As Google continues its well-documented run as the world's most popular search tool (garnering an 85%+ share, according to some estimates), many in the Internet marketing industry are left to wonder whether the recent merging of Yahoo and Microsoft's Bing will allow them to ever catch up… or at least gain some ground among searchers. Or could it be that people really do prefer all Google, all the time?
It turns out, the question is flawed. That's because there is already a strong second-place search engine, and one that's doing just great – YouTube.
While it's true that most people wouldn't classify YouTube is a search engine, and it might not technically count as one, the lines begin to blur a bit as you take a step back. After all, with more than one billion hits a day, it's obvious that people are turning to its short videos to find and learn, and they're doing it far more often than they are turning to non-Google search engines.
This highlights an important fact for online marketers: if you aren't getting your message out on YouTube, then you're missing a big piece of the market share. It isn't all cats jumping through hoops or lonely kids acting out movie scripts; any company can produce a video that has the potential to go "viral," or at least enhance their marketing message by adding a new format.
YouTube isn't a new phenomenon anymore, but it is one that lots of companies are just beginning to take advantage of. In future articles, we'll take a look at some ways you can use YouTube to increase sales. For now, though, just ask yourself this: with billions of people tuning in every week, why are they finding your business?
Marketing is all about results. One of the quickest ways to destroy the profitability of your campaigns, whether they are online or off-line, is to keep feeding a process that isn't making any money. Managers and business owners have to be ruthless in cutting off ads and promotions that aren't working – or even those that aren't working well enough to justify the costs.
Sometimes, though, the desire to be efficient can cause us to give up just a little bit too soon, especially when the conventional wisdom is that some tactic or idea is "dead." Since everyone knows it doesn't work, why keep putting time and money into it?
I think that's what's happened to e-mail marketing. Even though there are plenty of businesses still working profitable campaigns, many companies have given up on it for fear of the impression that they're spamming their customers. The reality, however, is that they are missing out on sales and profits that they could get with just a little bit of effort.
Here are four ways to make your e-mail campaigns work:
Start with the right list. To have a successful e-mail campaign, you need working addresses of people who want to hear from you. The best way to get those is from your existing customers or prospects. Have them opt in to receive some small promotional item or coupon – you’ll end up with a list that's both valid and interested in what you sell.
Keep things to the point. Don't send long e-mails with complicated ideas. If you can't communicate everything you need to a few hundred words or less, save part of it for the next message. It's better to have people interested in reading small bits at a time than it is to go straight into their trash folder.
Be consistent… not annoying. Few companies can get away with sending an e-mail newsletter every day, or even every week. It might take some trial and error, but try to find out how often your customers want to hear from you and then stick to that schedule.
Track and optimize. It's not enough to send out e-mails and hope for the best. Use state-of-the-art tracking software to find out which links, products, articles your customers are clicking on responding to. Then, you can use that information to optimize your future marketing messages and make them even more profitable.
Just a few years ago, websites with Flash introductions were the latest-and-greatest thing, and for good reason: they just looked so cutting-edge. If visitors couldn’t figure out how cool your company was from the flowing animation and sound… well, that was between them and Internet Explorer 4.
Recently though, having a Flash intro has become the web equivalent of sporting a Britney Spears world tour tee shirt: a little bit annoying, and a sign that you’re not really keeping up with what’s going on in the world. Here are a few reasons to ditch your site’s animated and outdated opening:
It’s no longer impressive. Flash isn’t a new thing, so it’s not going to impress your clients or colleagues. There was a time when people genuinely thought they were cool, but now they’re just in the way of the information they’re trying to find.
It’s annoying. How many people do you know who actually watch these things, much less leave the sound on? The answer you’re looking for is zero. No one has enough time in the day to finish the things they actually need to accomplish, so don’t think they’re going to waste it watching your opening shots.
It’s bad for usability. Flash intros are almost unique amongst web features for the way it’s completely cosmetic. It doesn’t help anyone find, do, or buy anything. That isn’t to say there aren’t great places to use Flash on your site – because there definitely are – but a 15 second opening isn’t helping your visitors.
It’s costing you money. Beyond eating small amounts of bandwidth and bigger chunks of your customers’ patience, Flash intros cost you money because they can reduce the amount of time your visitors are willing to spend on your site. By hiding your content behind a screen of video and sound, they make it harder for the people who are searching for your product or service to find you… and that’s never good for the bottom line.
Flash intros were a cool idea once, but that time has come and gone. If you’re serious about building a business website, ditch the annoying openings and introduce your visitors to a quality home page.
We’re gold sponsors at one of the hottest Digital Marketing events of the year – DigiMedia.me.
Discover what’s what in Digital Marketing at this new Digital Media Conference to be held in Dubai 5th and 6th of May 2010. This two-day summit is designed for marketing professionals who want to better understand today’s fast-paced digital developments and take advantage of tomorrow’s online marketing channels.
Learn from the pro’s on how best to leverage SEO, PPC, social media, email marketing, online PR and more for your business all for an unbelievable price of AED800!
Four websites gone live is quick succession and more to come soon. It appears that things are picking up; we’re getting busier by the day!
It has to be said the companies and people in general are still cautious, waiting to see how 2010 pans out but if recent activity is anything to go by we believe business is on the up. It appears that clients are finally beginning to understand the full potential of the internet and how much harder their marketing dollar can work for them in this digital domain over traditional marketing. The concept has been very slow on the take here in the Middle East but that seems to be changing.
The three new sites are:
- www.thediamonddubai.com - Luxury furnished apartments in Dubai Sport City
- www.dohamums.com - Community site for mums and their toddles in Doha - Qatar
- www.contrastpros.com - Community of photographers
- www.filini.com - Web shop of funky design and cool gifts
We’ve been asked to be part of the panel of judges over at CSS Awards for 2010. It’s a real honour to be a part of an awesome panel of judges and great opportunity to keep up to date with what’s hot on the web and we are thrilled to be a part of it.
The Css Awards was born out of the idea to give artists and designers a way to showcase their work, be evaluated by top specialists and have the possibility to win some cool awards. It’s basically a gallery of the most prestigious websites in the world created using CSS. The panel of judges literally span the entire globe, have a look here for 2010 jury list.
Websites are selected for the Site of the Day and Site of the Month using a strict valuation system. Winners of the awards receive cash prizes, hardware, and most importantly, high-level exposure of their work through a vast network of blogs, collaborators, directories and international forums related to web design and creativity.
So go on, what are you waiting for? If your think your site rocks, submit it for evaluation!
We've just launched the new website for Roya International. Just as their slogan "Total Hospitality Solutions" says, it's a leading specialist hospitality consultancy firm offering expertise to the hospitality, leisure, tourism and real estate industries.
While Lighthouse developed their brand and printed collateral we had free rein on the website with an arsenal of great images to work with. We’re particularly happy with the end result as its very much in line with the less is more style we enjoy exploring.
Check it out: www.royainternational.com
Woopie-do, another website by Blue Beetle has just gone live. It’s for a company called PeopleFirst, a human recourses company based in Dubai.
PeopleFirst is an HR Consulting practice which works in partnership with clients to help unlock value and realise strategic goals through effective people policies and processes.
They’ve got an impressive client list all singing their praises (see the testimonials on the website) so PeopleFirst obviously know what they are doing. Check them out...
Need some ideas for Xmas presies? Like the image of the cows on our contact page?
If the answer to either for these questions is yes, you got to check out this link. Our good friend Doug Lapsley has started selling his work on eBay. He’s got some fantastic shots for sale and as a final run up to Christmas he's reduced the price on all prints to £15 including free worldwide shipping!
stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Doug-Lapsley-Landscape-photography
If you like what you see check our his website: www.frozen-light.co.uk
Oh and BTW, if you're into photography, check out the kit he uses and try not to drool all over your keyboard!
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