Web Success Team - Recently Updated Pages

What Expectations Do You Have of Your Website in These Difficult Times?

websuccess — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:25:01 CST

So you just put your site up or your current website is stalled and you are finding that you are nowhere to be found on the search engines — not even for your primary keywords. Let's not talk about the money and time invested to get the website developed. So now frustration sets in. In this article I will give you some quick on-page and off-page marketing tips to help get your website in shape and start producing.

On-Page Marketing
If your website is not ranking, not all is lost. Sometimes a few minor “tweaks” can make the whole difference in driving more traffic to your website. Here are a few on-page marketing tips that will save the day and your investment.

Quick Coding Tips: Check to see that there are h1, h2 tags in your code; see that you have a relevant title tag for each page (i.e. “John’s auto dealer | services"); run your pages through a W3 compliant test like http://validator.w3.org/ and fix all errors; check your code to content ratio to eliminate as much code as you can and keep your pages clean.
Quick Content Tips: Is there enough keyword rich information on your pages? Make the information relevant to your products and services. You need at least 2 full paragraphs of copy per page.

Off-Page Marketing
The party is not over yet! This is just the beginning. Once your on-page “tweaks” are done please don’t abandon your site. Here is where the fun begins and the results happen. As you would with your in-house sales force, you need to create an “Online Sales Force" by spreading the word through social networking, online PR, blogging, article marketing and email communications.

Test and Track: Check your metrics. I cannot stress this enough! Analytics are the roadmap to the hidden treasure. Follow them! The marketplace will decide what’s working and what needs to be revised. How long are viewers staying on your site; what pages get the most views; are your offers or incentives working?

After about 3 months of monitoring you will have a pretty good idea how your pages are performing and you will be able to determine a marketing formula that works for you.

The Marketing Mix
I usually recommend a mix of on-site SEO, off-site marketing like blogging, article writing, social media and niche marketing. Each company has a different ratio. Do you know what your ratio is? Time to find out!

Branding Makeover: Why You Need It and Why It Works!

websuccess — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:19:17 CST

Are your sales sluggish? Is the competition winning? Are your efforts circular instead of moving forward? If the answers are YES, then you may need to retool your image, refocus your marketing and re-energize your company’s image.

What comes to mind when your customers hear your company name? Or better still, how do you see your company’s image? If you are uncertain, or do not have a well-defined image, it’s time to give your brand serious re-evaluation. The good news is it doesn’t have to break the bank or take years to put your branding back on track. However it does require the examination and implementation of a few critical guidelines to create a winning brand.

1. Differentiate your brand. First, you want to determine how your brand can stand out from the competition. What makes your products or services superior or unique? It is precisely this point of differentiation that separates you from the competition and creates a permanent impression in the hearts and minds of your customers. Do your homework by performing a competitive analysis: analyze competitor ads, websites, PR coverage and “fraternize with the enemy.” Also review your existing branding strategies and marketing efforts for strengths and weaknesses. Knowing where you’ve been will help take you to where you want to go.

2. Value and perception. Branding is all about sending a strong and consistent message. Once you determine your unique selling proposition, you can redefine your brand message. You want to give your customers the sizzle along with the goods. Determining what your prospects want or demand from the products or services is key to a benefits driven perception of value. Ask your customers the reasons behind their choices, monitor their perceptions of your brand and unearth the negatives. Once you complete your analysis, you can focus in on a clear and concise message. Remember you can’t be all things to all people; it only dilutes your brand. Giving customers what they really want, not what they have to settle for will result in stronger branding and increased sales.

3. Credibility. Positioning your company as a leader in its field with a history of satisfied customers will reinforce your brand image. Today’s customers are market savvy — they are informed, read reviews and in-depth information, and listen to word-of-mouth before pushing the lever to buy. Their expectations are high and want to be confident that their experiences (choices) will match the promises of the brand marketing campaigns. Nothing sabotages branding efforts faster than failing to live up to the marketing claims. By positioning your company as a leader and innovator, backed by industry best guarantees will catch the attention of the customer and have your company live up to its promises. You are raising the bar for the interests of all concerned.

4. Consistency. Every interaction a customer has with your brand must be uniform — from the messages communicated to the various marketing programs. For example, your online marketing — from website to emails — should be consistent with your offline marketing efforts. They should speak with one voice and carry a single, clear branding message. And that includes your front line sales force. We are still in the people business. With all your marketing efforts in line with your branding, your company can run more smoothly and fire on all cylinders to move you forward.

5. Objectivity. Because it is difficult to look at that marketing mirror and into the soul of your company, it is recommended to hire an outside consultant to do the heavy lifting.The Web Success Team has the experience and expertise to retool your marketing efforts and give you a strong branded image to move your business forward. Contact us today for a consultation at (818) 222-5643 or contact bob@websuccessteam.com.

How to Promote Your Brand Online

ssoule-maggio — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:00:47 CST

Creating a brand online is more than just images and tag lines. You want your brand to do three things: create trust, identity and buzz. Your brand makes a promise. It gives a face to your company name that people will trust to put their faith into for desired results and then brag about your services to their friends who will then contact you.

Since your business is sharing the cyberspace world with millions of others, you need to make your brand stand out. In order for your business to imprint on the minds of customers, your brand must come from the root of your marketing message. This vision of your message comes in the form of your brand, which should be developed in a few key areas of the Web.

Five Areas Your Brand Must Cover

1.URL address: the frontline, it says it all and must identify your company. This is the first time your viewers will be introduced to you even before they set eyes on your website.

2. Keywords: these will help identify you in the search engines so that the proper audience can find you. Your keywords should give an idea of what your company is about. For instance, if you are a travel agency, think of a way to stand out above the competition by picking specialty keywords such as “adventure travel” or “budget travel.”

3. Your website: with a URL address that identifies your company are specialty keywords, your website should now reflect your brand vision and brand promise. With effective branding, your site will give a general idea of your mission and your philosophy. Most of all, your site should build trust with your visitors.

4. Your blog: spread the word. You are now establishing your company as an authority in the selling of its products and services by entering a community that relies heavily on Internet social networking. Your articles should be branded and remain consistent with your company's vision.

5. Social profiles: in every profile, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, you should have a company seal or icon that will help your visitors remember your products and services.

Once you have integrated your brand into these areas of the Internet and your website, then you should measure your results. Take a look at the areas of impact and discover other avenues to develop your brand online.

Branding

websuccess — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:05:42 CST

#PubCon 2008...Take-a-ways and Leave Behinds

websuccess — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:51:32 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Day 2 #PubCon, the Beauty of Networking (offline, this time)

websuccess — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:50:48 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Out The Gate, We are #PubCon 2008 Las Vegas

websuccess — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:48:32 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

Find Your Niche: One Page Wonders and Microsites

websuccess — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:32:32 CDT

If your website is not getting as much traffic or producing the results you would like, it’s time to take the next step in online marketing, developing niche websites. These are targeted webpages called one page wonders and microsites and are very effective in promoting your main website to gain more visibility.

These pages create a separate and complete site for your niche market. They are simple to make, economical and highly effective. A microsite is a niche web page that targets a vertical market. It contains your company’s branded look and a few paragraphs detailing a specific service or product that your company offers, usually with a link back to your main site. In other words, a microsite is like a landing page or a summary site with one or two off-page links. Some microsites are full functioning and equipped with a contact page and SEO copy. Microsites are efficient ways to boost traffic and ratings without having to modify your homepage.

An Online Sales Letter Achieves Wonders

One page wonders are like microsites in that they are landing pages used to advertise a company’s special offer. The difference is that a one page wonder is an extended microsite. It is very long and has a lot of content. It is also referred to as a sales letter page. One page wonders look like a web page because they have navigation bars. However, these are anchor links that link to a section of content on the page. Anchor links are also known as on-page links and encourages readers to further search the site. They are highly effective sales pages because the content is written to build on itself, like a sales letter. It is a vehicle in which people can read excessive amounts of information so that they can make informed decisions on their purchase. Graphics are kept to a minimum as the focus is on the content.

For example, let’s say that you want to promote a teleseminar. If you want to present the sale to people who are interested in finding key points and do not want to read tons of information a microsite is the best type of niche marketing for you. A microsite would usually have bulleted information about the seminar such as when it takes place, key selling points, a sign up link and a link to the homepage.

If you want visitors to have more information, choose a one page wonder. The site will then have a variety of items such as a course syllabus, special prices, reasons to attend, testimonials, a letter from the creator and other incentives or bonuses to help the reader make his or her decision.

Targeted for Results

Both microsites and one page wonder sites can also link to your existing shopping cart so that you do not have to create a new one. The basic idea behind this type of niche marketing is to have more pages connected with your company. The more web pages you have, the easier it is for search engines to find your company and rank it higher. This way you can bring in traffic to your homepage, promote your special offers and increase rankings. So find your niche and watch the results.

The Web Success Team specializes in creating marketing sites that target specific niches. We build them to get maximum viewer interest and response, leading to further inquiries, multiple page visits and increased sales. Our team will also market these sites across the Internet in niches where they will reach your intended target markets. Contact us today for a FREE consultation at (818) 222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com.

Drive Traffic to Your Site and Increase Sales with Branding

websuccess — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:56:03 CDT

Direct Response Web Marketing and Branding are two very different animals to tame. Web marketing is used to market a business for search engine optimization with the aim of driving traffic and potential customers to a website. Branding, however, is essential for positioning your products and services and creating awareness in the marketplace. Think about the time before bandages were called Band-Aids and tissues Kleenex. Because of very successful marketing campaigns, these brands have ebbed their way into our vernacular causing people to buy by association. How often do you hear “Do you have a Kleenex?”

Now with the Internet and online marketing resources, businesses can promote a brand image to bring user clicks to a sale. A study done by the Dieringer Resource Group in 2004 noted that 60% of adult online users’ brand opinions were changed at purchase due to online research. Branding, therefore, has become increasingly important over the years.

Because of this information, businesses need to start designating part of their online marketing campaigns to branding. In this article, I will detail several tips on how to get your brand at the top of search results, which will ideally convert to sales. If your site is already at the top, you are not finished. People might click to your site more frequently, but face it, sales are what really count!

A recognizable brand gives customers a comfort level and creates habits – a feeling of security in knowing they can purchase a quality product or service. If you can manage to build a long-term relationship with consumers, you have created a world of increased revenue. Think Band-Aids!

The “Keys” to the Kingdom

The first tool you need is keywords. All marketing campaigns have keywords, catch phrases, jingles or other advertising tools. Your keywords should relate to what people are searching and to your product or service. For example if you sell juice, you could use keywords such as “fresh fruit juice” or “health benefits of juice”, etc. But, depending on the competitive market for juice, these keywords might not keep you on the top of a Google search for long. This is where developing a brand name and building customer relationships helps.

Keywords should be specific and reflect your brand. If you need extra help on developing keywords, you can download programs like Google AdWords that suggests relevant ones or WordTracker that shows how often a word is being searched. Going back to the juice company, you could pick phrases such as “Just Juice It” or “Juice Your Life Up” and these could be keywords as well as marketing slogans on your webpage. By putting specific keywords, slogans and a brand name on your webpage, you develop a brand-consumer relationship. This ideally will direct consumers’ minds to your product or service and generate sales. But remember, Rome was not built in a day and neither was Kleenex. So, take the time and funds to structure your campaign.

Double Traffic with Off-Page Marketing

websuccess — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:28:19 CDT

Even if you have the best available search engine optimization (SEO) on your site and loads of content, believe it or not, you are still missing something. The world of search engine marketing (SEM) begins with off-pages and links and can double traffic to your website and increase sales.

Put Off-Page Links on Your Site
Though off-page marketing is generally “off” your site, it begins on your site as well. The more links you have, the more the search engine spiders will find you. Use your blog, articles page and other content to link keywords to your homepage or specific on-site pages such as other articles, resources, and products and services. However, do not only link to yourself. Linking to other people’s sites can also help your stats and drive traffic.
Be sure to link to a site that is higher ranked than yours such as About.com, Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo, etc. Keep in mind that surfers look for valuable information, therefore link to something that’s worthwhile. Otherwise they will quickly leave the site you linked to and may not bother to come back to yours. Remember the goal is also to keep surfers on your site for as long as possible.

Article Directories – Make Your Content Accessible
Register with articles directories and post all of your articles and resources under your or your company’s name. Most ezines like EzineArticles, GoArticles and ArticleDashboard give options for a resource box that you can add up to three self-promoting links to your content. That way your business will appear on multiple pages for people to search. You can also link some of your on-page articles to these sites as well for added benefits.

Social Networking and B2B Marketing
Use the social web to promote your website and generate leads. Social networking has become increasingly popular in today’s world. There is no reason to not use this tool to help increase traffic and sales. They were developed to connect people and businesses. MySpace, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Naymz and thousands of other networking sites are great for personal and corporate branding. Create a profile and use it to shout out updates on content, new products and services, eBooks and reports as well as many other online marketing strategies.

Direct Response Results!
Off-page marketing really works. The more sites you link to the more others will link back. Provide interesting and newsworthy content, and you will see results. Don’t forget to pick unique and relative keywords. Follow these simple steps to your web success!

TeamWork Builds Web Success
The Web Success Team specializes in building and marketing direct response websites that take full advantage of the latest developments on the Internet. The Team has an arsenal of effective web strategies, online tools and proven techniques to promote your products and services. And we’ll show you ways to increase the amount of qualified traffic to your site through the expanding “social web” and how to convert visitors into buyers at a high rate of return.

Your website can become an effective marketing hub for your business. To learn more about the power of Direct Response Web Marketing, log on to Why Direct Response.

Contact the Team today for a complimentary consultation at Contact Us or email Bob Speyer at bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

The Most Powerful Offers in Web Marketing

websuccess — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:15:14 CDT

Everyone likes special offers, particularly in an economic downturn. Web surfers are no different. Ideally special offers will get you more click-throughs and/or opt-ins. However, choosing the right offer can be a challenge.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Is your offer really an offer? Does it have a perceived value and is it credible? Will it answer a need or provide a solution? Is it attention grabbing?

Phrasing is a key factor in the success of your offer. First off, think simple. Remember, most surfers are being sold to constantly, which means that your offer must stand tall against the rest. Your content must capture the viewer’s attention in a just few words, otherwise you run the risk of losing their interest.

For example, let’s say that you own a credit repair company. You want to offer a Free Report entitled 10 Ways to Get Out of Debt. Upon first look, this may seem to be a good offer. But the reality is that it would work better as a resource or blog article. A free report is supposed to offer something more than the average article on the web. Instead of re-writing the report, a simple title change to Debt FREE Starter Kit can help drive more traffic and capture more information than the former one. This is because the viewer perception changes from a general tip article to a package deal that contains various items to help someone get started on solving his or her problems. Now you have the added benefit of getting familiar with the potential client and, hopefully, he or she will take a leap forward and sign up for one of your services. Right away the title has value, provides a solution and will most certainly grab the attention of people in debt.

The Most Powerful Word in Advertising

When the word “Free” appears on a webpage, eyeballs instantly widen and attention captured. This is because we all have been conditioned over the years to buy smart and get the best possible deal. Consumers cannot resist FREE, because it is the best deal available. “Free” in essence is the most powerful word in marketing. When you strategically link the word “free” with “Report,” Offer” or “30-day Trial,” web surfers will be drawn to your website. Other hot button words to use are “Special Offer,” “Introductory Special,” and “Limited Time Offer” as well as guarantees.

When developing a marketing strategy for your special offers and free reports, keep in mind that you are offering something worthy of being downloaded and kept. The idea is to generate traffic, increase sales and turn your business into a web success. Therefore, you want to grab as many viewers as possible and leave them wanting more.

TeamWork Builds Web Success

The Web Success Team specializes in building and marketing direct response websites that take full advantage of the latest developments on the Internet. The Team has an arsenal of effective web strategies, online tools and proven techniques to promote your products and services. And we’ll show you ways to increase the amount of qualified traffic to your site through the expanding “social web” and how to convert visitors into buyers at a high rate of return.

Your website can become an effective marketing hub for your business. To learn more about the power of Direct Response Web Marketing, log on to Why Direct Response.

Contact the Team today for a complimentary consultation at Contact Us or email Bob Speyer at bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

How to Jump Start Your Business Reputation and Remove Negative Search Results

websuccess — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:55:40 CDT

Have you ever typed in your company in a Google search or even your name to see what comes up? Well, you should. A solid reputation is essential in the modern business world, from A ratings on restaurants to good reviews and now Google searches. If you have negative results pop up when you search your business, the best thing to do, if possible, is to get rid of them before they damage your reputable online business. Another option is to feed Google’s search engine bots a healthy dose of your site’s content to promote a positive reputation and eliminate negative results on the first page of a search.

Negative PR or search results occur from customers posting disparaging remarks about a company’s products or services. They may have had a bad experience, dispute or simple neglect to their problem. It happens. The best ways to combat this online negativity and protect your reputation is to monitor it to see how prevalent it is. If it is pervasive then you have to do some major internal fixes. You can also generate more optimized content to address the issues head on. Finally, you can engage the discontent in efforts to remedy their complaints. If the complaints have no merit, then provide the facts and ask for corrections. Also be ready to respond with your own blog; be honest, be transparent and listen.

Blogs are a great way to drive traffic to your site and increase sales. Your blog articles and keywords should be relevant to your products and/or services and provide surfers with interesting information. Add a few links to the blog and post at least once a week. My favorite blog hosting site is blogger.com because it is a part of Google which will help with rankings. There are several other blog hosts available to use and there is no rule against having more than one blog, in fact, the more the merrier.

Now that you have a good base for your business, it’s time to brand yourself. Branding will allow consumers and clients to associate the products and services they like with a brand they can remember. You can use Naymz to store and endorse your brand and help boost your Google ratings as well.

Once you brand your site you can add it to your blog and create sub-domains (other pages that link to your site). Google sees sub-domains as separate sites and will put them close to the top of a search for your business name. This will help to clear some of the negative items as well as promote your brand and drive traffic. The more sites you have with your brand, the better your chances of increasing sales and consumer relations.

Still haven’t gotten those negative results off the first two pages? Join social networks like FaceBook, MySpace and LinkedIn. Put your brand logo and pictures on these sites and link them to your blog and homepage so that surfers can associate these profiles with your business and hold it in high esteem.

Whether you are building a reputation or restoring and old one, be sure that you are using related keywords and supplying surfers with original and interesting content. Promote your business and your brand through various sites, social networks and blogs. After a few weeks, the former negative results will be cleared away from the first three pages of Google searches and your business can start anew.

TeamWork Builds Web Success

The Web Success Team specializes in building and marketing direct response websites that take full advantage of the latest developments on the Internet. The Team has an arsenal of effective web strategies, online tools and proven techniques to promote your products and services. And we’ll show you ways to increase the amount of qualified traffic to your site through the expanding “social web” and how to convert visitors into buyers at a high rate of return. Your website can become an effective marketing hub for your business. To learn more about the power of Direct Response Web Marketing, log on to Why Direct Response.

Contact the Team today for a complimentary consultation at Contact Us or email Bob Speyer at bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Push and Pull Your Marketing Strategies to Gain Maximum Results

websuccess — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:28:46 CDT

When budget and marketing get together, it can sometimes feel like playing tug-a-war. This only has one outcome – no increased revenue. Isn’t it time to stop tugging, and start playing games with more strategy and higher returns? When sales are down, marketing should increase in order to attract new customers and generate income. Take a risk, so to speak. Marketing should be a priority everyday of the year. There are two types of marketing that will help you to categorize your strategy and organize your clientele: push marketing and pull marketing. Think of these as forces on your prospective customers while they stand in your doorway. You can either push them or pull them through the door.

When to PUSH: Push marketing is where you develop strategies to reach out to existing marketing or distribution channels to promote your products and services. In other words, a company will market its brand to a wholesaler who will then market the product to a retailer who will sell it to consumers. Or it can be affiliate marketing where you reach out to their clientele as a recommended vendor. This type of marketing might include incentives such as discounts, bonuses, commissions, “invite a friend and receive special” offers, etc. It is a more social networking form of marketing.

How to PULL: Pull marketing is more attention-grabbing because it shows consumers instant savings such as “buy one get one free” or “half off.” The idea here is to create a sense of urgency so that the customer will come and buy now. Both are needed for successful marketing, because each strategy attracts a different type of consumer. Push marketing will attract buyers who consider peer opinions and social response whereas bargain shoppers will be more likely to buy from pull marketing tactics. You and your marketing team can decide whether or not you want to overlap these strategies or interchange them throughout the course of the year.

Web Incentives: Now that we know the basics, how can we implement them over the web? In web marketing, the more emails and contact information you can capture from prospective clients, the better. Therefore opt-in buttons are an easy and successful means to acquire consumer information. Use push or pull marketing for ideas for incentives. For example, push marketing could be “Sign up a friend NOW and receive a FREE newsletter.” Once information is captured, you can then use it to send out other offers, newsletters, press releases, etc. that will add a degree of interest and hype to customers and even drive traffic to your site.

There are many reasons how and why people buy or select your products and services over the competition. Employing both push and pull marketing strategies will get more people through the door and buy. Using a combination of both will reach the harder to convince buyer. Remember, everybody buys; it is just a matter of from which company!

Web Success: Converting visitors to buyers is the ultimate objective of most websites. The Web Success Team has an arsenal of online direct response marketing techniques to entice visitors to take action while on your website. Contact the Team today and we’ll show you how to beef up your online marketing efforts make your website capture more buyers and generate more income for your products and services.

Web Success Team. Build Your Business Online

websuccess — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:13:25 CDT

What is Direct Response and why is it so effective?

It is easy to “get lost” on the Internet. Trying to build the better mousetrap online, cheese and all, and not attract the “mouse” is a waste of time and resources. The key to web success is to get measureable results. That’s where the power of Direct Response web development and marketing can help.

Since prospective customers and clients are one click away from the competition, an effective website needs to persuade them to stay and take action. Direct response websites focus on a defined target audience, create the intended mood from the start, and result in accomplishing at least one of three things: obtain a sale, schedule an appointment or collect a name and email address to be used for future outreach and sales opportunities.

With the right direct response website design and techniques, it is easy to turn visitors into buyers and change the way people think about the products and services offered. The interactive techniques used will humanize a website, drive traffic, collect valuable marketing information and generate sales and leads.

The Internet is the most economic and effective way for businesses to communicate. It is important to have a website that works productively! A smart, interactive direct response website positions one ahead of the competition. Prospective customers will have a higher level of confidence because the website focuses on them and their needs, clearly identifies the products or services promoted, and offers the right solution. And they will be willing to pay for it.

11 Proven WEB SUCCESS TEAM Direct Response techniques that will increase visitor viewing time and get more productivity from a website.

1. First Impression — The look and feel of a landing or home page should be immediately digestible in less than 5 seconds. Imagine leafing through a newspaper and an attractive ad or headline catches you eye. Why? Because it grabs your attention and you can relate to its content.

2. Seek the Balance — The landing page should look designed, not over designed. This may be a matter of “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but there has to be substance, not just beauty marks. For example, flash or music elements can enhance, but also annoy. Remember most viewers want to roll up their sleeves and “window-web shop.” They are looking for something. The question is whether it is “your something!”

3. It Speaks! — “Silence is not always golden.” A website with an audio message that is carefully crafted will give your site added personality, engage the viewer and give them more information in that precious 5 seconds of decision time — whether to stay or vamoose. They can even walk away from the screen and still listen to your site!

4. Fresh Is Good — “Today’s news is tomorrow’s fish wrap.” Make certain your content is relevant, concise, crisp. No bloviating. Use sharp headlines, sprinkle in informative sub-headlines that orient the reader and lead them into the text, and use a smattering of graphics or photos to reinforce the image.

5. Break the Mold — Celebrate your differences. What is it that makes you unique from the competition. Your viewers should know up front they came to the right place. Give them a feeling they haven’t experienced before. An out-of-the- box solution. But don’t get too far from the core. Remember Clinton’s move to the center to capture more winning votes! Unless of course your products or services demand an “off-the-wall” solution.

6. Something for Nothing — You should offer a viewer a caveat for just visiting your site (such as a downloadable report, free offer, etc.). And by the way, while you’re giving it away, capture their name and email for further marketing outreach. We call it in direct response web marketing lingo, an op-in. I always like downloadable pdfs, branded with your contact information. That way your branding is on their desktop and they can refer to the article or content, revisit your site, or contact you. You remain a top-of-mind presence on their computer.

7. It’s Not about YOU — Well it ultimately is, but in this web technique, your viewer wants to see “what’s in it for them.” So it is important to address their needs and concerns, to be the solution to their problem. If you make them feel like they can relate to your site, you are half way to a sale or call.

8. Going Somewhere? — Remember, the idea is to engage the viewer and keep them navigating through your site. The navigation should be logical and easy to maneuver. Some nav bar headings should be creative, not just the simple who, what, where and when. For example, instead of putting a special offer only in the body, put a nav that says Limited Time Offer and in a different color to attract their attention.

9. Two Way Traffic — Communication is a two-way street. Give the viewer ample opportunity to communicate with you. Not just “Contact Us.” Rather develop an ASK page that asks them to tell you their biggest single question about… (what ever it is they need answering) or an online survey. You capture their name and email in the process and can email a response to their question or result of their survey. This also helps you build your email list and develop a relationship with that list.

10. Your Alter Ego — The use of testimonials is important for credibility. Call them rave reviews. It gives the viewer some recognition that people are satisfied with your products and services. Use of audio to accompany the written testimonials is also a novel way to present them.

11. The First Step — It is never too late to implement effective direct response web marketing techniques. As in the old Chinese proverb, “The longest journey begins with the first step.” The beauty of the web and web marketing is that it is a fluid environment. See what’s working for your site, revise it, hone it and improve it. Be clear, talk straight and test and track.

These tips are meant to be used as a guideline to improve traffic to your site, Increase your conversion rates, help turn visitors into buyers, and keep you ahead of the competition. Turning to a web marketer can ultimately save you time and money and increase your success online. The Web Success Team has many proven marketing strategies and techniques that can be viewed at http://www.websuccessteam.com.

Save Time and Increase Traffic with Micro-Blogging – The Hot New Internet Marketing Tool

websuccess — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:06:45 CDT

While getting ready for work Monday morning, I often think, “What am I going to blog this week and how am I going to find the time to do it?” Many of us know that blogging, is a great way to drive traffic to sites and show surfers and clients of our capacity to produce newsworthy information about our industries. But it does take time and effort. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just write a few sentences and carry on with our day? Well, with Twitter and the new era of micro-blogging, you can.

Micro-blogging is increasing in popularity, becoming the newest way to network and increase traffic. Twitter, the most popular social network for mini-blogs, allows users to “tweet” 140 characters (the size of the first sentence of this article) or less. The idea is to answer a very simple question, “What are you doing?” Twitter is for people to update to friends, family, co-workers and others within their network. It can be as simple as “I’m going to sleep.” I use my Twitter mostly for links and information.

Some might wonder why blogging simple posts like “in the cab” or “eating a sandwich” are so great, but the idea here is networking and communication. Fifteen years ago cellular telephones were just gaining popularity. Before cell phones, people would have thought it absurd to call while driving or when out of the house or office, after all that’s why we have answering machines. Now, more people use cell phones than landlines. Why wouldn’t it be the same for micro-blogging? It is the next step in online communication and networking.

On Twitter, you can find or post links related to your business and share short, but valuable information about your industry and the people who work in it. The first thing I think is branding. Why not use Twitter as a medium to market and brand yourself and your business? Tweet info about your brand and what it can offer, how you came up with certain ideas, meetings and workshops. You can post links to your site as well as updates and news about products, services, research, special offers, e-books, etc. The possibilities are endless and it takes only a minute of your time to write a sentence or two. There is a benefit to brevity.

Twitter can also help you get your next job or client while keeping in touch with family and friends. Employers and even clients are now looking at the FaceBook and MySpace profiles of potential employees. More and more people are reading Twitter blogs. Just because it’s short and sweet does not mean it’s not worth it.

TeamWork Builds Web Success
The Web Success Team specializes in building and marketing direct response websites that take full advantage of the latest developments on the Internet. The Team has an arsenal of effective web strategies, online tools and proven techniques to promote your products and services. And we’ll show you ways to increase the amount of qualified traffic to your site through the expanding “social web” and how to convert visitors into buyers at a high rate of return.
Your website can become an effective marketing hub for your business. To learn more about the power of Direct Response Web Marketing, log on to Why Direct Response. Contact the Team today for a complimentary consultation at Contact Us or email Bob Speyer at bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Web Marketing - The New Reality

websuccess — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:42:22 CST

Why are some websites successful while others flounder? They offer similar products, services, content and branding, yet some consistently outperform their competition with a higher ROI.

Common website owner complaints are, “How can I boost my traffic. It’s a numbers game, the more visitors, the more buyers.” Or “I get traffic, but my conversion rate is very low. They are leaving the site without buying.” Or “I need better qualified visitors.” Or “I can’t seem to reach my customer base.”

You Want Answers!... “I Want the Truth!”
You may have guessed that there is not “one answer fits all” to this web conundrum, yet there are answers and good reasons why! The starting and ending point begins with Web Marketing. It’s a broad-based category that is quite specialized. A web marketer will take into consideration all the moving parts of a website — construction, content, appearance, branding, navigation, promotions, relevance, search engine optimization (SEO), and web analytics.

The marketer will also review the USP or unique selling proposition — what makes your products or services stand out from the competition; review its features and benefits, understand the customer, and assess the conversion probability. For example, studies have shown that the highest performing Landing Pages are those that match more closely with the motivation of the customer. The second key factor in determining whether a customer buys from you or not is how clearly the value of the purchase is identified. More simply put, if you can fulfill the needs of customers and provide that solution, they will buy.

Another key component in a web marketer’s arsenal is taking these lessons learned and promoting them throughout the Internet. Sometimes called Off Page Marketing or Search Engine Marketing (SEM), these strategies include online PR, pay per click, niche marketing micro-sites, blogs, video marketing, social media networking, list building, e-communications, local directory listings, search engine submissions, and promotions.

The Hottest Web Marketing Trend
And because video is the hottest web medium, it is imperative to develop video content that will feature professional presenters that deliver focused, well-scripted messages that motivate and leave a lasting impression on the visitor. If done right, these videos can create motivational and psychological triggers that tap into human desire and motivation. Your videos can also be optimized for the search engines, driving more traffic to your site. And once there, they will be motivated to investigate your products and services. It is on your website where they will get a solution to their needs with an engaging video, great content, special offers and the incentives to buy, buy, buy.

Achieving Web Success
In conclusion, a good web marketer will look at all the moving parts of your online business and determine an overall implementation strategy geared to results. Not just traffic, but real ROI. The Web Success Team takes this approach in marketing our clients. We react to the entire patient, not just treat the symptoms with peripheral solutions. We work closely with our clients to increase your market share and help position you ahead of your competition. Contact The Team today for a review of your online marketing at (818) 222-5643 or bob@websuccessteam.com.

Use Mobile Marketing to Launch Your Business into the Future

websuccess — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:18:36 CST

With the advent of the Blackberry and the iPhone, more and more Internet surfers are using their mobile phones when they are away from a computer. Owners of these cell phones can search for News, Locations, Goog-411 and YouTube videos. They can also view personal docs and check email. Mobile phones are now the future for online marketing, providing online business a new source for marketing their websites and blogs.

Forrester Research shows that one third of mobile phone owners send or receive text messages and 11% use the mobile Internet. This may seem like a small number now, but understand that this market is new. Also 80% of mobile Internet users and texters are young adults between the ages of 18-24 years-old which means that the market has room for expansion.

Mobile searches are the wave of the future presenting the younger generation with a means to access their favorite sites, chats and email and older generations to maintain better customer relations for clients and easy access to information. I receive tons of emails everyday from clients and friends who are using their Blackberries or iPhones to access and respond to emails. Imagine what mobile marketing can do for you and your business, if surfers were able to see your ad on their computer and their mobile devices?

Mobile marketing is measurable and personal, giving businesses the opportunity to target specific markets. Those interested in mobile marketing need to bear in mind that mobile phones have smaller screens. Therefore redesigning websites for mobile content is advisable. Starting with Google can be very beneficial as it is on the forefront of mobile searches. Also think about marketing outside of the U.S. Japan and Europe have notably more mobile internet users than the U.S.

When it comes to online marketing, you and your business should stay on top of up and coming methods for and ways of marketing your products and services. A variety of mobile devices offer Internet for free or for cheap and businesses need to see this as an opportunity for expansion for their web success.

TeamWork Builds Web Success

The Web Success Team specializes in building and marketing direct response websites that take full advantage of the latest developments on the Internet. The Team has an arsenal of effective web strategies, online tools and proven techniques to promote your products and services. And we’ll show you ways to increase the amount of qualified traffic to your site through the expanding “social web” and how to convert visitors into buyers at a high rate of return.

Your website can become an effective marketing hub for your business. To learn more about the power of Direct Response Web Marketing, log on to Why Direct Response.

Search Engine Optimization

websuccess — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:52:28 CST

Straight Talk: The main purpose of a website is to promote, inform, generate leads and sell. The function of Search Engine Optimization and Marketing is to support your website by bringing more traffic to it. Therefore, the more visitors to a site the more opportunities to you will have to make it a profit center for your business. Of course once the viewer lands on your site there are other factors that determine whether a site will be successful or not, such as relevance, price, navigation, content, offers, features / benefits and overall design (see Web Success Team “Why Direct Response”).

Traffic is the life-blood of any website. That is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) should be a focal point in any marketing plan if you want to succeed on the Internet. The Web Success Team can tailor a program to help accomplish your online marketing goals and objectives. Below we have outlined some of the main areas of our SEO and SEM services.

Problem: How will the Web Success Team get more traffic to my website and more potential customers.

SEO Solution: The TEAM will conduct an SEO analysis of your web site, make recommendations and implement them. If a site is optimized correctly, you will be more readily found in the search results. It is important to note that Google spiders look for imperfections in how the site is built and optimized. The fewer technical flaws, the higher the page rank, the more visitors. Therefore it is very important your site is not only optimized, but optimized the right way. Listed below is an SEO Checklist of tasks The TEAM performs:

• Keyword research and analysis
• Branding and choosing domain name
• Site content and design
• Links and navigation
• All tags
• And more

• Site analytics
• Site architecture
• Site maps
• Competitor analysis

SEM Solution: Once your “shop” is in order with SEO, then SEM plays a major role in marketing your online business. Another term for SEM is Off Page Marketing, where the Web Success Team has a myriad of strategies and implementation techniques to spread your message throughout the Internet and to drive traffic to your site, including:

• Pay Per Click (PPC)
• RSS Feeds
• Social Web / Networking
• Local Search Opportunities
• Online PR
• Ezines/Newsletters

• Email and Viral Campaigns
• Offline Marketing Campaigns
• Monitoring Site and Brand Reputation
• Video and Mobile Searches
• And more