We asked Linked In members of the "Marketing Executives Group": What's the #1 thing you need to figure out about the web? Over 100 marketing professionals responded. We've sifted through all the responses to group and quantify them into an insightful list. Here are the top things marketing professionals want to figure out about the web in descending order: Understand who your target audiences are and how they see and use the web. How to measure ROI. Have a strategy for how the web should work in the overall marketing plan. How to leverage Social Media effectively. How to ...

I am currently reading the 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. Amongst the dozens of inspiring business techniques Ferriss enlightens readers with, the idea of automating aspects of your business is particularily interesting to me. One of the most common tools used to automate business is an effective website. Your website has the potential to become a fine-tuned, lead generating machine, that will not only help you grow your business, but also save you time and money. Here are some examples of ways you can use your website to automate certain aspects of your business: Collect ...

According to a recent survey from Citibank, 42% of small businesses have made greater use of their company websites to generate business leads and sales during recent months. For many businesses that has meant rethinking their approach to the web. Many have chosen to explore how to leverage the full power of the web by building an intentional web strategy to reach specific goals. As a company who knew they could increase leads by focusing more on their web strategy, Trusted Supply Chain Partners analyzed the current state of their web efforts to identify opportunities for growth. Their ...

"In the end, you make your reputation and you have your success based upon credibility and being able to provide people who are really hungry for information what they want." - Brit Hume Credibility is one of those things in life that can take years to build and only moments to destroy. With your Web site acting as a lasting first impression to your potential customers, it's important that your Web site help establish and maintain credibility for your business. Here are seven ways to avoid tarnishing your credibility via your Web site: Keep text short Web users, myself included, are ...

For years popular law firm Keller & Keller has taken a no-nonsense approach to marketing and growing their business. Through their uncanny commercials, memorable "tell them you mean business" slogan, and strong branding efforts they reached a pseudo-celebrity status which has allowed them to be top of mind with consumers and a true powerhouse personal injury law firm. In fact they have been named Indiana's Super Lawyers six years in a row and most recently obtained a $1.5 million dollar verdict on behalf of a client who was injured in a trucking accident. Getting Serious With The Web In ...

Let's say you hire a salesman for your business. Upon hiring him you provide training, give him all the tools he will need, and then send him forth to do his job. However, you know it's not a one time thing. You know that for him, and ultimately your business to be successful, he will need ongoing training, continuing education, and his tools upgraded on a regular basis. This mindset of continually changing, measuring, and improving can also be called a proactive approach, and it's an essential lifeline to any business. In fact, flip through Fast Company's List of the 50 Most Innovative ...

Lately I have been seeing a lot of Web design companies that offer one or two pieces of the Web design puzzle. Perhaps they do Web design and dabble in video. Or maybe they just offer SEO services. That approach doesn't work for me. I am a firm believer that the most successful Web sites use a holistic approach. Maximizing your presence on the Web takes more than just throwing up an eye-catching site. It takes experience and creativity to develop a strategy that can cohesively blend together all the aspects of a successful Web presence: web design, usability, search engine optimization, ...

I firmly believe that ALL businesses need a professional looking Web site. However, the type of Web site and the level of complexity depend on a number of factors. Typically the more dynamic and interactive your site is the more you will get out of it. There are some advantages though to having a one page Web site. Short development time: If you are a new company that needs to get the word out about your product or service quickly, a one page Web site can  accomplish that. Inexpensive investment: It's no secret that a Web site is one of the most cost effective forms of promotion and ...

A homepage that is designed to be clean, simple, and direct users where to go next is a great way to make a solid first impression to new visitors.  Why is a first impression so important you ask? Basically because Web sites are often a potential customer's first detailed encounter with your company. In less than five seconds visitors are making judgments about if they are at the right site or not,  what the quality and value of your company are, and whether or not they want to do business with you. Guiding users where to go next on your site is a great usability practice and will make ...

What are the overall organization's goals that my Web strategy will contribute to? Are you trying to improve your brand awareness?  Increase revenue by 10%? Knowing what your overall organizational goals are will serve as a compass to guide you through the rest of the process. What measurable goals will my Web site need to reach to be successful? Do you need to generate 20 lead submissions a month? Double your newsletter subscription rate? Increase online sales by 10%?  When a Web site has specific measurable goals, you can measure the effectiveness and the results clearly. You'll know ...