal for a new website creation project; the website’s audience would cater to the client’s colleagues and patients. The prospect knew exactly what he wanted, with the focus of the website and Home Page on the following 2 elements;
i. A music file of the song ‘Zippadeedooda’
ii. A flash element of Tinker bell, stardust and a butterfly making their way across the Home Page
At this point, I was thinking of calling Vincent Flanders myself to let him know he’d have a new addition for ‘The Worst Websites of 2007’. If such a thing as the ‘Web Police’ existed, I’m confident they’d arrest the web design firm that actually created what the prospect was asking for. We informed the prospect that his web design concepts were counter productive to his lead generation efforts and broke a number of web usability guidelines, as pointed out by Jakob Nielsen’s alert box relating to flash and usability http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20001029.html. Although Mr. Nielson goes on to point out that Flash does have its place in web design and it has improved significantly from a usability stand since his original article in 2000, gratuitous use of Flash Media in most cases sabotages and repels web visitors rather than compel them to visit your site and take desired action.
The challenge faced with good web design is tempering the available technology with plain old common sense. Professional and Usable web design should not have to rely on gimmicks to attract and/or keep people on a website. All things being equal, intelligent web design and quality content will win out every time.
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Furthermore, another goal of our web design firm is to NEVER have one of our web designs appear on Vincent Flanders’ http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com.
Prior to this happening, I would sooner go on American Idol and let Simon abuse me in front of millions. The reason for this rant is the result of a lead that recently came to us and is titled;
Does your Website Compel or Repel?
The caller in question asked us to provide a proposal for a new website creation project; the website’s audience would cater to the client’s colleagues and patients. The prospect knew exactly what he wanted, with the focus of the website and Home Page on the following 2 elements;
i. A music file of the song ‘Zippadeedooda’
ii. A flash element of Tinker bell, stardust and a butterfly making their way across the Home Page
At this point, I was thinking of calling Vincent Flanders myself to let him know he’d have a new addition for ‘The Worst Websites of 2007’. If such a thing as the ‘Web Police’ existed, I’m confident they’d arrest the web design firm that actually created what the prospect was asking for. We informed the prospect that his web design concepts were counter productive to his lead generation efforts and broke a number of web usability guidelines, as pointed out by Jakob Nielsen’s alert box relating to flash and usability http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20001029.html. Although Mr. Nielson goes on to point out that Flash does have its place in web design and it has improved significantly from a usability stand since his original article in 2000, gratuitous use of Flash Media in most cases sabotages and repels web visitors rather than compel them to visit your site and take desired action.
The challenge faced with good web design is tempering the available technology with plain old common sense. Professional and Usable web design should not have to rely on gimmicks to attract and/or keep people on a website. All things being equal, intelligent web design and quality content will win out every time.
Business Development
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
Category: Professional Web Design Do's & Dont's
Posted by: Anonymous
Let’s review the ‘Contact Us’ section - the Rodney Dangerfield of web pages, usually getting “no respect” yet able to make or break a site.
We’ve boiled it down to 7 deadly “Contact Us’ page sins we frequently come across;
1. Who should I contact? The prospect has found your site and wants more information, but can’t identify who – from your contact list – is responsible. Is it Sales@yourco.com, Info@yourco.com, Service@yourco.com? Why make them think?
2. How long until someone gets back to me? Informing prospects of business hours and when they can expect a reply, builds credibility & trust.
3. Did they get the completed form I e-mailed to them? Auto Responders assure prospects their query was received – especially important in an emergency.
4. Why can’t I call them? Suppose the prospect’s Visa bill arrives and Amazon charged them for the wrong item - they want to speak to someone and soon: Amazon claims to be “committed to being Earth's most customer-centric company,” but try finding a phone number to speak to a ‘customer-centric’ person on their site. Unfortunately, this type of frustration is not specific to Amazon: still don’t believe me, check out the http://www.gethuman.com/earcon/standard.html project in the U.S.
5. Where’s the toll free number? The prospect lives in Windsor and wants to buy flowers for mom on Mother’s day – May 13th. Mom’s in Toronto. The prospect found your site and wants to call to place the order, but there’s no toll-free number. Maybe they’ll call, maybe they won’t. Why risk it?
6. What will they do with my “Contact Information”? The prospect found your e-tail site via Search and wants to place an order. With credit card in hand, they notice there is no Privacy Policy. An online (risky) purchase just got a whole lot riskier.
7. Why haven’t they replied to me? The prospect completed & sent the online ‘Request for Information’ form, but was never contacted. The prospect wonders how they’d be treated if they were an actual customer. Unless you are selling an egg-laying long-beaked echidna - or something as rare - chances are they’ll search for it elsewhere.
Essentially, make it easy for prospects to contact you. You’ve invested time, money and advertising to create and promote a professional web presence: providing easy and accessible contact options and alternatives just makes good business sense. As Geico says, make it "So easy a caveman can do it."
Business Development – Toronto Web Design
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com
We’ve boiled it down to 7 deadly “Contact Us’ page sins we frequently come across;
1. Who should I contact? The prospect has found your site and wants more information, but can’t identify who – from your contact list – is responsible. Is it Sales@yourco.com, Info@yourco.com, Service@yourco.com? Why make them think?
2. How long until someone gets back to me? Informing prospects of business hours and when they can expect a reply, builds credibility & trust.
3. Did they get the completed form I e-mailed to them? Auto Responders assure prospects their query was received – especially important in an emergency.
4. Why can’t I call them? Suppose the prospect’s Visa bill arrives and Amazon charged them for the wrong item - they want to speak to someone and soon: Amazon claims to be “committed to being Earth's most customer-centric company,” but try finding a phone number to speak to a ‘customer-centric’ person on their site. Unfortunately, this type of frustration is not specific to Amazon: still don’t believe me, check out the http://www.gethuman.com/earcon/standard.html project in the U.S.
5. Where’s the toll free number? The prospect lives in Windsor and wants to buy flowers for mom on Mother’s day – May 13th. Mom’s in Toronto. The prospect found your site and wants to call to place the order, but there’s no toll-free number. Maybe they’ll call, maybe they won’t. Why risk it?
6. What will they do with my “Contact Information”? The prospect found your e-tail site via Search and wants to place an order. With credit card in hand, they notice there is no Privacy Policy. An online (risky) purchase just got a whole lot riskier.
7. Why haven’t they replied to me? The prospect completed & sent the online ‘Request for Information’ form, but was never contacted. The prospect wonders how they’d be treated if they were an actual customer. Unless you are selling an egg-laying long-beaked echidna - or something as rare - chances are they’ll search for it elsewhere.
Essentially, make it easy for prospects to contact you. You’ve invested time, money and advertising to create and promote a professional web presence: providing easy and accessible contact options and alternatives just makes good business sense. As Geico says, make it "So easy a caveman can do it."
Business Development – Toronto Web Design
Phone: 416.482.8932
Toll: 1.866.473.6575
Grow Your Business On The Web – Handholding Included
www.leadingwebsitedesigns.com