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Master Your Website: Cutting-Edge Strategies to Beat the Competition
It‘s Been a Long 12 Years...
VERNDAE
Old vs. NewThe Evolution of your Website
Old
Web
Site
.Co
m Static or Proprietary Content Mgmt.
Islands of Information
Limited Re-Use and Scale
New
Web
Site
.Co
m Platform Technologies
Component Based
Extensible
Achieve Form and Function
Tip #1: Pursue a Hub and Spoke ModelThe Big Ball of Clay
Old YourWebSite.Com
Content Hub
(CMS)
Mobile and Portable
Multilingual and
Microsites
CRM/Back Office
Analytics & Reporting
Email Marketing /Marketing Automation
Social Media Environments
Tip #2: Measure EverythingLather, Rinse, Repeat
The web provides a closed loop environment for marketing !
•Google Analytics is free but does need to be configured to provide optimal benefit
•With optimization it is possible to track email marketing campaigns, PPC campaigns and even offline campaigns through to conversion/exit.
•Apply the lather, rinse, and repeat principle for improving performance over time.
Search Terms and Keywords
Page Views and Popularity
Referral Source
Conversion
What to Monitor?
Development Lifecycle
1
Planning & Discovery
2
Design & Prototyping
3
Development
4
Delivery & Closing
5
Measurement , Anaylsis, Optimization
1
2
3
4
5
Planning & Discovery
Tip #3: Build with PurposePlan now or Plan Later
Your Business, Your Customers, Your Competitors.
This process begins with an analysis of your competitive environment and existing marketing and technology infrastructure.
Review baseline data and establish the criteria for evaluating your success.
Hold every decision up to the 3 pillars of any web project – Time, Cost, Scope.
Plan but be flexible. The web can create new opportunities if you listen to your customers.
Identify User Roles/Types
Identify & Review Competitors
Identify Data Sources
Develop Personas
Create Information Architecture
Findings & Deliverables
1
2
3
4
5
Wed Design &
Development
Tip #4: Effective Design ConvertsApply the Husband Principle
Design & Prototyping
The most effective design often considers utility as much as visual-appeal.
Assuming Hub & Spoke standard and measurement principles are attained, your design should evolve over time to optimize for conversion.
Enforce Standards. Pay attention to user habits. Your website might not be where most people see your content. Consider mobile, iPad, social media channels and plan accordingly.
Last but not least, if it’s not working, you can always trade it in for a new & improved model.
Consistent, Intuitive Architecture
Clear Calls to Action
Enforce Design and Brand Standards across web assets
Tips for Effective Design
1
2
3
4
5
Development
Tip #5: Live or Die by the SwordHow to Manage Risk and Build for Scale
Development
Don’t get hung up on the right technology ‘stack’.
Implementation quality is always the most important factor for a successful project.
Strive for ‘Elegant Code’
Component Based
Loosely Coupled – limited regression issue
Extensible
Taxonomy – the power or correlated content
Limited # of Page Templates
Limited Structured Content
Broken Workflow
Duplicate Content & Content Entry
Evidence of a Bad CMS build?
1
2
3
4
5
Delivery & Closing
Tip #6: Hosting & Code MattersAt least Google thinks so...
Delivery & Hosting
Don’t underestimate the importance of page load time.
Good code and good infrastructure can improve your search engine ranking.
Good code and hosting practices support improved SEO, accessibility and cross-browser and cross-platform functionality.
Don’t lose Page Rank value. 301 vs. 302 and 404 –what does it all mean?
Google Webmaster Tools
Yahoo!’s Yslow
Tools for Improving Site Performance
1
2
3
4
5
Bonus Slides
Tip #7: Make the Most of Social MediaBountiful Garden or Pile of Dirt?
Put your content where the people are. How to leverage this channel.
•With the right combination of automation tools and social media connectors, the content distribution process can be streamlined.
•The winning no-fuss content distribution formula:
•Publish Blog Content
•Distribute to social media outlets
•Consolidate and push via email marketing.
Social Oomph
Tweetie
LinkedIn Twitter Integration
Social Media Automation Tools
Tip #8: Make the Most of Search Engine OptimizationMake your presence known.
Consider the SEO impact across all your web marketing activities.
•Good SEO is only achieved after developing an effective strategy and implementing the correct measurement standards.
•Pay careful attention to new site launches.
•Don’t underestimate the value of referral links
Q&A
Verndale – www.verndale.com
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