But what if the answer was “$18M” – Eighteen million US dollars?

That was the declared total investment required by the Four Seasons luxury hotel chain for their brand new corporate web presence.

The [...]]]> “How much will it costs?” is probably the most common question asked in most businesses, and its no different in web development and internet marketing.

But what if the answer was “$18M” – Eighteen million US dollars?

That was the declared total investment required by the Four Seasons luxury hotel chain for their brand new corporate web presence.

The work clearly included a lot of supporting activities such as photography, video as well as upgrading and replacement of the supporting infrastructure of back-end systems for worldwide online bookings and integration with social media. It is also optimised to be mobile friendly. But that’s still a ‘big ticket’!

Four Seasons are looking for their new web presence  to move more business online, and increase direct bookings. It should also help improve their brand image and give guests more tools to micro-manage their bookings.

So what do you think of their new site?

Of course, only time will tell whether the $18M delivers the required return on investment to Four Seasons.

Already many businesses are finding over 20% of their web visitors are using mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Androids and Blackberry devices.

While most websites will show up on a smartphone, they won’t provide a great user experience unless they have been designed with mobile [...]]]> By 2013, more people will be accessing the internet through their mobile phone, than through a PC.

Already many businesses are finding over 20% of their web visitors are using mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, Androids and Blackberry devices.

While most websites will show up on a smartphone, they won’t provide a great user experience unless they have been designed with mobile devices and mobile users in mind.

A truly mobile-friendly site is tailored to the needs of mobile users and the capabilities of the different mobile devices.

So is your website mobile-friendly?

Google have launched a new website www.howtogomo.com that includes a simple tool to “test your site” to check how it displays on a mobile device.

Why not try it now?

However having a mobile friendly is only part of the wider mobile marketing opportunity. Depending upon your industry sector and target client base, your business could also benefit from mobile advertising or even location-specific marketing.

Give WSI Chester a call today on 01928 787026 to discuss how mobile marketing can deliver real results to your business.

But there are signs that Bing is beginning to win some market share from Google within specific user categories.

Social networkers – last year Bing established partnerships with the two leading social networks – Facebook and Twitter, whereas Google focused on launching its [...]]]> Google continues to dominates search traffic worldwide, although the level varies from country to country.

But there are signs that Bing is beginning to win some market share from Google within specific user categories.

Social networkers – last year Bing established partnerships with the two leading social networks – Facebook and Twitter, whereas Google focused on launching its new social network Google+.  As a result, Bing is now the default search engine within Facebook which boasts over 800M users worldwide bringing increased search traffic to Bing as well as raising visibility.

Gamers - in 2011, Microsoft improved the integration of Bing within the XBox and Kinect gaming consoles, giving access to another young demographic user community. And it is hoped they will then continue to use Bing for their other searching.

Mobile Users – currently this is dominated by Google through its Android smartphone technology and integration with Apple’s iOS. However 2012 should be the year when new products from the Microsoft/Nokia deal reach the market. Built upon Windows Phone 7 with Bing installed by default, these should start to win some mobile market share. At the same time,the significantly improved Bing app for Andriod and iOS launched in November 2011 should also win more users. Starting from a very low base, the only way is up for Bing in the mobile sector.

Google clearly recognises Bing as a worthy adversary as evidenced by the recent renewal of its agreement with Mozilla for Google to be the default search engine within the Firefox browser. That deal is valued at almost $1Billion spread over the next three years.

In fact, using a Facebook profile for anything other than an individual person is a direct violation of Facebook’s terms of service, and can result in it being deleted without warning from the system.

Unfortunately many businesses in the [...]]]> As most people are now aware,  Facebook profiles are meant for individuals, and Pages for organisations, brands, businesses etc.

In fact, using a Facebook profile for anything other than an individual person is a direct violation of Facebook’s terms of service, and can result in it being deleted without warning from the system.

Unfortunately many businesses in the past have ignored this, setting up profiles rather than pages. And until recently, Facebook did not provide a mechanism to convert from one to the other and move a network of followers.

However help is now at hand as Facebook has opened up a migration path (see Facebook Help) which will transfer the profile pictures and add all profile friends and subscribers as people who like your page.

No other content is transferred, so any other important content within the FB profile e.g. messages, photo albums should be downloaded from the profile before the migration process is started, and then manually added in to the page.

If you are one of those businesses still using a profile on Facebook, then now’s the time to plan the move to a FB Page. The benefits of using a Page are huge as it offers a wide range of features and facilities to help you promote your brand.

A Facebook Page is an important internet marketing asset for many businesses. Give Andy at WSI Chester a call on 01928 787026 to learn more about how Facebook could help your business.

But are mobile devices just a more convenient replacement for the laptop or desktop PC , or are they [...]]]> More and more people are routinely using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to access the web. For example, YouTube is predicting mobile devices will be the dominant form of accessing videos in the UK by 2013.

But are mobile devices just a more convenient replacement for the laptop or desktop PC , or are they being used differently?

All the current research shows that mobiles are definitely used differently :-

1. Mobile means Local Search

Both Google and Bing have found that a far higher proportion of mobile searches are locally focused, compared with a traditional pc. Often these searches are taking place while ‘out in the world’ rather than office-based e.g. where’s the nearest Post Office? Local restaurant deals? How do I get to…?

For websites with a local focus or content that can be localised, it therefore pays to optimise it for mobile.

2. Mobile means Now!

Research from Microsoft has shown that mobile searchers tend to use more keywords i.e. be more specific in their searches. They are often looking for information to help them make imminent buying decisions, perhaps comparison shopping while in-store. Consumers searching on a mobile will typically complete a purchase within 24 hours, whereas pc users take considerably longer.

The mobile user is ready to act, so make it easy for them with well presented information and clear calls to action including ‘click-to-call’ as well as web actions.

3. Mobile is ‘out-of-hours’

Mobile devices are used on the go through-out the day and into the evening, combining both personal and professional searches. Contrast that pc-based searches which largely track the working day.

Mobile search volumes from tablets and smartphones typically peak around 9pm.

This can have implications on customer services and choosing appropriate calls-to-action.

So the moral is clear: before you launch into mobile search marketing campaigns, make sure you will be driving traffic to at least a mobile optimized landing page and ideally a mobile optimized website.

You are targeting highly motivated, ready-to-act users searching to solve their problems as soon as possible. Be prepared for them!

For more information and assistance with mobile marketing, contact WSI Chester today.