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Posted 7/16/2009 by PeterV, VP, Marketing
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We've just launched a major upgrade to our Web Design Company "Rated & Ranked" Directory which should help companies as they research different vendors.
The site lists companies by city and state and lists them in order of rank based on user ratings. With so many companies out there, this is a great way for people to wade through the choices.
The latest upgrade to the site gives companies the ability to become "featured," simply by putting a badge like the one below on their site. Once they register to be included, they recieve instructions to help them get even more exposure on the site.
Want to know if it works? Just do a search for "
web design company california," where the directory comes up first. The site is ranked in the top ten for many cities and states.
If your company isn't on the directory yet, submit them on the form at
http://www.352media.com/web-design-company-directory/Default.aspx.
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Posted 7/13/2009 by PeterV, VP, Marketing
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Now I know what presidential candidates must feel like, out on the road giving stump speeches, shaking hands, kissing babies. OK, maybe things aren't that busy around here, but we do have some great events happening this week and next!
First off, I will be leading an Instant Impact webinar with Reed Seminars this Tuesday at 1:00 EST on "What CEOs Need to Know About Twitter." If you are interested in attending, you can use the discount code authorspecial to receive 20% off registration. If you cannot call-in from your office or mobile phone to attend the seminar and view the presentation, Reed Seminars will email you the PowerPoint and audio files later that day for viewing on your computer at your convenience (you simply need to register before the seminar occurs). To register, please call 415-331-1122 or visit http://reedseminars.com/details.asp?id=377.
Next up, 352 Media Group’s President and CEO, Geoff Wilson, is speaking as part of a panel discussion at the Georgia CxO Forum in Atlanta this Wednesday, July 15, at 7am. The Georgia CxO group, which consists of top executives at many Atlanta-area companies, meets every quarter to discuss important business topics. Geoff is speaking on “Establishing Corporate Best Practices Around Social Media”.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Geoff is also speaking on Friday, July 17, at 7:30am at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s Downtown Council meeting. The meeting will take place at the Aetna building in downtown Jacksonville. Geoff’s topic is “Why Web 2.0 and Social Media are Important to your Business."
This will mark the first time Geoff has been up before 7am twice in one week.
And to cap it all off, we're hosting a Webinar on "Web Site Usability - How Great Design Can Turn Visitors Into Customers." In this Webinar, which takes place on the 21st at 2pm EST, we’ll discuss the science of usability as it relates to Web design. But don’t expect a lecture; We want to talk about the usability of your site!
When you register for the Webinar, you’ll have a choice to give us your site’s URL to review. We’ll select some examples of both sites with great usability and ones that missed the mark. Either way, you’ll leave this session with actionable tips you can put to use on your site immediately!
Our panel of experts will cover:
- The basic rules of Web site Usability
- The relationship between Usability and SEO
- Real sites from attendees that are doing it right
- Viewers’ sites with Usability concerns
Presenters will include:
Kelli Kimpton, 352 Media Group Director of Development - Design Lincoln Anderson, 352 Media Group Senior Designer
Geoff Wilson, 352 Media Group President & CEO
Peter VanRysdam, 352 Media Group Vice President of Marketing
You can register for free at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/932907218.
Looking forward to a nice vacation after these couple of weeks are over!
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Posted 7/12/2009 by Geoff, Pres/CEO
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If you have followed our blog for a while or watched any of our Webinars, you know that I talk often about the incredible impact that well forumulated TITLE tags can have on your Web site's search engine rankings. TITLE tags are one of the most critical components to getting good rankings.
I subscribe to a free E-Newsletter called Axandra Search Engine Facts, and in this week's issue they gave some great tips for what good and bad TITLE tags look like that I wanted to share here:
( source - http://news.axandra.com )
Depending on which kind of traffic you want to attract, you should use different title formats on your web pages:
1. News titles (not so good for SEO) This kind of title is often used by bloggers and news websites. Here are some examples:
Beat the 'overqualified' tag
Parking fees spark meter madness
Nominate your hero
Karl Malden died
The problem with these titles is that they are not good for search engine optimization. These titles usually don't contain relevant keywords and they don't look very attractive in the search results. There won't be many people who will type "Parking fees spark meter madness" in Google's search box so it's not likely that the page will get many visitors through search engines.
2. Shopping titles (good for SEO) Shopping titles usually contain a product name that is used by web surfers. If they also contain a call to action, you can get targeted visitors with these titles. Here are some examples:
ASUS Eee PC 1000HE 10-Inch Black Netbook - 9.5 Hour Battery Life
ASUS Eee PC 1000 - Buy it now for only $249.95
Buy an ASUS Eee PC 1000 with extended guarantee
Free shipping: ASUS Eee PC 1000 - $249.95
The first shopping title is rather descriptive because it only lists the features. The other titles contain a call to action (buy now), prices and additional benefits (free shipping). People who want to buy an ASUS Eee PC probably will click on the title with the call to action while people who are looking for product information might choose the first title.
3. Information seeker titles (good for SEO) Information seeker titles won't attract buyers but people who are looking for information about a special topic. Here are some examples:
How to lose weight as fast as possible
How to repair a broken chair
12 mistakes most parents make when choosing a school
How to find the perfect golf club
5 ways to find the perfect partner
These web page titles are good because they will attract visitors over a long time period. People are always looking for "how to" articles and solutions to their problems and you will get long term, constant traffic with these pages.
Action plan: how to change your current web page titles
Good web page titles can make a huge difference in the number of visitors that your website gets. For that reason, you should check the titles of all web pages of your website now: Make sure that the titles of your web pages are descriptive. It should be clear what to expect on the pages. If possible, add a call to action and benefits in your web page title. Put the most important information at the beginning of the title. Search engines might shorten the title in the search result pages and people might not see the complete text. If you're not a major brand name, avoid your company name in your web page titles. Do not use the same title for all of your web pages. This is a mistake that many beginners make.
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Posted 6/25/2009 by Geoff, Pres/CEO
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I recently gave a speech at the Jacksonville IT Expo on marketing a business by using Web 2.0 and Social Media. Here is a clip from my speech in which I give some tips about using Facebook to promote a business.
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Posted 5/27/2009 by PeterV, VP, Marketing
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Tomorrow is a big day for us. In addition to speaking at the American Marketing Association in Jacksonville, FL, Geoff Wilson and I will also be hosting a webinar about a topic many marketers struggle with: merging design an SEO to create a site that appeals to both audiences.
We'd love for you to join us. You can register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/961092514. If you can't make it tomorrow, we'll be posting the video as soon as we can.
What's the point of a beautiful Web site if no one can find it? Or a site that appeals to search engines but puts your customers to sleep? In this live Webinar, we explain the ins and outs of developing a Web site that pleases both audiences. Specifically we’ll examine the development process for an actual project, discussing the challenges they faced along the way and how we addressed them. We’ll hear from the client, members of 352 Media Group’s development team, and experts from Web.com Search Agency.
In this session you’ll learn…
- Common mistakes that turn off search engines
- How aesthetics don’t have to be compromised for high rankings
- Real-life examples of challenges and solutions, and
- How these same lessons can be put to use on your company’s Web site immediately!
Presenters will include: Geoff Wilson, 352 Media Group President & CEO
Peter VanRysdam, 352 Media Group Vice President of Marketing
Jodi Higbee, 352 Media Group Product Manager
Jeffrey Willenbrink, Web.com Search Agency Director of Sales & Business Development
Patrick Knauer, Web.com Search Agency Director of Account Services
Michael Fellows, American Biosurgical
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Posted 5/3/2009 by Geoff, Pres/CEO
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Here are some interesting stats on the growth of social media:
"LinkedIn's traffic is up in the recession. It hit 36 million members last Monday and is adding them at a rate of about one member per second. According to ComScore, it's gone from about 3.6 million unique monthly visitors a year ago to 7.7 million today" - Adage, March 2
Facebook has 54.5 million monthly unique visitors, says Comscore, with a growth rate in the U.S. averaged 3.8% per month over the last year. - Comscore via Techncrunch, Jan 13, 2009
"45% of Facebook's US audience is now 26 years old or older." - Inside Facebook, Feb 15th, 2009
Thanks to Authority Domains for compiling these stats.
So what does this mean to your business? There is more opportunity now than ever before to harness the power of Social Media in your marketing efforts. But you have to do it in an authentic way for it to be effective. If you need guidance, we can provide you with ideas and strategies to make this happen.
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Posted 4/13/2009 by PeterV, VP, Marketing
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We have our first in a series of educational Webinars about online marketing and Web development taking place tomorrow! There's still time to register. If for whatever reason you can't make the live Webinar, it will be available to view online later.
Here are the details:
Registration: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/822390578
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
Join 352 Media Group for a live webinar that reveals how Web 2.0 tools can help you marketing department achieve its goals! In this session you will learn to use Web 2.0 tools to get…
- Great search engine rankings!
- A loyal, engaged customer base!
- New customers knocking down your doors!
- And a renewed appreciation of funky, chunky ice cream!
This webinar will be hosted by Geoff Wilson, President and CEO of 352 Media Group, a leading interactive web development agency. He founded the company in 1997, while a student at the University of Florida, and since then has watched it grow to 50 employees with offices in five states. Wilson has been asked to speak about Web 2.0 at several events including the American Advertising Federation and multiple local chambers of commerce.
Register Now:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/822390578
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Posted 4/7/2009 by TomB, Acct Mgr
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Source:
http://mashable.com/2009/03/16/twitter-growth-rate-versus-facebook/
The latest numbers from Nielsen Online indicate that Twitter grew 1,382% year-over-year in February, registering a total of just more than 7 million unique visitors in the US for the month. Not only is that huge growth in one year, but in one month as well, as in January, Twitter.com clocked in with 4.5 million unique visitors in the US, meaning the service grew by more than 50 percent month-over-month.
Elsewhere in the social networking space, Facebook continued to widen its lead on MySpace, with a total of 65.7 million unique visitors versus 54.1 million for its increasingly distant competitor. Meanwhile, the recently re-launched Bebo, which now plays in the social networking aggregation game, is showing some promise, growing 40 percent from last year to register a total of nearly 3.2 million US visitors in February.
The competition that most are now focused on, however, is that between Facebook and Twitter. While Facebook remains several orders of magnitude bigger, its recent move to a real-time homepage and its overhaul of Facebook Pages is seen by many as a move to thwart Twitter’s continued growth. It will be a few months until this shows up in the numbers and gives us some sort of indication as to whether or not that strategy is working, but for now, both networking sites are enjoying tremendous growth.
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Posted 4/2/2009 by Declan, Acct Mgr
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Transcript
1. Google Tools Presentation for LA2M April 1, 2009
2. Google Tools Presentation April 1, 2009 Declan ONeill
I am a Regional Account Manager with 352 Media Group I am an Irish man living and working in Michigan, USA
- Likes - Rugby, Football (Soccer), Web Technologies
- Dislikes - People who do not use their signal indicators leading to my increased cortisol levels.
3. Google Tools: What Are They?
Google Apps or Tools is a collection of web-based programs that run in a web browser which do not require users to purchase or install software. Users must have a Google account and, once logged in, can access the tools.
4. Boring bit… … for some
5. Assumptions for #LA2M Attendees?
• I am making the assumption that everyone in this room is familiar with Google.
• I am making the assumption that everyone has used at least one of the tools from the Google Portfolio.
• Based on these two assumptions, I am going to speak briefly about the most popular tools, then go into some detail about how I think they can help you in marketing.
6. AdSense Google AdSense enables website publishers of all sizes to display
• relevant Google ads and earn revenue Video regarding how to Generate AdSense Code
• - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMG-dJ1yKt4&feature=player_embedded
7. AdSense Alternatives
• AdBrite - http://www.adbrite.com/
• Commission Junction - http://www.cj.com/
• LinkShare - http://www.linkshare.com/
• Microsoft adCenter - https://adcenter.microsoft.com/
• Federated Media - https://advertisers.federatedmedia.net/
• Yahoo Publisher Network - http://publisher.yahoo.com/
8. Google Docs Create and share your online documents, presentations, and spreadsheets
• Share and collaborate in real time
• Safely store and organize your work
• Control who can see your documents
• Google Docs in Plain English video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRqUE6IHTEA
9. Google Docs’ Alternatives
• Office Live WorkSpace (Free) http://workspace.officelive.com/
• Zoho (Free for personal use) http://www.zoho.com/
• iWork ‘09 ($99) http://www.apple.com/iwork/iwork-dot-com/
• Acrobat (Free) https://www.acrobat.com/
10. Gmail: Google’s approach to email
• Community-driven Spam Filter
• Ads – Google automatically scans e-mails to add context-sensitive advertisements to them.
• Conversations – Gmail groups all replies with the original message
• Built-in chat: text, voice, or video
• Labels – Are like folders, a conversation can be in several locations (Inbox, All Mail, Sent Mail, etc.)
• What is today’s Gmail hoax ????
11. What’s new in Gmail?
• Undo send - You can give yourself a grace period of a few seconds to cancel sending
• Offline - Make Gmail work even when you are not connected to the internet
• Tasks mobile - go to gmail.com/tasks from your mobile browser
12. Gmail Alternatives
• Yahoo mail
• Hotmail
• AOL
• MobileMe (Expensive)
13. Google Reader Google’s web-based RSS reader
• Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content Google reader displays all of your RSS feeds in one area
• Get Feed Recommendations you might be interested in but are not yet subscribed to
14. Google Reader
• Google reader downloads your RSS feeds
• You can Recommend articles to your friends
• Add Google Reader to iGoogle
• Google Reader works on any mobile phone browser
15. Google Reader Alternatives
• Outlook
• Internet Explorer / Firefox / Safari
• My Yahoo
• FeedDemon
• Bloglines
16. iGoogle is your personalized Google page.
17. iGoogle Alternatives
• My yahoo - http://my.yahoo.com/
• Net vibes - http://www.netvibes.com
• Windows Live - http://www.live.com/
• Eskobo - http://www.eskobo.com/default.aspx
• Schmedley - http://schmedley.com/
18. Google Alerts Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results
19. My Google Alerts: Mostly Clients
20. FeedBurner
• FeedBurner is a web feed management tool that provides custom RSS feeds and management tools to bloggers, podcasters, and other web-based content publishers
• Feed Title: = 352 Media Group’s Recent Blogs
• Original Feed: = http://www.352media.com/rantingandraving/BlogsRSS.aspx
• Feed Address: = http://feeds2.feedburner.com/352media/xJdR
21. FeedBurner http://feeds2.feedburner.com/352media/xJdR
22. Google Webmaster Tools
• Google’s free webmaster tools provide you with an easy way to make sure your site is more Google-friendly
• Webmaster tools can help make sure Google has access to your site.
• You can check when the Googlebot last visited
• You can automatically inform Google when you update your pages
• You can see how your site is indexed and which of your pages are currently included in the index.
23. Google Webmaster Tools - oops!
24. Google Checkout
• Integrate eCommerce functionality into your website with Google Checkout
• Email Invoices
• Google Checkout Shopping Cart
• Buy Now Buttons
• Use a third-party shopping cart
25. Google Checkout Alternatives
• PayPal - https://www.paypal.com/us/
• Amazon Simple Pay - https://payments.amazon.com/sdui/sdui/business?sn=paynow/o
• Yahoo! Merchant Solutions - http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/ecommerce/
26. Google Chrome
• Google Chrome: A new web browser for Windows
• Search from the address bar
• Thumbnails of your top sites
• Private browsing
• Google Chrome for Mac is in development
27. Google Calendar
• Organize your schedule and share events with friends
• Add quick events
• Gmail integration
• Import events from other programs
• Event reminders
• Make your calendars public and searchable by other users
• Sync your Google Calendar with your Microsoft OutlookTM calendar
28. Local Business Center
• Use the Local Business Center to create your free listing.
• When potential customers search Maps for local information, they will find your business Help customers find you on Google Maps
• Update your listing at any time
29. GOOG-411
• Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 from any phone (1-800-466-4411)
• State the location and business type
• Connect to the business for free
• GOOG-411 uses listing information provided by Google Maps. So if you are not listed on Google maps you will not be listed GOOG-411
30. Google Code: open source software
• Google Code is Google’s site for developers interested in Google-related/open-source development.
- The KIWI Kit is 352 Media Group’s first CSS framework and site template designed to help developers create consistent styles that are both standards compliant and logically structured
Get the Code - http://code.google.com/p/kiwiframework/downloads/list
• Download the code and use it for your next project. » @pxleyes created this framework - Follow him on Twitter!
31. The good stuff… … I hope!
32. FeedBurner BuzzBoost
• BuzzBoost re-publishes your burned feed’s content as go-anywhere HTML.
• Want to promote your blog on another site you manage?
• BuzzBoost gives you a snippet of JavaScript you can paste into your page templates
- <script src=\”http://feeds2.feedburner.com/352media/xJdR?format=sigpro\” type=\”text/javascript\” ></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href=\”http://feeds2.feedburner.com/352media/xJdR\”></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript>
see example http://www.intestionalfortitude.com/LA2M/BuzzBoost.html
Email Subscriptions
• Offer feeds via email updates -
33. Google Docs’ In action
I created a Google docs’ form, and then asked attendees to fill it out.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cFZCTzhwSUlNMVdpeTNBeHYyUnpZRmc6MA
- By using some generated code I embedded the form into a web page
<iframe src=\”http://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?key=pVBO8pIIM1Wiy3Axv2RzYFg\” width=\”500\” height=\”1195\” frameborder=\”0\” marginheight=\”0\” marginwidth=\”0\”>Loading…</iframe>
You can see the embedded form here http://www.intestionalfortitude.com/LA2M/google-docs-form.html
You can see the results on a spreadsheet here http://www.intestionalfortitude.com/LA2M/google-docs.html
34. Google Webmaster Tools
Get Google’s view of your site and diagnose problems
• Submit a Sitemap to tell Google about pages on your site
• Verify a site by adding code like this to your site’s homepage
<meta name=\”verify-v1\” content=\”Co2DM9krxor+hWr8PQWEBHDKIGNobaDf7XITqJG9hsA=\” />
• Web Crawl — See errors and problems encountered by Google’s crawlers Top Search Queries
• See which search queries are the most often returned pages from your site and which of them were clicked See which pages on your site have links directing users from other sites.
35. Local Business Center
When potential customers search Maps for local information, they will find your business: your address, hours of operation, even photos of your storefront or products. It is free and you do not need a website to add your information Add Locations
• View Stats on Impressions and page Views
• Add coupons
• Add customer reviews to local business “good or bad,” this will help the community make informed decisions whether or not to use a local company i.e. Plumbers, etc. -
36. Google Sites
Can be used to build RFPs online and add updates.
• Collaborate with team members
• Create private members only areas or create user access
• privileges Google Sites web address can be changed from
• http://sites.google.com/site/example/ to http://www.example.com by updating the CNAME records
37. Google Analytics
• Google Analytics analyzes your traffic, where it comes from, and what it does once it enters your site
• Custom Reports
• Keyword and Campaign Comparison
• Ecommerce Tracking
• GeoTargeting
38. Google Alerts
• Set up alerts for clients
• Set up alerts for competitors
• Set up alerts for your product offerings
• Set up alerts for companies you are trying to sell too
39. Useful Google Links
• Home Page http://www.google.com/
• Wiki Page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Tools
• Submit URL - http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl
• Search Cheat Sheet - http://www.google.com/help/cheatsheet.html
• Google Products - http://www.google.com/options/
40. Pimping: 352 Express Solutions
• 352 Media Group’s EXPRESS small business Web site - http://www.352media.com/express_Web_design.aspx
• PDF fact sheet: - http://www.352media.com/express/352express.pdf
41. Thank You and Questions
Get these Slides
• http://www.slideshare.net/oneilldec/google-tools-presentation-apr-1st-09
• Contact Me doneill@352media.com or 734-846-2352
• Follow me
- @declanon (with care — I have no filter on my personal account)
- @352AnnArbor (to keep up to date with all things 352 Ann Arbor)
• Learn more about 352 Media Group www.352media.com
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Posted 3/12/2009 by PeterV, VP, Marketing
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I've written a few columns for a new local magazine here in Florida called "The Business Report of North Central Florida." I figured, why not share it here as well? So here you go:
So much attention goes into developing your business’ Web site, but all too often the focus shifts after it goes live. The result: Your Web site can quickly become dated. Seeing out-of-date content is a surefire way to turn off both potential customers and search engines.
If you want to generate sales for your site, obviously, you need to keep it fresh. But you also need to market it to make sure people see it. Otherwise, it’s like investing in a well-designed billboard and then putting the billboard in the garage. So what can you do to effectively, and cost effectively, market your Web site? Here are some suggestions:
1) Put your Web site’s address on all your materials. That means business cards, print advertisements, even a bumper sticker on your car! This may sound obvious, but I’ve seen business owners neglect web site promotion too many times to count. You need to remember that savvy Internet surfers are much more inclined to browse your site than to pick up the phone to learn about your business. Besides, a visitor to your site is one less phone call to answer!
2) Make your site attractive to search engines. This will increase the chances surfers will find your site when they conduct an online search. Your first focus should be on building links to and from your site. This is one of the most important factors that Google, far and away the most popular search engine, uses in determining your site’s “page rank.” And page rank directly translates to the order in which your business appears on Google when someone does an online search. While the quantity of incoming leads you get will help improve your page rank, you should focus on quality as well. A link from another site with content relevant to yours and a high page rank will carry more weight that a link from a poorly ranked, off-topic page. If you’re a member of any associations, make sure they provide a link to your site from theirs. Also, offer to share links with vendors or colleagues, and always post your link on things like blog comments and forums you participate in. Don’t expect improvements like these to generate results overnight. Not only do most search engines take several weeks to index your site, but they automatically rank sites higher that have been online longer.
3) Update your content. While providing new content obviously is important in encouraging people to return, it can actually play a significant role in your site’s rankings. If a search engine detects new content, it categorizes your site as an active source of up-to-date information in your industry, rewarding it with better rankings.
4) Pay special attention when creating titles and link text. When determining where to rank your Web site, search engines weigh section headers, or “title text” as it’s called, more heavily than paragraphs of information. So, you want to choose title text that contains descriptive words and phrases that surfers might plug into a search engine if they were looking for your type of business. The second most important type of content is “link text,” which re phrases that visitors can click on to jump to another part of your site. Again, you want to use descriptive copy rather than generic phrases like “click here for more information.”
5) Limit text within graphics. Search engines are not sophisticated enough to see words on a picture. So if your page’s content is embedded in an image, the search engines will see the picture and they’ll simply move on. The same goes for screen readers designed for the blind.
With a little effort you can make a big impact on your Web site’s results. And, if you focus on these tips you’ll not only save money on marketing, but you could see significant returns from your site.
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