Show me the money...

So, you have gotten yourself an awesome looking, gasp producing, beautiful flash animated site. A splash page, intro video, music all of the bells and whistles, and you just paid a small fortune for it.

The all important question is, 'does it produce revenue for your business?' For all the looks, can you check your stats and produce reports instantly. Can you track if its working or not? Do you know what your conversion rate is? Do you have a plan for website success and are you implementing it?

Sometimes, the most flashy looking websites are not actually the most effective when it comes to search engine optimisation and ranking. Sometimes the coolest multimedia features can actually be harmful to your marketing objectives.

Ultimately, if your website doesn't 'show you the money', then its not worth anything.

To find out how to make the most effective use of your online communications email to consultant@thompsonmarketing.com.au and stop wondering.

You have a website, but do you have a plan?

How many times have you come across a site when searching for something on google, yahoo or live only to find it irrelevant to your search? What is your reaction... do you click back to your search results never to return? When you search for those keywords again, and see that you have been there before, did you click on that site again? If you haven't found the information relevant, the answer is probably not!

When implementing an online marketing strategy you need a plan, and a plan for success. You need to get your site ready to receive traffic, BEFORE you start driving traffic to it. Otherwise all of your time and effort spent climbing the SEO ladder will be wasted. You need relevant and compelling content, and a way of capturing your visitors details and engaging with them. You need to prove to them that you are the expert, that you have the answers that they are searching for, otherwise, you will just be associated with irrlevance.

contact us info@thompsonmarketing.com.au for more information about your personalised Integrated Website Success Plan, tailored to the needs of your business.

Websites are no longer relevant... or are they?

Today was a great day at the office, watching the Melbourne Cup with a whole group of people who have had a few drinks is fun! On the way out I had an interesting conversation with another worker in the building who is employed by a private banking and investment firm, about the relevance of web sites. We did the usual intro chat and one of his final comments, when discovering that I do web design and internet marketing, the comment was something like "that was really big in the past, but they're not that important now". The idea being that the business world has moved on, it was just a fad.
Of course, I would have to disagree, and I did. I suggested that web sites are just a starting point - a part of corporate image. Having a professional website designed for you is a representation to the corporate world of your company. Prospects may very well google you before they call you.

The point - an information site about your company is just the beginning of a journey out into a whole ocean of marketing communication. Getting all the cool widgets and tools is a later necessity, but first, everyone needs a web presence. Thats entry level stuff.

Communicating your message through blogs and podcasts

Web 2.0 - user generated content - is changing the way that businesses interact and communicate online. Companies are using blogs (weblogs - diaries or journals) and podcasts (internet based broadcasts) to connect and engage with consumers. They are joining or creating social networks like myspace, facebook, linkedIn, and online worlds like second life. What is your organisation doing to reach out and connect with your customer/client base? Having a website will not be enough for businesses in the future. In fact, it is not enough for business that want to be effective today. Consumers are now engaging and interacting through social media, not just with one another, but also with brands. Are 
you in the conversation? Do you struggle to understand the meaning of all this? Change is happening all around us, to get help, email us, or post to this blog. It could be your first step in engaging the world online, and employing effective internet marketing.