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Netaphysical - Web strategy blog for small business

Metaphysical:

The study of “beingness” or inherent nature of reality

Welcome to the Netaphysical blog. Okay, so it's not yet a blog in the traditional sense, just a forum for my random musings and forum posts that I felt may have value to clients. We will launch the compelte Netaphysical blog this fall ... in the meantime, if you have nay comments or questions, feel free to contact us.

Russ Jackman

2007-08-21

Bad Marketing Advice: Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak!

It's funny how time and experience changes our perceptions ...

Years ago, the common wisdom in marketing was "sell the sizzle, not the steak", a phrase which reminded us to promote the benefits of a product or service instead of simply highlighting features.

However, the most important marketing step isn't promoting features or benefits ... it's having the customer know that you understand their problem.

So, instead of trying to sell the sizzle or sell the steak, the new marketing wisdom is:

First, remind your customer that they are hungry.

2007-04-08

"Why does one site rank better than another in the search results?"

There is a discussion on Ryze with a member trying to figure out why one site ranks better than his in Google for a very obscure search term. The impression I get is that he's looking for the "secret code" or a few simple steps to guarantee top ranking, even believing that his search rankings are actually within the direct control of the site owner.

Here is my response, ending with our core SEO philosophy and advice to clients on achieving high search engine rankings (many of which do enjoy first-page rankings):

One important facet of your goal to be listed #1, is that you do not have control over where your site is listed. There is not an exact science or checklist to guarantee a #1 ranking, or else everyone would have a top ranking ;)

Search engines constantly update the algorithms that rank sites, and these are closely guarded secrets. Some factors are on-site (content, frequency of updates, geography) and many are off-site (directory listings and other inbound links, etc.) and often even beyond your control. (In fact, it has been known for unscrupulous webmasters to submit their competitor's sites to "free-for-all" directories that spam the search engines, hoping to get the competitor dropped / banned by an association that the competitor had no knowledge of. This is often referred to as "black hat SEO".)

There is a massive industry of professionals that spend incredible amounts of money observing, researching, and testing the search engines to try and "crack" the algorithm, in an effort to sell their SEO services at quite handsome prices. With all due respect, if your goal was not for such an obscure search phrase with little competition, the sites we are discussing (a Squidoo lens, the Chamber site and the Facilition site) wouldn't appear anywhere near the front page ... for example, search for "business facilitation california" and see where/if you rank (I got tired of clicking "next page" so I really can't tell you) to see what the *real* competition is, even for such a narrow and specialized search phrase. If you want to see how sites rank well, search for "business facilitation" and analyse the top 10 results as a starting point, although most of the time you'll still be left scratching your head wondering how one site or another got onto the first page ...

Again, often there won't be exact answers to your questions as to why one site ranks better than another. However, there are "best practises" (write for human readers, have original content, update the site regularly with new content) that match the goals of the search engines, which are to produce the most relevant results for searchers.

My own Mt. Konocti Facilitation test page

2006-12-07

Multimedia Flash Movie Introduced for GuentherHomes.ca

Over the years, some people may have gotten the idea that I am "anti-Flash". More precisely, I am "anti-BAD-Flash" ... or any use of JavaScript or Flash that interferes with a visitor's ability to navigate the site or access information.

While some of the AJAX navigation systems I've seen are really cool and tempting, I'm still a firm believer that your site should be useable without plug-ins or client-side processing. That doesn't mean they'll get to see the same site as someone who has the latest Flash player and allows JavaScript or ActiveX to run in their browser; but visitors should not be forced to enable anything or download a plug-in to get around your site.

We just completed a 60 second Flash movie for Guenther Homes (Aylmer, Ontario) to promote their innovative "P.A.C.T." home building philosophy. (See the movie here). In my humble opinion, this is a GOOD use of Flash. (Did Russ just use "good" and "Flash" in the same sentence?)

It is good for one main reason: It is an addition to the site for visitors whose computers are so enabled (90%), and more importantly for those who CHOOSE to view this multimedia presentation. Remember, the web puts the user in charge, and the best way to design a site is to anticipate the visitor's needs, and make the information available to them in a clear and concise manner. Hitting them over the head by forcing them to watch a "splash page" or other animation (especially if it involves the site navigation) is on par with forcing those annoying pop-up ads on them.

My advice is, be respectful and considerate of your visitors, let them find useful information and resources easily and on their terms, and you should find increased customer loyalty and better word-of-mouth (viral) promotion of your site.

2006-11-21

Internet Advisor "The EDGE" Program Released

The EDGE Program by Internet Advisor is a virtual community of small business owners who actively manage their website, or want to learn more about using the internet to expand their business.

Each community team consists of 7 to 10 non-competing businesses committed to:

Education

Development

Growth

Execution

The EDGE Program will launch in January 2007 with the first community team (only 2 spots left!). Components of the program include:

Direct, one-on-one service - consulting, marketing, site development / evolution, research, search engine optimization
Monthly community call - The 1 hour interactive call will be recorded and available as an MP3 download for members unable to make the live call
Subscription to the members-only EDGE forum and weekly summary / newsletter
The EDGE Program is billed quarterly

The EDGE Program
Including 1 hour of one-on-one time	$95 per month
Including 2 hours of one-on-one time	$140 per month

To help introduce The EDGE Program, enjoy the "sneak peak" offered below. offering insight and advice on the trends, opportunities and risks facing small businesses in today's internet economy.

The EDGE Sneak Peak

Spider Food

Have you ever searched for information on a current event and wondered how some of those blogs, forums, and news sites get listed so high (and so quickly) in the search results? While search engine algorithms used to rank websites are very complex (and very secret!), one fact is known: search engines like websites that are updated regularly with original content. When a modern search bot visits (“spiders”) your site to index the content, it will pay attention to the changes or additions since it’s last visit. The more often it finds something new, the more frequently it will visit your site. “Spider food” is a fun term for adding fresh content or making regular updated and changes to your site, so there is a new treat every time the search engine spider visits.

Come and Get It!

Traditional static HTML websites, however, are not easy to update. Over the past two years, content management systems (CMS) have become a popular way for site owners to insure there is fresh, frequent content added to their site. While there are dozens of philosophies and implementations of what a “content management system” should be, blogs, wikis, and even e-commerce shopping cart systems can be the basis for a CMS-enabled website.

While it is possible to have a CMS-based site running in less than an hour, there is a lot of planning and customization needed just as with any effective website. Most sites seem to be designed “backwards” (from the business owner’s intentions instead of from the site visitor’s needs), and most CMS systems out-of-the-box seem to amplify this basic mistake. Many popular systems are modular and in their attempt to be “all things”, they end up creating very cluttered, hard to navigate, “cookie-cutter” looking sites. When creating a site using a CMS system, remember the “7 +/- 2” rule of navigation and maintain focus on what the visitor needs, not on the cool features that the script has built in.

In addition to CMS systems, "Web 2.0" technology has allowed developers to create sites where visitors create the content, including social networking sites like MySpace and YouTube. Launched in February 2005, YouTube has over 20 million unique visitors per month, receives 65,000 uploads per day, and on average each video on YouTube is downloaded 1,538 times. One report in July 2006 estimated that 60% of all videos watched online are on YouTube. Not bad for a website that doesn’t create videos! “Social networking optimization” is becoming as important as “search engine optimization”, and Internet Advisor EDGE Members will discuss social networking strategies in more detail in early 2007.

Local Search

Even before the government pulled the rug out from under income trusts, many analysts advised against the Yellow Pages income trust as a long term investment. Why? Search engines are changing the marketing and advertising landscape. In the UK, Channel 4’s TV group generates £800 million in advertising revenue; Google in expected to generate £900 million in advertising revenue in the UK for 2006. Use of a major search engine is a daily habit now for the majority of adults, while use of the Yellow Pages directory continues to decline.

The major search engines continue to refine their local search offerings, allowing you to find anything from a restaurant to an auto mechanic to a hair dresser in your neighbourhood, without having to scan through 5 million results from the rest of the world. While Yellow Pages do offer an online directory, the neutrality of search engines mean they are not financially obligated to promote one business over another ... they can simply offer the most relevant results. Add to this mix convenient maps and features like customer reviews and ratings at your fingertips, and you can see why the trend is towards local search and away from directory advertising as a source for finding local merchants and service providers.

Know What Your Customers Want

The Google Zeitgeist (http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html) pulls together search patterns and trends, revealing some interesting facts about what searchers are looking for online.

Know How Your Customers See You

BrowserCam (http://www.browsercam.com/) is an important tool when we design a new website, or review (rip) an existing website. Allowing us to capture screenshots of a site in all major browsers, operating systems, and resolution settings, we can identify compatibility and usability issues quickly. While it can be an expensive service, BrowserCam does offer a free 24 hour evaluation for do-it-yourself website owners, and the service is part of our work with Internet Advisor clients and EDGE Program Members.

For more information on how the visitor’s browser type and operating system affects how your site is viewed, visit http://www.internetadvisor.ca/index.php/Articles/DifferentBrowsers.

Internet Explorer 7 and RSS Feeds

The release of IE7 has two major implications for website owners: First, your site may render differently in IE7 than IE6, especially if using CSS (cascading style sheets) in the layout. However, the inclusion of RSS feed management (called “web feeds” by Microsoft) will change how your customers interact with your site. Read more about IE7 and your website in the 2006-10-20 Netaphyscial blog entry.

If you found these hints and tips helpful,
you should consider joining the
Internet Advisor EDGE Program.
(Details will be announced here soon)

2006-10-20

Internet Explorer 7 Released

... and why you should care.

Microsoft released Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) yesterday. Business owners, whether they have a website or not, need to understand the importance of this release.

As most readers will know, I am a big fan of open source software, and like most web designers have repeatedly banged my head against a virtual wall to create sites and CSS stylesheets that work with IE. If Microsoft decided to adopt web standards, our lives as designers would be easier, websites would be more affordable for businesses, and users would not be inconvenienced or worse, excluded from enjoying features because they are using a web standards-compliant browser on a site designed for IE, or using IE on a site designed to web standards.

All that said, the launch of IE7 is of major importance to business owners for three reasons:

First, if you have a website you need to know how it will render when viewed with IE7. Our own website, for example, uses CSS (cascading style sheets) that do not render properly in IE7, causing the menu and content to fall off the background image (it works fine in IE6, Firefox, Opera, etc.).

Any errors need to be corrected soon, as Microsoft is reportedly going to push IE7 to the public through Windows Update. This means that the vast majority of Windows users will migrate / be forced / be surprised to switch to IE7. If your site "breaks" in IE7, it will likely appear broken to the majority of visitors by years' end.

Second, if you have a website, you may want to consider adding a blog or other dynamic system (such as the wiki-based content management system we offer - wink!) that includes RSS feeds. RSS - Really Simple Syndication - is a method of communicating updates and changes on a website that is gaining adoption (news feeds, podcasts, etc.), but will become commonplace over the next 12-24 months. Why? Both IE7 (launched yesterday) and Windows Vista (expected in a few months) will both support and, in many ways, promote the use of RSS (called "web feeds" in MS-speak).

Since RSS is a "pull" method versus a "push" system like email, RSS offers more control to the user. It also offers a way to receive information *spam free*. Did that catch you attention? If so, then it will likely also catch the attention of the millions of new IE7 users in the coming months, and the owners of the millions of new computers that will be running Windows Vista starting in 2007. Your site should offer an RSS feed as a method of communicating and building relationships with site visitors.

Third, if you don't have a site, now is the time to get one. Between the benefits of RSS, the ease of managing and adding content with modern CMS (content management system) websites, and the behavioural shift away from phone directories to the use of "local search" features by consumers to find local merchants and service providers, a website featuring original content that is regularly updated needs to be an important part of your marketing mix.

2006-08-17

If I publish articles in article directories, will I be penalized for "duplicate content"?

A client asked me to expand on a discussion we had about using article directories to promote their site through article submission. The issue was using those same articles on their site to build content and keywords, and the increasing risk that having "duplicate content" - articles that can be found word-for-word on other websites - can hurt your search engine rankings. This reply was originally posted on Ryze, and yes that makes this entry "duplicate content" ... :)

Just to expand on the comments Marilyn made ... article publishing is still a good way to promote yourself, though not as effective as it was one or two years ago. There are still countless small websites hungry for content, and providing articles in exchange for publishing your link in a resource box is still a fair tradeoff.

However, search engines appear to be penalizing for duplicate content. So, my advice is, if you are going to publish articles, leave those articles to the reprint world ... make sure your own site has original content. Even if you need to rework some of your "public" articles, the content on your site should not match word-for-word the content you've put out in article directories.

That way, you can benefit from the traffic that still comes from articles being reprinted on hundreds or thousands of sites and ezines, but are not potentially penalized for using duplicate content on your own site.

That said, inbound link quality and relevance is also becoming more of a factor over sheer inbound link quantity, and you need to remember that you may not want some sites linking to yours. Sites that are using back-hat or questionable SEO tactics will eventually get blacklisted, and your ranking may suffer by association if there are a lot of links to your site from spammy or poor-quality pages.

The desire for *original content* and *quality links* does not preclude using articles as a method of generating traffic, but by insuring that the content on your own site is original and unique, you leave the risk of "duplicate content" to the users of article directories, not to you as an author.

2006-08-16

What is Web 2.0?

In response to a question posted on Ryze, I started thinking about what Web 2.0 means to the average surfer and the typcial site owner. It seems everyone has an opinion of what Web 2.0 represents, so I thought it was time to offer my opinion with this response:

Basically, Web 2.0 refers to using the internet as a platform to produce interactive or collaborative web sites. Instead of simply rendering a page that visitors read, Web 2.0 allows them to become engaged with the site. MySpace, Flickr, blogs, wikis, sites that allow you to write reviews, Ryze, etc. are all examples of Web 2.0. Functionality provided over the internet instead of an application running on the user's desktop (part 1 of my definition), and allowing the user to participate, collaborate, contribute, or otherwise become enganged (part 2 of my definition).

There's no specific technology or design format for Web 2.0 ... it's more a case of existing technologies being used to allow interaction with the visitor. Just as you can use PHP, ASP, AJAX, to create sites considered "Web 2.0", they have been long-used for what I guess would now be called Web 1.0 ... it's not the technology, it's the functionality provided over the internet (instead of a desktop application) and participation of the user.

Regards,

Russ Jackman

The following response was offered to a question asking for clarification that "web 2.0" was not about a design or 'computer programming thingy' ...

Yes, there are two parts that can be applied to most definitions ...

The function attributes refer to using the internet as the platform. In other words, use of a feature won't matter on whether you run Windows, Mac, or Linux, whether you are on a desktop, PDA, or phone (in an ideal world). In other words, the internet is the platform that applications run on. Lawrence's link to Internet2 deals more with the technical improvements to improve upon this aspect of web functionality.

The experience attributes are the "so what does it do for me?" features. Basically, anything that allows a visitor to participate in some form (adding content, reviews, feedback, or using a web-based application such as wordprocessing a.k.a. Office Live) is being slapped with a "Web 2.0" label. We have to remember that Web 2.0 is simply a buzz word; it is not a series of standards, minimum requirements, etc. There is nothing that can determine whether your site qualifies as "Web 2.0" other than your desire to call it such; and, there are so many definitions that no one person can say what is right or wrong. The functionality has been around for years; Hotmail is a good example of an early site that could be considered Web 2.0, as would Yahoo's home page.

As for your other questions, there will be an increased cost for a "Web 2.0" site. Instead of simply creating flat, static web pages, your designer will be involved in creating some form of dynamic site, whether using PHP, ASP, etc. But again, it is not as much about the tecnhology as the purpose and functionality; in other words, how do you want to engage your site visitors, and what functions / features will you make available to them (and more importantly, that make sense to your internet marketing plan). Whether designing a static site or dynamic, interactive site, you want to design from the visitors' perspective, i.e. what they want to read/ learn / do, and NOT solely around what the client wants to "tell" them.

The benefits are as varied as the definitions! Social networking sites have allowed site visitors to be an active part of the community and feel they 'belong'; online banking allows us to manage our finances more securely; Gmail and Hotmail allow us to have our email follow us regardless of which computer in which country we happen to be in front of; Flickr allows us to share photos with the world. The common theme is that Web 2.0 can make your site "sticky", in other words visitors will become frequent return visitors (and may help promote your site through word of mouth, also referred to as viral marketing).

For instance, most of my current projects are built on "wikis", which are collaborative websites (pages that any visitor can edit in their pure form), and an early example of "Web 2.0". While we add layers of security to the site to lock down edit privileges (so it's no longer a collaborative site), the ease of editing allows my customers to edit their site and add pages, images, and documents about as easily as writing an email. From a visitors perspective, the site may or may not be "Web 2.0" depending on the features we have built in, but from the site owner's perspective we're offering easy content management, which is a Web 2.0 hallmark