Social media marketing is the “hot” topic right now. Social sites are exploding and business presses are constantly mentioning them. The idea that you can turn thousands of fans into customers, referrals, and viral marketing points is extremely exciting. When it comes to actual bottom-line results, though, your business website still gives you the highest return on investment.

To understand why, consider a recent study by the research firm Gartner (available online at http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/digital-marketing). In studying the way companies spend and manage their digital budgets, they found some interesting insights:

• First, that corporate websites “will not be displaced any time soon by a brand’s social media presence.”
•  Also, that the main elements of branding and relationship-building customers often boil down to strong landing pages and content creation.
•  And finally, that generating interesting and unique content is key to successful Internet marketing and every level.

Although the study goes on to conclude that social media might become more important in the future, the message is clear, at least for now – invest in your business website, and continue to upgrade it, if you want to find profits online. All your other Internet marketing activities should support that goal, not replace it.

These survey results are exactly in line with the advice we’ve been giving to our clients for the past couple of years. That’s because the Medora philosophy is built on adapting to change, but keeping our attention on the things we know will produce the real-world results our clients want and need.

To build a stronger company, you need a beautiful website with full functionality, custom programming, and a responsive design that makes it accessible to mobile users who access it via tablets and smart phones. While other tools, like social media marketing, can help make your site more profitable, these tools on their own  aren’t enough to make a huge impact in your sales figures.

To find out more about Internet marketing plans that actually work, or see what we can do for your business, call or e-mail the team at Medora to schedule a free consultation today.

The reason is obvious: The things we have are just too valuable – and our sense of security worth far too much – to risk by not taking simple, routine actions.

WordPress security is not optional

Although you might not realize it, the same is true of your WordPress business website. The sheer popularity of WordPress (current estimates are that 100+ million websites are using WP) means that it’s a good target for thieves and hackers. Since most companies don’t update their sites the way they should, it’s like an enormous neighborhood with open doors and windows in lots of different homes.

This becomes apparent from time to time, as it did when a new client contacted us after his WordPress site had been deleted from the Internet. Beyond the fact that it had been accessed by someone without the proper permissions and authorizations (along with important information that was stored on the site), it was removed from the web and not helping him to win any customers or any profits.

We helped him fix things as quickly as possible, of course, but the time, trouble, and money could easily have been saved with our WordPress security service. That’s because it includes important things like:

Regular updates to WordPress.

Because thieves and hackers often exploit known weaknesses and vulnerabilities in older versions of WordPress, updating your software is the easiest way to protect your site from unauthorized access.

WordPress security hardening.

From changing passwords to analyzing plug-ins and WordPress settings, we follow all recommended guidelines to keep you protected from intruders.

Website monitoring.

Often, attacks don’t come all at once, but in several successive attempts. By monitoring your site activity – and keeping tabs on any changes – we can deal with problems before they affect you or your business.

Automatic backups.

In the worst-case scenario, like the one our new client faced, we can get your site back online within hours by restoring from backups that we keep on file

In short, we could have given this client everything he really needed to keep his WordPress site safe, protected, and profitable.

Are you leaving the front door to your business website wide open? Click here now to see more about our WordPress security service.

Responsive websites work better On variety of devices

In fact, it probably deserves a place at the top of your 2013 wish list. To understand why that is, here are the three things you probably need to know:

1. What is Responsive Web Design?

Responsive web design refers to a new way of coding and building business websites, allowing them to change their appearance (and to some degree, functionality) depending on what kind of device, software, etc., your visitor is using. In other words, laptop users get one version of your business website, smartphone users see it in another way, and so on.

2. Why Would You Want a Responsive Web Design For Your Company?

The most obvious reason is that the Internet is changing. Tens of millions of people are now accessing the web via iPhones, Androids, tablets like Kindles and iPads, and other web-ready devices. By switching to responsive web design, you give more customers access to what you offer, and future-proof your site to a degree, so that it won’t need to be upgraded as quickly. A longer-lasting business website with more compatibility and marketing potential can only mean a higher return on investment.

3. Why is Now the Time to Get a Responsive Web Design?

For one thing, the trend towards mobile web usage isn’t just huge, but growing. Experts predict that more people will access the Internet via mobile devices in 2014 than through traditional computers. So, the market is getting bigger. On top of that, responsive design has reached the point where it’s stable and affordable. It’s no longer something that people are trying, but the best and most cost-effective way to design a business website.

Interested in seeing what responsive web design could mean for your small business? Call or email us today to set up a free consultation and get the answers you’re looking for.

Is there something missing from your e-commerce blog?

Here are five things we think every online store’s blog should have, but that are often missing:

1. Product tips. You should use your e-commerce blog to “show” more often than you use it to “help.” That means that, instead of heavy-handed sales pitches, you should have lots of little tips for using your company’s products and helping the customer get the most value for his or her money. Sharing product tips and other little pieces of information is a good first step in that direction.

2. Great photos. While search engines love words, your buyers might prefer lots of great pictures – especially if they show what makes your products different from the ones your competitors sell. Images create a strong mental impression and build credibility, so don’t be afraid to invest in a bit of high-quality photography and show off the results on your e-commerce blog.

3. Customer feedback and case studies. Nothing builds confidence like results, and what your customers say about you speaks volumes more than your own product descriptions or company profiles ever can. With that in mind, be sure to share as many different success stories as you can on your e-commerce blog. When new buyers see them, they’ll be more comfortable making a purchase.

4. Social media links. As we have pointed out in the past, it usually isn’t effective to try to sell products directly from your Facebook and Twitter profiles. But, the more friends, fans, and followers you have, the easier it is to spread the word about sales, promotions, new products, and special events. So, even though social networking might not be great for e-commerce sites directly, it can contribute a lot to their long-term profitability.

5. A clear call to action. Although you don’t want your e-commerce blog to be filled with endless sales pitches, each post should have a clear call to action that invites the visitor to take the next step. Whether you want them to buy a product, download report, or simply sign up for your e-mail newsletter, make sure that you ask customers to do something at the end of each post – because if you ask clearly enough, they might.

If your e-commerce site isn’t as effective or profitable as it could be, contact Medora today. We’ve built a reputation as Vancouver’s best e-commerce design team, and back it up with quality, service, and pricing that can’t be beat.

This is most evident with items like clothing, of course, where “knock-offs” appear in the market almost instantly. It isn’t just clothing designers who are constantly trying to keep up with each other, though. Read any business website lately, and you’ll find out about the battles between Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s tablet, or how the Netflix subscription model stacks up against Amazon’s similar service.

Since it seems to be working in so many other industries, it’s normal to ask: Should you ever copy your competitors?

Although the smart answer is usually “no,” veteran business owners and executives will know that it isn’t always that simple. There are some occasions when a colleague or competitor comes up with something so interesting and compelling that you are forced to react. It goes without saying that you should never copy things like words, photos, and trademarked designs (because of the legal liabilities and customer backlash), but what about general concepts and ideas?

Medora’s philosophy is that copying from your competitors is a bad idea, but improving upon what they are offering can often be both smart and profitable. How can you improve on someone else’s idea? Here are a few simple ideas to help you get started:

Attract a different kind of buyer. Sometimes, the easiest way to adapt an idea to your company is simply to tilt it towards your best customers.

Offer better pricing. Obviously, almost every type of buyer likes price savings. If you can match or beat competitors’ pricing, you might steal some of their sales.

Make your product or service more convenient. There are a number of ways to make products and services more convenient, like offering home delivery or mobile web options.

Give a stronger guarantee. Buyers like to know that they are protected in the event of a problem, or if they are dissatisfied with their order.

Use faster shipping. No matter what you’re selling, there is a chance that buyers will pay more for it if they can have it delivered or get access in a short period of time.

Differentiate your marketing. Sometimes, even identical products and services can appeal to different types of customers because of the marketing messages and themes that are used.

The bottom line is that you should never try to steal from another company in your area or industry, but there isn’t anything wrong with taking note of what they are doing and executing an idea more effectively.

If you’re looking for smarter, more efficient Vancouver business web design and Internet marketing, call or e-mail the Medora team today to set up a free consultation.

One question that naturally comes up with a lot of client is: How often do you really need to check your web analytics?

There aren’t any hard and fast answers, of course, and the reality is that your Internet marketing partner will probably look at the numbers a lot more often than you will. Still, when deciding how often you need to check in, here are a few things to consider:

1. The amount of traffic you get. Not only do busier websites give out information more frequently, but the larger your “sample size” of visitors, the more sure you can be that a trend is actually developing in the first place. And so, the more traffic your site gets, the closer attention you should pay to your web analytics results.

2. The complexity of your Internet marketing campaigns. To see why this is important, think of the way mechanical things work: While something simple, like a lawnmower, might need only very occasional maintenance, a jetliner has lots of moving parts that have to be monitored continuously. The same is true of your business website and online marketing plan: The more complex it is, the more important it is to keep a close eye on its progress.

3. How frequently you change ads and other variables. In the same way, an Internet marketing campaign that sees infrequent changes, and has been profitable in the past, can usually be left on “autopilot” for fairly long stretches of time. One that’s undergoing constant shifts and adjustments, though, should be inspected regularly to ensure that any tactical shifts are having their intended effect.

4. The sales cycle of your product or service. How long does it typically take for customers to decide to buy from you or do business with your company? Keep that sales cycle in mind when analyzing web analytics, since you don’t want to give up on a particular plan or course of action before it has had a proper chance to succeed.

5. The size of your Internet marketing budget. Obviously, cost considerations have to come into play. If you’re making a very large gamble with an aggressive marketing plan, then it’s important to keep a close eye on the numbers at every stage of the process to ensure that you aren’t wasting valuable dollars.

Here at Medora, we find that most Vancouver organizations aren’t using web analytics nearly as effectively as they could be. Why not call or e-mail a member of our team today to set up a free consultation and see what we can do for you?

As great as these two tools are, however, there are others that a thriving e-commerce site can use just as effectively… and possibly even more profitably. Here are three of the most underrated e-commerce marketing tools we help our clients to use:

1. E-mail marketing. Although most e-commerce owners are already using e-mail marketing in some form or another, most aren’t actively growing or using their lists as effectively as they could be. That’s a shame, because having a contact list filled with past customers and interested buyers is easily the most profitable and cost-effective way to maintaining gross sales over time. Your e-commerce e-mail marketing list should be treated like gold, because it’s something you can use to improve your profit picture instantly.

2. Social profiles. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are poor venues for promoting products and generating sales outright, at least in most industries. What they can be used for, however, is spreading messages and building customer loyalty. Because those activities tend to take a little more time and don’t show an immediate return on investment, the owners of e-commerce sites sometimes ignore or undervalue them. Over the course of weeks or months, however, they can be a valuable part of your Internet marketing plan.

3. Content marketing. The more content you have on your e-commerce site, the more of a resource it becomes to different buyers. Anything that brings value to your customers or potential customers – and especially tips, industry secrets, and other useful bits of information – makes them think more highly of your company, and increases the odds that they’ll return to your online store again and again… and eventually start making purchases. While content marketing certainly ties into search engine optimization, it’s important that your goal with these new articles and posts should be informing customers, not search engine spiders.

If you need a Vancouver business web development team that understands e-commerce, then it’s time you had a free consultation with the Medora team. Why not call or e-mail us today and set up a time to talk?

There is one in particular, however, that we have seen time and time again… and that can ruin a previously profitable e-commerce site in a hurry. What is this one mistake so many online stores make? Becoming too dependent on one single source of web traffic.

As you can imagine, this is most commonly seen when a business owner turns to the wrong kinds of search engine optimization techniques and sees the flow of buyers that they were getting from Google suddenly dry up. But, there are other traffic sources (like Facebook and Twitter, other search engines, or referral sites) that online stores rely on, and each one can disappear without warning.

To ensure that a profitable e-commerce site stays profitable, it’s important to always be looking for new sources of traffic. Here are a few tips to help you keep growing and ensure that you always have a backup plan in place:

1. Diversify your keywords. New competitors, changes to search engine algorithms, and different search patterns can all render the best keywords useless in a short period of time. For that reason, it’s important that you stay on top of industry trends and ensure that the keywords you are using reflect new terms and ideas that your customers are thinking about.

2. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas. Some Internet marketing tools, like social media, are still working their way towards maturity and don’t necessarily have strong track records of producing new sales. While that certainly means you shouldn’t be in a hurry to throw your entire marketing budget at them, that shouldn’t stop you from trying them, either. The more ideas you put into play, the greater your chances of finding a new source of business.

3. Build a strong e-mail list over time. The most reliable and cost-effective source of traffic you can have is a proven, updated e-mail marketing list. The bigger yours is, the easier time you’ll have reaching interested potential (or current) customers in an instant. That gives your e-commerce site an enormous safety net if and when other traffic sources dry up.

Having hundreds or thousands of buyers come to you every day, via Google or any other source, is always a great thing. Just be sure that you aren’t so dependent on any one of them that losing that traffic would destroy your business overnight.

Do you need a better Internet marketing plan for your Vancouver e-commerce site? Why not call or e-mail Medora today to set up a free consultation? It only takes a few minutes to meet with us, and it could make a huge difference in your business for years to come.

But, efficiency isn’t just about taking the “losers” out of your online marketing campaigns – it’s also a matter of knowing when to stick with things for a little longer. Very often, that distinction is a small but important one. And because it can be a difficult decision to make, here are four questions you can ask yourself to find “hidden” online marketing ROI indicators:

1. How long has this tool been in place?

Some processes and ideas simply work more quickly than others. For instance, pay-per-click ads can often yield results within days or even hours; social media and search optimization, on the other hand, tend to take a bit longer. A good Vancouver business web design and online marketing team can help you set the right time scale expectations from the start, but it’s good to have an idea of how long you should expect to wait before you see new leads, sales, or activity.

2. Where does it fit in the customer’s sales process?

Not every Internet marketing activity fits directly into the sales process, meaning that it won’t generate new orders by itself. A good example might be content marketing or white paper marketing, which tends to attract traffic and generate leads, but may not compel buyers to actually sign up for your product or service. Know how the piece fits into your overall plans, and judge the results accordingly.

3. Have I seen any unexpected results in other parts of the business?

A classic example of this issue would be an e-commerce website that fails to generate new sales, but does lead to lots of phone calls and follow-up orders. In that situation, it is usually some part of the campaign itself (like a landing page or product description) that needs to be tweaked. Throwing out a strong set of pay-per-click ads and giving up, for example, would be a case of “throwing out the baby with the bathwater.”

4. What is its cost relative to my overall budget?

Some tools and ideas are so low-cost that giving them a little more time to work doesn’t put much pressure on the rest of your budget. Naturally, you should want to make the most of every Internet marketing dollar you spend, but when the stakes are small, it’s usually a good idea to give things a chance to work over time.

By asking these questions and thinking critically about every aspect of your Internet marketing campaign, you can still achieve efficiency – and maximum ROI – without making “knee-jerk” decisions that might come back to bite you later.

If you need help optimizing your Internet marketing plan, or getting more from your marketing budget, now is the perfect time to meet with a member of the Medora team. We’ve spent years building up a reputation as one of Vancouver’s best web designers. Call us today and see for yourself what we can do for you.

With that in mind, the change to Google Analytics is always a big deal in our industry, of course, but is it something that you should be concerned with?

The short answer is “yes,” if only because of a few key features that are set to be part of the update:

1. Customer lifetime value. Most business owners and executives already realize that existing and repeat customers account for far more revenue than new buyers do. With customer lifetime value tracking and reporting features, however, you can not only see how much more they are worth to you, but also which types of buyers are generating the most sales.

Having that kind of information at your fingertips can help you to make better long-term choices for your website, and your company as a whole. For one thing, it could lead to more precise, targeted marketing opportunities. And for another, it can help you determine the right budget levels for different types of offers and promotions.

2. Better mobile integration. Although Google Analytics can already track mobile visits to your business website, improved reporting features will make these capabilities more robust. With more than half of all web users expected to come from smart phones, tablets, and other web-ready devices by 2014, this is an important improvement.

While mobile web users tend to (mostly) visit the same sites they would when using a desktop or laptop computer, the way they interact with them, fill out forms, scroll through pages, etc., tends to be different. With better mobile integration, Google Analytics users will be able to target all types of buyers more effectively.

3. Improved budgeting and analysis tools. As Internet marketing has matured as an art and science, bottom-line considerations are becoming more standardized. Google recognizes this, and is adding several new budgeting and analysis tools to help you not only control your spending, but to ensure that you are getting the most out of every dollar in your Internet marketing budget.

To find out more about upgrades to Google analytics, what they mean for your business, or how to earn a higher ROI from your marketing budget, contact a member of the Medora team today.