Managing an Internet Marketing Company

Since digital media took root in our global culture in the mid-1990s, we’ve had new “words” introduced into our vocabulary. Words like LOL and TTYL are common. More often, written communication is being slowly diminished as our reliance on slang, phonetic spelling, and a general obliviousness to good grammar all increase. The prolific use of social media to maintain relationships gives the appearance that no one will ever write properly again. However, as an alternative to casual digital communication, most professional Web content is very well written.

This paradox of good and bad writing may be because many content producers are able to write almost simultaneously in many formats. For example, many people may pause while during the creation of a well structured technical blog post for their business Web site in order to send a quick SMS text to a friend. It’s as if one skill or communication channel doesn’t affect the other; multi-task communication is the new norm.

But what is disconcerting is that search engines don’t do a great job differentiating between casual conversations and business sales pitches on the same subject. Likewise, we’ve all sent an e-mail that wasn’t meant for the eyes of someone who inevitably read that e-mail. You should assume: if you write it, everyone will read it.

My personal preference has always been to write to my best ability. Even though I have a limited vocabulary and I don’t understand most grammar rules, I try to write everything as if my  English teacher were grading it. To rise to the challenge, here are a few tips I try to follow:

1. Pause–Unless something is extremely urgent, never finish typing and immediately press send. Instead, have someone else edit your work, or at least wait an hour between your first draft and letting it loose on the world.
2. Grammar–Avoid being sucked into the world of poor writing by not following very basic grammar rules. It’s not hard to use capital letters, punctuation, and good spelling in your every day writing, so just do it.
3. Reader–Make sure you write in your voice, but always focus on your reader. Too many personal slang terms, technical jargon, and acronyms may make it difficult for your message to be heard well. Clear, concise writing is always best.

These are my ideas. Do you try to have common writing strategies for the variety of digital forums?

I agree, with caution, with Randfish’s post that great content isn’t the total solution. There have been many times I’ve explained that the best looking Web site with the most compelling content is useless if no one sees it.

That being said, all the Web site’s that I view on a regular basis have great content. Each domain has a topic that interests me and ultimately provides me with a good user experience. Without a doubt, content is the most important aspect of any Web site, because no matter the number of visitors to your Web site, the Web site must still provide a benefit to the user.

Except for the occasional non-Internet ad, it’s true that almost every Web site I’ve visited has either been recommended or found via search engines. However, the Web sites that I enjoy, or the pages that I convert on, must meet my needs by providing compelling content.

Design, pictures, font, layout, and text of a Web page matter, and should be the foundation of any Internet marketing campaign. No, you shouldn’t stop at content, but it mustn’t be ignored.

I’m really enjoying my new tool from WriteRoom! It is a program that allows for distraction free writing on your Mac. WriteRoom basically clears your screen so that  the only image is your text on a plain background. Here’s a screenshot of this blog in WriteRoom:

Here's what WriteRoom looks like on a full screen.

Notice how you can’t see any other programs, even your desktop is hidden.

So often we have multiple programs running on our computers at the same time and it really clutters our screens. Mac OS-X does a great job by adding a few features to the operating system, such as Expose and Spaces to help manage our systems. Add in another computer screen and you’d think you have the ability to keep your computer screen free from clutter. But with dozens of open e-mails, files, web browsers, and a myriad of other programs running, it’s inevitable that by lunch our computer will be one big mess. I really dislike shutting my MacBook down at the end of the day because I can’t close all the programs, but that’s another problem for another blog post.

I recommend you take a look at WriteRoom if you’re a writer that writes often, especially a blogger creating Internet marketing content. Furthermore, it might be helpful to explore using it  in conjunction with Spaces; I like the black text on grey background but everyone has their preferences. Either way, after a test blog or two  you may find it to be one of the best programs you’ve ever downloaded!

I’ve always believed that each Web page on a Web site should have a purpose. For example, pay-per-click landing pages must convert visitors in to customers because pay-per-click may seem cheap, but those clicks sure do add up. Too often pay-per-click landing pages are either just pages of content not designed specifically for paid visitors or they’re very busy and confuse the visitor.

Tim Ash in WebsiteMagazine.com laid out a very compelling case to keep your Web site landing pages simple. In the article Tim uses a tool from AttentionWizard.com to demonstrate that normal colors; common fonts; and less embellishments and video are the keys to a higher converting landing page. Using what he calls “attention heatmaps”–mouse-tracking software–it’s obvious that a basic layout with good calls-to-action works best.

It makes since, right? Simple is better.

Who wants to find a Web page after many search queries only to have to further search the Web page for the information really desired? More so, which Web owner wants to pay for visitors that only immediately leave the Web site?  If a landing page can’t answer the visitors search question in just a few seconds then it probably doesn’t work.

Brand, price, features, and contact information (buy button) are basically all that is needed on a pay-per-click landing page. If you add too many features, such as a continual looping animation, it may be distracting and ultimately reduce conversions. A good idea is to use your bounce rate metric (along with conversions) to measure the effectiveness of the landing page.

Keep it simple. It works for so many areas of life, and it will work for your Web site too. Kudos Tim for articulating a point that I’ve thought for many years.

Over the next few weeks we’re conducting interviews for an Internet Marketing Assistant. It’s an entry level position that we hope blossoms into a great career for whomever joins our team. Like any organization, people are what matter, and I believe hiring is the most important aspect of my job.

After sending out the initial requests for interviews I wonder if any of the candidates will read this blog. It sounds very self righteous to assume this writing is worth much if anything at all. However, the candidates are applying for work at an Internet marketing company. Is it crazy to assume that someone wanting a job will go on the company website to learn more, especially when they know the interviewer?

So there, I’m curious. Candidates: what are the skills I believe make someone a great Internet marketing expert? I don’t think this will be a major factor in the selection but I bet a couple of candidates will deliver.

Good luck and we look forward to meeting you!

With the start of a new year we all make resolutions on ways to make our lives better. The symbolism of the calendar odometer rolling over seems like the best first day of our new lives and why not, we all need to refresh and kick some old habits only start new ones.

So in the spirit of New Year’s resolutions I recommend you change your passwords. Exciting right? Well maybe not exciting but none the less important. Think about it, when was the last time you changed your passwords?

According to a non-scientific poll at geeksurgar.com only 16% of people change their password on a regular basis. Half of the respondents say they change their passwords only when they worry if it’s been compromised. That doesn’t sound safe, waiting to close the barn door after all the animals have left. Maybe you can be different, you can be that one person that changes their passwords on a regular basis and doesn’t keep them listed under their keyboard or on a document called “passwords”.

So there you go, a New Year’s resolution for us all. Change your passwords, all of them, so we can have a fun and hopefully a hacked free 2010.

A common activity within all organizations is money management. Business, non-profits, and even households all earn money then spend it. As an accountant I always wonder which aspect of my profession is more valuable: taxes, bookkeeping, or forecasting.

Most small businesses use a CPA to do the annual taxes. The US tax code has become so complex that only a highly trained specialist can file a claim; the fee for the accountant is like a tax in and of itself. We have to pay taxes and the money spent on a CPA saves managers valuable time. Alternatively, what else does your accountant do for you?

Bookkeeping is the daily recording of financial transactions. It sounds easy, but in fact bookkeeping is a very detailed and mundane activity that challenges the even the most astute accountant. Ever tried balancing your checkbook when there is a $1.37 error? Hire a bookkeeper and watch how easy it is to know exactly where your business stands at any given moment.

Finally, most business managers want to know the future and the only way to understand what’s going to happen is to guess. Enter the forecast. Opposite of a CPA is a CMA (certified managerial accountant). CMA’s are budget and cost analyst; using internal metrics, they help business managers predict what’s going to happen. Yes, it’s a guess but using trends, Internet marketing data, sales forecasts, budgets, and other tools, this person can help managers make informed decisions.

The world of accounting/money management isn’t pretty. Accountants like me are nerds, but we’re valuable nerds. Of the three activities mentioned which do you feel is most important for your business?

If you’re a client of Site-Seeker I would like to thank you for allowing us to provide you with Internet marketing services. We believe that your customers are spending an ever increasing amount of time on the Internet searching for your products and services. Just the fact that you’ve hired us means you understand the value of being actively engaged with your customers online.

We want you to have a good relationship with your Site-Seeker Internet Marketing Specialist and Sales Representative. What you may not know is that we have a team of developers, designers, writers, and other technicians behind the scenes who regularly support the people you deal with. Together, these skilled individuals form a great team that can benefit your company in many ways.

As the Business Manager, my job is to ensure that our team is focused on one goal: improving your Internet presence. As a client of Site-Seeker you should expect from us value and outstanding customer service.

1. Value – Improving your Internet presence may manifest in a new website, Twitter strategy, Google keyword optimization, and dozens of other services. You can measure these activities using your analytic reports. These reports show data both in terms of what’s working and also what needs improvement. Subsequently, the report should also explain what we’ve accomplished since the previous report and what we’re going to do before the next.
2. Outstanding Customer Service – Customer service is about continually improving your satisfaction. Whether it’s a telephone call or email, you should expect timely and courteous communication. Our industry is full of confusing terms, so it’s important that you understand them. Furthermore, we want to make sure you understand your online marketplace and our recommendations to reach those customers.

We value our relationship with our clients and seek to deliver the best Internet marketing results for them. Each of us measures value in our own unique way; if you haven’t done so, please let us know how you measure value. Also, if you’re not a client of Site-Seeker, ask us how we can deliver value to you too.

This evening I read a great blog that related business books to restaurants. Ivana Taylor linked a style of food to a business book and I think the analogy worked. However, when I read the title I was ready for Ivana to tell me that if you have a book that works stick with it.

For example, I go to the same restaurants over and over again. Even at new restaurants I order the same meal. If it’s good food why do I need to try to expand my palate at every meal? What’s the value in experimenting when you know you can have a great meal every time?

The same is true with business books. I must have read the One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard about a dozen times. Why? Because I believe that his situational supervisory model is spot on. Same is true with John C. Maxwell’s book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. I can read that book over and over again; each time I do so I learn something new. Finally, Dale Carnegie’s classic on How to Win Friends and Influence People is something that’s worth bookmarking and referring to almost daily.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t experiment and read something new. Learning new material is something that we should do over and over. But why should we only spend our life trying to find that next great thing when the best ideas may have already been read? Instead of pursuing Amazon looking for that next brilliant idea that’s going reshape your business why not dust off a classic from your own library and relearn things you already know are important.

Recently an Internet marketing client, here in Central New York, asked us for a report of hours we’ve worked on a contract. We are providing them with search engine optimization and pay-per-click management. It’s a common request and one I’ll dutifully respond using our project management system.

However, what value does reporting hours really provide? Is the client working with us to work hours or are they looking to improve their Internet presence and increase their return on investment? What’s more important, fantastic analytic data and increased sales or validation that your vendor worked X number of hours? I believe it’s somewhere in the middle.

First, there is no reason to hire an Internet marketing firm if they don’t help you increase your bottom line. A good Internet marketing should both fill your sales pipeline and, depending on your business, close some deals too. The best reason to move your money from traditional marketing and advertising to Internet marketing is the specific measurable results that web analytics provides.

Alternatively, an Internet marketing is really providing experienced, highly skilled labor. A few months ago I wrote the skills an Internet marketing person needs to be successful. The truth is that sometimes the data doesn’t look good and a client will want to know why. The first place to look is the Internet marketing firm and see if they really did any work. Ask them. Hours worked is fine but do they have a plan, are they meeting deadlines, and what projects do they have lined up?

Measure what you want but I recommend you first look at the data. If you’re not satisfied then go back and look at the work performed. What else do you think should be measured?