Chichester Design Blog» Chichester Design

How Google Ad Planner can be the difference between online advertising success and failure

Chichester Design — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:58:11 +0000

It’s the season of peace and understanding, and I want to focus on understanding. Understanding how to better engage and market to potential clients when creating a new business website to be exact. Google Ad Planner helps provide this insight.

Just as important as having a business website properly designed and built is ensuring that the content is properly advertised. And when I mean properly advertised, I mean making sure that it is targeted at the correct audience. No one wants to waste their money, using Google AdWords or any other means, on mis-targeted online advertising. This is where Google Ad Planner comes in.

It is a clever invention from Google. Google Ad Planner allows business website owners to better advertise their content, giving them the opportunity to identify their core audience and achieve greater exposure among this group.

Ad Planner provides a range of data, from tracking other sites that visitors frequent and commonly used search keywords within the core audience group to information on demographics, interests, income and gender, which helps generate a clearer picture of where to advertise.

For example, when planning a car-related business website, Google Ad Planner could be used to collect data on audiences for websites such as Top Gear, Jalopnik, Piston Heads, etc. to attain an understanding of the new site’s target audience. For a food-related business website, it could be Jamie Oliver, the British Larder or thefoodpeople.

Google Ad Planner also has the capacity to create a list of key websites, which is part of an analytical tools package that ensures the focus of an online marketing and sales campaign remains in the right place. In a very competitive online commercial environment, Ad Planner can help business websites build a powerful online profile.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, including Google advertising services, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Google Verbatim provides search engine ranking insight for business websites

Chichester Design — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:08:01 +0000

2011 has been a busy year for business web development, not least as Facebook and Google have locked horns over key bits of cyber turf. However, the recent launch of Google Verbatim and its role in terms of business website SEO may have slipped under the mainstream radar.

I like to keep an eye on all things Google when I get a spare minute or two at my Chichester Design desk and I think the value of
Google Verbatim for business websites is well worth highlighting. It allows business website owners to see how well their site is truly ranking.

Google Verbatim is a search mode in Google that allows users to perform searches that are affected only by the keyword entered. You thought that was what happened anyway? The truth is very different – Google corrects any errors you may make, such as spelling and grammar. It also uses factors such as location, plus 1s and your search history when choosing which search results to return.

Google Verbatim strips all this back. The search mode is kind of new and kind of not. Traditionally you could make verbatim searches using + in the search bar. However, this service was quietly withdrawn earlier this year, which I assume was because of the launch of Google+. So, Google Verbatim is the replacement.

Google Verbatim does not tailor search results and, because of the forensic results it provides, business website owners can get an insight into just how good (or bad) their online profile is. At a time when the focus seems to be strongly on the boom in
mobile browsing, mobile website optimisation (MWO) and social media optimisation (SMO), Google Verbatim is a reminder of the importance of search engine optimisation (SEO) in the online business world.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, including SEO, SMO and MWO, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Battle with Facebook heats up with Google+ Business Pages launch

Chichester Design — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:47:51 +0000

Another week, another Google business application launch. I talked about the unveiling of Google Analytics Real-Time and what it means for tracking business website performance in October and this week, the company has announced the introduction of Google+ Business Pages.

This move comes as no surprise (the only surprise perhaps being that it hadn’t happened sooner) as Google continues in its attempt to create a social network on the scale of Facebook. The extension of Google+ Pages to include business pages sees the search engine giant expand its battle with its rival.

And why wouldn’t Google want to replicate the success of Facebook business pages, which have become an integral part of online marketing strategies across the business sector spectrum and a major revenue stream for Mr Zuckerberg. According to a recent webinar, one Facebook fan generates an additional 20 visits to a business website over a year, with advertisers expected to spend an estimated US$1.3 billion on Facebook in 2011.

Just like Facebook business pages, there is a local business page option on Google+ Business Pages, which is the product that most SMEs are likely to take up. This local business page option allows business to input location-based data, although at present, there is no link up between Google+ Pages and Google Places. Google+ Business Pages also offers heightened search
engine visibility via its Direct Connect in Google Search.

All in all, despite the fact that Google+ Business Pages seems a work in progress for Google, it’s a wise (if perhaps overdue) move. Whether this service and Google+ will succeed on the scale of Facebook remains to be seen, with opinion very much split, but what is clearer is the fact that it underlines the importance of social media optimisation for business websites.

Social media accounts for almost a quarter of all internet use in the UK, with nearly half of this time spent on Facebook, which has over 26 million users in this country (equal to over three times the population of Greater London). That’s a lot of potential customers.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, including social media optimisation, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Chichester Design serves up a new website for the Old Post Office

Chichester Design — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:42:33 +0000

It has been a while since we’ve posted a client profile on the Chichester Design blog, so this week I’m doing just that. We’ve recently completed a new website for the Old Post Office, a bar and restaurant in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.

This was a great project to work on, not least because we worked with a very nice people at the Oakman Inn Group. The company has spent a lot of time and effort refurbishing this pub, turning it into a very desirable destination, as you can see from the photos on the site, and they wanted to update their website to match this feel.

Our web and graphic designers created a smart, fresh-feeling business website that is easy to navigate and shows off everything about the bar and restaurant that makes it that little bit special. Visitors to the website can get an immediate flavour of the pub and what it offers.

Social media optimisation was another part of the project and we integrated Facebook and Twitter accounts into the website, which also features a blog and a gallery that enables the pub to keep regulars and newcomers (and everyone in between) up to date with what’s going on. In addition, the Old Post Office’s Trip Advisor profile is integrated into the site, with a link on the homepage.

The Oakman Inn Group comprises a number of other bars and restaurants and we’re working on those at the moment as well. I’ll post an update when those go live at a later date. But right now, it’s cheers to the Old Post Office in Wallingford.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Google Analytics Real-Time a major launch for online businesses

Chichester Design — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:54:16 +0000

Heady days at the Chichester Design office – we’ve been busy trying out the new Google Analytics Real-Time. “What’s so exciting about that?” I hear everybody say? Well, in short, it’s a tool that helps paint a clearer, quicker picture of return on investment on business websites.

With Google Analytics Real-Time plugged into a business website, the impact of any piece of digital marketing, whether it’s the uploading of a business blog or a web video, social media activity, or the hosting of a live event, such as a webinar, can be instantly tracked.

I think this immediate tracking capacity will be used most, initially at least, to measure the impact of social media. Not only will
businesses be able to instantly see how blog posts or posts on Facebook or Twitter are performing, but when the same information is put out across different media, they will also be able to see which one is driving the most traffic to their website.

In addition, by being able to instantly measure the performance of social media activity in terms of depth and duration, a business will also be able to see more accurately when it needs to re-engage with its customers (a benefit that also applies to general digital marketing campaigns). Businesses will be able to better apply social media optimisation and better plan the use of web videos, webinars, etc., creating more efficient and effective overall online marketing strategies.

The data generated by Google Analytics Real-Time is incredibly valuable for businesses as the supervision it allows provides a
previously unattainable capacity for making improvements in a short time frame. I think that Google Analytics Real-Time permits the kind of fine tuning that is vital to sales growth.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Mark Zuckerberg, Lily Allen and the power of social media for businesses

Chichester Design — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:53:22 +0000

I’ve been keeping my eye on developments in the social media world this week and I see that Mr Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has introduced a new subscribe tool to his network. There’s potential for businesses in this I think.

Facebook’s subscribe button is a clever response to Google+ Circle and a shot across the bow of Twitter – it allows a user to follow anybody’s or any company’s public updates regardless of whether they are Facebook friends. I think this opens another social media optimisation opportunity for businesses.

Companies already use Facebook local business pages and targeted advertising to market to the 750 million plus people that use the social network and the subscribe button presents a new avenue of development. Expect subscribe-related marketing
campaigns to spring up soon.

Mentioning Zuckerberg’s latest update also lets me demonstrate the power of social media for businesses. We build and run social media marketing campaigns at Chichester Design and the tweeting by Lily Allen of a recipe by our client The British Larder caused a huge spike in attention for the foodie company and has helped increase the number of visitors that their
website receives.

Getting more visitors to your website is a sure-fire way to generate business, which is what social media optimisation is all about. We’re able to track all this information thanks to a tool called Tynt Insight – I talked about it in a post last year. It’s ingenious and, when attached to a site, helps to increase web traffic, achieve stronger search engine optimisation, measure visitor engagement and improve online brand profile.
To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Google+ public launch: the battle with Facebook begins

Chichester Design — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:42:52 +0000

I talked about Google’s initial roll out of Google+ back in July and now the search engine giant has given its social network to the masses, announcing its public launch last week. It’s time to sit back and see if it can take on Facebook.

That’s the big question. Can it give the mighty Zuckerberg creation a run for its money or will it be another damp squib like Google Buzz or Google Orkut? Google are claiming that its 12-week invitation-only trial attracted more than 20 million souls, which is a tidy amount. However, given its track record, I don’t think anybody is betting the house on it succeeding.

You can certainly understand why Google is chucking the kitchen sink and millions of dollars at creating its own social network. Just look at the power of Facebook – almost 800 million people use it across the world, including 26 million in the UK.

It is estimated that US$1.3 billion will be spent worldwide on Facebook advertising by businesses in 2011. Why? Well, in the UK, one in ten visits to a website originates from the social network, while business intelligence company Experian Hitwise claims that one Facebook fan equals 20 additional visits to a website. It’s easy to understand why companies are investing in social media optimisation and social media marketing.

It is also easy to see why Google wants a slice of this pie. It clearly means business – new features are going up on Google+ all the time –but only time will tell if Plus becomes a credit to the search engine-istas or another mark in the negative column.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, including social media optimisation, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Chichester Design gets dis.cuss.it talking with new web video

Chichester Design — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:30:10 +0000

I haven’t posted much on web videos for a while, but a recently completed project for live website moderation company dis.cuss.it is the perfect opportunity to put this right. We designed and built a web video to demonstrate this client’s core
product.

The animated HD web video on the homepage gives a simple introduction to the company’s live website moderation tool, conveying key information in an engaging way in a short space of time. This web video was created on the Vimeo
channel and the same can be done using YouTube. Which is best? Find out here.

Speed and simplicity are key here. People’s attention spans when browsing the web are notoriously short – a matter of seconds depending on which statistic you believe – so you don’t have long to capture their interest. The point is, as a business, you have to get your message across quickly and clearly, and this is where web videos come into their own, and why they are essential for online businesses.

I said at the beginning of the year that web videos were the must-have online business tool for 2011 and nothing has happened to make me change my mind. Of course, web videos don’t have to be animated – they can be shot using real people or they can demonstrate a manufacturing process central to what a business does. This is a good example: custom embroidery company Snappy Crab use an HD web video filmed and edited by Chichester Design to demonstrate their product.

A professional web video not only helps keep customers on company websites, but also helps businesses gratify Google and climb the search engine rankings. As I’ve said before, search engine optimisation and social media optimisation are hugely important, and web videos play a vital role.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, including web videos, contact Michelle on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

DiscussIt Live Moderator from Charles Brook on Vimeo.

Consumers hungry for online shopping

Chichester Design — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:33 +0000

“More shoppers trust the internet than TV” – now here’s a fascinating statement. It is the title of an article I read the other day which talks about how the internet is revolutionising the way in which we shop. I also think that it has a direct impact on how small businesses set out their online stall.

So why do we supposedly trust the internet over TV when it comes to parting with our hard-earned cash? Well, the article argues that the internet gives us more control. It gives us more time to consider products, research them and get price comparisons. In the world of e-commerce business websites, there is less pressure and, as a result, less impulsive buying.
This seems to stand up and what is certain is that TV can’t compete on the same level. The last few years have been a bad time for TV advertising and I think the slew of downmarket adverts – think accident lawyers and finance companies – that now populate lesser digital channels are doing the format no favours for the long term.
But online retailers can’t afford to rest on their laurels. The market grows ever bigger and the competition fiercer. Hence, the retailer can’t get away with just dumping an e-commerce website on the internet and hoping it will start attracting consumers. The e-commerce functionality and the site around it has to be built with savvy consumers in mind.
The retailer has to create a position of authority around its market presence to attract and reassure consumers. This should be reflected in the website design, content and digital marketing. How do you go about achieving this goal?
Social media optimisation is very important – building a community around your brand using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn helps cement reputations and engage new and existing consumers. The people leaving recommendations or testimonials are not only going to pull in their friends and family but also strangers. A business blog is another means of building that community and that position of authority.
Shoppers trust the internet more than the TV only because they have more power to do what they want online than they do on screen or even in store. E-commerce, social media, SEO, blogs, Google Adwords – it’s shopfitting for the 21st-century store.
To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, contact Ben on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.

Mobile browsing and mobile payments – tomorrow’s consumer world

Chichester Design — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:30 +0000

Buying online – I’ve blogged recently about how we trust the internet more than we do the TV – but this time it’s a different aspect of e-commerce that’s on my mind. The launch of Google Wallet has got me thinking about mobile browsing and mobile payments.

Mobile payment is by no means a new format, and the technology is much more developed in the Far East, so Google is hardly a pioneer. However, it has the power to bring the technology to the masses and quickly. So, if I were an online retailer, I’d be seriously considering how my website works on a mobile phone.

How we use the internet, whether it’s using maps to get round, reading the news or striking up conversations on Facebook or Twitter, has changed remarkably in recent years: we are doing a lot more of it on our mobile phones. Nearly a year ago, Ofcom said that almost a quarter of the UK’s mobile phone owners used their handsets to access the internet and that this number was rising.

So, as consumers are increasingly doing their browsing on the go, it is important that online retailers have websites that are fully accessible in this format. And, this format means not just one smaller size, but several. From Google Android handsets and BlackBerry to iPhones and iPads, there are a lot of different screen sizes, and a website design has to be adaptable to them all. Mobile optimisation is a must, both in terms of reading and navigating content and purchasing from an e-commerce website.

I’m looking forward to the growth of mobile payments. “Wave and pay” is the future – I already use a bank card that allows me to do that. The emergence of Google Wallet will undoubtedly speed things up. Orange is working with Barclaycard and Samsung, and O2 is planning something similar this year. We are living in an ever more mobile world.

To find out more about Chichester Design’s web design and development services, contact Ben on +44 (0) 1243 787542 or info@chichesterdesign.co.uk.