Get Them and Keep Them

Does You Website Pass the Publix Test?

One of the reasons I like grocery shopping at Publix is because I am never surprised. I never have to ask, "Where is the canned black olives?" Or, "Can you point me in the direction of the pharmacy?" It's all very well laid out, labeled and intuitive. I know what I'll find in almost every aisle, and I know where to go when I'm looking for something.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing for many web sites. It takes a lot of clicks to find what I'm looking for, content is often mis-labeled, or not labeled at all, and often, I am disappointed because I didn't find what I want.

Essentially, the site fails the Publix test.

While getting a passing grade isn't easy, here are a few ideas to kick-start your efforts to make your site more customer-friendly.

• Make sure site top level navigation is very informative (not just "services" but "environmentally-sensitive services") see post, Top Level Navigation, Use it Wisely.
• Consolidate like content under the same navigation label. (For example, all product information, including FAQs should be grouped together).
• Stock the "shelf" or the site with lots of rich information properly identified. See post, Four Good Reasons for Building a Content Library on Your Site
• Place "Contact us" in the same place on every page.
• Place a free trial or demo in the same place in every page.
• Don't overwhelm visitors with Flash, use it very judiciously (remember it's not searchable, although there are work-arounds).
• Don't force the visitor to download press releases; provide them instead in HTML (which is better from a SEO perspective anyway).
• Identify photos with captions.
• Use internal links to connect like information. For example, a description for a member of the board should be connected directly to his/her press release.

Unlike the bread at Publix, a web site is never "baked." It takes a lot of time and testing to make it intuitive and easy-to-use.  But it's very much worth the effort. After all, wouldn't you prefer a company that cares about the customer experience, and makes it easy to do business?

Technorati Tags: Publix, user experience,web site, SEO, internal links

Green Bloggers - Good Marketing Opportunity for Tech Companies

If there were ever an opportunity for VPN, Remote Access Software providers, and web/video conferencing technologies to boost their sales, it's now. With the gas shortage in the Southeast, U.S. and the increasing emphasis on green, CEOs are looking - or should be looking - to save energy. And one of the top ways is reducing employee travel.

So, how should these technology companies reach beyond the IT departments? One way is to advertise in sustainable web sites or contact green bloggers. Any decent CEO, CMO or their staffs is reading these sites for ideas to green their organization.

Since I spent some time in the green space - as VP Marketing for Farmers' Almanac TV - I thought I'd share a list of some good sustainable blogs, plus their descriptions. Hope you enjoy it. Better yet, I hope your technology company starts reaching out to these bloggers today. At the very least, it should create some interest in your technology offering, and potentially generate online leads.

1) Tree Hugger:
TreeHugger is the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. Partial to a modern aesthetic, we strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information.
2) Eco Geek:   
Technology for the environment
3) Conscious Earth:
Earth-centred news for the health of air, water, habitat and the fight against global warming
4) Cleantech Blog:
Commentary on technologies, news, and issues relating to next generation energy and the environment.
5) Environmental Action Blog:
Environmental Action Blog - Current environmental issues and green energy news.
6) The Future is Green:
Thoughts on the coming of a society that is in balance with nature.
7) The Green Skeptic:    
The Green Skeptic is a blog devoted to challenging assumptions about how we live on the earth and protect our environment. There are four focus areas: global climate change, social entrepreneurs, microfinance, and clean tech innovations.
8)The Lazy Environmentalist:
Sustainable living made easy.
9) Lights Out America:
A grassroots community group organizing nationwide energy savings events.
10) Sustainablog:
News, information and personal meanderings related to environmental and economic sustainability, green and sustainable business, and environmental politics.
11) These Come From Trees
An experiment in environmentalism, viral marketing, and user interface design with the goal of reducing consumer waste paper.
12) Lighter Footstep:
Sustainable living ideas.
13) The Farmers' Almanac Green Blog
Every day tips for Earth-friendly living

Technorati Tags: green blogs, VPN, Remote Access Software, Tree Hugger, sustainable

Growth Metrics Important, But Fundamentals More Crucial

As both a mother and a marketer, it's very easy to get fixated on one metric: growth. I seem to focus on that for my children - two-month-old Sasha (pictured above), four-year-old Colby and six-year-old Joelle - as well as my clients' web sites.

But I have to stop myself every once in a while and say, "Stop looking at the numbers. Is each developing properly?" For example, in the case of my two-month old, is she starting to grab for things, hold her head up, smile, coo, etc. Thankfully, she is doing all those those things. So, theoretically, I should rest easy, knowing that the growth will come.

The same holds true for generating increases in web site traffic. If the site is consistently adding good, keyword-focused content; accruing inbound links with other sites; making experience improvements and receiving mentions in the social/ offline media, then logically, the traffic should increase.

So, while focusing on the metrics is important (and required), it's just as important to look at the fundamentals behind those numbers and keep the faith. If all the right things are happening, then growth will inevitably result.

Technorati Tags: traffic, metrics, keywords, social media

Four Good Reasons for Building a Content Library on Your Site

While I have two X chromosomes, I am missing the shopping gene. I just deplore heading from store to store to get whatever I'm looking for. I much prefer walking into a shop, finding what I want, getting all my questions answered, and then leaving with my purchase.

That attitude is true for my online "shopping" behavior as well. I like sites where I can get all the information and products/services I need - and not have to go elsewhere. 

Why is all this important? Well, just think about your site. Is it full of useful and extensive content that appeals to one-stop-shoppers in your market? Or is it  just a brochure about your products/services with a one-page FAQ about how to use?

If it's the latter, you may want to reconsider your web strategy. Putting complete and thoughtful content on your site about both your product and industry/market is critical for several reasons:

1) It provides a one-stop-shopping experience for potential clients/customers.
2) Gives clients/customers a reason to come back.
3) May generate links from other sites, who think enough of your content, that they are willing to send their traffic your way.
4) Positions your company as the industry leader.

So, what exactly is this complete and thoughtful content? That's up to you to decide, but you may want to consider articles that debunk industry myths, recent news, statistics, best practices and other vital information that customers/prospects need to not only evaluate your products/services but to put them in context with the competition and the overall marketplace.

Technorati Tags: content, web site, web strategy, links

New Job for Lehman Brothers, AIG and Merrill Lynch Execs: A blog

Given that a bunch of folks on Wall Street will be out of a job soon, they might want to consider self-employment. One idea that could prove lucrative, although certainly not in the ranks of what they previously earned, would be to write a blog.

According to the soon-to-be-released Technorati State of the Blogosphere Report, blogs that generate 100,000 unique visitors per month collect $75K+ in annual advertising revenue. And, the initial investment is $1,800 on average.

So, what should these men and women write about? Well, here are a few of my suggestions:

• Don't put your eggs in one derivatives basket
• Learning Restraint
• How to lose an empire
• How to enrage taxpayers in a few easy steps

Ok, I'm being a bit facetious, but the fact that blogs have generated significant advertising dollars provide even further evidence that social media is becoming a true advertising medium. And, niche blogs could be a good place to attract a very targeted audience for your business.

Technorati Tags: blog, financial crisis, AIg, Merrill Lynch

Checklists for SEO - Headings

Since I'm a mother of three and consult full time, I always have to create lists. It's the only way I can function on a daily basis and get everything I need done. Thus, I really love SEO checklists. They help when putting together a site, or just tweaking it. Here's a great one for headings (H1-H6) which serve two purposes: highlight the site's keywords and add structure to the page.

Some of the key points:

• Each page should have at least one heading;
• Only one H1 heading per page;
• H1 heading is the first heading on the page;
• Use headings to structure content and CSS for visual effects;
• Don’t skip heading levels (e.g. H1 to H3);
• All other headings (except H1) are subheadings; they are (ideally) thematically connected with the previous-level heading;
• Use headings consistently throughout the site;

I liken the use of headings to the outlines required in grade school. They provide order and structure to the book report (in this case, web site) and keep everything in a logical format.

Technorati tags: SEO, headings, web site design