Austin Internet Marketing
May 5th, 2010How to Create an Effective CTA 3 of 3
March 24th, 2010
Focusing Your Call to Action
In the most general sense, a call to action is a way to ask your readers to do something. This could be purchasing something, signing up for something, or donating something, or anything else that asks the users to take an action. All too often, though, we see websites which do not utilize their call to action in the right way, making it fairly useless. There are many ways that you can make your call to action something that truly helps you to reach your goals with your website.
Great Ideas
In the popular movie Field of Dreams, the main character hears a voice whisper “if you build it, they will come”. When it comes to a call to action, you’re basically doing the same thing. You need to fill the need of the user before they’ll be willing to complete the call to action. One of the best ways to do this is to explain to the user what they’re going to be doing if they complete your call to action. For example, if they complete your call to action, will they be getting a newsletter, or some sort of a product? If your client knows what they’ll be getting when they do as you ask, they’ll be much more likely to do as you want them to do.
Sometimes you need to offer a little incentive to get them to do as you wish. Incentives can be a variety of things, including discounts, small gifts, or even entry into a competition where they can win something. By offering the user something, you’re giving them a good reason to want to do as you ask them to do, giving you both what you want out of the deal.
One thing to make sure that you do is to avoid using too many calls to action. If you have too many on the site, your users may get confused, or may feel as though you’re asking too much from them. This is a surefire reason for them to leave or to ignore everything that you’re asking from them. When you’re planning out the site, make sure that you only have a few calls to action instead of having dozens of them. This will encourage your customers to do what you’d like them to do and will give you a greater chance of getting the results that you’re hoping for from your users.
How to Make an Effective Call to Action (CTA) 2 of 3
March 1st, 2010
Urgency, White Space, and Positioning for Your Call to Action
The importance of the call to action on a website cannot be understated. A call to action is the way to not only get your users to do what you want them to do, but also is a way for you to measure your success and to bring your website further than you’d have dreamed it could go. There are many websites which could have been successful, but weren’t, who could have dramatically changed the outcome by having the right call to action on their site. When it comes to using a call to action, there are a number of ways that you can get your users to pay attention to the site and to do what you want them to do.
Urgency
Language is a powerful tool and, when used in the right way, can help you reach the goal of getting your users to answer to your call to action. When you’re writing your call to action, make sure that you’re very aware of which words you use. There are a number of urgent words that you can utilize to encourage users to take the action that you want them to take, and most of them are action words. These action words clearly tell the user what you would like them to do. They can include words such as register, subscribe, call, buy, and donate.
Once you’ve got the active words, you can create a sense of urgency. Words like “for a short time” and “order now and receive a free gift” all push the user to act swiftly and are a great way to get your call to action answered.
Positioning
Positioning is also very important when it comes to a call to action. If you hide your call to action on the bottom of the page in a corner, your users will likely have a very difficult time seeing it. Ideally it should be placed in the middle column of the page and fairly high, so that the user doesn’t have to scroll down to see what you’d like them to do.
White Space
White noise on the radio is a bad thing, but translated to the written page, it can be really helpful. Some websites have far too much clutter, which causes the users to have a difficult time finding the call to action, or anything else on the page. When you’re trying to get your users to pay attention, try utilizing white space around your call to action to guide the eye to it. The space doesn’t actually have to be white, and can be whatever your background color is. Basically the point is to keep it from being surrounded by content so that users can see it easily.
How to make an effective call to action (CTA) 1 of 3
February 10th, 2010Focusing Your Call to Action
In the most general sense, a call to action is a way to ask your readers to do something. This could be purchasing something, signing up for something, or donating something, or anything else that asks the users to take an action. All too often, though, we see websites which do not utilize their call to action in the right way, making it fairly useless. There are many ways that you can make your call to action something that truly helps you to reach your goals with your website.
Great Ideas
In the popular movie Field of Dreams, the main character hears a voice whisper “if you build it, they will come”. When it comes to a call to action, you’re basically doing the same thing. You need to fill the need of the user before they’ll be willing to complete the call to action. One of the best ways to do this is to explain to the user what they’re going to be doing if they complete your call to action. For example, if they complete your call to action, will they be getting a newsletter, or some sort of a product? If your client knows what they’ll be getting when they do as you ask, they’ll be much more likely to do as you want them to do.
Sometimes you need to offer a little incentive to get them to do as you wish. Incentives can be a variety of things, including discounts, small gifts, or even entry into a competition where they can win something. By offering the user something, you’re giving them a good reason to want to do as you ask them to do, giving you both what you want out of the deal.
One thing to make sure that you do is to avoid using too many calls to action. If you have too many on the site, your users may get confused, or may feel as though you’re asking too much from them. This is a surefire reason for them to leave or to ignore everything that you’re asking from them. When you’re planning out the site, make sure that you only have a few calls to action instead of having dozens of them. This will encourage your customers to do what you’d like them to do and will give you a greater chance of getting the results that you’re hoping for from your users.
PPC Costs Demystified
January 18th, 2010In the world of Google’s PPC advertising service, ad rank can mean everything to your company. After all, the better position you end up with, the higher the chance that you’ll get that click your company needs. Understanding how Google comes up with that ad rank, though, seems like a confusing nightmare to most people, and if you spend any time listening to folks who want to sell site access and ebooks, they’ll tell you it will take years to understand the formula. The bottom line, though, is that it’s a fairly simple concept.
Three Major Players
In Google’s PPC service, there are three major players to be concerned about: the advertiser (that’s you), the user, and Google. All of these folks have to work together for successful ads. After all, without the user, you and Google are sunk. Without Google, you and the user are out of luck. Without you, Google can’t make any money, and users can’t find the content they need. The ad rank takes all of these factors into account.
The Starting Line
Before you take a look at ad rank, it’s important to note that every time a query is made, Google auctions the clicks. You only pay for the clicks you actually get, and what’s more, you only pay the minimum amount necessary to beat the competition, not necessarily your maximum bid. Just because you’ve bid a certain amount, though, doesn’t mean that you’ll get the top slot. Google also factors in a quality ranking, and that’s what throws off many advertisers.
Quality Ads Mean More
Wondering why Google cares about quality instead of price? It’s simple really. The higher the overall quality of its service, the better chance they have of getting users to come back to them. In this case, quality encompasses three major factors: click through rate, relevancy, and landing page quality. Click through rate is a bit like a high school popularity contest. Relevancy analyzes how well your advertisement relates both to your keywords and the services you offer. This component helps keep advertisers out who are offering unrelated services. Landing page quality makes users happy. The ad is only useful if the page users land on helps them and is easy to navigate.
The Real Equation
So, here’s the tough mathematical part of all this – finding the actual ad rank. Ad rank is determined by your bid and the quality score of your page.
Your bid x Your quality score = Your ad rank
Price is a real concern to most too, though, so it’s important to discuss it. Remember, your price and your quality score have to be just enough to beat the other advertisers, and the price you pay is determined by the ad rank of the advertiser below your bid divided by your own quality score. The only time that doesn’t apply is when you’re bid is the last one, and then you pay the minimum price determined for that auction by Google.
This really is a good formula, though, because if your quality score shoots up through great landing pages and high quality, you actually get a higher ad rank for less money.
The bottom line – better quality = better scores = smaller marketing budget = happy CEO
Page Layout
August 6th, 2009
There are many basic concepts that go into the creation of a webpage; when starting from scratch in a field of white waiting to become something impressive and attractive, web designers consider elements such as color, form, and the little artistic details that serve to make a page truly stand out. But one of the first things that goes into the design is the consideration of page layout. On the modern web, content management systems such as Wordpress and Joomla are equipped with a range of pre-made layouts, allowing users pick and choose among well-thought out designs that speak to their own personal aesthetic. And since the dawn of mass interest in the internet, specialty programs like Dreamweaver and even the classic Pagemill have been created and distributed with the intention of helping users easily and efficiently arrive at a sound layout scheme. But the majority of professional web design firms and individual artists are able to tackle page layout in a more organic way.
Just as a search engine optimization expert should have the ability to thoroughly explain the mechanics of SEO, so should a designer interested in the field for its concepts and power as a medium be able to craft a page from the ground up. Templates and programs designed to quickly produce them can help boost efficiency in some applications, and are not necessarily bad things; in fact, some designers work entirely with creating new templates for use among the public. But at its core, page layout is involves important design principles that, if well understood, can bolster a designer’s skill in other areas.
Traditionally, the primary goal of page layout is to balance text-based and visual elements within the context of the page as a whole, creating a visual harmony that also allows for easy reading and usability when the page is visited. Text-based items can include a page’s basic copy, as well as interactive textual elements such as menus and titles. Advances in coding and scripting capabilities are gradually producing truly astounding results in terms of what can be done with these items, letting designers play with structure and balance rather than being tightly limited by words.
Many modern designers work with grid systems when composing the layout for a page, relying on the steady geometric lines of a grid and placing elements according to the golden rule observed so often in the beautiful objects of nature. Still others prefer to visualize a page without aid, arranging elements according to what feels right. While riskier and sometimes more time-intensive, this method can result in truly unique pages.
When the perfect balance of a page’s basic elements has been achieved, page layout is a success. The web design department at Nu Artisan’s Austin Texas base knows that quality page layout is an essential part of any effective design, and whether working with firms in their native Austin Tx town or branching out to other communities, starts website projects on the right foot with page layouts that reflect a deep understanding of this concept.
Offset Printing
July 19th, 2009
Venture into any modern office in Austin Texas and you’ll likely find a familiar object: a digital or ink-jet printer, perched happily atop a desk. You might come across a larger model intended for printing tens or even hundreds of pages quickly, but whether you’re in Austin Tx or Bangalore India, the printers found for most business and personal applications aren’t too imposing. That might be a big part of the reason why offset printers seem so bizarre and complex on first glance; with huge components that whirr and click during operation and a footprint that usually spans several feet, offset printers are entirely different animals when compared to our familiar office equipment. But offset printing has been around for a while, and has quickly become one of the most popular methods of putting text and images to paper.
Pioneered in 1903, offset printing enjoyed a widespread surge in the 1950s with the advent of several improvements in related technologies. The basic operation of the offset printer involves a series of drums or spools; an image is transferred onto a rubber blanket which in turn ìstampsî the image onto the printable surface used. The parts of the image to be printed pick up their respective colors from ink rollers loaded with basic hues, while areas of negative space attract what is called ìfountain solution,î which is a water-based fluid that repels ink and protects the surface.
The relatively quick operation of offset printers makes it an attractive choice for such applications as book and newspaper prints; in fact, the vast majority of modern text-based printed materials are created via offset (though letterpress is still used for ìluxuryî books, special editions, and other products seeking to impart a traditional look and feel). The reliably consistent quality achieved via offset printing makes it a good choice for web designers who want to create a physical portfolio or provide tangible pieces for a web design client. While the plates used to create the image can cause problems for the printer if improperly cared for, wise preservation of the printer’s components can ensure a remarkably long life, making them still more dependable.
When working with designs and products that are photograph-intensive, and when absolute precision means the difference between an acceptable print and a total failure, offset printing may be considered inferior to other methods. Rotogravure and photogravure, complex printing techniques used for the highest-quality photograph printing, can provide more exact results, though they fail to be as cost-effective as offset, especially for large runs. Designs with frequent modifications or a series of prints involving separate images for each page may prove more appropriate for digital printing, as the setup process for offset can be impractical when multiple prints are not necessary.
Aspiring printers and designers interested in getting the best representation of their work possible can take a lead from the principles of SEO; as sound research of appropriate keyword use in search engine optimization is vital to effective sites, a solid understanding of the abilities and faults of various printing methods is essential for beautiful results in ink.
Information Architecture
July 19th, 2009
When we call the field of architecture to mind, we often imagine the slanted desks and precise drawing tools employed by architects to create their distinctive designs. The most central component of the modern concept of architecture, however, lies with the blueprint itself; while those outside of the profession may view it as a kind of incomplete picture, specialists see the blueprint as an all-inclusive whole, describing all the necessary components of a design, upon which a building can be soundly and attractively created. Bringing this concept to the world of web design has been part of the evolution of the human relationship with form and function, and has begun to heavily influence the way we see and use the internet.
The term information architecture itself was first described by architect Richard Saul Wurman in 1975. Wurman saw the potential for data to be carefully and intelligently structured in a manner similar to the foundational elements of a physical structure, and played a key role in bringing this concept to the digital platform. Today, information architecture is a hot topic online and is used for search engine optimization, document creation, and many other applications in the course of developing business and personal interests in the digital medium. As with its use in SEO and documents, information architecture applied to web design is still being developed and experimented with as web designers strive to achieve meaningful results that go beyond the superficial elements of a site’s overt appearance.
Principles of traditional architecture and design are able to transform the way in which information is structured; these principles apply basic concepts central to the crafting of beautiful images and appealing, structurally sound buildings to things such as library and content management systems, online communities based around forums or user groups, and database development. Just as it is essential to quality, dynamic code to build functionality with consistency and an attention to the rules of syntax, the organization and arrangement of websites and their individual elements is served well by approaching projects as though they were physical objects requiring stability and sense.
The effects of information architecture on the developing and evolving scene of online design can be seen around nearly every corner of the web. Like the famous, gleaming bridges that traverse the waterways of Austin Texas, San Francisco California, and New York City, online giants like social media hub Facebook and popular tech blog Engadget rely on sound information architecture to serve traffic with usability and accessibility, not to mention design, that makes sense and which can adapt to changes in the long term. Whether riding with the top down in Austin Tx, coasting along the foggy shores of SFO, or taking in technology at Engadget, some of life’s most pleasant experiences rely on the beauty and reason of a tool we’ve been using for millennia: architecture, a discipline that has grown to transcend the blueprint.
What is Branding?
July 8th, 2009
Though we might not immediately realize it, we interact with scores of brands on a daily basis. From the brands of our monitor and computer manufacturers (with their respective brands for accessories and parts) to brands that deliver the food we eat and personal care products we use in the bath, our clothing lines to cars to recreation equipment, brands are everywhere. It might seem, on the surface, that these are simply names used to identify the companies which have created or sold a product or service. But branding encompasses much more than just a name, though this concept is indeed central. Branding is a term used to describe the totality of efforts towards fashioning a personality and distinct quality for a company or their product, and can be an extensive, long-term, and complex process.
Web designers, SEO experts, advertisers, and graphic artists are just some of the professionals who come into contact with branding efforts throughout the course of their career, even if the link between web design or search engine optimization and the appearance of that character on your cereal box doesn’t seem too solid. This is because branding online has opened up many new opportunities to companies with an interest in creating a powerful presence in the collective consumer consciousness. Traditionally, branding has involved diverse strategies from the association of a product or company with other business entities or aspects of daily life to efforts in brand placement, where a name or item appears in a popular film or television show. These efforts have typically been managed by specialized branding agencies, which, like advertising and marketing firms, aim to bring in higher profits for their clients, but through the long-term and pervasive method of creating personal brand feelings and associations.
Today, branding enjoys a wide playground on the internet, where a growing number of companies and individuals are seeking to reach potential clients and customers. From dairy companies in Austin Texas to adventure tour outfits in the far north of Greenland, business entities put time, money, and effort into getting their brand recognized and revered, with the opportunity for major payoffs down the line. Whether a designer is working with a brand from Austin Tx, Qaqortoq Greenland, or their own hometown, the elements of branding tend to remain the same. Considerations in any branding effort include visual personality and feel, composed of logos and logotypes, characters or mascots, and accompanying graphics or artwork, as well as associations and placement, such as which sorts of markets receive the brand’s advertising and different people and situations in which the brand is shown.
When branding accurately reflects the particular nuances of a company or product while still conveying the core value or constitution, and is able to play into market perceptions and ideals, a campaign can be called successful. While re-branding is sometimes necessary to make a campaign just right, some can enjoy considerable achievements without alteration, becoming corporate legends in their own right.
How Do You Build a Website?
June 28th, 2009
Building a website is often touted as an extraordinarily easy goal, even for the most inexperienced of computer or internet users. The proliferation of special point-and-click site creation tools as well as online guides and physical books are stuffed with information and efforts in explaining the processes involved and helping newcomers achieve a great website. But while website building certainly isn’t impossible or necessarily a difficult field, it can be frustrating and confusing for those just starting out on their own, especially when they have a given result in mind. With all of the glossy and professionally-produced sites on the web today, it can be easy to envision one’s own site taking on the visual and functional qualities of some of the most popular and celebrated addresses on the web. But it can take a fair amount of study or the securing of specialty services to realize such accomplishments.
Building a website in its technical and administrative steps, at least, is fairly straightforward. There are a few processes that site owners must use whether they’re large corporations in Austin Texas or single individual on a deserted island. All sites must have as the basis for their location a domain name, which dictates the dominant part of their URL or website address. Picking a name which is both appropriate, easy to remember, and available for purchase is one of the first steps in building a website, and is followed by purchasing it from a registrar. A website also needs hosting ña space in which to store its data and a server to handle its transfer and site traffic–, which is offered by most registration agencies but can also be purchased off-site. After nameservers have been redirected, if necessary, a site is ready to be populated with content.
It is at this point that a number of new site owners find themselves at a loss for what to do. An important component of building a website, crucial for the Austin Tx corporation equally as much as the single fellow out in the Pacific, is a clear understanding of what the website will contain before content and design creation takes place. A site may incorporate any number of features and capabilities, from simple business descriptions to e-commerce hubs offering online sales, single-author blogs to complex news sites that aggregate fresh information from various online source. Once the idea of purpose is clear, a website owner can begin the construction of their site, either alone or with the help of dedicated professionals.
SEO experts capable of launching a site skyward in rankings and relevance as well as performing other search engine optimization tasks, web designers with successful backgrounds in creating attractive and impressive web design for sites of every nature, and trained programmers with the skill to add fun and function to a site’s structure are all good choices in the procurement of professional website help. Layering content with design and a useful back end, along with any number of special perks and features, can take some time, effort, and money, in various combinations, but is a solid method of achieving a lasting, quality website.