Getting People to Come Back to Your Site

Posted on Dec 31, 2008 by Nicole to General

Getting people to come back to your site is something that every company wants and needs. I’ve gone to hundreds of websites while surfing the internet. I realize that 99% of them I do not return to. I can probably list all of the websites I go to on a daily or weekly basis on my fingers and toes. I can say that most people come back because they are members of the site, they know and trust that the site can provide what they need by one press of the button. Now, out of thousands of really good websites why do people only go to a select few and how do businesses keep them coming back?

For four years I’ve worked for companies whose businesses are solely internet based. They ran a monthly special and promoted the heck out of it and numbers always sky rocketed. People love to get a deal and feel like they finally get a break. Sure most online businesses offer “Specials” and “Discounts” but how do customers know about these deals, they’d have to visit the site every day! People just don’t see ads anymore, most of the time they go directly to what they need. They ignore all pop ups and fast moving bright flashy banners that tell them what’s new and what’s on sale. Honestly those banners don’t work for me and I do anything I can to block them from my view, like make my window smaller so I only see content I need to see.

So back to the question of how to get your customers to notice a “Special”, I say you should blast blast blast an email! People give their email out like they give chicken pox when their in kindergarten. Business’s have free access to people’s personal time and email, so make an email blast but make it hot and straight to the point with links that go straight to the deal! Don’t make an email just to your site where the user has to fish for the special. Get them interested, get them to your product, and then get them to buy. I also think a great designer is key to any surviving website, and I’m not just saying this because I am a designer. But without a good designer, a good programmer is useless and vice versa. Oh, not to mention if it’s not a well designed email blast you can be sure it will be deleted and any future blasts will be marked spam and go directly to the junk folder or what I like to do is “unsubscribe” that way they know their email blasts suck. I do keep the creative email blasts and yes I do go back to their website and check out what’s new, I’m a fan of William Sonoma’s and Bebe but that’s my interests. It’s also important for someone who is revisiting a site to see new things, new products, new colors, and most important new content.

Just wrap your head around how many sites you’ve been too, it’s a lot. Now think of the sites you go back to. Now think of why. Is it mostly because of the information they are able to provide you or because USPS is taboo for keeping in touch? You really do expect a lot from any site you visit and it does take a lot of components to make a good site. It takes functionality, accurate information, the product and the follow up. Another good technique for continuing business is the follow up, when you get a new comment on your social page you get an email, when you pay a bill you get an email, when you buy anything you get an email. People are now programmed to receive emails for anything they do on the internet. Wouldn’t it be a great idea for your company to utilize this free program? Slip another sale item in there or if you have really great marketing you can tell what demographic they are from and then place an ad that they would be interested in. The internet is growing so fast that you have to be ahead of what everyone else does and you have to pick up on trends right away. One trend that people will be slowing down on is “going green”, one trend they are picking up on is “change”. I’d like to see more online sites step up and create their own trend and stop following what everyone was doing 4 years ago.

In conclusion there is so much an online business can do to get people to come back to their business but it starts with a great product and a good company behind it. After that, hand it off to someone who knows what they are doing and trust them to make your website work, a website people will continue to visit.

PPC Advertising – Brand Name Bidding

Posted on Dec 29, 2008 by Rick to Pay Per Click

In the past, we’ve talked a little about the importance of running pay per click campaigns for searches related to your brand name. We’ve discussed several reasons why, even when your website ranks #1 organically for your brand name, you can still benefit from bidding on your brand name. Today, I want to talk about a couple more strategies that can be implemented when bidding on your and your competitors’ brand names.

Another reason to bid on your brand name

Pay per click ads are great for promoting specials. Having an end of season sale or trying to promote a new package or product discount? Try running pay per click ads promoting your specials and packages. When customers search for your brand, they will not only see the organic listing for your website, but also the ad promoting your most recent promotion. The advantage to running these ads is that you not only draw attention to your promotion sooner (at the point where customers are searching for you), you can also utilize a custom landing page better suited to promoting the special than your homepage might be. This may seem pretty obvious but many advertisers forget this method of promoting specials.

Bidding on your competitor’s brand name

Let’s say that your competitor has just launched a massive offline promotion aimed at driving people to their website. You can be pretty sure that searches related to your competitor’s brand name or their promotion will greatly increase in the upcoming days as consumers are exposed to the radio, TV, newspaper or other offline ads. Remember that the consumers searching during this campaign are more likely to be interested in your product or service because as they are motivated to search out the special offer they head about elsewhere. Consider running ads for your competitor’s brand name simultaneously as their promotion runs. In your ad, create a similar but better offer that will be likely to draw motivated buyers your way. In a sense, you’re piggybacking on your competitor’s ad which has attracted motivated buyers. Your main challenge will be swaying these searchers to purchase from you, instead. This strategy is most effective in situations where your product is a direct substitute and is considered to be ‘equal’ to your competitor’s.

Tags: brands, ppc tricks

THAT Agency Proudly Launches ME-Barcelona.com

Posted on Dec 16, 2008 by Damien to Projects

Sol Melia Hotels naturally turned to THAT Agency to once again deliver a five star website for their five star hotel located in Barcelona, Spain. The creative and vibrant result is ME-Barceona.com, a site that defines luxury, class and elegance in an urban setting.

Using a mix of vibrant aesthetics and thoughtful usability, THAT Agency proved it’s energy and creativity in producing a website of this caliber. Custom, clean, sleek and function driven design mimics the very essence of sophistication that comes with visiting a ME brand Hotel.

Using the latest in AJAX techniques, Flash animations and storylines, ME-Barcelona.com is a rich and full online experience of the hotel. Built on a solid PHP platform the site features several interactive photo galleries, online house music samplings and a full series of virtual tours – this site truly lets the user visit the site before ever booking a room.

Delivered in both English and Spanish the site spans a wide and diverse audience across the globe. Catering to the most sophisticated and discerning visitors it supplies the means to quickly and easily find what you need efficiently.

ME Barcelona is pure style.

View our hotel website design solutions.

Tags: Hotel Site, ME Barcelona, new website, site launch, web design firm

Effectiveness

Posted on Dec 4, 2008 by Neil to General, Web Design

First off id like to say that this blog entry pertains specifically to design but I do believe these principles apply to many (if not all) aspects of life.

When faced with huge tasks, effective use of your time is critical. Its probably the deciding factor of whether or not a project turns out amazing or just average. Effective designers usually have a system they follow and these systems allow you to follow a routine with your workflow. What’s great about having a routine  is that it takes the guesswork out of the process and allows you to free your mind up to concentrate on being creative.

Without any question the place where I developed my understanding of the importance of  this concept was while working at snowboarder magazine. Here we had a small crew that consisted of a photo editor, two editors, copy writer, and an art director. it allowed us to move quickly and make our own decisions but there was no room or time for mistakes. each month we delivered a 200 page book (magazine). The only way were able to achieve this was through strict teamwork and effective use of time.

The term effective is very critical here. To be effective you need to measure twice and cut once. Get the best photos on the page, place them so they have the most impact, then set the type around them. Photos create the visual impact so they take priority over the words. Once you have the items in place and the type is set…….bring in some design elements, align everything and hit save. Now move on.

Move on? thats right. this is what being effective is about. Don’t tinker with it.  The fact is – the page has its pictures in place and  the type is set with a basic design underway. So basically the article is 90% done.  At this point you should hit save and move on to the next article. This way you can get more pages out the door and as you get closer to your deadline you can gauge how much time you have left go back and hone your designs. Once you have a great deal of the articles assembled and saved it frees up your mind up to come up with cool colors schemes or layout styles knowing the nuts and bolts of the project are in place. I cant tell you how much time this system saves and it allows you to produce great work at a fast pace.

Earlier on I mentioned that these principles can be applied to many (if not all ) aspects of life. Take golf for example, every exceptional golfer has a rock solid and identical pre shot routine. It takes the guesswork out of preparing for the shot and frees up your mind to focus on the task at hand which in this case is making a great shot. This applies to personal habits as well. your morning routine if its evolved enough becomes automatic allowing you to plan for the day rather than dig around for your keys. The concept is a simple one but I strongly believe that having a routine is the key to being effective.

Masonite wins Best Design Award. THAT Agency receives bragging rights.

Posted on Nov 26, 2008 by Nicole to Web Design

Award: Best of the Web. Category: Building Products. Competition: Strong.
Building companies have huge budgets and great products. The goal of the award winning site, Masonite, was to indefinitely match everything that they build, provide, and stand for. Masonite chose THAT Agency to get the job done.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: agency awards, building professionals, website awards, website design

How to Deliver the Wow Factor: The 4 P’s

Posted on Nov 24, 2008 by Jade to Copywriting

Copywriting is, in most cases, the art of writing cogently for promotional purposes. According to Copyblogger’s “Copywriting 101,” “copywriting involves strategically writing words that promote a person, product, business, opinion, or idea, with the ultimate intention of having the reader take some form of action.” For most copywriters, the intention is to sell, thereby making copywriting a rather lucrative practice-that is, if delivered well. Companies contract copywriters to help strengthen their brand identity and voice (whether it be by writing web copy, articles, press releases and/or blogs), thereby delivering a powerful message to their audience. And since this initial message can often govern reader response, the message need be a cogent one.

Uncovering the formula for good copywriting is one thing; delivering superb copy is another altogether. Concisesness, vivid imagery, and a persuasive edge are all imperative, as these three elements lay the foundation for solid copy. How then, does the wordsmith achieve this sharp, vital message for his or her clients? Once again, I turn to Copyblogger’s founding editor Brian Clark who, like me, attributes successful copywriting to the 4 P’s.

With a solid promise, there’s little peril. As you’ve already learned, your copy must be concise, vivid, and persuasive, each word a dazzling, telling entity that contributes to a strong, unified message. Sound daunting? Maybe, but it shouldn’t be if your promise is solid. Catch the reader’s attention with a promising yet realistic heading. Tell the reader pointedly how she or he will benefit from the product or service you’re offering. The reader will remain engaged if he or she feels that there is something to be gained.

Peak reader interest with a vivid portrait. Language is a powerful medium; culture is testament to that. Compelling words have traversed every genre-from music and literature to politics and religion- galvanizing and inspiring audiences from every walk of life.

Effective language has the power to seduce. Utilize this power by tapping into the reader’s innate desires with vibrant language; tickle his or her imagination with colorful, alluring imagery. As Clark phrases it, “Get the reader to imagine him/herself enjoying the benefit of a desired outcome.” If, for instance, a traveler desires a decadent vacation, titillate his/her wanderlust with an intoxicating nightlife description or sweeping landscape panorama. Draw the reader into the description; make the reader envision himself drifting along azure waters or basking in a balmy climate. Here, verbs and adjectives become your best friend.

Proof can seal the deal. Incorporate statistics to support your assertions- nobody wants a flimsy allegation. Show that your words, however promising, aren’t hollow. Allay reader suspicion with a veritable source, like a study, solid facts, or even a chart (if necessary).

Galvanize your reader. After you’ve committed to the reader-that is, you’ve made your promise, assembled a glowing portrait, and injected some tangible proof-drive the message home with a final, cogent message. Reiterate your initial message, but keep it tight and to the point. Galvanize the reader to make a concrete commitment. Leave the reader feeling resolute and elated, and nothing else.

The World’s First E-Ink Magazine Cover

Posted on Nov 21, 2008 by Jade to General

I know I’m about a month behind on this topic, considering Esquire released the world’s first e-ink cover in October 2008. But, as it’s an ever-fascinating concept, I feel it’s not too late to join in the discussion. As the age-old saying goes, better late than never. 

“The 21st Century Begins Now” reads the formidable Esquire cover, its bold, flashing text leaping from an edgy, black exterior. The phrase, rotating between soft gray font and stark white text, transfixes consumers as they pass by, both dazzled and confounded by the magazine’s innovative visage. How do I know this, you may be wondering? Well it just so happens that I, too, fell victim to its glossy gaze.

I was at Borders purchasing yet another beloved Margaret Atwood novel when my eyes fell unassumingly upon Esquire’s cover, a postmodern amalgamation of sleek aesthetics and electronic ink. Moving words and flashing images comprise the front cover, its images backlit with e-ink; while the inside display is coated with a moving car advertisement for Ford Flex Crossover, its motion powered by a flashing loop.  A Special Collector’s Edition, the experimental cover marked Esquire’s 75th Anniversary Issue, of which only a limited supply – 100,000 – was released.

For those of you unfamiliar with electronic ink and electronic paper displays (EDP’s), I’ll gladly introduce you to the technology.  According to leading e-ink developer E-Ink Corporation, EDP’s are high resolution, low power displays, like Amazon’s electronic book reader, the Kindle, or the Sony Reader. These EDP’s, which display a “paper-like high contrast” use electronic ink, which carry a charge, thereby enabling it to be updated through electronics. This electronic ink is essentially the foundation for Esquire’s digital cover.

According to Esquire, its e-ink cover took approximately a year to develop, and traveled about 7,000 miles prior to hitting local book stands. The issues’ display screen, electronics, and batteries were assembled in Shanghai, China, using components from at least 7 different factories. Once activated, the devices were then shipped to Negras, Mexico, via Dallas, in refrigerated trucks, thereby preserving the battery life. Once in Mexico, 100,000 covers were then assembled by hand. From Mexico, the assembled covers found their home in Kentucky, where they were bound to the magazine itself. It’s transnational labor at its finest.

Ultimately, the cover’s small circuit board, which contains six button cell batteries, has a life span of about 90 days – a reasonably long life considering its $6 price tag. Greater longevity can be attained, however, when stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

For the most part, Esquire’s e-ink magazine cover was met with mixed reviews, some lauding Esquire for its ingenious hybrid. Others, however, were thoroughly disappointed, considering the rather bulky issue to be a primitive rendering of the world’s first e-ink cover. Either way, it’s a striking innovation, and I’m sure Esquire is quite content to be the pioneer in the e-ink magazine industry.

To see Esquire’s October cover in all it’s flashing glory, check out YouTube’s video.

Thanks to Amazon, Avid Readers Can Kindle Their Literary Affinities Whenever, Wherever. But, Dare I Beg the Question, At What Price?

Posted on Nov 17, 2008 by Jade to General

Thanks to Amazon’s business acumen, avid readers can kindle their literary affinities whenever, wherever. With the infamous Kindle, Amazon’s increasingly popular, portable electronic book reader, literary aficionados can hold—in little over 10 ounces—upwards of 200 book titles. For any avid reader, this is cause for considerable celebration, as the Kindle remedies the often encumbering task of lugging around a book collection. Unfortunately, in today’s society, where convenience reigns tradition often suffers and, as in the case of photography and written publications, the Kindle might very well prove a veritable threat to more traditional methods of reading.

An article in Saturday’s Miami Herald raised this burgeoning issue, one that has conspicuously affected several older mediums already. The prevalent use of both the internet and digital cameras has nearly extirpated once-thriving industries; older cameras have been relegated to the sidelines, and the publishing industry as we know it may be headed toward a rather grave demise. A tragic trajectory for traditionalists, technological innovation continues to tear at the very fabric of convention.

Using the aforementioned examples as a paradigm, one may consider books as the next possible victim of innovation. Could a device like the Kindle ultimately trump the very existence of the book trade? For the sake of being, well, presumptuous, I will reference a Miami Herald article to explore the question further.

This particular quandary was addressed and summarized quite well in the article entitled “E-books Bringing New Power to the Printed Word”—though mostly to counter the author’s position that e-books will increase and strengthen readership. Indeed, power they might bring to the words themselves, as the Kindle allows for swifter access to an impressive volume of literary works. Since the Kindle’s wireless activity and link to an Amazon account enable direct purchasing of books, Kindlers can essentially purchase e-books wherever they want, as frequently as they want, directly to the device itself.

Why, then, should one drive to the local bookstore, peruse endless aisles, and wait in queues when he or she can download 10 books in a matter of minutes? Similarly, why order a book online only to impatiently await its arrival? If convenience appeals, as the author attests, and the Kindle coddles readers with convenience, then why shouldn’t the reader opt for a Kindle and forgo the bookstore altogether? Will the sanctity of books be lost amid yet another digital wave?

It’s a concern that, according to the article, already plagues the executive vice president for business operations of Penguin Books, Doug Whiteman. “It’s not so much what these devices will impact in the future. It’s that they are having an impact right now,” he says in the article. “You can fit a year’s worth of books, more actually, onto your device. I predict there will be a flood of these things on the market in coming years.”

So what then, would halt another digital revolution, one that wipes out our beloved paperback? Comfort, asserts Peter Rubie, chief executive officer of Fineprint Literary Management. Though he acknowledges in the article that “publishing is one of those industries that isn’t swift to embrace technology” (and here, one must note the dissolution of Kodak), he purports that the book industry will continue to thrive, thanks to reader psychology. “There is a sensual psychology, a special feeling that comes with being able to hold a book and feel the pages, and so forth. And for people who buy lots of books, that feeling won’t change.”

I think for now, it is safe to say that books aren’t going anywhere. At $359 pop, the Kindle is no minor investment, and only true book zealots or those with an abundance of cash might opt for this pricey alternative. And though the Kindle’s high-resolution screen may in fact resemble the façade of real paper, the general public most likely will continue to purchase the real thing. But if Kindle-like devices do in fact persist, and ultimately plummet in price, then we may in fact have a substantive issue at hand.

Tags: Add new tag

How to Use Nofollow, Noindex and Robots.txt for SEO

Posted on Nov 11, 2008 by Rick to SEO

There’s often confusion about how nofollow, noindex and robots.txt should be used for good SEO. I’m going to give an overview of the three, including when, where and why you should be using these.

What is a robots.txt file
First, a robots.txt file is simply a file that you can place on your web server which will give instructions to search engine robots with regards to which sections and pages they should not crawl. This is the equivalent of putting a ‘do not disturb’ sign on your hotel room door. While most will obey your request, there is no guarantee. The reasons for blocking robots from visiting site pages and sections vary by website but are usually related to not wanting the search engine to crawl or index select pages or site sections.

What does the noindex meta tag do?
The noindex Meta tag is a simple tag that instructs the search engine not to display a given page in the search index (search results). This tag is often used when a website owner does not want select pages appearing in search. Websites with duplicate content issues often use these tag to remove the duplicate content from the search index.

Placing a noindex tag on a page is different than excluding that page in robots.txt file in that a page with noindex in the header can still be crawled by the search engines and can still accumulate and pass PageRank. A noindex tag will simply put any given page in invisible mode to searchers.

What does the nofollow tag do?
Nofollow tags can be inserted in the header or attached to links to provide instructions for the search engines like Google not to crawl a given link. In essence, this prevents PageRank from being passed from one page to another when nofollow is used. This is done for a couple reasons:

1. Spam reduction – Most websites allow users to contribute in some way. By placing nofollow links on any links added by users, you can discourage users from blatantly spamming your website because the links will carry no SEO value.
2. PageRank sculpting – For webmasters concerned with the distribution of PageRank throughout their website, nofollow can be placed on links pointing to unimportant pages within their website. For example, a link going to your privacy policy page could use nofollow because it isn’t likely that this page is very important to the search engines. Adding nofollow to all links pointing at this page will mean that more PageRank is passed to the other more important pages on your website.

Utilizing robots.txt, nofollow and noindex can make a noticeable impact on your organic search marketing results if used correctly. However, using them incorrectly can lead to adverse effects such as ranking pages being removed from the indexed and loss of PageRank. Apply them with caution.

Tags: nofollow, noindex, pagerank, robots.txt

Gran Melia Brand Site Launches

Posted on Nov 10, 2008 by Damien to Projects

Gran Melia, one of Sol Melia’s premium brands now has an online presence like no other. THAT Agency launched the international brand hotel website for Gran Melia, http://www.gran-melia.com. Working closely with their brand and identity to create an amazing look and feel that transcends most hotel sites.

Delicately designing the site around the avant-garde brand was just one of many challenges facing THAT Agency to deliver this amazing website. The site has the ability to book any of Gran Melia’s many hotels all from one central location.

PHP integrated with Flash and table-less CSS based layout gives this site a spectacular and rich look and feel. The user can jet off around the globe to the various hotel sites with one mouse click, and book a room just as efficiently.

The brand site stands as a portal to the more than twelve hotel mini-sites that all embody and uphold the same sophistication and style of the main brand site. The art of seamless integration and timeless luxury, Gran Melia’s new brand site represents the brand itself in unlimited ways.

Tags: Gran Melia, Gran Melia brand, hotel brand site, hotel site design, web site design