A core part of your business marketing strategy should be online marketing. The more time you spend researching and testing before developing your online marketing plans, the more effectively you can focus your time and efforts to gain a strategic advantage over your competitors. Before you move forward with an online marketing campaign, you need to know the following:

1. What your competitors are doing online

One of the fundamental processes in developing an online marketing strategy is learning all you can about your competition and who they are. Spend time reviewing their websites, social media pages, blogs and videos to learn what they’re doing to promote their businesses, to increase visibility, to position themselves as leaders, and to keep visitors on their sites longer – a key to increased conversions. Test a variety of keywords to learn where each of your competitors is ranking. This process will advance your SEO strategy development. Ask yourself: Where do people find your competitors?

2. How your target audience is looking for your offerings online

Testing keywords helps you determine what your potential clients are searching for. More importantly, the right keywords attract the right audience – people who want what you offer. Create a list of all the words and strings of words you can think of that people would use to describe your offering, and test them all. You may be surprised to learn that the keywords you assumed would bring in the best visitors don’t work. Ask yourself: What attracts your target audience?

3. How to write compelling content to attract visitors

Writing for an online audience is not the same as writing print material. Web readers are looking for information to address a problem or to fulfill a need. Strong, clear headlines and titles attract web readers who scan search results for text that sparks their curiosity and makes them want to click through to read the content. Once they reach your page, write concisely and focus on one or two main ideas. Remember that web readers don’t want to read a sales pitch – they want useable information. Enrich your writing with keywords to attract search engines and improve your search ranking. Ask yourself: Who is looking for your information?

4. How to analyze online marketing results

Online marketing programs should be analyzed frequently – at least weekly. Google Analytics gives you a wide variety of stats to determine the effectiveness of your online marketing strategy: if your hit numbers are up or down, which blog posts are getting the most hits and comments, how long visitors are staying on your site, what your bounce rate is, and what your conversion rates are for each of your sites. You can even determine the ROI of your social media sites. The point is to be on top of your online performance constantly and make tweaks and changes to your sites to continuously improve online marketing results. Ask yourself: How do you measure your online marketing success?

Doing your due diligence in advance can measurably updgrade your web presence. But if you’re like most of today’s small business owners, you have limited experience working with web marketing strategies and technologies. To achieve the level of success you desire in the most cost effective and timely manner, contact the online marketing experts at seenBEST Web Design, Tempe. The professionals at seenBEST will work closely with you to make sure your online marketing program is achieving the results you want, when you want them.

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Chart Your Business Course for 2012: Check the Economic Trends and
Select Your Next Internet Marketing Move

Good news on the economic horizon means opportunities for small businesses to ride a prosperous wave in 2012. Review these recent reports and then consider whether (and how) you should adjust your Internet marketing presence.

2012 Business Trends at a Glance: Curving Upward

Jobs – Up: Available jobs are increasing, especially in Arizona. Lee McPheters, director of the JPMorgan Chase Economic Outlook Center at Arizona State University, reported Arizona moved from No. 49 among the states for job creation in 2010 all the way up to a top 10 growth state in 2011. Nationwide, the hiring outlook overall for 2012 remains cautiously optimistic, with small business hiring notably expected to increase, according to CareerBuilder 2012 Hiring Forecast. The ABC News 2012 US Economy Forecast cited CEO Brian Hamilton of financial information firm Sageworks, who said, “The jobs numbers are getting better,” and Kiplinger agrees that job creation is picking up.

Retail Sales – Up: Not only were holiday retails strong in 2011, according to USA Today, but overall retail sales rose 4.5% year-over-year in 2011, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs Retail Chain Store Sales Index (cited by CNN Money). For small businesses and especially those using refined Internet selling strategies, the news was very good. As Internet Retailer reported, the online holiday shopping season generated at least $35 billion in sales for web retailers according to comScore Inc. Many smaller niche web merchants also closed out the online Christmas shopping season with a nice boost to their fourth quarter sales by making constant updates to their marketing and merchandising plans. Internet businesses gained ground by concentrating on their best customers, using social media and offering highly targeted incentives.

Economists – Favorable: Arizona’s economic indicators have been improving, according to the University of Arizona – Arizona Economic Outlook 2012-13. The state’s personal income, wages, and employment are growing at increasingly faster rates. Spending is robust while unemployment, bankruptcies and residential foreclosures are happily declining. Nationally, the 2012 Goldman Sachs white paper, The Outlook for the US Economy, reports household debt burdens have continued to improve. Inflation is not expected to significantly increase. As USA Today reported, holiday retail sales strength, steady manufacturing performance steady and housing market resurgence all point to sustained corporate profitability in the coming year.

Business Metrics – Up: Kiplinger estimates the U.S. economy will grow about 2.3% in 2012, a bit faster than the 1.8% pace in 2011, and businesses appear willing to invest in new equipment to expand production after several years of slowed production. A Reuters report observed manufacturing grew at its fastest pace in six months in December, capping a late-year upswing, and a rise in new orders for manufactured goods suggested momentum going into 2012. Another report showed U.S. construction spending neared an 18-month high in November.

Consumers – Polling Optimistic: An Associated Press poll result suggests 62% of Americans are optimistic about the economy in coming year, while 78% are hopeful about the year their family will have in 2012. The public’s expectations for this year’s economy reached their highest point since last spring.

What Is Your Internet Marketing Agenda in 2012?

Being first to spot an oncoming tide is vital both to boaters and to business owners. Given these economic climate trends, now is the time for small business owners to re-evaluate and re-energize their online marketing campaign. Over the next four weeks, we’ll give you insights and tips for creating websites, SEO/SEM strategies, social media campaigns, and other tools to build your Internet marketing presence and success.

1. If you don’t have a website, now is the time to get one. Truly, if you don’t have a viable website, then you are almost certainly missing tremendous business opportunities. If your website has not been redesigned in over three years, it might as well be an old phone book: outdated and not terribly practical. Rather than rush into new marketing channels, it makes sense to build a website that helps establish your brand and reputation while it produces leads and sales. With more online customers out there, you can’t afford to ignore them.

2. If you do have a website but don’t show up near the top of the search results page, now is the time to invest in strategic Internet marketing. More than just techie buzz words, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) help propel you to the all-important top spots in relevant searches for your products and services. What strategies will make the biggest impact on lead generation for your business? Pay per click advertising via search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO) can be the most effective forms of marketing activities for your business in 2012.

Staying on top of the latest trends is not an easy task. While you focus on the day to day operations of your business, hiring the right SEO and internet marketing company can save you time, money, and increase the bottom line. Google is making more changes to their system in 2012. New website analytics are coming as well. Hiring experts to help update your website design and SEO will keep your business in front of potential customers under the current Google system and continuing as Google evolves.

At the same time, consumer Internet use patterns and preferences are favoring social media as well. Webmarketing’s report also showed 55% of companies closed deals from social media leads, and social media is expected to see the biggest increase in investment moving into 2012 as it impacts all facets of marketing strategy.

3. If you don’t have an ongoing relationship with your clients, now is the time to establish social media and email campaigns. Social media helps develop interlocking communities, building relationships with site owners, publishers, and bloggers, which in turn bring new link opportunities for SEO. The landscape is diverse, with many areas to focus on including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. A competent internet marketing firm with the experience to help tie all of these social networks together with your overall SEO and SEM plan will position your business for future success.

Experts agree that tapping into social media empowers small businesses with limited budgets (or low cost items) to market to a receptive audience and even create brand recognition and trust. Michael Brito of Social Business News suggests focusing “on building trust with the community first, then figuring out how to monetize (or get a lead).” A company with the right social media strategy can reach and out to customers like never before.

4. If you have some Internet marketing pieces but not all, it may be time to compliment what you’re doing with video marketing, PR campaigns, blogging and quality content. Which of these Internet features make sense for your business? Hiring the right internet marketing firm that has a solid understanding of what’s out there and how it can best help your business is key. The companies with the best internet marketing strategies, using the most cost effective marketing techniques that are custom to their business model will outpace the field by generating and converting more leads than the competition.

Wow! But Can I Do Any of These Great Things?

To learn how to ski or surf, your best bet is to get an expert skier or surfer to teach you. The expert sets you up with the right equipment, shows you the right moves and why, and stays with you as you learn. You may not need the expert forever, but the coaching prepares you to move forward on your own when you’re ready. And so it is with Internet marketing and website design. The experts at seenBEST Web Design in Phoenix, Arizona, will help you create a successful online marketing campaign using the latest technologies in web design, search engine optimization, social media marketing, video marketing, and internet marketing. Call today (480) 256-9010 for a free consultation and catch the wave to prosperity in 2012!

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A website is today’s key marketing collateral piece. It’s your online brochure, providing your company profile and the benefits of your offerings. It offers useful information for your target audience and is an interactive communication vehicle between your visitors, the people they forward your link to, and you.

Your website creates people’s first impression of your business. Website visitors judge your business in less than 10 seconds. A professionally designed website uses the latest technology and tools to attract your target audience, get their attention quickly, keep them on your site longer and address their needs. This is how you achieve your main purpose for the site. So, what is the purpose of your website?

Every website should be designed with a purpose in mind.

For most small businesses, there are two primary purposes for a website:

1. To make sales.
2. To generate leads.

Consider also the many possible secondary purposes:

1. Provide information.
2. Promote offerings.
3. Create brand awareness.
4. Position yourself as an expert.
5. Increase subscriptions.
6. Receive applications.
7. Reduce printing and direct mail expenses.
8. Build trust.

To create a successful website, you must know the primary purpose of the website. All aspects of website design – layout, functionality, content, graphics, links, buttons, navigation, security, SEO, SEM – must contribute to the primary purpose. Incorporating content to achieve your secondary purposes will ultimately lead you to either increasing sales or generating leads. As you evaluate every aspect of your website, ask yourself: Does this contribute to making sales or generating leads? If it doesn’t, no matter how much you like it, you need to let it go. An irrelevant element only distracts your audience.

Create an effective user experience on your website.

The next step – ask yourself: What actions do you want your visitor to take when he views your site? What does your visitor want to achieve on your site? Designing your website based on the answers to these questions will create a much more positive and effective experience for the visitor or “user.” “Everything the user experiences should be the result of a conscious decision on your part,” explains Jesse James Garrett in his book, The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web. “The practice of creating engaging, efficient user experiences is called user-centered design. The concept of user-centered design is very simple: Every step of the way, take the user into account as you develop your product.”

A professional design team knows how to achieve your goals.

You should select a design team that has the ability to understand your needs and then reflect those needs in the design and functionality of the new site. A professional web design team will ask you a number of questions to learn and understand:

• Your business
• Your industry
• Your target audience
• Your business objectives
• Your online marketing goals
• Your reason for having a website

The team at seenBEST Web Design in Phoenix, Arizona, will meet with you face-to-face to learn about your company and your goals. Our comprehensive web design services are performed by highly experienced web professionals who know the right questions to ask. We will develop a user-centered design process to target and attract potential customers to your website…and take your web marketing results to unparalleled levels of success. Call today, (602) 456-0150 to schedule a free consultation.

Why is professional web design so important for the success of your business? It has a lot to do with packaging, which is one of the most important aspects of marketing. Imagine that you’re interviewing a dozen candidates for a new assistant position to work for you directly. Who are you more likely to hire: A candidate who shows up late in torn jeans, doesn’t seem interested in the job, and doesn’t speak to what you’re looking for? Or the well-polished candidate who is dressed nicely, friendly, knowledgeable about your company, and hits it off with you right from the start?

Packaging is the process of glamorizing your products or services in order to attract the customer’s attention. When there are hundreds or thousands of other websites offering the same products or services as your business, would you rather be the poorly dressed applicant with a communication problem or the sharply dressed and crisply spoken candidate that appeals to your customer’s needs? Most people on first glance will choose the business that presents the most pride in their company by exuding a professional image through their website.

A website makes a statement about your company. It is often the first and only impression potential clients have of your company. Attractive web design lends credibility to your business and leaves a positive impression on visitors. Researchers have found that people form an opinion of a website and the company it represents in less than one second. If that opinion is not positive, they will immediately click off your site to go to another site. With so many options available to the digital consumer, how do you create and design a successful website that sets you apart from the competition?

Designing a website that stands above the competition requires a combination of several unique talents that are often difficult or impossible to obtain in one place. There are a lot of ‘web designers’, ‘web design companies’, and ‘do it yourself website’ packages out there. Unfortunately, very few of these available options master the complex art of successful web design that will result in increased sales and business leads. Doing this correctly in a way that doesn’t waste your time or your money requires:

• A good understanding of web psychology
• Extensive experience with marketing technique
• Current knowledge of web usability issues
• The unique ability to position one company apart from and above all others
• A grasp of modern design standards and skills with the manipulation of digital imagery to tell a story

A professionally designed website will capture visitors in those crucial first seconds, stand out from the competition, build customer base and increase sales. Consider these elements when looking for help to design your next corporate website:

• Adoption of user experience conventions. Users expect to find certain things on every website, such as a clear to understand company logo and message, ease of navigation, and the ability to quickly find the information they are looking for.
• Principles of layout design and proximity. Design must consider the psychological effect of such elements and principles as graphics, white space, cleanliness, placement above and below “the fold,” and grouping like items.
• Valuable, quality content. Users want information about your company’s products and services. Quality content will improve your search engine rankings.
• Load time. Speed is key. Users will wait no more than 8-10 seconds for a page to load. And search engines will rank your site higher when pages load faster.
• Browser compatibility. Your website must follow standard protocols to open properly in any browser.
• Search engine optimization (SEO). Sites listed in the top half of the first page of search results capture 99% of all new business generated online. Keyword selection, localization, and constant updating of content are some of the elements necessary to get a high website ranking.

Today, over 86% of small businesses have a website. With so much competition, making your website stand out is challenging. A professionally-designed website will reach more people and give your company the image you want to portray. seenBest Web Design employ a team of online marketing experts with over a decade of experience designing successful websites that get results. Contact us today for more information (602) 456-0150.