Web Success Team Marketing Info

The Web Success Team Strategizes Facebook Fan Page for Web Success

2009-07-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Web Success Fans,

Starting next week the Web Success Team will begin posting specific genres of Internet marketing each day on our Facebook Fan Page. They will go as follows:

Monday - Social Media Marketing

Tuesday - Blog Day (The Web Success Team will post information that pertains to the blog article posted on the WST's Marketing Blog.)

Wednesday - Business Strategies and Best Practices for Solopreneurs

Thursday - Keyword Marketing and SEO

Friday - Online Branding and Business

If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to see from us, please feel free to comment here or on our Fan Page Wall. The Web Success Team is devoted to helping Solopreneurs achieve web success. Help us, help you!

Sincerely,
The Web Success Team

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Seven Bounce Rate Busters Continued…

2009-06-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Speyer, President - Web Success Team

Last week, I wrote about Why Visitors Leave Your Site before Taking Action. A high bounce rate is one of the main causes of site underperformance. In this article, I will explain the last three factors on how you can keep your bounce rate at an all-time low and achieve web success with online direct response marketing techniques.

5. Lock and Key: Much of your traffic will come from search engines, so it is important to select related keywords so people can find you. If you use the wrong keywords, you will get visitors who aren’t looking for you. They will bounce off your site. The idea is to drive qualified traffic to your site, not just any traffic. You need to choose and populate your pages with keywords that are relevant to your business. Don’t forget to use your business field and product as keywords.

6. The Match Game: If you are using paid search, one of the biggest mistakes is to create an enticing offer and not deliver on the website. For example, let’s say your add offers the lowest price for a brand of shoes. When the visitor clicks on the paid link and the site says “out-of-stock” or does not carry that brand, you will lose money and a potential customer. If the offer doesn’t match your website content, people will leave as quick as they enter.

7. Black Hat SEO: Black hat SEO refers to tactics and techniques that do not obey search engine rules in order to achieve high page rankings quickly. Sites that use black hat SEO run the risk of being penalized. Make sure your Webmaster tags your site properly. If the message in the page Title and Meta description is not found in the page content, then your bounce rate will also increase. Do not use invisible text, doorway pages, keyword stuffing, or other black hat SEO practices. It’s just not worth it.

Improving Performance
Sometimes we are too close to the problem or too stubborn to see the solution. Improving your website performance is not rocket science, but it does take time and effort. Analyze your site’s flaws and correct them. This will decrease bounce rate and give you a higher ROI. Try to keep an open mind and ask friends and family to read your content for a clear understanding.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Implement Star Keywords to Increase ROI and Page Ranks

2009-06-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

By: Alyse Speyer – Writer, Web Success Team

By now, we all know the importance of keywords for search traffic. However, having keywords on your website does not mean that you will instantly be searched. Keyword placement and design are specific art forms. For the purposes of this article, I will explain in detail the importance of having varied keywords and how to use your analytics to filter out the ones that are causing you to lose money.

Optimize Your Brand
To optimize your brand related searches, pick a few pages on your website that you want ranked higher. Products and Services page is a good start. Tweak the content to allow for both star keywords and user keywords. A star keyword is a keyword with your brand name attached. If you sell software and your brand is BZ Programs, then a star keyword could be "BZ content management systems." A user keyword is what the general public may find to search for you ie: "content management systems." By implementing the keyword “BZ content management systems,” you get the best of both worlds.

Outsmart the Search Engine Bots
Unfortunately, most search engines do not make connections between brand names and products. We have to spell it out for them. Meaning they will not know the difference between BZ Programs and software. Therefore, "BZ software programs" could be another star keyword.

Brand vs. Non-Brand
Determine how much traffic you receive from brand and non-brand searches as well as the difference in conversion rates for both. If you don’t have one or the other, then it is time that you start looking seriously into search engine optimization (SEO). To help you get started or to update existing words, you can use WordTracker or Google Adwords to find out which keywords are available to you and which ones work best for your brand.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our work that we don’t realize that others might not understand exactly what we do. This is why we have keywords – to help people find us. Therefore, it is important to have relevant keywords on your website, detailing exactly who you are and what you do.

Digital Communication
Once you begin adding brand related star keywords, you need to set up your analytics page to collect the appropriate data so you can measure the differences between both brand and non-brand related traffic. I call this building a relationship with your viewers. By collecting data through analytics, you can watch your user’s digital body language and see which pages interest them most and what they look at before purchasing.

According to a study done by the Atlas Institute, the “last click” before a user buys gets 100 percent of the credit for that sale despite the fact that the user may have been influenced by a variety of other pages on your site. For this reason, it is vital to keep on top of your data, making sure you have the appropriate keywords and that they are working toward sales.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Why Visitors Leave Your Site before Taking Action

2009-06-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Speyer, President - Web Success Team

The measure of how well a website performs or underperforms has a lot to do with Bounce Rate, the percentage of visitors that leave a website before navigating to another page. I call these visitors “one and done-ers.” If you understand the reasons why they leave, you can improve your website performance and visitor response rates. So let’s take a look at the causes of high bounce rate and how we can fix them.

Seven Bounce Rate Busters

1. The 10 Second Rule: Design for clarity and presentation. First impressions are critical to the amount of time people will spend on your website. If you organize, simplify and optimize your site, people will gravitate to your business and feel more comfortable searching your content. User experience is everything. People are looking for solutions to their problem, not to be wowed or entertained. If your site is cluttered, too colorful, has dueling graphics or jumping flash animations, your visitor will feel intimidated or confused. If they don’t “get it,” they are gone in ten seconds flat.

2. Romancing Your Visitor: It’s what you say that counts. Your web content must capture attention. Headlines and subheads are vital, along with bullets and bolds. The viewer scans your content and doesn’t read from top to bottom, left to right. They read in sound bites, so choose your words carefully. Romance them, create mystery, intrigue and keep them wanting to learn more. Add value to your information. Visitors want to be convinced and to feel comfortable with you brand. They don’t want to leave. Give them a reason to stay.

3. The Road Map: Set a clear course for your visitors. Your navigation should be intuitive and easy to follow. Simplify your navigation bar by keeping only the essential pages that tell your story. People don’t want to be sold to, so don’t over-sell.

4. The Tune-Up: If your site is not functioning properly, the bounce rate will increase. Make certain all pages and links are fully functional. SEOmoz Linkscape gives full reports on which of your links are active and which ones have errors.

The final bounce rate busters – Lock and Key, The Match Game, and Black Hat SEO – will give you added insight on how to improve your site’s performance and keep visitors from leaving. Next week’s conclusion is definitely worth the wait. For a preview, email bob@websuccessteam.com.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Web Success Strategies from the Online Marketing Summit

2009-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

By: Alyse Speyer, Copywriter - Web Success Team

On Tuesday June 16, I packed my laptop and headed down to Long Beach, California to attend the Online Marketing Summit. This industry event for web marketers covered relevant issues concerning Social Media, Search Engine Marketing (SEO & PPC), Web Analytics, Usability, Email Marketing, Digital PR and Integrated Marketing Strategy. This all day conference included expert speakers from major online marketing firms, including Ray “Catfish” Comstock, Debbie Qaqish, Tim Ash, Steve Woods, Dana Todd and many more. Each speaker discussed real world experiences; case studies; analysis of what works, what doesn’t and why. The Web Success Team learned many best practices and cutting edge strategies that will benefit their clients.

Capitalize or Survive

The day stated off with morning Keynote speaker Aaron Kahlow, who set the mood by talking about what we as online marketers need to do during the recession: Capitalize or Survive. Do we want to just keep our jobs or excel and prove to the world that we can successfully market just about anything online. The Internet world is experiencing exponential growth. Everything is moving online at an accelerated pace.

Planning and Strategy

The first session I attended was a lecture by Catfish on Planning and Strategy for SEO. This was my favorite lecture because not only was he informative and detailed but he left us with a call to action. However, this call to action wasn’t to promote himself or his business, but rather to encourage us to use the skills and tools that we have as marketers to improve ROI for our own companies.

The key points in this lecture were:

Measure and set up analytics to acquire the necessary data
Maximize long-tail keywords – small optimization changes can have big effects
Use data from bounce and conversion rates to figure out how people look at your site and where you can improve or guide viewers to the right content
Differentiate between brand and non-brand keywords and take advantage of opportunity

Digital Body Language

The day carried on successfully, with Steve Woods speaking about the importance of measuring Digital Body Language, which is viewer interaction with different parts of a website. Learning how to read between the lines and understand what your viewers and customers are really telling you. Woods also handed out copies of his book to those who asked comprehensive questions.

A Day of Web Success

Some of the courses I attended were a bit too basic for my area of expertise, but were great for those who are starting out in the marketing world or who need a reminder of what they should continue doing. At the end of the day, there was a panel of speakers that talked about aligning sales and marketing teams, tools to use, blogs to read, as well as B2B and B2C strategies.

Afterward, we had the opportunity to meet and network with other marketers over drinks on OMI. The day was a success and provided all of us with valuable information on how to boost business and increase ROI. Keep an eye out for future articles on tips, tactics, strategies and best practices learned from this event

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

The Dark Side of the Internet: What to Do If Your Site Is Attacked!

2009-06-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Speyer, President – Web Success Team

Imagine one morning you log on to your website only to find it has been suspended by Google. Without warning, your informative home page has been replaced by a Google Red Alert page that reads:

Reported Attack Site:

“This web site has been reported as an attack site and has been blocked based on your security preferences. Attack sites try to install programs that steal private information, use your computer to attack others, or damage your system. Some attack sites intentionally distribute harmful software, but many are compromised without the knowledge or permission of their owners.”

This article is not intended to scare you, but rather to show you that the Internet can be a very nasty environment and that this could happen to your website at any time.

Internet Wars: May the Google Force Be With You

Generally, malware is installed onto a website because someone hacked into the FTP server or got the login information from the owner’s email. More often than not, a website is hacked through your own email account. Therefore, it is extremely important to remove any sensitive information from your email.

Unfortunately, one of our client websites, not hosted by us, was attacked and suspended two months after launch when it was previously Google compliant and functioning perfectly. The site was compromised by a hacker who placed a malicious script or virus (badware) into the coding which could then cause users’ computers to be infected. Google then informed us that the solution would be to remove the offending (and usually hidden) content from the web pages, and identify the problem and correct the vulnerability.

Once the site has been fixed and secured, you can request that the warning be removed by visiting My Site’s Been Hacked and then asking for a review. If the site is no longer harmful to users, Google will remove the warning and the site will be reinstated.

The Solution to Stopping Badware!

When our client brought the Red Alert to our attention, we thoroughly reviewed the site. We found no obvious badware scripting, but something external triggered the alert. Since we always keep a clean back-up copy of clients’ websites, we decided to upload the original files to their ftp site and replace the entire web contents — in essence, performing a clean install. Then we resubmitted it to Google and their partner, Stop Badware for a new review and approval. Even before Google’s approval, the site was live at once and functioning properly as soon as we replaced the corrupted files. The offending Red Alert page was gone (hopefully forever).

The Best Place to Find Help

In order to help prevent future attacks, we attached Google Webmaster Tools to monitor the site and its activity. We submitted the site to BadwareBusters and informed the client to change his password on their FTP site as a further precaution.

Please understand that badware (aka spyware, malware, adware) can also come in the form of malicious user-contributed content or content from an ad network that has an offending advertiser. If you have unwittingly downloaded badware and your computer is compromised, please visit the Stop Badware site for information on how to remove the offending content. The site is also excellent for tips on cleaning and securing your site and, as in the case of our client, how to submit your site for review and re-approval by Google.

Prevention Tips

There are a few things you can do to prevent badware:

Use Mozilla Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, which is more susceptible.
Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date
Put a firewall on your computer
Use physical firewalls by not connecting directly to public IPs

Many hosting providers typically do not find out about malware users until the site is already infected. This is because their security systems are not actively monitoring the system’s activity. For trusted hosting providers, we recommend for Apache environment: Web Hosting Logic and Twintel Solutions. For Microsoft environment: Digital Housing.

Knowing that attacks could happen to any site at anytime is a bit disconcerting. It would be great if Google would identify the offending content, or give us 24 hours to correct the problem instead of just a surprise suspension and red alert notice. Never-the-less, being aware of what to do and to act quickly will save you time, worry and money.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Need a Website But Don’t Have the Money? Marketing for Small and Local Businesses

2009-06-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

By: Alyse Speyer, Writer - Web Success Team

More and more businesses are signing on to the Internet bandwagon. These days if you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on one of the biggest markets in the U.S. However, building and marketing a website takes time, money and a lot of effort, especially if you are competing with big name companies. So how can local businesses on a budget compete with large consumer sites?

Package Deals
A website itself isn’t that expensive, ranging from $1500 to $2500 for a basic website. Consider looking into local businesses that offer web design or online marketing services. Shop around and you’ll find that many of these businesses are offering special solopreneur packages or other discounts.

A business website can be your virtual storefront and is an effective method of attracting new clientele and helping return customers to purchase from you. What’s more important than just having any old website is marketing. So make sure that your web designer is also an SEO expert. Having a website with no marketing is like having a pool with no water.

Virtual Marketing
If you’re just not ready for a website, get your hands wet with social media marketing. Networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and MerchantCircle are great for promoting your business even if you don’t have a website. Establishing your business through the social web will give you the benefit of being online without actually owning a website.

MerchantCircle was invented for this purpose. You can manage sales, coupons, ads and blogs as well as connect with customers and build your network. What’s great about MerchantCircle is that you may already be listed, which means all you have to do is claim your listing and start marketing.

Use Your Resources
The Internet is a useful resource for any business. You can learn about your target markets while expanding on newer markets. One big mistake is to ignore the web just because you aren’t ready for a website. Promote yourself and make your voice heard. When you are ready to take the leap into the virtual world, you will have well-established marketing connections on the web that will be patiently waiting for the launch of your new website.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

The Importance of Time Management in Website Development

2009-05-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Speyer, President - Web Success Team

When clients are busy, taking on web development can be problematic. One of the most common concerns web developers and clients have is moving a project to a timely completion. This article will address client time constraints by using a recent case study of a successful law firm whose busy practice previously prohibited them from developing a website. The client’s dilemma: current business practices dictated that they could no longer postpone the inevitable – a website that would be the face of their firm on the Internet.

Moving the Process Forward
The law firm Goshgarian & Marshall PLC contracted The Web Success Team to develop a site that would fully represent the scope of their practice and capture the personality of their firm. In our initial meeting, the partners identified their practice areas and emphasized their time constraints. Because the Team is a full service web development company, we felt confident in creating a system in which the client’s interaction could be kept to a minimum. The key to a successful and timely outcome is to first outline the components of the website: the branding and positioning of the firm, the navigational structure and the content. Then set up a task by task approach with approval cycles and timelines for completion.

Brand Positioning and Design Factors
After reviewing numerous law firms’ websites, we noticed that they were very graphic and had little differentiation. For the overall design of our client’s site, we rolled up our digital sleeves and selected a more muted approach, using softer subliminal tones that would not overwhelm the viewer or take focus away from the content. Professional photos were taken of the firm and the attorneys for a more personalized branding effort. These images were then blended into the banner compositions for each page.

Client - Team Interaction
We developed the home page content and properly incorporated relevant keywords for the search engines so as not to loose the quality of the presentation. One of the partners prepared a summary of the company, which the Team edited for appropriate balance and effect. The client was comfortable with their limited involvement and felt the home page was a good representation of their firm’s first impression to visitors. In order to maintain this level of comfort and maintain the momentum, clear communication and a steady flow of information were essential to set the tone for continued progress.

Next was to build the interior pages, focusing on the firm’s 9 main practice areas. Here is where web content reigns. When writing a web page, quality is necessary. Since our client did not have the time to research and write copy, the Team did the research and writing for each page, integrating client input and keyword research with our content and gave it to the client for review and comments. The client vetted and tweaked the copy, sending it back to us with approval to build each web page.

Writing on a Time Budget
If you are writing your site, do your research. This will prevent discrepancies and help you brush up on industry knowledge as well as help you write clearly. Sometimes it is better to hire a copywriter or SEO expert to get a cleaner perspective. If you do hire someone, like in this case, you should make sure they are dependable and read everything they send to you. Give your writer tips, ideas and direction, if you have any.

Working Strategies
As the site took life, our client was even more motivated to see it completed and was instrumental in facilitating the process. Their time involvement was still kept to a minimum and they were able to focus on their practice while providing valuable input for site development. Because the site was properly optimized for the search engines, when the Team submitted it, the site was indexed by Google in a matter of days, not weeks!

Projects can get stalled for a variety of reasons, but if the developer understands the client’s concerns and creates a working strategy the project will have a greater chance of going live. Experience in dealing with clients and blending the disciplines of good design, content and execution are key ingredients to ensure the success of a web development project.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Common Sense Marketing: Get a Check-Up

2009-05-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Speyer, President – Web Success Team

Mark Twain had said, “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.” Marketing is no different. In this Internet age, information is at your fingertips for everything from A to Z to Google. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the information overload and yearn for simpler times or just want the plain, simple truth.

Where do you go to get the appropriate advice to help promote your products or services? Sometimes the “marketing truth” is in front of you. For those building a business online or wanting to take it to the next level, the good news is you can use common sense marketing in your assessment of what has worked and what needs work. No, you can’t do everything and sometimes it is hard to be objective. But if you have a product or service that is under-performing or has potential, then have a marketing check-up. There is help out there and, better yet, a solution to every problem.

So how can you deliver effective marketing material that will significantly improve sales and see if you are on target? Here are a few simple tips:

1. Solving a Problem: Is the Solution Quick to Understand?

Keep it SIMPLE. Credibility is a key factor in offering a product or service. Online your potential customer needs to see exactly how these benefits can solve their problem. Give them problems/questions they can relate to and answer their concerns plainly.

2. Does It Make Sense?

Keep it REAL. You only have a few ticks of time to catch viewer interest. So you need to have your marketing make sense. No contradictions and no over complicated offers.

Do your family, friends, colleagues, and strangers – old and young – understand what you are offering and how valuable it is? Can you explain it to them in 30 seconds or less and have them repeat it back to you? Remember, they are a cross section of a larger market with more or less attention.

Distill your message to basic features and benefits without complex concepts or terminology. You will be more impressive if you keep it real!

3. Spring Cleaning – Visual Clarity

Keep it CLEAR. When developing a new website or reworking an existing site, keep in mind your target audience: young, old, male, female, occupation, education and buying habits. Once you have determined the demographics, use appropriate visual stimulation – colors, images, graphics and offers – to enhance your content.

Chunk or subdivide your home page so people can go through the portal of choice to the appropriate interior page. If you are grocery shopping and don’t know the store, you need visual stimulus or signage to help you find that can of beans. Same holds true for a website. Visual clarity translates into longer page views and deeper interest.

4. Do You Have a Roadmap to Your Destination?

Keep it SEARCHABLE. I know you already know this, but it needs to be hammered home. Even the best-developed site can under-perform if the traffic is not there. Your site must be constructed with content rich keywords and then optimized for search. This is where you need to allocate resources in your budget.

A properly optimized site will rank higher on Google and drive qualified traffic, generating more leads and sales. Your ROI will go up. Hire an SEO expert to review your site so you can quantify the effectiveness of your optimized site. It will be well worth it; and, incidentally, that’s where the statistics don’t lie.

5. What More Can I Do to Increase Sales?

Keep it MARKETABLE. Take advantage of all your marketing resources. The more noise you make, the more attention you will generate. Social media marketing has finally come into its own. You need to be active on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as article marketing, blogging and developing email campaigns. In short, be in front of your potential customers.

Connect with your list and become a familiar fixture on the net. People are more apt to buy from someone or something they know. Off-page marketing helps give you that street credibility.

People often react to straightforward answers to solve their problems even though they can be wooed by all the marketing extras, the value added incentives, and ironclad guarantees.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, including social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Selling Peace of Mind at Home and on the Road

2009-05-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

By: Bob Speyer

The Web Success Team has just launched Benchmark RV, a website branded to project consumer confidence by treating the customer’s RV as a member of the family. The RV community is a sub-culture of independent family-minded people that love the outdoors and cherish their road warrior adventurist image. With this understanding, the Web Success Team took advantage of Benchmark RV’s unique positioning as a family owned and operated “one-stop RV service center.” The website was purposely designed as a clean cut no nonsense website that gives viewers a wholesome image and a place where the care and feeding of their RV is paramount.

Keeping it Simple for Maximum Effect
The owner’s personality is also reflected throughout the site as they are avid racing enthusiasts, supporting and participating in the racing circuit. Customers can follow their exploits on the site and identify with their passion. And because the main bread and butter of the RV center is to service and maintain RVs, there is an impressive array of repair and maintenance services, along with extensive storage facilities. The emphasis is on customer service and convenience.

The direct response website also includes an extensive online catalog for RV accessories and a shopping cart for purchases. Now that the website has launched, the Web Success Team turns its sights onto phase II – the marketing of the site and driving qualified traffic. Because the site is built in CSS, optimum coding for the search engines to follow the keyword rich content, the site is already very marketable. The Team’s proven formula for “web success” is to develop a blog to market the site along with article marketing to position the client as an authority in their field and have the content spidered by Google.

Socialize It!
Another online technique is to develop a fan base using social media marketing, such as the extensive use of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Industry competition is fierce and what better way to attract new customers than to make them familiar with your products and services. If they know who you are and are confident in your reputation, then the sales will follow.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, including social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Link Building vs. Content: Get Your Site to Rank Higher on Google

2009-05-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

By: Alyse Speyer

In the last few weeks, I’ve read tons of articles detailing why link building is better than content. It’s true, there are some sights on the web that have little to no content and are still on the top of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) as Terri Wells writes in her article. So why not do both?

Link Building – How to Look at Link Profiles
Link building will certainly help your website’s rankings; however it’s the quality of your links that will take you to the top. In order to understand proper link building techniques, you need to do some research on link profiles. Unfortunately, no tools have been made to help online businesses assess link profiles. Most of the research should be done by a link specialist or a marketing team.

Link with Authority
The search engines have grown wise to reciprocal links, thereby making them fairly ineffective in page rankings. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t have them. Reciprocal links can help your rankings and web success as long as there are authority links. That means if Google decides to link one of your articles to their news site, you better link back! Still, one way backlinks tend to be better than reciprocal links. The key here is to know which sites have more weight.

Keep Links Young and Fresh
Another aspect to consider when revamping a link building campaign is to reassess old links. Often times, old links fall backward into old/supplemental results especially on article aggregators, which is why new campaigns need to be timed in order to maximize their effectiveness.

Content Connection
Content remains one of the best ways to get noticed by search engines and consumers looking for information. Even though authority backlinks are an important key to higher SERPs, content can help you further your link building campaign. The truth is that link building and content work hand-in-hand for page rankings.

Create Effective Backlinks with Your Content
If you have hundreds of pages of content, chances are your backlinks are strong as well. If not, then you need to start distributing your content to relevant aggregators and social networks. This is known as off-page marketing. Make sure that the article directories to which you submit are significant, meaning that they are indexed by Google and are related to your business. It will do you no good if you sell coaching skills and submit articles to tech-dominated directories.

Use Other Marketing Resources
In order to market your site effectively, you need to find a balance within your overall internet marketing strategy. Remember link building and content are not the only online marketing tools needed to improve SERPs. Bear in mind that on-page and off-page marketing strategies play strong roles in creating direct response websites as well as attracting customers and search engine spiders.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business The Web Success Team's Solopreneur Package includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, including social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

Coaching with Attitude to Rev Up Your Life

2009-05-04T15:34:00.000-07:00

by: Bob Speyer

The Web Success Team has just launched redline Coaching, a website with an entirely different approach to the world of coaching. Matthew Klonowski is a no nonsense coach that has helped his clients achieve their goals with refreshing candor and straight talk. His techniques are likened to a splash of cold water; promising immediate results, not platitudes or months of knock down drag out truths.

Branded for Results not Promises
The branding for the website reflects Matthew’s minimalist direct, no frills approach. The content is the main focus of the website with graphics to support the content, not overpower it. This 5-page direct response website gives the prospective client a good opportunity to get a good feel for redline Coaching’s approach and quickly determine if they want to pursue a coaching relationship with Matthew. The navigation has supporting pages that include an about us profile, coaching services, client reviews, upcoming events and a guarantee. The site also has an opt-in for name and email capture for list building and future marketing outreach.

The site has been built in CSS, which is the optimum platform for Google spiders and is fully optimized with keyword rich content. The next phase for the website is to begin the off-page marketing to gain maximum exposure throughout the Internet, targeting potential customers and driving them to the website. The Search Engine Marketing mix includes blogging, article marketing, social media networking, online PR and a host of other proven online marketing strategies to draw traffic and attention to redline Coaching’s outstanding services.

SPECIAL: Solopreneur Package – Jump Start Your Business
The Web Success Team includes a 5-page custom direct response website fully branded and optimized for Search Engines with 6-months of online marketing, including social networking, blogging, article marketing and much more. Lock in your special pricing now before the rate goes up! Contact the Web Success Team at 818-222-5643 or email bob@websuccessteam.com. To your web success!

How to: Increase Website Sales with Benefit-Oriented Content

2009-04-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

by: Alyse Speyer

When developing an online marketing strategy, the first priority is to add newsworthy and related content so that viewers will stay on your website. Still many people forget that keeping a visitor on a website is NOT the main goal. The main goal is to turn visitors into customers. Just because someone is on your site for a long time, does not necessarily mean that he or she will buy your product or service. So how do you turn those viewers into buyers?

Get Traffic AND Sales!
The simple answer is to add content to your pages. Create a blog and network it. This will certainly get you traffic to your website. But in order to get sales, your content needs to be fairly specific. Ideally, you want to guide your viewers to the content you want them to see. Meaning, you want to captivate viewers with benefits-oriented content such as opt-ins, package deals, discounts, etc. For example if your online business is selling dog accessories, you need to niche your marketing and write content that is engaging and attractive to dog lovers. Start joining forums or groups on your social networking sites that relate to your business and find out what dog lovers want.

Stand Out
The idea is to have your content create a memory for each viewer. Go back to the basics and figure out what separates your business from all the other dog accessory companies. This is called a unique selling proposition (USP). Once you know what makes you stand out, don’t be afraid to highlight it. You can also look at your old advertisements and turn them into content that is digestible. This does not mean that you should plaster your site with old ads, but rather to collect ideas from your former marketing strategies and reinvent them. That way they can keep working for you.

Stop the Leaks
Once you have substantial content that is relevant and benefits-oriented, you must close up any leaks you may have to links that are not as vital. For example if someone comments on your blog, you do not want the search engines to pick this up as a link for your site. This is not significant content and any surfer who clicks on this link will not stay on your site. Another example is someone who searches “dog contact accessories” and sees your Contact Us page as a resulting link. You want to make sure that your marketing efforts are geared toward the right pages and content needed to make a sale. Be sure to add NoFollow links where necessary.

Final Thoughts – You should read this!
If I were to leave you with one online marketing caveat to help with conversions and increase response rates, it would be to hire a professional direct response copywriter that can review your content and squeeze the most benefit out of it. The copywriter will also give you a different, more objective review of the copy flaws. Visitors will read engaging content and take your words seriously. They will always make a decision to leave, bookmark or act. Help them make the right choice!

For further can’t miss marketing thoughts, download the Web Success Team’s latest Ten Steps to Web Success. And for a complete direct response marketing solution, discover our Solopreneur Marketing Package. It’s available for a limited time and for a select few. If you read this paragraph, I did my direct response job. Don’t forget to click the links!

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!

Marketing Lessons from Kutcher’s Twitter Battle

2009-04-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

by: Alyse Speyer

As many of us web-junkies now know, Ashton Kutcher (Aplusk) hit a million followers on Twitter, a battle valiantly fought against CNN. But what online marketing lessons can we learn from this? And what really makes Kutcher’s marketing strategy work?

Over the years, Kutcher has played his cards right and maintained his fame using a strategy called “attention economy” – this Twitter battle being one such endeavor. The immediacy and accessibility of Kutcher’s motivation for a million inspired Twitter users and social networkers to turn their eyes to the Kutcher way of things. But seriously, Twitter? Why of all networking sites would he choose this one?

Why Twitter?
The answer is simple. Twitter simply feeds off of the same ideals Kutcher has been using with Punk’d, the Twitter battle, and his recent plans to “ding, dong, ditch” Ted Turner. Twitter and Kutcher make their statements clear: make it short, quick and however I want it. Even Obama recognized the value of social marketing and Twitter, being the first presidential candidate to actively use the web for his campaign. Oprah has also joined the Twitter-sphere because of Kutcher’s maniacal attempt to reach a million.

Nevertheless, there is always an online marketing lesson here. It doesn’t take much to hit it big on the web. Take Susan Boyle, for example. The key is to be active. Remember, surfers don’t tend to stay on websites for very long, which is why Twitter is so effective – one sentence, no problem.

Hard and Fast Marketing
In order to keep visitors searching your content, offer as much information about your business as possible. Opening a Twitter profile is a good start as long as you maintain it with interesting and relevant updates. The lesson from Kutcher is to make a goal and stick to it. Do it hard and fast and make it accessible to everyone. No matter how silly the goal may be as long as you put forth the effort, then you will see results.

One of the biggest mistakes modern marketers make these days is to have too many social profiles. It’s true, the more the merrier, but not if you let the profiles stagnate. You need to maintain them. So pool together your marketing team and decide which profiles to boost and which to bail.

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!

Is Social Media Marketing Worth the Return On Investment?

2009-04-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

We all know Social Media is popular and a growing trend. But is it worth the actual investment of time and resources? Let’s start with the front line… marketers. A recent survey by Michael Stelzner that was sponsored by Social Media Success Summit 2009 found 88% of marketers use social media as a launching pad to market their business. And that Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn and Facebook are the medium of choice (and it that order of preference). There is a definite upward trend in the use of social media marketing and it appears that trend will continue.

The Big Three Marketing Questions:
Most marketers want answers to three main questions:

What are the best social media tactics to get fastest results?
How do you measure the effectiveness of a social media campaign?
Where do I begin to maximize my efforts?.

“How Much Time Should I Spend on Social Media Marketing?”
The average surveyed shows that 10 hours is a good rule of thumb. 64% of marketers use it 5 hours or more; 39% ten hours + and 10% about 20 hours. The survey also found that the more social marketers use the media, the more their hours increased. The conclusion one can draw from this is they are penetrating the marketplace, and not just addicted to chat.

From a demographic standpoint, 30-39 year olds spend the most time using the media, followed by 20-29 year olds, then 50-59 year olds. Also business owners tend to spend more time than employees.

“What Are the Benefits?”
Clearly, the main attraction of social media marketing is the attention it brings to your business, gaining hard earned exposure, particularly when competing for eyeballs. Other significant benefits include increasing traffic to your site and growing your email marketing lists. A bi-product of this added attention is you are able to make new business relationships and expand your customer base. The survey also stated that with the increased traffic comes more search engine exposure and higher rankings. 80% reported a rise by doing consistent social media marketing.

And of course the big caveat is social media brings in more qualified leads, resulting in more sales and income. That’s not all, employing social media strategies helps reduce overall marketing expenses, particularly for entrepreneurs.

“The Tip of the Spear”
If you need to prioritize your time, then start with Twitter (the overwhelming first choice of marketers), followed by blogging. Once you have firmly established a pattern of action, become more active on LinkedIn and Facebook. Many are also using social bookmarking sites.

Conclusion:
If you want to grow your business online, social media should definitely be part of the marketing mix. It is worth the time and commitment. Return on Investment (ROI) builds the more you use the media and the more you use it, the more you will learn how to maximize your time and efforts to increase your productivity.

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.

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

Jump Start Your Business!

2009-04-10T08:10:00.000-07:00

Web Success Team SOLOPRENEUR 6-Month Marketing Package: Special Promotional Offer to the First 5 Entrepreneurs: Jump start your business with a complete online branded marketing solution that will position you as an industry leader for your products and services, drive qualified traffic to your website, and generate more leads and sales. The Web Success Team is offering the Solopreneur Marketing Package to the first 5 entrepreneurs to sign up. The package includes a 5-page custom direct response website, 6-months of Internet marketing and branding.

Direct Response Website with SEO Your direct response website will be custom designed, branded and professionally copywritten. You will consult with us on a regular basis and benefit from our online marketing expertise. The website will be keyword rich and fully optimized for the search engines so you will be more visible to potential customers searching on Google or Yahoo. The package also includes a branded blog to further enhance your search engine footprint. In addition, we will host the site and provide emails and web analytics (to determine visitor activity to the site, such as which pages were frequented most and how long they stayed on each page).

6-Months of Internet Marketing Once the site is built and optimized, we will submit the site to the search engines. We will also post client blogs on a weekly basis and submit client articles to over 1,000 article marketing directories. All blogs and articles will contain links back to your website to drive targeted traffic and increase your opportunities for lead generation and to sell your products and services. Plus, we will set up and brand your social networking profiles (i.e. facebook, linkedIn) and furnish you with statistics and site review on a monthly basis. Based on the analytics we will give your our recommendations for continuing to improve the performance of your site.

Off-Page Branding With your website performing and your marketing in gear, we will also provide you with additional branding support to give you a consistent look throughout the Internet. Branding support would include creating banners, icons to use on social profiles, a branded slogan and other graphic design elements to use items such as blogs.

Contact Us for All the Exciting Details and Much More! For more information about the Solopreneur package, visit Web Success Team or contact Bob Speyer at 818-222-5643 or bob@websuccessteam.com for a consultation. Also ask about our other “special promotional targeted marketing packages”, including: Direct Response Copywriting, Video Marketing; Social Media Network Marketing; Email Campaign Marketing; and Offline Marketing.

A Traveler’s Report… “It’s A Small World After All”

2009-04-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

By Bob Speyer

Ever imagine being a foreign correspondent reporting from an exotic locale? Well, the Web Success Team did the next best thing, operating our business overseas while traveling through three countries – Cambodia, Vietnam and Japan. We moved from city to city, never staying in the same place more than 2 or 3 days.

This part business part pleasure adventure was the ultimate mobile office. Armed with laptop computers, wireless mice, and Skype, we were able to stay in contact with our clients on a regular basis. In fact we were 12-14 hours ahead of our clients, which gave us a distinct advantage. While they slept, we worked and had web work ready to show them when they woke up!

Staying Connected in the Third World
The trip started out uneventful, considering the 15 hour non-stop flight to Hong Kong, then connected to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We checked and responded to emails in the airports at both ends. We took a tuk tuk to the hotel (a motorcycle taxi pulling a carriage) and once in the room, connected to the wireless. Surprisingly the connection was fast and we were online! After conducting some business, we ventured out into the city. Hot, humid and crowded, we definitely were in Southeast Asia.

Once over jet lag, we went to visit an orphanage on the outskirt of the city bringing toys from the U.S. and a 50 kilo bag of rice (about 110 lbs) to help feed the kids for a month. We played with them and helped with their English lesson. At the orphanage there were several young people volunteering from the U.S., Israel, Britain and Holland. We were touched with the responsiveness of the NGO workers (non governmental organization) giving their time and talents to the underprivileged. It kind of restores your faith in humanity. This was definitely not the “I” generation. One side note, at a local NGO restaurant called Romdeng, I ordered an appetizer of tarantulas – 4 to be exact (yes, I ate them all, dipping them in a delicious sauce).

Next we moved on to Siem Reap where the World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat, lies. It was voted one of the Man Made Seven Wonders of the World , along with the Pyramids, Taj Mahal, etc. It truly is a site to behold – a vast temple complex over 1,000 years old. We spent 3 days exploring its treasures, again in a tuk tuk and English guide. Our French run hotel was very basic, but it did have WiFi, where we again felt connected to the world and importantly to our clients.

Good Morning Vietnam!
From Cambodia, we flew to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon, busy, noisy city with thousands of motorcyclists plowing the road. Of course we had Internet and the city is honeycombed with Internet cafes. Actually every place we visited had the cafes teeming with young people. We visited the War Memorial Museum and definitely saw the “American” War (that’s what they call the Vietnam War – mainly because they have had so many ongoing wars throughout their recent history, it is an easy way to classify them – sorry, but no sinister motive here). Of course, America was considered a war criminal for having conducted the war, dropping napalm and Agent Orange throughout Vietnam that devastated forests, villages and had long lasting effects on the population.

The “American War”
We moved on to central Vietnam to two charming cities, Hoi An and Hue. Again Internet wasn’t a problem and we were happy to get work done on a regular basis for our clients. In between, we visited the cities, their antiquities and did some shopping, including getting a few clothing items made (24 hour turnaround). One side trip we took was to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) where we visited Kay Sanh – the site of one of the most vicious battles of the war; and a vast tunnel complex where the VC hid from the bombing raids and lived up to 9 days at a time. Imagine 350 people living underground about 30-45 feet deep and sharing 1 toilet. Resourceful to say the least. And we saw part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a vast network of roads that supplied the South. Today, there are very few reminders of the war, and the people are looking toward the future, not the past – to their credit I might add. They want a better life and are working towards that goal.

Our final stop was Hanoi and Halong Bay. Again, Internet wasn’t a problem and Internet cafes seemed to be on every other street. It’s quite amazing how connected we all are, even in the third world with poverty everywhere. It does open your eyes to how fortunate we are in America, even with the economic downturn. Hanoi was our favorite city in Vietnam, very much influenced by the French with charming narrow streets teeming with life. People are cooking and eating their meals in front of their shops and happy when a tourist walks in to look and hopefully to buy a souvenir or two.

The Land of the Rising Sun
Finally, we said goodbye to Vietnam and flew to Tokyo, where we experienced quite a culture shock. We were definitely back in the “real world.” Clean, organized, modern and yes, expensive. A hotel in Vietnam costs between $30-50 and a meal $5. Tokyo on the other hand is $250 a night for a reasonable hotel and $50-$80 a meal. The subway is cheap however with a $1.60 getting you most places. The cherry blossoms were starting to bloom and the sushi was amazing, particularly at the Tsukiji Fish Market, where it’s right off the docks.

Reflections
Sorry if I carried on a bit long, but the trip was well worth the undertaking. Our clients were definitely taken care of and any crisis was easily defused. The world is truly shrinking and staying connected is easy and worry-free. Even in communist Vietnam, there seems to be more emphasis on capitalism that socialism. People aren’t so really different – making a living, enjoying being with family and friends, and dealing with life’s challenges. Travel is definitely good for the soul and recharging our batteries (both personal and our laptops!).

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.

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

Running a business while traveling to another country

2009-03-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

Traveling and running a business sounds like an oxymoron. Well, it can be done. Thanks to Apple, Twitter, Facebook, Skype and Wi-Fi. Today with all the virtual offices around you never know if you are talking to someone in the UK, America or in India.

As one of the main partners at The Web Success Team, I am running a little experiment. I am presently traveling around Southeast Asia for 3 weeks technically on vacation but not quite. I still have to take care of my clients needs. Even though I have a support system back in Los Angeles, my clients still want to know that someone is in charge of the operation. Here below is a small part of a diary I am keeping.

Day 1: Thursday, March 12: After traveling for almost 24 hours, Bob and I arrived in Phnom Phen, Cambodia where settled in a charming boutique hotel, The Blue Lime. Before booking our hotels we carefully checked to see if all room had Wi-Fi. We were able to take care of all emails and reassure our customers that we are in contact. And since we were 15 hours ahead, it was easy.

Day 2: Friday, March 13: Visited an orphanage - a must for all people visiting Cambodia. We brought the kids toys and purchased a 50 kg (110 lb) sack of rice to feed them for a month. The next day we visited S-21, the Khmer Rouge prison where the Communists tortured and destroyed the educated class of citizenry. The afternoon was spent designing and writing a direct response website. One gruesome note. In the evening we went to dinner at in a colonial mansion where street teens were reeducated into learning cooking and waitering skills. The meal was delicious, including Bob’s appetizer — fried trantulas. Bob ate all four and said they were crispy but delicious!

Day 3: Saturday, March 14: Early flight to Siem Reap, home of the famous Angkor temples (one of the world 7 man made wonders of the world). Work wise, I managed a shopping cart issue for one of my clients while sitting by the pool.

Day 4: Sunday, March 15: Caught the sunrise at Angkor Wat at 6 am (with all the tourists in the world, chasing after the rising sun with their cameras), visited the amazing site for 3 hours, returned to the hotel, and with around 5 hours of downtime (too hot to go anywhere), I worked on the direct response website and a social media plan.

Day 5: Monday, March 16: Flight to Saigon (now named Ho Chi Minh City), delayed…opened up my computer and reviewed client statistics for the month. Arrived at the hotel, checked email and wrote and uploaded client blogs and sites. Saigon’s city streets are awash in motorcyclists (thousands), honking, surging and buzzing around like disturbed hornets. The city itself lacks charm and is quite polluted. Even the motorcyclists wear doctor’s masks.

Day 6: Tuesday, March 17: It had to happen sometime, we both got sick with bad tummies. So we decided against an all day bus trip to the Mekong Delta and chose to stay close to the hotel and visit the city instead. After breakfast (chicken noodle soup and tea) went to the war memorial museum. Very graphic but a must see visit. It documented the American war atrocities, very real and very tragic. War knows no humanity – on both sides. Worked in the evening, it is the morning in LA we are 15 hours ahead, good thing.

So far my clients seem happy, some are not quite sure where we are and don’t even care as long as they get what they need in a timely manner. My objective is to do this at least once a year. It seems to be easier on vacation then when I travel for conferences, where most of my day is taken.

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.

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

Should your employees represent your company as spokespeople?

2009-02-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

Effective Use of New Media to Represent Your Company Online More and more companies are using employee spokespeople to promote and represent corporate culture online.

The traditional role of a company representative is to mediate with the press, persuade his audience with adverts, articles and speeches, motivate buyers for their products and services, and most important of all to uphold the company brand image.

A Unique Marketing Opportunity In the online environment the need is still the same only the medium changes. The Internet presents a unique opportunity to exchange and share information and opinions, therefore creating an easy environment for networking and promotion.

In an article by Josh Bernoff for Groundswell, new research shows that B2B buyers and decision makers have very high participation with social media.

What does this mean for you? If you're B2B and you're not using social technologies in your marketing, it means you're late but not too late yet! Several companies are taking advantage of these technologies but a lot of the blogs, communities, and other social outreach from B2B companies are still gearing up. This is your opportunity to stand out. In fact allocating spokespeople with the same job description to reach out to their counterparts to form natural online communities can be very effective in promoting your brand image.

Employees Make the Best Spokespeople The question is how do you go about promoting your corporation’s products and services using your employees — without jeopardizing your reputation and the integrity of your company brand?

For starters, you would have to work closely with your online marketing agency to create a program that will assign tasks to all participants.

Choose specialty spokespeople from your company’s departments (i.e. human resources or customer services to manage individual social profiles).
Brand each profile with the spokesperson. Carefully craft your messages, manage and monitor your brand.
Monitor online reputation. There are many tools to monitor your online reputation this one is very widely used: http://www.trackur.com/

In addition, here are a few examples from mashable.com of corporate spokespeople using social medias for company recognition, services and customer awareness.

Twitter:

For Jet Blue http://twitter.com/JetBlue
For Portland Trail Blazers http://twitter.com/pdxtrailblazers
For Wachovia http://twitter.com/wachovia

Blogging:

Sun Microsystems CEO Blog
IBM’s many different voices

Facebook:

Here is the WWE fan page and application for fans that follow wrestling

Community Building:

Dell is everywhere, Facebook, Twitter to name just but a few.

Look and Leap Forward The trends show that social media is here to stay. Once the domain of “bloggers” it is now going mainstream corporate — and fast. Companies are always looking for that marketing edge. Social media connects people, builds confidence and personalizes contact in an increasingly impersonal info-tech world. Start now and you won’t hear, “I told you so!”-

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.

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

Friends and Foes in the Twitter Universe

2009-02-18T10:16:00.000-08:00

By Janette Leon-Speyer

I have now been an active Twitterer for over 2 years with over 850 followers that is growing daily. Twitter has been a very interesting social and business experience. I find myself using Twitter for everything from casual conversation, business contacts, researching links, posting jobs and fielding questions. As I explore micro-blogging, I have discovered a few likes and dislikes that I want to share with my readers. Here are some of my comments about “TweetFriends” and TweetFoes.

TweetFriends:

Sharing Informational Links: Twitter is a sharing tool so I always appreciate good informational links. Some examples are: @guykawasaki, @MariSmith, @ShriNagesh and @MarciDesign.
Customer Service: This is definitely the place to take care of your customers on a more personal level. Check out: @JetBlue, @WholeFoods and of course Lucia, from @pandora_radio.
Interacting with the Community: This is a social tool and socializing is one of the objectives in using Twitter. Here are some community builder examples: @Burnsie_SEO, @jim_turner and again @MariSmith.

TweetFoes:
I will not be negative, so I will not mention names here. I only promote good constructive information. Some of my pet Twitter pees are:

Tweeters who follow you to build up their profile and then un-follow you once you choose to follow them is not an honest Twitterer.
Tweeters who don’t post or give a bio. Why have a profile then? Who are you? It should be a sharing give and take.
Tweeters who spam. Using popular people’s profiles names by adding a hyphen at the end to create a new profile and then “stealing” their followers.

I do not have enough room in this article to stress Twitter's immense potential. So for now log in and talk to me @websuccess — I like to communicate with you and to get your feedback.

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.

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

Micro Campaigns to Target Customers and Make the Telephone “Ring”

2009-02-17T11:36:00.000-08:00

Is your website under performing? Not producing enough targeted traffic, leads or sales? Then it is time for a change of online marketing tactics. You should consider developing niche micro-site campaigns to target customers and make the telephone or email “ring.”

First let’s define the problem. You may be a medium to small company with a number of products or services. The questions I ask my clients are: Do your products or services relate to each other? Is your customer base the same for each of them? Or do customers need to be marketed to differently? What are your unique selling points? Are your messages clear, concise and quickly understood?

To address the above concerns, here are 8 strategies to get better results and boost sales:

1. Look at the Big Picture: Keep it simple
The old adage, “less is more” holds true for the web. Visitors view a website in chunks, scanning to see what catches their eye and engages them. If there are multiple messages or conflicting ones, the viewer won’t take the time to sort them out. They’re gone in less than 10 seconds. It is counterproductive to jam everything into a website, all that does is make it cluttered and confusing.

Your micro campaign should be direct and to the point. They are single page or 2-3 page websites that target a specific product or service. If you need to have a lot of content to explain your products or services, consider a 1-2 minute video. Make your pitch concise and simple. Visitors will appreciate the clarity and you will project a professional image and instill confidence . They will react positively, recognize that you are not wasting their time because they can understand it quickly. Then they are more apt to respond to your message or call to action.

2. Think Out of the Box: Be creative and innovative
Never get too comfortable with what you are doing or how you are selling your company’s products or services. You need to reach those customers that aren’t responding to this method or approach.

You can tailor a mini-campaign just to those potential new customers (i.e. a more youth oriented audience). This does two things: it won’t isolate your more traditional viewers and it won’t conflict with your current offers or messages. In marketing terms, we call this the low hanging fruit — ripe for the picking, providing you get there before the competition. Again, get creative, think out of the box, make an impact, and take a risk!

3. Make an Immediate Impression: Campaigns should get their attention with a sense of urgency, a timely call to act now!
Now that your message is clear and concise and you have their interest and attention, close the deal with a sense of urgency. If you are selling products, have time-dated specials with real value and savings; for a service, offer something value added and have the first 10 people to call will receive… Use of a flash element to draw their attention can be effective. Graphics should enhance the branding, never overpower it.

4. Target New Customers: Develop new markets.
People like to think of themselves as unique, individuals, and not part of the herd mentality. You can capitalize on their self-image by addressing new customers in ways that will appeal to them. Whether it is a lifestyle, the dream of a better quality of life, or as a means to an end — making their life easier. Remember, different markets will require alternative approaches. Tailor your branding and customize your message. Then of course test and track your sales approach. Get feedback from customers, new and old, how they use your products or services and then create a niche campaign directed to their specific needs.

5. Give Your Potential Customers a Tasty Treat, not a Smorgasbord.
Entice your visitor with a steady diet of information, but do not overwhelm them. It is easier to wrap your mind around a solid real value offer or promotion than to pack on “value added extras” that is really of little value. People can smell a genuine value, they don’t need or want to be tricked. You can give them choices (bundle 1, 2 or 3) so they don’t have to consider competitive offers. But too much choice leads to indecision and frustration. Again, this is the effectiveness of a niche site that has just enough information to be digested.

6. The Fastest Way to a Sale Is a Straight Line: The quicker they understand, the easier the sale.
The niche site is clear, uncluttered and easy to find the message with a straightforward call to action — all on the same page. Go from A to B to C to Sale. The quicker they get the point, the more appreciative they are and the more time they will take to make a decision to buy. That’s a good thing. They will stay on your site longer, feeling comfortable on your site like a pair of favorite shoes, and be ready to take an action — bookmark the site, email or call or pass it on to a friend for a golden referral. If they are confused, they will leave and probably not return.

An effective time saving sales tool is the use of a video that demonstrates the benefits of the product or service. These can be powerful and persuasive tools to aid in the sales decision. Wouldn’t you rather preview the goods before buying them? Make the presentation entertaining and engaging, have it move at a good pace and don’t be boring. Have several colleagues view it for feedback, clarity and urgency.

7. Utilize Multiple Venues to Deliver the Message.
Niche micro sites are great testing grounds for your products, services and special offers. You can more easily track the qualified traffic and the actions taken than if it was integrated into a main multi-page website. By separating a campaign, you can experiment with marketing strategies aimed at different target markets, do A/B testing of promotions, and analyze results. You can use these campaign sites as landing pages for your sales force, directing ads, email campaigns, newsletters, press releases and articles to the niche micro-sites. And you can use analytics to see where they are coming and how long they visit the site.

8. Just Do It!
Breathe new life into your website. Campaign niche micro sites can also be search engine optimized for added web presence and traffic. Have fun with developing new niche tactics to sell the same “old products or services.” You will also gain a new perspective on your offerings. The most important thing is to “just do it.” Three words that made Nike a fortune in sales. Be innovative, be creative and put up multiple niche campaigns. Don’t be too conservative, try new approaches. Remember nothing on the web is set in stone, it is a fluid environment. Keep ahead of the competition, be flexible and changeable.

On a final note, it is good to have outside feedback from an online marketer that can give you a fresh perspective on your business and help develop innovative ways to distribute your message online.

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.

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

Selling Skeptics on the Benefits of Social Media Marketing: A Personal Experience.

2009-02-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

By Janette Leon-Speyer

More and more companies are turning to Social Media Strategies. In spite of all this attention there is still an element of weariness at the though of putting a profile on Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn. After 4 years of eating and breathing Social Media I thought I would put a few notes together to help others take the plunge.

The hooks: The why and where.
Way back in 2004, my daughter, still in high school, soon to be a graduate and off to college, announced that now she could finally get herself a Facebook profile. At the time it was open only to college students. Needless to mention I was intrigued. I already had a MySpace profile for the company and could not see it being of much use. Once Facebook opened its doors to the general audience I was the first to get an account.

To my surprise I found that I was networking with my peers and I discovered that not only I could post information but I got lots of good resources in exchange. I joined every group, downloaded every app and made tons of friends. I was now officially part of a community that could benefit my business. I was now hooked!

The arguments: Building a business with no time to spare
The more I shared our information, the more traffic came to our website. For very little cost I was able to create massive brand awareness. I saw a steady increase from month to month and a steady increase in lead generation. I devised a system that enabled me to do my actual work and make some time for networking. 20 minutes 3 times a day. For example: the phone call to a client became a personal wall post on Facebook and I began fielding inquiries through LinkedIn.

Introductory programs: Business benefits
As I progressed I discovered other Social Marketing Sites. There are many very good ones out there but I only have room for a few key ones:

Facebook has a “fan page” feature and a “groups page” here you can promote your products and services to your network of friends and colleagues. You can also create vertical groups for your “niche” pages.
LinkedIn is the choice for the corporate set and is strictly networking. One of the features is an answers box, here you can share expertise in your field.
MerchantCircle allows you to market your business in the neighborhood, it is a “business in a box” concept with all the tools you need to promote your services online.
Twitter is a micro-blog that allows you to post 140 characters. Here you can share relevant links, talk to your fans and follow relevant posts. The more followers you get the more visible you become.
YouTube speaks for itself. Needless to mention it exemplifies the power of viral marketing.

For those still wondering, I recommend that you work closely with your online marketing agency to establish a social media time allotment, which profiles make sense and what the ROI could be. And of course watch the metrics.

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 Success Team Launches Website that Will Change the Way Sports Fans Play!

2009-02-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

World Hero 3000 is an established Toronto, Canada based specialty sports product manufacturer who wanted to showcase their innovative sports products by creating an exciting energy packed website. After initial client briefings, the Web Success Team went to work — first giving them a strong online brand positioning to penetrate an already cluttered marketplace. First we wanted to change the perception of corporate sports buyers. We positioned them with the tagline, “Changing the Way Fans Play!”

Creating a Unique Positioning to Stand Out from the Competition
World Hero designs, manufactures and distributes amazingly creative and innovative sports products for most major sports, including baseball, basketball, football, soccer, etc and has been a leader in the sports specialty field for almost a decade. Fans have used the same “old” products for years — thunder sticks, rally towels, foam fingers. World Hero was now offering exciting new alternatives. There is a tremendous fan base that wants to stand out, have some fun, make some noise, and express themselves in unique ways. This is the opening we needed to position World Hero as “the sports specific innovator of fan-based products.”

With the correct online positioning in place we worked on the branding to give the visitor to the site an energy-packed experience. We selected a bright blue and yellow color field to complement their logo and to express youth and excitement. Next we created a dynamic video that showcases their products in the hands of young fans, having fun. On the “front end” public site we wrote engaging content to describe World Hero’s story and product lines. Then we offered a sample product page to entice the viewer to want to see more product.

Password Protected Catalog to Sell More Product
The catalog pages are password protected as the client was concerned about knock-off products. So interested visitors are requested to gain access to the full catalog by contacting World Hero for a password. This enables the client to screen the interested customers and establish a relationship with them to better sell their product. The password will automatically change each week for added security.

Working Together to Achieve Web Success
The final site has received rave reviews and is the face of the company. The Web Success Team created the site in 30 days, on time and in budget. Organization was a key factor in the success of this type of project and the willingness of the client to provide us the product in a timely manner and to be very responsive to our requests so the project could move through its development cycles.

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

2009-01-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

By Janette Leon-Speyer

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!

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!

Steps to Improve Your Website for High Performance

2009-01-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

By Stephanie Soule-Maggio and Janette Speyer

Do you find yourself staring at a screen and millions of websites with massive amounts of information not knowing what exactly will work for your company? You are not alone. As if running a business isn’t time consuming enough, re-developing a website to improve performance is a huge venture and often times you find yourself at a loss for ideas on how to start.

To begin with, brainstorm what you want your website to do for the success of your business. Usually the answer has to do with increasing traffic, the amount of time visitors spend on your site and getting more page views. Think about how your website is perceived and what impression it makes on your audience. You can learn what’s effective by tracking your site and analyzing the results. After all, they are the final arbitrator as to how successful and useful your site is.

Elements to Put Your Website in Full-Swing
No one else can tell you what your specific goals are for your business-it is your vision-however, there are certain components that are customary for re-developing a website to seek higher performance.

Here is a checklist of areas to work on and points to remember to help you begin the process of strengthening your site to make the experience beneficial for visitors.

1. A website is a work in progress - Accept the fact that the first website you build is not the website you will eventually end up with. As you learn what works for your business online in terms of branding and what sets your product and services apart from the competition, your website’s design and content will evolve.

2. Importance of keywords – You should have a relevant set of keywords throughout your site. Think of keywords as one-to-three word summarizes of your unique marketing message; they should identify your company. To have effective keywords, avoid stop-words that are extremely common and ignored by search engines, such as “from”, “and”, or “there”, in order to speed up searches and save space for more pertinent keywords.

3. Content that delivers a promise - In order to establish who you are, whom you help, what you do, and how you do it, you need the right words. Content should reflect how your product and services can improve your visitors’ lives. Think about what’s in it for them and what will resonate with the reader. An effective approach is to tell a story. This helps create an experience that creates interest and reflects your product’s objectives and goals.

4. Relevant domain name - Your domain name should be as simple as the branded name of your company while incorporating keywords that express your services. If your carefully chosen URL includes keywords that reflect your product, you can increase your traffic because you will be easy to find. You can try using a different suffix such as .bus or .net instead of .com to see if you get improved results. A domain name can be as straightforward as dryeraseboards.com and is more likely to come up higher on the search engines.

5. Professional looking web page design – Think about the purpose of your pages. If your site is informational, you will need more content than graphics. If yours is a selling site, you may need more graphics and/or videos than content. You want your web design and graphics to be branded by having words and images that are consistent throughout your pages. Graphics should used to only make a point. Don’t overdo the images; slow loading will turn visitors off.

Can You Find A Good Ending?
Don’t forget that the journey of running a thriving online business requires frequent updates and alterations to your content. Each business has its own unique approach to creating and maintaining an online presence that benefits the company. Do not hesitate to be creative and take risks with your marketing message to help your business stand out from the competition and achieve 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!