Chrobis Blog

Can't see the wood for the trees?

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:03:00 GMT

I came across an excellent article earlier on Smashing Magazine (a blog dedicated to graphic and web design), dealing with the principle of 'designer myopia', seemingly common amongst web designers these days. It discusses how those who are close to a subject often observe it in too much detail, and easily get hung up on those details without seeing the full picture.

There's a whole subset of designers who design simply for other designers, and when their target audience is the general public, that can be quite problematic.

I think what the article really underlines though is that it's far too easy to get too close to your your business, and that goes for everyone from plumbers to beauticians. A problem we often come across amongst clients is that they don't know how to talk to their audience. They see things from their point of view and assume that potential customers would also read and interact with them in the same way. This is not true, and the problem with this type of marketing is that it usually does a better job of alienating potential customers than acquiring them.

So how to you sort this out? The first thing you need to do is to put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer. Think about why you might visit a company's website. What sort of information might you want to find and how easy could it be to find? You may arrive at a furniture manufacturer's website, for example, interested in buying a new coffee table. But if the coffee tables are buried within 6 layers of navigation, you'd likely be put off. The same goes for writing copy on your website. Don't belt out reams and reams of "We are xx and we do xx" and "we have been doing xx for xx" on every single page - focus on answering the questions behind the visit - why are they there and what are they there for?

You should also position yourself as someone who can solve problems, not simply as someone who offers a service. People gravitate towards those who can help them; those who create a genuine need for their services. For example, if you were a furniture repairer, you could go with "table looking scratched and worn? get in touch now!" It's all about promoting a need, and then encouraging people to pick up the phone.

YouTube = 3rd most visited site in the UK!

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:00 GMT

A lot of people still tell us that they're not interested in using Social Media for their business; that it's a waste of time, that it won't generate any returns. So we tell them to consider this - the three most popular websites in the UK are Google, Facebook and YouTube. In that order.

In new data from Experian Hitwise, YouTube saw a jump of 45% traffic on the previous year. It also accounted for 25% of visits to social network sites over the Christmas period. It seems Brits just can't get enough of social sites these days, and that trend is only set to continue. Experian Hitwise Market research analyst James Murray says: "In 2012 we’re expecting video to be even more influential as a marketing channel, and marketers will have to adapt their strategies to incorporate a multichannel approach in order to secure customers both on and offline."

It's so easy to get on YouTube, why not look into it? Film videos of your products, your staff, your HQ. Create quick how-to guides for useful bits and pieces. Run screencaps of instructions for using your software. Get out there - it doesn't take long or much effort, and these days most smartphone cameras are enough to start making really decent quality videos.

Merry Christmas from Chrobis!

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:35:00 GMT

Chrobis would like to wish all our customers, future and present, a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

We'd like to use this opportunity to serve you a (fairly amusing) festive cartoon, as follows:

"Sorry Santa, it looks like the elves have more Twitter followers than you again this year..."

Merry Christmas!

Facebook and Twitter help to push up sales by nearly 50 percent

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:19:00 GMT

Online businesses have seen a sales growth of around 50% in the past year, with Facebook and Twitter being used in three quarters of etailers.

A recent survey of more than 1,000 businesses, conducted payments processor SagePay, concluded that the number of online businesses using Twitter doubled to 76%, and 76% also have their own Facebook page. It's great to see that more and more businesses are taking advantage of the amazing potential of social media. You only have to look at some of our blog posts over the past couple of years to see how things are evolving.

Do you need a Privacy Policy?

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:14:00 GMT

Regulations announced by Google require anyone advertising using their AdWords service and collecting information to display a privacy policy on their website.

The information collected includes name, address, email address and so on. You could be infringing these regulations from simply featuring a contact form on your website, so it's a good idea to get this sorted as soon as possible.

There's a good example of a privacy policy you can look at here. We can also give you some free advice on writing yours - what to include, where etc. Even if you don't advertise with Google AdWords, it's a good idea to get a privacy policy set up anyway. Visitors who trust your site are more likely to buy from it because they're more likely to trust you. As the importance of privacy gathers importance on the internet, you should make sure your business is transparent and accountable when it comes to personal information.

Find out more on Google's new regulations here.

What would the world be like without Facebook?

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:35:00 GMT

Check out this great viral video - titled The Social Network 2 (Official Trailer)

The world will never be the same again!

Social Media Analytics Gets Interesting

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:35:00 GMT

Socia Networks are a huge part of the internet these days. Most of our businesses are on some combination of Facebook and Twitter, and even a few of us are on the rather somnabulistic Google+. We want to get these networks working for us, generating leads and so on, but the only way you can market effectively is if you have data telling you what works and what doesn't.

Unfortunately, so far Social Networks have been traditionally pretty poor at providing any analytical information. Facebook gives us graphs of likes and page views, but that's it - it's just numbers on a page at the end of the day. It's not using the medium to convey the message very well. Enter Google+ Ripples. This new feature shows a 'map' of how your posts spread, to the different people who share them against the time they are shared.

It's awesome stuff - Scott Hanselman's post sums it up pretty well - "Give the users their data. Give them analytics. Let them see how their data moves around the web and how it happened. Let them understand how the network lives and works with elegant visualizations. While you at it, animate the process. Brilliant."

The ball is definitely in Facebook and Twitter's court now.

New EU Legislation - Does your Website Comply?

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:32:00 GMT

Recently approved legislation from the EU means that websites will have to be more careful with the methods they use to sell products to consumers.

The legislation, which was backed by the EU parliament in June, is aimed at making things clearer and easier to follow. The list of changes includes the following:

Consumers must explicitly confirm that they understand that they have to pay a price
Traders have to disclose the total cost of the product or service, as well as any extra fees
Additional options will not be offered via pre-ticked boxes
Consumers have 14 days to withdraw from a sales contract agreed to outside a shop - for example online or on their doorstep
The EU will provide an optional withdrawal form for consumers to use
Traders must refund customers within 14 days
Information on digital products - such as software compatibility - will need to be clearer
There will be a single set of core rules for distance contracts and off-premises contracts across the EU

Does your website comply with these changes? If not, you could face punishment from the EU. If you're not sure whether you comply, or would like to make sure your website does, we're happy to help.

You can't measure what you don't monitor

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:31:00 GMT

Advertising online is great for quite a lot of reasons, but one of the best is that almost everything is measurable.

Unlike in print advertising, where you'll often have no idea of your ROI for a series of advertisements, online you can see who responded, how - and even more importantly, who didn't respond. You can use the metrics and data to build a picture of how people flow through your site, and use this picture to understand any strengths and weaknesses that there might be.

It's important to think of your website like a sales funnel. People enter the site, search for information, and ideally - contact you or buy a product. We refer to the final step as a goal or conversion. You want to make your sales funnel as simple as possible, because the fewer obstructions in the funnel (hopefully) the more conversions you'll get. But how can you tell how people are using your site - what tools do you need?

There's a simple answer - you need Google Analytics. This is a great package that can give you a comprehensive run-down on how visitors use your site - and best of all, it's free.

Millions use their phones to browse the internet - does your business have a mobile site?

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:29:00 GMT

As smartphones and mobile internet connectivity continue to take off, more and more people are browsing on the move, on devices with small screens optimised for touch navigation. By 2013, more people will use their mobiles to get online than an actual computer. But have you thought how your site would work on a mobile?

The GoMo site can help. It allows you to test any website for mobile user-friendliness, giving advice on optimising features and design for users on the go. It's a useful site well worth checking out - remember, you want to make sure your site is accessible as possible, so don't risk putting potential customers off!

Free Webinar Wednesday - Discover the Power of Search Advertising

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:30:00 GMT

This Wednesday (28th) is Free WSI Webinar Wednesday and they'll be showing you how to advertise your business online.

If you've been wondering what it's all about, please join us to understand how to get promoting your business and increasing your leads using Google AdWords.

Anyone with any questions on this kind of topic would benefit from attending - and each attendee also gets a free copy of our Google AdWords Beginner's Guide.

Download today's Google Analytics Webinar Here

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:36:00 GMT

Today's WSI webinar was another great success, with a large number of attendees learning how to install Google Analytics on their sites and the advantages of doing so.

If you missed the webinar, would like to watch it again or download the slides, you can get them here (Local Search Webinar - Google Analytics - 31st August 2011).

Download today's Social Media webinar here

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:00:00 GMT

If you were unable to attend or would like to see today's WSI webinar again - Local Search: Generate a Buzz with Reviews and Recommendations...

...you can download the slides, or watch the recording, here (Local Search Webinar - Reviews and Recommendations - 24th August 2011).

We hope you enjoy and find the material interesting - and as always, let us know if you have any questions.

Get Reviews and Recommendations for your business!

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:19:00 GMT

One of the most vital components of online marketing is creating a trustworthy reputation for your business.

In the offline world, it's easy - customers can meet you, talk to you and get to know you. But online, it's easier for dodgy companies to hide behind their website. That means it's important to get your name out there and educate people.

Take a look at the diagram below. It segments a customer's search process into various areas. They'll start from the left; wanting to find you. Once they've done that, they want to learn more about you - so they'll check your reputation by looking for reviews and customer experiences. Once they've done that, they may move on to looking for special offers and deals.

It's vital that you react to this process by optimising your website and making use of other tools, so that potential customers can find all the information they need.

Here are a few quick tips:

Make sure customers can easily get in touch through channels like Facebook and Twitter
Use business forums or LinkedIn, and post friendly and helpful advice not sales spam
Ask customers to leave you reviews on Google Maps, and sites like Yelp and Qype

If you want learn more about all this, attend WSI's free webinar on Wednesday 24th - Generate a Buzz with Reviews and Recommendations. They'll be talking about the essence of creating a great, trustworthy presence on the web.

You can register here. Space is limited, so be quick!

Download the Google AdWords Webinar Here

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:01:00 GMT

If you were unable to attend today's WSI webinar - How to get the best out of Search Advertising or would just like another look at the slides you can get them here.

Download a copy of the slides or Watch a recording of the Webinar

We hope you enjoyed the session, and feel free to contact us with any questions if you have any.