Author Archives: Jodi Kaplan

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How to Review a Website

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Checklist

Image by alancleaver_2000 via Flickr

When  you’re putting together your new web site, or even just a new landing page, there are several things you should review on your site before you hit “publish.”

You want your visitors to know exactly what you sell, how you help them, and what they need to do to buy your product (or services).

If they are confused, or can’t read your site – they’ll leave (this means no sales and a high bounce rate – no good).

So, here’s a quick website review checklist

1. Is your website hard to read?

What color is the background?  A dark background with light type may look slick but it’s really hard on the eyes.  Try to keep it to a minimum (if at all). Also check the font size.  Small type can be difficult (especially if your audience is older).

2. How is it formatted?

Are there big blocks of type?  Do  you have subheads (to break up the text)?  How much space (leading, back in the day)  is there between the lines? The rule of thumb is roughly 10% more than the size of the type.  So, roughly 14 pixels between lines for 12 pixel type.  Have you centered a lot of text (this also makes it harder to read).

3. Is your website confusing?

Is it immediately clear what your site is about?  Whether you’re selling something? Or just giving information?  Have you had someone else look at it?

4. Have you asked for the sale?

Assuming you are selling something, have you asked people to buy?  For example, is there a big shiny, call to action button? Did you ask more than once?

5. Are you using a landing page?

Where are you sending people?  Did you create a landing page or are you using your home page to make sales?

6. Have you cross-checked browsers?

The same page can look different depending on which browser your visitor is using.  Internet Explorer in particular is notorious for fouling up code.  Run a check with browsershots (or make sure your developer does) to make sure your site looks right in the major browsers.

Want a more in-depth checklist, and step by step instructions for reviewing your website?  Click here.

How to Write Magnetic Email Subject Lines

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Iron filings showing the direction of the magn...

Image via Wikipedia

Do you know what makes an email subject line irresistible?  What are the top email subject lines?  And how can you make sure that your emails get opened?

A great subject line is the key to your email campaign’s success. It’s the first thing your readers see. If the subject line is dull (or irrelevant), your message won’t be seen. Think of it like a news headline.  It’s got to grab attention, and grab it quickly.

Surprising top email subject lines

In some cases, the emails that get opened the most will have subject lines that are, well, dull:  “Broadcast Stat Report”, “[Company] Holiday Party, or “Your Order From [Company].”

These messages get high open rates because they’re immediate (where’s the party?), relevant (report on your email broadcast), useful and specific (how many people opened my email and how many clicks did I get?).

What makes a subject line irresistible?

Using the line “Holiday Party” is OK for just sending information. If you want people to take action, you’ll need something more compelling.

The best email subject lines (if you’re marketing something) are those that promise useful, specific, relevant information, without a hard sell or spammy promises of instant internet riches. If you want your emails to get opened, avoid continually offering “sales.”  At first, they may just hit delete.  After a while, it’s straight to the unsubscribe link.

Clean and simple headline

Use a spam checker (this should be included in your email newsletter provider’s software) to look for words that might send your message to the spam folder.

Keep it shorter (longer subject lines tend to get cut off in preview mode).

Offer solutions to immediate problems

One of my best-performing email subject lines was “Five things your website must have.” Another top performer was “How to get the fees you deserve.” Write something that excites curiosity; the only way to find out what those five things were was to open the email.

Focus on your readers

Make the subject about your readers (not you).  If you want opinions, ask “what do you think?, “rather than “help us with this survey.” Ask them to do something (in their interest), such as downloading their copy of a relevant new report.

Tuesday Travels: How to Make a Video Without Breaking the Bank

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Video camera in action.

Image via Wikipedia

Here are some ways to make quick videos yourself (without a lot of expensive equipment). Plus, an ebook with tips on how to make better videos,

You Tube Live Streaming Now you can have live feeds – watch out Ustream.

Treepodia Turns your product catalog into a video catalog. Not cheap, but pretty cool.

Jing Creates a video out of your screen shots and pictures. Make mini-tutorials, share the results. Basic version is free; more advanced version is only $15 a year.

Video Playbook How to improve and edit your video, what equipment you’ll need, how to upload it, plus tips for sharing it on Facebook and other social networks.

I Read the News Today, Oh Boy

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Ground Zero

Image via Wikipedia

I live a few miles from Ground Zero.  I will never forget that day. I walked home three and a half miles from work.  I could smell the smoke.

The next day, the city was silent.  No planes, few cars, few people on the streets.

The company I worked for at the time insisted we come to work.  I walked there. Couldn’t even find a newspaper until I got to midtown. I saved that newspaper from September 12, 2001.  I think I shall go buy today’s paper too. 

Still trying to absorb all this. Back to regular programming tomorrow.

5 Quick Ways to Improve Your Marketing

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Five Buttons

Image by Uwe Hermann via Flickr

There are a lot of complicated and time-consuming things you can do with your marketing. But, sometimes, the simple, easy things can make a really big difference.

Here are five simple tips for marketing without a lot of stress.

1. Don’t keep reinventing the wheel

Turn blog posts into reports, videos, or webinars. Add a recording or a transcript. Voila, new products!

2. Be nice

You’d be amazed how this can make a difference. Take the time to thank people for their business, or a compliment. Send an email to a client because you saw something you thought they’d like (a silly photo, or an article on the newest rose hybrids for avid gardeners).

3. Post funny or memorable quotes or sayings

People remember them and pass them on. If you don’t have a copy of Bartlett’s Quotations handy, there’s an online version at bartleby.com.  Bonus points if you know why it’s called that.

4. Write for people, not for search engines

Yes, you want to get found, but putting your keyword (in bold) in every third sentence will scare real people away. As will awkward phrasing that matches a search term, but ignores all known rules of grammar. (Sure, SEO types sneer at buttons that say “click here”, but people click on them).

5. Use an autoresponder

Put your email marketing on automatic pilot. Send regular messages, which readers can sign up for at any time.  This can be part of your regular newsletter, or a separate course.

Quote for the day

“I never met a search engine spider with a credit card” – Sonia Simone (of Copyblogger)

Image:  mzacha