7 Myths About Marketing in the 2011 Economic Downturn

In an ideal world, marketing activity would be self supporting, always pay back multi-fold what it costs to execute, and be effective in reaching every potential buyer in the appropriate sector all the time. But in the world where the sky is blue, marketing activities are driven by several factors, including perceptions of the company and the head marketer there, economic forces that drive consumer behavior of all types and factors beyond your control.

As a result of these factors, marketing budgets are at the mercy of the reactions of the company to these perceptions. Many of these perceptions are flawed, skewed, marred by history, personal experiences of senior management, and most have no historical precedent or foundation.

Myth #1 - "Our brand is strong enough not to need support for the duration of the downturn."

Fact: Few brands are strong enough to survive without advertising, product promotion and customer service support. Brands are like delicate houseplants - they need attention, support, bolstering, and polishing, (the marketing equivalent of nutrients, light and water) - or they will wither and shrivel to a shadow of their former self. This is not a position you want your corporate brand to be in when the growth engine for the economy revs back up.

Myth #2 - "If we cut back on marketing spending, we can use the money for other things internally, and increase the budget when things get better."

Fact: Studies have shown that once that budget gets cut, it takes a herculean effort and a strong internal champion to boost it back to its former levels, and even if it does increase, there are much stronger conditions of ROI attached to its implementation. Once those funds are allocated elsewhere, they tend to stay there - after all, that other department doesn't want to give them up either.

Myth #3 - "Nobody's buying anything, advertising and promotions are a waste of money."

Fact: Many studies conducted by prestigious business publications and university think tanks have come to the same conclusion based on the data they gathered on U.S. and in some cases global companies: Those that reduce their presence in their key service markets are in a far worse position in terms of profitability, market share and market competitive presence when the downturn eases and profitability growth returns than those that maintain their marketing activity levels. Those companies that are so bold as to increase marketing activity stand a great chance of taking market share from their less aggressive competitors and can rule the category if the downturn lasts long enough.

Myth #4 - "We can cut back [on marketing] now, and then ramp up quickly when things get better."

Fact: This strategy has proven disastrous time and again, especially for companies that have inefficiencies inherent in their design, or product delivery channel. That inefficiency won't allow them to "ramp up quickly", since by that very inefficiency they will effectively always be "late" when timing the market - they are not market leaders but laggards, and thus the ramp-up activity gets started late relative to the buying cycle, and their more nimble competitors have already beaten them to the punch.

Myth #5 - "We should examine what's working for us, and cut out everything else."

Fact: This is not really a myth, but a knee-jerk reaction to a short-term slump in sales gross. Good marketing departments should be doing exactly that on a perpetual basis, not just when times are tougher. Why would any marketer worth their pay continue programs that didn't work, effectively dragging down performance across the board and wasting money.

In addition, there should be metrics built into any campaign so that there is a way to "take the pulse" of its success, and mid-course correction is possible to boost effectiveness and increase ROI on a continual basis. Further, in some channels, there is a cumulative effect that blurs perceptions of what's working and what's not - interdependencies exist between channels that are not planned or scheduled but that live in the customer's mind and trigger sales inadvertently. Cutting out what can't be measured accurately hampers this effect, dragging down results with no apparent reason.

Myth #6 - "Marketing spends more money than any other department, they have the most room to cut budget."

Fact: While spending may be a measure of power in some corporate structures, at least informally, return is really what counts when its budget review time. Marketing is one of the few departments that can actually point to contributions they make directly to the bottom line. There is a proven cause-and-effect relationship between sales gross and marketing expenditure for larger and enterprise-size firms. Increased spending in the IT department might yield long-term benefits, but better servers don't often move more product, unless the product is server space. Cutting the marketing budget only reduces the opportunities available to build market share, boost product awareness and memorability in the mind of the consumer, and dampens profitability in the long run.

Myth #7 - "All of our competitors are pulling back advertising and media expenditures to save money, so we should, too."

Fact: This kind of lemming-like sheep thinking can destroy your company! Your Mom knew better than this when you used the excuse "All the other kids are going, why can't I?" and her response was likely something along the lines of "If the other kids jump off the bridge, are you going to jump, too?" Despite being competitors, their financials likely look a bit different from yours, and it's foolish to think that you can mirror their moves and be successful - at best you will be equal! The smart money here is being used to take market share from your more timid competitors, by increasing presence and exposure, and cutting other less-than-mission-critical expenditures for a short period to accomplish it.

Bonus!
Myth #8 - "We should downgrade the quality of our marketing materials, use a cheaper creative agency, and mail out less frequently to save money."

Fact: This set of moves will actually cost you both in the short- and long-term. You might save a very small incremental amount on cheaper paper, shorter, smaller brochures, cheaper handouts, smaller tradeshow giveaways - but the damage you're doing to your brand and the resulting poor reflection on the company as a whole does far more damage than can ever be repaired by spending those few dollars later to try and fix it.

Not to mention shaking the confidence of your customers by giving them a visual representation of how poorly your company is performing! "Gee, they must be in trouble, this looks like cheap junk. Maybe I'd better take my business to the other company that's likely to be around to support their products down the line," is the thought you're promoting by reducing quality in your publicly released materials.

Good design often costs less than bad design, due to fewer creative iterations, fewer miscues, greater effectiveness and higher return. Jumping ship from the agency you're with if they are delivering on dollars spent just to save a little money is fool-hardy. The ramp-up time for a new agency to learn your needs, your products, your style and your brand will just about be exhausted by the time the average recession is over, and it will have cost you more to get the same level of productivity in that time, just in time to reposition for the new economic conditions.

When times get tough, the tough get going in the marketing department, providing the market with visual evidence of your corporate strength, your leadership role in the sector, your expertise in the market, and the supportive strength you offer for your products and services. Don't believe the nay-sayers who want to slash your marketing budget, reduce your headcount and reduce the quality of your materials. Everything you do here reflects on the health of your company, and cutting here shows the most and helps the least.

David Poulos, Chief Consultant at Granite Partners has been offering marketing guidance to firms for over 25 years. Specialties include non-profit marketing and full-scale strategic marketing campaigns.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1024110

Google Plus One and Google Plus

Google has rolled out a new way for people to share what they are interested in and increase the relevance of some sites. With something reminiscent of the “Like” feature on Facebook, Google introduced the Google +1 feature. With the push of a button, you will now be able to “Plus One” a site and show other searchers that you like it. Your friends, through Google’s new social network project Google Plus, will be able to see what sites you Plus One and other searchers will be able to see how many Plus Ones a site has when they search for it.

There is speculation that is widely accepted as fact that the amount of Plus Ones that your website has will affect the ranking of your site, which will increase the pressure on websites to remain relevant and attractive to users. The Plus One feature will certainly help boost the popularity of Google’s new Google Plus social network. As of this writing, access to this social network is by invitation only from an existing user and may even be frozen from that. This is possibly due to the large amount of users activating accounts. Frankly, we suggest to anyone with a site, get a Google +1 button installed on your site as soon as possible.

Plus One is looking to change the way that people search online and share popular sites. What will this feature do to the search engine landscape? Will websites that have been heavily Plus One’d bury all of the websites that have not? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, Google’s Plus One feature is taking off and their social network is soon to follow, once it is opened up for outsider registrations. As always, Site Smart Marketing will keep you posted.

Google Launches a New Algorithm

Google Launches a New Algorithm Change

On February 24th 2011, Google made an enormous change to the way that they rank and index websites and their associated pages dubbed either the "Panda" or "Farmer" update. Now, there are many new factors contributing to the ranking of websites all over the U.S. and soon the rest of the world. Google will no longer rely as heavily as it once did on keywords, but will now focus much of it's attention on the search behaviors of those doing the searching. If you are a usual Google user you may have noticed that the search page for Google has undergone some visual changes and functional changes.

What Has Changed

It is now possible that your website could rank higher or lower depending on many factors including:

1) Original Content: content not duplicated on your site and not obtained from another website.
2) Bounce Rate: instances where a visitor comes to your site and leaves immediately without making any selections
3) Relevance of the content on your page versus the page title and the search query that made your site show up.

It could even factor in if you have a low amount of return visitors. There are MANY more factors that go into this equation but, one things is clear; Google intends to let the way users behave when searching take a front seat to building their results.

What This Means For You

Again, your ranking may be positively or negatively affected by this change. It has been witnessed that some well established, number one ranking sites have dropped traffic by more than 50% since the Panda update, while others have started to see an increase in rankings. There are just so many factors to consider and very little hard evidence to go with. As you may or may not know, Google considers the exact factors and formulas for their algorithms to be a secret worth taking to the grave. This cuts down on people that would wish to unfairly climb the rankings.

Our Advice

So, what should you do? Our advice is to leave things in the hands of your marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) specialist. Not only is it their job to figure these things out so you don't have to, I haven't found anyone yet that isn't trying to stay on top of all of the search engine updates and trends. If you don't have an SEO specialist and don't think you can keep your website coming up well, get one! Lastly, if you don't want one and want to brave the storm all yourself, just look online. There are plenty of blogs, vlogs and reports that are offering advice on this new issue. Keep in mind, no one knows everything about the specifics and what is to be widely accepted as fact will be only speculation with supportive instances. As always, try some things and see what works for you specifically.

From A Web Designer: How To Be A Great Client

If you are a client wondering how to work best with your web designer, consider the following tips of "what not to say" while working with your web designer. Oftentimes there is a large gap in knowledge between a business owner and a website designer. If you knew how to build websites, you would not need a website designer in the first place. Some things can not be avoided - however, here are 5 great tips to consider before moving uttering words that make your designer want to refund your money. Also, here are some tips on how to avoid embarrassment.

1. "How should I know what it should look like, your the web designer." There are about 10,000 ways to build a website... and only you know what is in your head. Everyone has a preference in style, colors, and look and feel - but clients are often the last to communicate what that is. Most clients only know what they "like" after they see something they don't like. This starts the relationship out disappointing for both parties. If you want to be "wowed" with your website, you need to communicate before you see the first design - ahead of time. Set aside an hour or two to browse the web and find other websites that you can judge. Notice what you like and dislike about your competitors. Write that down. Tell the website designer the next chance you get. Give them examples, but let them suggest ideas too. While some designers are better at guessing what you want, it's best for both sides to have an understanding before work begins.
2. "It looks two dimensional, can't it move more or do something?" First off, great website designs don't really need to "do something". Websites are actually two dimensional - flat on your screen... no 3D glasses required.  You may be seeing a design that mostly uses flat colors and square boxes with no gradients, drop shadows, or special styling. If your designer delivered a website that doesn't look modern; tell them you want more gradients, drop shadows, and styling. On another note, each moving element on a website slows load time and is probably not very search engine friendly. The more "bling-wads" you cram into your website, the longer it takes to design and code with typically very little return on your investment. Also these bling-wads may be very tacky and not well thought out. Most clients want these things thrown in for free and may demand or expect it. Your website is designed to get you more business, not to load slowly, and possibly turn off future customers. Get to the basics - ask for a tasteful sideshow to display meaningful messages or images and make sure each element on your website actually serves a purpose. If you must have something more, make sure you ask for a quote to cover the additional cost for the work.
3. "I am going to email you a picture of my dog, can you put her somewhere on the website?" We have actually had this happen a number of times over the years. No joke. If you didn't laugh or find that request silly, please click the X button in the upper right hand corner of your screen. This request is only irritating to a web designer that wants you to succeed and also wants to be proud of their work. Even though you love your pets, your customers come in all different age groups and have different levels of tolerance. Some may have allergies to pets or maybe they are scared of dogs? Your pets do not belong as the first impression of your company - unless you are a dog groomer. Make sure all content you send makes sense for your business.
4. "I have a camera with tons of pictures on it, I don't know how to do the computer thing, can you come get them for the website?" Getting high quality images on your website is possibly one of the most important differences between having a great looking site and a laughing stalk. If your camera has birthday parties, 4th of July celebrations, and bar mitzvah's all intermingled with your business photos - please just take some new photos. Try to send just the photos you want used as to not waste their time or yours. If you really don't know how to use technology, bring your camera down to the local Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Costco, Kinkos etc. and ask them to put it on a disk and then mail it to your website designer. Then apologize heavily for the circumstance, and explain that you would have been better prepared if you had only known sooner. If you are on the opposite end of the spectrum and don't have any images at all, give your website designer an idea of the types of images you would like to have and they will do their best to find suitable matches using stock photography sources. 
5. "Just one more little quick change, it shouldn't take you very long." Each time you change something on a completed website, it can be as simple as a click, but it can also take a lot of time. The amount of time it ends up taking depends on the change, the location of the change, the type of website they have built, and sometimes the complexity of the database they have created for you. Don't assume that it's a little change - unless you know code. Just looking at your project again will typically take 15 minutes of the designers day in loading programs, logging in, finding passwords, research, locating your email, and then making sense of the change. Even fixing a comma in the wrong place can be more time consuming than you would imagine. To avoid sounding as if you devalue their time, tell them your change, then ask about how long it will take. Expect to hear a range of time back "could take between 30 minutes and 2 hours." Let them know that you are aware it could be more involved than it sounds, and you had hoped it was a quick fix. Understand they may have other projects going and don't be put off if it takes longer than a day or two to get back to you. Try to avoid asking for a status update on changes unless a reasonable amount of time has passed, or you have an important deadline that will be missed.
   

It's very important to keep your relationship solid and mutually respectful with your designer. They will automatically want to work harder, better, faster and make you proud - no matter how much money you ended up paying them. Try to stay extra sweet on charm to get the most bang for your buck. The last thing you want to do is have an uninspired, deflated, confused and frustrated designer building the most important (and least expensive) worldwide marketing tool - your website.  

The Online Social Network Marketing Craze

Online marketing has grown into many different facets as it has evolved and today we would like to talk specifically on Online Social Network Marketing. This encompasses many things, but the most notable are Facebook, Myspace and Twitter.  The key to using these marketing tools is similar to the key to properly wielding your website and that is visibility. Increasing your visibility differs from social network to social network. Today, we would like to talk about Facebook and the benefits of working at marketing on that particular social networking site.

Social Marketing with Facebook

Facebook is a good platform for getting your point across instantly to all of those friends. You can post deals or specials that you are currently offering. You can post pictures of products or events you have held. You can even message directly to specific people. The problem is that some of these options can only be achieved if you have a “personal” account as opposed to a “business” account.

Business accounts allow you to post content to your main page but they have limited access to user information. You won’t be able to view information from other users that isn’t already on your created pages. For example, you won’t be able to look at other users personal pages to see their pictures and read their personal posts. You also won’t be able to request friends for your page and will only be able to have other users click the “Like” button for your page, showing that they like your page and would like to see content that you post on your page sent to theirs. You can also post photos to be seen by users.

Personal accounts allow you to request friends in hopes that they will accept your request and you can view information on each others pages. The issue with this is that personal pages are meant for actual people and not for a business. The practice of creating a personal page for the use of advertising a business is frowned upon and some measures have been taken to deter undertaking of this practice. But, since there isn’t a law against it, there is little to no harm done to your business. With a Facebook personal page, you can post content that can be seen by people accepted as your friends and post photos.

Making Friends and Finding People That Like You

Regardless of which one you choose, your goal will first be to entice people to either become your friend of like your page. This can be achieved in several different ways. With a personal Facebook account, you can start with posting interesting content to your page and then start requesting friends. The types of friends you will be looking to attract will need to be decided by your target market. Are you trying to sell products that are hip or edgy? Then you may want to try attracting youthful and spirited people. Are you an informational website trying to educate older people about the hazards of not caring for their teeth? Try and older set of friends.

Earlier, we touched on Facebook taking steps to prevent businesses from doing this. One of the ways they attempt this is by giving users the option of saying that they don’t know you and therefore mark you as a “Spammer.” This can have Facebook ban you from using the site for an appointed time or permanently. So, be careful. Once you have attracted the users that are right for you, be sure to always offer content that will interest them and hopefully drive them to your website. Good content is always a great way of increasing your friends on Facebook.

If you decide on a Facebook business account, you are looking for the same results, only this time you will need to find other ways to entice users. This time the goal is to get them to “Like” your page. That way, your content posts will show on their main page, granting you visibility. You may have to try a little harder to get them to notice you. Our suggestion is having promotions such as, give away something or provide a discount to those that like you on Facebook. As we said before, good content goes a long way to increasing your friends on Facebook. Or, in this case, increasing your likes.

We hope that you found some information that you can use and as always, Happy Marketing!

Questions To Ask - Before Hiring An Online Marketing Company

Most small businesses realize that to be successful they will need an online presence. A website and some form of online marketing is almost completely essential for any company nowadays. All online marketing companies are not created equal and therefore we have created a few questions that you as a business owner should ask before hiring a company to design your website or do any type of online marketing:

1. Do I have to commit to a long term contract?

Most online marketing companies will require a contract/commitment of a least a year before even beginning to work on your website or online presence. Needless to say this can/has become a nightmare for some business owners. Companies will lure you in with promises of being "number 1" on Google or other unrealistic expectations. Once you realize these expectations aren't being met, you have no way to opt out and could become stuck paying a bill that doesn't benefit your company at all. Online Marketing companies that will let you go month to month are most likely reputable because they have to continuously work to earn your business and keep you as a happy customer.

     2.  How easy is it to get a hold of support technicians?

Communication between yourself and the team actually working on your website or online marketing campaign is very important. Find out how easy it is to get support on the phone. How fast is the response time when communicating thru email? Do they have communication thru physical mail or fax? Do they have any other forms of communication such as social networking or instant chat.  A general rule is that they should have at least two different ways to respond to any questions or concerns.

    3.  Will I own my website, even if I part ways with your company?

If you decide to have a web design company build your website make sure you will have full control the website even if you decide to part ways with the company. Many companies, including most of the online yellowpage directories will not let you take your site with you if you decide to part ways. You might have to continue marketing with theses companies, spending hundreds of dollars each month with very little ROI just to have your site stay online. Make sure you have it in writing that you own the site that you paid for.

At Site Smart we have no long term contracts. We work hard for your business each and every month you market with us. Our support team is always available by phone, even on nights and weekends. You can always contact us through email, fax, mail and coming soon skype. Any site we build for your company is yours, we will never hold your website hostage. When choosing an online marketing company make sure all of these standards are met before making a commitment.

Conversion Based Website Design: Website Makeover Part 1

Getting Started

Now that we have a good understanding of what conversion-based website design is and we've identified our target audience, let's get down to the nuts-and-bolts and how to best accomplish our goals. If you aren't sure what conversion-based design is and stumbled across this blog post by accident, you might want to check this out first: Introduction to Conversion Based Website Design

Website Redesign: Before and After

For this example, we'll look at the “Before and After” of a recent client of ours and what it means for conversion; for them, and for you by following these simple guidelines. Let's take a look at our starting point and get a good feel for the client's current state of affairs, so to speak. 

Tom's Bee Hives: Before

Meet Tom. Tom builds beehives. Tom is one of the best custom beehive builders in the country and a nice guy to boot. The problem is, you would never know that from visiting his website (well, you may figure out he's a nice guy) and you would have no idea of the amazing quality of his handcrafted beehives. Tom deserves better. At first glance, there is good room for improvement. Let's start by identifying exactly what these areas are.

Ready. Aim. Market.

Since we've identified who Tom's target audience is, we know that his potential customers need to understand a few things about Tom and his product as fast as possible:

• Tom builds custom beehives made to order.
• All of Tom's beehives are made from 100% natural pine.
• Tom is an old-world craftsman.
• Tom loves talking to all of his customers.
• Customers can order beehive parts separately and in different sizes.

Smart Website Adjustments

One of the immediate areas for improvement is the number of ways to contact Tom and order one of his fabulous beehives. On Tom's homepage, it is difficult to find a way to contact him. A user must click “Contact” to display the information that they need: in this case, Tom's phone number. Website visitors want what they want and they want it now. The faster we give it to them, the happier they are and the more our business thrives. Once you have identified what your visitors want, clear a path to that info so they get it as fast and clearly as possible. So an easy-to-read, hard to miss phone number is great for business. This may seem common sense but it can be easy for some business owners to get so wrapped up in creating a gorgeous website, they forget the goal. Good design is when art meets functionality. Cliché, I know.

Another vital adjustment to make for Tom is to clarify his messaging by blatantly telling visitors exactly what he does and other important information.

Little changes. Big Conversion.

Small adjustments like this make a tremendous difference in the world of web marketing. A great way to find out just how conversion-friendly your website is would be to ask a neighbor, nephew or cousin to visit your site pretending to be a customer., You will preferably want someone that will give their honest opinion as an unbiased “customer”. Once they agree, take note as to how they navigate the site and process the information. Where did their eyes go first? What was the very first thing they clicked? Your friend will most likely offer their opinion on design as well, and that's invaluable, but what we're looking for here is functionality. After you have a game plan together, it will be easy to stay on track while making the adjustments.

Tom's Bee Hives: After

The Difference

The contrast between a well thought out website and poor planning can be staggering, both visually and economically.  Even if you are not a pro designer, focus on getting the basics right and your visitors will thank you. 

Hope you found this useful. Happy marketing, folks, and we'll see you next post.

Having a large number of inbound links to your website is one of the most important factors in determining how your website ranks on search engines like Google. One of the quickest and easiest ways to get those inbound links is from directory submission.

There are literally thousands of directories - some that are specific to certain industries only. Most directories have paid listings or featured listings and they try to get as much money from you as they can to be listed. Before you invest money in having a paid listing with directories like Yellowpages.com, Yelp, Yahoo Directory etc. make sure your bases are covered with our free directory list first. We have put together a list of a few of the top free website directories where all business websites need to be.

List Of Top Free Directories

DMOZ	www.dmoz.org/docs/en/add.html
Google Places	www.google.com/places
Bing	www.bing.com/businessportal
Yahoo	www.listings.local.yahoo.com
Yelp	www.biz.yelp.com/signup
Superpages	www.supermedia.com/spportal/quickbpflow.do
HotFrog	www.hotfrog.com/AddYourBusiness.aspx
Local	www.advertise.local.com
Best Of The Web	www.local.botw.org/secure/signup.aspx?type=jumpstart
InfoUSA	www.expressupdateusa.com/accuracy/default.aspx
City Search	www.citysearch.com/members/register

This can be quite time consuming and complicated to go through all of their steps, one at a time. So, we offer a full directory list and take care of the directory submission service for any client signed up for our IntelliCast+ marketing service.

Breaking Down Google's Search Results Page

Everyone's done it - Gone online, went to Google and searched for a local business. Typically when someone searches for a business on Google three types of results will appear. Google breaks up the page into three distinct sections:

1. Organic or Natural listings
2. AdWords or Sponsored Links
3. Google Places or Google Maps section.

One common question business owners ask us is: "Where is the best place for my website to be to get conversions?" The answer of course depends on who is searching because everyone has a different tendency to click on a certain section of the page.  Some people will automatically click on the first sponsored link, while others will skip the sponsored links and maps sections altogether and go right to the natural listings. The truth is that any exposure on the first page of Google is good.  Their are by far more people searching on Google than all of the other search engines combined.  That being said here are a few different benefits to each section:

Organic or Natural Listings 

These results appear below the sponsored links on the top of the page and usually below the maps as well. The main benefit of having a good natural listing is that it will provide long term results for your business. Gaining a high ranking natural listing is a long term, time consuming project that can take a while to achieve.  However once you do get a steady stream of traffic to your site you will continue to see results even after you have slowed down or stopped your SEO efforts. Another major benefit is that most people who search click on the natural listings.

AdWords or Sponsored Links

These results appear on the top and right hand side of the page. The major benefit of Google AdWords or pay per click advertising is that it is the quickest and easiest way to get your website on the first first page of Google. AdWords are helpful for all businesses but are particularly advantageous for E-Commerce sites. You select a daily ceiling on how much you spend to fit your budget. You get to select what keywords your ad will be shown for and only pay when someone clicks on your ad and lands on your website. You get to target the specific people who are searching for your site through research and analysis of keywords. 

Google Places or Google Maps

These results appear right and co-mingled  the sponsored links. These results are only triggered locally or when someone is searching in a specific city. A major advantage of having your business listed here is that your phone number will appear along side your listing. People can call you without ever clicking on your listing. Businesses can create these listing for free through Google's local business center, however continual optimization is required to achieve and maintain a good ranking.

Since everyone has different preferences on where they usually click on the page, we recommend a combination of having your site listed in all three sections of the page to maximize your websites potential.

How To Avoid Website Link Exchange Scams

We frequently receive questions from clients stating they received an email from another website wanting to exchange links with their website. Getting more incoming links (inbound links) is very important to establish good rankings on Google and some of the other major search engines. So yes, you want more incoming links.

The issue is - there are many link exchange scams, bait and switch schemes, and other tactics online marketers use to get you to link to their website. Some requests are completely legit and could be a good opportunity to help both websites. So should you link? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Here are a few tips to help you identify if the link exchange request is valid and how to avoid link exchange scams:

10 Tips To Avoid Link Exchange Scams

1) Do not click any links in their email to you! Their email is probably a solicitation, and you most likely don't "know" them. As a good rule of thumb, never click links in emails from anyone you don't already know and trust. Viruses and other bad things may be hidden or disguised in a link exchange email.

2) Visit their website directly. Does their website match your website's target audience? If it doesn't match at all with related keywords, similar interests, same industry, etc. then consider avoiding the link. If it is a good fit, it is a better and safer bet.

3) Avoid bait & switch scams. Where are they asking you to link to? Establish who the author is and get a feel for the type of content on the website. Is the website they are offering to link from their "main website" or is it a quick secondary website they threw up to get your incoming link to their main website? Avoid trading links from a "bait and switch". Look for linking to a good quality, established, primary website.

4) Check where they plan to place the link to your website. Do you see a "Links" or "Resources" page connected anywhere on their website if you click around? If you can't find it, email them back and ask where they plan to place the link. If they don't already have a links page, they may ask you to link to them with no intention of ever linking back to your website.

5) It seems real, they already link to your website. If you did click the link in the email, you may see a website that already links to your website at the bottom or side of every page. It's a tricky tactic, as they are showing you something that is not actually visible unless you click the link, which they have only provided to you. Also, this is probably a secondary website used to market their main business. This is for sure
only a marketing tactic rather than a reciprocal business relationship.

6) Link to quality content. We should only link to websites that are websites we can be proud to display on your website. Even though the attraction is there to get one more incoming link to your website, it may not be worth all the explaining you have to do with potential customers, vendors, or future business partners. Also, there are websites that have shady practices that might get them "black listed" by the search engines and they may be flagged for using bad practices online. You never want to link to - or from - a website that is practicing "black hat" SEO techniques. 

7) Don't give them your credit card number for any reason. If it's not a scam, there is no reason to exchange payment. This is supposed to be a mutually reciprocal relationship, were you both gain from the links. The only reason they would need your credit card number is to scam you out of money.

8) Research the website and do a "who is" look up. Figure out who owns the domain name and how long they have been in business with that domain name. There are many websites that offer this type of search for free, we use GoDaddy as they provide lots of information compared to others - http://who.godaddy.com/whoischeck.aspx

9) Establish who the link would benefit most. The idea is that you both benefit from the link exchange. Scammers may try to get you to link from your home page or every page on your website, in exchange for a link from their website on an interior page that is buried 10 clicks deep. Although it may still count as an incoming link, they may be putting it in a place that search engines can't crawl. 

10) Put keywords in the link title. If you have established this is a relevant website, with good content and a history you can be proud of - it might be a good move to exchange links with them. If you decide to go ahead with the link, make sure both of your companies put good keywords in the hyperlink. Example: Site Smart - Las Vegas Website Design rather than just the company name Site Smart Marketing, Inc. This is one of the main ways search engines know what your website should be known for - stamped with a seal of approval by your peers. It's an outside source vouching for your website by giving a vote of that states "yes, that's what they are known for".

Conversion Based Website Design: An Introduction

Since the dawn of the internet, there have been countless people citing their opinions as to what makes a “great website”. If you ask five hundred people what makes an amazing website, you'll get five hundred different answers. Over the next few weeks, we'll take a look at a handful of websites and look at what works and what doesn't. More importantly, we'll break down why it works and we'll suggest some easy ways for you to get closer to that holy grail of web marketing. Conversion.

What is Conversion?

So what is conversion? Simply put, a conversion is when a site visitor performs a predetermined action, like when a searcher “converts” into a new customer. A conversion could be a phone call, a purchase, or a newsletter subscription just for starters. We could talk about exactly what conversion is enough to fill an fifty blog posts, but for now, let's assume you have determined a solid, measurable way to quantify your conversions. There are many ways to improve conversion, but there is one in particular that is often neglected.

The Conversion Secret?

We're not going to talk about search engine optimization, or writing keyword rich ad copy. No, instead we're going to talk about the most often overlooked aspect of any online business, one that most SEO firms fail to address: web design.

Undo Backwards Web Design

Many websites are designed backwards, meaning the website communicates for the business, from the business's standpoint, instead of for the target audience the company is wanting to engage. These websites and this type of thinking are focused on getting maximum traffic and then sell, sell, sell, without thinking through about what the target audience is desiring and how they will process it. If conversion is the web marketing goal, then target audience engagement is key.

Sadly, today, most designers do not consider this during the development of your website.

Design With One Action in Mind

Good project development, and ultimately the overall success of the online marketing campaign will start from a solid plan. Before you can plan, research on “who exactly is your target audience and what do they want” will save you money while making you money.

In determining how to engage your target audience and how to best accomplish your goals, ask yourself this:

1. Who is my target audience?
2. What is the one most valuable piece of information they desire?
3. If they went with my service, what would be the most important question they might ask?
4. What would encourage conversion if I were looking for the same service? Saving money? Reliability?

Conversion based design is really what it would be like if we let our customers design our businesses. Think about it.

Valuable Client Insight

By standing in the shoes of our ideal prospects, it is much easier to determine what they need in order of importance and how best to get it to them. What would matter most if you were them? After answering these questions, work with you designer to create engaging, user friendly web experiences. Remember, get down to the basics and keep it simple. Next week, we'll look at some great examples of conversion based design and a few examples of, well, bad web design.

Respond To Bad Reviews On Google Maps & Yelp

"There are two options to respond to him, either publicly or privately. Which one would you recommend?" - Carol J.

An unhappy customer gave your business a negative or bad review on Google or Yelp. With so much importance placed on your online reputation, each and every review - positive or negative - has weight that effects how potential customers view your business. So how do you respond to this review?

Here are some tips on how to respond to bad reviews online:

1) Respond publicly for sure. People who read your reviews need to know that you respond to positive AND negative reviews and that even if unpleasant, you are willing to work it out.

2) Try to take it "offline". You don't want to say anything that will prompt a response online. Ask them to contact you directly by phone or email. Try to avoid asking questions, telling your side of the story, or bashing the customer's opinion.

Response Example: "We are sorry for your experience at XYZ Restaurant. We were not aware the of the mix up with your reservation. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Please contact us to fully discuss your experience so we can make it right for you."

3) No blame. Do not place blame on the customer, or assume blame yourself. Again, you don't want to start a "flame war" for the world to see. Don't be defensive, even if they were complaining directly about you. It's business, and should be treated as such. Avoid the drama.

4) Listen to your customer. Let them know you are listening and a real human by repeating back part of their complaint in your response. Be pleasant, honest, and secure in your response.

Response Example: "We are sorry your tire went flat right after the new tires were put on. We take care of our customers and appreciate you taking the time to let us know there was a problem. Please give us a call and speak with Rob, our customer service manager, he will help in any way he can to get you taken care of."

5) Make it funny. If humor fits, make it work!  If you can turn the unhappy experience into a funny, charming story it works wonders. It shows your future customers that you care, you respond, and you take care of your customers - and everyone will see that.

Response Example: "We are sorry you saw us on a bad hair day! We always shoot for the moon, and we try to make every day a 10 out of 10. Please give us a call to discuss your particular experience, we will work with you to resolve this issue to your satisfaction. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how we can improve."

6) Humble yourself. If the customer has a valid point, thank them for bringing their bad experience to your attention. Tell them how you plan to correct it.

Response Example: "We are so sorry you saw our bathrooms in that state. We work hard to keep our facility clean and we will be placing extra attention in that area with a schedule to check the bathrooms frequently throughout the day. Give us a call to fill us in on the details. We invite you to try us again, please contact us to receive a free combo on your next visit."

For good reviews thank them for their comments. For negative reviews, you can offer them a special incentive to try you again, like 10% off their next visit, or free products, or free services, or something that will make them want to come back to give your business another shot. The best press is how you handle these situations for the world to see.

Here are some additional tips on how to respond to reviews online:

http://www.google.com/support/places/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=28247&topic=28307&answer=184271

https://biz.yelp.com/support/responding_to_reviews

If you are just not a creative writer and you need help crafting your review response don't be afraid to ask for help. Ask for help from a friend, family member, co-worker, husband or wife, or from an experienced web professional.