Register Now

We’re all familiar with the situation: your marketing directive needs some hands-on support – NOW – and your IT department can only make a couple of things top priority (maybe a few, if they’re superhuman), ESPECIALLY NOW. The scenario skirts around a “Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots” style conflagration – with both departments seemingly at risk of having a block knocked off.

But the situation doesn’t have to be like this. Much like David Carradine’s “Caine” (AKA “Grasshopper”), whose sole directive was to make peace and satisfy everyone (that was his sole purpose, wasn’t it?)  – calmly, effectively and, above all, with his own kung fu – these calamities can be handled, neutralized, even fruitful with the right tools and directions.

Register for this insightful webinar and join us as we pass on some collaborative kung fu – and show you how iAPPS can help enhance its effectiveness – to help you make sure your web technology fully supports your marketing strategy. Once adopted, these practices – and the right tools – will result in not only a much more smoothly run, effective and engaging website, but a few less bruises to boot.

Webinar Title: 10 Tips to Make Sure Your Web Technology Supports Your Marketing Strategy

Format: Free Webinar

Hosts: Bridgeline Digital

• Brett Zucker, Chief Technology Officer

• Becki Dilworth, Vice President of Digital Strategy

Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am MST  (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST)

(more…)

Usability Audience

Last week, I was an observer in six usability lab tests performed by Bridgeline Denver for one of our clients, who is redesigning their current Web site.  Observing real people interact with a Web site is very enlightening because when you observe real users, you learn first-hand if a Web site’s information architecture and design are easy to use.  Over the years, managing online channels and working at a company providing digital Web solutions, I have learned many things, but the two most important lessons I have learned are:

1. If users cannot use a Web site easily, they will abandon and never become customers. With so many options online today, nobody is willing to struggle in understanding how to perform a task or get the information they need.
2. The only opinion that matters about a Web site are the users.  They are the audience.  If they are unhappy or frustrated, that matters.  A Web site must be built to the audience, not the Vice President of Marketing, the CEO or even the Web Designer.  It is all about the user.

These lessons seem so simple, right?  But if they are, then why don’t more Managers of Web sites conduct usability tests when planning a new Web site or redesigning an existing Web site to find out what users think? (more…)

If you run a company that offers products, services or has any type of brand and are not monitoring the conversation on blogs, microblogs, forums, Web sites or anything around the online social space – you are not listening to your customers and have no idea how you are being perceived (or in reality if customers like you).

The days of customers just calling or emailing you to tell you what they think are declining. Today, due to growth in social spaces likes Twitter, Facebook and even blogs; people are now conversing about products, companies, events and ideas online more than ever. This could mean hundreds or even thousands mentions of your company may be happening, each and every day, without your knowledge – both good and bad. It used to be if someone had an experience, either good or bad, with a company, service or product, they would tell their handful of friends of the experience. Nowadays, they may tell their 300 Facebook Friends and 500 followers on Twitter instead. The average person’s reach is much further thanks to the power of social media. As a result, it is important that you and your company are online monitoring and managing your reputation.

What does it mean to monitor the conversation and manage my reputation? Simply put you need to:

• monitor and read what is being said online
• reward the positive
• work to turn the negative into a positive

How do I do this? It is actually very easy. All you need to do is come up with a list of terms related to your company, such as company name or product names and enter them into one or more of these free online tools that will show you what is being posted as content online.
(more…)

Recently, a client asked me whether his company should be blogging?  I asked him what was he trying to accomplish by having a blog and he said he did not know.  He said that it seemed like every other company was doing it, so he thought maybe his company should, too.  I told him that if his only reason was everyone else was doing it, then the answer was easy – no, don’t start a blog.  Does that mean I do not think blogging is useful or beneficial?  Of course, not.  I am a big fan of blogging, as I have a personal blog and you are reading my company’s blog right now.  However, if you are a business or a person planning to start blogging, I think it is important to understand why.  What do you plan to accomplish with your blog?

Oddly, my personal blog started by accident and with no strategy, so I will admit I did not practice what I am about to preach.  However, I did learn from it.  I created my blog as a way to share Halloween pictures after a Halloween party I hosted in October 2007.  Almost two years and 2,250 posts later (yes, I know that is an average of 3 posts per day. Like I said, I am a big fan of blogging) it is still alive and kicking.  So why do I blog and what am I trying to accomplish with my blog?  For me, it is where I think, plan and reflect.  It is a place where I can express myself without censorship.  It is a way for me to share with the world what I find interesting. It even allows me a forum to vent from time to time.  In many ways, it is my little corner of the world.  Some of my posts are very generic and just recap a day, so at times it is my journal.  Other posts are quite personal and almost like therapy. Sometimes I find the best way to release something, is to put it out there in writing.

I doubt you are going to start a blog for your business as a way to post Halloween photos or as a place for your own personal therapy, right?  Correct.  Although, I do love Halloween and would love to see any great costumes you have done in the past.  No?  Okay.  That does not mean your business does not need a blog.  So why should a company have a blog?  I can think of several reasons:

Reason #1 – blogs are an ideal way to communicate with your customers.
Unlike a Web site or a contact us form, a blog allows comments and gives your customers a way to participate in a conversation with you.  They can offer suggestions, feedback and even ideas to help your company grow.  It also allows your customers and even postential customers, to see what other customers are saying.  I know what you are already thinking.  That means my blog may become a place where someone could say bad things about my company. Yes!  But, wouldn’t you rather get feedback, even bad feedback and deal with it to become a better company than pretend it does not exist?  As I see it, a negative comment on your company blog may be an opportunity to change an unhappy customer to a happy, loyal customer.  We all want happy, loyal customers.

Reason #2 – it is instant content in the blogosphere about your company.
It is a great place to (more…)