Yesterday we received an e-mail from the sister of one of our client’s who owns a local catering business in Orange County. Check them out on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/ABOCatering

Below is the e-mail she sent us, and below that you can see my reply. I think it’s worth checking out because I often get posed this question by business owners. “I want people to find my site in search, so where should I start?”

The steps outlined here are instructive for anyone looking to get a solid footing in driving traffic to their website through search engines.

If you’d like a step-by-step instructional primer on search engine optimization, download my e-book the 7-step System for SEO Results by clicking here.

Hi Danny

I was wondering if you could suggest How my catering company could get higher up on google without paying a MILLION dollars casue I dont have much to spend I have to buy a building now as you know so I am a little tight on CASH.  Let me know if you can help.

thanks

Chef Cassie

Hey Cassie,

Thanks for thinking of me.

There is no one-size fits all solution, but there are a variety of options you can consider depending on what your budget is. The more your budget, the better the results.

Your website is pleasant on eye at and your food photos look delicious. But there’s a lot of simple improvements you can make starting on your site.

1) First – the lack of any keywords on the website. Google uses these keywords to determine what a website is about, so they can place the site appropriately in the search results.

The most important use of the keywords in to place them in a web page’s title tag and in a “Heading 1″ tag. I’ll use West Coast Flooring’s website as an example:

2) Second – Blog at least twice a week. You’ve got great photos and stories on Facebook – put these on your site. I have another client whose site we manage called Alchemy Fine Events and she posts photos of all her event decorations here: http://alchemyfineevents.com/blog and her website gets over 50,000 visitors a month. (I can put you guys in touch if you’d like to meet over coffee)

3) Third – Creating “depth of content.” For a great example of this I like to use http://www.laubergedelmar.com – If you click on any of the menu tabs, you’ll find that there are sub-pages on each with “related content:”

On the Spa page for instance, you see sub-pages like Spa Services, Spa Specials, Spa Products, and so on.

If you created pages like this for your food pages on your website and used the right keywords, for instance, you would have tremendous results. That’s because these inner pages can be optimized as well, and can drive a significant portion of traffic to your website – people don’t just arrive at your home page.

4) Fourth – Various odds and ends you can do, such as putting links to other pages within the text of your site, using keywords. Build in external links as well so you’ll rank higher – a good place to start is by filling out local directory profiles, on sites like http://getlisted.org. Guest blogging is another great strategy that Google likes.

Some other odds and ends like integrating social sharing into the site and Pinterest, and some other technical improvements such as a creation of a sitemap at http://anythingbutordinarycatering.com/sitemap.xml, etc.

Most of this stuff is pretty simple and straight-forward, and much of it one-time improvements. It starts by identifying your desired keywords, and making some on-page and off-page improvements. Then it becomes a matter of creating content for the site, and building in links from other websites so that you rank higher and higher.

Hope this gives you a better idea of what might be feasible.

Thanks for writing in Cassie!

I just finished completing the Altitude Business Quiz created by Eben Pagan at http://www.freebusinessquiz.com.

Below are the results.

Hey Danny,

Here’s your rating and analysis based on the answers you gave to our online quiz. It looks like you have some fantastic opportunities in your business!
Question 1: How often do you communicate with your prospects and customers?

Your Answer: More often than once per week

If you are really communicating with your prospects and customers more than once per week, then you are in the TINY minority of businesses who are “on track” in this area.

Inside of our businesses, we try to communicate with our prospects and customers at least three times per week, and often more.

Money-Making Tip: If you don’t know what to send to your prospects and customers, ask THEM to tell you. Send out an email that says “Hey, I’d like to know if you have any questions for me that you think others like you would want to know the answers to. Please email me your questions, and maybe I’ll feature them in my upcoming email newsletter.”

Simple, effective, and ENGAGING. You can then take the questions you receive, answer them at your leisure, and create an email newsletter that you can broadcast to all of your prospects and customers – virtually for free. This makes a FANTASTIC high-value communication sequence that converts prospects and customers to additional sales like crazy.

Question 2: How would you describe your marketing “lead generation” systems and conversion process?

Your Answer: I generate the leads personally, and convert them personally

If you are actually the one generating the leads and converting the leads to sales… personally… then I have some very disturbing news. You ARE your business. And there’s no two ways about it.

Your business cannot survive without you. It can’t grow without you. It has no value without you.

In fact, it’s even worse than that. I had to give you that bad news before I could deliver the real bad news:

You don’t have a business. You ARE your business. And the business is you. You cannot sell your business (most likely) because no one wants to buy a business that’s holding a hostage!

If you want to make your business more valuable, more fun… and give it the ability to grow and scale rapidly… then you’re going to need to learn a new way…

Question 3: Once you have acquired a customer, how many of your own products and services do you offer them, and how long does the relationship realistically last?

Your Answer: 2-10 products or services, relationship could last at least 90 days

This is what I consider to be “about average” for a business. A few products and services, and a relatively short customer relationship “life span.”.

Fortunately, you’re in a place where you have an AMAZING opportunity right now.

If I were you, I would take out a piece of paper and spend an hour brainstorming the following:

-A list of products and services that deepen your relationship with a customer

-A list of products and services that are “higher end” than your current products

-A list of products and services that create “recurring revenue” or “continuity revenue” – meaning that the customer “subscribes” and pays monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc. for them

Next, I’d choose the products and services that combine making the most profit with extending the relationship with the customer the longest, and then get out and test them as soon as humanly possible!

You could be sitting on a CASH COW, so get out the feed and let’s make this thing grow!

Question 4: Which marketing approach or philosophy creates the highest short and long-term profits?

Your Answer: Word-Of-Mouth Or “Viral” Marketing

This is actually a trick question.

Here’s why:

Each type of marketing, or each philosophy of marketing is right. In fact, they’re all right. But, until now, every marketing “camp” has argued that it is the only “right” way, and that all the others are wrong.

This is complete insanity.

The reason why Direct Response Marketers say that “Branding” is stupid is because the Direct Response Marketer doesn’t UNDERSTAND Branding.

The reason why Word-Of-Mouth marketers don’t like Direct Response… is because the Word-Of-Mouth marketer doesn’t UNDERSTAND Direct Response.

Would it surprise you if I told you that there were more than 10 approaches or philosophies to marketing?

And would it surprise you if I told you that most businesses only use ONE form of marketing, thinking that it’s the “right” way?

I believe that if you understand each of the key marketing philosophies, approaches, and techniques… and then you COMBINE them together to form one marketing strategy, you can not only attract far more prospects and customers, but you can create a competitive advantage that is almost impossible for your competitors to overcome.

Question 5: How fast has your business been growing on an annualized basis?

Your Answer: 20%-50% per year

At this pace, you are probably experiencing some of the minor “growing pains” that we all go through with a rapidly-growing business. You’re creating and changing teams and departments, launching new products or services, and putting infrastructure and systems in place rapidly.

At this rate, you’re in between “slower growth” and “hyper growth” so you have some wiggle-room to make decisions, plan for the future, and install systems.

If you want to grow faster, you’re going to need a very important ingredient: EXPERIENCE.

You need to find experienced businesspeople who have grown businesses to many times your size. This will be your “secret weapon.” They’re not easy to find and recruit, but it’s worth the time and energy to find and hire them. They’ll save you massive amounts of wasted time and energy trying to “reinvent the weel.”

Question 6: How often do you track and report your key business metrics and numbers, such as incoming leads, conversions, sales, expenses and cashflow?

Your Answer: Every 30 days or longer

I hate to say it, but you are very average in this area. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing!

But seriously, not tracking your numbers creates a massive problem that you don’t even know about…

Let me explain: Most of us business owners have a common feeling inside. It’s a feeling that we can’t quite put into words, but it’s always there. It’s the feeling that something might be going wrong in our business, and we don’t even know it. I think you know exactly what I’m talking about.

So why track all of the key numbers in your business, anyway? Well, the simple answer is that tracking your numbers gives you a feeling of SAFETY and STABILITY. It is like a heart-rate monitor that’s hooked up and running every single day… and giving you valuable feedback about the health of your business.

I recommend that you choose your top 3-5 key numbers in your business (and I’m talking about metrics like number of leads, number of sales, dollar volume of sales, expenses, bank balance, etc.) every single day. It takes a few minutes to look them up and put them into a spreadsheet, then press the “charting” button to create a visual display.

The daily visual display of your key numbers creates a “dashboard” that will act like the instruments in the cockpit of a jet. It will update you virtually in real-time, and even better, it will begin to program your mind in a way that gives you an AMAZING sense of control and stability in your business.

Try it for 90 days, and if it isn’t the single most important thing you’ve ever done to bring a feeling of understanding and control of your business, then email me and I’ll print these words on a piece of paper and eat it!

Question 7: How many times do you interview someone before hiring them?

Your Answer: 3-4

You’re doing better than most companies that I’ve worked with, but you can still make some fantastic improvements.

Here’s a quick story: I went to a business networking meeting about four or five years back, and I got into a conversation with a man who was familiar with Google’s hiring practices. He told me that Google interviews candidates seven times before hiring, MINIMUM.

Seven times. Seven interviews. AT A MINIMUM.

As soon as I heard it, I knew that Google had more under the hood than anyone realized. I knew that they were putting together a talent ARMY that was going to dominate.

How did I know? Because I was interviewing some people up to 10 times before hiring them, and I could see the benefit!

Why is it a good idea to interview someone so many times? Because you can have several people on your team meet them, and different people have different ways of perceiving and understanding other people. You’ll get insights from your team that you would have NEVER come to on your own.

If you don’t have a team, ask friends and other business owners to interview prospective team members. Get several opinions, even if you have to PAY for them. You only see the world through your eyes, and there’s a LOT that you’re missing.

Another reason to interview someone this many times is because you’ll get to see how consistent they are, how well they follow up, how pro-active they are, and how detail-oriented they are. Patterns will emerge. It’s like getting a “free trial” working with the person as you get to know them.

Interview prospective team members 7-10 times, if possible. Trust me, you’ll thank me down the road.

Question 8: What is the percentage of your time you spend working on the structure, strategy, and systems of your business vs. the percentage of your time doing the actual work of the business?

Your Answer: I spend about 50% of my time on the structure, strategy, systems and around 50% doing the actual work

When you reach the point that you’re spending half of your time working “on” your business, and half or less doing the “work” of the business, you are definitely moving in the right direction. You are evolving to become a successful business leader, time manager, and value creator. And you’re on the road to creating a business that has value apart from you.

Now it’s time to turbo-charge your growth and success, and I’ve got a surprise for you: You’ll most likely get MORE growth, MORE optimization, and MORE success if you take MORE time to work on the higher-level aspects of your business.

The more systems you build to automate processes, the less you’ll have to pay attention to them later. Next, you must continue to invest time to learn how to create streamlined, predictable, automated systems that get the work done and report the numbers back to you reliably and consistently…

Time Leverage Tip: There is always a way to better leverage your time and energy, get more results with less effort on your part, and set up systems so that you don’t have to worry about whether or not your business is stable. As an exercise, write down three things that you currently do in your business that take up your time, but that SOMEONE else could do if you found them and trained them. Now go find them and train them! Every time you can free up more of your own time and energy you free up the most valuable resource in your company.

Question 9: How often do you get away from your business to relax, rejuvenate, and recharge… and to get some “Altitude” and perspective on your business and your life?

Your Answer: I regularly take time off, and get away for at least a solid week every 3-6 months… where I completely unplug

Good. This is the minimum that I’d recommend to anyone who doesn’t want to feel like a slave to their business, and to anyone who wants to get some of the benefits of renewal, rejuvenation, and getting perspective on their life and business.

If you will start spending more time “unplugged”… on a more regular basis… I think you’ll see that it just continues to yield more of a payoff and more results

Question 10: What do you plan as the “end game” for your business?

Your Answer: I’d like to grow my business, keep it, and run it profitably

If you’re planning to keep your business and run it as a “lifestyle” business, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

First, you may not be able to attract certain “Star Talent” because they’re looking for a business to work for that might someday be purchased… or that might someday go public… so they can “cash in” on their hard work.

Second, you may wind up involving yourself in many areas of the business that would be better off without you… because you identify yourself with your business, and you want to be “needed” by your business. This may not be the case, of course. But it’s valuable to keep in mind, because it reminds you to create a business that runs without you, so you’re freed up to enjoy your life, spend time with family and friends, and continue to grow and contribute as a person.

Finally, when you’re building a business to keep and run, you might not be looking for the “highest level” expert advice… and instead think that “good enough is good enough” in key areas.

Even if you don’t plan to sell your business or raise money, it’s probably a good idea to get experienced experts to look at your operation, advise you on how to grow, and continue to “up your game” in every way. This is the path to building a strong, profitable, stable business that will go the distance and give you an income stream for many years to come.

It would probably look something like this.

Which SEO type are you?

Graphic provided by SubtleNetwork.

Tigre, on the northern edge of BsAs. Photo taken on Christmas Day.

Today’s topic isn’t related to web design or internet marketing, at all, but another topic near and dear to my heart. And since I’m the boss around here I say it’s okay.

So, here it is. A guide to…

Rockstar Living in Buenos Aires

Having recently returned from Buenos Aires, after living there for over three months there is much advice I could share. This post actually took form in an e-mail to a friend who was moving down to Buenos Aires and who came to me asking for tips. This includes my response, plus a bunch of other details I’ve added in later.

Enjoy…

First, some of the Vitals
City: Buenos Aires
Country: Argentina
Population: 40,091,359 (2010 census)
Currency: Argentine Peso
Exchange rate: $1 US = approx. 4.4387 pesos
Cuisine: Pizza, Ice Cream, Coffee, Steak
Best Neighborhoods: Recoleta, Palermo, Belgrano, San Telmo
Language: Argentine Spanish
42.3% of Argentines also speak English (2006 survey)

Street art near the Plaza de Mayo, in central Buenos Aires.

So, why Buenos Aires?

Numerous blogs have explored this question – indeed, Buenos Aires is among the most blogged about cities in the world. Whatever it is you’re after, there’s a good chance you can find it in this city.

Here’s a few reasons off the top of my head.

First of all, the culture. Argentines are passionate people. The art, music, city scene is unlike anywhere else on earth. Street demonstrations in the capital are common. Every other block in Centro (Downtown Buenos Aires area) has performers dancing street tango, musicians, or immigrants playing Peruvian flutes. If you want to put yourself smack in the middle of it all, walk down Florida or Lavalle streets (but keep a close eye on your wallet). Or, hang around Buenos Aires on a Sunday during an important football match or go to a game and you’ll see: sh*t gets wild.

Street tango dancers near Plaza Dorrego in the San Telmo barrio, a cultural hub of BsAs.

In many places Argentines party all night – parties don’t usually even BEGIN until 2-3 in the morning.

Second, the population is young and perhaps the most attractive I’ve ever seen. 98.4% of the population is European. Created by immigrants of Spain, Italy, and Gemany, the resulting genetic mix breeds some fantastic physical specimens.

If you’re young and single, Buenos Aires is the place to be!

Do this: go hang out on Avenida Santa Fe, anywhere between Ave Cordoba and Juan B Justo around rush hour (preferrably 4-7PM) and people watch. You’re guaranteed to fall madly in love at least two hundred times.

Want to meet a hot local? The best pick-up line: “Do you speak English?” Not flashy, but simple and low-risk and it works a surprising amount of the time. Of course, if they say no, be prepared to continue the conversation in Spanish. Also, if you’re out at night and you overhear English being spoken you can join in, and you’re guaranteed to meet a few friends.

My favorite milonga (tango dance hall) on Peru St. in San Telmo.

Looking to live on a budget? Buenos Aires is one of the only places in the world where you can get REALLY GOOD pizza for less than $1 a slice (sometimes, less).

There’s also a FREE bikeshare program (information below), AND the bus and subways systems are subsidized by the government, so you can get from one side of the city to the other for about 1 peso. Buy a “SUBTE” card when you arrive and you can add credits to it at any subway station, which you can use for both subway and bus rides.

Coffee is about twice as expensive as the US, though, so do like I did and take to drinking Yerba Mate (the Argentine national drink) for your caffeine instead. It’s an acquired taste, but it’s an extremely cool drink that really grows on you over time.

Puerto Madero, a recently gentrified and upscale neighborhood near the Rio de la Plata.

To get started early on an awesome Buenos Aires experience, you’ll probably want to save some of the following links:

Spanglish Exchange – Buenos Aires

Spanglish Exchange – Buenos Aires
Spanglish Exchange is a group that hosts networking type events with a unique twist. They invite both Spanish-speaking locals and English-speaking foreigners, and match them up so that they can practice speaking with one another.

A novel concept, and the group is run very well. You can register on their website to attend a single-event, or a monthly pass. They hold multiple events in different neighborhoods each week and for the price of admission you sometimes get free food and/or drinks.

I had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time on a couple occasions with Maya, the founder of Spanglish exchange and she’s very friendly and helpful.

The Buenos Aires Pub Crawl

The Buenos Aires Pub Crawl

The Buenos Aires Pub Crawl is wild. I only went to two of their events, but they are two nights that will live in my mind forever. For one fee (around 100 pesos) you get free cover at a bunch of different bars, free drinks, and free food as well. The group meets at one bar, then moves to the next, then the next… all night long. The groups that get together for these crawls are MASSIVE. My friend John, who attended my first BsAs Pub Crawl with me, remarked that “This is the largest pub crawl I’ve ever seen.”

If you’re looking for the ultimate mayhem and wish to find the maximum party experience in Buenos Aires, look no further. The only thing is that these pub crawls start much, much earlier than when the BsAs’ nightlife scene normally picks up – but that’s not necessarily a problem. Bring a couple of Red Bulls, or down a latte or two before coming though.

The Buenos Aires Trip Advisor Forum

The ever helpful and active Buenos Aires’ Trip Advisor forum

This is a great site full of helpful expats and English-speaking residents in Buenos Aires. Whatever information you seek, from best restaurants to saucy milongas, you can probably find it in this database. Or pose your own question and multiple people will respond quickly. Recommended.

Agenda Cultural

The Buenos Aires’ Agenda Cultural

An events site sponsored by the city government. Information on festivals, concerts, art shows and other cultural events, many of which are free. You can always find something to do in BsAs, and this site is a good place to start!

What’s up Buenos Aires

What’s up Buenos Aires

What’s up Buenos Aires is a guide to what’s happening and hot in the music and art scenes on a given night, with a very “hipster” slant to it.  Great for finding cool “hole-in-the-wall” spots, though I didn’t use it very much.

Buenos Aires Delivery

Buenos Aires Delivery

Topping the list of uber-convenient and uber-cool services available in this wonderful town is the Buenos Aires Delivery. You can go to their website, which is in English or Spanish, and order whatever type of food you’re looking for from one place. The prices are exactly the same as listed in the restaurants. Their support is exceptional – an uncharacteristic trait of Argentine businesses.

The food typically takes around an hour to 90 minutes to arrive and you’ll want to check that the restaurant delivers to your neighborhood. Again, to use this website service is free – just remember to tip the delivery person.

Mejor en Bici

Mejor en Bici Buenos Aires

Mejor en Bici is a great bikeshare program, where you can check out bicycles for free from many stations within the city. All you need to do to register is show some proof of residence within the capital. For me, I just presented a copy of my apartment lease and my passport. It’s possible you could even make one up, as I did when creating my itinerary to get a Brazilian visa.

Once you’re registered, you may check out bikes from any station for one hour. You’ll be asked to present your passport and your PIN number. Then, each hour you can “renew” the bicycle (like renewing a library book) at any one of the stations around town. They’ll also give you a helpful map of the city with all of the bike stations listed.

Anyway I think that’s the best way to familiarize yourself with Buenos Aires – atop of a bicycle, which again, are free!

Instagram photo from our 13th-floor loft on Fitz Roy, in Palermo Hollywood.

Where do I stay?

Where to live/stay? My suggestion would be to live in northern Recoleta / Palmero close to the parks. This is closer to the Rio de la Plata river as well. The reason why is that Buenos Aires is so massive with a lot of small one-way streets and I found the air to be quite polluted (even though I come from SoCal) from all of the buses and crowded streets.

Palermo is the biggest barrio and is divided into sub-barrios: Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, Alto Palermo, Palermo Chico, and Palermo Viejo. Each has its own unique character and taste, but all of the neighborhoods are packed with boutiques, fine dining, and buzzing with life. Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood are the “hippest” areas, Alto Palermo is the most convenient, and Palermo Chico is the quietest and most peaceful.

Use Craigslist to find an apartment.

This is another reason why I love Buenos Aires, over some other places, like Brazil. In BsAs, you can find apartment listings in English (unlike aforementioned Brazil, where people advertise rooms for rent by holding “ALUGA” – “RENT” in Portuguese – signs on the street).

When I did my apartment search through Craigslist, I found several AWESOME rooms for rent, including: a loft in a french building in Congreso ($350), a room on Ayacucho St. in Upscale Recoleta ($350), and a charming 2-BR in Alto Palermo ($390, including utilities), among others. Again, prices are for individual rooms, and in USD.

Give yourself a whole day to look at apartments – don’t try to rush in a lot of appointments, especially if you’re new to the city because you’re going to get lost and miss a few of them! Remember, the city is huge!

There are many buses and subway routes, and they will take you for about 25 cents a ride, but you will get lost using them until you know the neighborhoods. One of the first things you’ll want to do is buy a “GUIA-T” which is a guide that lists all of the bus and subway routes, along with maps of all of the neighborhoods within BsAs.

Disco and Coto are the two main supermarkets in the capital, and every neighborhood has multiple panaderias (Spanish for bakeries) and heladerias (ice cream shops) serving up tasty treats that are exquisitely and carefully prepared.

Remember, the nightlife doesn’t really get started until 3AM, so my best advice is to start mastering the power nap. Also airfare can be a bit pricey getting here as it’s so far away – so plan to stay a while. If you have dollars, you can get a quality of life that is all but impossible in the US.

Buenos Aires was the first “big city” that I’ve ever lived in – and it provided me an experience I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to go back.

Hope that you enjoyed this post and found it helpful! Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any thoughts to share.

PS if you want to see any videos I recorded during my time in BsAs, they are here.

If you were to hop into a time machine and jump even just five years back in time, the web would look like a very different place. With the advent of new technologies like HTML5 and CSS3, the internet is now a playground for web developers. While in the past the focus was on what could be done with the internet, the onus is now on how it can be done. In essence, all web developers have reached roughly the same level in terms of technical function, and now compete in terms of user experience and how visitors interact with these technologies. The front runner in terms of user experience has to be responsive web design. In a nutshell, responsive design means that no matter what screen or resolution the user is viewing the site on, the site itself will adapt to display in the right way. But how does this impact web marketing, and could it be ushering in a new era for online marketers?

The basics of responsive web design

Prior to the rise in the use of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, many people used the web in the same way: via a desktop or laptop computer at a certain resolution. This meant that web developers could easily look at their design on the most common resolutions and account for the experience of at least a high proportion of visitors. These days, of course, that’s all changed. With more and people using smartphones and tablets to browse the web, developers need to be sure that the site looks its best on all sorts of displays. That means that the person with a 1024×768 monitor must have as good an experience as someone on a iPhone. That’s no easy task, but with responsive design it can be done. There’s an easy way to check if a site uses responsive design: just resize your browser window – you’ll find that the layout actually changes as the window does.

Mobile apps are quickly outpacing traditional web consumption, as this Alexa graph shows.

Responsive design and web marketing

So how do these two things interact with one another? Well, more than you might think. In many cases, the central focus of web marketing is to drive users to a specific call to action. This could be a sign up form, a ‘buy’ button, or any other form of high level interaction. Now imagine this scenario: you’ve developed a squeeze page (for want of a better term) that relies on layout to drive users down the page. They arrive from a search engine after looking for specific terms, then land on your page and get hooked into your compelling content. On a laptop or desktop, the journey is easy to follow, and results in plenty of signups or user actions.

But look at this same page on an iPad or a BlackBerry and you’ve got an entirely different experience. In fact, sometimes even the difference between 16:9 and 4:3 monitors can be enough to put the brakes on your user flows. With responsive web design on your landing page, you can feel confident that no matter how a user lands on your page, their experience is fine-tuned to maximise user actions and therefore your return on investment.

Responsive web design on company sites

For many internet marketers, it’s not all about squeeze pages and organic SEO, it’s also about the good old fashioned company website. Whether users arrive via PPC or word-of-mouth, the site needs to be as user friendly as possible. Good UE can mean the difference between a site that really sells and one that flounders. And responsive web design is the cornerstone of this process. In a world when there are limitless possible resolutions and display types, you need to be sure your site ‘works’ for every combination. Responsive web design will allow you to formulate a specific user flow for each variant, so that whenever you’ve got visitors on multiple devices, you know that each of them can find their way around the site easily and know how to get in touch with ease. And remember: when responsive web design really works, the user experience will be so natural and fluid, so most people won’t even notice (yes, that’s a good thing).

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Sarah Chubb is a freelance writer from England who specialises in writing about human psychology. Understanding people and their behaviour is her main speciality and she uses those skills to assist her company insurance marketing team develop good user experiences on all device sizes.

If you were to go outside and ask different people what marketing is, you might get a lot of different answers. Some people might say to “sell a product,” others might say it’s about “building brand awareness,” others might say it’s advertising through mass media.

Marketing is really about persuading people to take action: to fill out a form, accept your proposal, register for your newsletter, or make a purchase. In order to persuade, you must communicate your message clearly. Your advertising, whether it’s in print or on the web, will be more effective if it’s well-organized.

Jordan Belfort, the self-styled “Wolf of Wall Street,” currently has a movie being produced about his life by the same name, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In his sales trainings, he teaches a very simple “straight-line” process to a sale or action decision, from open to close.

The Direct Marketing Matrix is a simple “straight-line” structure that we’ve developed for creating advertisements that lead the prospect to a buying or acting decision, from open to close. Sometimes you start at step 1, other times you get to start at step 2. A company selling baby food gets to start at step 2. A company selling baby vitamins has to start at step 1.

Now let’s look at all 5 pieces of the matrix in greater detail.

1. Create awareness of the need/desire

Virtually all advertising skips this step, and skips straight to skip 3. Most businesses simply advertise their existence, or existence plus benefits.

This is a mistake. Pushing of product is just clutter in an already over-communicated world.

I could be watching late night television, and not be aware that I need a super deluxe, state of the art electronic mattress that massages my sore, overworked spine while I sleep. But once an infomercial makes me aware of the potential health hazards caused by a traditional mattress, I’m much more open to seeking out a solution to the problem, and being receptive to the product.

Another example might be: “Don’t let your financial security be stolen from you because of a simple investment mistake!”

If this above example were a real headline for an ad piece, then you would want to make it much more specific to make it more effective. For example… you might start the headline by mentioning your target market with “Baby boomers: Don’t let your financial security…” or “Retirees…”

This lets your target market know that what you’ve got is for them, and makes the headline (and advertisement) much, much more effective. Also, you’d want to be more specific about the nature of the “mistake,” the more specific you are, the better.

2. Present the “thing” that fulfills the need/desire

The next step in your ad is to present the solution that scratches the itch.

If you’re an internet marketer who works for clients, you might say: “Online marketing is an effective, cost-efficient alternative to traditional marketing.”

1. Who else says so besides you? This is the time to let me know. Client testimonials can never be over-used and give me reasons to believe that what you tell me is the truth. You can create entire ads just based around 3rd-party testimonials, and many marketers do.
2. Third-party sources such as press and publications can verify your claim and give it credibility. Dig up some statistics that lend credence to your statements with laser-like clarity and focus.
   Over 50% of all marriages end in divorce, according to Psychology Today? If you’re a marriage therapist, let your prospects know about the bare truth of marriage and the positive effects of therapy.

Step 2 is to present your service as a viable, effective, credible solution to the problem identified in step 1. Marriage therapy is an antidote to divorce. Chiropractic is a safe non-surgical treatment for various back and body problems. Solar panel installation is an alternative energy solution that saves money and pays for itself within a few short years.

You get the idea.

3. Present the source (you) for the “thing,” and deliver your USP-empowered message, and offer

An example: “ABC Pest Control provides an environmentally-sound, green-friendly bug zapping service. Locally-owned for 15 years. Satisfaction is guaranteed for every customer or double your money back.”

Another basic example, but you get the idea. Most great businesses put forth great selling propositions, or try to. When Tempur-pedic says “Buy today, take up to 5 years to pay” on their website, they’re delivering a USP designed to drive sales of their mattresses.

If you’re struggling to write a USP, here are five good ways to start coming up with ideas.

First, think about how you sell your product or service if you were talking to a prospect face to face, or over the phone. Then think about how you can add to your USP by: increasing the perceived value of your offering; improving the experience of the customer; making it safe to buy through guarantees, and eliminating resistance to buying; and what you can offer to the prospect in the form of incentives, or promotions.

To start, get out a sheet of paper and write down every benefit, promise, feature, fact, idea that you can think of about your business and competitors. Then do your best to prioritize the items in order of their probable importance to your customer. Through this exercise, you can develop a strong USP and related offers.

For additional information on this topic, see this blog post about unique positioning.

4. Present a persuasive price / value argument

Don’t skip over this step, as this is critically important to get right to maximize your sales/profits. For example, direct marketing research indicates that, for affluent target markets, stacking value to your sales proposition can be more persuasive than offering a discount of equal amount.

A simple example might be something like: “Free airfare, hotel, lodging, and meals are included when you register for this 3-day seminar.”

Translate the value into terms your prospect can understand. There’s a million ways to do this and it could be the topic for entire post. Present specific benefits, such as time or money saved through the purchase of the product.

5. Present reasons to act now.

The goal of the last step is to light a fire under the prospect’s derriere and get them to order now. So, if you were promoting your marketing services to a target niche, you could say: “This message is urgent and has been sent to all of your competitors.”

That’s dirty pool. And great marketing – street marketing, at it’s finest.

• Present multiple calls to action on every ad, every e-mail, or on every web page. The difference between a professional salesman and a professional visitor is as simple as asking for the order. Zig Ziglar, the great salesman and motivational speaker, was fond of saying: “Timid salespeople have skinny kids.”
• Ask for action in the copy, in the form of a “bright shiny offer” graphic or button, in bulleted “benefits,” in blue hyperlinks, in the P.S. of your message, etc.
• Most businesses do not include calls to action in their marketing messages. There is no offer – simply an implied offer. If you need us, here’s our number. You’re not psychic, and chances are your prospect isn’t either: so clearly communicate the next step to them.

One final thought about step 5.

You’ve done a great job leading your prospect to make an action or a buying decision, so why lose the sale at the last moment? People do change their mind at the last second, often, and you have to be ready for this. We’re naturally un-trusting people in an un-trusting society. Each of us has been lied to, cheated, or manipulated in some way or some how in the past by some one. At the point of sale, make it very safe to buy. Make the transaction profitable for the customer even if the product fails.

In summary

Here’s an instructive exercise: open the Yellow Pages, or look at the list of small businesses advertising via PPC on Google. Do the ads present their messages in an organized structure similar to this? Most don’t, and that’s a big mistake.

So there you have it.

An effective, easy-to-implement structure for creating direct marketing ads that sell. Remember, to improve the effectiveness of your ads: focus on creating multiple USPs, offer propositions, and calls to action that are highly desirable to your prospect. Your offers, USPs, etc. should be highly targeted to your market.

For example, if selling skin care products to moms, stating that it’s “Doctor approved” is a motivational message. But for teenage girls, it’s more about getting rid of that zit because it prevents them from going out with their friends to the movies, prom, etc.

Good luck, and keep on. Don’t stop until your marketing is scary good, and your business highly profitable.

Want to get in touch with me? Leave a comment below this post and I’ll respond promptly.

To be part of a group – to belong – is a basic human desire. On Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Needs, ‘Love/Belonging’ comes third after physiological needs (such as water, food and sleep) and safety.

There are many ways in which we humans try to fulfill this need. Some are relatively superficial: for example watching the latest celebrity reality TV show so you can join in the discussion about it at work the next day. Whilst others are more meaningful, such as getting married or spending quality time with our parents and grandparents. Of course there is a spectrum of profundity, and where we are looking on that spectrum for a sense of belonging will determine how deeply that need is met.

Yet, no matter where on the spectrum we are, we’re all looking for the same thing. We want to belong. We like feeling accepted by groups of people we respect or admire. This is why advertising that uses lifestyle images, rather than just information about the product or service, is so popular and effective. If owning a product is likely to help us be respected by the people we ourselves respect, then we will be much more likely to want it.

Perhaps an even more important aspect of wanting to belong is this: customers will want to join forces with your business if they feel connected to your ideas and philosophies. We all like joining in with like-minded folks.

If enough people believe in what you’re saying, you may be in the right position to start a marketing ‘movement’.

A Marketing Model for a New Age

Movement Marketing, or Cultural Movement Marketing, is not a new idea. However, the philosophy behind this marketing model is still unfamiliar to some, as it does seemingly go against old school marketing rules.

The main objectives are: to share, rather than sell; to explore what people already value, rather than persuading them to value what you’re offering; and to engage in conversation which is not about you or your product. In essence, it is about listening to what people care about, and engaging with them about it on a very human and personal level. The aim of this is to create a customer base who is on board with your ideas, and who believe in them enough to become natural advocates for your business.

Getting People On-board

So you’re tweeting regularly, keeping up to date on Facebook, connecting with interesting folk on Linkedin, etc. But imagine how useful it would be if you could get your customers tweeting and Facebooking about what you’re doing too.

Whilst it’s unlikely you’ll get a large group of people wanting to communicate directly about your business products, it is possible to inspire a number of customers/service users to want to speak about an idea with you. If you can develop a philosophy that people can truly connect with, that they can care about, and that will satisfy their desire to be a part of something greater than themselves, they’ll naturally want to share your message with others.

Here’s a great example: May 14th saw the release of ‘The Emotion Thesaurus’: a helpful resource for creative writers who want to write more convincingly about their characters emotions. The authors, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, came up with a pretty neat way of celebrating the publication. They asked followers of their blog to get in touch if they were able to take part in a ‘secret plan’ for the day of the book release.

This secret plan idea was a great hook: it gives the impression of exclusivity, comradeship, and that all important ‘belonging’ to something special. Most importantly, the secret plan was not about promoting their new book. Instead, they asked for a ‘Random Act of Kindness Blitz’ across the blogosphere: a showering of kindness and favours from writers to other writers who had helped them with their work in some way.

Ackerman and Puglisi sent out blog post templates, which could be modified if bloggers wanted to, and they also created a twitter hash-tag for the day. Although the release day was on the 14th, people are still joining in with the campaign. Over 200 tweets with the hash-tag #RAOKBlitz were sent over 3 days, and so far 170 people have blogged about it. Despite the authors’ insistence of not making the Blitz about their book, bloggers have been keen to give credit to the authors for dreaming up such a positive and inspiring campaign for the writing community.

Inspire. Connect. Share.

Think about what your client base are passionate about. What are the core values of your business, and how can you use those to connect more deeply with your customers? What can you give them, by way of information or expertise that will encourage people to get involved with what you’re all about?

Inspired customers will want to connect with you, and when they have a positive experience with you, they will want to share what you are doing with others.

Share your thoughts and insights by leaving a comment!

### About the Guest Author ###

Sarah Chubb is a freelance writer from England who specialises in writing about human psychology. Understanding people and their behaviour is her main speciality and she uses those skills to assist her SEO Company UK develop profitable channel partner programs.

Ever wanted to know all there is to know about creating effective web forms? While, admittedly, we never have personally given much thought to the art of contact form building, now there’s the “Eight Rules for Effective Web Forms” courtesy Webpage Design for Designers: http://www.wpdfd.com/issues/87/eight-rules-for-effective-web-forms/

In the article they discuss the eight so-called rules for building effective web page contact forms. Rule one points out how no one likes filling out forms so it should be creative and quick to the point. The form should be tailored to the questions at hand. They recommend avoiding a reset button at all costs to keep from angering people who might accidentally erase the whole form. Keep the forms friendly and make the first communication with visitors to the website. The article is very informative about how to make a successful form.

Example contact form from a client’s website. Basic information such as Name, E-mail, Subject and Message is required: standard format.

Preview of our very own contact form from our consultation page, which includes many extra information fields and boxes to help us qualify our leads.

Overall, the points are well made and contact forms should be given serious consideration as for many website owners they indicate the “most-wanted response” a sort-of point-of-sale for the website, if you will. Contact forms that are simple and short are more likely to have higher conversion percentage. However, including important questions that can help you “grade” your leads can help you better identify whom might be a proper prospect for your service.

In the end, it’s up to you. Our advice would be to experiment with different contact form arrangements and study the data closely to see which provides the highest percentage of high-quality leads.

This is a thorough, in-depth analysis of nearly two-dozen of the best tourism websites currently on the internet, organized by town, city, state, and country.

Town:

Visit Telluride

http://www.visittelluride.com/

A well-designed, thoughtfully laid out site that represents the rugged brand of Telluride, Colorado. The site places a strong emphasis on community and small-town American values. The inner pages are beautiful designed but would be improved on if the use of a double sidebar was removed. The copy is well-written and engaging.

Interestingly, the site also provides live “webcams” where visitors interested in skiing can check the conditions at their favorite spots. There is also a “turn-page” interactive visitor guide, and the website is available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, and Portuguese. Overall this site is simpler than most, but well-executed.

High impact search queries for visittelluride.com

telluride, telluride co, helicopter skiing, telluride colorado, telluride ski resort, telluride hotels, ski resort, telluride mountain biking, madeleine hotel telluride

Yakima Valley

http://visityakima.com/

The strengths of the Visit Yakima website are its well-optimized for SEO pages, the use of bold decorative typography, and beautifully designed inner pages. Almost every page’s title is optimized for an important keyword phrase. The site’s brand gives an impression of heartland American values, and fun in the sun in the great outdoors. The logo is consistent with the visual direction of the website as a whole (unlike other sites such as Tourism Saskatchewan). The website is surprisingly fast-loading given the amount of images used: another sign that the site has been well-optimized for SEO.

Much like Telluride, there is nothing high-tech on this site (it’s the polar opposite of Definitely Dubai), and the site background is a bit too busy; but the nice execution, use of strong visuals and good copy creates a winning site.

High impact search queries for visityakima.com

yakima, yakima lodging, yakima wa, yakima washington, washington wine country, yakima tourism groups, yakima valley, wine country, yakima chamber of commerce, yakima lights, maryhill winery, yakima fairs

City:

Visit Denver

http://www.denver.org/

The website includes a extensive array of useful resources with an emphasis on things to do, places to stay, events, and dining & nightlife for visitors interested in coming to Denver. Also included to engage users are special hotel deals and discounts, and a mobile app. Unique to this site are “Denver Dare badges,” a referral program where users can “dare” their friends and contacts into certain activities in Denver. Earning Dare points enables special privileges and unique discounts to events.

High Impact Search Queries for denver.org
things to do in denver, denver co, denver colorado, denver hotels, denver events, what to do in denver, denver aquarium coupons, hotels denver, events in denver, colorado, denver attractions, downtown denver, denver nightlife

See Toronto Now

http://www.seetorontonow.com/

Another well-laid out site with a particular strength on its clean, bold typography (through the use of bold, capitalized Helvetica) and well-structured grid wireframe. The de-saturated grey background reminds you of snow. Well optimized for mobile, but the featured slideshow area on the homepage are just images and don’t lead the user down a path – they are not clickable links to pages and feature no headlines or messages.

The use of a sitemap in the footer makes navigation simpler for the user. The site’s applications and javascript features are very well designed and feature a clean, easy to use interface. The pages are well optimized for long-tailed SEO, but the homepage could be optimized better.

High Impact Search Queries for seetorontonow.com

toronto, toronto tourism, tourism toronto, toronto events, toronto canada, what to do in toronto, events in toronto, what to do in toronto, toronto sightseeing, toronto travel

Visit Phoenix

http://www.visitphoenix.com/index.aspx

Beautifully branded website, consistent use of 3 colors. The de-saturated beige is symbolically used to convey a desert/mediterranean feel. Well optimized for mobile with large, fast-loading images and typography. The images of tourist attractions on the homepage, unlike Toronto’s site, feature information for the user and ARE clickable links that an interested user can click on to get more information about the attraction, successfully leading the visitor down a path, based on their interests.

Includes standard features such travel guides, blog, a trip planner. It’s easy to ask a question and speak with a representative, or follow Visit Phoenix through various social media outlets. Unique to this site is the “The Social Club,” where all of VisitPhoenix’s social media channels are featured in one place (http://www.visitphoenix.com/about-phoenix/the-social-club/index.aspx). Advertised as “It’s all things PHX right at your fingertips.”

Smartly, the site also features a dedicated “LGBT” area of the site – and for good reason, gay couples are known to spend significantly more when on vacation than straight couples do.

High Impact Search Queries for seetorontonow.com

phoenix az, phoenix arizona, phoenix zoo, phoenix, things to do in phoenix, phoenix tourism, grand canyon railway promo code, phoenix area, el chorro lodge, arizona state

Definitely Dubai

http://www.definitelydubai.com/

The site for Definitely Dubai is chock full of interactive javascript applications. Each page has a different background which is consistently dark to contrast the clean white logo, but never too busy. The site is beautiful, but very slow loading. Users have the option to view the website in five different languages. The overall feeling of the page is modern and hi-tech. 

The site is divided into three main categories: an area for visitors, one for residents that live in Dubai, and another for information for others doing business in Dubai. A smart idea that delivers to different target markets, all from a single website.

High Impact Search Queries for definitelydubai.com

dubai tourism, dubai shopping festival 2012, dubai, dnata holidays, travel destination, definitely dubai, dubai shopping festival, hotel in dubai, rent a car dubai, dubai film festival

Tourism Saskatchewan

http://www.sasktourism.com/

The website’s logo is red, but the website overuses a deep, dark, de-saturated blue. There’s a nice use of contrast by using white lettering against dark colored backgrounds.This site chooses to first promote their contests in order to interact with and engage users, specifically, the “Embrace a New Place” contest and “Choose your Adventure” contest. Users can enter to win a vacation contest, where during the process all of their contact information is captured for follow-up. There is only one grand prize but no doubt there are promotional “second prizes” such as deals and discounts to promote tourism to Saskatchewan. Overall, the contest setup is worth studying.

The site includes standard tourist options such as “Things to Do, Places to Go, Where to Stay, and What’s Happening.” Included are a live chat app, an interactive google maps app. The newsletter is called “SaskSecrets,” an intriguing name for a newsletter, which may improve response. 

High Impact Search Queries for sasktourism.com

saskatchewan, provincial parks, saskatchewan vacation deals, saskatchewan canada, radisson hotel saskatoon sask, canada tourism, saskatchewan tourism, saskatchewan map, saskatchewan facts

Visit Philly

http://www.visitphilly.com/

The site uses a bold Georgia font for its headings and navigation, and Georgia for the body copy as well. The result is a more formal looking website and brand then most websites, which typically use sans-serif fonts such as arial. It also promotes a consistent brand image: for example, the social media boxes are custom designed boxes using the exact same bold Georgia lettering.

The site is loaded up with features, images, galleries, and information on places to go and goings-on in the city. A nice touch are the pre-planned, “Done for You” itineraries such as: “The Presidential Itinerary,” “A Weekend is More Fun in Historic Philadelphia,” and “Three Days of Historic Fun.

High Impact Search Queries for visitphilly.com

philadelphia, things to do in philadelphia, philly, philadelphia pa, philadelphia events, philadelphia tourism, philadelphia nightlife, king of prussia mall, philadelphia museums, comcast center, philadelphia museum of art, things to do in philly

Visit Kansas City

http://www.visitkc.com/

A mobile-optimized website that uses monochromatic blue / green tints and tones throughout. Unique to this site is the ability to interact with the homepage slider using the J, K, L, and I keys on the keyboard. The homepage succeeds at portraying Kansas City as a hip, fun destination but there is a lack of consistency in the individual pages and sub-pages. This is most clearly seen in the strong use of the “Above the Fold” area on the homepage, a concept which is basically absent on all other pages. Every page seems to have it’s own different layout, and the result is a confusing “disconnect.”

The size of the body text is very small and difficult for the user to read, causing eyesores. But overall, the content area is too crowded and cluttered, the result is a confusing mess. There’s a lot to this website, but its not really presented in a clear, consistent manner.

High impact search queries for visitkc.com

kansas city mo, city zoo, kansas city hotels, kansas city zoo, worlds of fun, kansas city events, kansas city missouri, downtown kansas city, sprint center, crown center, kansas city activities, tourist spots in kansas city, power and light district

Go: Teborg

http://www.goteborg.com/en/

Another site using blue / green colors as its brand. This site achieves a very nice use of visual hierarchy. Headlines are easy to read, and different objects on the site’s wireframe synchronize well. The website’s content area uses a grid in an editorial-style layout. The homepage content area has two columns, and an additional column for the sidebar. The inner pages also use a two-column or three-column layout. The consistency and the simplicity are fantastic and the result is information about Gothenburg that is cleanly presented. The sitemap in the footer also aids navigation and helps keep the website’s sidebar and content areas clean and minimalist (a far cry from KC’s site).

The sidebar in general is well-constructed: there are options to buy a Gothenburg city card, make an online reservation, snatch up online deals, connect through social media channels, etc.

High Impact Search Queries for goteborg.com/en/

Not available for this site.

State:

Tennessee Vacation

http://www.tnvacation.com/

The background changes with the seasons, to have four different looks through out the year. They also have subsites for each season (spring.tnvacation.com, summer.tnvacation.com, fall.tnvacation.com, winter.tnvacation.com). Great concept, wonderful execution. The site is packed with features and applications, and the design of the “Tennessee Triptales” blog is beautifully branded for Tennessee and the execution is A++ superb: www.tnvacation.com/triptales

High Impact Search Queries for tnvacation.com

tennessee, nashville shores, tn, tennessee attractions, tennessee, ober gatlinburg, dollywood, nashville zoo, tenesee, state of tennessee, clarksville tn, things to do in tennessee, tennessee travel

Visit Utah

http://www.visitutah.com/

The site is divided into different regions with micro-sites catering to each: Northern, Southern, and Central Utah. Furthermore, the site uses sub-menus and sub-categories for each category with an abundance of resources for a potential tourist interested in visiting Utah. Each category is a micro-site in and of itself with galleries, links, and articles. The site uses an impressive image and video gallery, which is also optimized for mobile devices. Google mapping technology, an intinerary/adventures planner, a weather application, an events calendar, and an online “Utah Store” are also included.

High Impact Search Queries for visitutah.com

Not available for this site.

“Virginia is for Lovers.”

http://www.virginia.org/

Of particularly significant note to the success of Virginia’s tourism is the strength of their slogan, “Virginia is for Lovers.” The first year that the slogan was introduced, travelers spent $800 million in Virginia. By 2004, that number had increased to more than $14 billion (Wikipedia). The emphasis of their website is heavily on current events happening within the communities.

There are two “opt-in” offers in the sidebar, including a “2012 Virginia Travel Guide” and an invitation to subscribe to the “Travel Updates” newsletter. They’ve partnered with local vendors to offer hundreds of “Travel Packages,” for families, romantic couples, and culinary lovers.

High Impact Search Queries for virginia.org

busch gardens, leesburg outlets, kings dominion, blue ridge parkway, va, ashburn va, luray caverns, roanoke va, shenandoah national park, buckroe beach, great wolf lodge, woodbridge va, massanutten, water country usa, ashland berry farm

Visit California

http://www.visitcalifornia.com/

The “Visit California” website features a very minimalist design that focuses on the experience of being a Californian. Unique to this site is the “Official ‘Unofficial’ California Tour Guide” in the form of a series of short, 3 to 5 minute online videos featuring actor Rob Lowe. Mr. Lowe performs an intimate interview-style video where he speaks about the experiences and places in California. The 11 videos in the series are professionally put-together and feature beautiful imagery from the state as a backdrop.

Also included on the site are hundreds of other video and photo galleries, and articles which feature different experiences and places to visit. The navigation is a bit confusing, though, and could be improved upon.

High Impact Search Queries for visitcalifornia.com

california, california map, visit california, attractions southern california, california vacation, honeymoon packages, california tourism, california travel, map of california

The Islands of Hawaii

http://www.gohawaii.com/

The design of the website is beautiful and what really stands out is the strength of the visuals promoting a brand that is exclusively Hawaiian. The website is divided into several parts, with dedicated areas for each of the six islands. Each island has information, galleries, and several other categories of interest: a guidebook, regions, experiences, and a trip planner.

In the sidebar of each island’s micro-site is a useful Vacation Directory application, which is essentially a search function with lists of resources and contact information for travel businesses, hotels, restaurants, etc. There’s also a “My Hawaii” travel planning app where users can add destinations and activities to their online itinerary and share with their friends through their social networks, using Facebook.

High Impact Search Queries for gohawaii.com

hawaii, maui, kauai, hawaii vacations, maui hawaii, big island, oahu, hawai, big island hawaii, kona hawaii, hawaiian islands, hawaii islands, big island hawaii activities, honolulu hawaii, oahu hawaii

Visit Pennsylvania

http://www.visitpa.com/

The site leads off with an interactive Flash player featuring a golfer on a course surrounded by attractions, which are clickable links. A novel approach, but a bit confusing. There’s a lack of strong copy on this website, beginning with the home page, and what copy there is on this site is hidden away. The site is basically a big directory where chooses his or her own adventure.

There are too many different colors being used, which hurts the branding, and none are used in a consistent or intelligent fashion. A nice website with standard features, but there’s certainly much better out there. The site gets an F for search engine optimization, as there is little on-site optimization and there’s not even focused keywords any where on the website.

High Impact Search Queries for visitpa.com

hotel bethlehem, dorney park, things to do in pa, king of prussia mall, fall foliage, sesame place, poconos, dutch wonderland, lucanna bank, poconos cabins, pa events

Experience Washington

http://www.experiencewa.com/

A well-designed website with a minimal, de-saturated and consistent color palette. A good start to the brand image but could be taken much further (see Go Hawaii). The layout is neatly organized and navigation ties in well with the design, making it easy to browse. Nothing cutting-edge or terribly innovative, but the site is inviting and easily navigable. The site is not well optimized for search – the page titles are not keyword rich, and indeed its lacking focused keyword placement throughout the website.

High Impact Search Queries for experiencewa.com

washington state, washington, ocean shores ca, washington state tourism, tourism, washington tourism, vashon island, state of washington, yakima wa, wa, washington state events, aberdeen wa, vacation in washington state, seattle tourism

Country:

“It’s more fun in the Philippines”

http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/

The Philippine government commissioned the local chapter of one of the biggest advertising agency in the world, BBDO Guerrero for the campaign. They also appointed a veteran Advertising Creative Director to help the Department of Tourism with the campaign. The campaign used a lead-in to describe different activities or tourist sites in the Philippines followed by the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tagline. The website as a whole seems to still be under construction.

High Impact Search Queries for itsmorefuninthephilippines.com

Not available for this site.

Walkabout Planner Australia

http://walkaboutplanner.australia.com/

The project began with a best practice review of tourism websites around the world. Then conducted a low-fidelity prototyping exercise with visitors that resulted in some unique insights and the big picture strategy. The result was The Walkabout Planner, a user-centric application where users can “visit” Australia online and plan their entire itinerary from the website.

High Impact Search Queries for walkaboutplanner.australia.com

australia, sydney, australia tourism, tourism australia, australie, australia travel, australien, things to do in sydney, travel australia, sydney deals, visit australia, sydney events, great ocean road, sydney festival, australia tour

In this article we supply some of the top 17 best web design portfolio sites on the internet. The idea is to supply creative inspiration to others who are trying to come up with great web designs. Each site has different qualities that they offer better than other sites. All of them offer thumbnails of websites for visitors to check out. All of these sites offer CSS or flash in a completely different way than the others.

With sites such as these, creative block is a thing of the past. Whenever you’re stuck and needing some inspiration, you can peruse a few of these website design portfolio sites full of mind-blowing web design examples.

Without further ado, the list of sixteen portfolio sites are…

CSSRemix

Smashing Magazine

FOLIO FOCUS

Design Shack

CSSElite.com

The FWA

Web Creme

faveup.com

Pattern Tap

Make Better Websites

cssheaven.com

CSSline

CSS mania

DESIGNBOMBS

The Best Designs.com

Best Web Gallery

siteInspire

Hope that you enjoyed this list and the web design portfolio galleries featured.

Additionally, there’s a lot of different galleries out there that are open to submissions, where you can submit your best site designs and gain exposure and fame!