D-I-Y Web Design

August 5th, 2010

So you are starting a business. You know you need to have a website but you have a limited budget and you have been scared by some of the prices quoted by web design companies. You know that there various cheap, or even free, web design applications available that promise you that can build a website with no previous experience. These may come bundled with your computer when you bought it. Alternatively you might be considering buying professional web design software like Dreamweaver, doing a short web design course and trying to do it from scratch. Are you going to save money? Probably not. You are more likely to give yourself a giant headache, waste a lot of time and end up with something that you aren’t happy. Why is this?

Firstly, I will discuss D-I-Y Web Design packages

As you eventually learn, there are usually significant limitations attached to anything that is cheap or free. Build Your Own Website packages are based on templates. They allow to customize the look of your website but often only allow you to choose from a set range of options. The cheaper the package the fewer the options. Website built using the cheapest/free web design packages often look crude. They may be serve a limited purpose but they invariably say “amateur”, an image no business is likely to want to communicate. Even the better web design packages rarely escape the templated look. This may be fine if you are, for instance promoting a cottage industry, a B & B or similar but most business start-ups want to have an individual identity and this is not possible when most of the design choices have already been made for you. No matter how much you vary the presets you will always end up with a website that makes your business look like a budget operation.

Using the “you-get-what-you-pay-for” principle, D-I-Y Web Design packages often have other problems. Everything that you see on the internet ultimately depends of some kind of code written by someone at some point in time. The web is a continually changing environment with hardware and software being updated all the time –the operating platforms and browsers that enable you to browse the web need to be able to read that code.  D-I-Y Web Design packages simply because they are cheap or free have been built using out-dated coding practices and as a result may have very poor compatibility with this environment with the result your website may not display properly. Websites that display properly on Macs may not display properly on PCs and vice versa and so on.

Another issue to be aware of it that some businesses offer D-I-Y Web Design packages that depend on specific web hosting solutions. They are in other words, non-portable. Many people have been tricked into this not realizing that their website will only work as long as they keep paying expensive monthly hosting fees. They find out that after 12 months they have spent as much as they would have on a custom-designed website that they would have owned outright. For anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves in this position they have no choice but to start form scratch.

To sum up, the core problem for most start up businesses is that a D-I-Y Web Design package will not communicate the level of professionalism and brand identity that most people want. There are of course, exceptions, but unless you have a little mum’s and dad’s operation this is not the way to go. Hopefully you won’t have been caught by the sharp operators offering cheap web design in return for over-priced web hosting.

When considering the budget for your website, keep in mind that a well-designed and that means also well thought out, a website will last you for several years with only the occasional updates that can be done for negligible. Thus when you amortize the cost of custom web design over that period the annual cost is far less than any other form of advertising available.

In my next post, I will consider more ambitious approaches to D-I-Y web design.

Bernard Hemingway

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Writing Web Copy You Would Read

July 21st, 2010

One of the hardest truths for website owners to swallow is that visitors don’t read online  content – at least not in the way you think. 80% of online readers skim web content, rather than reading in the same way as you would a novel or magazine article. Web surfing is a different activity – as much about clicking around than reading the words. Therefore, the best web content is structured to get the point across under these extremely difficult circumstances.

The Ten Second Rule

You know the old saying about first impressions? This is very much the case with websites. The impression it makes in those first crucial seconds could be enough to convince the reader to either read on or click away.

If there is a core message, it needs to be glaringly obvious in those opening seconds. The headline and subheadings of the page should have the keywords and phrases that assure the reader he is in the right place. Don’t fill the top of the page with fancy images and design elements and leave the all-important copy hiding below the fold. A visitor won’t scroll down if he can avoid it.

Look at the home page of your website. Is the purpose of the website instantly obvious at first glance? Do you have to read paragraphs of text to get the idea or do the headings tell the story?

Clarity

Where possible, avoid dense paragraphs of prose. Unless you are writing longer form articles (like this one – more later) simple web copy designed to convert customers should be brief and to the point.

  • Use bullet points wherever possible
  • Cut any unnecessary words
  • Don’t use long words when a shorter one will do
  • Avoid long, complex sentences
  • Use descriptive, simple headings

It has been demonstrated that, on product pages especially, less copy laid out in bullet points converts more customers than swathes of dense text. Even though you may think you are providing enough information, often a customer wants the simple facts to make a decision and click the button. Anything else is a waste and risks the customer losing interest.

Article Writing

Blog posts, articles and news items are designed to contain more information. Therefore, longer paragraphs and traditional writing conventions are necessary. Yet, with regular subheadings, it is possible to break up the copy to make it easier on the online reader.

A good rule of thumb is to use a descriptive subheading after every two or three paragraphs, separating major points or lines of thought into clearly identified sections. By using descriptive headings, it is possible for a casual reader to gain a fair idea of the content by glancing down.

Design

The longer the copy, the more likely it is you will need other design elements to make the page more interesting and less of a strain on the reader. Images, boxouts (small text boxes containing additional relevant information as in magazines), the use of fonts to distinguish sections or quotes can all help to add visual appeal to your copy and not make the job of reading seam so arduous.

Linking

A major difference between online and offline copy is also the ability to hyperlink to other relevant pages. Hyperlinking, or text linking, means you may not have to repeat yourself so much, reducing your copy length further. Instead of having to provide details of a particular item, the word can be linked to a page describing it in more detail. That way, those who need more information can find it, while those who understand can read on, unencumbered by unnecessary explanation.

Hyperlinking and text links are the glue that holds the web together. It is possible for readers not to leave your site when they follow one of these links. Some simple coding means the new webpage opens in a fresh window, leaving your website still available for when the reader has viewed the new material.

Add extra value to your content through the careful and judicious use of links. Just be careful not to overdo it. Too many links can become annoying within a body of text and can provide too many avenues for readers to leave your site and become distracted.

Originality

Some websites try to take a shortcut by paying for cheap, generic content to fill their pages. Paying students $10 per blog post or outsourcing to an overseas firm to produce content by the yard may seem a cost-effective way of getting plenty of words on the site for the search engines, but this approach is doomed to failure.

Although all this content may provide more search engine traffic, if the content isn’t fresh, interesting and unique enough, the visitors will soon click away. If the content is unoriginal keyword fodder merely designed to fill pages, it will fail at the goals you should really have – converting readers into customers. No one will subscribe to a blog that reads like a million other generic blogs out there. No one will take notice of an article that rehashes old ideas from other sites.

Sometimes, finding original ideas and opinions can seem hard. It isn’t. Use your own personality, your own opinions and observations. When you have an idea, jot it down in a notepad or type it into a folder on your PC. When you need an idea for an article, refer to this list and you should find inspiration.

Inspiration can’t be taught. It comes with practice, with looking around, with reading and understanding the trends and issues of the day and making your own connections.

Content is King

Yes, the power of content cannot be stressed enough, but many do stress that they don’t have the time to produce the content their website deserves.

Many webmasters allocate a little time each week to producing new content, allowing the website to grow over time. Set aside a couple of hours at the weekend or when the wife or husband is watching their favourite television program. If you set yourself the goal of writing a short blog post or a new product page or article each and every week, in a few weeks and months you’ll have a body of content that will attract more search engine attention, more visitors, links and hopefully more sales.

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Directing Traffic – Leading Customers to a Sale

July 21st, 2010
By Jonathan Crossfield
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It may seem obvious, but many websites fail because they don’t clearly articulate why – or even what – a visitor to the site should do. Sure, you as the business owner want them to buy your product or enquire after your service, but have you told them that? If you have lots of traffic coming to your website, are you directing it in the best way to lead as many people as possible to the right outcome?

Every website should have a specific goal. For some it may be to process complete transactions, for others to generate enquiries, or answer customer support queries or drive people to the high street store, etc, etc. If you know what the goal of your website is, it needs to be clearly articulated throughout the site to increase the chances of a visitor taking your desired action.

When designing a website, each page should have a purpose that contributes to the goal – otherwise, cut it out. An ‘About Us’ page can provide reassuring information about your experience and areas of expertise, helping convince a customer to trust your offer. A product page obviously provides detail on each item or service that can be bought. The home page introduces visitors to the site and directs them to the best way of continuing their quest. Each of these pages should offer a further step along the chain to the desired result.

Ideally, a webpage should have a single goal, so as not to confuse or overwhelm the reader. If you provide too many different choices for the user to take, the result may be that they take none. If you have a vision in your mind of the journey your perfect customer will take through the site, you can enhance those pages to increase the chances of this occuring. If the best action for the customer to take on the “About Us” page is to then choose a product, ensure that theme is woven into the copy and easy one-click access is provided to do just that. If you would ideally want the customer to lodge an enquiry after viewing a product page, clearly articulate that in a prominent position and ensure the customer knows how to do this.

The call to action

The call to action is a key part of any marketing copy. It is the short phrase or line that motivates the reader to take the desired action. Successful calls to action have a number of features.

1. They are time bounded, meaning that the reader has to act now or risk missing out. This places urgency on the reader to do something straight away rather than think about it. Sometimes this is a deadline, such as the closing day of a sale. Sometimes it can be related to impulse and inspiration. “Act now!”

2. They repeat the key benefit of the offer, briefly and persuasively.

3. In some cases, there may even be an element of risk associated with not taking the offer. “Can you afford to risk your family’s safety?” “Act now, before your competition does!” Risk and fear can sometimes be powerful persuasive techniques, but only if your product warrants it. No one would market a child’s doll that way.

4. The catchier the better. You want to engage with the customer and that often takes a bit of creativity. If the customer is going to read your words, make them worth reading.

A classic example of a call to action, emblazoned across car bumpers and lamp posts all over the world, is Herbalife’s “Lose weight now. Ask me how!” It contains urgency – “now” – reiterates the benefit – “lose weight” – and explains how to take action – “ask me how” – all while being punchy and even rhyming.

By ensuring your web pages contain calls to action at relevant points can help motivate your visitors to take the action you want them to take.

Usability

A key component of a customer’s ability to do what you want is making it easy for them. How usable is your site? Does the menu make it easy to identify where to go? It is usually safest to stick with commonly used page titles and menu items as users have become familiar with what they mean and can easily find their way around. We all know what to expect from an “About Us” page, but would everyone assume the same from “Company Info”? That title could equally apply to a page containing contact details and therefore is more ambiguous.

Your goal in planning a website is to keep customers on the path. The fewer forks in the road and the fewer confusing signposts can help lead your site visitors where you want them to go.

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Email Marketing Gets Real

July 21st, 2010
By Aaron Darc | Email Marketing | Rating:
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“What is spam?” is a pertinent question when it comes to contemporary digital marketing. Email marketing – broadcasting eDM and eNewsletters to thousands of customer inboxes – is still one of the most effective channels for getting your business out there. With increasingly tight marketing budgets, email marketing is experiencing a sudden resurgence (thanks to how inexpensive it is); so, it’s a good time to stop and look at where the craft of creating a quality eDM and eNewsletter is, in the current consumer climate.

Like anything else, cultural shifts dictate what works and what doesn’t (or what consumers are responding to, and not responding to). As digital life has evolved, we’ve developed a defined set of ideas on digital phenomenon that we were, not too long ago, somewhat naïve to. In the beginning, eDM was so effective, mostly because people could not discriminate between what was a real email and what was an advertisement – they approached an eDM in the same way they opened a friend’s email. Those days are gone!

Now, we understand that the nature of emailing is a division between personal and commercial – how the term “spam” became collectively used to refer to the commercial content. Not too surprisingly, people weren’t too impressed to find their personal emails invaded by advertisers, and the word, “spam”, is loaded with negativity for this reason. We hate spam. So, when approaching your email marketing campaign, the fundamental goal to your creative process is to come across as something else. But how do you do that? You’re an ad, aren’t you? How can you seem anything other than an ad?

Be human!

You do that with content that adopts techniques designed to create the personal touch, not a commercial one. Yes, you’re an ad, and sure, I’m not suggesting that you’re going to fool anyone into thinking you’re anything else. But it’s not that people hate being communicated to by businesses – they simply hate having their personal space (and that’s what an email inbox is) invaded by blatant hard-sell. Most eDM has nothing really to say – it’s “BUY! QUICK! NOW! CLICK HERE! COME GIVE US SOME MONEY!” They mostly rely on click-through – placing the info at the website waiting for them – without realising that without doing enough, and doing it the right way, there’ll be no arousal of interest that will lead to that click-through. It’s like walking into a café and approaching someone who is sitting there having a relaxing chat with their friends, only to put a megaphone in their ear and demand they get up and follow you to your store. It’s a decidedly unpleasant experience that will – somewhat logically – yield little.

What you need to do is sit down on that metaphoric lounge and offer them some information that actually has some – gosh – substance. You need to exhibit an engaging personality; most of all, you need to give them an experience that treats them like an actual human being instead of a robot who may or may not click the appropriate button, if you hammer them hard enough. Not only will they respond to you, but they’ll begin to spare you from the automatic filtering system many people now approach their inbox with. I have a few companies who email me with quality marketing material, and I always make sure I open those emails – I do so, because I now have an expectation that they may offer me something worthwhile. But if I recognise you as what I call a “spammer”? Here’s my trashcan… hope you enjoy your brief stay.

Understand your medium!

For any channel or medium of communications, what you have to understand is that communication is greatly affected by context. We have different rules – and a different mindset – in different modes of communicating. How you say what you’re saying must accommodate this.

Emails are not a visual medium! Got that? Because it’s the biggest mistake that has come out of contemporary digital marketing, as far as I’m concerned. What do people predominantly log in to their email to do? Read. Granted, a few years ago, email culture started to incorporate an additional element – mainly thanks to the phenomenon of mass funny photo sending, etc – but social media has now stolen that away, and people have returned to using email systems for traditional communication.

Don’t be afraid of copy!

The mistake many have made is that, in trying to respond to the perceived problem of there being too many eDMs in any one inbox (meeting a public who are increasingly frustrated with losing their precious time engaging them), marketers have tried to make the engagement-length of their eDM’s as short as possible. This was bad news for copy! They may take up half the time to read – but what do they say? What can you say with a couple of images, and “punchy” lines, and calls to action based on what little emotion an image and a punchy line can conjure?! Not much, when you’re communicating to a human being who has just deliberately made the time to sit down and be communicated to with the written word.

In the copy, you can inject your persona – you can create the effect of a personal email – even if you’re clearly an ad. What is generally deemed an “eNewsletter” understands this better – but there’s far too distinct a line between the concept of an eNewsletter and straight-out eDM. Blur the two. And don’t be too stiff or fake with your copy – be casual, be relaxed… try to sound more like a human being than a voice-over on a quick-sell TV commercial. Don’t be afraid to approach your eDM using a dash of conventional email formula – perhaps, greet your customers at the top of your eDM, or even wish them well at the end. If you can get your email material across as successfully humanised, the recipients will see the communication as being with a PERSON, not an inanimate ADVERTISEMENT trying to steal their money. There will be a rapport, a sense of connection, that means they will come to choose your future material from their inbox, as if a friend has emailed them to let them know what they’re up to.

This is not to say that graphics have no place in any eDM. Particularly, if you’re introducing a new product, you’re going to want a graphic of that product. But introduce it – literally! And let the simple image speak for itself – don’t flood the space with image upon image; it will increasingly de-personalise the email, and you’ll come closer and closer to being declared as “spam”. Remember, nobody ever refers to the communication of another human being as “spam”. The minute your email looks like it has leaped out of any old magazine ad placement, you’re betraying the potential of the medium.

Businesses should be cultivating actual relationships with their customers – effective marketing is about creating this psychological dynamic – but its all talk, so long as businesses refuse to use marketing channels for the opportunities they present to create a personalised association to a brand. It’s the current opportunity in social media, but it’s still often ignored in the realm of email marketing. But, if you’re smart, and you’re looking for ways to achieve high cut-through and brand awareness with large amounts of consumers at a nominal cost (and, let’s face it, you are!), email remains one of the best channels of the digital era. What do people listen to the most? Other people.

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How To Get A Good Google Ranking – Backwards Links

June 16th, 2010
By Bernard Hemingway

Google is by far the most important search engine on the internet and so everyone wants to be on page one. And  if you can get a good Google ranking, you will probably rank well on the other search engines such as Yahoo and MSN as well).

Depending on your business and the kind of search terms you want your website to rank well on this is more or less achievable. Say for example you sell hand-woven mittens made from locally grown alpaca wool. A clear niche market in other words. If  your potential customers are astute enough to search for “hand-woven mittens” or even better, “alpaca wool hand-woven mittens”,  as long as your website has been built to comply with web standards and is relatively search friendly then getting a page one ranking should be fairly easy. On the other hand, getting a ranking for “mittens” is more difficult.

Similarly say, you have a cake shop in a particularly suburb, and are an owner-operator. As long as potential customers search for “Cake Shop” and add the specific suburb or the shop name then you should rank well. Often when search engine optimisation business promise to get you a Page 1 ranking it will only be for these kinds of very specific searches. Not all businesses are so fortunate in this respect.

If, on the other hand someone simply does a search on “web design” for instance,  a highly competitive search term. There are many web designers and web design is not necessarily geographically limited. Some people may want to use a web designer with whom they can meet face to face but increasingly people are becoming used to conducting all their business dealings online. And of course web designers, unlike the makers of alpaca wool hand-woven mittens should know how to maximize the search engine rankings of their site. So the result is that a page one ranking for “web design” or similar terms such as “website design” or even “website design Melbourne”  is hotly contested and very difficult to achieve.

Let’s assume that you have a well-built website that complies with the main criteria (such as Google lets us know what they are) of the Google robots that are constantly crawling the web.  This may still mean that you do not rank well for the terms that are particularly important to you. In our experience you can try everything to optimize the content of your site but if there is any single element that is important to Google it is link popularity, that the number of sites that are linking to your site, also known as inbound links. Although it involves some questionable assumptions Google assumes that the number of websites which link to your website is a measure of how important your website is and this translates into your search engine ranking. Note that this is not how many websites you link to but the reverse, i.e. how many websites have linked to you. Note further that Google makes two other assumptions – that if you are linked to a website that has link to your website (a reciprocal link) that this is not a valuable as a link from a website that you are not lined to (basically it is a popularity contest). Furthermore Google assumes that the higher ranking the website is that is linked to your website the better your website is, especially in that linking website has related and good quality content. That is why links from link farms or Free For All (FFA) sites are worthless, if not downright dangerous as Google may consider such links underhand and devalue your site.

So you can see why it is difficult to get good rankings particularly if you are running a small or micro business in a competitive sector. The bigger you are, the more people will link to your site and the easier it is for you to rank well. If you are not so fortunate, your best bet is to think about who will be willing to link to you

So what are your options?

Trade directories are often worthwhile. Even if they require a paid subscription that offer a double bite as they not only may rank well for relevant search terms (if they don’t  they are not likely to stay in business) but also provide referrals directly from people who are, or have already, used the directory .

If you have any suppliers then try to get a link from them. Say for instance that you have a giftware business. Then you should be able to get a link from the manufacturers or wholesalers of your stock, most of whom will have their own websites. This is usually best achieved by calling the businesses concerned. If you have a small graphic that you can send the business this is often appreciated as it looks better than a plain text link but this may be all that is required.

Getting inbound links is not an easy task and that is why you may get flattering emails from unknown businesses asking to exchange links with your website. These are usually sent by offshore SEO businesses and should be ignored. The best thing is to either do it yourself or if you have the budget, hire some one to do it (it is a time-consuming process and proportionately costly).

Author: Bernard Hemingway

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