Searchers (Your Potential Customers) Getting More Specific

A recent analysis by Experian Hitwise shows that searchers are using longer keyphrases (5-8 words) more frequently now than in previous years (by 2%). The shift is small, but it shows that searchers are collectively getting more specific about what they want. It also shows that they are becoming more mature as they navigate through the web and learn to get the best results out of Google or their search engine of choice. What does this mean for site owners? It means that ranking for "tail" keywords and phrases is even more valuable. This is good because tail phrases are more like natural language than shorter, more direct keywords which currently still account for the vast majority of searches. For more information, read the MarketingCharts article Longer Search Queries increase 2%, or visit the source analysis Google Receives 71 Percent of Searches in September 2009 by Experian Hitwise... Keep Reading

7 Deadly Sins of Landing Page Design

I came across this incredibly boring Google presentation on the very exciting topic of increasing landing page conversion. I really wish they would have watched a presentation on the 7 deadly sins of presentations before they put this together, but in any case, it does have some great info that I'll summarize here so you don't have to watch the whole thing. 7 Deadly Sins of Landing Page Design Unclear Call-to-action Too Many Choices Asking for Too Much Information Too Much Text Not Keeping Your Promises Visual Distractions Lack of Credibility & TrustThe solutions to these are pretty self-explanatory so I don't think it's necessary to go into those. The presentation has some great case study type examples but you can get the idea by skipping around and looking for yourself rather than sitting through and listening to the full commentary.I have no idea why they took what should... Keep Reading

How to Find The Best Website Content Management System?

Looking for the right website content management system to manage your website is not an easy task. Some content management systems (CMS) are free while others cost thousands of dollars to build or charge an expensive monthly fee.  What types of questions should you ask content management systems companies about their product before purchasing the right system to manage your website? Here are some important questions to ask when shopping around for that ideal content management system (CMS)…1.    Who owns the rights to the CMS?2.    What browser types does your CMS support?3.    What does your fee cover?4.    What language is your CMS built in?5.    Who hosts the CMS?6.    What type of functionality does it support?7.    What kind of detailed web stats does your CMS provide... Keep Reading

ESPN VS CBS Sports

When you are looking for the latest sports coverage do you go to ESPN.com or CBSSports.com? Which site gives you the best sports coverage that you can rely on during some of the seasons most important events such as March Madness or The Majors?  I decided to put these two competitive brands to the test with 5 simple questions. Get on your mark, get set, and go… 1) Which website loads faster? Winner: ESPN.comESPN.com only took 4 seconds to download while CBSSports.com took 7 seconds  2) Which website overall displays the best information above the fold? Winner: ESPN.com and CBSSports.comThey are both winners. Both designs on ESPN.com and CBSSports.com gives the user quick access to sports coverage in a very user friendly way. 3) Which website has better homepage navigation? Winner: CBSSports.comCBS Sports navigation provides a lot more information for users. T... Keep Reading

Paris Hilton Needs a Weblift

Who is Paris Hilton? A movie star, a wanna be singer, or full time party girl? Everyone has their own definition of this Hilton child. When most people hear the name Paris Hilton they either cringe or have some pretty interesting things to say about her and I don’t mean compliments. Most people's opinions are pretty harsh and brutal. When Paris Hilton's name came up the other day, I thought to myself…I wonder what her website looks like. So, I dared myself to take a peek. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I initially thought the site would be flooded with lots of news about Paris Hilton and photos of her everywhere on the site. Actually, quite the opposite.  I am shocked that her site has such little information. The ParisHilton.com website displays one picture of her self, some links and a video. During researching the her site I did find a handful of things wro... Keep Reading

People Magazine VS Us Magazine

Although many of us hate to admit it, we do sometimes enjoy reading the latest gossip surrounding celebrities. What I'd like to know is, when it comes time to reading about the latest divorce or cheater in Hollywood, do you choose People Magazine or Us Magazine online? Who has a better online presence? Who offers the most in usability?  In order to determine the answer to these questions, I put them both to the test with 7 simple inquiries… 1) Which website loads faster? Winner is People MagazinePeople Magazine’s site only takes me 3 seconds to download while Us Magazine takes 5 seconds 2) Which website overall displays the best information above the fold on the homepage? Winners are both People Magazine and Us MagazineBoth websites provide the user with quick access to celebrity coverage and are rated equally in my opinion. 3) Which website has a bett... Keep Reading

Kate Spade Vs Tory Burch

Who has the better site, Kate Spade or Tory Burch? In order to determine which fashion designer has a better site, I rated them in five different categories. The categories consisted of the following: site navigation, homepage design, page load time, alt tags, and search results. My findings were interesting, because in some areas they were both losers.Site Navigation: Winner is Tory BurchKate Spade and Tory Burch both have pretty simple navigation and almost rate equally. Tory’s site came out a head, because her font size is a larger making it easy for users to read. Kate’s top navigation required a magnifying glass to read it.Homepage Design: Winner is Tory BurchTory Burch’s homepage really shows off her fashion line displaying a variety of her designs. It also displays pictures of the designer and her parents giving users a feel of her personal history. The Flash com... Keep Reading

If you build a blog, they will come

In today's web world, the fight for quality traffic is in full force.  With so many options, users are never quite sure where they've landed - or if it's even what they want.  So how do you encourage the right users to visit your website, knowing they've found exactly what they're looking for?Although there are many ways to increase your traffic and conversions, a simple blog may be the cheapest and most effective way to take the matter into your own hands.Blogs fill your site with unique content - written by you, or perhaps your staff - on a daily or weekly basis.  This unique content is then acquired by search engines and fed into user results.  Because blogs are like online journals, you can discuss anything within your own industry or outside your industry on related topics.By touching on items which are found within your business's industry, you're able to attr... Keep Reading

Oprah Winfrey VS Ellen DeGeneres

We all know talk show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres are the best in their industry, but when it comes to having a website presence, who has more talent? Upon reviewing Oprah’s and Ellen’s websites to answer this question, I quickly discovered there is definitely one that takes the cake. During my analysis of the two sites, I rated their homepage in seven different areas from one to ten (10 being the best). The prize goes to… Oprah’s Website Homepage Load Time: 9 Took about 5 seconds to download for me Homepage Design: 9 The design is very soothing Just the right amount of content Content layout isn’t overwhelming Ease of Navigation on Homepage: 6 There are three sets of navigation on the homepage which can be confusing for the average user It would be nice to have the navigation in one main area with pull downs in categori... Keep Reading

Online Initiatives, "In this Economy"

Yes, times are tough. I'm sick of hearing (and saying) the phrase "In this economy", but it doesn't seem like we have much choice. Companies are making budget cuts and layoffs everyday that are justified simply by the phrase, "In this economy". How about trying something new. How about, "In this economy, we really need to look at more online initiatives." According to a recent Advertising Age article, Shifting Consumer Behavior, Price Positioning, Stretching Marketing Dollars and Embracing Digital are the top four issues that CMOs need to address "In this economy". All of these can be accomplished with solid, tested online initiatives.  Shifting Consumer Behavior The web is perhaps the best place to accomplish this task. No other medium creates the same level of interaction and intimacy the way the web does. Social media and clever mini-si... Keep Reading

Chanel.com Website Review

If I had to pick my favorite designer, Chanel would win by miles. The Chanel Fashion House has the most exquisite designs in the world. When it comes to their handbags, I am by far their number one fan. I own only three of their handbags, Chanel Caviar Tote, Chanel 2.55, and Chanel Classic Flap Bag. I will continue to grow my collection over the years and look forward to viewing their next fabulous handbag selection on line.  When it comes to their website, unfortunately I am not their number one fan. There are some changes that could drastically improve their sites user experience.  Here is my review of the Chanel website…Thumbs Down:The Flash streams in really slow when users are waiting to view their accessoriesMusic plays automatically when viewing their accessories which can be distracting to the userThe music is lovely, but there are parts that sound staticThe mute ... Keep Reading

Gucci Website Review

Who is Frida Giannini? She is the amazing Creative Director of Gucci. Her designs are brilliant and worn by men and women around the world. When I reviewed this Gucci fashion houses Flash website today there were only a few disappointments and a lot of thumbs up! Here is my review…Disappointments:The Flash site slows your experience down just a bitI couldn’t find an online shopping section for any of their items, which is very disappointing for the Gucci fan. I know they use to sell their handbags onlineThumbs Up:The brown color palette they use is soothingThe design is clean and showcases their Gucci branding with tasteThe Flash was very smooth and mostly user initiatedThe photographs are beautiful and of high qualityUsing large photos to display their products is a great user experience and gives users a clear view of their designsTheir search functions is detailed, allowin... Keep Reading

Help Me! Someone Bought My Domain

It's yours.  Your domain, your piece of real estate on the web.  You would think, then, that your cyber space is protected with some type of entitlement, deed or official document.  In a way, you're right - it's protected, but for a limited period of time. Unlike physical property, once your limited period of time is up, it's someone else's turn to live there - unless you buy yourself some more time. Every day people discover their domains are gone over night. We hear the same questions and comments far too frequently from business owners...“Why is my site down?”“Who bought my domain?”“How can this happen?.”"How can I get it back?"“The person who bought my domain will sell it back, but it’s going to cost me 5k.”Purchasing back your domain can be very costly. There are some businesses that have forked out 15k just to ... Keep Reading

YouTube Suggests "horses mating with humans"

Since its inception in 2005, YouTube has provided free videos on the World Wide Web, allowing people of all types and all over the world the right to "Broadcast Yourself."  The company's quick acceptance and growth was validated when, in December of 2006, it was purchased by Google, Inc. for 1.6 Billion (wiki).  You would think that finding the video you need might be a tad bit difficult, since YouTube has such a huge database of information.  Lucky for them, they're powered by the World's best search engine - Google.  Now, YouTube has endless information AND a quick way to find it.  What could go wrong?How about a search system which seems to be based on previous search entries - a system which, upon entering a few words, will suggest for you what someone else has already entered. It assumes you may share the same interests.  But what happe... Keep Reading

Are you IN to Social Networking?

These days it seems that most people are involved in some type of social networking on the web. Maybe you're a fan of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Plaxo, or Linkedin. My personal favorite social networking site would have to be Facebook simply because it allows you to socialize privately (people need your permission to be in your community/group) and it's more for personal use than work. For those of you who are social networking fans, let me tell you about a new network I discovered today. A colleague of mine sent an invitation to the website Yelp.com which I had never heard of before. So, I thought what the heck, I'll sign-up for it. It turns out to be a hit of a website. It allows for users to post their comments, reviews and experiences they have had at restaurants, dentists, hairstylists, and anything local. What I really liked about the website…Signing up to be a member is fas... Keep Reading