The Web is a relatively new medium
yet the sheer number of "consultants" is overwhelming.
There are the IT people, the design people, the PR people, the
copywriters, the photographers, the developers and don't forget
the project managers!
Each sees his or her own specialty as the critical
element in creating an internet marketing strategy and website. Many of them are so focused on carving a place for themselves in the project (and the budget) that they can't think strategically. They also don't like to admit - "actually this isn't my area of expertise".
Thing is, when all you've got is a hammer, everything starts looking
like a nail. What a client needs is a full toolkit - ALL the specialist
marketing, communication and technology skills in the right proportion.
What's required somewhere is synthesis - the ability to use each
of these capabilities and disciplines appropriately and interdependently.
Technology
Technology is not the message, it's the medium. Decide
first on your content, your message and your marketing strategy;
then use appropriate technology tools to deliver the message quickly,
efficiently and effectively.
If you have the strategy right, you won't get tempted by fun web
gimmicks like animation, revolving logos, flying menus and flashy
introductions. Designers just LOVE that cool stuff!
Layout
I'm amazed by all the mystery created around navigation? It's not an art form, it's common
sense; put things where people can find them easily, and categorise
logically based on your audiences perspective of the world. Make sure google can read your menus, or you will end up with a poor Page Rank and 90% of your pages will remain unindexed.
Photography and images
Photographs need to be small, so make sure that the
pictures you select can survive being 1-2 cms across and still
make sense. Then they must be compressed, and there is an entire
science in that statement.
Finally, if you're going to put quite a few photographs on a page,
surround them with a fair volume of [interesting] text - this gives
photos time to load before the viewer is notices missing boxes.
Don't bunch images together. By spreading them down the page (with
larger ones at the base) you give them extra time to load.
Design
Although download speeds have improved, many web pages are still
larger than the recommended 20-50k file size (20-30k in South Africa!).
Flash and other bandwidth hogs are rampant. Some of this is the
designers' fault but some is due to thoughtless, make-it-cool
capriciousness on the part of clients.
Design and layout aren't novelties or aesthetic window dressing.
They're critical elements in selling a product, service or brand. Marketing specialists need to understand
how design elements help or hinder customers' efforts to understand and buy a client's
products and services.
Usability
Graphics, web design or technology experts can create attractive,
fast webpages, but many don't (or can't) identify with your particular
target market, who might be older, less experienced on the web
or using older computers.
Use your own sales team's understanding of the market, the customer
and his interests. If the most user-friendly site in the world
doesn't address the customer's need for information, they will
pass it over with speed.
Search Engine Optimization
Everyone wants a high search engine ranking.
Search engine optimization is a specialized field, but even this
discipline does not exist in a vacuum. Optimizers understand how
different search engines compute their algorithms. Design and site
architecture are both important: A well-designed site takes into account
how search engine spiders crawl. If your site is designed in Flash,
yes, well. Search-engine spiders ignore it.
Search engine optimizers who don't understand copywriting, design
and sales can't do a good job for their clients. Identifying the
right keyword phrases that your customers are likely to think
of and use is critical to search engine success.
SEO isn't about everyone finding you, it's about prospective customers finding you.
Copywriting
Words are your greatest communication tool, from your unique selling
proposition (USP) and value proposition to descriptive copy. You
can't accomplish much without the right words used in the right
way at the right time.
Speak to your visitors and develop relevant, persuasive copy.
To persuade people to buy, you must speak their language and address
their needs. Spend time learning techniques to rev up your writing
or, at the very least, identify the sort of online writing that
will work for you.
Tracking and Metrics
In brick-and-mortar businesses, executives enjoy a full range
of fundamental metrics that help them understand trends and opportunities
and find hidden hazards, allowing them to manage by the numbers.
These tools help determine strategy and build businesses in normal
and unfamiliar conditions.
E-business executives, facing more unfamiliar, highly volatile
business conditions and employing new techniques (e.g., personalization,
viral marketing, and dynamic pricing) have relatively blunt tools
on which to base decisions.
Web statistics can extract a great deal of data about user activity,
much of it not helpful. Yet within those logs is a wealth of actionable
knowledge if you know how to turn the raw data into metrics with
which you can make effective marketing decisions.
Does internet marketing sound like a
complicated business? I guess it is. Excitingly so. And one
reason is that it combines so many disciplines and communication
skills.
And we haven't even touched on the roles information architecture,
consumer psychology, market research, sales, advertising, fulfillment,
customer relations, email marketing, and so many other factors
play.
InterComm South Africa integrates our experience in marketing, copywriting
and design AS WELL AS technology, ensuring that your website attracts,
serves and retains prospects and customers.
Your site will be uniquely your own, with a sound marketing strategy
derived from your competitive advantage and core competence. |
