The Basics of Building Your Brand on the Web

SITE CONTENT

1. A great web site design is a tool in your overall business plan.
2. Home page is an advertisement and needs a call to action.
3. Video on the home page is great, should be the main focus. Sites with a “face” perform much better. Adds “rich media” experience.
4. Written content. Short description of services, needs to include key words.
5. Single click purchase. Pioneered by Amazon, visitors need to be able to purchase in one click, two at the most.
6. Ease of contact. One click contact form on the home page increases customer interaction and builds contact list. These contacts are valuable to study demographics and for targeted advertising.
7. CMS Content Management System. Allows for easy updates, streamlined page creation, Microsoft Word style interface.

UI (User Interface)

1. Website breakdown: header, content, footer.
2. Header: Should include site navigation, tagline.
3. Content: The main body of the website videos, text, graphics.
4. Footer: Repeat site navigation and additional links to partners, FAQ, privacy policy, contact phone/address.
5. Do not sacrifice form over function, the user experience must be considered above all else.

SHOPPING CART

1. Several options available for online shopping carts. Each having features and limitations.
2. Start with a must have/want to have list.
3. Allows multiple item purchases, customer logs, expandable payment options.
4. Ability to add products and styles on the fly.
5. Run promotional campaigns and coupon codes.

GOOGLE

1. Not an overnight process.
2. SEO search engine optimization.
3. Search algorithms are a closely guarded trade secret.
4. Several factors effect search ranking. Optimized code/ headings, inbound/ outbound links, business history, site traffic.
5. Analyze website data and website traffic statistics.
6. Target specific key words. “YourBusiness.com” Your Business Name” >> “specific industry words” >> “general industry words”
7. Have friends link to your page = good
8. Paying for irrelevant links = bad

ADVERTISING

1. Social, PPC, PPM, paid search, purchasing audience
2. Social media: Advertisements with like
3. Pay per click/impression: set budget for monthly impressions
4. Paid search: Must target specific searches, pay to appear above organic search rankings
5. Purchase your audience through market research. Study current demographics and provide a similar audience