Outbox Takeout » Web Marketing

A blog or email marketing, which is better?

Kate McMillan — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:05:28 +0000

Like with many things besides the pie vs cake debate (pie is clearly better!), there is no clear answer to the blog vs email marketing debate. There is also room for both – have your cake and eat your pie too! Lorrie (of Web Marketing Therapy) and Kate virtually sat down to create some guidelines for to help get you started.

Before we get into it, though, let’s break down what form they take most often:

A Blog: A blog is part of a website or a stand-alone destination in which content is published over time. It becomes a valuable repository (hopefully) of information and links. Also, people can visit to read/view/listen to your posted content and interact with the author(s) by leaving comments at any time. People can use an RSS feed to subscribe to your blog, which delivers the latest content from your blog to their Feed Reader or their email inbox. You need a platform on which to create your blog, like Blogger or Wordpress (my favorite).

Email Marketing: Email Marketing is a subscription-based service in which you send content (eg: a newsletter) via email to a subscription list. What you send can include text, links and images, but needs to adhere to some of the limitations of the email programs that will display them. Often, an incentive is offered to entice people to sign up for your mailing list. You need a service that allows you to create a way for people to sign up, manage the subscription list, and send emails to them.

So how do you know which to use when?

Here are few things to consider when deciding how to cash in your web marketing chips when it comes to blogs and email marketing:

Social media services like Facebook & Twitter have made the playing field even more complicated. Both offer some of the best aspects of Blogs and Email Marketing, but where they differ is that your blog and email marketing campaigns are exclusive to and focused on you. While it’s great to be part of a larger community, you don’t always want your online presence adjacent to the latest news from your child’s soccer coach. So far, Twitter and Facebook haven’t replaced Email Marketing and Blogging as we know it – but they’re wonderful ways to get the word out!
If you’re updating your blog frequently, you can expect people will subscribe to it and keep up-to-date with your content, but it is still a model where people have to take action to visit it. With the exception to subscribing to a blog via email, which tends to be a low percentage of blog visitors, email marketing puts your message right in their inbox. It’s a way to keep your content in front of a potential customer, and to let them know when you have something new to offer without them having to do anything at all.
Read the rest of our considerations on The Web Marketing Therapy blog – including how to create a unique, searchable resource through your efforts…

There are benefits to blogging and email marketing campaigns, and luckily you don’t have to choose. And, to top it off, there are free & easy ways to do both (MailChimp & Wordpress for example). Often it comes down to your budget for time and money. If you can’t really commit to both, and follow through so that they both have a chance of success, then put your time and money into one. Which one? That decision is based on the specific goals you’ve set up for your business, but most often a blog is the best place to start.

That’s because a blog often establishes the reason why someone would want to be interested in you in the first place. It’s a chance to show your expertise while your content repository and readership grow publicly. It’s a place that can be linked to to widen your net and a place that can show up in search results. It’s a place people can interact with each other and you can communicate directly with your site visitors.

A great case study is Margaret Roach’s A Way to Garden. Her site, which is primarily comprised of her blog, also offers an email newsletter. She uses the email newsletter to point to things on her blog that her readership may have missed, but also to add a few extra touches that aren’t available on her blog, like additional stories and photos, or information about her new book. I look forward to receiving the newsletter in my inbox even though I read her blog.

So, as you go off to consider your options, make sure you look at models other people have tried that you like. Is there an email newsletter that you really love or hate to get? Why? Is there a blog that you wish had a way to subscribe for more information? How come? If you’ve ever unsubscribed from an email marketing campaign, what led you to that decision? The answers you come up with, along with the information here, will help you make the decision that will best work for you!

Outsourcing your social media marketing

Kate McMillan — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:56 +0000

Recently I wrote about the importance of delegating when it comes to running your business & maintaining your sanity. Among the tasks that may be delegated is the generation of blog posts, Tweets and Facebook content. While there is nothing quite like your authentic voice, and you probably should add your own personal touch from time-to-time, it is possible for someone else to easily add some targeted content to your social media outlets with great success.

By establishing the keywords that bring the most relevant information and people to your attention, someone else can take the reigns when it comes to posting news that position you as an expert, making fruitful connections, and bring your product or service to the attention of those who may need it. With just a couple of hours a week, someone can handle your social media, and also track its effectiveness through analytics to be sure that future efforts have a greater chance of success.

Not only will your social media impact increase because someone will be dedicated to it, but you’ll maintain a single voice with the added benefit of collaboration. Collaborating with a social media expert will bring new content not only to the attention of your audience, but to you as well. They can track mentions of your business, and promote your triumphs!

Finding someone to work with is as simple as finding someone who is willing to understand your business and how you see it evolving… it might be someone you employ already. If you find someone who is comfortable and familiar with social media, you’ll achieve traction more quickly — but anyone who is passionate about what you do will be a great help.

Creating a Facebook Fan Page or Custom Facebook Pages

Kate McMillan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:20:35 +0000

Recently I wrote about creating custom Twitter backgrounds to extend your brand, but what about Facebook?

In the magical triad of social media marketing (your blog, Twitter and Facebook profiles), you want to make sure your brand appears in each place – not just in your tone and message, but also in the way it looks. With so much competition for people’s attention, brand synchronicity certainly helps you stick in people’s minds.

You can customize your Facebook page to include any number of tabs, with whatever content you like, but when you stick to one or two beyond the standard “Wall” and “Info” tabs – you’re keeping your message clear and concise.

Here are some guidelines for creating a custom Facebook page that works:

Craft a message and a design that is appropriate for the Facebook context. This means that you’re not duplicating your website on Facebook, or putting up screenshots of portions of your website, but instead you’re creating content that’s valuable to the Facebook audience & looks great within their website. Let visitors know, briefly, why they should be interested in you and engage with you. Offer up your expertise, and encourage participation & discussion. Facebook, after all, is a social media venue – it’s built on the premise of participation. We all know that a one-sided conversation isn’t much fun. Coca-cola’s Facebook presence was actually first created by some devoted fans, who still actively participate in the official Coca-cola page, and are featured heavily throughout as founders of their Facebook community… what a great way to encourage community.
Unless you have lots of traction on your Wall page, and you’re monitoring it regularly for content, make the default tab your custom page. And give your tab an interesting name!
Create an interesting and engaging Profile image that extends your brand.
Use events and competitions to encourage people to join your community, and tell their friends about it. If you offer something valuable to your constituency, like a free consulting session, or some merchandise, in exchange for numbers of fans reached, or user-generated content being featured on your page, they’re much more likely to participate. Offer special content to those who become fans, and invite discussion so they’ll stick around!
Link to your other places where people can learn more about you and what you offer to them – your Twitter acct to learn news, and your blog for longer-form content and resources, and, of course, your website – especially if something can be purchased there. Link directly to the pages you want people to go – don’t just dump them on your Home page and expect them to find their own way.
Use multimedia content to keep it interesting – fresh video content is interesting, and engages your audience on another level – and, if you have the resources, a custom Facebook app is another great value-add that not only makes *your* page more interesting, but gives people the opportunity to install and use your app, keeping their attention on what you’re doing more often. A webinar is one of the things you could offer to your friends, and after it’s over, you can show it as an example of content available to fans first.

For some GREAT inspiration, check out this site that displays killer Facebook pages: http://www.customfacebookpage.com

And if you’re looking for someone to create one for you, get in touch!

Twitter Branding: Creating a Custom Background for Your Twitter Profile

Kate McMillan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:09:36 +0000

You’ve probably seen Twitter profiles from users who have a custom Twitter background. A custom Twitter background is a background image that has some information about them, maybe a photo, information about their website, etc…

Realizing that their brand can be extended not only through the content they author, but also through the way their profile looks on services like Twitter, they had custom background images created:

This is a relatively small investment for brand synergy, and helps people already familiar with your brand know they’ve found the right person on Twitter to follow. Remember that people aren’t usually reading your Twitter feed on your Profile page, they’re reading it on their Twitter Home page, or another Twitter application (like Tweetie). So, we’re really just talking about first impressions – like when someone clicks through a reference to you in another tweet, or clicks through to your Twitter profile page from a website – people will make the decision about whether to follow your feed very quickly. Their decisions will be based on whether the content looks interesting/valuable – don’t forget that part of that perception is based on the way your profile looks!

Some things to keep in mind when creating a custom Twitter background:

Your background image will be aligned with the top-left of people’s browser windows – which we all know range from low to high resolutions. To prevent overlap with your Twitter feed, you want to optimize your design to work for the most popular resolution for most Twitter users, which is 1280px wide or more.
You can choose for your background image to tile across the page, or just be a single image. In most cases, unless you’re using a repeating pattern with no information on it, you’ll want a single image. This means you want to pay special attention to the right and bottom boundaries of the image – making sure they gracefully integrate with the overall background color.
Like with any web page, you want your background image to load as quickly as possible, so keep the filesize as small as possible.
Remember – it’s just an image – your links & contact info won’t be active, just informative!

Contact me if you’re interested in having a custom Twitter background created for your profile!

Usability tips for author websites

Kate McMillan — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:24:28 +0000

User Experience comprises many aspects of a website, including the navigation, the content, the design, and the staying power. While there are some blanket rules for web usability (from Wikipedia)…

Present information to your users in a clear and concise way.
Remove any ambiguity regarding the consequences of an action e.g. clicking on delete/remove/purchase.
Organize your content so that it’s obvious how to use the site.

…there are also specific usability & user experience guidelines for each web niche, including author and book websites. Having designed many author and book websites, and tracked analytics to determine design success, here are some guidelines I’ve come up with that help create a great user experience for author and book website:

Be sure the site visitor knows who you are. Even if your website is designed to mimic the universe created by your story, people still want to know about the person behind it. It’s a way of building trust with your audience, and a way for them to further invest in what you’re doing. For example, Chelsea Cain’s website does a GREAT job reinforcing her genre through the design of her site, while also celebrating her as the author:
Write the text for the site in a similar tone to your book. Did you write a self-help book that offers advice in the first person? Or, a romance novel filled with beautiful, lengthy descriptions? Website text should follow some specific guidelines itself, but you want a continuity of experience between your presence on the web, and your presence within your book(s). Jacqueline Mallorca, The Gluten Free Cook, does a great job writing her website content in the same friendly, approachable manner as her cookbooks:
Design the site as an extension of the brand you have built through your cover art. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to your site navigation or layout, but make sure the design of your website enhances your book cover(s) without overtaking it, and has the same attention to detail. Whether your cover design is clean and modern, or moody and painterly – you want the experience with your site to envelop the user with that same feeling. It’ll help the experience on the web *and* brand recognition. Here’s a great example:
Say what you mean & make your links explicit. This is not a time to be vague and mysterious – if you’re offering a top-ten tips list based on advice in your book, say something like “Discover my Top Ten Tips for ________” and make the entire thing a link. If users know what to expect, they’re more likely to click the link – as opposed to a link that says, “What are you doing to help _______?” This idea can be used in lists, on buttons, within the text, etc… Don’t hide high-value things away on other pages of the site without clearly telling your user about them on the Home page. Here’s an example that highlights the excerpt, an interactive timeline, and the author’s social media links in an unambiguous way:
Give people an easy way to get in touch and/or participate, including (and especially) the press. Everyone hates a website where you have to hunt around for a way to get in contact (hello cell phone companies!), but when you’re marketing something it’s even more important that people find it easy to ask questions and get more information. You don’t have to give our your personal email address – maybe you have a publicist, or you create a web form, or an 800 number people can use to leave a voicemail… there are many options, but you don’t want to cut yourself off when opportunity comes knocking. In addition, you want to provide the press with the majority of what they need right on the site – this includes a press release for the book launch, whether you’re available for interviews, some see interview questions, and an author bio. Make it as easy as possible for people to promote you! Malcolm Gladwell’s site doesn’t do the best job of titling the page, but once you’re there it provides all the info people might need:
Offer more than just the basics. Whether you wrote a novel, a how-to guide, or a cookbook, there will be something else you can add to bring your book to life. How about a free recipe? Or a worksheet for getting something accomplished? Or a snippet of extra content? Just like everyone loves the Special Features on a DVD, your website is an opportunity to enrich the experience for your audience, and keep them wanting more. Your value add doesn’t have to be a huge investment, but you can be quite creative with it. Dr. John Telford’s site about his memoir offers images of the events covered in the book, an interactive timeline of major events in his life, and a video of him talking about his experiences:

Using photos and videos to enhance your website

Kate McMillan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:08:02 +0000

We all know how it’s important to make meaningful connections with your clients and/or customers. One of the ways you can do this is by sharing with them not only through Twitter and Facebook, but also through YouTube and Flickr. Your brand is an extension of your personality, so use the great tools out there that help you bring it to life!

Putting a face and a voice to a name brings an instant connection that may not have been there previously. It also gives you the chance to share goings-on in a way that enhances your customer’s experience…

For example, if you’re opening a restaurant, add photos and videos of the process of creating the venue to your blog posts – or even create just a photo-blog as a way to start building publicity. People are often invested in and excited about what you’re doing well before they set foot in the door. Or, if you’re building a small business around dog training, offer up some free video tidbits of you and your pup in action. Be creative! If you’re reluctant to be the star of the show, collaborate with someone else – or keep yourself behind the camera. There’s no right or wrong way to go about it.

Bringing your business to life like this can make it, and you, much more approachable & lowers the bar for initial customer contact. It also allows you to spread awareness to audiences who might not otherwise have discovered your offering. With user bases in the millions, using targeted tags and linking back to your website on YouTube & Flickr is fantastic way to bring a new audience to your offering.

Finding your online identity.

Kate McMillan — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:29:13 +0000

First impressions are often made online today, and your online identity is your public face to the world. In addition to doing a Google search on your own name to find out what exists about you, setting up one or more Google Alerts so that you can thank the source and rebroadcast what was said about you (or manage it if it’s not positive), tracking what’s said about you and/or your products on social media outlets, and making sure you own a domain that maps to your name, you need to think strategically about what you want your online identity to be. Choosing an identity doesn’t mean you’re locked into it forever, or that you can’t branch out, but it does give you a starting point to establish yourself when you’re just starting out or are working to establish your brand.

Recently I’ve worked on projects for clients who happily have their hands in multiple pies. For example, they might have a consulting business and also be an author. Ideally these projects start with an established web presence for the consulting business, which can then be leveraged for marketing the related book – and a new site can be created specifically for marketing and selling the book. But what if the book came first? And what if a single person consults about Topic A, and writes books about Topic B? What to do then?

Unfortunately, there’s no single answer here – but there is a overall approach to figuring out the right way to move forward: Think strategically about your brand, then develop it and follow through.

It’s not difficult to do, but I often see individuals struggle with this idea because they haven’t planned ahead – they create a bunch of websites before thinking about how they will all work together.

Let’s say you’re a consultant who authored a book about the same theme as your consultancy, but you also authored some other books about a totally unrelated topic – let’s say fly fishing…

For the consulting side of things, think about whether you want to be known as an author who does some consulting, or a consultant who has authored a book. The analysis here is to determine how you will present yourself to the world through your web presence, including your keywords, and links back to your site. This is how people will get to know you, and how you build your brand. If you’re Suze Orman, you’re all set – you have the name recognition you want. But if you don’t have name recognition, think about whether you want to develop your name or your expertise as your brand. You may want your name and your expertise always paired – but how do you get there? Well, if you wrote a book with the goal of gaining name recognition as an expert, then I would start with a web presence focused on the book – make the domain name the book’s title, or other straightforward keywords that will bring in your target audience. On that site offer yourself, the author, for speaking engagements – build your name as an expert associated with the book, then create a web presence around what you have to offer as a consultant with that expertise. Over time, the book will become one of many offerings you make available through your consultant site – but you have to invest in branding yourself as an expert with regards to the book content first.

For the fly fishing side of things, don’t expect that your consultancy and your fly fishing expertise will ever be completely separate – with minimal investigating, people will know that you are the source of both fly fishing books and an online consultancy. But think strategically about how you will or won’t bring those two things together. Perhaps you decide your name is better utilized for the marketing of your consultancy, so you create a title for yourself for your fly fishing books – eg: the fly fishing expert. Your name will still be associated with the fly fishing books as the author, but you can determine how prominently it is or is not featured. Also, you don’t need to have anything on your consultancy site that has anything to do with fly fishing, but you may consider ways your experience in one might affect the other – that way you can acknowledge that you do both, but capitalize on how one might enhance the other.

At the end of the day *you* are the one who determines how you represent yourself online – so make sure you’ve thought through your options. If you have a little bit here, and a little bit there, and you’re not managing how it works together, it’ll be difficult to go after a larger, cohesive success.

Client Spotlight: Ann Levine, Law School Expert

Kate McMillan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:00:56 +0000

This week in the Client Spotlight is Ann Levine, Esq., Law School Admissions Consulting Expert and author of The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert. Ann is the former director of admissions for two ABA law schools, and more than 100,000 law school applicants have relied upon her Law School Expert blog to guide them through the application process.

What do you wish you’d known about creating an online presence before you started?

I wish I’d understood the importance of branding. I started in 2004 with a free template website that looked TERRIBLE. I spent a lot of time teaching myself everything and thought that because I had a lot of credible information on my site that the site itself should appear credible. A year later I upgraded to a basic web design and paid about $700 for it – which felt like a lot at the time. It looked better, but was really still a template. It did the trick but didn’t brand me because it was fairly generic. Only when I (literally) sat down with someone who understood my brand and what my online presence needed to project did I feel like I was projecting credibility and deserving of charging higher prices to my clients as a result.

What’s the most important thing you learned about online marketing along the way?

To employ experts. People hire me to have an expert at their side through the law school application process, and I hire others because I don’t have time to become an expert on web marketing, SEO, PPC, etc. So, I hired people to help me who already know this stuff better than I ever could learning it on my own. It’s not as expensive as you might imagine, but it only works if you work with people who “get” what you’re all about. I flailed using big companies that I found online and only thrived once I found that one person who understood what I meant in a sentence long email or 2 second phone call and didn’t need me to coach her to get what I wanted.

What’s the best advice you have for someone just getting started now?

Use a blog to provide quality information and form relationships with others in your field and related fields. If you are good with people, Twitter and Facebook. Network constantly, and help others in their quests because good acts come back around.

Don’t be modest, submit yourself to win online awards!

Kate McMillan — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:14:39 +0000

There are so many awards out there online – for everything from awards for women in business to awards for great use of the internet to awards for the best blogs. Some are free to enter, and some have an entrance fee. Some offer a cash prize, and others the notoriety that comes from winning. All help put your name out there, though, and may be a way to get your product in the hands of major influencers. So, if you’re looking for another way to get your name out there and bring some great positive attention to your work, consider entering your project (or having a friend nominate you) for an award!

This isn’t the time to be shy or lack confidence as there’s little-to-no downside to entering (especially the ones with no entrance fee). And the benefit of being nominated as a finalist or winner is huge.

Since I often work on websites for authors/books, I have collected a list of awards that you may not yet know about as an author.

CYBILS (Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards) – The Cybils are a series of book awards given in nine categories (Fiction Picture Books, Nonfiction Picture Books, Easy Readers, Middle Grade Fiction, Nonfiction: Middle Grade and Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction, Poetry, Graphic Novels, and Fantasy and Science Fiction). The Cybils were started by Anne Boles Levy and Kelly Herold, and now involve over 100 bloggers. The goal of the Cybils team is to highlight books that, in addition to being well-written, are kid-friendly and engaging.
Annual Writer’s Digest International Self-Published Book Awards – Writer’s Digest searches for the best self-published books for their award which covers the genres of Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, Nonfiction, Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age), Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs), Children’s Picture books, Middle-Grade/Young Adult books, Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books), Poetry, & Humor. You can be a professional writer, a part-time freelancer, or a self-starting student, as long as you are self-published.
EVVY Awards – The Colorado Independent Publishers Association & CIPA Education and Literacy Foundation offer an award in the following categories: Autobiography, Biography, Business/Finance, Children’s (1), Cookbooks, Diet/Health/Fitness, Fiction (6), History, How To, Humor, Inspirational, Juvenile, Legacy (3), Memoirs, Miscellaneous (5), Non-Fiction/Experiences, Parenting/Family, Poetry, Political/Social, Self-Help, Spirituality, Travel (2) & Workbooks (4).
TheNextBigWriter.com – if you’re relatively unknown, this website offers a series of awards in various categories.
Writers of the Future – The Writers & Illustrators of the Future contests are international in scope and creative writing talents from around the world are judged quarterly. The winners are published in the annual Writers of the Future anthology. Each anthology contains the best new science fiction and fantasy short stories as well as award-winning illustrations by budding new artists.
Indie Book Awards – The Indie Book Awards are open to independent authors and publishers worldwide in 60 categories. They offer cash prizes and other awards, including exposure to leading New York literary agents.
Reader Views Award – These annual literary awards were established to honor writers who self-published or had their books published by a subsidy publisher, small press, university press, or independent book publisher geared for the North American reading audience.
Mom’s Choice Awards – The Mom’s Choice Awards® program recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and services.
USA Book News Best Books Awards – The National Best Books Awards are specifically designed to garner media coverage and book sales for the winners & finalists throughout the holiday retail season and the following year.
ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Award – ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Awards were established to bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors. ForeWord is the only review trade journal devoted exclusively to books from independent houses.
New York Book Festival – The New York Book Festival is an annual program celebrating books that deserve greater recognition from the world’s publishing capital.

And if you don’t happen to live in Colorado or New York, research your own local literary and book festival award programs.

Advertising: Putting yourself out there and accepting ads on your own site

Kate McMillan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:53 +0000

It used to be that hosting ads on your content-driven site was a no brainer – there was lots of money for ads out there because there wasn’t much evidence as to its effectiveness. Everyone was throwing money at the internet just to see what would stick. These days it’s unclear whether the time/money/thought you put into online advertising is actually worth it in the end. This doesn’t mean that online advertising is a bad idea, it just means you need to go about it thoughtfully & creatively.

1. Don’t rely on someone else to determine where you’ll be able to advertise effectively, target your own market. Unless you spend a great deal of time tracking and researching it, Adwords often brings site visitors, but not necessarily conversions. So think about where you *know* your audience is, and then make contact to see if an advertising relationship is possible. For example, if you’re a designer looking for clients, target a blog that advises people about hiring designers and find out if you can offer something to their audience. This may be a great time to offer a freebie to their readership in exchange for access to their audience. Make sure that you fit their demographic – it won’t make sense for anyone involved if you’re targeting a mismatch.

2. Get out there in the “real” world. We get so wrapped up in the expanse of opportunity that the internet provides that we forget about what we might provide our local community. Often times people like to work with someone nearby – so offer your services through an old-fashioned tearsheet in a cafe, or offer a prize to a local contest (radio or at a community event/raffle). This approach will not only help bring your business, but will help you connect with people in your community through some good “old-fashioned” networking!

3. Host an event. You don’t need to have tremendous resources to host your own event. For example, if you have a landscaping business, offer a free class on starting a veggie garden. You can host it in your front yard using Craigslist and your local classifieds to get the word out. This is a great way to not only connect with a potential audience, but also get some name recognition for everyone who comes across the posting. And it doesn’t have to be in your front yard – host a virtual event – webinars are a great way to connect with people and highlight your expertise virtually. And there’s great webinar software out there for low or no cost – gotomeeting.com is a great, easy-to-use example.

If you’re thinking about having advertising on your own site to try to generate some revenue, here are some guidelines:

1. It’s not worth it if you don’t have enough traffic. Most advertisers have a minimum site traffic amount to justify their ad space. You might host their ad on your site for 3 months for free if you don’t have enough site visitors to meet their minimum.

2. It’s for content-driven sites, NOT your portfolio. Don’t place advertising on the page of your website that outlines your services, or showcases your work. No matter how much money you might make it’s not worth more than the amount it’ll cheapen your reputation by having them there.

3. Consider the time investment. If you’ll need to spend an hour over the course of a month monitoring your ad space for sale, consider what that hour might be earning you otherwise. If you can use that hour to seek out a new project or client, then benefit from that hour’s investment for the next “X” amount of time you’ll likely realize the finances don’t work out the way you might expect. Don’t get me wrong, passive income is great, but advertising may not be the most profitable of your choices.

Ways to interact with your site visitors

Kate McMillan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:00:51 +0000

In addition to interacting with your site visitors through comments on your blog posts and pages, there are a handful of other simple things you can implement on your website that will engage your readership:

Polls. Polls are a way for your readership to feel involved in your story – they allow a reader’s voice to be heard, however anonymously, but are also a great tool for finding out more of what your readership wants from your site. Rather than wonder if your readership wants more content about subject “x” – either mine your data to find out whether it’s successful, or just ask them through a poll. There are a number of free, simple, poll generators, but PollDaddy is a great place to start.
Photos. Just like you can use a Flickr RSS feed to place your own photos on your blog via tags, you can invite other people to tag their photos with a keyword you will use to display photos on your blog. This is a great way to invite audience participation whether it’s around creating something, going somewhere, or any number of common experiences. If you’re concerned that people might take advantage, then create a Flickr group where you approve membership to add photos to the group, then base your feed on the group’s content. Photos are a great way to feel connected to an audience, and videos as well!
Competitions. Ask your readers to come up with the best way to do something, then give an award for the best answer/submission. It doesn’t have to be a big giveaway – people love to get stuff for free, no matter how small, and if a competition brings you a large audience, it’s well worth the investment. Your giveaway could be some free time with you if you’re a consultant, or a copy of your book if you’re an author, or a coffee mug with your logo on it no matter who you are.

Client Spotlight: Laurie Richter, author of Put Me In, Coach!

Kate McMillan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:42 +0000

This week in the Client Spotlight is Laurie Richter, author of Put Me In, Coach! A Parent’s Guide to Winning the Game of College Recruiting. Laurie’s book is an essential guidebook for parents and their student-athletes who want to be recruited to compete in athletics at the college level.

What do you wish you’d known about creating an online presence before you started?

I wish I’d had a better understanding of how search engines work to drive people to your site, and how to develop language and content based on that. I still don’t know enough about it and it’s not what I want to spend my time thinking about. My instincts were to just write good content without regard to how it shows up in search engines.

What’s the most important thing you learned about online marketing along the way?

The most important thing I’ve learned is that if you want to be successful at selling something on the web, FIRST you need to build a relationship with people who come to your site and you need to provide them with something real whether it’s content, product or something else. You need to give a little before you can take. I’ve also learned that it’s a constant process of fine tuning – your site is always a work in progress.

What’s the best advice you have for someone just getting started now?

Try to look at your site from the point of view of someone coming to it and what their needs are – vs. just focusing on what you want to get out there and say about yourself and your product or service. If you misjudge what people need and want because you’re focused on you and not them, your site won’t be relevant.

Writing website content & using keywords

Kate McMillan — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:00:45 +0000

You’ve likely heard that people don’t read on the web, they scan – but what does that mean? Does that mean that you can’t have more than a few words at a time on your site? Well, yes & no. It means that while people are *looking for something* they’re scanning. And, most of the time, people are looking for something when they’re surfing the internet. For this reason, writing website content isn’t the same as writing prose. Writing for websites, and leveraging targeted keywords while you’re doing it, takes a little practice & finesse, but isn’t out of anyone’s reach. Try to go about it as if you were the visiting your site. This may be the first time a visitor arrive at your site & they’re trying to figure out if they’re in the right place and if they want to spend more time there – what will help that person feel confident? It also might be that they know they’re in the right place but are looking for a particular type of information – what will help them get to it? The solution is a mixture of drawing the right people to your site using targeted keywords, keeping them there by telling them right away what you’re offering to them, and then giving them easy/clear access to the information they need.

It’s challenging to create the right text content for your site – you want to make sure you’re providing all the important information to your site visitors, but you don’t want to scare them away with lots and lots of text. Let’s break it down into three stages:

Getting the right people there in the first place. No matter how brilliant your site is, if your target audience/market isn’t finding it, it doesn’t matter what you do. There are lots of solutions out there to bring lots of traffic to your website, but if that traffic isn’t targeted to your niche, they won’t stay on your site. So the first thing is to figure out how to be sure you’re targeting the right market. If you’ll be using ads, get down to the nitty gritty of choosing the right places for your ads to go. This may mean targeting specific websites to buy ad space rather than using something like Google AdWords. Or, if you are using AdWords or another ad-placement service, getting down into the nitty gritty of what’s paying off for you and what’s not. Just like with your retirement investments, if it’s not paying off within a certain amount of time, you need to unload it and consider it a learning experience while you invest in something that works. It’s a mistake to think that signing up for an ad service will be the answer to your lack of website sales – it’s the FIRST STEP in a process to find a way to bring the right people to you to make a sale.
In addition to ads, you need to think objectively & strategically about what key words will work best for you & what’s special about your business. For example, if you’re business is creating boutique dog treats, you don’t want to go head-to-head with the likes of Purina in the search results. So, “dog biscuits” probably isn’t the right key word for you. It’s too broad. Thinking of key words always reminds me of the big fish, small pond theory. If you’re a small fish in a big pond, it’s very hard to get noticed. However, if you’re a big fish in a small pond, it’s hard not to notice you. So, what’s your niche? If your dog biscuits are especially good at promoting healthy teeth, you’ve got a a niche market to explore. Don’t go after a saturated market, go after a market where you can actually make a difference. This theory was proven by the company Greenies – they make dental chews for dogs. You can now find them in just about every pet store in the country, and they come in a variety of shapes & flavors. Greenies didn’t start out as just another dog treat company – they figured out that there was a gap in the market for what they were offering, and then became THE company to fill the gap. This is what your key words are all about. Think about what your specific keywords are, and then sprinkle them on every page of your site, especially your landing page(s). Be sure they’re used straight away on your landing/Home page, and that they’re linked back to your site when you’re referenced elsewhere on the internet. Do your research – what comes up when you search for the keywords you’re thinking of using?
Yay! People are visiting my site, how do I keep them there?! First, be sure that it’s immediately obvious what your site is about, and what it does. Tell people clearly and right away. I see websites all the time that force me to dig for information about what they’re actually offering. I don’t need to know the history of your company before I know, very clearly, what your company does. Then, lead them through your site to find out more information about what you offer. Your design can be beautiful, but it should never obscure the mission of the site – rather, it should enhance it and set the tone. Make sure you’re not selling to your visitor, but offering them solutions. No one likes to be talked AT, and no one wants to sit through your sales pitch. Be honest & clear about what you offer, and enumerate the benefits. Also, think about offering something to your visitor to help them get hooked – like a free offer of some kind, or a newsletter, etc… Be careful about how your phrase your offer – people are wary of the classic infomercial “no risk!” approach.
Okay, they’re on the site, they’re interested, now what?! The goal of a landing page (most likely your Home page) is to explain what you’re offering, then lead people through the site to a place where you can provide more detailed information or turn them into a customer. You can do this by placing links in your text that naturally lead to more specific information, by making your navigation really easy to use and clear, and featuring specific information in the form of an internal ad. For example, if you’re calling attention to a new offering, make a little “ad” for it for your Home page, and link that to the page where more specific information can be found. Just like your grocery store brings its featured products right to you when you walk through the door, you can do the same for your site visitors. Be careful not to overwhelm them with information here – keep it clear and clean. Whitespace on your page actually serves the purpose to leaving some breathing room for people to digest information while scanning. It also helps to break up the page into logical groupings. Think of it this way: If you pushed all your living room furniture to the center of the room, it would be hard to make it functional for your family. And, if you brought all your furniture to the living room just in case you might need it there some day, it would be really hard to find your way to the thing you really need/want in the moment. Categorize your site content in ways that make sense. It’s good to provide an easy way to get from A to B if there’s a connection between A & B. A great exercise to help you with this is to create post-it notes for the different categories of content you have on your site, then draw lines between the ones that are most logically connected, or the ones your site visitors are likely to connect. Remember that your site navigation should always be available in the same configuration, so this is more about featuring information within a page that lives on another page. You don’t want to hit people over the head with it, it’s more about prompting people with what you think they might need in the moment they need it. Your site content steers people through your site with little markers along the way – treat it as such and you increase your usability, and therefore your site visitor satisfaction.
In the course of figuring this out you find your single site is going in too many directions, consider breaking it up into different sites targeted at different things. This may benefit your business by making sure the right people are finding just what they need without having to wade through all the rest. When the average attention span lasts about as long as you can hold your breath, this may be a great solution to serve your various offerings.

To recap: Make sure you’re setting yourself up for success by targeting people with whom your website will resonate, and ensure you’re going to be the big fish in a small pond. When they reach your site, make sure your site visitor knows what you’re offering to them & lead them into the rest of the site for additional information. And finally, make sure you’re tracking your success. If you don’t follow up on what’s working and what’s not by mining your Google Analytics data, you’re missing out on a huge factor in your success!

Creating a landing page

Kate McMillan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:00:04 +0000

You’ve likely heard about landing pages, but just in case you haven’t, or were wondering about what they’re for & how they might work for you, this post will outline what they’re for, what they do, and how to make them work for you.

1. What is a landing page anyway?: A landing page can be a single page tied to a domain name that is created for the purposes of converting a site visit into something profitable, like a sale or event signup. It can also be one of many pages in a site that is dedicated to a specific conversion. For example, if you’re an author, you might already have a website that introduces you and your work; but if you’re about to publish a new book you’ll likely want to dedicate a page on your existing site to that book as well as create a whole new site just for that book. This allows you to use targeted marketing for the book specifically, which can then direct traffic back to your larger author, but not give up any potential sales from your author website either. And on your author site, you may have multiple landing pages, not just one for each book you’ve written, but your Press page and your Articles page are also landing pages. They each serve a specific purpose, and they’re each there asking the visitor to do something specific with that information (eg: pass it on -or- contact you). Landing pages are often arrived at via an ad, or a featured link, but also through search engines.

2. What’s in it for me?: This is the question you need to be asking as if you are the visitor. They’re there because they think there will be something of value they can gain because of their visit. People are very busy, with short attention spans, so make sure it’s crystal clear and very easy to get to. For example, if you’re offering a free tutorial in exchange for an email address, make your offer front-and-center, and be sure it explains how it will benefit the visitor. It needs to be attractive both in terms of the pitch, but also the aesthetics. Remember that it’s critical to instill confidence in someone giving you their email address, and if your signup looks like something your 7-year-old nephew put together you may be shooting yourself in the foot. First and foremost it’s functional, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t also be attractive, and in being attractive it may benefit you. Also, keep the bar very low – if you’re asking for their email address, only ask for their email address – not their first name, last name and home town. The more you ask of them, the less likely it is that they’ll participate. And keep your language above board – consumers are smart and have caught on to the fact that things that say, “no risk!” or “limited time offer!” are commonly a hoax, so be genuine when you explain what you’re offering in return for their contact info.

3. Fine tune site content over time: Like with any website, it’s not something you create and are finished. You need to check on its success rate based on your goals and tune it to meet them. Make sure you’re using Google Analytics (or whatever statistics analysis engine you choose) and try out a few different headlines to see which one works the best. Play with the language used throughout the site to make the most of your potential conversions. Make sure all the information someone wants is there, but keep the critical information easily available and featured by the design. And don’t lose focus – be sure the site content isn’t taking the user in too many directions – you want it all to lead to the same destination. The length of your page isn’t that important as long as all of the important information is there, and the actionable information is featured above the fold. And don’t just make the hard sell – your landing page content should be simple, engaging, interesting and easy to relate to. And the language you use to kick-start a conversion should not be vague, including on buttons – for example, “Sign up for a free tutorial!” is better than “Sign up!”

4. If your landing page is an island, it is lost: No matter how functional and beautiful it is, if you’re not pounding the pavement (so to speak) to get links into your landing page, it won’t be considered important enough by search engines to show up in search results where you want it to be. So, get out there and write articles that point back to it – link to it from your other website(s) and blog. Tweet about it or create a page for it on Facebook. Identify your key words and make sure links pointing to the site are using them.

There is no magic bullet here – the landing page is powerful tool in your toolbox for connecting with your market, but it is only one of many. And you need to hustle to make it work; you need to care about your audience for them to care about you; and you need to make sure your efforts are paying off by tracking them. Don’t give up! It does take time.

Getting your book reviewed

Getting Started with Podcasting

Kate McMillan — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:42:39 +0000

I recently wrote about how podcasts are a great avenue for publicity, especially when it comes to getting information about your product, service or book out there.

In a multi-pronged approach to publicity, podcasting helps you tap into a new market and drive traffic back to your main offering. They bolster your credibility and help put a voice to your message.

You can approach veteran podcasters about being a guest on their show, or you can create your own! You don’t need to spend a fortune on equipment to create one, but there are a few things to know that’ll help you get off on the right foot.

For more information about why podcasting may be a good addition to your marketing plan, read this great list from Nicki Gauthier of Web Marketing Therapy & “The Benefits of Podcasting” from Social Media Trader.

I asked vocal talent and audio production expert Perry Norton about the important things to consider when getting started in podcasting.

The bottom line is this: People have little time and less attention span. Keep your first podcasts SHORT — no more than 5 minutes, and 2-3 is even better. Don’t cover an entire subject in one go; think of the material as “serialized”; or, think of your podcast as a marketing tool as much if not more than an educational one. Leave listeners wanting more so they’ll follow-up with you offline or listen to your next broadcast. Audio podcasts make the presenter ‘visually anonymous’ to the audience so your presentation and professionalism really count, as does audio quality.

Here’s some guidance to help you shine in the dark:

Practice makes…

If you’re not used to speaking extemporaneously – even if you know your topic or guest well – get a coach, practice, and know your topic or interviewee strengths inside and out.
Nervous? Learn proper breathing and vocal warm-up exercises. Stress can make your voice shrill or shaky, lessening credibility. A voice coach can provide guidance. Do warm-ups before you record or go live. Some universities have classes in being a DJ – might be worth checking into!
Make sure all technical issues are worked out in advance, including audio quality. Are you using satisfactory equipment, and do you understand how to get the best out of it? This is especially important if your topic is technology!
Think about questions in advance of your interview by doing research. Find a fresh take on old topics – any one can re-hash the obvious. Provide links and resources you can send your listeners to after the “show.”
If you’re going “solo” pick out a friendly “face” ahead of time to which you can deliver your material. Use a photo if you need to as an anchor. This adds sincerity, focus and genuinely connect s you with your listeners.
Eliminate verbal mannerisms (such as um, uh, yeah, I mean, ya know). Record yourself in practice and try simply pausing for a split second when you need to gather your thoughts. People use mannerisms because they’re uncomfortable with silence, but verbal mannerisms lessen the sound of confidence.
Don’t talk down to your audience; prepare with their level of “savvy” in mind.
Practice your material but don’t recite by rote. Use bullet points as a verbal guide to keep you focused and on track, but be spontaneous in your delivery.
Drink enough water two hours before your presentation to hydrate your vocal cords. A few drops of lemon juice in your water can eliminate “mouth noise” and lip-smacking.
Try to avoid dairy, salty foods and caffeine before speaking – these create phlegm and/or dry out your mouth.

Leave ‘em wanting more…

Briefly introduce yourself and your guest(s), as well as the topic.
Quickly get to the subject at hand — people are investing time in your information potential.
Outline up front what listeners can expect to learn and then deliver.
Stay engaged with your material and guest If you’re not truly interested in or don’t believe in your material, your listeners won’t either.
Ask the most compelling, relevant questions or those which re-state key points.
Succinctly recap the main points and thank your listeners for their time. Let people know how to reach you for more information.
Consider following up with a satisfaction survey (Survey Monkey, e.g.). Ask how you could have made it a better experience. Then act on it!
Learn where to post you’re audio for best exposure, and how to promote yourself to generate greater listenership; you may even find a sponsor to cover your costs once you get rolling.

To find out more about Perry Norton, or to hire her to help you produce your podcast, visit her website: http://www.panright.com.

Stay tuned for more information in the future about publishing your podcasts to the widest possible audience, including with iTunes and Facebook.

Getting your book reviewed

Kate McMillan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:09:31 +0000

Anyone who has written a book will tell you that it can be difficult to get the “holy grail” review (ie: Oprah or the NYT), but when you’re self publishing, especially when it’s your first book, where do you even begin? Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of book publishing, or just starting out — represented by a big publishing house or representing yourself — here are some great resources for getting your book reviewed.

Luckily, there are lots of great websites out there dedicated to reviewing books (and occasionally author interviews) & you’re just an email away from submitting your book for their consideration.

NOTE: I’ve started a new regular feature on the blog called “Ask a Reviewer” where some of the editors of the blogs/journals/podcasts mentioned here tell us what their biggest do’s and don’ts are when it comes to getting your book reviewed.

Arm Chair Interviews – book reviews, author interviews & awards
Best Books Reviewed – book reviews & online book club
Blog Critics – book reviews, reader comments & news
Blogging Authors – book synopsis fed to news sites
Book Ideas – book reviews
Book Reporter – book reviews, awards, news, contests, blog, book clubs & featured authors
Book Slut – book reviews, author interviews & related articles
Compulsive Reader – book reviews, news, & author interviews
Dear Reader – book reviews, book clubs, blog, library services, forum
Front Street Reviews – book reviews, contests, author & publisher interviews
Meta Psychology – book reviews & blog
Midwest Book Review -book reviews & resources
Mostly Fiction – fiction book reviews & author interviews
My Shelf – book reviews & author interviews
New Pages – book reviews, blog, news, information & guides for publishers, booksellers & literary journalists
Once Written – book reviews, author interviews, contests, & discussion forum
Reader Views – book reviews, author interviews & book previews
Small Press Reviews – book reviews of books from small and independent presses

I’ve also another list of review blogs in my post about long term book promotion.

Be sure to follow their submission guidelines, and target the ones that you think will benefit you the most (eg: it’s your niche audience).

If you are interviewed or featured on a blog, be sure to offer a free book as a giveaway to their visitors! Then blog/tweet/facebook a link to it with a thank you – that way both you and the blog owner get a benefit.

And don’t confine yourself to the written word, often your book can be featured in a podcast – here are a series of podcasts related to book reviews & here’s another one! And here’s a site that is a compilation of podcast directories you can search through, or, use to find places to list your own podcast for free! If you’re not finding what you want in the aggregators, here’s a list of specific book review podcasts:

Fascinating Authors
ABC Book Reviews
Book Log
Foreward Thinking (business & motivational)
Just One More Book (kids)
KUOW Puget Sound
Science Fiction Book Review Podcast

If you are interviewed on a podcast, be sure to offer a free book as a giveaway to listeners!

And don’t forget about your local public radio station(s) – they love to support local talent, so get in touch and ask about book reviews!

In addition to the above-mentioned websites/blogs, both libraries and bookstore buyers also base ordering decisions on the following journals:

American Library Association
Book Page
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Choice – academic libraries
ForeWord Magazine – independently published
The Horn Book – children’s and young adult titles
Kirkus Reviews
Library Journal
Publisher’s Weekly – must be in book stores
School Library Journal – children’s and young adult titles
Science Books & Films – science-based books

Libdex – Check this comprehensive list for even more available journals.

Make sure when you get a review that you include a short snippet of it on your website, link to the full version, and ask the reviewer to link back to your site in the review. Many times book websites tend to have a page that compiles all reviews together on one page, and that can sometimes be useful for the press, but most “ordinary” people don’t often visit those pages — you’re better off sprinkling key review snippets throughout your site. If you want to compile all reviews and make them available to the press, then create a PDF document and make it available for download on your website’s Press page.

Client Spotlight: Diana Raab, author of Regina’s Closet

Kate McMillan — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:00:25 +0000

This week in the Client Spotlight is Diana Raab, author of the award-winning memoir Regina’s Closet & other great works. Diana’s comprehensive website highlights her appearances, her current projects, her future projects, her press mentions and reviews, and lots of information about her published works. She updates it frequently to keep the content fresh, and is always exploring new ways to reach her audience online.

What do you wish you’d known about creating an online presence before you started?

You must think of all the ways you can to drive traffic to your site.

What’s the most important thing you learned about online marketing along the way?

I learned that whenever possible you need to link back to your website, whether you are answering emails or responding on someone’s blog or sending snail mail. It also helps to join as many social organizations as possible.

What’s the best advice you have for someone just getting started now?

Keep your website up-to-date. Instead of bombarding Kate with one or two updates more frequently, what I do is keeping a running list and wait until I have at least 5-10 items which need updating before sending to her.

Don’t let your book’s promotion momentum wane

Kate McMillan — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:03:42 +0000

Many times when your nonfiction book is first published it’s easy to keep the promotion momentum alive – you’re excited about it’s release & may even be assigned a publicist! People are talking about it! The preview copy is in the hands of the literati! But what about a little later on? If you’re not dedicated to your book’s promotion machine, no one else will be (unless you pay them, which is just another form of dedication!).

In hindsight, my clients have said that the easiest part of the process is creating their book. The hardest part, and the part they didn’t necessarily count on, was the marketing effort to make sure people know about it so that it actually sells.

To keep the momentum alive well after the initial release, you can take yourself on a “virtual book tour” without leaving your chair. Of course you can always pay other people to do this for you, but the internet makes it relatively simple to do it yourself if you know where to spend the time.

To keep your book in the news long after its launch, here are a few guidelines…

1. Make sure people know you’re an expert. Offer yourself as a journalistic source:

1. Leverage your book content into multiple subsequent offerings. I wrote about how to be sure you’re not leaving money on the table when it comes to your book’s content, but you can also create new content as a regularly scheduled article that you release as a press release. Be sure to include an introduction to the topic, why you’re an expert, and link back to your website. Put it on your website, but also send it to media outlets. Don’t rely on traditional media outlets only, make sure you release it to blogs that review your genre or talk about your topic, here’s a sampling:

Corinne’s Book Reviews
Book Review
Midwest Book Review
Arm Chair Interviews
Novel Journey
Front Street Reviews
The New Book Review
Literate Housewife
Devourer of Books
Reader Views
Peeking Between the Pages
Or, check out this blog search for “book reviews” and see what you find!

3. If you get a mention in a publication, follow up!. Leave a comment, email the author & link back to your website. Even if the mention is about your topic, but not about you or your book, get in touch with the author to give your perspective. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small-reach blog or a national newspaper, it’s worth it!

4. Provide a way to keep in touch with your readership and the media. Build a mailing list (I recommend yourmailinglistprovider.com) for a newsletter, or a tip-of-the-week, or whatever else you dream up, but be sure you’re offering something interesting.

5. Write articles or whitepapers. There are lots of online article aggregators – they take content written as articles and categorize it and make it searchable to the public. Expand on an idea in your book or come up with a new one to write about – no one wants stale content. Be sure to link back to your website and mention your book in the attribution. You can also target journals or magazines that cover your genre. If you make it timely (namely, around a holiday) information, you’re likely to gain some additional buzz.

6. Get interviewed. This can sound much more daunting than it actually is, but there are lots of podcasts and radio shows that are actively looking for experts to interview. If you can’t find a podcast that would be right for you, then you can always create your own!: Blog Talk Radio – all it requires is a computer and a microphone. Or, search for existing podcasts: Podcast Alley or in the iTunes Store.

7. Get local. Local media outlets love to support local talent, this means that your hometown newspaper, NPR station, or TV station are great places to let know about your expertise. And if you’re travelling, do the same for your destination location! Put any information about where people can find you via these outlets on your website.

You don’t have to do *all* of these to benefit from them, just pick a handful that you think you can dedicate yourself to and then get out there and get marketing!

Are you leaving money on the table?

Kate McMillan — Thu, 28 May 2009 23:27:58 +0000

If you’ve written a nonfiction book, chances are you could easily leverage your existing work to create offerings besides your book to enhance your overall profit. For example, if you wrote a book on the wonders of bananas, why not create an audio program with information from you and other banana experts? Or a banana notebook to catalog experiences with bananas? Or seminars/webinars on bananas? You’ve already done the research, you already have the seed material – make sure it’s working for you!

You can sell these items individually, or in packages that make sense together, especially ones that include your book as a feature. These can be marketed as gift options, or, depending on the price point, a low-value way for someone to test the waters before jumping in. And these are not only effective for online sales, but can be brought along to speaking engagements, or offered as a promotional give-away.

But what if you’re a fiction author? Don’t despair – if you’ve authored a series of books, you have the opportunity to sell a pack of multiples with free shipping or a discount to entice additional sales. Or, what if a character in the book is obsessed with coffee, what about a coffee mug? Even a temporary tattoo similar to a character in your book – it doesn’t have to be a huge effort.

If you authored a children’s book, you can bring your characters to life in the form of toys or wall hangings. Get creative! The more you can bring your book to life, the more likely you are to capture your audience’s imagination.

Client Spotlight: Web Marketing Therapist, Lorrie Thomas

Kate McMillan — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:00:40 +0000

This week in the Client Spotlight is Web Marketing Therapist, Lorrie Thomas. Lorrie and her team of Wild Web Women (myself included) offer their clients “a full-service marketing agency – a team of ‘wild web woman’ marketing specialists with web, business, and creative expertise. [They] serve organizations and professionals as a virtual, ‘Think-Tank,’ bridging the art and science of the web with strategic expertise and execution.”

Lorrie is a true wealth of knowledge when it comes to web marketing, and along with her team bring huge success to their clients.

What do you wish you’d known about creating an online presence before you started?

I wish I would have known (and I hired my first web designer in 2004) that there were SO MANY shapes and sizes of skill sets when it came to “web designers.” I learned very quickly that many graphic artists are simply “artists” (not web marketing talented) and that does not mean that their artistic abilities translate into web marketing best practices. Now that I know that, I ONLY hire web designer/developers that can take my web marketing direction for my sites or my client sites (like Kate!). My ideas are only as good as the people that execute. I will not work with amateur web professionals, it wastes my time and my client’s time.

What’s the most important thing you learned about online marketing along the way?

Just ONE THING?? Come on! I run an online marketing agency, I learn something new EVERY DAY!

Seriously though, the one thing I learned about online marketing (years ago) is that online marketing work always requires WORK! I know, buzzkill… but it’s true. Web marketing requires management. Online Marketing is an ongoing process, web marketing rules change, the need to make optimizations, test, evolve, tweak and adapt is always there, and new channels (like social media, online PR, etc) will require education, testing and staying current with trends.

What’s the best advice you have for someone just getting started now?

Educate yourself! Read blogs, ask questions, start small and snowball. If you do not understand a piece of online marketing, DO NOT DO IT until you understand if it makes sense for you and your company. Online marketing is still the wild, wild west… there are a lot of options, self-educating helps you make smart choices. Our rule at Web Marketing Therapy is STRATEGY FIRST, EXECUTION SECOND.

What’s in a name? Pretty much everything!

Kate McMillan — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:00:28 +0000

When it comes to choosing a domain name, leave the cute and vague for the cutting room floor. While it’s important that you have your site’s content, meta tags and page titles keyword-rich, it’s even more important that your domain name is really working for you.

If you’ve authored a book, for example, the book title is a good place to start, but why not also buy up a domain name related to the genre or topic? Domain names come cheap these days, so there’s no reason not to buy a bunch of them when launching a new site. The one that returns the most amount of traffic should be the primary one, and all the others should be permanently redirected to the primary one. The company through which you buy your domains can easily take care of that for you.

Also, if you don’t already own your name as a domain name, whether you’re an author or a small business owner, go out and purchase it right now. And if you’re selling yourself as a service professional (eg: a consultant, a designer, a copywriter, etc…) it’s even more important. You may not want your name as the primary domain name for your offering, but it’s a great thing to have in your back pocket as a redirect. And in the future, if you begin to have multiple locations on the web for new projects, you can use your name as a one-stop-shop that links to all your locations on the web, including your social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc..).

If the name you really want isn’t available, get creative! For example, my design business is called Outbox Online, operated under my name, Kate McMillan… and the primary domain name is outboxonline.com. But I also own katemcmillan.com, katherinemcmillan.com and iamkatemcmillan.com. As long as the name you go by is in there, you’ve achieved your goal.

By choosing a domain name that doesn’t have to do with your offering, you may be leaving site traffic on the table and making it difficult for people to find you. In certain cases it may not be important or appropriate to drive traffic to your site based on what you offer, but that’s seldom the case… so make sure you’re making an informed decision! I, for example, will be taking my own advice as soon as I finish this blog post!

Finally, be sure you’re linking to your calling card site wherever you have a profile online, and if you don’t already have one, be *sure* to set yourself up with a Google Profile.

Now, get out there and make yourself internet friendly!

Leveraging Online Social Media for Marketing Purposes

Kate McMillan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:36:10 +0000

I noticed recently that many of my clients had a hard time wrapping their brains around the idea of social media services and how they could leverage them for their benefit. So, to help them (and myself by not having to create redundant content) I wrote this document, Leveraging Online Social Media for Marketing Purposes.

There are lots of boutique options that I didn’t cover, but perhaps will in future posts!

In the course of creating the document, I did a quick search for other similar resources, and other than the ever-wonderful Wikipedia, I didn’t find much easily digestible information that wasn’t associated with someone trying to sell a seminar, a book, or their services. Many times, this meant they either explained what something meant, but not how to use it successfully, or, they explained how to use something, but not what it meant. I felt the interwebs needed a resource that tried to do both.

Feedback is encouraged – feel free to leave comments.