01.30.07
Posted in Writing Action-Based Copy at 9:03 pm by Steve
You’ve seen it before. You visit a corporate Web site seeking answers. What you get is a mission statement. "We at XYZ company believe that…. snore!" You lost me at "mission statement."
But once in a while, things are different. You stumble across the occasional site by the rare company that "gets it." Gone is the impersonal, almost robotic tone. The conversation is inviting. It sounds like one friend talking to another.
The Starbuck’s Principle
Let me introduce a priceless test I run my content through. I call it "The Starbuck’s Principle." It simply states:
The Starbuck’s Principle of Writing Compelling Copy
"If the copy you write doesn’t sound like something you might overhear at a Starbuck’s, it isn’t personal enough!"
-Steve Myers
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99% of the sites out there don’t sound like a conversation. They may sound like a sales brochure. It might have the tone of a corporate meeting or press release. But they certainly don’t sound like two humans engaged in natural conversation.
Break the Rules
You may have noticed my writing style would call down the wrath of most English teachers. I begin sentences with "and", "but", and "because." You may even find a sentence ending in a preposition.
When do I break the rules? Simple. If doing so makes what I write sound more like a conversation than a more formal style would, I toss aside formal style guides. I risk the painful looks of my editors. I speak from the top of my mind as if speaking to a friend.
I force myself not to go back and edit my writing much. The more careful planning you put into each sentence, the less natural it will sound. I’m sure I ruffle the feathers of academic writers and journalists.
I’ll risk that, because the only way to never offend with what you say is to say nothing. And I’m guessing your message is too important not to be heard.
-Steve Myers
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01.29.07
Posted in Search Engine Optimization at 8:58 pm by Steve
"You Are Here"
I like to hike. My body doesn’t like it, but I enjoy the change of scenery and the fresh air. But before I start up the mountain, I check out the trail map at the bottom of the hill. The first thing I look for is the arrow that tells me "You are here."
Until I know where I am now, the rest of the map doesn’t help me. Online marketing isn’t so different. You’ve got to know how well your site performs before making changes to even have a clue if the changes helped or hurt.
Flying Blind
I recently met with a client. He wanted to increase traffic to his site. I wrote up a proposal for services Online Marketing Advisor could help him with. Topping the list was a plan to measure his current Web site traffic. I submitted the proposal. Imagine my surprise to find he didn’t want me to spend any time setting up metrics to measure his traffic. This confused me a bit.
Why? Because this client wouldn’t run any other portion of his business this way. He knows how many clients he has. He knows how much it costs him to get a new client. He knows how much he spends on advertising, rent, utilities, and a host of other things.
So why is he OK with running his Web site without metrics? Simple. Consider who built the site. Webmasters tend to fall into two categories:
- Those with graphic design careers who learned enough Web programming to create a site
- Programmers who learned enough design to create a site
Limitations
It’s no wonder the webmaster never brought up business metrics. It’s just not what he was trained for. Not only that, who wants their work measured if they can avoid it? If your training is not to get traffic to a site, you don’t want to have your work judged on something you know nothing about. Who could blame them?
So countless Web sites are built with little or no reporting that answer the questions:
- How Many People Come to My Site?
- Which pages get the most traffic?
- Where do visitors comes from? (Google, other sites, bookmarks, and other sources)
Yet as a business owner, you need to know these things to determine if you’re getting a positive return on your investment. If you work for an employer and have a Web site built for your company, you’ll be held responsible for what was spent and what the company got for their investment.
Real-World Solutions
So how we solve this? You’ll need to put at least some basic traffic measurement on your Web site. There are some great solutions that will cost little beyond the cost of the webmaster’s time to implement it.
One great solution is Google Analytics. With it, you can quickly get a handle on how many visitors come to your site. You’ll know which pages are viewed the most often. You’ll know what Web sites send you the most traffic. The service is free. Just click HERE to investigate Google Analytics.
You can also use a Web log analyzer program like WebTrends or ClickTracks. I’ve used both, and they do a great job of giving a great overview of visitor traffic on your site. At $400+ they are not cheap, however. Also, if your webmaster doesn’t know the programs already, one of you will need to spend some time learning it.
Actionable Data
But the biggest problem with any of these solutions is how they present data points, but little interpretation of the data. (Shameless Self-Promotion Alert!) That’s where Online Marketing Advisor can help. We provide analysis of what’s working and identify opportunities for traffic growth and conversion rate improvements.
However you decide to measure and analyze your Web traffic, as Nike says… Just do it! Before you spend another dime on your Web site, you owe it to yourself to find out whether what you’re doing works or not.
We’re Going Down!
Picture this. You’re flying across country. You begin to board the plane and glance off to your left. You see a pilot pounding on a lifeless instrument panel. All of a sudden, the guagues come to life and indicators light up. The pilot says, "All right! It’s working again! Let’s go!"
Now tell me just one thing. Do you continue to board, or do you turn around and pick another airline? You wouldn’t consider flying in a plane without instruments. Without navigation systems, you could be flying to your destination… or into the side of a mountain. If you’re not measuring the success of your Web site, you don’t know where it’s going either.
With the right Web analysis, you don’t have to fly blind anymore.
-Steve Myers
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