Writing for the Web
Posted by Mary in communication on December 29th, 2009
I recently attended a ‘writing for the web’ presentation where the subject of how to write for a web audience was covered. It was a fascinating hour of learning how users read online, how to structure content in order to keep the highest level of users engaged, and points to consider while writing content for the online reader.
I was interested to learn that the online reader
- skims content
- reads 25% slower on screens than on paper
- reads in an inverted N pattern
Therefore, a smart Web copwriter will
- write in short, easy to understand sentences and words
- use plenty of bullets and ordered lists
- write content that a fifth grader could read and understand
I love learning new things about the web, communication, and how users interract online. Next time, I’ll delve into how to discover if your website is easy to read and understand, and how making a few small changes in how you write could greatly increase the impact of your website online.
SEO Tips
Today I came across a great article that I think touches on all the important points on how to increase SEO traffic to your website. These tips are ones that I recommend and implement on my client’s websites daily – and the author is right – sometimes, it’s pretty tedious! But it all pays off.
Read the SEO Tips Article Here: http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/news/article.php/3851486
(And yes, this means I just helped their SEO)
Stats Say We’re Watching Videos A Lot!
I found some interesting statistics online that demonstrate that viewing videos online is a popular trend. The statistics here reinforce what many in the Web business will tell you, that video is a key component of an effective online marketing campaign. The reason for this is that your users will want to interact with your website in the way that they are most comfortable: some by reading the content that you provide, some by watching videos, and some by looking at pictures. A good website will keep this in mind and cater to all types of users.
Here are the stats on how we’re watching videos online:
- In July 2009, there were 11.2 billion video streams, which means that the average viewer watched 82.4 streams.
- YouTube attracted the most viewers, with 7 billion total streams and about 104 million unique viewers. This is a flip-flop from last year, when Google sites attracted the most viewers (92.1 million), who watched an average of 55 videos per person.
- Hulu is very popular, with 383.7 streams, and 10.3 million viewers.
Clearly, the statistics demonstrate that if you are not participating in the YouTube community, you should be!
5 Ways For Nonprofits to Get the Most out of Social Media Efforts
Posted by Mary in Uncategorized on October 2nd, 2009
Build Relationships and Increase Donations
Research demonstrates that nonprofit organizations are adopting social media tools at a faster rate than most Fortune 500 companies, but that many nonprofits struggle to interact with these tools to increase awareness, donations, and 
engagement.
Harnessing social media tools is key to maximizing reach and exposure online, and, ultimately, raising awareness and donations.
Here are 5 ways for nonprofits to get the most out of social media efforts:
1. Cross-pollinate. Make sure you have an active, up-to-date presence on two or more forms of social media.
2. Ask, listen, engage. Having an online presence is about building relationships. Start conversations, ask questions, listen to what your community is saying.
3. Remember, this isn’t your Mama’s PR. Spin doesn’t work in social media. The key here is to communicate your message honestly, and then release your need to control the conversation.
4. Go the distance. Like all good relationships, social media marketing takes time. Measure initial success not in increased donations, but in how solid your relationships are. Build a foundation of trust first. The financial support you need with naturally follow.
5. Inspire. Why do you do what you do? Be passionate about your work, the lives you touch, the greater good, and it will come across in all of your relationships. Ignite the social media stratosphere with passion for your cause, and watch it spread like wild fire.
Nonprofit administrators, keeping in mind these five points, how would you rate your nonprofit’s social media efforts? I’d love to hear feedback about what your nonprofit is doing in social media and whether or not it’s effective.
* Special thanks to my collegue Pamela Schott for authoring the 5 ways. Pamela’s blog is at http://pamelaschott.blogspot.com/. Check it out!
Points to Ponder While Gmail is Down
Posted by Mary in communication on September 24th, 2009
Google’s email service is currently down, and boy, it feels like detox! I have two Google email accounts – one for business and the other for… business. The Google enforced ‘rest’ that I am compelled to take gives me some time to sit back and think about how dependent we are on technology, and wonder whether it’s gotten out of hand.
Let’s do a count. I have:
1) 4 email accounts: 2 Google, 1 Yahoo, 1 corporate
2) 3 blogs: my own, and 2 for clients
3) 1 phone with 3 unheard voicemails: should I mention that I also use the phone to check my 4 email accounts and manage my 3 blogs?
4) Two computers: My desktop and my laptop. My laptop is a permanent fixture in the passenger seat of my car
Is it too much? Probably, but which one of the above can I get rid of? It seems like the more connected we become, the less CONNECTED we become.
Just food for thought while my gmail is down…
User-Defined Events are Important Measurements
Posted by Mary in Recommendations on September 21st, 2009
MarketingSherpa (MS) released a chart this week that shows some interesting statistics in online marketing. In 
discussing “user defined events”, MS offers a valid argument to marketers that “PPC search marketing is able to maintain the accountability and a results-driven approach that makes it so effective by embracing conversion metrics other than the immediate sale of a product.”
Makes sense, doesn’t it? While product sales on a website are usually on the top of the list for Web marketers, other metrics such as number of newsletter sign-ups, time on site, and non-sale related actions are also very important.
Remember, people buy from people they like. Part of building an online presence is increasing your ‘likability’ factor. If today’s visit is a positive, albeit non-sale, visit from a user, your chances of tomorrow’s visit being a sale are increased.
Eye Tracking and IA
Information Architecture and Eye Tracking
Check out this post that I wrote for a web marketing agency, on the effectiveness of Eye Tracking studies and Information Architecture: http://blog.jumpdigitalmedia.com/eye-tracking-and-ia/
Eye tracking is an area of web measurement that has always fascinated me. I don’t really know how companies like OneUpWeb are able to measure where the gaze of a person rests… are there special glasses that users wear, or perhaps they sit in something that looks like a MRI machine? Who knows (Google does!) – What’s important is that eye tracking as a science has contributed a great deal to the measurement of websites, and as a web professional, I am grateful!
Social Media Buzz… My $.02
Posted by Mary in communication on September 15th, 2009
Maybe it’s just an occupational hazard of my current position of Director of Social Media for an online digital media agency, but it seems like all I hear these days on conference calls and in board rooms is “How do I measure social media campaign effectiveness?” and “What should I be doing for social media for my company?” and (my personal favorite *she sighs sarcastically*) “I’ll just manage my brand’s social media initiatives in-house.”
Is this just hype, or is there something to all the buzz that surrounds social media and its effectiveness in establishing and promoting a brand online?
The short answer is that any online or offline enterprise, whether it be for-profit or not-for-profit, must leverage the almost unlimited audience potential that social media offers in order to succeed in today’s marketplace.
But how to do this?
In the coming days, I’ll be writing about how to plan, execute, and measure an effective social media campaign. In the meantime, here’s a great blog post that I read today that talks about the social media marketing mistakes that companies make. I don’t know the blogger personally, but she’s right on!
http://www.biztipsblog.com/2009/09/five-social-media-marketing-mistakes-companies-make.html
Hacked! And Other Ramblings
Posted by Mary in communication on September 5th, 2009
It’s been a couple of weeks since I last blogged – and I can’t believe how quickly time flies! You may have noticed that the blog was down for a couple of days, and some of you had the pleasure of viewing a message from Mohammad. It seems that some malcontents from Morocco decided to hack into my server and post a video message decrying Western civilization (or something like that, I really didn’t watch or listen). I was disappointed to see that my hackers were from Morocco, because it’s a country I have visited and loved. Last summer, I spent a couple of weeks in Casablanca (or Casa, as its affectionately called by its residents) and loved the place, the people, the culture and the food! But I digress…
I often comment about the power of the Internet to communicate strong, compelling messages. In this case, that power was misused – and the communication lost on me! I wonder if the group who hacked into my servers and posted their message thought for a moment whether they would be successful in whatever their purpose was.
See, that’s the whole issue – communication is all about relating a message to another person in a way that s/he understands. If s/he doesn’t get it, you’re attempt to communicate has failed. What the Moroccan morons (seemingly) failed to understand is that breaking and entering into my domain, stealing what’s mine, and then trying to get me to listen to their message was not going to work. They may have had a very valid point to communicate, something that I may have – in another time and circumstance – listened to. But their methods were distastful, and therefore the message was lost on me.
Which brings me to my final point: While millions of dollars are spent on therapists’ couches, in Human Resources offices, and in “ginormous” advertising and marketing campaigns – it seems that the ability to effectively communicate is an art form that few have mastered. It makes me wonder what the secret to great communication is.
Could it be as simple as really understanding WHO the other person is, and communicating in a way that is meaningful to him?
A video is worth a thousand words
…and this one just about sums it up. This looks like it was made for an airline company or some type of big business group, but there are lots of great nuggets in here, and it’s really true! Add to this philosophy, “believe it and you will see it” and I think that about sums it up!
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