5 PROVEN ways to make your Web PRESENCE work harder for you
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PlanView Communications
In several past newsletters, PlanView has offered our “5 ways to make your web site work harder” articles. We have received many “thank you’s” and comments on these articles, so we thought we’d do it again!
The first thing we’d like to say is that – wow – things have really changed in the last couple years. The second thing we’d like to say is that things have really not changed at all. Yeah, we know – that makes no sense… until you take a second look…
While the methods and modes of reaching your audience have undergone a revolution of sorts, the bottom line is that customers still want the same things – quality products and services, efficient and quick access to those products and services and open, truthful communication with the companies they decide to trust for goods and services.
Now, most companies have some sort of web site. To have a truly effective web site should be at the top of your TO DO List. But in this new online climate, you need more than just a good web site – you need a system of online tools that work together, along with your web site and other marketing efforts, to create a complete online presence for your customers.
Sound complicated? It’s really not, if you know what you’re doing. In fact, using the RIGHT tools can actually streamline your processes and SAVE time and money.
Here are a few ideas and methods that can really make a difference in your initial marketing, customer satisfaction and customer retention efforts…
1. Log On and GET INVOLVED!Your web site content is really just the beginning… It’s important to get connected with your own Corporate/Organizational blog (WordPress, etc.), FaceBook Page, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking tools. a. Issue: Many companies/organizations are not quite sure of what to make of the new “Social Networking” online climate. “Facebook? Twitter? Why?” Even for those who have embraced the idea, there’s much confusion as to how to go about this ‘new’ methodology. But, your clients are beginning to EXPECT you to be available to them online. They’re LOOKING for you on Facebook – if you’re lucky. They want to know that you’re not only a reliable company, but also a “good citizen” in the online world – transparent, honest, involved. b. Solution: It really doesn’t take much to get yourself connected. It’s very affordable to have a professional blog set up for your company. It takes only minutes to set up new Facebook and Twitter accounts. The real challenge is getting involved and really connecting with your clients and fans. The good news is that PlanView can help you get started and work with you to make a real difference online. |
“It really doesn’t take much to get yourself connected. The real challenge is getting involved and really connecting with your clients and fans.” |
2. “Real Time” is KeyPeople don’t visit your web site, blogs and online faces to see what you were up to last year! People expect more than ever that your web site is truly a reflection of the daily heartbeat of your organization. They want REAL TIME access to your staff and your goods & services. a. Issue: So often clients complain about how their web site is out of date because they can’t seem to get their “web guy” to update the content. The problem is that the owners of the web site are dependent on a third party consultant for editing content, rather than having full control themselves. b. Solution: Your web site should be designed to allow YOU to add or edit content at any time – quickly and painlessly. This can be achieved through using “CMS,” or “Content Management System(s).” CMS allows the owner of a web site to log in to a secure administration page and instantly upload, edit or delete content without any web development skills. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can use CMS. It’s that simple. CMS systems can be designed to allow the management of Products & Services offerings, updates & news, events, blogs, vidoes, photos, product manuals, PDFs and other forms of information. By maintaining a real time web presence, you engage and empower your customers every time they log on. Give PlanView a call today and let’s get your web site and online presence up to speed! |
CMS allows the owner of a web site to log in from anywhere to a secure administration page and instantly upload, edit or delete content – without any web development skills. |
3. Provide Engaging VideoThese days, you don’t need a million dollar marketing budget to reach your customers with effective video communications. And by making the effort to bring “life” to your web site with entertaining and provocative presentations and product demonstrations, you’re reaching your audience with a more tangible personality and providing a sense of “real familiarity” with your company and products. You can create a sense of emotional attachment to your messages. Additionally, video can actually greatly increase your search engine results and company awareness by sharing your videos via YouTUBE, Facebook and other online networking avenues! a. Issue: Other than news, critical documents and financial reports, people won’t really take the time to read text on your web site unless they have to. This means, that if you are depending on visitors reading your site to get your message – you may be missing opportunities to really engage your web visitors. b. Solution: Make use of streaming high-quality video to communicate with, educate and even comfort your visitors and potential customers. Make it personal. Reach out to your customers with vivid value propositions, training tools, product tutorials and any other messaging you can’t afford to have lost “between the lines.” Nothing communicates your products & services more effectively than a real-life personable, friendly person – or detailed product demonstration. Let PlanView make the very most of your online presence by developing video that engages and activates your customers! |
These days, you don’t need a million dollar marketing budget to reach your customers with effective video communications. |
4. Only What’s Useful or Entertaining – Nothing More, Nothing LessHave you ever visited a web site with lots of text, buttons, links and even photos and animation – but with no indication of what to do with it, or why? Ever visit a vendor’s site looking for just ONE SIMPLE piece of information that you can’t begin to find – while sifting through pages and pages of fluff and irrelevant content? a. Issue: All too often, organizations simply upload content to their web sites without any real thought for what should be offered, in what order and even why it’s there at all. This can not only be a waste of time for your clients, but a wasted opportunity for you to guide your visitors to the information they need. The result can be an irritated customer, and endless support calls that cost time and money – and do nothing to build brand loyalty! b. Solution: Make clear to your visitors what they can and should do with your site. Only provide content, which is either useful or entertaining, which might keep your customer online, interacting with your site. Organize your content with intuitive hierarchy and clear direction to the information and support they require. Well-organized content with clear direction and only useful information can lead your customers to the right solutions quickly and painlessly. When customers know you’ve built a site for THEM, they’ll feel a stronger sense of trust in your products and will use your site time and again to solve problems BEFORE calling you. This is one of the most effective ways to build brand loyalty, while reducing the need for phone-based support staff and related efforts. PlanView will work with you to re-design your current web content (or build a new site) that leads your customers to exactly what they want and need. This will create usefulness in your site – and, ultimately, brand loyalty for your organization. |
Organize your content so it’s easy to navigate – and only provide what is useful, necessary or truly entertaining. Your clients will appreciate you valuing their time.’ |
5. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)What good is an awesome web site if no one knows it exists? SEO can be a vague and confusing component of your overall Internet strategy. There are many issues to understand and quite a few methods you can employ to improve your search engine ratings… a. Issue: An unknown web site is a useless one. SEO is a complicated, sometimes vague but necessary undertaking. As mentioned before, using the social networks and other online venues are a great way to get the word out. But when the site itself is not optimized, your chances for search success are greatly reduced. b. Solution: SEO is not a single task or method, but rather a system of components that, when executed together, can result in much better search engine ratings, faster performance and more accessible information. There are two main categories (or sides to the same coin) that work together to create strong results:
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SEO is not a single task or method, but rather a system of components that, when executed together, can result in much better search engine ratings, faster performance and more accessible information. |
Get PlanView Working For You
PlanView develops our clients’ sites and social media to the highest web standards that work to achieve better search engine results, faster performance and more accessible information. PlanView also collaborates
Call us at 949.677.8318 or visit our web site at www.planviewco.com to learn more about how PlanView can design and develop a highly effective and results-oriented web presence for your organization.
PlanView’s New, updated blog…
Welcome to PlanView’s MediaNews. We’ve designed this blog to be an information-rich place to learn about what’s trending in the digital & print marketing world. The idea is that you’ll be inspired to “raise the bar” as it were, and keep your organization moving forward in this ever-changing and exciting new world of real time marketing.
We’ll provide stories, tips-and-tricks, how-to’s, samples of our recent work and more…. Please return often and feel free to comment and share your own experiences and knowledge!
