10 easy ways to take your website from good to great
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given at the IRMA Conference in October 2012. Covers methods to improve website effectiveness including usability, search engine optimization, email automation, social sharing, content planning and more. From @sietsema.TRANSCRIPT
10 Easy Ways to Take Your Website from Good to
Great
October 1, 2012
2
House Rules
• Interrupt me– No, really. It’s OK.
• Ask questions• Something specific? – I’ll stick around after
• Copious note takers can relax: – slideshare.net/sietsema– hello@teachtofishdigital.
com– @sietsema
Sorry.
More like:
1Analytics
6
Analytics Is Not
35%
27%17%
20%
Neat!Pretty NeatSomewhat NeatNot Neat at All
7
Defining Analytics
It’s About Us:• What are we trying
to accomplish?• Have we been
successful to date?• Is success within
reach?• What needs to
happen to improve?
8
Defining Analytics
It’s About Them:• Who are our best
customers?• To what are they
likely to respond?• What resonates
with them?• Are there others we
should consider?
Why?
So What?
The Only Two Questions:
10
11
12
“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
2Way Finding
Patience on the Web
17
Short Term Memory
7 ± 2
18
Tips for Way Finding
Allow visitors to determine navigation priority
• About Us• Subscribe• Places to Go• Things to Do• Travel Guide
• Travel Guide• Things to Do• Places go Go• About Us • Subscribe
YOUR NAVIGATION SAYS: YOUR ANALYTICS SAYS:
19
Tips for Way Finding
Allow visitors to know where they are and get back easily
• Show State
• Bread Crumb Navigation– Food >> Dining >> Seafood >>
Scoma’s
AVAILABLE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE ACTIVE AVAILABLE
20
Tips for Way Finding
Start using (and tracking) site search
• Functionality is familiar• Use insights to build relevance• http://www.google.com/cse/
• Test effectiveness
21
Tips for Way Finding
Show visitors what’s next…
“YOU’LL ALSO LIKE” ALWAYS BE CLOSING
22
The Website Usability Bible
3Responsiveness
25
State of Mobile
Source: Morgan Stanley
26
State of Mobile
Source: Google
27
Responsive Design
Desktop Tablet Mobile
28
You Have Options
Responsive Design• 1 Web Address,
No Duplication• Site morphs based on device
PRO• Easy & cheap to maintainCON• Less focus on mobile experience
29
You Have Options
Dynamic Serving• 1 Web Address, No Duplication• Content/experience changes based on device
PRO• Better mobile experienceCON• Technical complexity• Higher maintenance cost
30
You Have Options
Parallel Mobile Site• 2 Separate Sites:
1 Mobile, 1 Desktop
PRO• Easy implementationCON• Must make content updates twice• Content duplication risk
4SEO
32
Share of Search
67%
16%
13%
5%
GoogleBingYahooWho Cares
33
How Organic Search Works
34
Some Rules Still Apply
35
Pages = Destinations
• From One Person to Another– Home Page is Most Likely Destination
36
Pages = Destinations
• From “The Google”– Every Page is a Possible Entry Point
37
Tools of the Trade
• Find Keywords– “google keyword tool”
• Implement Keywords
38
Keywords
• Where does one place them?– Page Titles• Once : Limit 64 Characters
–Meta Descriptions• 1-2 Times : Limit 155 Characters
–Meta Keywords• Repeat every word in Title and separate with
commas
– Headlines, HTML Text & Alt Tags• H1 tags if possible
39
Google Algorithm Updates
• Good News: No more writing for robots
5Content Planning
41
Bricks vs. Feathers
• What weighs more: – 5 lbs of bricks?– 5 lbs of feathers?
42
Bricks vs. Feathers
Content Type Bricks Feathers
Definition Productions Posts & Snippets
Positioning “Thought Leader” “News Maker”
Time Requirement
Days & Weeks Minutes & Hours
Potential Downside
Opportunity Cost Relentless Effort Required
43
Content Planning Triangle
SEARCHING
TALKINGACTING
44
Content Triangle in Practice
45
Content Planning Tools
• Evernote & Scrivener– Organize ideas by
production– Collaborative
contribution & editing– Develop stories and
bricks as a team– Accessible via
desktop, mobile or tablet
46
Content Planning Tools
• Create a content editorial calendar–Manage multiple content
types, campaigns, people– Collaborate to create new
content & brainstorm promotion plans
47
Content for Hire
• Plan and schedule content
• Find writers and artists to create new compelling material
• Transact and edit• Build a team of
content producers for ongoing projects
6Content Promotion
49
New Challenge/Opportunity
50
Content Amplification
• Phase 1: Standard Promotion Protocol– Relevant promotion vehicles –Monitor results
• Phase 2: Release the Hounds! (optional)– Apply to trending content– Give content extra momentum
– Budget accordingly
51
52
Ludicrous Speed Examples
• Give content greater priority on the website
• Feature content in email newsletters• Re-run on social media venues
53
More Ludicrous Speed Examples• Call on fans, partners & influencers to
share
• Promote via display ads
• Guest blog• Employ social advertising
7Social
55
She’ll love you back
56
Maintaining Activity
• Choose wisely
Venue Awareness Action Loyalty
Facebook X X X
Twitter X X X
YouTube X x
Pinterest X X X
LinkedIn X x
Google+ X X X
57
Maintaining Activity
• Create a social media editorial calendarM T W T F Sa Su
58
Work Smarter, Not Harder
• Facebook & Twitter Effectiveness
Photo
Video
Status
Link
FACEBOOK ENGAGEMENT BY POST TYPE TOOLS FOR MAXIMIZING TWITTER
February 2012
+
59
Allow Visitors to Share
• Utilize social sharing tools and plugins– ShareThis– AddThis– Countless Plugins
– Don’t forget email
60
Maintaining Activity
• It’s about more than traffic & followers
August 2012
8Video
62
Why Video is Important
• People remember:
63
Why Video is Important
• The top search engines:
#1 #2
64
Keywords for Google Search
• Where does one place them?– Page Titles• Once : Limit 64 Characters
–Meta Descriptions• 1-2 Times : Limit 155 Characters
–Meta Keywords• Repeat every word in Title and separate with
commas
65
Keywords for Video Search
• Where does one place them?– Video Titles
• Use Keyword Once
– Video Descriptions• Provide keyword-rich text• Link to back to website & relevant content
– Video Tags• Use every keyword in tags• No limit, but keep it relevant
– Use YouTube Keyword Tool - http://goo.gl/g7mU
66
Video Content Options & Tips• Webcasts• Interviews• Customer/Reader Responses• Tours or Demonstrations
• Tips– Create a series– Use consistent open and close elements– Include real people be human– Include YouTube Annotations– Embed on the website
9Email Automation
68
Build Your List
69
Immediate Gratification
70
Welcome Emails
• Special time when everything is new
• Ask to be whitelisted
• Offer a special incentive
• Set expectations
• Collect additional data
71
Be Relevant
72
Building Relevance
• Ask them:
73
Building Relevance
• Watch them:
Fishing Trips Near Kansas City OutdoorsCLICK
CLICK
CLICK
Unbelievable Barbecue
HOTEL SPECIAL:Hawthorne
Suites – Overland Park
Food
Discounts
10Experiments
75
“A player who makes a team great is much more valuable than a great player.”
76
Test Everything
Message | Creative | Call to ActionAd Specs | Venue | Location | Daypart
77
78
Tools for Testing
79
Tools for TestingU
SERTES
TIN
G.C
OM
