MGT 4311 Exam 1

quantitative and qualitative data

~qualitative research is exploratory and seeks to find out what potential customers think and feel about a given subject ~quantitative research relies on numerical data to demonstrate statistically significant outcomes ~qualitative research usually takes place first to get an idea of the issues to be aware of and then quantitative research tests the theories put forward ~purpose of qualitative- generates ideas and concepts- leads to issues or hypotheses to be tested, puts data in context, seeks complexity [advantages- looks at context of issues and aims to understand perspectives] [challenges- shouldnt be used to evaluate pre-existing ideas, results arent predictors of the pop] ~purpose of quantitative- tests known issues or hypotheses, seeks consensus/norm, generalizes data [advantages- statistically reliable results to determine if one option is better than alternatives] [challenges- issues can be measured only if they are known prior to starting, sample size must be sufficient for predicting pop]

sampling

~sample size is important in conducting research and should be representative of pop you are targeting as a whole ~if your business transacts both online and offline using only online channels for market research might not represent your true target market however if you transact only online offline channels for market research are less necessary

local search

~search behavior and results where location matters [results returned are local in nature or can be map based] ~for search engines to return location relevant results they need to know the location of images being searched for [this is determined from sites that include name and address of business] ~business can claim location by verifying itself through process w/ search engine

language and location targeting

~search engines have versions customized for specific regions and languages based on users settings and where in the world they are ~targeting your ad means that ads wont be seen by people outside your target area so you wont pay for traffic that you cant convert into customers

conversion and clickthrough rates

~search engines need to ensure that users find ads relevant otherwise they will be less likely to click on them and no click means no revenue for search engine ~w/ goal set up advertiser can track how many of the users that clickthrough website follow through to that goal (conversion) [goals can be buying a product, filling in a form or quote, etc] ~cost per action is total cost of campaign divided by number of conversions ~average cost per click is total cost of campaign divided by number of clicks

segmenting and customizing messages

~segmentation is process of taking single, general audience and dividing it up according to specific groupings or characteristics ~each group can be targeted differently depending on their needs from the brand ~digital offers wealth of user info, the ability to target users based on these factors and availability of technology for creating and managing large databases

the long tail

~small number of high volume searches and larger number of lower volume searches stretching out to those unique searches ~discovering these low volume niche search terms can help search advertising campaign [less competition for these search terms and term itself is very targeted so it will be likely cheaper to bid on and may yield higher conversion rate] ~while long tail phrases are generally cheaper and lead to higher rate of conversions you will need to use much larger number of them to make up for lower traffic volume they generate ~use long tail keyword strategy for targeting those who are at end of buying cycle and know specifically what they are looking for

principles of creating content

~structure- content needs to be written so users can find info they need as quickly as possible [highlight or bolding key phrases and words, using bulleted lists, using paragraphs to break up info, using descriptive and distinct headings] ~hierarchy- use inverted pyramid style [content is presented in descending scale of importance] ~relevance

online research methodologies

~surveys- ideal for collecting large amount of quantitative data (and some qualitative data) [quick and easy to set up and can run automatically] ~online focus groups- ideal for engaging customers and collecting qualitative data such as opinions/ideas/feelings about the brand [require larger time investment and willing group of participants] ~online monitoring- ideal for collecting qualitative data on brand sentiment and can also provide some quantitative data around volume of interest in brand [data can be collected passively and several tools can automate this]

design theory

~the fold- imaginary line at bottom of monitor that divides immediate visible part of content from part visible only after scrolling down [most important content and CTA should be above the fold] ~consistency- consistency in use of visual elements across all properties and channels [users dont perceive differences b/w platforms but see it as one message on multiple touchpoints] ~white space- spacing allows eye to travel easily b/w chunks of info and allows scanning

digital audiences

~there are many fragmented and highly specific niche communities at play across multiple digital media channels ~peoples attention is also fragmented by new channels and tools [with so many choices and too little time audiences have become very skilled at ignoring marketing messages] ~key to succeeding- ideas must be remarkable and you must find niche group who are devoted to your product ~individuals have become conduits for information, ideas and news [personalized digital products]

language

~tone- should be consistent w/ brand you are writing for ~active voice- people expect characters to execute actions that have impact on objects or other characters [if written in passive voice people translate it into active voice but this adds 25% time required to understand sentence] ~neologisms and buzzwords- ex: google, blog, etc [talk in the same way your user talks- pepper it w/ latest buzzwords] ~features and benefits- feature is prominent aspect of product that can provide benefit to user/describes what product does while benefit is the positive outcome for user that a feature provides [features are important to company while benefits are important to those who decide to use product]

fonts

~typographic layout can draw attention to content users should see first ~importance can be signified by text size, color, weight, capitalization and italics [placement also contributes to how important text appears] ~web safe fonts- common to all computer users [arial, georgia, trebuchet, comic sans, impact, verdana, courier new, times new roman]

social and search

~use social media properties to dominate brand SERPs- when someone searches for your brand name you can use social media properties to own more of the results on that page and likelihood that user will end up on your website instead of competitor ~social links are used as signs of relevance- focus on creating great content on your site and make sure it is easy to share socially ~personalized results are influenced by your online social network ~optimize for social search engines- content that is housed on social properties should be optimized for relevant social search engine as well

(4) create sitemap

~visualized structural plan for how websites pages will be laid out and organized ~to create visual for sitemap- (1) start by defining home page- this should be top item in hierarchy (2) place main navigation items below this (3) start arranging pages of content below main navigation items according to results of your user testing and insight (4) continue adding pages below this until you have placed all your content (5) define any other static navigation elements [place these in diagram in logical place]

responsive design

~when deciding whether to create responsive site or separate mobile and desktop sites consider- (1) how much of your website traffic comes from mobile devices [if its large % consider building dedicated mobile site (2) do your desktop users have same goals as mobile users [if goals are different consider building separate mobile device] (3) what is your budget and how quickly do you need your website to be built [responsive websites take longer to build and can be more expensive but could save you money long term] (4) do you have an existing site and can it be converted into a responsive website or will it need to be rebuilt

structuring your search advertising campaign

~within your account organize your search ads into groupings called campaigns according to your strategy and ads you are running ~within each campaign you should have ad groups- these are sets of ads that have common characteristic or focus

competitor analysis

~you can find out who is linking to your competitors and which non-competing sites are ranking highly for your key phrases [use this info to identify sites to target for link requests]

behavioral and demographic targeting

~you can re-target visitors who came to your site based on actions they took [came to site but didnt make purchase] ~re-targeting is effective for remaining top of mind until user is ready to convert

keywords and match types

~you need to know about the different ways in which search engine interprets and matches the search term to your chosen keyword ~considering massive volume of searches conducted everyday it would be impossible to determine all possible terms customers might use [different keyword match types for search advertising] ~broad match- means that your ad will appear for keywords you have entered as well as search terms that contain your keywords and other words in any order as well as some variations of your keywords ~broad match modifier- gives you tighter control than broad match by excluding synonyms but includes other version such as plural or "a" beforehand ~phrase match- means ad will appear only for search terms that have your key words in them in the same order though other words may also be in search term [denoted by quotation marks] ~exact match- ad will appear for search terms only exactly the same as keywords selected [denoted by brackets] ~negative match- means ad will not appear in searches using that word no matter what other words are used [denoted by - in front of keywords]

search engine friendly website structure

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elements of search ad

~(1) heading (2) two lines of advert copy (2) display URL (4) ad extension ~ad text is main component of search ad ~heading is max 25 characters, line 1 of text is max 35 characters, line 2 of text is max 35 characters, display URL max 35 characters [no word may be written in capitals only, no nonsense words may be used, no claims of "best" etc may be used, product numbers may be used, no phone numbers allowed in copy]

universal mobile UX principles

~3 main approaches to creating mobile accessible content- (1) mobile websites (2) native and web applications [apps] (3) responsive websites [websites that adapt to device] ~principles to be kept in mind- (1) simplify [show info only when needed] (2) reduce loading time [try to keep content and actions on same page b/c this ensures better performance as there are fewer page loads] (3) encourage exploration (4) give feedback [ensure it is clear when user performs action by animations/other visual cues] (5) communicate consistently [ensure you deliver message across all touchpoints] (6) predict what your user wants [remove as much manual input as possible to streamline users experiences]

payment models for display advertising

~CPM- cost per thousand impressions [advertiser pays for every thousand times ad loads on publishers page] [used when brand awareness or exposure is primary goal] ~CPC- advertiser pays only when their ad is clicked on regardless of how many times its been viewed [associated w/ search advertising] ~CPA- advertiser pays only when ad delivers acquisition after users clicks on ad [good for advertiser and not good for publisher] ~flat rate or sponsorships- sells banner space at fixed cost per month regardless of traffic or impressions [appealing for testing online campaign that targets niche markets] ~CPE- advertisers pay for interactions w/ ads normally placed in videos or apps [marketers pay only when individual completes an action] ~publisher has say over payment model used [high traffic broad audience websites will use CPM while niche websites use CPC or CPA]

types of front-end languages

~HTML5- includes multimedia content, validating forms, caching info and capturing user input data such as date and time [allows browsers to play multimedia content w/o use of flash or similar plug in] [goal is having standardized way of implementing common features so web is open and accessible to all regardless of competency] ~CSS- style sheet language used to instruct browser how to render HTML code [sets properties including size, color and spacing around text as well as placement of images and other design related items] ~JavaScript- used to create rich dynamic web properties [open source language so many developers have added functionality that can be more quickly implemented] ~flash- language for creating interactive experiences [supports video and is used to create game-like experiences] [limited support on mobile devices/apple products and is problematic for SEO]

calculating BEP for CPC

~PPC conversion cost=average CPC/conversion rate (decimal) ~profit margin per sale=average sale value x profit margin (decimal) ~BEP CPC for average sale=profit margin per sale x conversion rate ~BEP CPC for average sale is the amount you pay for CPC that gives you $0 profit or loss ~profit margin for LTV= lifetime value x profit margin (decimal) ~BEP CPC for LTV=profit margin for LTV x conversion rate (decimal)

the TCEO model

~Think, Create, Engage, Optimize ~think- tasked w/ developing strategic plans for digital world [includes topics such as consumer insights, research, concept development, budget allocation and channel planning] ~create- brings concepts to life by executing campaigns and shaping platforms [web design and development, conceptual copyrighting, creation of social media assets, mobile development, social media integration] ~engage- driving traffic and building relationships [search engine optimization, email marketing] ~optimize- continuous improvement that delivers insight through analytics, data mining, conversion optimization and testing

targeting and optimizing

~ad servers offer advertisers- (1) frequency capping [limits number of times a specific user sees same ad in set period of time] (2) sequencing [ensures user sees ads in particular order] (3) exclusivity [ensures ads from direct competitors arent shown on same page] (4) roadblocks [allows advertiser to own 100% of ad inventory on page] ~ad server can also target ads based on profiles of user- (1) geo targeting (2) network or browser types (3) connection type (4) day and time (5) social serving [gather demographic data and serve each user targeted and relevant advertising] (6) behavioral targeting [chooses to show ads based on cookies] [re-targeting] (7) contextual advertising [deduces optimum ad to serve based on content of page] [ex: showing cabin rentals on REI page]

bidding process

~advertisers need to determine max they are willing to pay for clock on ad and they need to decide this for each keyword they enter for ad [this is not necessarily the CPC that must be paid for click] ~every time a search query is entered the search engine runs an auction to determine the placements of ads where advertisers have bid on that search term

search advertising

~adverts on search engines are clearly labelled and separated from organic search results [appear at top of page in box but also on right hand side of page] ~search advertising is keyword based so it is triggered by search term used [advertisers target keywords] ~allows advertisers to present offering to potential customer who is already in the buying cycle ~clickthrough rate- total clicks on link divided by number of time the ad link has been shown ~conversion rate- number of conversions divided by number of visitors ~cost per action (CPA)- amount paid when certain action is performed by user ~impression- each time an ad is shown ~quality score- measure used to indicate how relevant keyword is to ad text and to users search query

content channel distribution

~algorithmic curation- the algorithms platforms have created for dealing w/ info overload [filter out amount of info that is delivered to users] [use number of factors to determine what is actually relevant and interesting to person doing a search] [important to create content that encourages engagement and sharing] ~understanding your channels- reaching people effectively will only be achieved if medium supports message and vice versa

online monitoring

~allows company to track mentions about itself ~searches include following main focus areas- company, brand name, key products, key personnel, key campaigns/activities, industry, conferences, patents, news, competitors, brand names, product launches, website updates, job vacancies, key people ~broad match- apple computers [this is when any or all words must be found in the mention] ~direct match- "apple computers" [denoted by quotation marks and dictates that tool should find mentions only where the phrase appears complete and in order in the content] ~inclusive match- apple+computers [denoted by plus sign directly before word- directs tool to search for any mention that contains both apple AND computers although not necessarily in that order] ~exclusive search- apple-fruit [denoted by minus sign directly before word- instructs tool to include only mentions that contain first word but not when second word is also in same mention]

measurability

~almost every action in digital can be tracked, captured, measured and analyzed ~pinpoint success of campaign down to channel, audience segment and even time of day ~web analytics- discipline of tracking, analyzing and drawing insight from online data [data merely answers what people are doing but looking at this in conjunction w/ other insights can help you understand why they are doing it]

visual identity

~answers question how do users know its us ~logo is most prominent way to reinforce your brand identity on the website ~primary font/body copy font, menu and button style, icons are all part of sites visual identity [even when user is viewing small part of site or page it should look as if it belongs to site as whole]

adwords quality score

~as well as bid placed on keyword the search engine takes quality score into account [quality score is applied on keyword, ad group and account level so its imp entire account has good quality score as it effects ranking and cost per click] ~quality score is determined by relevance of keyword to search term, relevance of ad copy to search term, relevance of landing page to search and historic CTR of that ad ~advertiser w/ quality score of 5 will have to pay twice as much for certain position than advertiser w/ quality score of 10

tracking

~as well as tracking ads, advertising networks can provide info on (1) connection type (2) browser (3) operating system (4) time of day (5) internet service provider ~many ad servers will set cookie on impression of ad not only clickthrough so it is possible to track conversions that happen indirectly [user sees ad doesnt click on it but goes to website after viewing ad]

business and brand strategy

~asks questions- what is the business challenge we are facing that prevents us from making more revenue? what business objective should we strive for in order to increase money? ~value of brand is measured in terms of its equity- how aware are people of the brand, does it hold positive associations and perceived values, how loyal are people to the brand

what not to do in SEO

~avoid hidden text or hidden links, dont use cloaking or sneaky redirects, dont send automated queries to google, dont load pages w/ irrelevant keywords, dont create multiple pages/subdomains/domains w/ substantially duplicated content ~dont create pages that include malicious behaviors such as phishing or installing malware ~avoid doorway pages created just for search engines or other cookie cutter approaches ~avoid link farms and focus on attaching quality, valuable links

audience of one

~b/c web provides voice to individuals and niche groups the concept of mass audience is disintegrating ~audience of one- audience isnt on person but it isnt a vast, vaguely defined crowd either [web has many niche audiences who are used to being addressed as individuals]

types of display ads

~banner ads- graphic image or animation on website usually across top of page [can be static or use rich media] [not limited to space they occupy- some can expand on mouse over or when clicked] ~interstitial banners- banners shown b/w pages on a website [as you click from one page to another you are shown ad before next page is displayed] ~pop ups and pop unders- ads open in new smaller window [pop ups go in front of website being viewed while pop unders go behind] ~floating ads- ad appears in layer over content but not in separate window [user can close ad] [often animation ends by disappearing into banner ad on page] ~wallpaper ads- changes background of web page being viewed [effect is hard to measure b/c there is often no clickthrough and its chief purpose is branding] ~map ads- ad placed on online map [ideal for local businesses and is usually based on keyword searches for brands offering]

personas

~based on profile of readers of your copy [all about considering characteristics of your readers and their needs/desires] ~are they primarily male/female/both, how old are they, what are their other demographics/psychographics ~how do they make purchasing decisions, do they compare many service providers before selecting one, do they make lists of questions and call in assistance w/ decision making, etc ~tailoring your copy to your audience doesnt necessarily limit you to one persona [diff marketing channels may have diff audiences so ensure you have persona for each main platform you use]

bidding and ranking for search ads

~bid based on how much you are willing to pay per click [can tailor approach like bidding for ads during certain times of day only] ~advertiser creates copy for ad, determines landing page for ad, selects keywords or criteria for which ad should appear, chooses max amount (CPC) that they are willing to pay for click, can set daily budget ~advertising platform checks ad for compliance w/ guidelines, displays ad for relevant search queries, determines rank of ad based on max bid and relevance of ad, stops running ads when you reach daily budget

content creation

~brand as publisher- refers to repositioning the function of the marketer or brand manager [rather than focusing on immediate sale or conversion focuses on value for reader and building relationship based on customers needs] ~consider content creation in terms of not only short campaign bursts but ongoing delivery and engagement [constant engagement builds on peaks of engagement that shorter term campaigns can offer] ~stock and flow model- stock content refers to bigger assets that require more investment and age well [flow content has lower production value and quicker production and publishing time frame] ~destination and distributed thinking model- rather than focusing solely on driving readers to your owned media spaces consider how to create content that engages w/ your target audience in spaces where they are active

online advertising objectives

~building brand awareness- online advertising is largely visual making it ideal channel for promoting brand imagery and making people familiar w/ colors, logo and overall feel ~creating demand- inform, persuade and remind [consumers cant want what they dont know about- convince them about what they should want and why they should want it] ~satisfying demand- show customer how their particular product will best meet their need ~driving direct response and sales- online advertising can turn potential customer into actual customer right there and then

(7) assemble the other elements

~calls to action- successful CTAs are simple quick clear actions [should always do exactly what they state to instill confidence] ~positioning- primary CTA should appear above the fold to capture attention [other CTAs can appear below fold and main CTA can also be repeated lower down] ~prioritization- single page can be built around one CTA or could incorporate wide range of possible desirable actions [when multiple CTAs are used there should be one primary one that stands out strongly] ~clickability- any CTAs that can be clicked must look "tactile/touchable" ~quantity- dont overwhelm users w/ too many choices [stick to one central CTA per page making it obvious what the main goal/action/outcome of the page is] ~forms-

challenges of search advertising

~click fraud- when ad is clicked by someone who isnt legitimate potential customer [b/c advertiser has to pay for every click sometimes competitors click to force payment] [a sudden leap in CTR and drop in conversion rate is potential fraud] ~bidding wars and climbing CPCs- high traffic keywords are expensive and to battle to stay on top means that CPC of these keywords are escalating [keep investigating to find cheaper niche keywords] ~keeping on eye on things- require a lot of monitoring [can provide a fantastic ROI but you need to check in and tweak regularly to make sure it continues to perform]

conceptual copywriting

~conceptual copywriting is about making an idea memorable merely by using words to express it- idea is central and words are vehicles that convey it ~clever wording, smart ideas and thoughtful copy should make reader pause and want to engage more ~understanding who your audience is and knowing what meaning you want to convey and then expressing this cleverly through words

tracking

~conversion tracking is usually accomplished w/ small tracking pixel that is placed on conversion confirmation page of website ~third party tracking enables pay per click tracking [if you are running display campaigns through these networks this has the benefit of reporting how campaigns might influence each other]

optimizing content for key phrases

~create relevant targeted content aimed at your selected key phrases ~content must provide info to visitors, engage w/ them and persuade them to do what you want, send signals of relevance to search engines ~guidelines- (1) use key phrase in title and as close to beginning (2) use key phrase in H1 tag and as much as possible in other H tags (3) use key phrase at least 3 times in body (4) use <strong> tags around keyword at least once (5) use it at least once in the meta description of the page (6) try to ensure keyword is used in anchor text of pages linking to you (7) use key phrase in your page URL (8) use key phrase in domain name if possible

display URL

~display URL is not necessarily URL that user will click through to [called vanity URL] ~display URL must have same domain as destination URL [google will show only one ad per domain] ~deep linking- aim to send users to web page that is as specific to their search and PPC ad as possible ~landing pages- poorly executed PPC campaigns will send all users to home page of website [campaigns that convert will make sure users land on page that is relevant to their search w/ visible CTA] ~landing pages also indicate relevance to search engine which can increase quality score on ad and in turn lower cost per click of keyword

best practices for online copywriting

~does your copy convey creative idea, does the layout of your copy make it easier to read, is your meaning clear and direct, does the copy convey features and benefits necessary to make your point, will your readers clearly understand the content of your writing, is the content of your message structured in a logical manner

types of social media advertising

~facebook provides 4 advertising solutions- (1) facebook ads [standard ads that appear on right sidebar] [can be bought as either CPC or CPM] (2) facebook engagement ads [include element that fans can engage w/ such as share/like, video, poll] (3) sponsored stories [posts that are created whenever someone engages w/ specific element of brands fb page and then appears in news feed] (4) promoted posts [allows you to publicize on existing post but page must have at least 400 likes before this option becomes available] ~twitter- (1) promoted tweets [tweets that appear on top of users timeline] [advertisers pay when users retweet, favorite or @ reply to] (2) promoted accounts [user accounts that appear on left of timeline under who to follow] (3) promoted trends [allows brand to list brand name, hastag, slogan in left hand trends section] ~linkedin- many targeting options available including job title, job function, industry, geography, age, gender, company name, company size, etc

writing effective copy

~for must PPC ads the ad copy is the only available tool to attract attention, convey message or entice action ~CTAs, offers or product/service benefits make for good ad copy [such as free shipping, fast delivery, etc] ~dynamic keyword insertion takes keyword in your campaign that matches w/ user search query and inserts it into ad automatically [this makes ad look more relevant to user than generic ad] [search engine marks words that match search query in bold making ad stand out more] ~when using dynamic keyword insertion you have less control over when ad is shown to user and results may not be as good as w/ standard campaign [sometimes advertiser is better off w/ fewer high quality clicks that generate actual sales]

(3) UX and content strategy

~gather, analyze, and map out what content is needed on website ~before website is developed it needs to be sketched out using wireframes

mobile users are...

~goal oriented- turn to mobile devices to answer question, find info, etc [have distinct purpose in mind when using their phone] ~time conscious- often looking for urgent or time sensitive info so answers should be available as quickly as possible OR mobile device is used to kill time or source of entertainment so content is crucial ~search dominant- users who know what they are looking for tend to navigate there via search (typing brand name into google instead of accessing page from typing url into browser bar) ~locally focused- 50% of all mobile searchers were for local info

the four P's

~help you structure components that make up brands offering, differentiators and marketing ~products- online the experience the user has in discovering and purchasing can be considered part of the product the brand provides ~price- comparison websites makes it easy for consumers to compare product prices across number of retailers making internet a market of near perfect competition [with price differentiation becoming a challenge (especially for smaller players in market) businesses need to consider differentiating on value] [value is combination of service, perceived price and benefits, where customers may be willing to pay higher price for better experience] ~placement/distribution- markets no longer have to be dictated by location [just by making products visible online brands can reach a global market] ~people- personalization, peer to peer sharing, communities and consumer centric orgs allow people to participate in brand story

(1) planning and research

~if you already have website you can use web analytics data to understand how well you are meeting users need ~key questions for business- what are your business objectives, how should this digital property help you to achieve those objectives ~key questions for users- who are your users/potential customers, what problem does your website need to help them solve

(3) analyze content

~if youre working on website that already exists then you need to perform content audit [if the website is new you need to put together content strategy] ~points UX need to address in content strategy are (1) what site should achieve (2) what the user wants and needs (3) what makes content unique/valuable/different (4) the tone and language used

types of web copy

~in order to communicate intended message effectively content needs to be clear and concise, easy to read, well written, well structured ~can either be short copy or long copy

online advertising

~includes display ads, ads on search engine results pages, ads placed in emails and on social networks, etc ~possible to track all interactions w/ ad itself- number of impressions served, how many clicks it received, post click and view data and how many unique users were reached ~cost per mille- amount paid for every 1000 impressions served of an advertisement ~tracking code- piece of code that tracks users interaction and movement through website

Porter's five forces analysis

~internets low barrier to entry means that many new businesses are appearing providing near infinite choices for customers ~this makes it important to consider power of suppliers, power of customers, threat of new entrants and threat of substitute products on the competitive rivalry within industry

link popularity

~links are a way of validating relevance and indicating important [when one page links to another it is as if that page is vouching for the destination page] ~links help send signals of trust- trusted sites can transfer trust to unknown sites via links ~links help to validate relevance- text that makes up link can help validate relevance [if the destination web page has already used content to send signal of relevance and the link simply validates that signal]

mobile search

~more navigational in nature (users tend to know where they want to end up) and are often looking for concise actionable answers [mobile users can search by voice, using images, scanning barcodes] ~differences in mobile SEO b/c (1) search engines have ability to deliver precise location based results to mobile users (2) usability is critical in sites for mobile devices (3) search engines have less data to work w/ in terms of site history, traffic and inbound links ~fundamentals of mobile SEO- (1) usable crawlable site [build mobile versions of your site that cater for mobile users- simple navigation and content stripped down to only what is required] (2) content is important and should be formatted for mobile usage [no large file sizes and meta data still matters] (3) links are important [link to mobile site from desktop site and vice versa] (4) submit mobile XML sitemap (5) use word mobile on mobile website or used mobile top level domains [make it explicit to search engines that this is mobile version of your site and they are more likely to prioritize it as such]

advantages of search advertising

~no to low cost barrier- you only pay for traffic and all tools you need to start can be accessed for free ~tracking every cent- track advertising spending down to keyword level so you can learn what works and what doesnt on micro level ~targeted ad placement- make ad relevant by using keywords and match types as well as targeting ads so they are more likely to purchase ~giving customers what they want- search advertising puts your ad in front of people who are searching for your product so you are giving a solution

search engine friendly website structure

~obstacles- technical challenges that prevent search engine spider from accessing content, competitive marketing environment where everyone wants to rank highly ~make sure there are direct HTML links to each page you want search engines to index [most important pages should be accessible directly from home page]

ad extensions

~offer a way to get additional info into search advert w/o affecting standard ad copy limits ~location extensions- allow you to add location info and maps to ad ~call extensions- allows you to display local phone number in line below standard text ad [especially effective in mobile ads where users can call directly from phone] ~social extensions- indicates how many users have followed brand [provides social relevance on search results and is contributor to ad quality score] ~seller ratings ~sitelinks- allow you to display up to 6 additional links each w/ unique destination URL w/ your ad [sitelinks allow you to direct users to more relevant areas of your website all from one ad] ~offer extensions- able to include product images in your search ads ~image extensions- allow images in ads to extend so that advertisers can promote products through image directly from ad itself

writing for digital

~online copy must provide info to visitors, engage w/ them, convince them to take desired action, convey brand ethos, provide context and relevance to search engines ~dynamic keyword insertion- in paid search advertising this allows keywords used in searches to be inserted automatically into advert copy ~keyword stuffing- process of putting too many keywords into meta data or website or using many irrelevant keywords [search engines can penalize websites using this practice] ~paid search advertising- refers to advertising on search engines [advertiser pays only for each click of the ad] ~sender alias- name that is chosen to appear in sender or from field of an email

getting your ads online

~premium booked media- advertiser contacts media provider and discusses option for placing ad [involves negotiating on targeting and pricing for space desired and is usually costly but high profile option] ~advertising networks- group of websites where ads can be purchased through single sales entity ~advertising exchanges- where unsold advertising space (inventory) is placed by publishers for bidding ~social media advertising- social media platforms offer ad options [you can target very accurately based on user provided demographic info] ~mobile advertising- (1) blind networks [target large number of independent mobile publishers and allow you to target by country or type of content but not specific websites] (2) premium blind networks [allows targeting better known brands and high traffic sites] (3) premium networks [more detailed targeting and sales support but also charge higher rates] ~ad servers- servers that store ads and serve them to web pages [facilitate ad trafficking and provide reports on ad performance] ~benefits of ad servers- rather than distribute copies of each piece to each publisher you can send out line of code that calls up ad directly from ad server each time ad is scheduled to run

step by step guide to online advertising

1. determine goal of campaign- branding, direct response, etc 2. identify key performance indicators- which figures will let you know if you are succeeding 3. investigate target audience- online advertising is acquisition and awareness channel (doesnt required users to seek interaction actively such as search advertising) so its crucial ads are placed in front of audience most likely to convert 4. research potential websites to host ads- niche websites w/ more targeted audience will usually charge flat rate or CPA rate while high traffic websites usually charge CPM 5. set budget- decide how much you are willing to pay per click/impression/action/engagement 6. create ads- ads need to attract attention, convey message, entice action 7. choose or create landing page 8. run your ads 9. track/measure/optimize

planning and setting up search advertising campaign

1. do your homework- need a full online and offline analysis of business, customer demographics, industry and competitors [you only get 3 lines to advertise so you need to make sure you know what must be included and how make the most impact] ~define your goals- what do you want users to do once they click on your ad ~budget CPA and targets- determine how much you are willing to spend to achieve goal ~keyword research- determine keywords potential customers are likely to use when searching for service you offer [what common misspellings are, what words would show that they are not likely to purchase from you] [look at expected volumes for your keywords so you know how to bid] ~write ads ~place your bids- set max bids for keywords ~tracking- get your tracking tags in place especially any conversion tacking tags ~measure/analyze/test/optimize

web design

~process of creating all visual aspects of interface [color scheme, layout, images, logos, design elements, etc] ~design is about visual clues we give users so they know what to do next, way we communicate w/ users, assures of our credibility and ability to answer questions, turns users into customers ~good interface design involves (1) navigation [signage of site indicating to users where they can and cant go] (2) layout (3) headers (4) footers (5) credibility

content marketing

~process that includes understanding of all content your brand is creating, those for whom it is intended and to what purpose [supports design of communication that impacts people enough to make them want to share the content on] ~content audit- evaluation of existing content which a brand publishes ~information architecture- way data and content are organized, structured and labeled to support usability

(2) choosing domain name

~domain- registered domain name of website ~subdomain- domain that is part of larger domain ~TLD- top level domain (uppermost in hierarchy in domain names) ~directory- folder to organize content ~ex: subdomain.domain.tld/directory ~TLD can indicate country in which domain is registered or give info about nature of domain [.com, .org, .gov, .ac, .co.uk] ~domain should include important search keywords for your business

(4) search engine visibility

~essential that search engines can see entire publicly visible website, index it fully and consider it relevant for its chosen keywords ~when it comes to development the copy that is shown on webpage needs to be kept separate from code that tells browser how to display web page [this means that search engine spider will be able to discern what content is to read] ~following text styles cant be indexed fully by search engines- text embedded in java or flash file, text in image file [that why you need descriptive alt tags and title attributes], text accessible only after submitting form/logging in, text accessible only after javascript on page has been executed

research methodology

~process you should follow in order to conduct accurate and valuable research ~should involve steps- (1) establish goals of project (2) determine your sample (3) choose data collection method (4) collect data (5) analyze the results (6) formulate conclusions and actionable insights

understanding UX design

~user experience can be defined as all experiences (physical, sensory, emotional and mental) that a person has when interacting w/ digital tool ~online UX can be divided into 2 broad categories- (1) functional user experience [covers elements of user experience that relate to actually using the tool- such as working technical elements, navigation, search and links] (2) creative user experience [bigger impression created by tool- wow factor that covers visual and creative elements] ~6 qualities that make up good UX- (1) findability [does it appear high up in search results] (2) accessibility [can i use it when i need it, does it work on my mobile phone, can i use it as disabled person] (3) desirability [do i want to use it, is it a pleasant experience] (4) usability [is it easy to use, are the tools i need easy to find] (5) credibility [do i trust it, is this website legitimate] (6) usefulness [does it add value to me, will i get something out of the time i spend interacting with it]

(6) create the layout

~web page can be broken down into 4 zones- header, left sidebar, right sidebar, central content and footer ~header- used to identify site and provide basic tools [logo or identifying mark, main navigation, login feature, search bar] ~central content area- used to present main content [actual content specific to page, CTAs of various kinds] ~sidebar- either on left or right or sometimes both used to present secondary content and tools [secondary navigation bar or other navigation features, CTAs including signup forms, additional content like links] ~footer- used for important but non-prominent content and resources [legal information, privacy policy, disclaimers, additional navigation elements] ~prototypes are step up from wireframes in that they are interactive [set of wireframes that have been linked together like website so they can be navigated]

long copy

~allows you to provide more info and encourage reader to convert [can foster relationship w/ reader and w/ more words and space available you are able to build voice and personality into youre writing] ~news releases- should be written in brand tone, be accessible to general public and be optimized and formatted according to principles of good web writing ~articles for online syndication- writing articles that are no way a direct promotion of your brand [written to provide info and valuable content to readers about something that is indirectly related to product] [greatly benefits your SEO] ~emails- ideal medium for communicating and building relationships w/ customers [can provide humor/entertainment, research/insight, info/advice, promotions/special offers] ~blogging- way to communicate w/ staff, investors, industry members, journalists and prospective customers ~website copy- (1) writing text that can be easily scanned (2) using meaningful headings and sub headings (3) highlighting or bolding key phrases and word (4) using bulleted lists (5) having well organized site (6) limiting each paragraph to one main idea or topic (7) cutting fluff/removing redundancies (8) including multimedia ~writing for mobile- (1) get to the point (2) put important bits up front (3) condense info to simplest form (4) use CTA upfront (5) use headings and subheadings for scanning

not all links are created equal

~link volume is number of links coming to specific page of your site [link authority looks at value of links] ~new .gov and .ac (university) domains are examples of sites from which links carry more weighting [links from websites that have higher pagerank also carry more link weight] ~search engine can determine if links are natural or manipulative artificial links created solely for ranking purposes

understanding digital marketing

~participatory layer of all media that allows users to self select their own experiences and affords marketers the ability to bridge media, gain feedback, iterate their message and collect relationships ~people are not passive consumers they are empowered as publishers, editors and commentators [the conversation is multi-directional and usually not started or controlled by brands] ~marketing- function of organization that can keep in constant touch w/ consumers, read their needs, develop products that meet these needs and build program of communications to express purpose ~digital marketing is powerful b/c (1) the audience can be segmented very precisely- even down to factors like current location and recent brand interactions- which means messages are personalized especially for them (2) digital sphere is completely measurable- every minute and click can be accounted for

primary and secondary research

~primary research is conduced when new data is gathered for particular product or hypothesis [where info doesnt already exist and needs to be specifically collected] ~secondary research uses existing published data as source of info [more cost effective but may not be sufficiently specific] [useful in identifying patterns to be investigated through primary research] ~secondary research should precede primary research- (1) data can provide enough info to solve problem negating need for further research (2) can provide sources for hypotheses that can be explained through primary research (3) provide info relevant to sample sizes and audience (4) data can be used as reference base to measure accuracy of primary research

(9) conduct testing

~purpose of user testing it to discover problems and gain insights that can be used to improve final product ~test as much as possible, as often as possible and as early as possible [create new version -> test -> analyze results -> identify improvements -> create new version]

SEO and key phrases

~search engines have built up knowledge around common misspellings, synonyms and related searches ~implement keywords that are likely to be used by target audience [when building key phrase lists you are tapping into mental process of searchers and putting together right mix of keywords to target] ~things to consider when choosing keyword- (1) search volume (2) competition [how many other websites out there are targeting that same phrase] (3) propensity to convert [what is the likelihood that searcher using that key phrase is going to convert on your site] (4) values per lead [what is average value per prospect attracted by keyword]

writing for your audience

~understanding who you are writing for will ensure that you are able to communicate your message to them and increase the likelihood that your copy will achieve desired result ~who is my audience, what actions do i want them to take, what information do they need in order to feel confident taking action

step by step key phrase research

1. brainstorm- think about what words you would use to describe your business and about questions or needs of customer [consider synonyms and misspellings] 2. gather data- look to see what terms customers are already using to find you and add those to list 3. use keyword search tools- scan your website and suggest keywords based on your current content

search engine optimization

~SEOs can be considered white hat SEO and black hat SEO [refers to trying to game the search engines- SEOs use dubious means to achieve higher rankings] ~anchor text- visible clickable text in link ~app store optimization- process of optimizing mobile and web apps for specific web stores in which they are distributed ~backlink- all links on other pages that will take user to specific web page [number of backlinks influences your ranking] ~link bait- technique for creating content that is specifically designed to attract links from other web pages ~referrer- when user clicks on link from one site to another the site the user has left is the referrer ~XML sitemap- guide that search engines use to help them index a website which indicates how many pages there are, how often they are update and how important they are

user experience design

~above the fold- content that appears on a screen w/o a user having to scroll ~accessibility- degree to which website is available to users w/o physical challenges or technical limitations ~breadcrumbs- links (usually on top of page) that indicate where a page is in hierarchy of website ~call to action- phrase written to motivate reader to take action ~conversion- completing an action that website wants user to take [usually results in revenue for brand in some way] ~information architecture- way data and content are organized, structured and labeled to support usability ~navigation- how user interacts w/ user interface and the elements that assist in maximizing usability ~prototype- interactive wireframes that have been linked together like a website so they can be navigated through ~responsive design- designing website so that it changes depending on device its displayed on ~SEO- process of improving website rankings on search engine results pages ~sitemap- page that links to every other page in website and displays these links according to info hierarchy [visualized structural plan for how websites pages will be laid out and organized] ~user centered design (UCD)- design philosophy where designers identify how a product is likely to be used (taking user behavior into consideration and prioritizing user wants and needs) and placing the user at the center of entire experience ~user experience design (UXD)- process of applying proven principles/techniques/features to create and optimize how a system behaves (mapping out all touchpoints a user experiences to create consistency in interaction w/ brand) ~user interface (UI)- user facing part of tool or platform ~wireframe- skeletal outline or layout of web page

key terms for web development

~alt text- the alt attribute for image HTML tag (used in HTML to attribute text field to an image on a web page normally w/ descriptive function telling a search engine or user what an image is about and displaying text in instance where image is unable to load) ~content management system (CMS)- system that allows administrator to update content of website so developer doesnt have to ~cascading style sheets (CSS)- programming language that defines the styles used to display text and content ~landing page- page user reaches when clicking on paid or organic search engine listing [pages w/ most success are those that match up closely as possible w/ users search query] ~meta data- info that can be entered about web page and elements on it to provide context and relevant info to search engines ~open source- software that makes source code available to other developers can build apps for software or improve software ~proprietary software- intellectual property holders own and license to others in exchange for compensation ~robots.txt- file written that restricts search engine spiders from indexing certain pages of website ~web application framework- software used to help create dynamic web properties more quickly by accessing libraries of code so they dont need to be coded from scratch ~extensible markup language (XML)- standard used for creating structured documents

tools of the trade

~brand style guides- guides anyone creating content for brand at any given time [what is tone of voice/brand personality, how is it best represented visually and what colors/fonts] [constantly updated as brand and content evolve] ~content calendars- assist content marketer in planning content they will be sharing across which platforms and when ~workflow map- documents path a piece of content takes when its created [stages in approval, how is it optimized for digital publishing, is it duplicate of existing content, where else can it be used] ~persona map- assists content creators in focusing on those for whom they are creating content and what motivations of consumers would be like

short copy

~call to action- using active verbs when you write and crafting hyperlinks to be clear instructions that resonate w/ your visitors at each step in conversion process ~titles and subject lines- form part of body of long copy but are important enough to be considered theyre own short copy [need to be persuasive and enticing] ~search adverts- have very limited space and time to get message across and competition for readers attention [these 4 lines of copy need to work hard to ensure top return on investment] [have same basic structure- (1) heading w/ 25 characters (2) two lines of advert copy each w/ 35 characters (3) display URL w/ 35 characters] ~social copy- (1) research is vital [understand what type of content members want- more relevant content is more likely to be shared] (2) remember that its conversation (3) write sharable content (4) avoid overly promotional content (5) have solid communication protocol

advantages and challenges

~content marketing can position your brand as expert through sharing of useful content in specific field ~enables you to reach customer who has fragmented attention span spread across many devices and content touchpoints ~can learn a lot about your target customer through content w/ which they do or dont engage [the more targeted your content the more data you can gather about how effectively you are reaching those you need to] ~challenge- providing content that is truly engaging to right people - right mix of subject matter and brand ~goal is not to make as much content as possible rather to focus on relevance and content that matches strategic outcomes

how does website get more links

~create valuable content that others want to read- focus on being best in industry you are in and in providing value to members of that community [make sure valuable content is themed around your key phrases] ~create tools and documents that others want to use- create useful PDF guides for your industry that people can download from your site, interview experts and host those interviews on your website, etc ~create game- make sure the theme is based on key phrases so that when others talk about and link game they are using your key phrases ~capitalize on software and widgets

crowdsourcing

~distributed problem solving and production model that relies on active community to find solutions to problems ~now crowds can be closely connected while being geographically distant ~by listening to crowd and asking for contributions orgs can gain first hand insight into customers needs and desires ~crowdsourcing- asking and enabling people to share ideas in exchange for emotional or monetary reward [most common type used for marketing and idea generation] ~crowdfunding- asking many people in large crowd each to donate small amount of money in order to get large sum to fund project/venture ~microtasking- involves breaking big task or project into tiny components and asking many people to each complete few of components

key concepts of responsive design

~flexible grid- page elements (heading, text or copy, main image and other blocks of info) are arranged in grid of columns that have predefined spacing [each element relates proportionally to the other elements] [this allows elements to rearrange or resize in relation to each other whether screen is tiny/large- this allows for flexibility but extremely narrow screen can cause design to break down] ~media queries- bits of code that allow websites to ask devices for info about themselves [it then selects website style that will suit device best from list of styles defined in CSS] [asks for info about window size, orientation and screen display quality] ~flexible images- images are designed to move and scale w/ flexible grid [based on info received from media query] [parts of images can be displayed for smaller screens or images can even be hidden completely]

objectives

~four key aspects to consider when setting objectives- (1) objectives (2) tactics (3) key performance indicators (4) targets ~objectives- what are you trying to achieve, how will you know if you are successful [objectives need to be specific (clear and detailed), measurable, attainable, realistic, time bound] ~tactics- specific tools or approaches you will use to meet your objectives [tactics may change but objective should remain focus] ~key performance indicators (KPIs)- specific metrics you will look at to determine whether tactics are meeting objectives ~targets- specific values that are set for your KPIs to reach within specific time period ~ongoing optimization- process of constant change that allows tactics and strategies to be modified and optimized as you go

optimizing media

~images, videos and digital assets should also be optimized w/ relevant keywords [search engines cant decipher multimedia so they rely on way media is described] ~how to optimize images- use descriptive keyword-filled filenames, use specific alt tags and title attributes, add meta information to image, use descriptive captions, make sure header tags and images are relevant to each other ~how to optimize apps- give your app a catchy name that includes most imp keyword, include distinctive and clear icon, spell out features and benefits while using key phrases, add links to major social media platforms and website in app store listing, include as much meta data as you can ~regularly adding fresh, valuable content will also encourage the search engines to crawl your site more frequently

key phrases

~keyword refers to single word used in search query while key phrase refers to more than one word ~once you have good idea of words people are using to find info online you can use these phrases in your copy as signal to search engines that your content is relevant to these users ~good copywriter is able to weave key phrases into piece of copy so that reader cant detect that they have been included ~each page should be optimized for primary key phrase [usually web page is optimized for 3 key phrases] ~include key phrases in (1) web title [key phrase should be used as close to beginning of title as possible followed by name of company or website] (2) page URL [main key phrase should be used whenever possible in URL for the page] (3) meta description [needs to entice users to click through w/ strong CTA- spiders use meta description to deduce topic of page so using targeted key phrases is important here] (4) meta keywords [list of words and phrases that are important on web page- using target key phrases is important but not keyword stuffing] (5) headings and sub headings [spiders assign more relevance to text used in headings so its imp to use key phrases in headings] (6) on page copy [a web copy should be at least 250 words long and contain 4% key phrases] (7) links to optimized page [text used to link from one page to another is considered important by search engine spiders so ensure key phrase is used when linking to optimized page] (8) alt text and title tags [search engine spiders cant read images but they can read alt text]

credibility

~looks- does it look professional and beautiful ~prominent phone numbers and addresses where they are easy to locate [assures visitor that there are real people behind website and they are easy to reach] ~informative and personal 'about us'- customers want to see inner workings of company [consider including employee pictures and profiles] ~genuine testimonials- trust is vital and this is one way to encourage it ~logos of associations and awards ~links to credible third party references or endorsements ~fresh up to date content- news section updated a year ago implies that nothing has happened in a year ~no errors- spelling/grammar mistakes, broken links, malfunctioning tools, interactive elements that dont work as advertised

simplicity

~lots of empty space- more effectively "breathing room" is placed b/w various pages elements the easier for user to grasp where everything is ~fewer options- when users have to make choices they worry about making right choice, have confusion and doubt over options or indecision paralysis [people faced w/ fewer choices generally choose more quickly and confidently and are more satisfied w/ their decision afterwards] ~plain language- clear, simple, well structured language is best option ~sticking to convention- convention is excellent shortcut for keeping things simple for user

defining content marketing

~marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract/acquire/engage a clearly defined and understood target audience- with objective of driving profitable customer action ~applies to all spaces in which you share content as well as the way the info is shared ~core strategy is at center surrounded by substance [who are you trying to reach and why] and structure [where is your content, how is it organized, how do people find your content] (content components) and workflow [how does your content happen] and governance [politics, guidelines and standards] (people components)

mobile devices

~mobile UX shouldnt be afterthought but prioritized in strategy [mobile first movement aims to create mobile user experiences first and then adapt these for the web] ~5 main categories mobile phones fall under- (1) dumb or basic phones that offer no internet access only basic call and SMS (2) feature phones that can perform basic communication functions and possibly connect to web but have limited functionality (3) smartphones have full web access, larger screens and wide range of functionality (4) tablets are able to perform wide range of connectivity, lifestyle and work functions (5) other mobile devices (like ebook readers, iPods, portable game consoles) can have range of features and varying ability to connect to web

which mobile experience should you create

~mobile websites- make it possible for users to access info about your brand wherever they may be as long as their phone has browser and internet connection [demand a simpler approach and consideration of screen size and input method] ~native mobile app- difference b/w native apps and mobile websites is that websites can be accessed using any mobile device where apps are designed and have to be downloaded to mobile device [apps allow for more integration w/ device and better user experience] [use mobile sites when targeting broader group and app when wanting to reach niche or targeted audience] ~responsive website- website that changes its layout depending on device its displayed on [looks one way on computer but adapts layout for tablet or phone] [single development project can cater for multiple devices]

color theory

~principles of combining colors to attract people toward your brand and its offerings ~contrast is good way to draw reader and differentiate b/w diff aspects of page ~colors also hold diff meanings and associations for people ~yellow- optimistic and youthful [used to grab attention of window shoppers] ~red- energy [increases heart rate and creates urgency often seen in clearance sales] ~blue- creates sensation of trust and security and often seen w/ banks and businesses ~green- associated w/ wealth [easiest color for the eyes to process so used in stores to relax] ~orange- aggressive [creates call to action: subscribe/buy/sell] ~pink- romantic and feminine [used to market product to women and young girls] ~black- powerful and sleek [used to market luxury products] ~purple- used to soothe and calm [often seen in beauty and anti-aging products]

marketing strategy

~purpose of strategy is to address brand challenge or objective that has been revealed ~situational analysis of strategy looks at (1) environment (2) the business itself (3) customers (4) competitors ~environment- overall context or outside world in which the business functions [considers political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental influences to identify issues pertinent to marketing strategy] ~business itself- (1) features and attributes [tangible assets of your product that focus on differentiation] (2) functional benefits [summarizes the tangible benefits to the consumer] (3) emotional benefits [how does your product make the consumer feel] (4) brand/product persona [manifestation of the brand in human characteristics] (5) brand idea [essence of your brand] ~USP (unique selling point)- characteristic that makes your product better than competitors [what unique value does it have, does it solve a problem that no other product does] ~customers- goal is to reach customers w/ right marketing message at right stage in their buyer journey ~competitors- are also those who are capturing your customers attention [scarcest resources are time, focus and attention]

introduction to market research

~reasons to conduct market research- (1) gain insight into your customers [what customers want and need from your brand, what customers like and dislike about the brand, why customers buy the brans products, why potential customers might choose your brand over another one, why customers make repeat purchases] (2) understand changes in industry and business (3) discover new market trends on which you can capitalize (4) find new potential sales avenues, customers, products (5) find and engage new audiences (6) allow customers to help steer your business ~4 key concepts of market research are research methodology, qualitative and quantitative data, primary and secondary research and sampling

limitations of mobile

~small screens- user has smaller window to perceive and understand website so its difficult to get overall impression of where things are or whats important ~difficult inputs- no keyboard/mouse so difficult to operate fluidly and accurately ~slow connection speeds- makes loading websites or images slow and expensive in terms of data costs ~slow hardware- the more basic the phone the slower its processing components making simple act of loading page time consuming

static website or CMS

~static website- one that doesnt change often other than the occasional update website stays the same over time and no new content is added [should new content be required a web developer would need to add it] ~CMS allows content of website to be updated from any location by signing into online management interface ~3 types of CMS- (1) bespoke [CMS built specifically for certain website- hight tailored and customized your website but can be more expensive] (2) off the shelf [pre built by external company and can be bought- more cost effect but has fewer custom features] (3) open source [anyone can see code CMS is built w/ and manipulate it- can be more rudimentary but easy to tailor to your needs] ~key features to look out for when searching or building CMS- (1) meta and title tag customization [allow you to enter your own meta tags for each page] (2) URLs [allows for clean URLs by user server side rewriting and allow for creation of URLs that are static, rewritable and keyword rich] (3) customizable navigation [flexibility when it comes to creating info architecture] (4) have good support [for managing SEO considerations such as URL rewriting and avoiding duplicate content issues] (5) customizable image naming and alt tag for images (6) robots.txt management

strategic building blocks

~translating your brand essence- brand essence sums of unique attributes of brand and basis for its emotional connection w/ customers [brand essence can be useful guide for ensuring that content you create (and marketing activity) represents brand appropriately] [what is your reason for being and how do you connect that w/ the interests of your customers] ~market research and consumer personas- intercept b/w marketing goals of brand, the brand personality and the consumer motivation for paying any attention to brand at all [one device used to address consumer needs is development of a consumer persona] ~creating content pillars- areas of focus that support the creation of content that match to consumers interest [themes must be true to brand essence, not focused directly on sales, and should also speak to interests of audience] ~matching content formats to objectives- select right medium based on overall objectives, production capabilities and needs of audience ~content audit- once you have established marketing goals, brand personality and understanding of who you are trying to reach the content audit is necessary next step [assessment is made of how well current pieces of content match strategic needs of brand and audience]

usability and conventions

~usability is about making digital assets we build easy and intuitive to use [dont make users think they should just do] ~popular conventions include links that are blue and underlined, navigation menus at top or left of web page, logo in top left hand corner which is linked to take user back to home page, search boxes placed at top of page ~ensure that all website elements are distinct, easy to find and consistent throughout the site ~donts- never resize windows or launch site in pop up, dont use entry or splash pages (page that site visitors encounter first before reaching home page), never build site entirely in flash (most search engine spiders cant effectively trawl flash sites and these will not work on many mobile devices), dont distract users w/ christmas trees (blinking images, flashing lights, automatic sound, etc)

context

~what is context in which you are operating (environmental factors) and how is this likely to change in the future ~who are you, why does your brand matter, what makes your brand useful and valuable ~who are your customers and what needs/wants/desires do they have ~who are your competitors [these may extend beyond orgs that compete with you on basis of price and product and could also be competition in form of abstracts such as time and mindshare]

step by step guide to UX design

~(1) conduct research and discovery- know exactly what they need to do to address needs of business audience ~(2) create sites basic structure- information architecture is about managing info (taking a lot of raw data and applying tools and techniques to make it manageable and usable) [categories and pages should flow from broad to narrow] [most websites have hierarchical structure which means there are broad important pages at top and narrower more specific pages further down

step by step guide to building website

~(1) planning and research (2) choosing domain name (3) UX and content strategy (4) search engine visibility (5) design (6) development (7) testing and launch

what is digital marketing

~business gains value in form of time, attention and advocacy from consumer [for user value can be added in form of entertainment, enlightenment, utility] ~digital provides consumers w/ much more choice, more influence and more power ~brands have new ways of selling, new products and services to sell and new members to which they can sell ~digital is measurable so gives brands opportunity to build tailored, optimized brand experiences for customer

web development

~process of taking finished web designs and transforming them into fully functioning, interactive websites

value exchange

~what unique value your org adds to market [identify supporting value adds to brand that are unique to digital landscape] ~what extras, beyond basic product, do you offer to customers

tactics and evaluation

~SEO- practice of optimizing website to rank higher on search engine results pages for relevant search terms [outcome- customer retention and acquisition] ~search advertising- in pay per click or search advertising the advertiser pays only when someone clicks on their ad (ads appear on search engine results pages) [outcome- sales, customer retention and acquisition] ~online advertising- covers advertising in all areas of internet (ads in emails/social networks/mobile devices/display ads) [outcome- branding and acquisition] ~affiliate marketing- system of reward where referrers are given a finders fee for every referral they give [outcome- sales and branding] ~video marketing- involves creating video content (can be outright video advertising or can be valuable/useful/content marketing) [outcomes- branding, customer retention and value creation] ~social media- media created to be shared/collaboration and connection in a way that no other channel has been able to offer [outcomes- branding, value creation and participation] ~email marketing- direct marketing that delivers commercial and content based messages to audience (extremely cost effective, highly targeted, customizable on mass scale and completely measurable) [outcomes- customer retention and creation]

layout and legibility

~online copy is judged on its layout first and then on content [needs to look easy to read before a user will choose to read it] ~digital copy should be easy to scan- clear and concise headings, bulleted and numbered lists, short paragraphs, bold italics, descriptive links

digital marketing strategy

~since digital allows for instananeous feedback and data gathering digital marketers should be constantly optimizing and improving their online marketing efforts ~digital marketing strategy should be thinking w/ ROI in mind [built into strategy should be a testing framework and ability to remain flexible and dynamic in medium that shifts and changes as user behaviors do]

collecting and collating design assets

~you need to provide to designer- (1) brand guidelines or style guide (2) logo and other key brand elements (3) image libraries (4) fonts folder (5) brand colors (6) any existing creative assets that have been created for your brand over time [print designs, TV ads, etc] (7) website copy (8) any additional assets

steps to conduct testing

~(1) formulate question to test ~(2) choose test and prepare- how much time and money do i have for this test, what facilities are available, how many participants do i want to test, at what stage is the project [surveys, eye trackings, split testing (A/B testing), observation labs, hallway testing] ~(3) find subjects- draw up list of criteria you want your subjects to fill, spread word about test through most appropriate channels to group, once you get enough responses youll have chance to screen applicants ~(4) test- tell user what you want them to do, run the test and dont interfere ~(5) analyze ~(6) report ~(7) implement ~(8) start again- testing is a constant process [aim to run a test every time you reach a major new stage of project or add something that is new or has raised controversy]

understanding SEO

~looks for signals of popularity, authority, relevance, trust and importance ~SEO can be divided into (1) on page optimization [making changes to HTML and structure of website, making it more accessible for search engines, easier for users to find] (2) off page optimization [focused on building links to website and covers activities like social media and digital PR]

mobile development

~mobile internet usage is expected to increase 66% every year ~developing for mobile phones requires understanding of opportunities and challenges (smaller screen, navigation limitations, file formats) presented by mobile technology

user centric design

~performance of web assets is compromised when design process is driven only by internal business needs at the expense of what the user needs ~when designing for the user ask who is the user, what are the users wants and needs from your platform, why is the user really coming to your website, what are users capabilities/web skills/available technology, what features would make users experiences easier and better

crafting digital marketing strategy

~strategy needs to cover questions of who you are, what you are offering and to whom, as well as why and how you are doing so ~(1) context (2) value exchange (3) objectives (4) tactics and evaluation (5) ongoing optimization

optimizing for human and machine errors

~you are writing not only for audience but also for search engines ~optimizing copy for search engines is important b/c target audience is likely to use search engine to find products your offering [if search engine is not aware of your content it wont send traffic to your site] ~meta data not only structures your content but indicate relevance and context to search engines

web development and design

~creating online assets involves planning and design (which creates appearance, layout and style that users see) and development (which brings imagery to life as functioning web tool) ~fundamental to good development is understanding your users- your offering must have user experience central to process

HTML for formatting

~to bold- <b>phrase</b> ~to italicize- <i>phrase</i> ~to underline- <u>phrase</u> ~to list- <li>lines</li> ~to create paragraph- <p>paragraph</p> ~to insert line break- <br> ~to insert link- <a href="page url">title</a> ~to insert heading- <h1>heading</h1> ~to insert sub heading- <h2>heading</h2>

(8) define visual design

~color- based on our culture/preferences/learned cues people interpret colors in very specific ways and this can be used to inform and steer users experience ~imagery- you can never be certain which images will have best results so this is one area where you will need to do a lot of testing [humans tend to gravitate towards and identify w/ pictures of other humans]

server-side languages

~hidden web coding languages that determine how your website works and communications w/ web server and your computer ~when choosing server-side language you need to consider (1) cost [if info is processed where your website is housed as opposed to on clients computer it increases cost] [some languages also require ongoing management and maintenance which is additional cost] (2) scalability [consider whether there are developers readily available to develop in this language] [if there are supporting libraries and frameworks available that suit your project]

front-end languages

~languages that are interpreted and executed in users browser rather than on web browser ~need to consider (1) cost [front-end language development costs are relatively low] (2) features [what your end users will be able to view should always be most important consideration- HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Flash] (3) scalability [depending on capabilities of device executing language certain features may not be available- front end code needs to take all considered devices into account] (4) browser and OS support (5) open source or proprietary software

(5) build navigation

~navigation should let users know where they are in site [breadcrumb links, clear page titles, URLS and menu changes help show user where they are] ~breadcrumb navigation often indicates general path user may have taken [in case of site search keyword used should be indicated on results page] ~navigation clues let user know where to go next [make options clear to user] ~make sure users can get back to home page quickly and easily

user insights

~user data is most effective way of judging true relevance and value of website [if user arrives on website and leaves immediately it shows it wasnt relevant to their query] ~search engines use cookies to maintain history of users search activity [includes keywords used and websites visited from search engine, clickthrough rates and bounce rates] ~site speed is contributing factor to ranking ~website must be (1) valuable enough to attract both visitors and links naturally (2) retain visitors and make sure they return to website (3) convert visitors