What you need to know beforehand: Websites, SEO & Search Marketing

Confused about the functional roles of website design & development, website maintenance, SEO & search marketing in general? You're not alone. Yet, few budgetary line items have more impact on marketing ROI. For visitors & prospects a website is the company and visa versa: a company is the sum of its Internet marketing. Online exposure in all forms is what defines a B to B company for its customers, prospects, and other business contacts.

So let's manage expectations for both developers and site owners with a review of basic industry questions and definitions. It's a good, self fulfilling prophecy that when all stakeholder start on the same page we've taken the first step toward making practical & cost-effective Internet marketing production and maintenance choices.

What's included in website design? - Website Design encompasses the overall look and feel of a website, from the home page to inside screens. Design is fun, but because all websites are interactive to some degree, web design must also include the site visiter's interface with all aspects of the site, including structure.

So, website design, and user interface design in particular, requires a unique combination of graphic arts creativity, left brain logic, and a grounding in current technologies. Impossible in a single talent? Because devices, technology and standards continue to advance at light speed, interdisciplinary teams are more the norm than an exception.

A website design specification that outlines project scope with clearly defined deliverables will help manage expectations for a new or upgraded website.  Note: even in the design phase, development functionality (discussed below) may be addressed in general sense.

What's included in website development? - Another name for Website Development could be website production because it includes whatever it takes to make the approved website design a functional reality. This phase requires an intense focus on how everything in a website is to work and the information that will be conveyed to site visitors in every screen. This may include:

• Setting up or migrating Domain Name & hosting account
• Creating or purchasing illustrations, graphics, professional photography
• Creating or adapting written content
• Creating animations, videos & other multi-media
• Building an Administrator Dashboard
• Template setup/coding to design specifications
• Populating new site with content
• Functionality scripting, coding
• Integration with CRM & other databases
• Integration with eCommerce financial systems
• Beta website functional review, debug, revisions
• Final website roll-out

Website maintenance - Even a "brochure-ware" website is not a set it and forget it proposition. Not only do freshened websites garner more Search Engine ranking points, but an updated website is a marketing asset. Creating and refreshing content is a big deal.

SEO (search engine optimizing) is the process of optimizing a website so that it may rise to a top result in a Google, Yahoo, Bing search. When querying a search engine both natural (organic) and paid advertising listings are displayed in select areas within 100's or 1,000's of result pages. Search engines have special algorithms to ensure the most meaningful listings for a given search string are given top priority. This applies to both natural and paid listings

Optimizing a website to enhance a website's status in a natural search result is the sole focus of SEO, and requires yet another area of expertise. SEO has evolved from a combination of tricks and value-add practices to solely value-add content and link practices to warrant a priority rank. Today, search engine optimizing a website requires an initial setup with ongoing SEO only required to the extent keyword focus may change.

Search Marketing (or Internet Marketing) is an all-encompassing discipline that includes whatever it takes to promote a website in the context of a marketing search. Traditionally, Search Marketing was more narrowly focused Adword or "click" advertising and SEO efforts. But today, a marketer may use a wide variety of inbound or outbound strategic tools to enhance website and company exposure:

• Websites
• Landing Pages
• SEO
• Adword or "click" advertising
• Banner advertising
• Direct Mailing or ePromotions
• PR & Content Marketing
• Analytical Tools

Each of these tools may be employed individually or in some combination in an integrated marketing effort. 

For more information on agency services for website development & hosting call me at 770-664-9322, or visit http://www.ejwassoc.com/what-we-do/web-design-development/

Advertising agency, Inhouse, or freelance contractor?

The heart of this question posed by Brian Regienczuk in Linkledin, speaks to tools, ability, and management when it comes to jobbing out creative services. We are perhaps not too different from our advertising agency clients when it comes to resource allocation. As a small business we know what it means to be agile in augmenting our internal resources with reliable contract help.

However, big difference: our clients are typically not immersed in the advertising industry - with expertise to properly select, manage, and take full responsibility for a complete marketing project of which creative is but a single component. Art, design, illustration, videography and copy writing is highly subjective. Unless a company has a really well-rounded art director on staff, this is probably outside most managers' scope of work - regardless of who they know that does any one discipline either on staff or works outside as a freelancer.

Our agency lives in the B to B world where many smaller accounts understandably feel like they have to do everything themselves. But how much more marketing value could a client receive if a well rounded, empathetic, B to B advertising agency were brought into the picture?

I would say to companies who are actually at the point of realizing they need creative help: make an effort to find an advertising agency, and be prepared to form a real partnership. Raise your sights to find a group with whom you feel comfortable sharing challenges, not just an order taker.

Who knows? In the best possible outcome the company gains a fresh resource to serve as their de facto marketing department. Save overhead while getting (on demand!) new market communications ideas professionally-created and designed to boost sales. Visit http://www.ejwassoc.com/what-we-do/creative/

Manage your next corporate capability publication

Few would dispute the keystone significance of a corporate capability brochure, even as the Internet has (for some businesses) superseded an actual print rendition. Building a website has similar issues. Those who have been through the process know what a minefield the development process can be for any major communications work. Here I share my notes for taking on and managing such projects.

Identify your audiences.
Keep in mind ALL of your companyʼs potential publics, including: prospects, customers, vendors, bankers, employees and investors.

Note the development & production process
•— Concept development
•— Concept refinement with mockups, user interface design
•— Creative development - Research, Writing, Imaging
•— Prototype design and graphics with content text and images
•— Hosted Staging, testing. For brochure: Print ready artwork and print specifications
•— Live rollout. For brochure: Print production and distribution

Plan
A good plan well executed will fulfill its mission, net greater returns, have a longer life than an ill-conceived or poorly executed work.

Involve stakeholders from the outset
Nobody likes surprises, from the executive suite to the boots on the ground. Establish a representative team for the mission. Consider involving important partners, too. With skin in the game the hierarchy ensures that buy in is complete.

Research. Discuss. Listen.
It’s not just a marketing exercise. Collect many points of view from a broad variety of sources. C-level execs, managers, product engineers, department managers, sales and application engineers, HR. Begin with a free-form wish list from each stakeholder. Work this into a more detailed outline:
•— Introduction, company background
•— Capabilities & scope of operations
•— Industries and markets
•— Systems and products
•— How we work, sales & service support
•— Contact information, partner imprint.

However, avoid design by committee
Excessive delays in collecting input, proof approvals, etc., are the bane of any major project. Anyone missing a deadline forfeits bragging/bitching rights later. Not everyone’s opinion can or should be accommodated. Establish which experts will have final say for what project component.

What are others doing?
Review competitors, partners, suppliers samples to set the bar.
Develop a project timeline and stick to it.

Brochure Series completed in 19 days for show

Enlarge

Print thrives, but client expectations for production and delivery now verge on real time. After all, "it's digital, isn't it?" With a looming trade show deadline we committed to our client to deliver not one, but a series of product/corporate brochures in less than 19 days. Answering your question at the outset: Print, who needs it? Fewer folks than before but, then again, who needs trade shows, either? And yet, decision makers continue to rely on both.

In today's everyday world squeaky wheels of marketing tend to languish. Projects to effect performance 30, 60 and 90 days out is considered long term by many, particularly in small to mid size B to B businesses. Marketing plays a back seat to a daily grind of product management and sales.

That is, until a major event threatens to spotlight a company's market commitment. Then, the specter of inadequacy looms large to focus attention on marketing basics, such as: show booth graphics, Powerpoint & video presentations, visitor handouts, brochures. Pre-, during -, and post-show advertising, direct mail and promotions.

Another plus for trade shows. WIthout them how many marketing projects would languish in the lands of Hurry-Up-And Wait. This brochure project, originally approved without a particular timeline weeks before, now leaped to life with company stakeholders on red alert. Design concepts and rough content now moved forward with all due speed to meet impossible milestones. Failure is not an option when 10's of thousands of dollars in company resources are at stake, not to mention image and reputation.

In this industry show of mechanical systems, an all-out, full court analog experience was deemed essential. Brochures arrived on time and had the desired effect on the industry represented there and then and beyond.

In fast-tracking any new creative development, two factors rise in importance to ensure success to avoid crashing and burning: client focus and a solid agency vendor resource.

Call in a trusted partner. In this story, EJW had been working with our client for years. Every project with essential building materials is double archived. On the same wavelength we push the right buttons, ask the right questions, know what works in tight situations. To keep projects moving we become the shepherd herding the proverbial cats when milestones need attention.

Form a project team that includes agency & company personnel. To keep projects moving, fully prep members for expected participation. Assign point persons to manage all of the content likely to be required in any marketing project, such as: special image files, 3D renderings, content sources, vertical market expertise, product and application knowledge.

To Social, or not to Social, that is the question for B to B marketers

A B-to-B company looks back on one of its customers and the history of its last profitable sale. The purpose? Uncover telephone calls, sales visits, dinners, handshakes at trade shows that may have had an impact. An investigator also documents responses to direct marketing, ads, press release programs, and website interactions. A company may even have a social program that has yielded reactions.

What role did each "engagement" play? Which had more sales impact? Most importantly, and the reason we study marketing response, how should we separate marketing activities that are nice-to-haves versus those we need-to-have for next year's budget?

The real questions wrestled by business marketers when building budgets can be boiled down to priority.

It has been said in B-to-B land that Social media is social, more for customer service and not to be judged for lead generating. In that sense it takes on a more foundational role in marketing.

The fact is, for better or worse, Social opens up one more channel from which to support customers.

Instead of asking how to meaningfully count B2B Social interactions or impressions, a company would be advised to carefully study its customer base to determine its current perceptions and likely use of Social before rolling out another communications channel.

Checklist for a Smooth Website Integration Project

Launch with senior buy-in
Who are the sponsors and stakeholders in the project and what is the budget allocation?

It always helps to know the final budget figure, but more importantly senior management must be on board and prepared to give full support.

Detailed project plan
Project-planning can be complex and frustrating.
Formal project plans force everyone involved, to consider all essential phases, steps, and the order in which to proceed. "Work a plan, and plan to work." "Failure to plan is planning to fail."

Team members must be available for meetings, milestone reviews, content provisioning, development support, testing, sign offs.

End user involvement is essential with representatives from every dept providing input from the get-go.

Hardware & hosting specifications should exceed expectations for performance, & integrating with internal systems.

Test, test, test
Testing is essential to project success. Whether it is unit testing (which tests one facet of the system) or integrated testing (which tests all components, including existing interfacing systems), testing should be done by current employees along with a testing script. Detail, ahead of time, what all outputs should look like. Testing data and processes should vet all scenarios, including good and bad data. System and network testing should include load tests with results reports.

Recovery plan in the event of failure
Managers know what go-live success looks like -- and when it's time to pull the plug. Every project should have a go-live backup plan in case failure becomes the only option.

Expert recommendations 
Don't countermand without testing outcomes. Don't hope. Test. Listen to your experts most of the time.

Project plan
Any project with an estimated timeline longer than a few weeks should have a realistic, detailed project plan. Besides forcing stakeholders to consider all tasks and tactics, doing so will force development of realistic timetables. A detailed project plan will win every time versus "best guess" or a gut feeling.

Set expectations
How is the new system going to act?
How are transactions and transaction times different?
Who do end-users call if they have problems?
How long is the go-live troubleshooting team going to be on site?
Set accelerated support options to minimize customer frustrations.

Training
It's not just users who need training, but project leaders, troubleshooters, and help-desk staff, too.
Delay the project if appropriate training is not given.

Paraphrased from InfoWorld Daily article "11 signs your IT project is doomed" by Roger A. Grimes

Call it Content or PR, it's customer engagement

Editorial is a marketer's most cost-effective tool for enhancing sales without burdening sales resources. 

Whether you do them, or hire an agency like ours, use articles, press releases, blog posts, industry newsletters to 

• Boost customer engagement frequency. 
• Enhance customer loyalty. 
• Penetrate key accounts to target new buying influences. 
• Prime both new & add-on sales.

Few organizations can afford to be in direct contact with all customers, all of the time - much less keep track of the ever-changing customer landscape of buying influences on a timely basis. Yet, without a regular public relations program that might include advertising, social, or content marketing, a company gambles on who has what information during a purchasing cycle.

EJW marketing PR services augment essential sales support obligations, helping clients multiply the efforts of a sales team.  Content with the right value proposition can penetrate old accounts, in addition to identifying new prospects and decision makers. Content can engage customers in between sales calls with your story the way it should be told.

A schedule for release of your company and product news, industry overviews, application information can be planned in advance, with content created as needed.

Press releases, articles, social media, white papers, videos, broadcast spots, websites and website blogs are major outlets for marketing PR. Some PR content can be quickly created and distributed to coincide with marketing pushes. In depth, article-weight content requires an appropriate measure of research and production. Our B to B pros can create it all for you, working with you to define content goals, media mix and final form.

On a project or contract arrangement, the public relations services we perform result in EJW clients establishing an ongoing dialog with their customers - raising awareness, adding to their knowledge, enabling informed buying decisions, and creating sales leads when your sales channel is not on duty 24/7/365.

Adapted from http://www.ejwassoc.com/press-releases.php