WSI Internet Marketing

Over the next few years mobile enabled websites will be as popular as, well… websites.

Currently about 1 in every 7 searches on the Internet are from a mobile device such as a Smartphone or iPad. By 2013 there will be more searches from mobile devices than from desktop devices. In fact 25% of Internet users around the world are “mobile only” right now, yet few websites are mobile enabled.

This is temporarily a huge advantage for mobile savvy businesses.

It’s temporary because over the next couple of years all serious businesses will be mobile enabled. What is now an advantage will become mandatory. So for now, why is there an advantage?

Search engines try to give the best user experience to their customers. Their customers are people like you and me who are searching for, well…whatever we are searching for. Search engines can detect the specific device the search is being conducted from, and are giving preference to mobile enabled websites over their non-mobile counterparts in the search results when searched from a mobile device.

The consumer of course is not going to dedicate much time to viewing miniature versions of full websites. They have no patience to make the text bigger and move it around the screen so they can read everything. They are not going to spend much time squinting at little buttons that are smaller than their fingertips as they try to zero in on them to navigate to the next page of tiny text and miniature graphics.

Mobile consumers are looking for different information and a different experience than their desktop counterparts.

Just when you thought you got this website conversion thing just right, technology makes another adjustment to human behavior. Traditionally you want to lead your visitors down a “path” or a “sales funnel”. You want to control their experience, but make sure that any information that they may possible want is available on the site. This is true for mobile visitors as well, the difference is the information mobile searchers want is typically a lot less, and very specific.

Understand the mobile user may be on-the-go looking for directions, or knee deep in water looking for a plumber. Understand your customer, and give them EXACTLY what they are looking for… no more…no less.

The most sought after information mobile users look for? Company information, Destination information and Social Media.

OK, now that you understand why mobile website development is so important, and what consumers are looking for, you might want to look into creating a mobile friendly version of your company website. Depending on the complexity of the design and how basic the functions are (and they should be basic) you can generally have a custom mobile site retrofitted to your existing site for $500-$1000.

In the last few years Search Engine Marketing and Social Media have stolen the spotlight away from some basic Internet marketing principles. That is; the user experience and the fundamental way that website pages are laid out and organized for your visitors (human beings…not search engines). After all, what visitors do once they get to your website is purely the result of what they see on the site.

Here is where I would normally turn the conversation towards content. However there is something even more fundamental I want to address; Usability and Visual Appeal…

Your top banner and navigation layout are major considerations because they will generally be used consistently throughout the site. However the individual page layouts (what is unique on each page) is what adds personality to the site.

• Think magazine…not flyer: Actually think somewhere in between. Print layout is not the same as web layout, but the basic rules of design apply. Flyers typically feature oversized fonts centered down the middle of the page. Magazines are typically more “artsy”. An effective layout combines the simplicity and directness of a flyer with the flair and interest of a magazine. Professional touches might include wrap-around text, multiple columns and strategic (but limited) attention getting devices. Add flair to your layout…not distractions.
• Spacing considerations: Unless you are publishing a term paper online you will probably not want to indent each paragraph. Instead you might consider separating each paragraph with a double space. This technique is cleaner, easier to read, separates individual points into manageable blocks and is certainly more contemporary. Here is an example of a Huntington Beach Personal Injury Lawyers site where we spaced each paragraph in blocks, and actually have each line at about 1.5 spaces for easer reading.
• Text wrapping: Wrapping text around images can have a very professional “magazine-like” effect on your page layout. A common mistake is allowing the text to butt directly against an image, creating an unintentionally crowded feel. Make sure that you use “cell padding” or another technique to create a small buffer around your images so that the text does not physically touch the images.
• Scrolling v. White Space: Decide what is more important, an uncluttered design, or letting the visitor see everything without scrolling. Minimal scrolling is acceptable and preferable to jamming all your content into the top portion of your page. An even better solution is to aggressively edit your content. Visitors inherently breeze through websites with an unprecedented level of impatience. On the web…less is more. Here is an example of site we designed with minimal scrolling. Note there really isn’t a lot of text on this popular healthy lifestyle Edamame website. We allowed the graphics to do the talking.
• Background images and textures: Unless you have an absolute compelling reason to do so, it is best not to use any sort of image background or textures behind the body text. This has a tendency to appear gimmicky and it obscures the readability of your text. It might also compromise the load time (the amount of time it takes for your web page to materialize).
• Appropriate use of Flash: Animation has several advantages, but it also has a tendency to be over used. A little animation can go a long way towards distinguishing your brand or demonstrating a technique. However it can also be a distraction to your real message and cause unnecessary load time.

Try to avoid testing the patience of your visitors with gratuitous eye candy. Moderately animated logos and slogans in the banner of your Home page (or landing page) are great for branding, but once someone has seen it and has decided to venture deeper into your site, there is no point in repeating it endlessly. The repetitive movement would be akin to someone walking back and forth in front of you while you are trying to read. Here is an example of a glass and mirror company in Dallas where we rotated the flash through once, and let it settle on the frame with the written message. It doesn’t rotate any longer and never animates on internal pages.

An example where flash serves a purpose above and beyond branding might be a website that promotes women’s lipstick products where a flash sequence demonstrates the proper technique for applying the product. As a general rule, anything that says “Skip Intro” or “Enter Site” should probably not be there to begin with.

We can influence the search engines and make our cases through Social Media channels, but at the end of the day your own website is one of the few things that you actually have total control over…

Chuck Bankoff is Director of Web Services for WSIeWorks, a full service Digital marketing firm in Orange County California.

Well actually his name was Mark, and he didn’t have a British accent, but the ensuing discussion was pretty accurate (sort of).

The cardinal rule of effective web design is to design for your target audience…not yourself. There are of course industry best practices…tempered with common sense.

Websites that are able to stand the test of time have three things in common:

• Appropriate theme for the target market
• Uncluttered design
• Unambiguous navigation

Not necessarily rocket science, however these elements take a bit of upfront planning, and should not be trivialized. Good website design by its very nature is subjective, but bad design is just…well bad. Here is my checklist of what NOT to do:

• Too much Flash: Improper use of flash is gratuitous and may detract from the purpose of the website. Make sure that flash is used judiciously and not just as “eye candy”.
• Pages that are too long: Long pages are subconsciously interpreted as too much work to read. It is much better to break content into multiple, well organized pages.
• Pages that are too cramped: Not everything has to be seen all at once to be appreciated. Too much collocated information is in itself a distraction.
• Unnecessary repetition: Give your visitor a little credit. Convenient navigation is one thing, but force-feeding it to your visitors is something else.
• Too many attention getting devises: If everything is highlighted, then nothing stands out.
• www.WebsitesThatSuck.com: (just in case you need additional clarification).

When SeaPoint Farms came to us looking to reinvent their web presence, the first place we looked was at their current website. The design was a bit dated by today’s standards, and the technology had reached “end of life” and was no longer being supported.

As we typically do, we kicked off the project by surveying other websites in related industries. Along with the team at SeaPoint, we developed a Creative Brief that served as our guidelines for our graphics team.

The end result was a modern design built on our eFusion platform giving the client access to over a dozen different modules along with the ability to make quick edits themselves.
 
What did the site look like before?

Like Cinderella’s ugly sister….

That’s what Mark Twain said over 100 years ago, and it’s still a challenge today. Writing content is easy; writing concise content in a limited space is a bit more difficult.

We are dealing with two limitations that point to “less is more”:

1. Fitting all the pertinent points onto the viewable portion of your visitors screen: You only have moments before your visitor will click away if they don’t see what they are looking for.  People will scroll down below the fold (the portion of the web page that is below their initial field of vision) if you catch their attention with what is above the fold. Make sure that the important information is right in front of their faces immediately.
2. Your visitors have the attention span of a 6^th grader: People don’t actually read on the internet…they scan. They see headlines, bullet points and graphics. You must attract their attention before they make an effort to actual read any copy.

The body copy on your landing page has to be good, but don’t delude yourself into thinking everyone will read it. Only about 20% of your visitors will actually read the body copy… still, it has to be good (less is more).

Focus on a great “enticing” headline, and easily digestible bullet-pointed list, or a graphic that tell a story at a glance (known as a “Hero Shot”). Headlines should refer back to what the visitor was looking at before they landed on your page. This “continuity” is a factor in the conversion architecture of your marketing campaign.

Don’t forget the call to action! You might test matching up the call to action with the headline since that is almost certainly the one element on the page that you can be sure they will read.

You are welcome to download my Whitepaper “Landing Page Design: Common Mistakes & Tested Techniques” from the free section of the WSIeWorks website. You can also listen to the entire recorded webinar as well.

It’s awful tempting to dive right into a landing page project with the first glimmer of inspiration; however even a brilliant concept is destined for failure if it isn’t objective driven.

In order to accomplish your goals, you have to know what they are. Is this an eCommerce website focused on transactions? Is the purpose to generate leads, or is it about branding or relationship building, or is it about increasing your database through membership registration? A good marketer will often start at the bottom of the sales funnel and work their way up to the point where the visitor first enters the funnel.

After you decide what constitutes “Success” you best figure out exactly who your ideal customer is. Remember; it’s NOT about YOU! Many businesses feel compelled to tell their story to what they perceive as a captive audience. There is no captive audience on the Internet. Check your ego at the door, it’s just too easy for a visitor to leave and find what they really want.

Before you can tell your story… you have to know who you are telling it to. A tried and true technique for defining your customer is to actually create one… complete with name and age and marital status, etc. You may even have multiple profiles; just make sure that you prioritize them. Remember…if you try to appeal to too many different customer types, you will wind up appealing to no one. Once you know WHO you are selling to, you can craft your message so that it appeals to THEM.

Stephen R. Covey said in his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” to begin with the end in mind. In the world of landing page design, you have to know what YOU want and what your CUSTOMER wants. Then work from there.

You are welcome to download my Whitepaper “Landing Page Design: Common Mistakes & Tested Techniques” from the free section of the WSIeWorks website. You can also listen to the entire recorded webinar as well.

Video can be a powerful tool or an unwanted nuisance depending on how it is used. NEVER start playing the video automatically when the visitor arrives on the Landing Page!!!

No one likes a commercial forced on them. The visitor just may not be prepared. In fact visitors might be in the work place and might bail as soon as unexpected sounds start blaring from their computer. They may want to scan the page before investing in the video, or simply adjust their speaker volume. The quickest way to shut down an unwanted video is to close the web page. That is the last thing you want.

There are many reasons to use video; to educate, to demonstrate, to entertain and become viral… One of the more successful commercial applications of video on a website is the “As Seen on TV” scenario.

• The purpose is not to sell, but to brand and reassure the visitor that they are in the right place
• Use a shorter version (30-seconds or less) than the original TV version
• Typically works best on the top left side of the page or in a featured area

Video Testimonials are another very powerful. There is evidence to support that amateur video of a real person is more credible than professional video of a model. Not all video should intentionally be poor quality, but in the case of testimonials, or product demonstrations, it does give it a sense of realism.

Virtual Spokespersons are another “potentially” effective opportunity to establish interest in the objective of your landing page. Adding a virtual spokesmodel to your website can not only increase conversion rates but also add a personal touch.  A recent B-to-B study found that 79% of respondents found great value in video and believe this format is an effective tool that enhances brand awareness, educates customers, underscores the value of products and makes online content more compelling (KnowledgeStorm/ Universal McCann).

Video on the web is becoming more mainstream and more important on the web. However just like the copy on your landing page, the video hast to be concise and interesting. At the end of the day, you are still dealing with the attention span of a 6^th grader.

It is hard enough to get a visitor to actually read your copy, so don’t make it any more difficult than necessary. Generally small font sizes “look” better because they mentally form a block which is a convenient design element. However, effective trumps pretty every time.

There is an awful lot of psychology just to get a visitor to even start reading your copy. Make copy easy to read as possible. Many visitors will bail just because the page “looks like work” at a subconscious level.

The actual size of the font has a lot to do with it. Use 10 point or larger font. Consider a larger size if you are targeting children, adults or if you have very long copy. Captions, form field names, legal and some tech-specs can be smaller.

Smaller text promotes slower reading and a drop-off in comprehension. If you have long page of text, resist the urge to make the font size smaller. This may seem counterintuitive, but a visitor is more likely to “hunker down” and read a longer page of text if it is more comfortable to read (larger font size).

Headlines should be significantly larger and possibly bolder. Sub-headlines should be close to body copy size and bold. Make sure that you group your Headline/sub-headline/copy group together and leave space between the end of your body copy and the next headline. This forms a visual “unit” that helps your visitor mentally organize the concepts in to digestible chunks.

Consistent with making it comfortable to read, text should never run more than 52-60 characters across the screen. People can’t comfortably read long or wide columns. That is why “liquid designs” where the website expands and contracts based on the viewer’s screen resolution is not a good idea. Keep the columns at a fixed width so you don’t lose control of the viewer’s experience.

If you want to download my entire Whitepaper on Landing Page Design – Common Mistakes & Tested Techniques, you can find this and a host of other useful Internet Marketing papers on our free section of the WSIeWorks website.