SOCIAL MEDIA & INTERNET MARKETING BLOG

Posts Tagged ‘web-based marketing’

FAQ: How often should I update my site?

February 28th, 2012 by Andrew Shepherd No Comments

Flickr user Xurble

One of the Frequently Asked Questions for any website developer or designer is “How often should I update my website? and why?”. Our developer, Andrew Shepherd addresses this common question and provides some insight on the topic including 5 reasons you should update your site.

It is generally suggested that you update your website as much as possible in order to maintain a modern look on your site. Web developers typically recommend that you update the content on your website once or twice a month, however, this only applies to content updates not structural or design updates to your website.

Structural updates to your site are generally not recommended to be made more than a few times per year, simply because people come back to what they are familiar with from their previous experience on your site. Changing the appearance of your website is generally a bad idea unless your site is completely outdated and you are going for a completely new look on your site.

If your site is already visually pleasing and is simple to navigate you should focus your attention on content updates on your website, which can help your site’s rankings on search engines. When making changes to your site don’t make updates for the sake of simply changing something on your page, is a bad idea and likely won’t be indexed by search engines.

Search Engines look for quality content that is relevant and interesting, so be sure your site updates are beneficial to your clients, supply correct information, and apply to your industry.

5 Reasons to update your website:

An updated website keeps site visitors interested. If the information a visitor is looking for is not given within the first few minutes of the potential client’s visit to your website it is failing its purpose.
Search Engines like new content. If you’re updating your site content frequently search engines have more content to review, therefore give your site more indexed pages and higher rankings.
Updating your website keeps the clientele coming in. Frequently updated sites are typically more appealing to potential clients and convey your company’s attention to detail and commitment to up to date communication.
Updating your site makes your company look refreshed. Fresh site content and design let clients and potential clients know you are at the forefront of technology and can be trusted to be on the forefront of your industry.
You will find and prevent broken links or pictures on your pages. It is important to keep up with missing pages or pictures, a potential client receiving a “Error 404″ message when they try to click a link for more information could instantly turn that potential client away from your company.

Overall it is important to update your site content periodically and reserve structural changes for rolling out new services or a new look for your company. Relevant content updates are a great way to increase your site’s search engine rankings and are an important element of maintaining a polished look for your company online.

Do you currently have a site that needs updating? Give us a call at 830.331.9995 or send an email to sales@rainman.com and we can discuss options for updating your content or entire web presence.

-Andrew Shepherd, Web Devleoper and Designer, Rainman.com and Amanda Koone, Director of Operations, Rainman.com

10 Qualities of a Good Website

February 21st, 2012 by Rainman Web Development No Comments

As a website development and social media marketing company Rainman staffers are often asked what qualities make a site good vs. bad or what make specific sites more effective. Our developer, Johnny Holguin is back with the answer to this Frequently Asked Question.

A good website is basically a site that provides visitors with the information they’re looking for. Sure a website is suppose to be visually appealing, but is it functional? Does it serve it’s purpose? Is it inviting and does it convey information effectively? There is so much more to a website than just good looks. Here are some essential website qualities that will help you target your market effectively.

Have a great design. Your website should have a clean look and feel. It should be aesthetically pleasing and visitors should feel comfortable when the navigate. These qualities can be achieved when your website is professionally designed
Be easy to read. Avoid colored text on a dark background. This can be difficult for some people to read. Bright reds, pinks and greens should also be avoided or you may lose your visitors. Keep your text black on white for easy readability.
Don’t hide the good stuff! Visitors should be able to find the information they need quickly without having to visit too many pages. This is directly related to your websites layout and design. Make sure the navigation makes sense and makes it easy for visitors to find what they need.
Provide the basics. Most people expect a Home page, an About page, a Contact page and maybe some FAQ’s. Since they expect to find these things… give it to them.
Have a clear purpose. When people visit your website, do they know what it’s about? Is the purpose clear? Make sure visitors know what your site is about and how it can help them. If you make your visitors dig for this information, they’ll go somewhere else.
Offer solutions. Most people are searching for information in order to resolve a problem. So don’t just offer information, offer solutions. If your solution requires information from your visitor, take every opportunity to lead them to the next step.
Use the right proportions. Your website should have the right balance of text and graphics. Don’t dominate your pages with graphical elements. Leave room for textual content. Too many graphics and not enough text will give you search engine problems. If your website doesn’t score well on keyword density you’ll end up with a low search engine ranking.
Make it fast. Don’t make your visitors wait too long for your site to load. Getting people to go to your website is hard enough and to lose them once they arrive will be a total waste of your efforts. Your website should be optimized to load fast even on a slow connection.
Be open 24/7. Your website should be online all the time and hosted on a reliable server. If your visitors find that your site is down frequently they may lose trust in your service. Check the online status of your website regularly.
Use a call to action. So important. Your website should have an objective it wants visitors to complete whether its filling out a form, signing up for a newsletter or downloading a file. You can use “urgent” language like (Call, Call Now, Buy, Buy Now, Register, Subscribe). This encourages your visitors and clearly tells them what you want them to do. Your website designer should consider things like color, position and white space in order to communicate your call to action effectively. Also, think about what happens after the user responds to your call to action. This needs to be thought through carefully. If you require too much information or even personal data, you visitor may drop out of the process.

-Johnny Holguin, Web Developer and Designer, Rainman.com and Amanda Koone, Director of Operations, Rainman.com

5 Influences on Web Design & Development

February 3rd, 2012 by Rainman Web Development No Comments

It’s that time again- time for a new blog series at Rainman. This series will focus on a series of Q & A sessions with our very own web development and design team. In the coming weeks we will address various hot topics in the world of web design. Have a question you would like answered? Email us at social@rainman.com.

This week’s developer is Johnny Holguin, a seasoned designer with a background in both traditional and multimedia marketing.

Q: As a website designer & developer, what elements have the largest influence on site design?

A: The term “developer” can be somewhat confusing. To me, a developer is usually server-side, meaning, people who work with actual hardware and software to store and serve up information. However, it can also mean someone who works with the front-end code (the programming language that is used to design a website). As a designer and developer, we first design the site using Photoshop, then write the code that transfers the design elements to an actual website. From design to development, there are many factors that influence site design, but here is my top 5:

THE CLIENT. I’m sure you’ve heard the term, “the customer is always right”! Well, in web design and development, they are. A developer has to get to know their client’s wants, needs, and taste. Critical questions are also asked in order to ensure their site ultimately meets their business goals.
THEME. Developing a theme in web design is like developing a game plan in sports. If you just jump in and start putting things together, you may end up doing too much or too little resulting in costly late-game revisions. It is important to work with your client early on to establish design elements that they do and don’t like and compiling those elements to ensure they all work well together.
COLOR. Colors used in a website are very important and not an element of design that should be taken for granted. The colors in a website should be a reflection of the client or business, as well as be nice to look at. Although colors are sometimes taken from other design elements that already exist, such as a logo or brochure, no matter where the color inspiration for a site comes from, it is important that all elements coordinate.
NAVIGATION. Ease of navigation is one of the most important influences of web design. While the attractiveness of the site is important, people ultimately visit a website to obtain information or solve a problem. If you have a complex navigation system, it will be hard for visitors to move from page to page on your site. What we typically advise with website navigation is the “KISS” method. Just keep it simple.
CONTENT. Unfortunately copy-writing and content is sometimes an after-thought in the website design process. No matter how attractive or clever a website is, a website must still convey valuable information to users to be deemed effective. It is important to work with a professional copy writer, or have a trustworthy source for content for your site.

Overall, a good website requires each of the design element listed above and more to work in harmony. Some elements may be more important than others depending on the client and the designer, but all are essential to providing a visually pleasing and useful website.

-Johnny Holguin, Designer & Developer Rainman.com and Amanda Koone, Director of Operations, Rainman.com

How to Market Yourself and Your Business on LinkedIn

January 19th, 2012 by Tiffany Stepp No Comments

Independent Insurance Agent: I met all these contacts at a convention but I can’t keep track of them. My billfold is exploding with business cards. I wrote a white paper last week but I don’t know how to show it to people to market my business. I need help!

Abraham LinkedIn: Looks like someone should be on LinkedIn! Four score and seven years ago.. ::clears throat:: Well, in 2002, LinkedIn was invented to solve this problem. Now LinkedIn has more than 135 million members and it’s estimated a new member joins LinkedIn every second! Seven million companies and most all executives from Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members and YOU SHOULD BE TOO.

Independent Insurance Agent: This sounds important! What is LinkedIn for? How does it benefit me to use it? And most importantly, who in the world are you?

Abraham LinkedIn: I’m Abraham LinkedIn and I’m very serious about effectively marketing your business on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is designed to facilitate opportunity research. The social network revolves around the six degrees of separation theory. We all have a network in real-life, but sometimes we have a hard time seeing it. LinkedIn helps us see it, and use it to grow our businesses.

Independent Insurance Agent: So how do I get started? What’s the first step?

Abraham LinkedIn: Repeat after me: COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE

Step 1: Complete and Optimize Your Profile
To strengthen your profile and increase your chances of being found, you’ll not only want to COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE, but also include as much information as possible. LinkedIn suggests that having a completed, detailed profile provides you with a 40% greater chance for networking success.

Hyperlink using keywords. Weave relevant URLs throughout your profile, being as descriptive as possible. For example, instead of “My Blog,” use a keyword to describe it such as “Insurance Marketing Blog.”

Create a Compelling Headline: This area is prime real estate as it may determine whether someone contacts you after you appear in search results. You have 120 characters to describe what you do for people – make sure you make a lasting impression.
Edit Your LinkedIn URL: Even if you’re a national hero like me, nobody is going to remember LinkedIn.com/in/pages/36984gobbeldegook. Make it easy for ‘em. Simplify by adding a custom URL.
Stay Keyword Heavy That includes the summary, specialties, experience and all other description categories.

Step 2. Build a Network: Here’s where you can put all those business cards to use! Aside from using LinkedIn’s handy iPhone app CardMunch, search for business contacts you met on LinkedIn. If there is someone that you would like to get in touch with, you may use LinkedIn’s introduction tool. Also, don’t forget to reach out to loyal business contacts and customers and ask them to provide testimonials and recommendations for you and your company.

Join industry groups – Join several groups and use these networks to do research and demonstrate thought leadership. Trusted Choice, Insurance Journal, and other organizations and online resources have a LinkedIn group – join their conversation!

Create a Group: For extra brownie points, create and build your own group. With that in mind, your group should be for your industry, not your company. We recommend choosing a narrow niche and specialty category. Make sure you position yourself as the group leader from the start, monitoring discussions and complimenting members who start them too. Be sure to promote your group on your website, blog, newsletter, and other social channels. Consider adding a similar group or page on Facebook and invite members to join in on the conversation there as well.

Step 3. Update and Engage Frequently
The more activity and interaction, the better the results. To consistently engage with your network:

Encourage discussion in your status updates to expand each post’s reach. Share useful articles and resources that will be of interest to current and prospective clients.
Sync blog posts to your profile with tools like WordPress or BlogLink
Leverage the LinkedIn Question and Answer function – stay top-of- mind by participating in others’ questions and asking your own.

Link your status updates with your other social media accounts. If someone asks an important industry-related question, make sure to link the discussion back to LinkedIn. You can connect all your tweets to LinkedIn, however, best practice would be to instead selectively use #in at the end of specific tweets.
When looking for new hires, be sure to search LinkedIn. Let your visitors know you’re looking and what you’re looking for.

4. Leverage Applications
Take advantage of widgets and applications to make the most out of your activity. LinkedIn has a broad range of applications under the ‘More’ menu item such as:

Reading List by Amazon: Find out what other people in your industry are planning to read, reading right now, and have read already!
Polls: Collect data and gain insights with this market research tool! Your question has a 125-character limit with up to 5 different 40-character responses.
Box.net: Add links to files like resumes and marketing kits
Slideshare: Slide Share has been called “The quiet giant of content marketing”. Share business presentations and demos with your network
Company Buzz: Monitor messages sent out on Twitter about your brand or other subjects
TripIt: See where members of your network will be traveling to and when you’ll be in the same city

Abraham LinkedIn: By this point you should be confident that LinkedIn is an incredible asset for you and your company.

Independent Insurance Agent:I’m gonna make it rain!

Abraham LinkedIn: Well, before you get too excited, there’s just one more step in your LinkedIn marketing plan.

Step 5. Measure Your LinkedIn Efforts

Now that you’ve spent time and effort enhancing your Company Page, it’s time to learn about your followers, which content is of most interest, and see how your efforts have paid off with analytics. Every LinkedIn Company page has an analytics tab where you can monitor page views, unique visitors, and clicks for your products and services.

Independent Insurance Agent: Thank you for all this information, Abraham LinkedIn! You’re so smart!

Abraham LinkedIn: That is nice of you to say. I’m pretty fond of compliments.

Effective Business Blogging for Independent Insurance Agents: A Conversation with Blog Man

December 21st, 2011 by Tiffany Stepp No Comments

Blog Man: Hey there, Independent Insurance Agent! I’m Blog Man, and this is going to be the bloggiest blog ever. Today, I’m talking about business blogging. According to Emarketer, 43% of businesses will be blogging by the beginning of 2012. Why is this? Because businesses recognize that blogging is a marketing asset that offers several major benefits. However, what a lot of those businesses don’t realize, is that blogging effectively is going to be hard work– and most of them are going to suck at it. So before you go on your blogging adventure, make sure you know what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.

Independent Insurance Agent: Uh, that doesn’t sound like a positive outcome for those businesses who don’t have a blogging objective. Why am I blogging?

Blog Man: Well, you’re probably blogging because you want to:

-          Drive high quality traffic to your agency’s website in order to generate new leads
-          Become an authority figure in your industry, differentiating your agency from your competition
-          Be seen as a problem solver and a thought leader among your current and potential clients, building trust with your agency
-          Skyrocket your insurance agency’s online presence to the top of search engines organically
-          Own some valuable online real estate to place calls-to-action. Do you have a guide or white paper to share? Place your CTAs contextually in the body of the blog or ads in the sidebar.

Blog Man: (…continuing his passionate blog speech) That being said, this question is best answered by you: define concrete goals for your blogging efforts, and then trace them backwards, outlining steps that will lead you to those goals.

Independent Insurance Agent: OK, so I started a dang blog. Can someone please tell me WHAT I’M DOING?

Blog Man: Yes, I CAN! Remember that you have to be patient, and follow these five steps while keeping in mind your marketing goal:

Step 1: Write Quality Content:

-          Ask what your audience would like to know using features on Facebook and LinkedIn; answer their question with a blog post and send them the link
-          Review industry trends
-          Compare products/services in the insurance industry
-          Interview leaders in your community or experts in your industry; gain insight from your state’s Independent Insurance Agents Association
-          Highlight an event in your community
-          Highlight safety tips
-          Utilize guest blogging on both ends. Connect with fellow guest bloggers on My Blog Guest.
-          Curate a list of resources- helpful articles
-          Use as much media rich content as possible such as a video, or using slide share.

Step 2: Optimize Your Post:
-          Incorporate social media buttons such as ‘like,’ ‘Tweet,’ or ‘share on LinkedIn’
-          Use a compelling visual element such as a photo, graphic, infographic, or mind map
-          Formatting is your friend. Break up your blocks of text so your visitors can easily scroll through content; scanning headlines, sub headlines, bolded text, and bullet points.
-          Use definitive, strong word choice, heavily incorporating the top searched keywords in your industry through Google Adwords and Wordtracker. Your goal is to be as keyword-heavy as possible while giving expert content.
-          Connect your blog to your company’s website (blog.rainman.com, for example), and put a button pointing to the blog on your website and in email signatures. Keep in mind that this may be the first time someone hears about your agency. Make a seamless navigation between your website and all your social media platforms.

Step 3: Create EYE-CATCHING Headlines:
- Helpful Headlines and Avoid-Threat Headlines: These headlines promise your reader a simpler and less stressful life- you know, that balancing act we do every day? These work especially fantastically when applied to reoccurring problems.

Ex: 5 shortcuts for [difficult or tedious task] to [make your life easier, complete in record time]
Ex 2: 10 [blank ] Hacks: A Cheat Sheet for [blank]

- Piggyback Headlines: These headlines ride on top-of-mind companies and celebrities. You know, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, Rainman Web Development. What these companies have is secret stuff, and everyone wants some. Here’s how to give it to them – in a headline.

Ex: How To Do Your Taxes Trump-style
Ex: Dave Ramsay’s Top 10 Tips for Saving for Retirement

- Mistake Headlines: Mistakes, we all make ‘em. It’s your job to help your reader avoid making ‘em.

Ex: 10 Health Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making
Ex: Avoid Making These 7 Accounting Mistakes
Other Headlines:
How-To Headlines: An oldie but goodie, the how-to headline shows your reader the value of your post in a clear, concise way.
Newsworthy Headlines: Give the audience your take on the most current and relevant news.
Question Headline: Resolve a problem your audience didn’t even know they had.

Blog Man: Remember, your headline should be clear and concise…

Step 4: Promote Your Blog:

-          Leverage your existing connections and create new relationships by mentioning other thought leaders in the insurance industry or influential people in your community.
-          Publish your blog to all your social networks and utilize bookmarking sites.
-          Advertise your blog on your website with a display ad.
-          Refer to your blog anytime someone poses a question regarding your industry on social media platforms.
-          Use a QR code to allow people to quickly and easily subscribe
-          Add a button to your blog in your email signature

Step 5: Measure Blog Results:

And last but not least, be sure to track and measure your (inevitably amazing) results. Putting tracking efforts in place BEFORE you start blogging is extremely important to your strategy. Here are a few free tools I recommend:

-Google Analytics to determine how many visitors you got, how many new visitors you got, who is visiting your blog, how long they stayed there, where they came from, what links they clicked on, what they wanted to eat on their lunch break – well, we haven’t gotten that far in analytics technology, yet.
-Addthis: This allows you to add a convenient bar of buttons to share on each social media platform, and then track sharing.

Blog Man: So, Independent Insurance Agent, what do ya think? Are you ready to begin driving traffic to your insurance agency’s website, social media platforms and brick-and-mortar location with a blog?

Independent Insurance Agent: My head hurts.

Blog Man: Don’t worry, building a blogging strategy takes time– You don’t have to do it all in one day. Just remember, the benefits you’ll receive during the process will get you through it!

-post by Tiffany Stepp, Social Media Specialist; illustration by Theodora Setterbo, PR/Marketing Coordinator