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Websites 101
The document outlines strategies for creating and promoting a website, with a focus on understanding customer needs and measuring success. Key topics include choosing a domain name, designing website content, search engine optimization, social media engagement, and utilizing tools like Google AdWords and Google Analytics. It emphasizes the importance of tracking results and continuously improving online visibility to connect with potential customers.
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Websites 101
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- 2. Agenda What ’syour website strategy? Creating your own website Where to find your site Measuring success Q&A
- 3. Customers are online– are you? Source: BIA/Kelsey Group, User View Wave VII, May 2010 97% of consumers research products online before buying
- 4. Different ways tobe online Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 5. What ’s YourWebsite Strategy?
- 6. A virtual brochure?Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 7. Connecting with potentialcustomers? Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 8. An online store?Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 9. A place tobuild brand & reputation?
- 10. An online resource?Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 11. Decide what youwant, then build it! Sell Things An eCommerce website sells your products. Collect Leads A website connects you with prospects. Find Local Customers A website helps people find or contact you. Share News and Information A website delivers timely information and a repository of resources. Promote Your Brand A website provides information about your brand or organization. Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 12. Creating Your OwnWebsite
- 13. Four basic stepsPick a domain name (your Web address or URL) Storyboarding and developing content! Website design & development Web hosting
- 14. Register a domainname You will “rent” a domain name through a registrar Be careful not to let it expire - then someone else can use it! Tips for choosing a domain name: Keep it short (under 35 characters, including the .com) Make it descriptive - include keywords if possible Select the “.com” extension, if available Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 15. What ’s awebsite storyboard? A “roadmap” for your website that: Helps define your website goals Helps your designer create appropriate designs; or Helps you select appropriate site templates Helps you create content for your website
- 16. Basic storyboard -a virtual brochure Home Page Our Services Contact Us Testimonials Special Offers Maps & Directions Contact Form
- 17. Basic storyboard -connecting with prospects Home Page Our Products Contact Us Our Clients About Us Request More Information Download a White Paper Email Newsletter Sign Up
- 18. Basic storyboard -an online store Home Page Products Contact Us FAQs About Us Product 2 Contact Form Product 3 Shopping Cart Product 1
- 19. Basic storyboard -brand & reputation Home Page About Us Contact Us Get Involved Donate Our History Our Mission Contact Form
- 20. Basic storyboard -an online resource Home Page Topics Contact Us Blog Email Newsletter Sub Topic Sub Topic Contact Form Important Features: Site Search Tags RSS Feed AdSense
- 21. Start writing! It’s never too early to begin writing your content. This will help you refine your message, and help your website designer understand your business! Keep it short and sweet! Remember to include important keywords about your business. Use bulleted lists. Proof reed!
- 22. Website design &development So many options! Hosted sites, like Google Places Sites offering ready-made templates Your own designer and programmer Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 23. Website hosting Providesspace on a server for websites Hosting allows your site to be visible on the Internet Usually provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) Pricing depends on site requirements and length of contract Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 24. Where To FindYour Site Getting Found
- 25. In this sectionwe ’ll cover... The anatomy of a search results page Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Marketing Social Media
- 26. The anatomy ofa search results page Query (Keyword) Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 27. The anatomy ofa search results page Ads (AdWords) Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 28. The anatomy ofa search results page Natural or “Organic” Results Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 29. The anatomy ofa search results page Local Results (Places Pages) Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 30. Definitions & abbreviationsSEO - Stands for “search engine optimization” - working to increase website visibility in the organic results SEM - Stands for “search engine marketing” - showing an ad for your website on a search engine results page. Social Media - Using the Web to build interactive dialogue. A business might use to this to earn credibility on a particular subject.
- 31. Update your websiteoften Create relevant content. Focus on important keywords! Write a blog about your industry Write an email newsletter Have special offers on your site Links to your website will help If your content is good, people will link to it. Help people find your site - promote your URL offline Help Google get to know you Create a Google Sitemap Make sure your site is “readable” SEO tips - the “do” list
- 32. SEO tips -the “don’t” list Don ’t be sneaky “ Hiding” text on a page “ Stuffing” your pages with keywords - write for humans Creating many pages with the same or similar content Creating “doorway pages” that send visitors elsewhere When selecting an SEO company, be wary of : “ Guaranteed” placement “ Immediate” results
- 33. SEM tips -the “do” list Start with goals Why are you advertising online? What do you want? How will you track success? Do your homework Learn about Google AdWords so you understand how it works Develop an advertising game plan Set it up and check in often Create an AdWords account Set up your first campaign Check progress regularly
- 34. SEM tips -the “don’t” list Don ’t set it up and forget about it Set regular schedule to check on progress, and stick to it. Always measure success against your goals. If you meet your goals, set them higher! When selecting an SEM company, be wary of : “ Proprietary” software. You should own, and be able to access your account. “ Fuzzy” reporting Anything that sounds “too good to be true.”
- 35. Social Media tips- the “do” list Create your social presence Create a Twitter account Create a Facebook account Create a LinkedIn account Do people Digg your website? Make your site easy to promote Create an RSS feed Give people a reason to recommend your site Participate Use as a “conversation” with fans Keep it real, show your personality Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- 36. Social Media tips- the “don’t” list Don ’t dominate the conversation. This is social, so encourage people to participate! You should also participate in other social sites. Don ’t expect to get more than you give. Simply setting up a social media account won’t accomplish your goals. You have to spend time creating and publishing content. Don ’t lie.
- 37. Measuring Success Onlinemarketing lets you really track results!
- 38. In this sectionwe ’ll cover... Why you should bother tracking results What kinds of information you can track How Google can help your company or organization
- 39. With online marketingyou can measure How people found your website. If an ad click resulted in a sale or other desired action. What keywords brought people to your website. How many people visited your website. Where are they searching from? How much an ad click cost you.
- 40. Identify missed opportunitiesWebsite Visitors Who Did Not Become Customers Website Visitors Who Became Customers
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- 42. After today ’ssession you can begin Developing your website strategy Launching your new or updated website project Promoting your website
- 43. Google as partof your strategy Google Places Helping customers find your shop or office with Google Places – for free. Google AdWords Helping promote your business with Google AdWords. Google Analytics Helping you analyze website traffic.
- 44. You will needa Google account 10
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- 46. Resources Google Places: http://www.google.com/places Google Webmaster Central: http://www.google.com/webmasters/ Google AdWords: http://www.google.com/adwords Google AdWords Online Classroom: http://www.google.com/adwords/onlineclassroom Social Media Marketing: http://www.twitter.com http://www.linkedin.com http://www.facebook.com Please note that the Non-Google entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
Editor's Notes
- #2 Welcome Your name, title, organization and relevant experience Schedule (set expectations for timetable) For live classes - ask attendees to turn cellphones to vibrate NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the Non-Google entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #3 Goals for this class: Basics of developing a website How people can find you on Google Introduction to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Introduction to Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Introduction to Social Media Marketing Measuring Success Q&A session
- #4 Stress the importance of an online presence. No business is “ too small ” for a website. And, even businesses that rely on word-of-mouth or offline sales can benefit from a Web presence. According to a May 2010 study by the BIA/Kelsey Group: 97% of consumers in the US research products online before buying (Kelsey Group) 77% of Internet users SEARCH on a daily basis 71% of online Americans have bought a product via the web. One in three searches have local intent.
- #5 Discuss the different ways a business can be online. This can be a company ’ s own website, or other websites that can help build awareness for your products, services, brand, location, etc. Many of these options are free, including Google Places, Yelp.com, CitySearch.com, etc. Some, like OpenTable.com, offer software, services and increased web visibility for a fee. Generally speaking, the more presence your business has online, over a variety of websites, the better chance you will have of finding customers. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #6 Many small business owners believe it ’ s too difficult or too expensive to launch a website. Today we ’ ll look at some of the resources available to help business owners navigate the process! The first step is to decide what your online goals are.
- #7 A brochure website can help people find basic information about your business. Even if none of your business is conducted online, it will be useful for customers to find information like: Your physical address and directions to your store Your phone number Your operating hours Your list of services, menu, price list, description of products Any frequently asked question that is relevant to your business! NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #8 If your customers do a lot of research before they buy, your website can be a resource to help them make a purchase decision. This is particularly relevant for Business-To-Business companies. Your website might offer the following ways to connect with your prospects: A form to submit a request for more information An online chat feature to connect you immediately with prospects An email newsletter sign up so prospects and customers can keep up-to-date with your products and services A request for proposal form White papers, data sheets, case studies, videos and testimonials from existing customers For software vendors, a downloadable demo version NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #9 For businesses that sell products, a website can be a fantastic sales channel. An eCommerce website allows you to show your products to a worldwide audience and sell your products anywhere you ’re allowed to do so! Your website could offer: All the feature previously mentioned in the brochure website and B2B website, plus: A complete list of products you sell, with images, descriptions, prices, customer reviews, etc. The ability to compare products to make the best purchase decision. A way to purchase the products online. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #10 If your online goal is to build awareness for your company or organization, your website might provide information about your services, projects, successes, etc. Your website might offer content and features like: Information about your organization, including the mission statement, the leadership team, the history, and press information Information for people who would like to join your organization Information for people who would like to donate to your organization Information for people who would like to benefit from your organization
- #11 If your online goal is to provide information about a subject, your website may give people many options for staying up-to-date. This could include: A blog that you frequently update An RSS feed so people can subscribe for your website updates A search feature so people can find information on your website. Forums so people can discuss the topic of your website and engage with each other. Social media tie-ins to encourage visitors to share the information on websites like Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, etc. Any of the features previously mentioned! NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #12 Whatever your goals may be, remember that a website is always a work in progress. It ’s better to work in stages than hold off on launching the website. Prioritize your goals for the site, then set a realistic project timeline. You may need to start with a simple brochure website and gradually add features as time and budget allow. But, get yourself online as soon as possible! NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #13 There is no one right way to build a website. There are literally thousands of ways to do it, whether you hire a Web design company, a consultant, an in-house designer, a template site to customize with your information, etc, But, most website design projects have a few common elements that we will discuss next, to help you get started with the project!
- #14 In this section we ’ ll discuss the four basics steps that you -- or your website designer -- will address in your website development project. Some of these steps are optional, or may be included as part of a “ package ” that you buy to launch your website. Whatever route you select for developing your site, it will be helpful for you to understand these components of a Web development project. After all, the better you understand how the process works, the better you can communicate with your vendors, and the easier it will be to communicate what you want!
- #15 If you decide to build your own, standalone website, you will need your own domain name. This is what people refer to as your URL or website address, and it ends with a domain name extension, like “ .com, ” “ .net, ” .org ” etc. If you opt to use an existing service for your website, like Google Places or Yelp, you will not need your own domain name. You cannot permanently buy a domain name. You will basically “ rent ” it for a period of time from a domain name registrar. Some commonly known registrars are GoDaddy and Network Solutions. Different registrars have different prices for domain name registration. Sometimes it is better to spend more on a well-known registrar that offers better customer service. The adage “ you get what you pay for ” holds true online as well. Some tips: if you register a domain name for one year and forget to renew, you can lose it if another person registers it! This could be a very expensive mistake if your URL no longer points to your company ’ s website. You my opt to register your domain name for a long time - 5 or 10 - years - to avoid the yearly renewal process. When selecting a domain name, try to be as descriptive and keyword centric as you can. For example, if your business is a Nashville-based shop specializing in Poodle grooming, you might decide to register: NashvillePoodleGrooming.com. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #16 Whether you are building your own website or using a hosted service like Google Places, your website will need content. This may be as simple as gathering assets like photos and videos to upload into a preset template. Or, it can be an extremely complicated process, “ road mapping ” how your website visitors will navigate your site and perform actions there. If you have the ability to design your own website - whether it ’ s complete flexibility, or some choice on design, layout, navigation, and functionality, a storyboard will help you and your website designer. Keep in mind that the storyboard may be a “ wish list ” of sorts - some features you want may not be feasible for months or even years. But, it lays out a plan for your online business objectives. Let ’ s look at a few example storyboard layouts for businesses with different online goals.
- #17 Every website starts with homepage. From here, visitors should be able to easily find what they are looking for by viewing the subsections, called subdirectories. In this example, the subdirectories include “ Our Services, ” “ Special Offers, ” “ Testimonials, ” and “ Contact Us. ” A local service provider may benefit from a relatively simple website. This site might focus on all the basic business information that would be helpful for a potential customer looking to visit the brick and mortar store or wanting to contact you. Important components of this website include: Physical address and directions Phone Number Hours of Operation Overview of products and services Service area, if applicable Additionally, your website can offer testimonials from happy clients and customers, a contact form if you are online regularly, and special offers. A special offer -- like a monthly coupon or contest - can give people a reason to become repeat visitors to your website. The most important things to keep in mind: Why is someone visiting this website - what information do they want? If it ’ s a phone number, make sure it ’ s on every page. If it ’ s a physical address, make sure it ’ s on every page. Make it very easy for visitors to find the information they want, quickly.
- #18 Like our virtual brochure example, this Business-To-Business website starts with a homepage. Unlike a brochure, the goal of this site is influence a future purchase decision. This website may focus on the benefits and features of your product and services. Another important component - happy customers. This could be case studies, written or video testimonials, white papers, etc. The website should provide a consistent invitation for visitors to communicate with you to learn more. The most important things to keep in mind: make it easy and compelling for someone to contact you, and give them a way to learn more about you!
- #19 Let ’ s look at an eCommerce store. If the primary goal of this website is to sell products, the story board would focus heavily on the Products section, and probably spend a lot of effort figuring out how to best organize and present the items within the section. This example includes three products in the “ Products ” subdirectory; for a large eCommerce store, like Amazon.com, there could be hundred or thousand of categories and subcategories within this section. Your storyboard will reflect the complexity of your business. The most important things to keep in mind: make it easy for someone to find what they are looking for, and make easy to buy it!
- #20 This storyboard shows an example non-profit organization. This website might include some or all of the components from the previous types of businesses. Again, it ’ s a matter of priorities, which the storyboard will help layout. For example, is the most important goal: Disseminating information? Soliciting donations? Acquiring memberships? Encouraging membership renewals? Attracting volunteers? Selling products (gift shop items, gift memberships, tickets to events, class registrations, etc.)
- #21 Our final example is a website for an online resource website. Site structure will be highly dependent on the topic of your site. As with all sites, it will be very important to create a logical structure/organization so people can find what they are looking for: Other features: Ability to Search the website Ability to tag pages to organize by topic Ability to sign up for an email newsletter A blog for easy updates, and to allow visitors to contribute to content By prioritizing your website ’ s goals, you can make the development process relatively simple and painless. Just remember, your website will never be finished, better to start small and simple and grow it over time!
- #22 Again, whether you are building your own website or using a hosted service like Google Places, your website will need content. This might be filling in some simple fields, like “ Describe your business in 250 words or less. ” Or, it might be writing a website from scratch, based on the storyboard you have created. Here are some quick tips for developing content for your site. Keep it short and simple. Most people do not read as many words on a webpage as they might offline. Use bulleted lists to help present important facts, features, etc. Search engines “ read ” words on web pages to determine the theme of the content on that page and website. So, if your website is for NashvillePoodleGrooming.com, make sure your content is heavily focused on your service. Remember, you are still writing for humans, so don ’ t “ stuff ” your pages with keywords. Write naturally, but in a keyword-focused way. The very best of us misspell words and make grammar errors. Use spell check. Better yet, find another person (preferably with good editing skills!) to review your content before it goes online. Once it ’ s online, proofread again!
- #23 Once you ’ ve mapped out what your website needs to do, it ’ s time to find someone to build it! There are endless options. Some ideas for getting started: Ask colleagues for referrals to web design companies they have used and liked to work with Do some online research. Do a search for Web design companies and review their portfolios. Once you ’ ve found some companies you like, request proposals. Or: Instead of searching for Web design companies, look at websites. Find some that you like and contact them to find out who designed them. Investigate sites with ready-made templates, like Homesite.com or Wordpress.com. Most can be customized for your company and may be more cost-effective than a custom website. OR - consider a hosted page like Google Places. This is one of the fastest ways to get online. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #24 There are hundreds of thousands of web hosting providers to choose from. If you are working with a web developer, he or she might work with a local ISP and help setup your hosting. Some registrars offer hosting services It is best to host your website with a company that has access to a monitored data center. You might get an great price from another company, but you may sacrifice website uptime, monitoring, customer support and access to your website. To avoid hosting costs, you can opt for a free hosted page like Google Pages, or a free blog on a site like Blogger.com, Wordpress.com or Tumblr.com. But, you will sacrifice some design and functionality. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.
- #25 OK! Now you ’ re on your way to getting business online. Unfortunately, a website does not always subscribe to the theory that “ if you build it they will come. ” You may need to help people and search engines find your website. Let ’ s look at a few ways we can do this in the next section, specifically on a Google Search Engine Results page.
- #27 Before we can strategize ways to get our website found, it is helpful to understand how a search engine results page is organized. Keep in mind that this page may look different for different searchers based on factors like their geographic location, their search history, and their page settings. At the top, the searcher can type in a word or phrase. This is called a search query. Searchers type these words in to help find appropriate websites and webpages within those sites. Google will display the most relevant results in can, based on the keywords and information it has about the searcher. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website. You may want update SERPs based on location and current Google SERP layout
- #28 The first section we will look at contains Google ’ s ads, served by the AdWords platform. These are paid placements. Advertisers are competing against each other for spots on this page. Ads can appear directly above the search results or on right side of the page. By default, there can be up to 11 ads on a page. Clicks on AdWords ads DO cost the advertiser money - they set their own maximum price or a click. Advertisers are NOT charged if their ads are not clicked on. We will discuss the AdWords advertising program in subsequent presentations. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website. You may want update SERPs based on location and current Google SERP layout
- #29 In the above example, we see the “ natural ” or “ organic ” results. Google will display the links it determines to be the most relevant to the search query. A click on these links does NOT cost the owner of the website money. Organic results are delivered by a separate algorithm than Google ’ s ads, the AdWords algorithm. Good (or bad) organic or AdWords performance does not influence the results for the other algorithm. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website. You may want update SERPs based on location and current Google SERP layout
- #30 The last section on the above example shows local business results pulled from Google Places. Google Places offers free, hosted Web pages for businesses. It ’ s one of the easiest ways to get online immediately. Another bonus of Google Places is the opportunity to appear on the search engine results page in this special section. Each area on a search engine results page is treated separately. So, it is possible to have your website listed in the AdWords results, the organic results, and the local business results powered by Google Places. For maximum exposure of your website, your goal may be to list your business in all of these places! NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website. You may want update SERPs based on location and current Google SERP layout
- #31 Review these definitions with the group. The next slides will present a brief overview of how these techniques can be employed to help increase visibility for your website. NOTES FOR TRAINER Remind attendees about SEO/SEM Tips sheet, can hand out after presentation
- #32 Search Engine Optimization is the process of helping Google identify your website as a relevant natural result for a give keyword (as specified by the searcher ’ s search query) Your website developer can help you create a website that is setup for success. Remember, none of the above steps is a guarantee of position, but they can all help Google find your website. Google Sitemaps, accessed from Google ’ s Webmaster Tools, can help show Google what pages are one your website, and find recent changes to your site. We will discuss Webmaster tools in more detail in a subsequent presentation. Remember that Google is looking for words to determine the context of a page. If your new website is built entirely in images or Flash, there will be no words for Google to read! You can certainly use images and Flash, but they should not replace your words. Your content should focus on important keywords, but remember you are trying to create content for humans! The more your update your website, the better shot you have of being listed higher in the organic results. The more content you have the better, so don ’ t take it off! One easy way to add content is to install a blog on your website. Blog software like Wordpress is a good option. Remember is needs to be a part of your website. A separate blog is not as helpful. To keep people coming back to your site, develop an email newsletter and invite site visitors to subscribe. You can also promote special offers on your site to give them a reason to return on their own. Another reason to create content is to give people a reason to link to your website. Think of links to your website -- sometimes called “ backlinks ” -- as votes of confidence for you! The more people link to you, the better you will perform organically. And by the way, linking to other websites helps THEM, not you.
- #33 There are a few SEO “ gotchas ” to avoid. Do not try to covertly influence Google ’ s algorithm by hiding or stuffing content in your web pages. In a nutshell, if it seems sneaky, don ’ t do it! Hiring an SEO company can be a difficult task. Things to ask: What will they do for you? Will the web pages they promote exist on YOUR website? Important if you decide to take in-house or switch to a different vendor. How will they measure success? Who are their existing clients? Can you contact them to discuss their experience? How long have they been in business? How often will you talk with them? Will you have a direct contact who can answer your questions? Do they “ feel right ” to you? Is it easy to communicate with them?
- #34 Before you start a search engine marketing program, decide what you want! This might be measured in sales, leads, or the number of visits to the website. Once you decide what your advertising goals are, you need to figure out how you ’ ll measure success. There are several ways to do this; we will get into more detail in a subsequent presentation. It ’ s a simple task to set up an AdWords account and run ads. Again, we ’ ll show you how to do that in a subsequent presentation. But, as with most things, the more you know, the better off you ’ ll be! Spend some time learning about AdWords so you ’ ll understand how the system works and how your ads can be more competitive in the auction. Based on your research you ’ ll be able to formulate an advertising game plan! Once you ’ re ready to start advertising, you need to set aside some time to regularly monitor your performance. In the upcoming AdWords presentations we ’ ll show you how to set up your account for success, and what you ’ ll need to monitor.
- #35 OK, here is the SEM “ Don ’ t List ” -- it ’ s basically a set of reminders for your To DO list! You should check in frequently. AdWords does not have to take hours each week, but you want to make sure that you ’ re monitoring your performance. Based on your findings, you can adjust your advertising campaign to try to meet your advertising goals. This process is called “ optimization. ” Optimization is not a one-time exercise - every time you make a change it ’ s a way to optimize and it will be trial-and-error until you reach maximum profitability. Hiring an SEM company can be a difficult task. Things to ask: What will they do for you? How will they charge you? Can you login to your own AdWords account? Do you “ own ” your account (important if you want to take in-house or move to another vendor) How will they measure success? Who are their existing clients? Can you contact them to discuss their experience? How long have they been in business? How often will you talk with them? Will you have a direct contact who can answer your questions? Do they “ feel right ” to you? Is it easy to communicate with them?
- #36 Social Media marketing is a very hot topic in the online marketing world. Companies large and small are trying to figure out how to use it to their advantage, and how to measure success. You can use it for your own business to: Post timely updates or commentary Open a dialogue with your existing customers or prospects. This can deepen your relationships, as well as help you keep a pulse on what people are saying about you and give you a chance to respond. Show your personality Establish your “ social authority ” on a particular topic. NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website. You may want update SERPs based on location and current Google SERP layout
- #37 Social media marketing should encourage others to participate. This is not a way to control information about your company, or your brand. Think of it is a way to influence. You have to participate to make it work for your website. That may mean spending time not directly on your own campaigns, but contributing on other sites. Imagine the Internet as a giant pool of fact checkers. You don ’ t want to be labeled “ liar liar pants on fire! ”
- #38 Now we ’ ve covered the basics of getting yourself online and some of the ways to promote your web presence. Perhaps the nicest benefit of online marketing is the level of accountability you can apply to all your campaigns. Unlike most advertising channels, you can measure exactly what an online campaign delivered for your business. Google offers a free Web Analytics program called “ Google Analytics. ” It is available to everyone, for free, and it can help you measure online performance.
- #40 GA can help you answer questions like: How many people visited your website, and where in the world they were searching from. What keywords people typed in that brought them to your website. How did visitors find your website. Did Google send the visit, and was it an organic click or a click on an AdWords ad? Did they click on a link from another website? Did they type in your URL directly? If the visit came from AdWords, how much did that click cost you? How much time did that visitor spend on the website, and what pages did she look at? If the visit came from AdWords, did it result in a sale or other desired action on your website? At what point did the visitor leave the website?
- #41 Answers to these questions can help you answer the ultimate question: Why did visitors decide NOT to become my customer? How can I make improvements to my website to increase the number of conversions? GA helps identify missed opportunities, whether that be content you ’ re missing, products you ’ re not selling, or services you don ’ t offer.
- #44 Google should be an important part of your online strategy? Why? Because each day, there are approximately 3.6 searches on Google, globally. Each search is an opportunity for a business or organization to present its website as the answer to the searcher ’ s question, need, problem. All businesses, not matter what size, stand to benefit from an online presence. In the next presentation we will provide an overview of some of the products Google offers to help businesses. This includes tools for external promotion - like Google Places and AdWords - as well as internal tools like Google Analytics and Google Apps for business productivity.
- #45 Before using AdWords you will need a Google Account. A Google Account functions as a single Google login, made up of an email address and password of your choosing. A Google account is free If you have a Gmail account, you can use your Gmail username and password to sign in to your Google Account. A Google Account gives you access to various Google services, including AdWords, Google Places, Google Groups, Google Alerts, Google Apps, Google Analytics, Personalized Search, etc. If you've used any of these services before, you already have a Google Account.
- #46 Thank you very much for participating in today ’ s Building and Marketing Your Website session. We hope that this has been an informative introduction to the software and services Google can provide for your company or organization. A copy of this presentation will be emailed to each participant who provided an email address. The final slide includes link to resources that may help you with your online marketing campaigns. We will now open the presentation for questions.
- #47 NOTES FOR TRAINER Please note that the entities mentioned are examples, and not an endorsement of any product, company or website.