Surf and turf

Does honesty pay on the internet, or are astroturfers deliberately ruining online advertising?

Honest comments have saved me a fortune over the years. They’ve prevented me from buying a vacuum cleaner that had a tendency to explode, steered me away from a nice-looking holiday resort where, it turns out, the streets are paved with lager louts’ vomit, and they’ve stopped me from buying games / softwares that won’t work on my particular hardware. Read More >>

Social Awareness

Stop building communities and start joining in

The internet is changing the way smart companies sell to their customers. Traditional corporate ad-speak sounds lofty and unapproachable online, especially when the rest of people are talking with human voices. There’s also been a huge shift in the balance of the power . Think how quick and easy it  Read More>>

Do you know what’s best for your audience?

We all know what we think makes an effective website design. The trouble is ,you and I aren’t the customer and we can’t possibly know for sure what works the best across the online audience. Read More>>

Don’t panic when your rankings drop

What’s the first thing you do when ranking drops off the search engine radar? Do you wait a few days and calmly hope things will return to normal? Or do you reach for the keyword tools and claw in reams of new keyword-rich text in quiet desperation? Read More >>

Analytics and the art of engagement

Much has been written about engagement and how to measure it – but it’s a difficult idea to pin down. Engagement is helpful because as activities online and site continue to develop and diversify, so does the need to qualify behavior. Read More>>

The uncertainty of SEO

Search engine optimization is fraught with uncertainty. The more you want it, the less likely it will happen. Often , the expectations of the client and SEO providers don’t align. As the trusty adage says,sometimes the most valuable business you can do is that which you turn down. Are you attuned to your clients expectations? Are they willing to take their fair share of the responsibility? Whatever you agree should be stipulated in a pre-service agreement.

So, what are some of the way you can avoid the pitfalls of a frustrated client and a wasted investment? First, never offer guarantees. Get it in writing and ask if you can meet their objectives.

Meet with their design team too, and evaluate the possible factors that could be beyond your control.

Can you really meet the lofty demands of prospects who demand nothing less than instant results? An informed client will appreciate the uncertainties implicit in SEO. An impetuous, eager client may want to throw money at you and expect shortcuts to success, without taking the time to understand the multifaceted nature of SEO.

A Google spokesperson summarized it nicely; “In the long run, illicit attempts to bolster search rankings are counterproductive. We’re always working to improve search results, so website owners are best served by identifying and meeting the needs of their users instead of focusing on short-term ranking boosters. There are no silver bullets – developers should be wary of anyone who guarantees top placement on any engine.”

Be savvy about your choice of client and your approach. Ensure all parties are in record and set realistic goals before getting stuck in.

Get To Know Your Competitors, They Could Be Your Best Friends

Before you decide to take the plunge and get a new website built, there are some things you should consider. So often, people are all too keen to move into the fun elements of designing a site without dedicating the required time to online strategy.

When I chat to people about getting a new site built, one of the first questions I ask is: who are your competitors and what are they doing online?

Analysing your competitors’ online presence is exceptionally beneficial, as it allows a business to determine what the competition is doing, providing a market benchmark. Not only do you consciously focus on what your competitors are doing in the online space, which is obviously a good thing, but it also allows a business to internally review the strengths and weaknesses of their own site. In taking the time to review your competitors, your own weaknesses and strengths become more apparent, as there is a clear, discernible reference point.

You might be wondering though, how do I undertake a competitor analysis? Where do I start?

This task should not be a laborious or daunting task. You should view it as an enjoyable exercise to stamp your competitive edge. When commencing an online competitor analysis, I split the exercise into three key tasks: Overall impression, notable functionality and ease of use.

Overall Impression

The overall impression is exactly that, your first reaction and thoughts of the site. Don’t worry about being too technical, jot-down your initial thoughts: what you like, what you perceive to be flaws and weaknesses.

Some questions to keep in mind:

-Are there any clear calls to action?
-Is the content engaging?
-Is the navigation clear?
-Is it obvious what to do?

These questions are simple and are a great way to kick-off brain storming.

Notable Functionality

What line of business you are in will dictate the site’s functionality. For instance, if you’re a sports retail store, do any of your competitors have e-commerce functionality? Things to consider when noting functionality:

-Is there a blog?
-Is there a member’s area?
-Can you view videos?
-Is there a forum?

Ease of Use

The ‘Ease of Use’ is a pretty straight forward concept, which focuses on how usable a site is. When documenting how usable a site is, I generally break-up the review into four areas: homepage, architecture, usability and search. Some things I like to consider when checking how usable a site is:

Homepage

-Is there a ‘good feeling’ about what the site is about?
-Is pertinent content from deeper within the site displayed on the homepage?
-Is there a clear delineation of content

Architecture

-Is there a logical approach to the main site structure?
-Are the labels intuitive?
-Is there a solid consistent approach to delivering the navigation?
-Is there an appropriate visual hierarchy for the navigation?

Usability

-Is there appropriate use of screen real estate?
-Is there a clear page structure?
-Is the page structure consistently delivered?
-Is the font easy to read?
-Is there enough white space?

Search

-Is the search available in a consistent place on all pages?
-Does it stand out?
-Are the results well laid out

These questions are merely intended to provide some ideas of the sorts of things you ought to be enquiring about. There is no shortage to the amount of questions you can ask.

Remember, it’s important to get to know your competitors, the assistance they provide in the development of your own site is critical. They could turn out to be your best friends!