Websketching On/Offline
September 2009 Newsletter
9/9/2009 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Click here for the .pdf version of September’s newsletter.
One of the key components of online marketing is understanding where your website’s visitors come from, their behavior while on your website, and whether or not they are taking action and why.
Online marketing can be divided into 3 key activities:
Acquisition – Getting people to your website. Inefficient acquisition activities will limit the traffic to your website.
Conversion – Persuading them to take the desired action(s). An inefficient website with low conversion rates will restrict the number of leads or customers.
Retention – Deepening the relationship and increasing its lifetime value. Inefficient retention or follow-up activities will fail to extract value from current prospects or clients.
Acquisition (Number of visitors) – Low numbers means you need to increase your online marketing activities. This can be done by:
SEO – improving search engine results by using keywords in content, links to site and ongoing maintenance.
Banner/Text Ads – Advertising on other websites.
Pay Per Click – Buying keywords on major search engines or targeted websites.
Blogs – Online public diaries that focus on a deeper coverage of your subject matter.
Social Networking – Facebook and Twitter allow people to connect with others of a shared interest and influence other people by recommending your products or services in a positive light.
Email Lists – Asking visitors for info while on your site. In-house mailing lists are at the core of retention activities and you should be building a list.
Online Video Ads – Online video content is growing quickly. Many video clips now include short promotional messages or commercials. Visit www.Woodstown-NJ.com for examples.
Your offline methods of advertising should also be driving visitors directly to your website by typing in your URL (website address). Be sure to include it!
Common tactics to drive traffic from offline to online include:
- Brand Awareness
- TV & Radio Advertising
- Print & Magazine Advertising
- Public Relations & Media Coverage
- Industry Trade Shows
- Event Participation & Sponsorship
- POS Promotions & Sweepstakes
- Client Referrals
- Outdoor Advertising
- Promotional Items
- Direct Marketing with Promotional Codes to Enter Online
Conversion
A landing page is the point at which a visitor lands on your website. A conversion happens when a visitor takes a desired action such as makes a purchase, downloads a file, fills out a form, click to another page on your site, watches a video, etc.
Your Google Analytics Report will show you:
- Number of visitors to your site
- Number of page views
- Time spent on your site
This information can help you determine what percentage of visitors took an action, such as clicked to another page or looked at your contact page. If you have a high number of visitors but a low conversion rate, this is an indication that there may be a problem with your message that is preventing the user from taking the desired action.
Retention
Retention is the third key online marketing activity. Once someone has become aware of your company and made initial contact, you must deepen your relationship with them in order to extract value in the future. This can be done by:
Email – A clear distinction must be made between unsolicited SPAM versus an opt-in list or responding to an inquiry.
Newsletters – Newsletters tend to be sent on a regular basis with the main purpose of educating or informing in order to enable the reader to make informed buying decision at some point.
Rewards & Loyalty Programs – Online tracking allows marketers to reward things such as participating in surveys or referring others.
