1. Where I am?

Users want to know very quickly where they are. Depending on how they got there, whether from a Google search or your main navigation or a learn more button, it may be especially important. When a site has multiple levels of pages within one section, lack of definitive navigation can really make it confusing. Take a quick a look at this page. Can you easily tell where you are in the site? No cheating!

Did you get it? With three separate navs, it’s confusing, but you’re in Explore QlikView > Solutions > Industries > Financial Services > Banking. That’s 5 levels! If that’s not organized well, unfortunately, no one will know where they are.

2. What are you telling me?

Page titles and subheaders need to clearly indicate what information is on the page. People will decide quickly whether your information is worth their time. In our example above, what is the biggest text? (Go ahead look. I’ll wait.) It’s pretty generic, right? Well, the text ABOVE it is really what the page is about. The title is what the page is about, and that should be the biggest text. The eye naturally gravitates to it, and therefore it needs to give pertinent/relevant information quickly.

3. What are my next steps? And where can I get more information?

Calls to action (or callouts) should clearly define the next steps for the user, and where they can download/view more information. This other page does a good job of it. So, what’s the next step? And where can you get more information? Can you tell?

Watch Product Tour and all the downloads on the right are very clear. As is the download button. (Though the Our Product on the right is yet another type of navigation!)

4. How does the page look?

The stacked / layered design generally looks very nice. The one caution is what I call visual ping-pong. This is when images stagger from one side to the other. The result is a lack continuous flow for the eye. The eye bounces around, and doesn’t focus on anything. The example below with the images aligned on the right allows is ideal for the stacked / layered design while directing the eye down the content.

Wrap Up

The conclusion we come to is that it can work really well with some caveats. As long as it’s clear where you are, and what you can do next, your site will be in good shape! What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

5 reasons why email marketing out-performs social media in B2B market

While using social media as a tool of B2B marketing grows more and more, we shouldn’t forget about old and proven method – email marketing. Why? Because it still works, and in some cases it gives better results than everything else.

11 Examples of Killer B2B Content Marketing Campaigns Including ROI

Lee Odden is one of my favorite bloggers (and not just because we share a first name!)In the ever-important world on content to help your branding, messaging, and yes, even SEO, Lee has a great post showing the winners of the Killer Content Marketing Awards, and the presentation that highlighted some incredible creative, execution and most of all, performance of B2B content marketing programs.

Five Reports For Measuring B2B Marketing Effectiveness

A recent survey of 1,200 CEO’s indicated that nearly 70% have lost trust in their marketers’ ability to deliver growth, in part because of the inability to show ROI on campaigns. From basic to more advanced, here are five key reports to look at for marketing analytics performance benchmarking.

Which Social Network is Best for B2B Marketing?

Ah, the age old question for B2B marketers: Which social network is the best? Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube each offer B2B marketers value. Learn about how to assess social media channels to determine which work best for your business.

3 Reasons B2B Marketers Should Not Use Microsites

A controversial title to a very common issue with many B2B companies thinking a microsite is the answer to everything. Find out how that strategy can actually hurt your brand, and your SEO, if not considered thoroughly.

Today, Apple introduced its newest operating system, iOS7, with a cryptic tag line “Simplicity is actually quite complicated.” And, in the short time the announcement has been live, critics and champions of Apple alike are on board with opinions. This leads to the question: just how impactful is mobile technology in our lives? In the lives of our B2B companies?

Now, more than ever, B2B companies take into consideration a mobile version of their website, and weigh it against the creation of responsive designed website. Additionally, having a mobile SEO strategy that is distinct from your website strategy is vital.

According to Forrester Research mobile marketing spending will quadruple in  five years, rising from $26 million in 2009 to $106 million in 2014. Is this due to big brands like Apple and their grandstand statements about their operating systems, or is it due to the overwhelming increase in mobile usage for business tasks in our ever-increasingly on-the-go business practices? If your marketshare is leaning more toward using mobile technology, then it would appear that business should be shifting their focus to mobile.

Megan Castillo, Marketing Director for SImparel, Inc.

“The eMagine team has been a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend them! They have proven to be great partners and mentors. We contracted them to rebuild our website as well as optimize our web presence and SEO, and they have done a fantastic job! They have not only improved our presence, but have also taught a novice like me a lot along the way. They care about their customers and it shows in their service.”

Steve Bonadio, VP Marketing, InnoCentive, Inc.

“From day one, the eMagine team was very responsive to our needs. We started off with a current-state assessment which quickly blossomed into a full-blown client relationship. The team that eMagine brought to bear on our account was top-notch, and we started to see positive results within mere weeks of fully engaging with the firm. Based on my experience, I’m happy to recommend eMagine to friends and colleagues.”

Marla Stallmann, Marketing Manager at NJM Packaging

“Today is an epic day at NJM Packaging! Emagine helped us rebrand our new company name launching a labor intensive, challenging goal: an English website, French website, a Spanish landing page, and an all new BLOG, Not Just Machines. The professionalism of each and every person at eMagine USA never wavered! We now have a tool to show our customers and the packaging industry who NJM Packaging really is! ”

It’s a good thing that Jessica convinced her mother to let her take art classes instead of typing as a child- or her dream of becoming a designer may never have come true. Jessica Costa, the Senior Interactive Designer at eMagine can truly design it all.

“I love being able to solve the clients’ problems visually. Moving the parts and ideas around until I get the completed puzzle, so to speak. I also love having a team that supports and encourages that. Our team really works towards what’s best for the client, not what’s best for eMagine’s bottom line,” she said.

Whether it is web design or user interface design, her two favorite platforms of design, graphic design, or struggling to make the most creative PowerPoint presentations the program will allow, Jessica really can create it all.

She is working hard to best understand how responsive design can work in B2B online marketing and enjoys the challenges it presents.

“I am really picky- ask anyone,” she said. “I review the content and how it looks on a page, as opposed to the code and pick out X Y and Z that we need to change. With responsive design, it looks different on every interface.”

Jessica, who comes from a family of painters, construction workers and builders, clothing designers and quilters, is used to the challenges that designing may bring.

In fact, she is looking forward to the new Star Wars movies coming out, directed by JJ Abrams, as she is a fan of his work on other movies. As an avid Star Wars fan, Jessica is not only into the movies, but enjoys reading the novels and playing Angry Birds Star Wars on her iPhone.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys watching action movies,  playing Words with Friends and speaking Portuguese. She loves to travel and try new things and adventures- like rock climbing in Brazil!

Guessing at what your potential visitors and clients are searching for will get you nowhere fast. What you think they are searching for, or should be searching for, may be worlds apart as far as keywords are concerned. It is imperative that you do the research.

You may have a great product or service or a flashy new website, but if you aren’t being found what’s the point? You need to be found by people interested in what you’re selling. So you NEED to KNOW what people are searching for in regards to what you’re selling. This is where keyword research comes into play.

It’s also important to know which keywords will bring visitors to your site and at what stage of their buying process. Are your keywords bringing people in for information? It’s great that you’re getting visitors…but are they ready to buy? Probably not. With the proper keywords, you can pull in the people looking for information and target potential clients who may be further along in their process and ready to buy. You really want both of these groups. If you have created the right content with a well-rounded website, these information gatherers and potential customers should 1) find you and 2) become your future buyers. But getting them to your site in the first place requires keyword research.

Finally, don’t assume that because you are a B2B company that your potential clients are searching a “certain way” either. Remember, a person buying for another business is still a PERSON. Although they are going to search based on their company’s needs, they are going to do so in their own way. And the way they search, might not necessarily be the way you assume they will. No matter what you think your clients search patterns might be, remember: data does not lie. Do the research. You’ll reap the benefits.

How has keyword research benefited your website efforts?

So how can you effectively use your press releases to get links back to your site?

Write your press release about something truly newsworthy

If your headline and release are crammed with keywords and talk about nothing in particular, be assured that your press release will work against you. Your subject matter should be something worthy of sharing – not just an excuse to increase your SEO. Product announcement, company acquisitions, innovative technologies, and awards received are some of the viable topics ton which you should focus your press release story.

Beware over-optimization of your press release

You’ve seen an over optimized press release – a sea of blue underlines almost a smattering of other words. SEO writing of press releases should be no different that writing for you blog or website, with one exception: I would relegate a fair number of links to branded anchor text in addition to targeted key phrases. If your content is compelling, journalists will pick up your release and rewrite it on a blog post or on a website in their own way.

Use your press release as an entrée into other collateral

The purpose of your release is to whet people’s appetite with the topic of discussion, and for the visitor to want to learn more. Linking to assets, be it whitepapers, videos, or anything else that tells the story in a more in-depth way is going to be far more beneficial that making your press release look like a mad lib of key phrases.

Choose your distribution channel with thought

Before you send your press release for mass syndication on a channel such as PRWeb, consider advanced distribution to key individuals or local institutions to give those relationships some “breaking news”. By demonstrating this exclusivity, you have a better chance of getting your press release shared with the world, as well as developing a keen relationship with media outlets.

Get an Expert’s View in Writing

Consider also adding a quote from a third party expert, which you can add to the release itself. This adds a sense of neutrality to the piece, as well as giving you yet another angle with which to disseminate the information. Your expert may have media outlets of their own with whom they have a relationship, and can help leverage the distribution of your release, simply because they are quoted within it.

Timing is Everything

Choose the date and timing of your press release with care. Determine when your target audience is most likely read your press release, as opposed to when the distribution channel recommends. Most people are trying to catch up front he accumulation in the inboxes and voicemails on a Monday, so later in the week may be better.

You should also consider timing in correlation to upcoming events, trade shows, or even your client’s buying cycles. Knowing the right time to strike can be as important as what you say.

There is no doubt that press release are still a viable way to build links back to your site. With a bit of restraint, thoughtfulness, and preparation, you can have an immensely positive impact on your audience, and your SEO, with your press releases.

Kotin Crabtree & Strong (KCS Legal)

Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP is a general practice law firm in Boston, Massachusetts. Their mission is to give clients experienced, effective advocacy. That involves more than just good legal work: it requires personal attention, focused on the client and the client’s needs; a breadth of vision; and creativity. eMagine created a new website to showcase the attorneys and related practice areas, as well as an updated logo design. They have also approached eMagine for marketing maetrials assistance and custom forms for their estate planning solutions.

Advantec Computer Systems

Advantec Computer is a leading provider of custom computer systems. For more than 25 years, when specialized requirements demanded more than a canned computer solution, their customers have relied on our quality processes and deep engineering expertise to custom design, manufacture, and deliver purpose-built computer solutions. eMagine created a Joomla CMS-based website that would allow for extending site functionality as the brand and the site evolves.

VoltDelta

VoltDelta OnDemand Solutions provides a hosted infrastructure for enabling virtual contact centers and home agent call distribution and management, inbound and outbound voice recognition applications, and voice of the customer call plus agent screen recording. Over 2.4 billion calls and 2 billion SMS messages per year are processed within VoltDelta’s on demand solutions. eMagine had a multi-faceted part of their Online Marketing. First the site was redesigned and optimized for SEO. Next, a blog was created and added to the site. Additionally, eMagine has an ongoing engagement with SEO and blog consultations.

Veristat

Veristat is a privately owned, full-service clinical research organization (CRO) founded in 1994. Located in the greater Boston area, Veristat offers expert CRO services including data management, biostatistics, statistical programming, CDISC implementations, medical writing, clinical monitoring, project management, regulatory submissions and strategic consulting. They client wanted a design that would stand out in their space, something non-traditional from their scientific/biostat image. The design has horizontal scrolling, which caught their eye right away. While many sites that employ this style are art-oriented sites, Veristat was willing to take a risk. The “Trees/grow/cultivate” theme was introduced by the client after the design concept, and they decided to follow the metaphorical approach throughout the site, adjusting their messaging accordingly.

But the greater truth of successful project management is that no matter whether you use Waterfall methodology with Microsoft Project server, or Agile with Gira, or a spreadsheet and emails, projects are managed by people and accomplished by people. Nothing encompasses the truth of project success more than Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements.

• Be impeccable with your word.
• Don’t take anything personally.
• Don’t make assumptions.
• Do your best

Be Impeccable with Your Word

If you are a client in the equation, this means you should be as clear as possible in communicating what you need. Vendors and your production team are already on your side. But we can’t mind read. Precise communication is the only way we can discern what your expectations are. We can only offer insight and advice to the extent that you are clear about what you are trying to accomplish.

On the production side, we aspire to do the same – giving our clients the best information we have and the best representations we can provide to help you understand. Creating something from the abstract into a concrete product is by nature a collaborative process, whether you are building a house or trying to architect a web portal for your business partners or clients. With the web in particular, when there isn’t a job site you can walk onto or a product prototype you can touch, the only way we have to communicate and get buy in before build is through clear documentation.

Don’t Take Anything Personally

Often, when it comes to business relationships, we think of ourselves as rock ‘em sock ‘em robots, divorcing ourselves from the real and present reality that we are humans working together to solve a problem. That depersonalization of the process can actually make us even more vulnerable to the effects of unacknowledged emotions. On both sides of the relationship, the inevitable points of tension in a project, often related to unclear communication, can bring you down more than the fully expressed and felt hurts of childhood.

Keeping in mind that we are all actually on the same team, understand that a follow up question from a designer or developer doesn’t mean that you are stupid or deficient somehow. Or that the person who was yesterday able to talk to you five times but hasn’t returned your email until a day later is somehow annoyed or fed up. In that instance in particular, chances are that she or he is trying to stay focused on incorporating your feedback.

On the production side, it’s always important for us to recognize that project owners and stakeholders are facing more and more pressure for results in a fast-paced and evolving marketplace. What can sometimes be short, and occasionally nasty and brutish comments from the client side often reflect what might be pressures at work. And the fact is that we are all only human, and sometimes we all just have bad days. We can’t let those imperfections get in the way of accomplishing something great.

Don’t Make Assumptions

Assumptions relate closely to being impeccable with your word and not taking anything personally. On the client side, don’t assume that your production team knows everything there is to know about your business and your likes and dislikes. We aren’t working on iterations of user interfaces and documentation as a form of torture, but to make sure your results are as you desire.

On the production side, documentation can seem equally onerous. But “measuring twice, cutting once” is essential to make sure we’re all moving in the same direction. When we get to the point of actually coding a program or a web site, changes are non-trivial from that point forward. We’ll get there as soon as possible, but not without making sure clients are as clear as possible about what exactly we’re building for you. At the end of the day, the client knows best what he or she needs to accomplish tangible business goals.

Do Your Best

Recognize that perfection is a pursuit, not a destination. Doing your best is the most anyone can ask of one another. Sometimes, team members might have a bad day. Communications can get missed. A change request might not be quite where you expected it.

But your team is working as hard as they can for you. Project managers do our best to facilitate, interpret and mediate needs among the entire team. When we prod or push back on the client or production teams, that is more often than not a recognition that another pass at a specific deliverable will make the end result better, knowing that what was provided was not done under the best circumstances. Or that the other agreements were missed.

Just going over the four agreements in your mind every day, in your work, in your personal interactions, can truly transform the quality of your project outcomes. Indeed, you can change the quality of your both your work and your personal life when you keep those simple four agreements in mind.

In a previous post we discussed how Twitter can be used effectively when hosting Twitter Chat. Having an editorial calendar for your tweets is also another great way to manage your voice on the channel. But Tweeting isn’t enough: you need a strategy for acquiring followers on an ongoing basis. There are several tactics you can do to ensue that you receive a steady stream of followers to your Twitter presence.

Put on a happy face with your profile

First impressions really do count. Just as your would take the time to be presentable to people you would meet at a face to face networking event, so too must you groom your Twitter profile. Make sure your description, link, and especially your photo are all professional representations of you and your business brand.

Studies have shown that people tend to gravitate towards picture of people rather than logos, so if at all possible, make sure your Twitter “avatar” is a professional-looking picture of you, that it is size appropriately to the avatar size. Also, be sure your photo is square, as Twitter will distort the picture otherwise. Ideally, the picture should just be of your face, as the dimensions are rather small.

Follow you, follow me

It isn’t enough to simply want people to follow you. The easiest way to get followers is to follow people yourself. It sounds like a no-brainer, but do you have any idea how often this part of the equation is left out?

Think about it: when someone follows you, the first thing you do is to go take a look at their profile. So, if your profile is compelling, your picture is professional, and you have some interesting hashtags, it seems natural that those you follow will want to follow you back. We make it a general rule of thumb, when we are learning about our prospects or even our existing clients, to follow them on social media channels, including Twitter.

Sometime finding people to follow can be a challenge. Some people like the tool tweepi to manage this process. In terms of a directory, I would opt for Twellow and start there. But, if you are using a post scheduling tool like Hootsuite, I would follow people who follow your followers (can you follow that logic) as well as influencers by hashtag or keyword.

It’s all about the hashtags

As mentioned in previous posts hashtags are the bread and butter of what makes Twitter go around These keywords wrapped in a number sign are the core of how people can search and follow topics of interest, and, ultimately your brand. But there is an etiquette to using hashtags.

Choose your hashtags wisely, and make sure you don’t use too many in a tweet, nor make the hashtags too specific. A general guide is two or three at the very most in a tweet.

Don’t make your Twitter presence a secret

It isn’t enough to have your social media accounts. You have to promote them. Make sure your Twitter profile link is in your email signature. Some people use text based links (“follow me on Twitter”) while other get fancy and use the social media icons with links. However you do it, it is a must have to promote your presence on Twitter.

To tweet and retweet

Never be afraid to ask for retweets. A study by SocialCode found that 43 times more retweets occur simply by asking people to do so. It is always a great practice to add call to action to your tweets, so why not let it be a request to retweet?

Increasing your followers has to be more than a “wait and see” approach to your presence. You must actively be campaigning for more followers, just as politicians actively campaign for votes. I can’t think of a single politician that won the race by simply talking, can you?