We recently published a white paper for marketing executives who want to understand the risks and consequences associated with not fully embracing the web. As the web has become the central hub of all communications, no longer can marketing executives afford to take a casual approach to the web by relying on an ineffective corporate website. Rather a full-throttle, all-encompassing web strategy must be in place in order for a business to grow. A holistic web strategy includes components like social media, search engine optimization, video and multimedia, campaign based micro-sites, email ...

We recently had the pleasure of developing a web strategy which included an eCommerce site for Green Boomerang, an eco-conscious start-up looking to revolutionize the shipping industry with their sustainable handling and storage systems. Their goal is to be the Amazon.com of the shipping industry. The main objective of the web strategy was to make things as easy as possible for Green Boomerang's target audience of engineers and sustainability leaders. Engineers traditionally have to spend a lot of time researching and buying containers for their products, often from several different ...

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 ...

We've been doing a lot of re-branding exercises here at Effect lately. Our graphic designer has been testing multiple new logo concepts. Yesterday he printed out some logo variations and taped them to the wall for us to look at and give feedback on. I found myself looking at the logos differently depending on where I saw them (online vs on the wall). In addition, having the wall logos spurred some lively conversations surrounding the new  ideas. It was interesting to see how some people perceived different design elements and it also gave us the opportunity to ask other people who came ...

With approx 80% of your Web site traffic being dependent on search engines, SEO and search engine marketing (SEM) is a very cost effective method of increasing the amount of qualified visitors reaching your site. Here are four tips to help you find a team of trustworthy SEO professionals that can get you the results you need. 1. Do they set realistic expectations? The best SEO professionals are very upfront and honest when discussing your Web site's SEO potential.  They will partner with you to set realistic goals and chart out a game plan to achieve those goals, all with the mindset that ...

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 ...

A homepage that is designed to be clean, simple, and direct users where to go next will improve online lead generation.  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 visitors feel more confident ...

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. (Learn more about S.M.A.R.T. Goals) 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 ...