Get Them and Keep Them

Creating Fresh Content

After multiple web site redesigns, one of the things I have learned is that not all "fresh content" is created equally.

Yes, a press release can be considered fresh content. And, a new testimonial or customer announcement can be considered "fresh content".

But if you are really trying to drive viewers to your site on a regular basis, you need to come up with the fresh content that truly engages your visitors. It could be compelling articles, or videos, or tips, hints, industry commentary or can't-do-without news. It just has to be information that your visitors want to see regularly.

Of course, that's easier said than done... It takes a lot of effort to create compelling fresh content. But you'll find that it's certainly worth the effort.

Technorati Tags: web, fresh content

Link Building - It can be fun

Every wireless, SaaS or other subscriber-based business should learn the fine art of link building. It's not only good for your existing customers, but can help you get new ones. Here's why:

When you create articles, top 10 lists, or great pieces of information that other sites want to link to, you are helping boost your ranking with the search engines and drive traffic to your site.

Search engines look at the number and quality of the links to your site, and how relevant the content is to help determine your site's page rank, or where you net out on the search engine results page (are you at the top or the bottom of page one or 20?).

At the same time, links from other sites can also drive traffic to your site.

So how do you build links? There's lots of ways. Here are some of my favorites:

• Create lists that recommend, such as "Top 10 Tips to..."
• Create lists that debunk, such as "Top 10 Mistakes..."
• Create lists of resources that are useful for people within your sector.
• Offer a free podcast, or podcasts.
• Release a free widget, or calculator for your product category.

There are lots more ways...

Technorati Tags link building, links

Conversion Rates - The Metric that Matters Most

For many subscription-based businesses, the company web site has become a major distribution point for service and information. B2B and B2C customers can often sign-up for mobile phone, SaaS, WiMAX and other services, often without any human intervention. They can also test the service, get more information or even get a phone call from a sales rep.

So finding the web site (via SEO), and customer experience, have become far more critical than in years past.

But among all the metrics measuring SEO and customer experience, there's one metric that matters the most: conversion rates.  Are prospects converting to buyers on the site? Or, are they converting to trial offers? Are they signing up for information, or filling out a contact form, or emailing or calling you on the phone? Are they doing whatever it is you want them to do?  And, are those conversion rates going in the right direction?

Of course, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay attention to other metrics, like bounce rates, traffic, rankings, time-on-site, etc. All of these will help you improve customer experience, which in turn, should help you convert more customers. But the bottom line: Conversion is King.

Stoney deGeyter, author of the excellent article, 10 Useless SEO Worries (part two), puts it even more succinctly:

Focusing on the conversions is where the money's at. In fact, the better your conversion rate, the less traffic you have to rely on. And relying on less is always a good thing in an online world when things can change overnight.

 

Technorati Tags: conversion rates, web metrics, SEO, customer experience

Loyalty programs; No Good Exit Strategy

After spending a good part of my career up-selling and retaining customers, I have learned one thing about loyalty programs (like points and earned perks): There's no good exit strategy.

Unlike other marketing programs, loyalty programs can't be ended gracefully. If the program becomes too costly or doesn't generate enough traction, the company is over a proverbial barrel.

Should the company decide to take away customers' points, or any special perks, the company is, in effect telling its most "loyal" customers, "Your business isn't that important" and customer defections are likely.

If the company decides to stick it out, the cost of the loyalty program will invariably grow.

Thus, there's no good exit strategy for loyalty programs, even when executed as a test. That's not to say customer loyalty programs don't have their place. In some industries, like credit cards and airlines, loyalty programs are a critical part of the value proposition.

However, before committing to a loyalty program, your company may want to explore all other options first.

And then, you may want to ask yourself, "What has stopped me from getting a tattoo?"
If the answer is "I can't remove it easily." Then loyalty programs may not be good choice for you either.

Technorati Tags: loyalty programs,retention

What Two Words Will Google Your Site?

When you are thinking about key words, you might want to think in twos.

According to a new study published in ClickZ: "Internet users who type two words for on a search engine query account for 31.9 percent of searches worldwide. Three-word phrases are used for 27 percent of searches. A single word accounts for 15.2 percent of queries, and four words are used for 14.8 percent of searches."

So, when you optimize your site for search engines, you may want to select key words consisting of two words, instead of three or four. That could help you drive traffic to your site.

Here's a real life example. According to Overture, the following searches were conducted in January 2007 for remote access software (which can be delivered as a SaaS product). You'll see that the number of searches decreases as the number of keywords increase):

             

earches done in January 2007
Count	Search Term
1939	access remote software
208	access pc remote software
138	access free remote software
108	access computer remote software
43	access best remote software
28	access remote server software

Of course, if four words specifically describe your product or service, you may want to continuously use those four words throughout your site. The number of searchers who find your site may decrease, but you also may get more qualified visitors.

Technorati Tags: SEO, remote access software, keywords