eNewsletter Articles

Seven Ways to Generate Website Conversions

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:31:01 +0000

By: Thomas Young - May 2011

The real measure of a Website’s effectiveness is the ability to convert Web users into sales. This is not an easy task and there are no quick fixes. It starts with learning the online conversion process and what works. Here are seven important strategies to effectively drive online conversions.

1. Define a Conversion

Websites exist for conversions. Yet, most Websites do not fully take advantage of the variety of conversion options and strategies. Many types of visitor interactions should be measured and are considered conversions. Google Analytics (GA) can monitor a variety of conversions and pre-defined user goals and becomes the basis for defining conversions. It is a very effective strategy to allow for multiple online conversion points. Here are a few examples:

Direct Website visits and targeted page visits.
Inquiries via email, phone or Web-based forms.
Visits to the “Contact Us” page.
A direct sale via the Website.
Email newsletter subscription.
Viewing or reprinting driving directions.
PDF download or application submission.
Webinar registrations.
RSS subscription to podcasts and blogs.
Sending content to a friend or co-worker.

This is not a complete list and conversions are only limited by one’s imagination, business needs and user intentions. The next step is the development of a conversion strategy and a Web marketing plan that supports overall organizational goals.

2. Develop a Conversion Strategy

It is important to identify how conversions happen by getting inside the head of the Website user and understanding their needs, hot buttons and intent. The better one understands how to meet user needs, the higher the conversion rate. Website users are very focused on getting what they want and Website data is a key indicator of that intent. This can be tracked in GA as a sales funnel, eCommerce data or goal completion. Survey the target market and conduct user testing to better understand user goals and use that information to develop the strategy.

Four common conversion strategies include:

Branding or building trust in target markets.
Converting visits into leads.
Selling online.
Building a competitive advantage.

The Website should clearly communicate the value and benefits of doing business with your company. Translate to the Web what your business does well and use that to drive a conversion strategy.

3. eCommerce versus Lead Generation

The vast majority of conversions fall into either direct online purchases or lead generation. All Websites should make it very easy and intuitive to make contact. Keep in mind, the Internet has replaced the phone book and many people will go to your Website just to find a phone number and office hours.

For eCommerce Websites, the products become the strategy. Merchandising, or how products are presented, is critical. Follow best practices as there is no need to start from scratch. Understand seasonality and other online shopping trends and target a conversion rate of 2-4%. If you can sell directly online, then you should.

In lead generation, the content becomes the strategy. Target a conversion rate of 1-2%. Follow-up or stay in touch programs will be critical to actually close the lead. Without it, your Web leads will not produce a return. Use Web content to develop a sales funnel and drive the inquiry.

4. Website Usability

Many Websites are difficult to use and actually barriers to online conversions. The easier your site is to use, the higher the conversion rate. User testing is a highly valuable form of market research that provides data on accomplishing this goal. Ask people to visit your Website, ask them what they are looking to find and give them tasks you can observe. Here is a summary of how users interact with Websites:

Form an instant impression of your company.
Start in the upper left hand corner.
Look at photos, especially people, and look for captions.
Ignore ads, clutter and marketing-speak content.
Quickly move to the navigation system.
Scan the content and move fast.
Most leave the Website quickly.

The solution is to be brave and keep it simple! Focus on two or three conversion points and include them on all Web pages and especially navigation menus. Avoid heavy graphics, write in the language of the user and conduct user testing to verify your assumptions.

5. Get Qualified Traffic

This should be obvious, but is not as most Websites have bounce rates over 50%. It is better to have less traffic, then the wrong traffic. Great content and a solid traffic generation strategy will achieve this goal. Review your stats to make sure the right traffic is coming to the Website and realize that low conversion rates may mean poor traffic. Make sure your company value, benefits and focus are clear in the content throughout the site and that search engine strategies match conversion goals.

6. Call to Action

All Websites must have very clear call to actions located near key content areas and on the main navigation. Thumbnails are a great design approach for combining content areas with call to action buttons or conversion links. Include a contact us or buy now button on every page or in every thumbnail.

Avoid “marketing speak” brochure copy and keep your content brief and action focused. Here is an example of marketing speak content: “We provide excellent service, innovative solutions, cutting edge products and top notch support.” Here is a more action focused approach: “A proven productive tool that saves you 30% and improves accounting results. Click here to learn how it works.”

Call to actions can be in tag-lines, captions, content, navigation systems and more. Follow best practices and meet the comfort level of your target market. Bigger is not always better, so avoid large ads or graphics to drive conversions.

7. Measure Results

All conversion points must be measured and tracked in GA, including your eCommerce sales data. The bottom line with conversions is ROI and all conversions can be measured against ROI in great detail. We have an ROI tool on our Website that can help you run the numbers on your Website to determine ROI. Click on this link to try it out:

Website ROI Calculator

Develop conversion points based on estimated ROI and track Website activity towards this goal.

Action Plan and Resources

Here is an action plan to get you started.

Develop a Web Marketing Plan that clearly identifies Website conversions.
Include in this plan a strategy and process for online conversions.
Conduct user testing.
Schedule a weekly or monthly Web conversion meeting.
Review www.FourStepProcess.com.
Visit www.IntuitiveWebsites.com for Webinars, podcast and more resources.
Check out Intuitive Website webinars Here
Check out Intuitive Website podcast Here

A Selling Revolution: Convert Sales People to Web Marketers Part Four: Follow-Up and Stay-in-Touch Programs for Web-Based Sales

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:23:15 +0000

By: Thomas Young - May 2011

Web marketing is tremendously powerful to not only create sales leads, but also to cost-effectively stay in touch with a large universe of potential customers at a very low cost. However, the best lead generation in the world is meaningless unless salespeople are prepared to make multiple contacts with their prospects.

Most Salespeople Give Up Too Early

Research has shown that prospects need multiple contacts before they are ready to buy. Most salespeople fail because they do not communicate enough or stay in touch with prospects until they are ready to buy. Salespeople often give up because of assumptions they make about prospects and the amount of work needed to close a sale. It is not enough to train salespeople to generate leads from the Web without also learning how to cost effectively stay in touch until the sale is closed.

Stay in Touch Methods

Staying in touch with prospects revolves around online content distribution. The major rule of thumb is that the content must be relevant and of high interest to the prospect or it will be ignored. Content must either improve the quality of life or help people do their job more effectively. All content should end up on the company blog or Website. Here are a six examples of content distribution methods.

Email Newsletters - Collect email names and send newsletters monthly.
Webinars - Develop a free 45-minute Webinar to present quarterly.
Podcasting - Reach a massive audience for free on iTunes with 10 minute audio segments.
Blogs - Keep a running journal of value-added content that informs and tells a story.
Website Content Updates - Develop a process of regular updates to your Website.
FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter - Communicate small nuggets of information and build discussions.

CRM and Google Analytics

CRM tools such as SaleForce.com can help track content distribution and provide data on prospect responses. Google Analytics reports on which content is most popular and provides a wealth of information on the results of content distribution strategies. Also, search engines love content. These strategies will not only help you stay in touch with prospects, but also improve your organic search engine rankings. The goal is to focus on automation and reaching a maximum number of people with content they want to read and share with others.

Action Plan

Here is an action plan to get you started.

Develop a Web Marketing Plan that integrates sales functions with Web marketing.
Include in this plan a strategy and process for content distribution online.
Send sales team members to www.FourStepProcess.com.
Develop a list of Web marketing resources for training.
Set time aside each day to read and learn about Web marketing.
Subscribe to at least five great Web marketing newsletters.
Visit www.IntuitiveWebsites.com for more resources.

Learning Resources

FourStepProcess.com
IntuitiveWebsites.com (see the resources section)
HubSpot.com
Shop.org (great email newsletter)
Google (click on business solutions)
SethGodin.com
Don’t Make Me Think (a book by Steve Krug)
Hundreds of additional resources can be found online.

Thomas Young is CEO and President of Intuitive Websites, a Colorado Springs based Internet marketing, Website design and development firm. He is a Vistage speaker and member for over 10 years. To learn more about Tom visit www.ThomasVYoung.com. He can be reached at 719-231-6916 or tom@intuitivewebsites.com.

A Selling Revolution: Convert Sales People to Web Marketers Part Three: How to Find and Train Salespeople to Market Online

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:18:56 +0000

By: Thomas Young - May 2011

In the first two parts of this article we discussed how to convert salespeople into Web marketers. In this article, we will discuss how to recruit and train salespeople to excel as Web marketers and drive leads.

Hiring is the greatest challenge in developing an effective sales team. Finding a rep with online marketing skills makes hiring a greater challenge. However, finding a sales person with those skills is a real benefit to the company and the sales rep. The organization gets more sales and leads, and the sales rep gets more enjoyment from their work. The challenge is to find salespeople with those skills or convert current sales team members into Web marketers by providing access to online marketing job functions or training.

Hiring and Training Recommendations

Here are a few suggestions for hiring and training salespeople that can market online.

Look for salespeople that are very comfortable on the Web. People that have attempted to build a Website or frequently use Facebook and other social media sites are good candidates and will naturally want to learn more about Web marketing.
These salespeople should have a high comfort level with technology and a passion for the Internet and Web marketing knowledge. Without this passion, there may be little incentive to learn and practice online marketing skills.
Encourage Web marketing learning from proven Web resources. You can find nearly unlimited resources on the Internet and make time for salespeople to try out what they learn and convert natural selling skills to Web marketing. Set-up Web stats and ROI tracking to measure their performance.
It is important to modify incentive and rewards systems around Web marketing skills that include lead creation, online conversions, an understanding of Web stats, email marketing and more.

Some of the best candidates for Web marketing positions may already be a part of your current sales team. Do some internal investigating and see if you come across the skill sets that can go beyond traditional selling and into a more effective Web marketing approach to drive leads. Watch out for non-technical salespeople because they will find it more difficult over time to generate leads and close sales.

Action Plan

Here is an action plan to get you started.

Interview the sales team for Web interests, skills and passion.
Send sales team members to www.FourStepProcess.com.
Develop a list of Web marketing resources for training.
Set time aside each day to read and learn about Web marketing.
Subscribe to at least five great Web marketing newsletters.
Visit www.IntuitiveWebsites.com for more resources.
Read part four of this article coming soon titled “Follow-Up and Stay-in-Touch Programs for Web-Based Sales.”

Learning Resources

FourStepProcess.com
IntuitiveWebsites.com (see the resources section)
HubSpot.com
Shop.org (great email newsletter)
Google (click on business solutions)
SethGodin.com
Don’t Make Me Think (a book by Steve Krug)
Hundreds of additional resources can be found online.

Part Two - The Role of Salespeople in Web Marketing

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:18:54 +0000

A Selling Revolution: Convert Sales People to Web Marketers

Objective

In part one, we discussed the changes in personal selling brought on by the Web. In this article we will review the steps salespeople must take to be as successful as online marketers. The Internet has proven to be the best lead generator in history. It has become both the local and global Yellow Pages, replacing the phone book and providing unlimited information about your products and services, without excessive fees. Successful salespeople must learn to create qualified leads from Web marketing efforts.

It Starts with an Education

YIf salespeople are to make the transition from traditional sales roles to Web marketers, they must first learn the basics of Web marketing. This is a personal choice and if they are not willing to learn there is not much hope. The necessary skills will not come from a college or university. Internet marketing skills are developed by doing and watching and acting on results. It is critical to stay on top of changes which can literally happen overnight

There is no quick fix! It takes time and effort to get Web marketing efforts optimized and successful. This effort will payoff many times over with increased leads and sales. Anyone can learn these skills at a minimal cost from many free resources available online. The biggest challenge is finding the desire and motivation to make the change and learn a new approach to sales.

What Web Marketing Skills are Needed?

Salespeople do not have to be IT or design professionals to be successful at Web marketing. The key is to provide strategic, sales focused direction to IT and design professionals. They will bring the skills needed to modify the Website, following the directions of sales and marketing professionals. This process will not be successful unless the sales team has a basic understanding of Internet marketing strategy.

The Starting Point - Four Steps to Successful Web Marketing

EOur extensive research of the industry over the past 13 years has generated a Four Step Process as an excellent starting point for salespeople learning to become Web marketers. The four steps are:

Strategy
Design and Development
Driving Traffic
Website Performance

These four steps are the foundation for learning about Web marketing and developing an action plan to drive results. Visit the Website www.FourStepProcess.com to learn more.

Online Content Distribution

Each of the four steps leads to a lengthy list of action items. Once the Website has an excellent strategy and great design, the next step is driving traffic. The salesperson’s role in driving traffic is mostly based on written content. This content can be posted on the company Website, used in email marketing or throughout the Internet on a variety of Websites. This is the most time consuming, yet most effective role of a Web marketer. Website content comes in a variety of formats including the following examples:

Email Newsletters
Website Content
Blog Postings
Podcasts
Webinars
Informational Articles
Social Media Postings

This is how salespeople must sell today and in the future. The traditional ‘sales pitch’ has been replaced by carefully crafted, inviting Websites, informative email contacts and effective use of social media sources. Salespeople must become experts on their product and services, facilitate expert discussions and understand in great depth how targeted markets use the Internet.

Action Plan

Here is an action plan to get you started.

Study the Four Step Process (FourStepProcess.com)
IntuitiveWebsites.com ( see the resources section)
HubSpot.com
Shop.org (great email newsletter)
Google (click on business solutions)
SethGodin.com
Don’t Make Me Think (a book by Steve Krug)
Hundreds of additional resources can be found online
Read Part Three: How to Find and Train Salespeople to Market Online
Read Part Four: Follow-Up and Stay-in-Touch Programs for Web-Based Sales

Contact Tracey Poland to sign-up and to learn more.

Tracey@IntuitiveWebsites.com

719-291-5125

Thomas Young is CEO and President of Intuitive Websites, a Colorado Springs based Internet marketing, Website design and development firm. To learn more about Tom, visit www.ThomasVYoung.com. He can be reached at 719-231-6916 or tom@intuitivewebsites.com.

A Selling Revolution Convert Sales People to Web Marketers Part One - How the Internet Changed Personal Selling

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:27:52 +0000

February 2011
by Thomas Young

Who Should Read This Article

This article is for business professionals looking to increase leads and sales. Read this if you are a sales and marketing manager, sales rep, business manager, small business owner, CEO or interested in learning about the impact of the Web on personal selling.

Selling and Marketing Turned Upside Down The Internet caused a selling revolution by putting total purchasing and decision making authority in the hands of prospective buyers. If your Website does not have what prospects want, another Website will meet their needs. Today’s sales force is no longer required to find prospects for products and services; prospects will find you online. This has put an end to traditional prospecting and driven lead generation online.

As companies drive higher productivity, prospects don’t have time for meetings to learn about things that may or may not work. In fact, managers that have time for fact finding sales calls will not be at their jobs very long. It is much faster and easier to search the Web. Companies must adapt to this changing environment and realize ROI from cold calling and prospecting are quickly diminishing.

Traditional Sales Roles Have Changed

Traditional selling models involved the basics of prospecting, qualifying, presenting, handling objections and closing. Old school salespeople spend most of their time finding prospects they could meet and qualify. This process has become obsolete and the roles have changed as the prospective customer or client is now in charge of prospecting and qualifying via Web searches and online content. Prospective customers have replaced your traditional sales activities! Your Website has become the first presentation and is vital in moving a prospect towards a sale.

In the past, prospects relied on the sales person’s knowledge and sales abilities to move towards a close. This is no longer the case, as the Internet is the main resource for these buyers to learn and they no longer have time for salespeople.

So what is the role of salespeople? Are they necessary? Absolutely!

Salespeople Must Become Web Marketers

Salespeople must be fully integrated into Web marketing because Web marketing now is the primary driver of the sales process! They must learn how to market online to drive leads. Web leads and prospects will be highly qualified, so the most time consuming part of the old sales process can be skipped in its entirety. The sales rep can move right into highly qualified selling and closing with an educated prospect. Good salespeople must know how to identify and connect with prospects from the world’s best lead generator, the Internet.

Great Salespeople are Perfect for Web Marketing

A sales rep’s value and ROI to your organization is in direct proportion to how well they can market online. The good news is that the fundamentals of Web marketing are similar to the basics of selling. Your company’s Website is now a key sales tool and needs to function like a great prospector. The Website should be easy to use and simple to understand. Focus on key benefits and push visitor hot buttons to drive inquiries.

Develop a sales and marketing plan to drive leads from the Web and hold your salespeople accountable to make this happen. It is too expensive to pay for prospecting efforts when it produces such poor ROI. Businesses that take a Web-savvy approach to selling will outpace competitors. In part two we’ll go deeper into the role of salespeople in Web marketing.

Action Plan

Now that I have made a case, here is an action plan to get you started.

Learn the basics of Web marketing.

Designate a team member as Web marketing manager to oversee this process.

Identify salespeople that should run Web marketing programs.

Develop a Web marketing and sales plan for your company.

Visit our Website at www.IntuitiveWebsites.com for more resources.

Read part two of this article coming soon.

Part Two: The Role of Sales People in Web Marketing

Part Three: How to Find and Train Salespeople to Market Online

Part Four: Follow-Up and Stay-in-Touch Programs for Web-Based Sales

Make 2011 the Year of an Improved Website

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:18:54 +0000

January 2011
by Thomas Young

Welcome to the New Year and an opportunity to maximize the performance of your company’s Website. Here are a few tips to make that happen.

The Company Website is Easy to Ignore

Many companies find it easy to ignore their most powerful marketing resource, the Internet, and continue to miss many opportunities for sales growth. This happens because the Website is not visible in day-to-day operations, even though thousands of people may visit the Website every day!

Start with Strategy

Your Website may not need a complete re-design, but an updated strategy. This can be fixed by reviewing key messaging on the site, such as home page taglines and conversion points. These small improvements better define your strategy, and how you add value can have a major impact on the site’s results.

Is Social Media Right for You?

There is much buzz and talk about Facebook and social media and it’s true, this is a fast growing part of the Internet, but is it right for your company? Does a social media strategy makes sense? Make sure you actually need social media and that your Website is in good shape before you invest the time and money.

Monitor the Website

Effective Websites must be watched and monitored. Review your Web stats on a weekly basis and understand how the site is performing. Pay close attention to your total visitors and bounce rate--people that only visit one page and leave immediately.

Call for a Consultation with a Web Marketing Consultant

We are now offering consultations to review your Website strategy, design, traffic generation, stats and other Web marketing initiatives. Call or email us today to schedule your appointment. And, yes, we will offer our services to help you if it makes sense!

More Knowledge

Intuitive Websites is also increasing its output and Website work. Look for the following in 2011:

• Monthly Webinars

• Two Podcasts per month

• Monthly article and newsletter

• Four Website review Webinars, one every three months

• A new company Website in 2011

All this and more in 2011 as we gear up to provide more value to our clients, partners and Website visitors.

Contact Tracey Poland to sign-up and to learn more.

Tracey@IntuitiveWebsites.com

719-291-5125

Website Development Summary: Joomla CMS

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:27:55 +0000

April 2010
By: Thomas Young, CEO Intuitive Websites, LLC

Download this whitepaper:
Website Development Summary: Joomla CMS (721 KB PDF file)

Objective

This is a brief review of the Joomla CMS (Content Management System). The article will discuss the key issues and benefits of using the Joomla open source CMS system to build Websites. This is also a discussion of the pros and cons of Joomla CMS versus static HTML Websites.

Joomla was selected as the technology of choice by Intuitive Websites for non-eCommerce Websites after much experience with a variety of software and development platforms including .NET, Flash, Cold Fusion, Front Page and DreamWeaver to name a few. Joomla outperforms these software options in several areas described in this document.

What is Joomla?

Joomla is a Website development platform that pulls content from a database and displays it on template based pages on the Web. The database separates the Website's content (text, photos and media) from its structure (design, functionality and code). This separation allows two things to happen:

Users can edit page content via a Web browser while Web developers can simultaneously but separately edit the site's structure.
Developers can make site wide changes by editing the template one time instead of making redundant edits to every page on the site.

Joomla CMS Strategy Summary

Joomla works best with Websites that depend on content based strategies to drive results. These are usually sites whose purpose is lead generation or branding. Because content drives results, it is important to have the flexibility to add new content and edit existing content from a Web browser as needed. Content management is the major strength of Joomla. If the Website needs content to drive results, then Joomla is the best solution.

Why Build a Joomla CMS Website?

The three key objectives behind a Joomla Website include the following:

Joomla allows users to edit the site from any browser.
Joomla templates improve design with CMS templates that are flexible, easy to modify and easily integrate with current content, photos, logos and graphics.
Flexibility in the design, content and Web modules allow for a more dynamic Website that will peak user interest, driving inquiries to the sales team and online sales.

In order to allow for more flexible site updates and content modifications, a Joomla CMS Website is recommended. It is very common for Google to index hundreds of Website pages and using DreamWeaver or static HTML to edit a large Website is like having multiple users editing a large word processing document and saving it every time they complete their edits. This will result in limited access to the Website and lost work as users save over each other's work.

Project management and site accessibility is very limited when working on large HTML Websites. Websites need to be dynamic and allow multiple users to edit the site as needed. The site should also have a professional and modern looking design that is flexible and can be easily modified from a template, which saves development and coding costs. Joomla CMS allows for this and much more.

Why Use Open Source CMS?

Open source software, like Joomla, has been around since the early days of the World Wide Web in the 1990s. It has grown increasingly in popularity and is now a mainstream in Website development. Developers from around the world prepare the code for the CMS software and it is downloaded for free by Website developers and designers. An organization is formed to monitor and set standards for the CMS software and the release of new versions.

Open source applications have exploded as technology consumers move away from the concept of licensing fee based software to readily available code that can be used for free. Not only is the code free, but it is also updated and improved by the huge team of developers that also create plugins and other modules that enhance the functionality. This is the future of major software applications for both online and offline applications. The days of a developer writing code and then licensing that code will soon be gone to the great benefit of Website owners that will now have access to the site's source code. This puts the value emphasis on the developer and not the code.

This concept has also taken hold among small businesses who want to customize Web applications to meet their needs, rather than rely on licensed software products that come with limitations, restrictions and additional costs. Costs are less with open source because you pay for installation and set-up of the application, rather than the fees to buy the software. Best of all, the code can be edited at any time to improve site functionality.

Joomla is the most popular of the open source CMS programs in PHP programming language and was selected by Intuitive Websites following much research and work with other HTML tools and .NET applications.

The Joomla Interface

The CMS interface in Joomla is easy to use, so non-programmers can perform tasks that were difficult in HTML and on static page Websites. The interface is clean and allows for multiple staff members to make site updates without the risk of over-writing each other's work. The CMS manages the database of content and placement on the page so programming is not required. This also saves money.

Here is a screen shot of the Joomla user interface screen:

Here is an example of the Joomla editor:

Here are just a few examples of Websites that use Joomla:

MTV Networks Quizilla (Social networking)
IHOP (Restaurant chain)
Harvard University (Educational)
The Green Maven (Eco-resources)
Outdoor Photographer
PlayShakespeare.com (Cultural)
Senso Interiors (Furniture design)

More examples of companies using Joomla can be found in the Joomla Community Site Showcase.

Here are a few examples of Websites built by Intuitive Websites in Joomla:

Because it is open source and has a large community of programmers, Joomla has thousands of extensions and plugins to modify and improve the site as needed. These include modules for eCommerce, calculators, registrations, calendars, galleries, document services, social networking, blogs and much more. More information on these extensions and software plugins can be found at the following links:

Joomla templates are also cross-browser tested for Mac and PC and look good on all browsers, requiring less programming and testing. Also, Joomla notifies the developer when updates are available and they can be downloaded for free.

Content can be set to publish immediately or on a given date so the site can always be fresh and multiple pages can be written at one time and then show up on the Website when needed. This is an especially important function for content rich Websites. It is also important for content that is driven by dates, like seminars and workshops or email newsletters. Content can be automatically posted on the Website by publish date and also removed as needed.

A demo of the Joomla back-end can be performed at any time by an Intuitive Websites team member. Learn more about Joomla at www.Joomla.org. Learn more about open source initiatives at www.OpenSource.org.

Static HTML vs. Joomla CMS

Static HTML Websites work best for small brochure type sites that have few updates and pages. They are most often created in software programs such as DreamWeaver or by programmers writing HTML code. Static page Websites are generally cheaper at the start of the process, but the up-keep and maintenance of large Websites will make it more expensive to edit and update in HTML over time. Joomla CMS is faster and easier to edit and can cut Web staff time considerably.

CMS Websites handle the code in a much more robust and flexible manner than an HTML editor. This saves time and money as internal staff can be responsible for Website edits and modifications. This leads to less time spent with a Web language programmer (PHP or ASP), DreamWeaver or HTML programmer. There is no need to re-write pages that are over-written during the editing process in HTML.

The bottom line is that both static HTML pages and CMS pages can work. But because of the size of many content rich Websites and their need for a variety of modules, content published by dates and the large amount of content pages, Joomla CMS is recommended.

CMS Security

There can be security issues with all servers and Websites. There is not a greater security risk with Joomla because it is open source or a CMS system. The best way to keep any site secure is to first select a solid and dependable hosting company with regular back-ups and a solid history of secure Website hosting. Intuitive Websites will handle this for our clients. Websites should also be backed-up weekly so if attacked a fresh back-up is ready to be installed. Second, make sure the user name and password for the site are in safe hands at all times and changed on a regular basis. The biggest issue around site security is the login information getting into the wrong hands.

Various levels of access can also be granted via the Joomla CMS login so users can be set-up to have full access as administrators or more basic levels of access as basic content editors. Joomla also allows for page restrictions based on the user's access level to edit the site.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Joomla Improvements

Several years ago the major search engines struggled with dynamic pages and how to index them for search results. This happened for a variety of reasons, but primarily because most sites in the early days of the Web were static HTML sites and the search engines were programmed to find HTML pages and index the related pages. This changed about four or five years ago as Google noticed the explosion of dynamic Websites and began changing their technology to make sure these sites were listed in search reports. Currently, there is no longer any relevance to this issue as Joomla and other CMS Websites dominate the Intranet and Google indexes these sites so they show in the search results. Other search engines followed Google.

Intuitive Websites has been working with Joomla for over four years and have seen significant improvements in our clients' search results using the same fundamental SEO principles, but implemented on Joomla Websites. Joomla uses search engine friendly URLs and the code of each Joomla page is indexed by Google. Also, Google will see this site as new content and pages because it is a new Website and this may cause rankings to improve as Google indexes the new content.

The growth in Joomla as a Web development platform and the attention it has received from Google are two key indicators that it is an effective and successful development platform.

Joomla CMS Software Updates

Joomla software updates and improvements become available on a regular basis. Intuitive Websites tracks these updates and will recommend to our clients when an upgrade is needed to improve functionality or the back-end editor. Most new Websites do not need any upgrades for one to two years minimum following the development and launch of the new Joomla Website.

Intuitive Websites will upgrade our clients' Websites to new versions of Joomla when needed to meet their strategic Web marketing needs. Joomla upgrades are seamless and use as a patch upgrade, which require very little work, no downtime for the site and virtually no cost. All Websites should be backed-up before any upgrades are performed for extra security.

Conversion to Joomla from HTML

Content is the most important consideration when converting a Website to Joomla from static HTML or other development platforms. This process works best when there is a well-defined process for the transition. Content includes written content, photos, images, graphics, videos and other data.

The first step is to outline a detailed site map and assign content to each page of the site map. This is followed by template and graphic design selections. Together these two steps are used to develop the structure for the new Joomla Website. Content is then cut and pasted into each page and formatted via the established design guidelines for each page.

Current links can be cut and pasted into the content. The page URL addresses can be changed or kept the same if needed, but many links will need to be added manually, which is very easy to do in the Joomla editor. The Website development staff should be trained on all aspects of this data and content conversion process. All search engine optimized code from the HTML site should be copied over to the new pages.

It does take work to make this conversion happen, but things go much easier if they are planned in advance, including interior page design guidelines and formats for content. The payoff comes in the use of the new site and the design flexibility for future modifications that come with Joomla.

Cost/Benefit Analysis

The cost/benefit analysis for the Joomla Website is very promising. It is comprised of time and money savings, along with better Website performance.

Time and Money Savings

It will take less time to edit the Website.
More staff and team members can add content simultaneously saving project management costs and speeding up development time.
Work on the site will not be overwritten, resulting in having to re-create pages and redundant work.
Templates can be changed and modified in the CMS program, which greatly reduce design and development costs.
Joomla modules require minimum program and most are free to install.
A minimum amount of technical support will be needed to maintain the site.

Improved Website Performance

A professional Joomla template will give the site more credibility and a more modern look, which builds trust and leads to a higher conversion rate.
It will be easier to create and edit new Web pages.
Continued SEO of all new pages will drive search results.
Improved functionality and an easier to use Website interface will drive conversions.

All of these costs and benefits can be tracked in the Intuitive Websites Monthly Website Performance program. The Intuitive Websites team has the capabilities to develop static HTML pages for any Website, but we can't recommend this as the best option for a successful Web marketing strategy. Intuitive Websites considers it our obligation to track Web successes that drive ROI from both our development and marketing efforts. This is why we have chosen Joomla as our development platform of choice for content based Websites.

Thomas Young is CEO and President of Intuitive Websites, a Colorado Springs based Internet marketing, Website design and usability firm. To learn more about Tom visit www.ThomasVYoung.com. He can be reached at 719-231-6916 or tom@IntuitiveWebsites.com

Five Steps to Measuring Return from Website Marketing

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:30:56 +0000

March 2010
By: Thomas Young, CEO Intuitive Websites, LLC

The vast majority of Websites function as critical marketing channels for business. Yet, most companies fail to track the return on their investment, or ROI, from Web marketing. It is absolutely essential that any money invested in Website technology, design or marketing is measured properly and shows an acceptable return or ROI. Website marketing produces comprehensive data and stats that can easily be used to track results.

Here are five steps to getting a solid ROI from Web marketing.

Understand Conversions

What is the definition of a conversion on your Website? Website ROI is driven by conversions and many sites do not have this well defined. This is the starting point because without a conversion there is nothing to measure! Most conversions are direct sales from the Website, lead generation, email signups and other measurable actions.

Value of a Sale

It is important to know the value of an average Website order or lead and the lifetime value of that customer. The value of the transaction, or customer, determines ROI and determines acceptable conversion rate targets.

Website Conversion Rates

It is very important to understand the expected and typical conversion rates from Web marketing. There are two conversion rates to consider. The first is based on the amount of Web traffic that comes into your site from marketing efforts and the second is based on the percentage of visitors that convert to leads or sales. These are easily tracked in Google Analytics.

Set-up a Monitoring System

Schedule regular meetings to review Website stats and to track conversion rates. Google Analytics, or similar stats program, is a must have to track ROI. Filter this data to find the stats that are most important in measuring conversion rates and track the total spend back to the results.

Adjust Goals and Strategy

Websites are never finished and can almost always be improved. This requires adjustments to your strategy and conversion points. These adjustments and tweaks could be as simple as moving a conversion point to the navigation menu or into content.

Web marketing allows for the development of reporting systems that can track accurately the ROI from Web marketing projects. Take advantage of this knowledge and learn to drive returns from a marketing program that can easily prove its worth.

Thomas Young is CEO and President of Intuitive Websites, a Colorado Springs based Internet marketing, Website design and usability firm. To learn more about Tom visit www.ThomasVYoung.com. He can be reached at 719-231-6916 or tom@IntuitiveWebsites.com

What's Most Important for a Successful Website?

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:22:55 +0000

February 2010
By: Thomas Young, CEO Intuitive Websites, LLC

Three very different disciplines must work together to launch a successful Website. These relationships are critical to the site's success, yet conflicts usually arise. Here are a few ideas on how to find the right solution and drive results from the three disciplines:

Marketing - The strategy and content for a Website.
Design - The colors, fonts, look and feel and Website graphics
Development - The technology platform for the Website.

It is difficult to find three professions more different in business today. Which of these three functions are most important and which should drive the Website's results? The answer should not be a surprise to our readers. The majority of Websites are marketing tools and therefore marketing is most important. Many Websites lack clear and effective marketing direction and this leads to poor results.

Marketing Drives Design

It is very common during the early stages of the Website development process for design issues to drive the project. This is wasted energy and can easily lead to bad decisions and also provide the wrong direction. The process should be driven by strategic marketing planning. This planning will set the design direction, which is secondary to driving results and meeting user needs.

Marketing Drives Development

The same is true for development and technology issues. The first rule of thumb is Website usability. Usability is more important than any other technical issue. The biggest mistake made in development is selecting a restrictive development platform because it works for the developer.

Avoid Sample Size of One

It is very common for one key person on the Website project to make major decisions based on their personal experience and preferences. This is often based on judgements around design and development. These decisions should be based on solid branding and marketing fundamentals.

Website Users Drive Marketing

The Website user drives the entire process. How well the site meets user needs will determine the Website's ROI and overall results. Smart marketers let customers and prospects drive results and provide strategic direction for the actual Website marketing.

Ultimately, Website marketing is a marketing function and both design and development teams should follow the lead of marketing professionals. Marketing teams should follow the lead of prospects, customers, clients and ultimately Website users. This leads to happy site users, excellent ROI and Website conversions.

Is Your Website Generic?

tom@intuitivewebsites.com (Tom Young) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:40:20 +0000

January 2010
By: Thomas Young, CEO Intuitive Websites, LLC

Many Websites struggle to communicate value and fail to engage visitors and drive marketing results. This often happens because the site has nothing unique to offer and appears generic to the Website user. Value and uniqueness does not come from flash and sizzle, but from the fundamental ideas that drive marketing success. Here are a few tips that add value and help avoid the development of a generic Website.

A Clear and Direct Tagline

The single most important piece of content on a Website is a clear tagline that clearly communicates to your target market who you are and the value you can bring. This content speaks to your target market, brands the Website and helps it to stand out from competitors by insuring it is unique and not generic.

Avoid Marketing-Speak Copy

Take the time to learn and understand the basics of writing copy for the Web. Avoid brochure copy or talking about your business too much and focus on direct communication that is benefit focused in a language understood by the Web user. For example, if you are a tax accountant, do not write that you are a “financial specialist with a broad range of accounting and budgetary skills” and do write that you “help people get their taxes done on time, maximize returns and minimize tax payments.” This is the real benefit.

Remove Internal Company Content

Every organization has their own internal language of terms in the office. Make sure your Website communicates in the language of the Website user and not the internal and often cryptic language of the people that work in the business. A simple direct message combined with an easy to use Website will keep your site from appearing generic to users and lead to greater returns.

Avoid Clip Art Images with No Captions

Clip art images with no messaging is the ultimate in generic Website design. It is not uncommon to see the same clip art image on multiple Websites. Use pictures of real people in your company and if you are selling intangible services, then use unique images that are aligned with strong, direct messaging about the value offered.

Your Business is NOT Generic

What do you do in your current business that is exciting and drives clients and customers to you? This should be the central theme of the content on your Website. Expressing and communicating the value you provide is what keeps your site from being generic. Work to make your Website a breath of fresh air and avoid the mistake of developing a generic Website.