Navigation Menu Basics
There are several mistakes that website owners make when it comes to navigation menus when they attempt to use their navigation for SEO purposes instead of focusing on user needs. And all of these are fixable.
- Multple navigation elements – I’ve seen websites with a fancy navigation menu at the top of the page and the same navigational elements in the sidebar followed by navigation links in the footer. Why? Pick one method of navigation and stick with that.
- Too many pages in the navigation element – Do you really need links to your archives, categories, tags, author pages, and related content? Some of this is overkill. Usually, if you nofollow your navigation links to your archives, categories, and tags pages, then you’ll get much better optimization.
- Complex site structure – Keep it as simple as possible for the type of website you have. That’s easy when your site is only 10 pages. But what if it stretches out to 100 or 200 pages? Or worse, to a couple of thousand? It’s OK to have different navigation menus for separate sections of your website, but keep the navigational elements simple. Don’t overcomplicate them.
- Over-Optimization – Generally speaking, any time you include a navigational element solely for optimization efforts, then you are setting your website up to fail. Ask yourself if it helps your site visitor? If not, eliminate it and look for other ways that you can optimize your website.
Navigational menus are established for users, not search engines. That doesn’t mean you can’t optimize them, but optimizing your navigation menus is really simple. Use the best key phrase for each page on your website and use that key phrase as the link in your navigation menu. If your on-page optimization is spot on, then that should be good SEO. If not, you might need to re-write your on-page content or pick another key phrase to optimize for.
It’s Cyber Monday, Know Where Your Website Is?
Cyber Monday has been billed as the biggest shopping day of the season. But one pundit isn’t buying it.
Nevermind the myth-busting tone on that last one, does it really matter whether online merchants have “sold” consumers on the idea of shopping online on this particular day or if it truly indeed is the preferred day for shoppers? The fact is, last year, Cyber Monday was a record-setting day for online sales. And it looks like today could top that.
One reason could be that consumers are getting more comfortable shopping online. So what are you going to do about it?
If you are a brick-and-mortar retailer, then I’d say you need to start thinking about your own website, your own online store. Online sales will only go up from here. I don’t think we’ve even begun to see the scale of where online consumers will go. But if you aren’t online, then you can’t take part in the party. So get your website design plans underway.
It may be too late for this year, but there’s always next year. And the year after that. And then the year after that. Your plan now should be to grow along with the Internet. Don’t wait until you’re left on the outside looking in.
What Does ‘Content Is King’ Mean?
Does “content is king” mean the same thing in 2011 as it meant in 1995? Is content still king?
This is a question that pervades almost every single discussion on web design, Internet marketing, and search engine optimization. What is content and what makes it king?
Traditionally, content referred specifically to your on-page content – keywords, text, images, etc. But the broader view is that content is anything you produce that is tangible in an online environment and that produces intangible results. In essence, content is both on page and off page. It includes links, videos, and might even in some situation refer to code.
Content moves beyond design elements. Simply having a website with a pretty header and a nice layout is not content. Filling it with images that pop, content that sells, and videos that rip roar and demand attention, that’s count. Writing articles and guest blog posts for other Web properties that link back to yours and drive steady traffic to your site, that’s content too. Bookmarking your pages and networking with others through Facebook and LinkedIn, that’s content too. And content IS king.
It’s important that webmasters not get too wrapped up in definitions, but you should take a broader view of content. And crown the king.
Are Share Buttons Necessary?
It’s pretty much agreed upon by all web designers today that social share buttons are a necessity on your web pages. What we might disagree on are how many and which ones are necessary. But there are three that most of us would agree are essential.
- Facebook Like – Facebook is the most trafficked website online. Chances are, you’re using it and your friends are using it. That alone is reason enough to have a Like button on every page of your website no matter what niche you serve.
- Tweet/Retweet – While Twitter isn’t as popular as Facebook, and may never be, it’s still popular enough that you should consider a tweet/retweet button for every page of content you create.
- LinkedIn – Again, LinkedIn isn’t Twitter or Facebook, but if you are business that serves other businesses, then you should consider a LinkedIn button for your website.
Another up and coming social service that bears looking at is Google+. With rapid growth, Google+ looks promising, though the jury is still out which niches might benefit most from the service.
Other social share buttons might be helpful for your site as well. If you run a technology website, look for services with a high level of technology sector participation. The same goes for whatever niche you serve. Look for social media sites where people in your niche tend to hangout.
Whatever your niche, social media is in. Make sure you encourage sharing by adding those buttons to your website.
5 Ways To Build A Web Business
Most people, when they think about doing business online, think of it in terms of online marketing. Of course, you are marketing your business online. There’s no doubt about that. But what you are really doing is building a Web business.
The big question is, what exactly does it take to build a Web business? What components are necessary?
Here are 5 necessary components to building a Web business in 2011.
- A website – It can be a simple website or a huge monolith. Either way, you need a website. Your first step in building a Web business is to design a powerful website.
- Search engine marketing - SEM is a multi-component endeavor that includes paid search marketing and organic search marketing. With organic search you could be building links, which we call off-site SEO, or you could be increasing your on-site content value through blogging, articles, or other on-page content.
- Social media – Promote your content through social media where you’ll build inbound links and your relationship.
- Video marketing – Video marketing has become a mainstay of building an online business too. If you do it right, it will pay huge dividends.
- App development – App development can refer to iphone and other mobile apps or social media apps like those you find on Facebook. Either way, app development is becoming a huge marketing channel online.
What ways do you use for building your Web business? Do weigh in.
There’s No Business Like A Slow Business
Is your business slow? What do you do to drum up new business in your down times? When the market slows down and you have a deficit in customer relations, do you get proactive? Do you spend money? Here are five ways to turn your slow business into a thriving business during any economic circumstances.
- Build a new website. There’s nothing that says you should stick with one website. If you have a business with clearly defined multiple markets, build a website for each market. When your business slows down is a good time to start planning for the next wave or upsurge. Put your extra time into something productive.
- Initiate a PPC campaign. Many small business owners cut back on the marketing budget when business is slow. That’s when you should step up your marketing efforts. PPC is the perfect vehicle since you don’t pay for a click until after you receive it.
- Make a video. Since you have some free time on your hands, why not create a video. You can put it on your website or distribute it through YouTube and other video marketing channels.
- Connect with a new audience. Social media engagement can be time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. In truth, you should be engaged through social media even when your business isn’t slow, but what better time to get engaged than when things slow down?
- Refine your SEO. You can always find a way to improve your search engine rankings. Prowl your website for new SEO opportunities, and take them.
Instead of fretting about your business being slow, take action. Find new opportunities to connect to old customers or go out and find new ones.
Is HTML Or A CMS Superior?
The debate has been going on a long time. Some proponents of web design prefer to design their website using HTML. Others prefer a content management system, or CMS. But which is better?
I think it depends.
First, some CMSs are better than others so you have to be careful which one you use. Do you go for a paid CMS that you have to spend oodles of money on or do you opt for the paid open source version?
Here are some things to think about before deciding to use HTML or a CMS.
- Security is better with an HTML website
- Designing a website from scratch is usually easier and quicker with a CMS
- You have more control over design with HTML
- A CMS can be enhanced with plugins and add-ons
- Traditionally, SEO has been more effective with HTML, however, many CMSs now rival HTML with search engine optimization
- CMSs are often code heavy and can slow down your website, which diminishes your SEO effectiveness
- You don’t have to know any coding languages to work with a CMS
- If you design your website with HTML, it can be very tedious; one character out of place can mess up your entire website
There are pros and cons to using either a CMS or coding a website with HTML. Weigh your options and choose the one that is best for you.
Why Online Marketing Is Necessary
If you’re used to doing a lot of offline marketing, or traditional marketing, then you’ve likely noticed that it has become quite expensive in the last few years. Oil prices have driven up the cost of paper and everything else. The economy taking a downturn has caused many businesses to stop advertising altogether, or diminish their marketing budgets.
But there is hope. Online marketing is less expensive and, if done right, is much more effective. That’s why so many businesses have transferred their marketing and advertising budgets to online.
Here are 5 online marketing methods that are outpacing their offline counterparts:
- Pay Per Click – Pay per click advertising is the online equivalent to some forms of print advertising. The difference is you pay only when a desired result takes place. It can be less expensive and deliver a higher ROI.
- Social Networking – Offline, you go to business functions. You often have to buy dinner, pay for transportation costs, business cards, and other incidentals. Online, you just show up. And talk to people. Make friends and contacts. Sell them stuff. The time commitment is higher, but it’s a lot easier on the budget.
- Video Marketing – Liken it to TV advertising. Do you really want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on 30-second spots that disappear with the money? Instead, pay for one video and it stays live online forever.
- Website Design – Call them online billboards. Just like outdoor advertising, you have a limited space – your prospect’s browser window. Unlike outdoor billboards, that space can be expanded. And you can build many websites for less than the cost of a handful of billboards.
- Search Engine Optimization – Sorry, but there is no offline equivalent to search engine optimization. Yet it’s still the most effective online marketing money can buy.
Try just one or incorporate them all into your marketing plans, but online marketing is where it’s at.
Should You Go Local Or Global?
When you build your website and put it online, you’ll have to decide whether you are going to target a local audience or a global market. It’s one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make.
It’s not as simple as it may seem. Local online marketing and global marketing actually have a lot in common – online, at least.
For instance, both employ search engine optimization. You can also market both a local business and a global business through social media. You can also drive traffic to a local website as well as a global reach website through pay per click advertising. Virtually any type of online marketing tactic that can be used for one can be used for the other.
All of that said, however, local businesses do have other options that global businesses don’t. Online Yellow Pages is one example of an opportunity that local business have that global businesses can’t leverage. Craigslist classifieds is another marketing tactic that seems to work better for local businesses.
And there are global marketing tactics that can be used for local online marketing but that may need a little bit of creative tweaking for effectiveness.
When you’re ready to build your website and take the online marketing plunge, find a consultant who can help you decide whether local or global is more appropriate for your situation.
4 Internet Marketing Tactics From 1991 That Still Work
Internet marketing has come a long way since 1991. I mean, the World Wide Web came into the light in 1990, which is when the first Web browser and the first website were built. Since then, pioneers have championed some powerful marketing tactics. The following four Internet marketing tactics were among the first channels ever used, and they are still just as effective today.
- Website Design – Naturally, we’ll begin with the granddaddy of all Internet marketing channels. Having your own website has become synonymous with Internet marketing. It just seems logical, therefore, that this should be at the top of the list.
- Article Marketing – From the time they built their first websites, pioneering Internet marketers started driving traffic to them with articles. Article marketing became one of the first very successful methods of marketing online – and it still works.
- E-mail Marketing – E-mail marketing enjoys the status of being one of the most profitable Internet marketing channels ever. It was also one of the first ways that successful online marketers used to leverage a sustainable income.
- Forum Marketing – Forums were the first real social media tools. Early Internet marketers discovered how effective they were at driving traffic to websites. Despite all the rules in place at many forums today, you can still use them effectively for your marketing efforts.
While the new methods of Internet marketing – blogging, social media, Twitter, video marketing, mobile marketing, etc. – are effective too, these four primitive online marketing tactics are still just as effective as they ever were. Don’t leave them out.
Do You Worry Too Much?
An article at Marketing Pilgrim says that small business owners worry about obtaining new customers. In fact, they lay awake at night thinking about it.
Is that you? Do you lay awake at night worrying about where your next customer is coming from? Don’t. It could come from any number of sources – if you take action.
Prospecting for new clients takes time. And it is costly. More costly, in fact, than retaining the customers you already have. But if you don’t do it, what will happen? Many small businesses find out what happens when they are no longer providing a service after two to five years.
You can’t let worry freeze you. Running a small business is about taking action to attract new customers and keep the ones you have happy. Here are a few tactics that other small business owners have used to do just that:
- Built a website
- Employed search engine optimization on their website
- Drove traffic with pay per click advertising
- Produced online videos
- Engaged in e-mail marketing
- Spent time on social media
All of these tactics are effective if employed correctly. They’re not the only tactics that work, but they do work. They are much more effective than worrying. So stop worrying and start taking action.
What’s An Internet Marketing Plan Made Of?
I’m convinced, after years of being in this business, that an Internet marketing plan is something that every business would benefit from. In most cases, a company that has an established marketing budget can get more mileage from their marketing with less outlay if they transfer some of that budget into Internet marketing. But what does an Internet marketing plan consist of?
Of course, every business is different. Therefore, every Internet marketing plan will be different. The first step is to determine the needs of your market and approach those needs with an open mind.
Once we’ve established your priorities and the needs of your market, your Internet marketing plan could consist of any of the following special tactics:
- Pay per click marketing – PPC is a pay-as-you-go marketing tactic. You buy clicks and send them to your important landing pages. It’s very effective and costs are determined by how much you are willing to pay per click.
- Search engine optimization – SEO is the long-term tactic. We’ll help you rank your web pages in Google, Bing, and other search engines in order to attract the right customers.
- Social Media Optimization – SMO is a different kind of Internet marketing. It’s about building relationships through connections off of your website.
- Custom Web Design – Your website should be a reflection of your business and your values.
- Online Video Marketing – Online videos are the 21st century equivalent to 20th century TV advertising – only better.
When it comes to developing an Internet marketing plan, the strategies you use depend on your market, your business, and your goals. Talk to someone who has designed a custom Internet marketing plan more than a few times.
Your Most Important Web Design Element
Is there such a thing as the most important web design element? Doesn’t it depend on your Web marketing and web design goals? Yes, it does. But it also depends on what you can use your website for and the current conventions. Right now, there is one Internet marketing channel that is considered the most effective channel of all.
I’m talking about e-mail marketing. Since it is the most efficient and most effective means of conducting online marketing, it makes sense to put an opt-in form on your website. I consider it the most important web design element.
Of course, you should put a lot of careful thought into the placement of your opt-in form on the page. Where do you want it to appear and what do you want it to look like?
Your e-mail marketing opt-in subscription form should be eye catching. You want the reader to notice it. But you don’t want it to be so noticeable that the site visitor fixates on it. It should be visible and inviting so that you increase your opt-in subscribers. But you don’t want it to take away from the information on your web pages.
Website design is a creative science. Nothing is absolute. However, if you consider that e-mail marketing is still the most effective means of marketing online, then an opt-in form for your e-mail marketing campaigns is an essential element for any website.
Does Blog Design Matter?
At this juncture in Web history it is pretty commonplace for a business to own at least one blog. I think it will someday be commonplace for many businesses to some day own and operate several blogs. As the Web becomes more and more competitive, there will be more websites and blogs targeting specific niches, and niches within niches. That will undoubtedly make the search and social marketing stakes go higher.
One of the points of differentiation for any business with a website is design. Not only can it distinguish you from the competition, but it can also brand you, your company, and your products. Blog design, of course, is no different.
It has already been established that blog design is important. But does it matter for each blog? Does every blog have to have its own unique design, or can a company have a branded look to which each blog and website under the corporate umbrella must conform? My answer is, of course, yes.
Yes, to both. Either is acceptable.
When deciding on a design look for your blog, keep in mind your company goals. If you want all of your Web properties to have a consistent look for branding effect then that’s an easy decision. But if you want each blog to have its own design and branded look then you’ll have to make some hard decisions for each. Either way can be effective. You just have to narrow down your ideals.
How To Properly Plan Your Internet Marketing Strategy
Internet marketing is too important a task to leave to chance. It is important that you do a few things to set up your campaigns and measure your results along the way. Without measuring your results you cannot know what is working and what you need to change.
The first step to planning an effective Internet marketing campaign is to take inventory of your business. What are your strengths? What are you good at? How do you differ from your competitors?
You should write down your core values and mission statement. These are your guiding principles – offline and online.
After you have written down your core values and mission statement and discovered how you fit into your industry and how you differ from your competitors, you can begin to set your budget and line out how you will market yourself online. Your Internet marketing plan should contain, at a minimum, the following details:
- Your website – The hub of your Internet marketing plan. How many pages will you need? What keywords will you target? Figure out your approach to search engine optimization and build from there. Make sure your website design represents your core values and mission statement.
- Pay Per Click Marketing – Will you incorporate a pay per click campaign into your Internet marketing strategy? If not then state so in your plan. If so then you need to set a budget and plan your keywords.
- Social Media Marketing – Will you use social media? If so, which sites will you benefit from the most? What percentage of your overall marketing budget will be devoted to social media? Be specific in detailing your social media marketing plan.
- Blogging – Will you benefit from a blog? Include the details of your blogging strategy into your plan as well.
- Video Marketing – Will video be a significant part of your Internet marketing strategy? Will you embed video on your website or simply use it as a traffic generation tool? Outline your video marketing plan in as much detail as possible.
- Other Marketing Initiatives – What else is important to your Internet marketing strategy? Include it in your plan. Whether you plan to use article marketing or mobile marketing, put it into your plan. If there is anything you plan to incorporate into your online marketing plan then it needs to be written down.
Don’t worry about whether you’ll stick to your plan completely. At this stage you are simply making a plan. You can change it later. You can modify it as needed. But failing to plan is planning to fail and no one wants to engage in Internet marketing only to fall on their face. Least off, you.
How HTML 5 Will Make Video Design Elements More Accessible
It’s been awhile since HTML has had a major update. It’s about due for one and in fact there is one currently in production – HTML 5.
HTML 5 will certainly be a revolution in website design elements. One area where HTML 5 will make necessary and revolutionary changes for webmasters and web users alike is in how browsers see videos. Currently, anyone who watches videos online must first download a browser plugin. At least one of them, and in many cases web users have more than one.
Popular browser video plugins include:
- Adobe Flash
- Apple Quicktime
- Shockwave
- RealPlayer
- VLC for Mac OS
- Windows Media Player
Chances are, if you watch videos online right now then you have one or more of these browser plugins installed in your Web browser. If you don’t have at least one of these then are not able to watch videos. HTML 5, however, will make these plugins obsolete.
HTML 5 Means Increased Web Security
Many Internet users are concerned about security. They don’t want to download anything they are not sure about. Therefore, they are a bit skeptical of the whole video browser plugin thing. With HTML 5 they won’t need to be. They’ll be able to watch videos without a plugin. And there browsing experience will be more secure as a result.
These security concerns are not without warrant. Many a website user has landed on a website and been asked to download a Codec for a video then been hit with malware issues that completely destroys their trust in websites that use video. While there is no such thing as complete Web security, HTML 5′s video tag will mean no Codec downloads are necessary and therefore any requests for such downloads can be immediately ignored. Videos will automatically play in any browser without a Codec or browser plugin.
HTML 5 Will Provide More Design Control For Webmasters
If you use video on your websites now then you are stuck with current sizing and embedding conventions. Customization is out of reach for most website designers. HTML 5 will change that.
With HTML 5 you’ll be able to control height and width of your video frames, autoplay on or off, design of your video frame and even search engine optimization with file naming conventions and src attributes. You can host your videos on your own server rather than upload them to YouTube and embed them on your site.
Another great HTML 5 attribute is the poster attribute. You’ll be able to designate an image placeholder to display while your video loads. That placeholder can be a branding logo, an ad or a cartoon. It’s entirely up to you. Again, more design control.
When Will HTML 5 Be Available?
A release date for HTML 5 has not be published. But production has been going on for a couple of years now so I’m guessing it’s getting close. I would not be surprised if HTML 5 was unleashed by the end of 2010. It would be a welcome change to the current state of video optimization and website design.
Are W3C Standards Necessary?
Spend any time at all on website design and you’ll quickly learn of an organization called W3C – or World Wide Web Corsortium. You’ll likely hear that using the W3C standards to build and design your website are necessary to ensure compatibility with current web standards. I hate to burst your bubble, but there’s no requirement to follow W3C standards.
That’s not to say that the W3C hasn’t benefited the Internet at all. Headed by the creator of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, the consortium does work hard to establish open lines of communication between webmasters and others who use the Internet. In fact, many of their suggestions are well worth listening to. But if you build a website that doesn’t comply with W3C standards, if you are using HTML code that can be read by browsers then you will likely build a website that is accessible by Internet users. You don’t need W3C approval.
The code that you’ll see at the top of some source code behind websites, you know that code that says your site is approved by W3C, it’s not really necessary. It is nice to have. It can build trust in your site. But if you’re missing it, no big deal. The real issue is to build a website that is accessible and provides your site visitors with benefits.