How PPC on Facebook Can Draw Facebookers to Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)




Anything that people spend a lot of time doing provides a great marketing opportunity. Nowadays, people spend a lot of time updating their statuses, chatting, spying on long-lost acquaintances, cultivating their Farmville crops, or otherwise interacting with that famous white screen...

Enter Facebook Ads.

America's Favorite Way to Procrastinate

Now that Facebook is everywhere, advertising on Facebook is a super way to reach out to the world. While folks are browsing their friends' posts and profiles, they are simultaneously viewing advertisements that Facebook positions on the right side of their screens. These clickable ads make it easy for a user to jump over to the website or Facebook page of any company whose ad piques his interest.

Hit Your Targets Dead On

But here's the thing. Not only do Facebook ads provide clickable advertisements to a group of people who are most likely just killing time, but they also can provide these ads to people from very specific demographics. If you think about your Facebook profile, the information you share gives away a lot about you. Many people openly share their interests, their educational background, their employment history, their marital status, and more. This is information that marketing list maker types used to have to dig around to get, but these days many people are happy to broadcast it to the Facebook world. So without doing any snooping, Facebook can make sure that your ad pops up on the screens of people who are most likely to respond to it. This is target marketing at its most precise.

In the case studies tab on their advertising page, Facebook gives a pretty solid example of how this can benefit business owners. Since Facebook users often share their relationship status on their profiles, it's easy to market specifically to people who are engaged. The page shows an example of a photography company who benefited tremendously from advertising on Facebook to women who had chosen “Engaged” as their relationship status.

What's the Price Tag on These Magical Ads?

We can't tell you exactly how much it's going to cost, but you can tell us. Like PPC campaigns through Google, the cost of advertising on Facebook varies based on your budget. Facebook offers a PPC-style option which allows people to pay only when a user clicks on the ad, and once you've reached your predetermined daily budget, Facebook stops displaying your ad for the rest of the day. Another option is to set up a Cost Per Thousand Impressions (“CPM”) campaign where you pay a flat rate every time your ad is displayed 1000 times. Either way, it's up to you how much you want to spend, making it possible for businesses large and small to take advantage of Facebook ads.

So if you're looking for a way to advertise your page to specific targets at a price you set yourself (AND to justify spending more time on Facebook at the same time), give Facebook ads a try.

Optimizing Your Website for People With Disabilities

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)


The world wide web is for everyone.

But think about how challenging the internet experience might be for people with disabilities.

People who see, hear, understand, focus, or read differently than others can have a tough time navigating through a website that was not designed with all people in mind. But the Web Accessibility Initiative website gives examples of specific disabilities and some easy ways you can enhance your site to level the playing field for people with these challenges.

For instance, the WAI site points out that many websites present obstacles for individuals with colorblindness. The site suggests labeling color pictures with words, particularly on e-commerce sites that may be selling the same item in, for example, red, blue, green, and gray. It also mentions that text designed to indicate something special is often a different color on a site (e.g. clearance items in red text), but using underlining or bold text would be more helpful for a person with colorblindness.

Providing Access for Everyone

The key is to provide options that will allow different users to access your site in the way that works best for them. If you have videos on your site, for instance, you may want to think about making it easy for a user with a visual impairment to view them at a larger size. You may also consider providing a closed captioning option for the hearing impaired. And it might be a good idea to make the videos easy to turn off in the event that they distract a user with ADHD who is trying to read nearby text.  You'll find that providing these types of options on your site can also benefit clients who do not have disabilities, allowing them to make choices about how to use elements of your site and making it easier for them to use.

A lot of factors go into the design of a website, but if reaching the largest possible audience is one of your priorities, make sure to tell your web designer that you're interested in making your site accessible to people with disabilities. After all, a store with a ramp is more likely to get the business of a person who uses a wheelchair, and a website with accommodations for individuals with disabilities can make it clear to your customers that everybody's welcome at your site.

Put Social Media to Work for Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)



Social media is an increasingly popular function on websites, but your social media sites and your website are not the same thing. And you shouldn’t confuse the two. Each has separate goals and purposes, and it’s important to have a separate plan of action for each. Here are three differentiators to help you navigate the separation.

Linking to other websites. Once you get people to your website, don’t let them get away. Keep them for as long as possible through a series of calls to actions and conversion points. But on your social media sites, you certainly want to drive people away from your page and to your website. Your website is the hub of your social media activity, while your social media pages are marketing efforts to get traffic to your site.

Updating content. Undoubtedly, you’ve spent considerable time creating sharp content for your website. You probably don’t spend as much time analyzing the content on your Facebook posts and Tweets. The tone of your social media entries should reflect that of your website, and should be updated frequently with relevant information. Your website should remain relatively static in its content, and be a solid foundation to people to learn about your company. Keep your website consistent and provide timely updates via social media.

Creating strategy. Divide your online strategy into two sections: Your website and your social media efforts. The strategy for your website should be consistent across all pages. The strategy for your social media should be custom-tailored for each platform, but be unified in the fact that all platforms should drive people to your website. Facebook, Twitter, forums and blogs all have separate purpose, so devise a strategy that works for each. Efforts for your website and your social media pages should have the ultimate goal of increasing sales and producing measurable results.

Your online presence is important, and it’s key to create a unified identity in all online efforts. But don’t mix the purposes of your website and your social media pages. While they go hand-in-hand for successful online engagement, each has a distinct task, so plan your involvement accordingly.

Diversify Your Marketing

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)



It's no big secret that the crew at Intellisites loves the world wide web. We'll talk your ear off about how amazing websites can be and how they can work with social media sites to help business owners bring their businesses to a new level.

But that doesn't mean we think that once you have a website and a few Facebook fans, your marketing is done.

A well-optimized website paired with a strong social media presence is a huge part of marketing your business successfully, but as your website gurus and pals, we want to make sure you understand that the web, breathtaking as it may be, shouldn't be the only place you show your clients who you are.

Meet Our Posse

If you really want your business to be all it can be, then it's best to use a comprehensive marketing approach that uses different types of media to send a well-defined message about your brand. And the best way to do that is to make sure that your web design team has allies in the marketing and print world who will ensure that all of your marketing efforts jive.

Luckily, we do.

Intellisites is partnered with some of the coolest cats in marketing, in fact. The marketing magicians at Burst Marketing and the diggity design dudes at imPress have worked together with us to help many of our clients develop and implement successful marketing campaigns. Because we can all work together to carry out a solid marketing plan that incorporates the right combination of printed materials, promotional items, and web masterpieces, our clients are able to express a consistent message to both on- and off- web targets.

If you came here looking for someone to build you a super website, then you definitely came to the right place. But thanks to our comrades at Burst and imPress, this is also the right place for people looking for a marketing approach that will make their businesses take off.

A Key to Keywords

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)


Keywords. At the heart of every SEO strategy and PPC campaign there are keywords. These are the phrases that users type into the search boxes of search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing millions of times a day. Keywords are what trigger those fancy search engine algorithms to do their magic and serve up relevant results. They are the key (yeah, I know) to the communication between the user and the search engine, and they come in a few different flavors. We've served up a guide here to give you some insight into how keywords are categorized and how they're handled in the world of web marketing.

1. Short Tail - e.g. "Shoes"
These types of keywords are very general, and very competitive. The ambiguous nature of these one or two word phrases makes them open to interpretation by both the user who is searching with them, and the browser that is trying to find the most relevant content for them. The results for these search terms are usually big brand names that want to pull in a huge audience, and can afford to do so. Ranking high for these terms requires a serious investment of time and money. PPC campaigns that are aggressive, extensive SEO, and a relentless linkbuilding effort that is probably reinforced with Social Media, will likely be required to rank well for short tail keywords. If you have an up-and-coming business, or have a brand new website, and want to rank number one for a term like "shoes," you will need all of the aforementioned strategies as well as a small miracle.

2. Long Tail - e.g. "Red Toddler Shoes"
Keywords that will typically generate more conversions are specific, multi-word combinations that reveal an unambiguous intent. Users who know what they want will use long tail keywords, and the search engines will have no trouble serving up relevant results. This is advantageous to smaller, more niche companies, as these phrases are relatively less competitive. Larger companies will still have a strong presence however, and a well rounded approach to SEO is necessary to rank for them. Another variation of the typical long tail keyword phrase uses a specific location, such as "Red Toddler Shoes Albany." The searcher who uses this phrase is looking for businesses in Albany, NY, and will likely see the search engine's local listings mixed in with the results. Having a well optimized local listing is a crucial ranking tactic, and is one that greatly benefits smaller businesses. Long tail keyword phrases require some creative thinking and a little more analysis, but optimizing for them is usually very effective.

3. Intent Keywords - e.g. "Buy Baby Shoes"
These keywords reveal an intent on the part of the user to perform an action, typically to buy a product. These phrases are usually just as competitive as short tail keywords, but making them more specific like, "buy red baby shoes for girl," will generate more pointed results. The meaning behind these types of searches is easily understood and the search engines will usually provide relevant results like online shopping sites, but product reviews and even "how to" guides will show up in results too. Strong SEO and detailed descriptions of products help sites rank for intent keywords, but more than that, driving relevant traffic will require an effective PPC campaign.

4. Question Keywords - e.g. "What Size Baby Shoes Should I Buy?"
These phrases are in the form of a question, not necessarily with the question mark added. These phrases may have a very general root phrase ("baby shoes" in this case), or be very specific, and that is really what will determine the competitiveness of the phrase. In general, question keyword phrases will produce results that address the question and attempt to answer it. Blog articles, "how to" guides, wiki sites, and forums will likely be among the top results. The best way to rank for terms like this is through quality blogging, and of course on-site SEO that focuses on the root phrase to heighten relevance.

5. Brand Keywords - e.g. "Osh Kosh Baby Shoes"
Keyword phrases that contain a specific brand can be very competitive, unless of course it is your business's brand. Typically that brand's site will rank very highly for these search phrases, but it's possible that online shopping sites featuring that brand's products will push passed it and rank higher. The results are similar to the intent keyword phrases in that they feature sites that list products, but the "how to" guides likely won't be present and the rankings are harder to break into. If the searcher is looking for a specific product it'll be difficult to get them to land on your site unless you offer that prouct. It is possible to rank in those results with carefully worded blogs (articles like "Why Our Shoes Are Better Than Osh Kosh Shoes"), aggressive PPC, and quality Linkbait content.

Cell Phone Browsers and Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)



Remember the old days when you needed a computer to use the internet?

There's no denying what a big splash smartphones are making on the internet scene these days. Check out this recent article by Sarah Kessler, which references some new crazy stats about how big a role smartphones are playing in e-commerce and commerce in general. The article states that 30% of those surveyed used smartphones to look up product information or find the locations of stores and 11% actually made purchases on their smartphones during the holiday season. And, maybe most importantly, Kessler mentioned that the study indicated a correlation between how satisfied shoppers were with a company's mobile experience and how likely they were to make a purchase with that company.

In other words, people are taking this whole smartphone/shopping thing seriously.

How To Keep Up

If people are going to be making decisions about where to spend their money using their smartphones, then your company's website needs to be prepared for mobile visitors.

Of course, different businesses are going to need to take different steps to make themselves mobile friendly. You'll need to sit down with your web designer and have a chat about what kind of business you run and who your targets are. From there, you two can put your heads together and decide whether you're the kind of business that needs to make smartphone users generally happy or the kind of business that needs to make smartphone users jump for joy.

If you're going to get some smartphone visitors but not many, then making those visitors generally happy should be plenty. Your web designer will just need to make sure that your website shows up nicely on their phones, and you'll be good to go.

But if smartphone visitors are going to start taking over your site in the near future, you want to go all out for those folks. There's a difference between a site that can show up on a phone and a site that was designed for a phone. So if a good portion of your website visitors will be using smartphones to get there, you're going to need your web designer to make an alternate version of your site that is simplified and easy for mobile users to navigate in order to drive conversions. After all, those cell phone users are working with a small touch screen, so providing big buttons and easy ways to get to the important stuff on your site will really help them out.  And if you really want them to love you, you can even incorporate digital coupons and other promotions just for smartphone users into your site.

Smartphones are hip and here to stay. And if you want their users to say the same thing about your business, make sure your web design team gets your website into shape.

Put Social Media to Work for Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)


Social media is an increasingly popular function on websites, but your social media sites and your website are not the same thing. And you shouldn’t confuse the two. Each has separate goals and purposes, and it’s important to have a separate plan of action for each. Here are three differentiators to help you navigate the separation.

Linking to other websites. Once you get people to your website, don’t let them get away. Keep them for as long as possible through a series of calls to actions and conversion points. But on your social media sites, you certainly want to drive people away from your page and to your website. Your website is the hub of your social media activity, while your social media pages are marketing efforts to get traffic to your site.

Updating content. Undoubtedly, you’ve spent considerable time creating sharp content for your website. You probably don’t spend as much time analyzing the content on your Facebook posts and Tweets. The tone of your social media entries should reflect that of your website, and should be updated frequently with relevant information. Your website should remain relatively static in its content, and be a solid foundation to people to learn about your company. Keep your website consistent and provide timely updates via social media.

Creating strategy. Divide your online strategy into two sections: Your website and your social media efforts. The strategy for your website should be consistent across all pages. The strategy for your social media should be custom-tailored for each platform, but be unified in the fact that all platforms should drive people to your website. Facebook, Twitter, forums and blogs all have separate purpose, so devise a strategy that works for each. Efforts for your website and your social media pages should have the ultimate goal of increasing sales and producing measurable results.

Your online presence is important, and it’s key to create a unified identity in all online efforts. But don’t mix the purposes of your website and your social media pages. While they go hand-in-hand for successful online engagement, each has a distinct task, so plan your involvement accordingly.

Is Google Taking Advantage of You? And Is That So Wrong?

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)

When you're Googling something, do you ever stop to think about who else knows you're Googling it?

Relax, I'm not trying to start any mass paranoia about Big Brother or anything like that. What you search for is probably just between you and Google.

But it is between you and Google. And everything you type into Google, along with everything your Google accounts do, joins Google's massive pool of information.

Endless Supply of Data...Courtesy of Us

Think of how much information Google is able to collect every day. Between activity in Google accounts, data collected through Google Analytics, and just plain old Googling, internet users yield an astounding amount of information to the company around the clock.

Once this information is gathered, Google can connect the dots and identify trends, which in turn allows the company to make improvements. So by utilizing Google in all its forms, we're giving the company the information it needs to build itself up even more. And we're giving them this data free of charge.

Or Are We Returning the Favor?

It's kind of an eerie feeling to realize that you and everyone else you know is freely giving away important and sometimes personal information to a major company each and every day. Of course, the reason we're giving it to them is because we're using their services...which are pretty amazing. Even as just a search engine, Google is top of the line, but when you throw in Gmail, Google Chrome, Google Analytics, Google Earth, Google Docs, Google Alerts...there really are a lot of phenomenal features. And we're giving Google that information for free while we're using all of the services Google provides...for free.

Maybe Google's using us for our data. Or maybe we're using Google for its powerful capabilities. Or maybe we're just working together.

Design For Conversions with CTAs

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and Albany SEO)


Website design is an art not to be overlooked. The design encourages visitors to explore the website and can assist in making it “user friendly.” The design can also help increase the conversion rates of calls to action (CTAs). Your CTA is more than just the words that comprise it. Its success is also based on how easily it is found in your website design.

When creating your website design, be mindful of the content that will be on the page. Consider how a person will read the content, and place the CTA in a place the eye naturally travels to. Typically, this is the right hand margin of your webpage. Design a special section for the CTA to increase click-through rates.

Separate your CTA from the rest of the copy by using different font styles and colors. Create a clickable link that is bolder than the rest of the font. Of course, make it fit with the general aesthetic of your site, but don’t make it difficult for your reader to find.

Don’t wait until the end of the page to highlight your CTA. Place it throughout the copy, and make sure your reader doesn’t have to scroll down endlessly in order to identify it.

As a final tip, use an image-based link instead of a text-based link. It will increase the “clickable” area the link has and will help the CTA stand out from the rest of the design and content.

Design and content are simultaneous processes that should coordinate to help boost CTA visibility. By knowing what language and how much space is provided on your website, your CTA will have the best chance for being found and followed.

Digital Distribution and You

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for Albany Web Design (and SEO!)



Remember video stores?

Or when the only way to buy the music you loved was to drive to the record store?

Technology has turned the music and movie rental industries upside down.  And the e-book craze is spreading like wildfire. And it looks like the video game industry is on its way to making the big transition from physical media to digital media as well.

Advances in technology have always moved toward making things smaller and more powerful. And since there's nothing smaller than invisible, it makes sense that eventually anything that didn't have to exist physically would take on digital form.

What Digital Distribution Means For Your Business

If your company is part of one of the industries that has already taken the leap into digital distribution, then certainly you're familiar with the way it's changing your world. If you haven't done so already, you need a plan for how you're going to keep up with your competitors by digitizing your business.

But let's say you're not involved in an industry where digital distribution has taken over. Let's say you're a hair stylist. Digital distribution doesn't affect you, right? You obviously can't offer a digital haircut, right?

Or can you?

Sites like this one provide users with the opportunity to upload photos of themselves and see how various hairstyles will look on them. Why couldn't you have a similar application on your site? Or instead of reinventing the wheel on your own site, you could just provide links on your website to existing sites like that one. You could even set up a computer in your salon and allow customers to surf sites that provide this service (provided that you choose sites that allow for commercial use, of course).  To make your waiting area more fun, you could even have your clients design a digital hairstyle for you before you provide them with a real one!

What I'm getting at is that even if your industry doesn't seem to lend itself well to digital distribution, there are probably ways you can make your business more digital. Whether it's making use of fun websites or apps related to your specialty, setting up an online ordering system to replace a printed order form, or offering digital coupons, there are ways to take advantage of the digital world that's developing. And even though making changes like these might not revolutionize the way you do business, they will give your company a Netflixy, iTunesy, 2011-ey “cool” factor.

Has Marketing Hijacked Social Media?

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)


Social media sites started out as a way for people to connect to people. For college kids to keep in touch with their friends from high school. For cousins living on different continents to catch up. For people to get 284 happy birthday messages from around the country. For friendly, happy socialization and fun.

But it wasn't long before social media became more than just a free fiesta.

Little by little, marketers started getting in on the party. Now, businesses everywhere have social media accounts. And meanwhile, Facebook takes the details that individuals supply on their profiles and decorates the sides of their pages with advertisements that match up with their interests. So what was once a way for friends to socialize is now another way that advertisers are getting their messages to us.

If You Can't Beat 'Em...Join 'Em

Whether you feel good, bad, or indifferent about the commercialization of social media sites, one thing is clear – if you want to keep pace with your competition, it's in your best interest to take advantage of the entrance of marketing into the social media world.

Here's what joining the social media marketing party can do for you.

1. Show potential clients how modern and tech-savvy you are. Being part of the social media scene gives your company credibility as a business that is in tune with the way people live in 2011.
2. Connect you with your clients – for free. Having social media accounts can keep your clients up to date with what you're doing and keep your company present in their minds. All for free.
3. Allow you to advertise to the right people at the right time. Facebook offers PPC-style ads that appear on the screens of Facebook users who meet certain criteria – criteria you can select. There really is no better way to reach exactly who you want to reach.

Maybe marketing has hijacked social media sites. But marketing has a way of making its way into most types of entertainment. From sports arenas to movies to holiday light displays, advertising and fun seem to go hand in hand. And you know what? No one really seems to mind. People still watch TV and read magazines even though they are littered with ads. And people will still use social media sites if they have to share them with marketers. Facebook and Twitter have already made room for millions of friends ready to socialize and businesses ready to do business.  And there's plenty of room for you too.

HTML5, Coming Soon...ish

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)


There are new standards for hypertext markup language in the works. (Translation: You know that gibberish that web designers type to make a web page happen? Well, that gibberish is going to be replaced with somewhat different gibberish.)

Geeky web designer types like us get ridiculously excited by all this. But if you're not into web design, we can see why it might not top your list of things to think about.

Still, once HTML5 is completely in place, there will be some differences in how websites work, and that could be relevant to you, both because you're the owner of a website and because you're presumably a surfer of the world wide web. This article by Kevin Purdy does a nice job of laying out some of the features that will affect the average web user.

Here's a recap of a few of the features the article highlights.

• Get ready for a better video experience. When HTML5 is in place, it will handle videos better, making it possible for them to work well without the use of Flash Player.
• Store more of the internet experience offline. You know how the cookies on your computer save little pieces of the internet to make it run faster? HTML5 will make a lot more of the internet accessible in offline situations.
• The world wide web will know where to find you. Thanks to geolocation capabilities, websites will know where you are and may tailor their features to you accordingly.

 

And when is this all happening? Some browsers actually allow some of the new features to work already. But according to this site, we've got awhile to wait until HTML5 takes over the web.

How Do Search Engines Work?

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
They could tell us, but then they'd have to kill us.

The details on how search engines work are closely guarded secrets, so unfortunately we can't give you the WHOLE story.

But here are the basics.

It's All About the Algorithms...

Complicated algorithms determine which sites make the search results, no matter which search engine you're talking about. They take into account a number of factors, including how often your keywords appear in the text of your page, how your website's meta info is set up, and how many links to your site are out there on the web.

Of course, Bing's algorithms are different from Google's. So the same page could be ranked differently on each search engine. And these algorithms are constantly changing, so the same page can move around on the search results list of the same search engine over time.

...Except When It's Not

But having a website that aligns wonderfully with a search engine's algorithm is not the only way to get your business to pop up during a search. Algorithms govern “organic” search results – the “regular” search results that are generally found in the center of your results screen. But you'll notice that when you use a search engine to look for something, those “regular” results aren't all you see.

For instance, if you're using Google, you'll often see special links on the top and/or right side of your screen. Those are pay-per-click advertisements, often from companies whose website wouldn't make it to the top of the list naturally. You'll also see “Local Listings” – businesses who have registered with Google Maps and optimized those listings. So while getting your website to cater to the complex algorithms is important to ranking higher, there are other ways you can improve your odds of getting your business noticed on the web.

At the end of the day, there's a lot that goes into determining whether your website gets a place in the spotlight on the search results page.  Those crazy magic formulas...the recent changes to how the Google Maps listings show up...the challenge of nailing down the right keywords for PPC ads...it can be enough to make you pull your hair out. And that's why it's so important to hook your business up with someone who lives and breathes SEO. No one knows everything about how search engines work...but we know enough to make them work for you.

You Should Have a Favicon

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)


Little details separate good websites from the not-so-good ones.   And one little detail that can help your website to shine is a unique favicon.

Favicons are those tiny little pictures that show up on the browser's tab right next to the title tag. When you add a website to your Favorites list, its favicon shows up there as well. They're teeny, but they can make a big difference.

Here's Why

Visit the website of any major company, and chances are, you'll find it has a favicon. Your clients are used to seeing them as they travel around the web, and by adding one to your site, you're adding to the “professional” feel your website gives off.

Favicons are often designed to look like the company's logo, so enhancing your website by adding one can also provide more subtle advertising opportunities for you. Whenever a client visits your site or even sees your website on his Favorites list, that little favicon acts as a visual aid that will remind your client of your company.

Giving Your Site Something Extra

Any of the “extras” that go along with a website are optional. Some websites have blogs, e-commerce capabilities, “contact us” forms, favicons, and other features, and some don't.

Of course, even having a website for your business in the first place is optional.

But if you're here reading this, chances are, you have a website or are well on your way to having one, which means we don't have to convince you that it's important to reach out to potential customers and show off your business in the best possible light.

So why not ask your web design team to give your website a little extra awesomeness with an easily designed, easily implemented, mini-masterpiece known as a favicon?

Brand Aid for Websites

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Your website is no longer just a place for people to gather information. It’s a hub for all your activities online and is one of your most important sales tools. With all these functions, keeping a consistent message and brand across your website can be tricky. With just a few simple steps, you can ensure this continuity and make your website a brand powerhouse.

As mentioned, your website is the center for all of your activities on the internet. But it’s also the place interested consumers visit after interacting with your advertising and any other public platform you use for publicity. Before reading any copy, people must be able to visually identify your company. The design of your webpage is essential, so use your branding touchpoints and standards to keep the key elements consistent.

Understand that every time someone visits your website, they are having a brand experience. The cornerstone of branding is a strong, consistent message. Make sure your message is clear and in keeping with your brand throughout all pages on your website. Similarly, use the same phrasing and tone throughout the website.

Your actual website probably isn’t the only webpage you maintain online. Chances are you also have social media pages, such as Twitter, Facebook and even LinkedIn. Carry the design and message from your website over to your social media pages to help instantly identify your company. You can incorporate social media activities on your website, so taking the time to ensure your branding is consistent will help improve the overall performance of your website as an informational and sales tool.

Finally, remember what you have promised your audience. What value or function are they expecting when they visit your website? Your customers need to be assured of this promise when examining your website. This reassurance is a core function of branding, and helps to familiarize your customer base with your product and help drive sales your way.

How PPC on Facebook Can Draw Facebookers to Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Anything that people spend a lot of time doing provides a great marketing opportunity. Nowadays, people spend a lot of time updating their statuses, chatting, spying on long-lost acquaintances, cultivating their Farmville crops, or otherwise interacting with that famous white screen...

Enter Facebook Ads.

America's Favorite Way to Procrastinate

Now that Facebook is everywhere, advertising on Facebook is a super way to reach out to the world. While folks are browsing their friends' posts and profiles, they are simultaneously viewing advertisements that Facebook positions on the right side of their screens. These clickable ads make it easy for a user to jump over to the website or Facebook page of any company whose ad piques his interest.

Hit Your Targets Dead On

But here's the thing. Not only do Facebook ads provide clickable advertisements to a group of people who are most likely just killing time, but they also can provide these ads to people from very specific demographics. If you think about your Facebook profile, the information you share gives away a lot about you. Many people openly share their interests, their religious beliefs, their employment history, their marital status, and more. This is information that marketing list maker types used to have to dig around to get, but these days many people are happy to broadcast it to the Facebook world. So without doing any snooping, Facebook can make sure that your ad pops up on the screens of people who are most likely to respond to it.

On their advertising page, Facebook gives a pretty solid example of how this can benefit business owners. Since Facebook users often share their relationship status on their profiles, it's easy to market specifically to people who are engaged. The page shows an example of a photography company who benefited tremendously from advertising on Facebook to women who had chosen “Engaged” as their relationship status.

What's the Price Tag on These Magical Ads?

We can't tell you exactly how much it's going to cost, but you can tell us. Like PPC campaigns through Google, the cost of advertising on Facebook varies based on your budget. Facebook offers a PPC-style option which allows people to pay only when a user clicks on the ad, and once you've reached your predetermined daily budget, Facebook stops displaying your ad for the rest of the day. Another option is to set up a Cost Per Thousand Impressions (“CPM”) campaign where you pay a flat rate every time your ad is displayed 1000 times. Either way, it's up to you how much you want to spend, making it possible for businesses large and small to take advantage of Facebook ads.

So if you're looking for a way to advertise your page to specific targets at a price you set yourself (AND to justify spending more time on Facebook at the same time), give Facebook ads a try.

More Ways YouTube Can Promote Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
We've talked before about some simple ways you can use YouTube to promote your business.

But don't get me wrong. I only scratched the surface with that post. YouTube has grown into a marketing superhero that provides a ton of different advertising possibilities.

Today we'll talk about some advertising opportunities YouTube offers to those of you who are ready to go beyond the basics.

Marketing in the World of YouTube

People visit YouTube to be entertained by videos. But thanks to movie trailers and TV commercials and radio ads, we're used to entertainment sources doubling as advertising sources. YouTube has built on this premise by setting up a number of ways businesses can reach an audience through their site. Here are some of the best ones:

• Advertise in Popular Videos. Through YouTube's Partner Watch, your clickable ad can appear as viewers watch the videos uploaded by trusted content partners, either in the format of a banner across the bottom of the video or as a banner located next to the video as it plays.
• Display an ad on YouTube's homepage. That's right, you can market your website on YouTube's actual homepage, which is viewed by a ridiculous amount of people each day. These interactive advertisements, which are displayed for 24 hours at a time, allow viewers to click on them and arrive at your homepage.  And even those people who don't opt to click on them still see your ad when they start their daily YouTube adventure.
• Create a customized YouTube Channel.   This is the best way to organize and display all of your videos. If you've been diligently uploading testimonials and how-to videos onto YouTube, why not develop a YouTube channel to serve as a one-stop shop where your customers can find all of your YouTube treasures?

If all this talk about videos makes you want to watch one, here's one that gives some great answers to some FAQs about YouTube advertising.  And here's one about cats playing patty-cake, in case that's more your style.

Optimizing Your Website for People With Disabilities

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
The world wide web is for everyone.

But think about how challenging the internet experience might be for people with disabilities.

People who see, hear, understand, focus, or read differently than others can have a tough time navigating through a website that was not designed with all people in mind. But the Web Accessibility Initiative website gives examples of specific disabilities and some easy ways you can enhance your site to level the playing field for people with these challenges.

For instance, the WAI site points out that many websites present obstacles for individuals with colorblindness. The site suggests labeling color pictures with words, particularly on e-commerce sites that may be selling the same item in, for example, red, blue, green, and gray. It also mentions that text designed to indicate something special is often a different color on a site (e.g. clearance items in red text), but using underlining or bold text would be more helpful for a person with colorblindness.

Providing Access for Everyone

The key is to provide options that will allow different users to access your site in the way that works best for them. If you have videos on your site, for instance, you may want to think about making it easy for a user with a visual impairment to view them at a larger size. You may also consider providing a closed captioning option for the hearing impaired. And it might be a good idea to make the videos easy to turn off in the event that they distract a user with ADHD who is trying to read nearby text.  You'll find that providing these types of options on your site can also benefit clients who do not have disabilities, allowing them to make choices about how to use elements of your site and making it easier for them to use.

A lot of factors go into the design of a website, but if reaching the largest possible audience is one of your priorities, make sure to tell your web designer that you're interested in making your site accessible to people with disabilities. After all, a store with a ramp is more likely to get the business of a person who uses a wheelchair, and a website with accommodations for individuals with disabilities can make it clear to your customers that everybody's welcome at your site.

Google Tags; What They Are and How They Work

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Your company's listing on Google is about to get a makeover.

That is...if you sign up for Google Tags.

And What Is This “Google Tags”?

It's a new way to advertise on the web. Since we're sure you've Googled a thing or two in your day, you know that when you're searching for certain type of business in a certain location, you usually end up with a list of results and a map showing where to find each one. If one of those results happened to be a business that invested in Google Tags, it would come up highlighted on the map, and its listing would have additional features such as pictures or coupons.

And your chances of choosing that business would skyrocket.

What's The Catch?

There isn't one. You just sign up, pay a monthly fee, and your business gets VIP treatment when it comes up as a search result. (It should be noted that this won't help your business rank higher, but it does make it look a heck of a lot cooler when it does come up.) Check out this video to witness its awesomeness in action.

Yeah, Google Tags is pretty fantastic. But it is just one of the many ways your company can get noticed on the web. If you want to hear more about Google Tags and other ways to help your business rise above the rest, the crew at IntelliSites would love to share more secrets with you. Give us a call, e-mail us, or send us a singing telegram, and we'll be thrilled to help your website get more hits than ever.

Diversify Your Marketing

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
It's no big secret that the crew at Intellisites loves the world wide web. We'll talk your ear off about how amazing websites can be and how they can work with social media sites to help business owners bring their businesses to a new level.

But that doesn't mean we think that once you have a website and a few Facebook fans, your marketing is done.

A well-optimized website paired with a strong social media presence is a huge part of marketing your business successfully, but as your website gurus and pals, we want to make sure you understand that the web, breathtaking as it may be, shouldn't be the only place you show your clients who you are.

Meet Our Posse

If you really want your business to be all it can be, then it's best to use a comprehensive marketing approach that uses different types of media to send a well-defined message about your brand. And the best way to do that is to make sure that your web design team has allies in the marketing and print world who will ensure that all of your marketing efforts jive.

Luckily, we do.

Intellisites is partnered with some of the coolest cats in marketing, in fact. The marketing magicians at Burst Marketing and the diggity design dudes at imPress have worked together with us to help many of our clients develop and implement successful marketing campaigns. Because we can all work together to carry out a solid marketing plan that incorporates the right combination of printed materials, promotional items, and web masterpieces, our clients are able to express a consistent message to both on- and off- web targets.

If you came here looking for someone to build you a super website, then you definitely came to the right place. But thanks to our comrades at Burst and imPress, this is also the right place for people looking for a marketing approach that will make their businesses take off.

A Key to Keywords

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Keywords. At the heart of every SEO strategy and PPC campaign there are keywords. These are the phrases that users type into the search boxes of search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing millions of times a day. Keywords are what trigger those fancy search engine algorithms to do their magic and serve up relevant results. They are the key (yeah, I know) to the communication between the user and the search engine, and they come in a few different flavors. We've served up a guide here to give you some insight into how keywords are categorized and how they're handled in the world of web marketing.

1. Short Tail - e.g. "Shoes"
These types of keywords are very general, and very competitive. The ambiguous nature of these one or two word phrases makes them open to interpretation by both the user who is searching with them, and the browser that is trying to find the most relevant content for them. The results for these search terms are usually big brand names that want to pull in a huge audience, and can afford to do so. Ranking high for these terms requires a serious investment of time and money. PPC campaigns that are aggressive, extensive SEO, and a relentless linkbuilding effort that is probably reinforced with Social Media, will likely be required to rank well for short tail keywords. If you have an up-and-coming business, or have a brand new website, and want to rank number one for a term like "shoes," you will need all of the aforementioned strategies as well as a small miracle.

2. Long Tail - e.g. "Red Toddler Shoes"
Keywords that will typically generate more conversions are specific, multi-word combinations that reveal an unambiguous intent. Users who know what they want will use long tail keywords, and the search engines will have no trouble serving up relevant results. This is advantageous to smaller, more niche companies, as these phrases are relatively less competitive. Larger companies will still have a strong presence however, and a well rounded approach to SEO is necessary to rank for them. Another variation of the typical long tail keyword phrase uses a specific location, such as "Security Systems Albany." The searcher who uses this phrase is looking for businesses in Albany, NY, and will likely see the search engine's local listings mixed in with the results. Having a well optimized local listing is a crucial ranking tactic, and is one that greatly benefits smaller businesses. Long tail keyword phrases require some creative thinking and a little more analysis, but optimizing for them is usually very effective.

3. Intent Keywords - e.g. "Buy Baby Shoes"
These keywords reveal an intent on the part of the user to perform an action, typically to buy a product. These phrases are usually just as competitive as short tail keywords, but making them more specific like, "buy red baby shoes for girl," will generate more pointed results. The meaning behind these types of searches is easily understood and the search engines will usually provide relevant results like online shopping sites, but product reviews and even "how to" guides will show up in results too. Strong SEO and detailed descriptions of products help sites rank for intent keywords, but more than that, driving relevant traffic will require an effective PPC campaign.

4. Question Keywords - e.g. "What Size Baby Shoes Should I Buy?"
These phrases are in the form of a question, not necessarily with the question mark added. These phrases may have a very general root phrase ("baby shoes" in this case), or be very specific, and that is really what will determine the competitiveness of the phrase. In general, question keyword phrases will produce results that address the question and attempt to answer it. Blog articles, "how to" guides, wiki sites, and forums will likely be among the top results. The best way to rank for terms like this is through quality blogging, and of course on-site SEO that focuses on the root phrase to heighten relevance.

5. Brand Keywords - e.g. "Osh Kosh Baby Shoes"
Keyword phrases that contain a specific brand can be very competitive, unless of course it is your business's brand. Typically that brand's site will rank very highly for these search phrases, but it's possible that online shopping sites featuring that brand's products will push passed it and rank higher. The results are similar to the intent keyword phrases in that they feature sites that list products, but the "how to" guides likely won't be present and the rankings are harder to break into. If the searcher is looking for a specific product it'll be difficult to get them to land on your site unless you offer that prouct. It is possible to rank in those results with carefully worded blogs (articles like "Why Our Shoes Are Better Than Osh Kosh Shoes"), aggressive PPC, and quality Linkbait content.

Social Media - The New Way To Network

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Facebook may have started out as a way for the youth of America to poke each other, but it has officially grown up into a serious networking tool. So much so, in fact, that major companies are starting to use it (and its cousins, Twitter and LinkedIn) to recruit their new employees. I came across this recent article by Kristi L. Gustafson that explores how employers use social networking sites to connect with, research, and offer job opportunities to qualified professionals.
But what if you're not a job seeker, but a business owner? Is there anything that networking on social media sites can do for you?
Umm...yeah. Is there ever.

Free Advertising from Fans...Friends...Friends of Friends...

In years past, there were plenty of businesses that stayed open thanks almost completely to word of mouth. And even with all the other marketing strategies out there, generating a positive buzz is still an unbelievable way to keep business going strong. After all, we're much more likely to do business with a company that a neighbor or friend has recommended than to randomly choose a business from the yellow pages. It just makes sense to learn from the experiences of people we know and trust.
Facebook amplifies the idea of word-of-mouth and combines it with the convenience of technology and real-time updates. By networking on Facebook and other social media sites, you're building a web of people who can connect with your company and get it noticed by their friends, and their friends' friends.
Everyone you network with online – either through your personal social media accounts or through your business page – can get multiple reminders that your company exists. And people who are fans of your Facebook business page can get so much more than that if you keep your page up to date with new content.

And All That's Without Really Trying...

In addition to the referrals you can get as a result of people who become your friends or fans, you can take a more proactive approach and use social media to contact possible clients directly. Just as the employers in Gustafson's article reached out to potential employees through social media outlets, you can use the social media world to introduce yourself to someone you'd like to do business with. The vibe of Facebook is relaxed and social, so it's a comfortable way to make contact online.
Between the information you can share with a pyramid of fans and the new business contacts you can make, the social media world has the perfect tools to help your business grow.

Cell Phone Browsers and Your Site

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Remember the old days when you needed a computer to use the internet?

There's no denying what a big splash smartphones are making on the internet scene these days. Check out this recent article by Sarah Kessler, which references some new crazy stats about how big a role smartphones are playing in e-commerce and commerce in general. The article states that 30% of those surveyed used smartphones to look up product information or find the locations of stores and 11% actually made purchases on their smartphones during the holiday season. And, maybe most importantly, Kessler mentioned that the study indicated a correlation between how satisfied shoppers were with a company's mobile experience and how likely they were to make a purchase with that company.

In other words, people are taking this whole smartphone/shopping thing seriously.

How To Keep Up

If people are going to be making decisions about where to spend their money using their smartphones, then your company's website needs to be prepared for mobile visitors.

Of course, different businesses are going to need to take different steps to make themselves mobile friendly. You'll need to sit down with your web designer and have a chat about what kind of business you run and who your targets are. From there, you two can put your heads together and decide whether you're the kind of business that needs to make smartphone users generally happy or the kind of business that needs to make smartphone users jump for joy.

If you're going to get some smartphone visitors but not many, then making those visitors generally happy should be plenty. Your web designer will just need to make sure that your website shows up nicely on their phones, and you'll be good to go.

But if smartphone visitors are going to start taking over your site in the near future, you want to go all out for those folks. There's a difference between a site that can show up on a phone and a site that was designed for a phone. So if a good portion of your website visitors will be using smartphones to get there, you're going to need your web designer to make an alternate version of your site that is simplified and easy for mobile users to navigate. After all, those cell phone users are working with a small touch screen, so providing big buttons and easy ways to get to the important stuff on your site will really help them out.  And if you really want them to love you, you can even incorporate digital coupons and other promotions just for smartphone users into your site.

Smartphones are hip and here to stay. And if you want their users to say the same thing about your business, make sure your web design team gets your website into shape.

If Nobody Is Laughing, You're Not Being Social

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Did you hear the one about the guy who thought Facebook was a magic bullet?

Social media is a powerful marketing tool. But it's not magic. Sadly, you can't just set up a Facebook page, shout KAZAAM!, and watch tons of leads start coming in overnight with 0% effort.

Cultivating Strong Client Relationships

Setting up accounts on social media sites is more like planting a (non-magical) garden. Joining Facebook and doing nothing with your page would be like planting some seeds in your yard and neglecting them for the rest of the season. You could do this and still maybe get a few sprouts, but you need to arrange for plenty of sunshine, water, and Miracle Grow if you want a bountiful harvest.

The sunshine and water of the social media world are your regular posts about upcoming events and promotions. At the bare minimum, you need to make posts like this to touch base with your clients and keep them informed of what's new with your company.

And the Miracle Grow of the social media scene? Humor. Infusing your Facebook page with an occasional joke is a great way to keep people interested and help them get to know you. Many people start a business meeting with a little one-liner to break the ice, and doing the same on your Facebook page can add the sparkle you need to get people interested in being your fans. After all, joining Facebook gives your business a face. The idea is to use your social media accounts to make your business seem human.

And humans are funny. Or, at least, they give it a go.

So make sure you're tweeting regularly about important company news. But while you're at it, don't be afraid to tell your social media audience that funny story about the lamppost you took out the other day with that failed attempt at a golf swing. Or show them the pictures of your staff dressed up as Ninja Turtles for Halloween. Your company is made of real people, and social media gives you an excellent opportunity to give your clients a taste of their personalities. And the more the clients know about you, the better rapport they'll have with you, and the more sales you'll be able to reap.

Is Google Taking Advantage of You? And Is That So Wrong?

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
When you're Googling something, do you ever stop to think about who else knows you're Googling it?

Relax, I'm not trying to start any mass paranoia about Big Brother or anything like that. What you search for is probably just between you and Google.

But it is between you and Google. And everything you type into Google, along with everything your Google accounts do, joins Google's massive pool of information.

Endless Supply of Data...Courtesy of Us

Think of how much information Google is able to collect every day. Between activity in Google accounts, data collected through Google Analytics, and just plain old Googling, internet users yield an astounding amount of information to the company around the clock.

Once this information is gathered, Google can connect the dots and identify trends, which in turn allows the company to make improvements. So by utilizing Google in all its forms, we're giving the company the information it needs to build itself up even more. And we're giving them this data free of charge.

Or Are We Returning the Favor?

It's kind of an eerie feeling to realize that you and everyone else you know is freely giving away important and sometimes personal information to a major company each and every day. Of course, the reason we're giving it to them is because we're using their services...which are pretty amazing. Even as just a search engine, Google is top of the line, but when you throw in Gmail, Google Chrome, Google Analytics, Google Earth, Google Docs, Google Alerts...there really are a lot of phenomenal features. And we're giving Google that information for free while we're using all of the services Google provides...for free.

Maybe Google's using us for our data. Or maybe we're using Google for its powerful capabilities. Or maybe we're just working together.

Reputation is Everything

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Your reputation – it’s everything to you and your business. You work hard to be known as a quality, trustworthy business and drive referrals to your door. Once upon a time, you could just monitor what the local business reporter had to say about you, but no longer. Now you need to be concerned with what’s being said about you online.

Some might suggest just ignoring your online brand reputation (if you don’t know it’s bad, how bad could it be, right?). That’s bad advice, friend. Follow this quick primer on monitoring your online brand reputation.

Set up an alert system through Google or Yahoo. You can choose the keywords that you want reports on, and these services will send regular updates on where those keywords are showing up online.

Troll online forums and referral websites. Websites like Angie’s List are increasingly popular, where your customers can post reviews on your work. Use this feedback as market research and as a virtual focus group to determine how to tweak your product or service.

Check in with the places your customers frequent. Do they tweet, use Facebook, read a certain blog or online version of a publication? Search the archives and entries on these websites to get the “inside scoop” on what people really think about you. Reply to commentors, moderators and contributors and offer your perspective on the situation.

You could also consider hiring the help of a web company with Search Engine Marketing (SEM) experience to patrol the internet for you and develop practices. Most importantly, be active in promoting a positive brand experience online and check in often. The web waits for no one!

Business Website Layouts; A Professional's Eye

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Let's be honest here.

The many Judgy McJudgersons of the world are going to judge your website the second they open it.

If they find it to be professional, compelling, and easy to work with, they will continue to use it, and maybe even buy something from you. If they deem it unprofessional, find themselves bored, or have trouble using it, they will move on.

How can you be sure to appease these fastidious web users? Having the right layout can be just the ticket.

Making Layout Work for You

The way your website is set up determines a lot about what your users will get out of it. Here are a couple things to watch out for when it comes to layout.

1. Calls to Action. First and foremost, you need calls to action, and they need to be in the right places. (If you're not sure, “calls to action” are words that encourage a visitor to do what you want them to do.) So where do these C to As belong on your page? One great solution is to put calls to action right next to pain statements – statements that point out to your visitors that they have needs that you can meet or problems that you can solve.
2. Clear Path to a Solution. If a web user has found your page, it's probably because he has a problem that he needs someone to solve. Therefore, your layout needs to emphasize copy that shows what problems your business does solve. People don't want to spend a lot of time determining if they are in the right place...so make sure they know they are by prominently displaying your list of services.
3. Professional Color Scheme. The way your site is laid out has to be aesthetically pleasing. Just as you'd want to wear matching clothes when you meet with a client, you want the elements of your website to look good together too. Make sure colors match and that you don't use too many.

 

Each individual website has different goals, so your web designer can tweak other elements of your layout to help you meet your clients' needs. But using layout to play up your calls to action and services and make your website easy on the eyes will give any business website an advantage – even with the McJudgersons out there.

Digital Distribution and You

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Remember video stores?

Or when the only way to buy the music you loved was to drive to the record store?

Technology has turned the music and movie rental industries upside down.  And the e-book craze is spreading like wildfire. And it looks like the video game industry is on its way to making the big transition from physical media to digital media as well.

Advances in technology have always moved toward making things smaller and more powerful. And since there's nothing smaller than invisible, it makes sense that eventually anything that didn't have to exist physically would take on digital form.

What Digital Distribution Means For Your Business

If your company is part of one of the industries that has already taken the leap into digital distribution, then certainly you're familiar with the way it's changing your world. If you haven't done so already, you need a plan for how you're going to keep up with your competitors by digitizing your business.

But let's say you're not involved in an industry where digital distribution has taken over. Let's say you're a hair stylist. Digital distribution doesn't affect you, right? You obviously can't offer a digital haircut, right?

Or can you?

Sites like this one provide users with the opportunity to upload photos of themselves and see how various hairstyles will look on them. Why couldn't you have a similar application on your site? Or instead of reinventing the wheel on your own site, you could just provide links on your website to existing sites like that one. You could even set up a computer in your salon and allow customers to surf sites that provide this service (provided that you choose sites that allow for commercial use, of course).  To make your waiting area more fun, you could even have your clients design a digital hairstyle for you before you provide them with a real one!

What I'm getting at is that even if your industry doesn't seem to lend itself well to digital distribution, there are probably ways you can make your business more digital. Whether it's making use of fun websites or apps related to your specialty, setting up an online ordering system to replace a printed order form, or offering digital coupons, there are ways to take advantage of the digital world that's developing. And even though making changes like these might not revolutionize the way you do business, they will give your company a Netflixy, iTunesy, 2011-ey “cool” factor.