Website Magazine (Special Issue) - April 2013 (Gnv64)

F R O m T H e e D ITO R
Inside the Online World

Content marketing is the digital tactic du jour among the new media elite, but its no longer enough to just produce and distribute content. Todays savviest digital enterprises must relate to their audiences with content that motivates, involves, captivates and excites in any and every format, because thats the way to drive results.
Visit these upcoming Internet Industry Trade Shows.

LeadsCon March 18-20 Las Vegas, NV SES New York March 25-28 New York, NY ad:tech April 9-10 San Francisco, CA Conversion Conference/Afliate Marketing Days April 15-17 San Francisco, CA PubCon April 22-25 New Orleans, LA SES Toronto June 12-14 Toronto, Canada Internet Retailer June 4-7 Chicago, IL SMX Advanced June 11-12 Seattle, WA
Enjoy this issue of Website Magazine and make sure to visit us on the Web at www.WebsiteMagazine.com to experience our new mobile-friendly, channel-based digital format covering all of the topics that Web workers need to achieve digital success, from design and development to search and social. Best Web Wishes, Peter Prestipino Editor-in-Chief, Website Magazine Peter@WebsiteMagazine.com
Depending on your vantage point, you might think digital marketers have all gone content crazy. They are feverishly developing and distributing content, but too few enterprises are implementing strategies in this far more crowded and demanding environment. This is a rather serious problem for brands both large and small. How are enterprises using content marketing today? What methods do they employ for developing, distributing and analyzing their content-related performance? This months Website Magazine feature aims to answer these important questions (and others) and help set your enterprise on a protable course down the content marketing road. As a Website Magazine reader, you also have access to several other items that are sure to accelerate your digital success, including detailed guidance on navigation techniques in Web design, advice on leveraging user reviews and a crash course for getting started with semantic markup. Likewise, this months editorial lineup includes coverage of mobile apps, digital advertising, Facebooks Graph Search and a roundup of subscription billing Software-as-a-Service solutions.
ISSUE HIGHlIGHTS:
profiling of Wells Fargo, UGG australia and Weight Watchers, preparing for Facebooks Game Changer, tackling Keyword not provided, Understanding Who Cloud Hosting is Good For, Buying a Money-Making Website,
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net briefs
Want More net briefs?
IF YOU OFFER, THEY WILL CLAIM

According to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, the social networks Facebook Offers program has been catching on with consumers, as 42 million-plus users have already claimed deals. The service was met with some hesitation when the company announced that it would be encouraging businesses to run offers on the site, but if Sandbergs statistics tell merchants anything, it is that this program may be worth the investment sooner than later. The COO revealed that ads delivered in the newsfeed (like offers) drive eight times more offline sales than display ads on the side of the page.
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read more at Website Magazine: http://wsm.co/NetBriefsApril13

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| A P R I L 2013 7search.com | 1.800.577 .1165 | 1.773.283.0086
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WEIGHT WATCHERS
Call us vain, but for most of us, theres nothing more important than our outward appearance. And almost everyone we know thinks they could stand to lose a few pounds. Weight Watchers has taken this concern and focused on a lifestyle approach to weight loss. Since 2001, it has given its members a digital space to actively follow the pursuit of their goals. Nevertheless, for the Weight Watchers site, theres no result greater than user engagement. Our premise is the more engaged our users are, the more successful they are, so thats been a focus of ours for the past 3-4 years said Theresa DiMasi, VP of content at WeightWatchers.com. Engagement tools, such as user-generated blogs, achievement tokens, cheat sheets, recipe builders and videos are available, but its the very vibrant Weight Watchers community that fuels engagement and time-on-site through tip and success story sharing. With these channels, and others (discussed below), Weight Watchers is listening to its users and responding to what they want.
We use social media as a way to not just get people to our site, but also to hear what they want, said DiMasi. We do this for tools too. Whenever we launch a product or service, we hear feedback and use it to better tailor our tools. Again, we know that the more engaged people are, the more successful theyll be. WeightWatchers.com also utilizes social login, which gives users the ability to log in without creating a profile. In turn, this provides the lifestyle company with a customer profile, which can be used to segment further marketing campaigns, like email.
Discover the digital tactics of 100 top digital companies at wsm.co/web100.
Email
Segmentation is important for Weight Watchers, as its emails can reach upward of 8 million people at a time (via a combination of prospects, current members and past subscribers). Weight Watchers hope its emails will meet the specific needs of subscribers, as their needs change as they advance through the program.
Social Media
Weight Watchers extends its listen-first strategy to social media as well.
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We are lucky in that way; we are providing the service that people need, said DiMasi. Its a stage; its a journey, and they are opening and wanting these newsletters.
Mobile
Health-conscious folks also want to be able to access Weight Watchers on the go. The companys mobile platforms let users save favorite recipes, create shopping lists, track points and more.
Acquisition
Even with its strong grasp on email, mobile and user engagement, perhaps the companys biggest success is in advertising, with Weight Watcher celebrity endorsements paving the way. The company recently brought on retired NBA player
and TV analyst Charles Barkley to promote its mens division. Heres this guy that people, of all ages know and like, said DiMasi. They relate to someone like that, and they see the impact that it makes and how it works for Charles Barkley. Weight Watchers also drives consumers to its website through social media, banner ads and email marketing, which are mostly done inhouse. We do work with agency partners, too; it just depends on the project, said Stephanie Schulman, public relations manager at Weight Watchers. We are the experts on our brand, so even when we work with agencies, we have a great relationship with them. Its whatever makes sense for a project. For its affiliate program, teaming up with Commission Junction made sense.
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WEB RANK
US UNIQUE VISITORS RANK COMPETITIVE RANK UVS 1. weightwatchers.com 2. nutrisystem.com 3. hungry-girl.com 4. dwtz.com 5. ediets.com
Provided by Compete.com
3,673,371 483 3.67M 539K 327K 117M 83.2K
SEARCH DATA
SE TRAFFIC SE TRAFFIC PRICE ADS TRAFFIC ADS TRAFFIC PRICE
Provided by SEMRush.com
1,888,678 $545,801 121,238 $55,761
SOCIAL STANDINGS
FACEBOOK FANS
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NUTRISYSTEM WEIGHT WATCHERS
84.5K 1.07M
2013 Goals
Like always, Weight Watchers plans on keeping its users top-of-mind. For us, its really about the tighter the relationship we have with our members and subscribers, the better we can meet their needs, said DiMasi. We can always do it more and more like making tools easier and simpler to use and giving them the opportunities to keep engaged with us anytime.
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TWITTER FOLLOWERS
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NUTRISYSTEM WEIGHT WATCHERS

Provided by BuiltWith.com
6.97K 159K
TECHNICAL NOTES
SERVER IIS 7 WIDGETS Browser Hawk
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UGG AUSTRALIA
Popularized by celebrities and loved by people across the world, UGG Australias classic UGG boots have reached iconic status and stood the test of time (45 years strong). Its website, UGGAustralia. com has not only kept up with this popularity, but also fueled its sales and the promotion of its extended line of footwear, accessories and apparel. Its also seemingly served to conquer one of UGG Australias biggest obstacles: turning first-time buyers into repeat customers. John Kalinich, VP of e-commerce for Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which owns UGG Australia, offers an unparalleled look at how the famed brand attempts to do just that, and how it provides its users with an experience that is easy-to-use, relevant and unexpected.
communication goes through a third-party ESP, Silverpop. They also use Demandwares native functionality for transactional and back-in-stock emails, while they are able to personalize email communication from their integration with MyBuys, a company specializing in cross-channel personalization.
E-Commerce
UGG Australia also enlists Demandware, an on-demand e-commerce solutions provider, to increase conversions. The features that are available to us within the Demandware platform have enabled us to establish a framework of best practices, said Kalinich. We have an optimized checkout funnel that is a mix of steadfast best practices, such as guest checkout and alterations that meet the consumers constantly evolving habits and expectations. Furthermore, we gained the ability to display active merchandising, which has enabled us to promote the right products to the right shoppers at the right time. Demandware also has a sophisticated A/B Testing tool that has offered us the opportunity to optimize our conversion by testing different strategies and consumer experiences. Additionally, Demandware has enabled us to achieve
Email
Part of UggAustralia.coms success has been its email marketing strategy. In order to enhance effectiveness, the company uses a combination of marketing emails and segmentation strategies (segmented by interest, triggered actions and personalized communications based on browsing behavior). Marketers also leverage consumer data, sales trends and product interactions to reach a positive return on investment. UGGs communications follow industry best practices and are consistently tested for both content and time sent. Its internal retention team manages the communication strategy using a variety of methods, but the majority of email
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strategic agility by reducing the time to market for the introduction of new Web applications/ ideas, therefore enabling us to achieve KPIs-like conversion rate quickly and effectively. With Demandware, UGG Australia can proactively anticipate its consumers needs and increase engagement across all touchpoints by creating consumer-driven digital enhancements that are flexible and unexpected. Features like product quick view, dynamic content slots, mini-cart and product sets, have empowered us to ensure an easy and engaging branded shopping experience on our websites, said Kalinich. Speaking of branding, UGG Australia offers an impressive, global cross-channel experience. By executing an annual strategic plan, the company acknowledges the key areas of focus, determining when and how to engage with consumers across all channels and platforms. All channels have a key understanding of our global consumer and the brand voice, said Kalinich. We do not keep our departments in silos; we make sure our teams develop content as an integrated group with the same communication strategy. The email calendar, website merchandising schedule, social calendar, search strategy and the affiliate creative are all based off the visual merchandising plan, hero
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products and centralized goals. This enables us to cultivate a unified brand environment that provides a consistent experience across all channels. One of which is mobile.
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US UNIQUE VISITORS RANK COMPETITIVE RANK UVS 1. stevemadden.com 2. uggaustralia.com 3. juicycouture.com 4. jimmychoo.com 5. whatshebuys.com
403,116 5,160 421K 403K 314K 42.0K 34.8K
Mobile
We bridge the gap between the current mobile experience and the consumers expectations by optimizing our original mobile cartridge to enable ease of checkout and browsing, said Kalinich. We have also identified when consumers open emails on mobile devices and are able to send messaging with graphics optimized for the smaller screen size. This has dramatically improved clickthrough rates for this customer segment.
SEARCH DATA
617,201 $772,622 15,313 $16,627
SOCIAL STANDINGS
2013 Goals
In 2013, we will move beyond [just] providing information to participating in a conversation about the information, said Kalinich. We will accomplish this by leveraging brand advocates and online/offline channels to incite engagement among consumers who expect to have total control over their media consumption at all times. We will continue to gain more consumer insights and create stronger connections during the first engagement to create a bond for sustained loyalty.
FACEBOOK FANS
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604K 1.43M
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19.7K 31.4K
TECHNICAL NOTES
CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Demandware HOSTING PROVIDER Navisite
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WELLS FARGO
For the better part of three and a half years, Wells Fargos Digital Channels Group worked to create a seamless transition for Wachovia customers transitioning to Wells Fargo after the companys mega acquisition. The results of this integration put Wells Fargo in a unique position to capitalize on an omnichannel approach, even years later.
Omnichannel
The financial company spent a substantial amount of time bringing the Wachovia and Wells Fargo systems together to create a unified picture of its customers across all channels, as well as cross-selling, which is at the core of the companys strategy. Wells Fargos multichannel progress includes the ability for all touchpoints to have the same information as the other. If a customer makes a payment on their mobile device via an app, browser, or text message, it will be reflected at any branch. ATM receipts can be securely emailed, along with other various sensitive records, so customers arent forced to walk out of a Wells Fargo branch holding very personal information. Additionally, Wells Fargo receives customer email addresses, which can later be used for marketing efforts.
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Weve got work going for on in all directions, WEBSITE MAGAZINE said EVP, Head SUBSCRIBERS of Digital/Internet Product Discover the Management at Wells Fargo, digital tactics of 100 top digital companies Brett K. Pitts. For a company as Website Magazines large and as complex as we can be, with Web 100 Guide its a journey. Its something that is available at wsm.co/web 100. not easy to do, but in the service of the customer, its absolutely the right thing to do.
FREE ACCESS
Usability
With the massive integration project, WellsFargo.com, which was last redesigned six years ago, was put somewhat on the backburner. Despite not taking advantage of some of the major upgrades on the market since then, WellsFargo.com is a highly usable site that understands online customers objectives and gives them plenty of ways to meet them. Toward the end of 2011, we thought Great, we have the integration behind us and now whats next, said Pitts. Whats next is a complete redesign to freshen up the way the site looks, to add new financial education and planning tools, to take advantage of UI conventions, to leverage brand-new capabilities and more. These projects will have visibility over the course of 2013, said Pitts. Its a very, very fundamental redesign. Wells Fargos in-house team is heavily involved in this overhaul. At the same time, the company is also availing itself to experts out
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in the field to receive a cross-section of ideas. It really is going to be state-of-the-art and, most importantly, what customers expect based on other types of retail and financial offerings, said Pitts.
Mobile
Currently, Wells Fargo reaches on-the-go customers via mobile browsers (which a considerable number of its customers use), mobile apps and text requests for account balance and other details. Wells Fargo has north of 8.7 million mobile customers who access their accounts on mobile devices. Certainly, as we look at the redesign, a big driving factor behind that has been to make it mobile and tablet convenient, said Pitts. Its been right up the center of the redesign, as across websites everyone has to consider a tablet-first philosophy, rather than PC-first mode weve been accustomed to over the last 10 years or so. We deal with very important, and the most sensitive information our customers have. Our goal, regardless of device, has always been to keep customers safe and give them confidence in us. And, across devices, we are an industry leader in providing fraud prevention education. Additionally, Wells Fargos leverages robust security infrastructures, including using
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smartphones, to fight fraud. We have lots of customers who are over the perception hurdle of mobile, but customers are still focused on making sure their information is safe, said Pitts. Beyond that theres a huge opportunity that we are capitalizing on in that we are able to use those devices as additional forms of authentication. We know that customers smartphones are never 2 feet away from them. Knowing about those devices, and knowing the location of those devices, is another factor of authentication. We actually have the possibility of further augmenting customers. Its something that we are very focused on and one area we are very confident in.
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US UNIQUE VISITORS 28,016,531 RANK 37 COMPETITIVE RANK UVS 1. chase.com 31.1M 2. bankofamerica.com 29.6M 3. wellsfargo.com 28.0M 4. usbank.com 6.95M 5. wachovia.com 35.2K
SEARCH DATA
8,425,605 $6,057,062 91,230 $446,841
Social Media
Customer engagement and building relationships are at the core of Wells Fargos culture and social business approach. I think of social as another channel of interaction, said Pitts. We have unique facets to face, but we tend to see that as we add new channels, they tend to be more additives rather than replacements. There are opportunities to use those social interactions that reintroduce our team members to our customers.
SOCIAL STANDINGS
FACEBOOK FANS
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WELLS FARGO CHASE COMMUNITY GIVING
326K 3.86M
TWITTER FOLLOWERS
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WELLS FARGO CHASE COMMUNITY GIVING

6.62K 29.8M
TECHNICAL NOTES
CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK Akamai WIDGETS Lightbox
enterprise
ready
Is Facebooks Graph Search a Game Changer?

By Allison Howen, Associate editor
Thanks to an audience of more than 1 billion monthly active members, Facebook doesnt just have big data it has enormous data, and the worlds largest social network is finally ready to put that data to good use with the release of Graph Search. Facebook is ready, but are brand marketers?
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Graph Search Explained Facebooks previous search functionality was lackluster at best, because it only turned up results for people, pages, groups or apps before directing users to Bing search results. Graph Search aims to solve this problem by allowing users to conduct phrase-based queries to discover alternative information based on data that Facebook has collected from its members over time. For example, someone can conduct a search for music my friends like, and
enterprise
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Graph Search will provide that person with a personalized list of musicians and bands that their friends have liked, along with other data, including the names of friends who have liked a certain artist and how many total likes that artist has on Facebook. Essentially, Graph Searchs functionality will provide users with a new way to explore their connections. In fact, a blog post from the social network states, Facebooks mission is to make the world more open and connected. The main way we do this is by giving people the tools to map out their relationships with the people and things they care about. We call this map the graph. Its big and constantly expanding with new people, content and connections. There are already more than a billion people, more than 240 billion photos and more than a trillion connections. At the time of this writing, Graph Search is in beta and only available to a limited number of Facebook members. The first iteration of the new search feature focuses on four main areas: people, photos, places and interests. This allows members to conduct personalized searches for a variety of information that ranges from casual questions like games my friends like to direct ones like restaurants nearby. So naturally, the next question is how will Graph Search impact businesses? The Graph Search Effect While Graph Search is sure to influence how brands execute their social media strategies, it also has the potential to take business away from popular location-based services like Yelp and Foursquare. More than 600 million users visit the social network on a daily basis, and with Graph Search, they may have less reason to use
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a different service to locatio ntum of m n helpfu -based ser obile make find nearby businesses. vices s l than c m e o o v n r e s e Moreover, Graph Search r u platfo mers. Disc before for compiles its results in a into w rms are w over whic ith thi h orth visually appealing way locatio s compar checking i wsm n-based ser son chart of and provides users with vices .co/lo c a information that is lrival at ry13 unavailable on services like Yelp and Foursquare, such as the names of friends who have liked or checked into a business and when. That being said, if Graph Search truly does become the search feature that Facebook wants it to become, businesses with Facebook Pages will want to optimize their social strategies to ensure that their brand is among the top results when a search is conducted. However, appearing first in the search results will be easier said than done. Optimizing for Graph Search Although little is known about Graph Search, there are a few social best practices that Page managers should leverage now. The most important thing to know about Graph Search is that likes will likely matter a lot. Search results are based on Facebooks understanding of a brands follower counts, which means that a business with a large fan base will be more likely to turn up in the results for various searches. Likes will not be the only factor that will determine where businesses end up in Facebooks
The Local Rivalry The m ome
enterprise
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Graph Search will undoubtedly affect location-based platforms, as previously mentioned, but the new feature could also impact the broader search marketing industry as a whole. The reason? If Facebook cant find results for a members query, it directs users to Bing for Web-based results (as it did previously). The difference is, however, that Graph Search is much more robust than Facebooks previous search offering, and if members start using this feature on a regular basis, they could end up on Bing more often, at which point it is up to Bing to keep them coming back. While it is far too soon to call this new search functionality a Google killer, it does have the potential to improve Bings market share. Yet, the biggest question surrounding Graph Search is whether or not the social network will launch a new ad format for Graph Search exclusively. While the social network hasnt launched any new ad formats that integrate with Graph Search as of this writing, Facebook did note that brands can launch an ad within sponsored results, which will appear to people whether or not they have Graph Search. Only time will tell what type of impact Graph Search will have on the Web, but it is safe to say that this feature definitely has the potential to be a game changer.
Graph Search results, however. Expect other interaction types, such as check-ins to be influential, as well. For example, the number and recency of check-ins may help brands appear high on search results. What this means is that brands should start focusing on fostering engagement with their fans, which can be done examples of possible location-based searches. through a combination of publishing compelling content and offering incentives for specific actions, such as discounts on in-store purchases when a customer checks in through Facebook. Aside from encouraging engagement with fans, Facebook suggests that brands also continue to invest in their profile and make sure it is complete and updated. Page managers should verify that the name, category, vanity URL and information within their Pages About section is all correct. Once all of these things have been taken care of, Page managers (along with the rest of the Net) will have to sit back and watch how the new search feature will influence user activity on the rest of the Web and in the real world. The Future of Graph Search Unsurprisingly, there have been many theories floating around regarding Graph Search since its Jan. 15 launch.
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>>>Resource Center
FINELY-FOCUSED INFORMATION FROM INDUSTRY SPONSORS
Website Magazine
Website Magazine
Website Magazines Resource Center presents white papers from our sponsors that provide information, specics, and metrics to help you make decisions for website success. Download free at www.WebsiteMagazine.com/resources.
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7 Ways Website Tags Can Make You Miss Your Number
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6 Web Metrics Even the Experts Forget to Measure
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Got the right metrics and user analysis strategy to follow for 2013? learn to incorporate these quick website checks into your regular work routine. Set specic benchmarks including: what website improvements need to be made to reach your business goals, how fast your online business is growing, and surprising visitor trends and tendencies. Sponsored by Clicktale
Why Consumers Choose to Chat with Retailers
CHAT WITH THE CHATTERS: WHY CONSUMERS CHOOSE TO CHAT WITH RETAILERS
By Lauren Freedman, President the e-tailing group July 2012
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Learn the six core drivers why consumers choose to chat. In addition, this report dives into the circumstances under which consumers happen to chat, the level of satisfaction they glean from those chat experiences and how likely they would be to chat in the future. Their strong sentiments will surprise even the staunchest of chat supporters. Sponsored by BoldChat
Identifying Anonymous Website Visitors
Iden%fying Anonymous Website Visitors

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Small BuSineSS laB A Beginners Guide to
Website Magazines
WEB DESIGN BLUNDERS

By Jarrod Wright
Being a website designer can be tough. Your work is out there on display for anyone and everyone to critique (and believe me, they do). While you shouldnt take everyones opinions to heart, there is one group whose voice should always be heard your site visitors. Naturally, a Web design needs to look good, but it also needs to be user-friendly. Many Web designers will find a brands message lost in translation if they forget who the website is really for. The biggest Web design blunders occur when a designer puts creativity before function. A well-designed site may attract a few visitors initially, but those users wont return if the site isnt easy to use and consume. Design too many of these low-traffic sites and
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the digital business will tank (and probably your reputation too). So what are the most common usability mistakes to avoid? Just Plain Hard to Read Legibility is an integral part of good Web design. A site may have knockout visual elements, but that doesnt guarantee repeat visits. Sure, content is king, but if that content is impossible to read, users will leave as fast as they came. To improve digital legibility, consider the following: Use sans serif fonts for body copy. If you absolutely must use serif fonts, save them for something special, like headings.
Small BuSineSS laB

Stay away from hard-to-read color schemes. Visitors always prefer black text on a white background. Dont use more than three font sizes. Any more than this makes a site distracting and difficult to read. Avoid bolding, italicizing and underlining excessively. Break up copy with smaller paragraphs, which are less daunting for Web readers. Overly Cumbersome Forms Registration forms can be a pain. It is necessary to obtain certain information from your visitors, but you dont want to turn those users away because the form is too complicated. If there is one important bit of guidance for website owners who must have a registration form, its this: be brief. You wouldnt want to waste time filling out a form that requires a million answers, so why make your visitors? If youre not sure where to start, begin by comparing your websites form with those in your vertical that also require registration. Find out what details theyve made mandatory, and how much you feel is too much. Then, consider what your website needs and start designing. Poor Information Accessibility Missing search boxes and a downright messy structure (e.g. site architecture) can cause information (and conversion paths) to be all but inaccessible to users.
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Website Magazines
ery to For example, over time, your the Rescue! site will amass an impressive Regis archive of information. As you gatew tration form accumulate that store of content, ultimat ay to conver s are the sions a ely pro fi t o t s m . If your nd line ne think about how a user would bote Websi ds sav t i n e g M , let navigate through it. Would agazin to the e r e c s o c m u e with e jQuery a search box make it easier a users bplugins that list of erve for website visitors to find wsm.cetter, availabsle o/plug at what they need? Solutions ins911 like Google Custom Search, and its numerous alternatives, are effortless to implement (after a bit of copy and paste on your part) and provide an efficient means by which visitors can search for and locate the information they want.
Good Web design isnt easy. It requires a commitment to testing to discover what works. Find the balance between too much and not enough, and the critiques you receive in the future are sure to be positive.
jQu
Jarrod Wright is a website designer and owner of Subtle Network Design & Marketing. The company offers search engine marketing and creative design services for a wide variety of clients.
>>>Resource Center
FINELY-FOCUSED INFORMATION FROM INDUSTRY SPONSORS
Website Magazine
Website Magazines Resource Center presents white papers from our sponsors that provide information, specics, and metrics to help you make decisions for website success. Download free at www.WebsiteMagazine.com/resources.
Evaluating Your B2B Ecommerce Development
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Too many email campaigns hit users spam box instead of the inbox. This report looks at important factors in determining your iP reputation, explains causes and consequences of poor quality data, and explains how verication processes can help. Sponsored by XVerify
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Live Chat Performance Benchmarks
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How do you measure the success of your live chat strategy? This report dives deep into the data behind one of todays largest live chat user communities to identify the key benchmarks on which to measure success. leveraging aggregated data from thousands of live chat customers engaging in chats for sales and service purposes, this report uncovers benchmarks around: live chat engagement; Proactive chat and expected chat volume; unavailable, unanswered and abandoned charts; live chat satisfaction and conversions. Sponsored by BoldChat
Ecommerce and Sales Tax Legislation
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Will ecommerce companies be required to collect and remit sales tax in jurisdictions in which they arent physically located? Or are the dire tales of looming changes to sales tax laws overexaggerated? Download our ecommerce research brief and get the down-low on the latest developments in the world of sales tax requirements for remote sellers to collect sales tax. Sponsored by Avalara
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TO P
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WeB TRAFFIC SOURCeS
Traffic Jam
Trafc can come from anywhere, whether its paid, earned or owned, but knowing where to look is half the battle.
While its a relatively simple process to sort our marketing efforts into these three categories, its much more difficult to extend energies and resources across all possible channels. From search and social to video destinations and news wires, Net workers can amass traffic in both predictable and unexpected ways. Moreover, wed be remiss to forget, the traffic-producing power of advertising and affiliate networks. Many of these traffic sources are detailed here, but youll find the remainder of the list and more on the Web at wsm.co/trafficsources13. Each enterprise must strategize where to spend their resources (time and money) or all the traffic-generating possibilities can be expensive and cumbersome to implement. As someone responsible for digital acquisition, you are likely already familiar with the destinations discussed in this months Top 50, particularly those in search. Challenge yourself, however, to think outside of the Google (#1) box and look to very specialized search services. Also look beyond the king and queen of social Facebook (#1) and Twitter (#2) when thinking about acquiring visitors. Tumblr (#5) lets businesses effortlessly share anything and gain visibility through its website. Features like tags can help consumers discover a brands posts
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and recent additions like a chat widget and real-time notifications keep up with their interests. When looking to video destinations to acquire website visitors, youll see big players like YouTube (#1) and DailyMotion (#2), and also the SlideShare (#4), a site that allows companies to present content in the form of presentations, SEARCH documents, PDFs, videos and webinars. What is good enough for the White House and IBM (who 1. Google.com slideshare counts as users), is likely good for your 2. Bing.com business as well. 3. Yahoo.com Do not forget the power of the humble press release. There is no press release distributing 4. Ask.com venue simpler or more productive than press 5. AOL.com release wires. Weve ranked 10 that provide businesses with credibility, acquisition and SEO SOCIAL benefits, such as PRLog (#1) and PRLeap.com (#9). 1. Facebook.com Last but not least, this months Top 50 looks 2. Twitter.com to advertising and affiliate networks that can take 3. LinkedIn.com your sites traffic to the next level. 7Search (#6) and Commission Junction (#3) are two that fit 4. Pinterest.com the bill and can make an impact on your bottom 5. Tumblr.com line immediately.
mastering
search
SEMANTIC MARKUP CRASH COURSE
By Peter Prestipino, Editor-In-Chief
One of the SEO failures many enterprises make today is not taking advantage of semantic markup the code thats written to dene the context of the content enclosed within it. While the use of semantic markup doesnt guarantee that a website will improve its search result position, there are most definitely some interesting benefits. Sites using semantic markup increase the chance that information from their websites will appear on search results as rich snippets thats big. Since these listings are more noticeable to users, they receive more clicks (in theory, of course) and carry the potential to provide value to digital enterprises by way of a higher click-through rate (CTR), which many suspect is now a heavily weighted factor in ranking.
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But the use of Microdata and semantic markup is almost woefully underutilized. BuiltWith reports that just 2.5 percent of the top 10,000 websites were using Microdata and just 1.2 of the top 1 million sites as of mid-Feb. 2013. Theres obviously an opportunity here, but knowing where to begin can prove overwhelming. Getting started is always the hardest part, so consider the following use cases, and how they could be used within your website for the benefit of your organic/natural search marketing efforts. An important note; implementing semantic markup requires some moderate-to-advanced coding skills. Its difficult, if not impossible, to properly express how to apply the appropriate code so within each section, users are directed to sample snippets for further explanation. In addition, the Getting Started Guidance section below profiles two services for easier semantic markup. meta Descriptions? Believe it or not, meta descriptions were actually one of the initial uses of semantic markup in digital history.
mastering
search
Despite playing a dominant role in the discussions and actual efforts of SEOs for many, many years, countless enterprises still fail to take advantage of the opportunity. While its true that search engines now rely less and less on meta descriptions, including them is important if only for some backup search engine result page (SERP) insurance. There are of course, far more advanced uses of semantic markup that your enterprise should start seriously considering, including products, events, testimonials and video. Product Sales Enterprises selling products can also get on the schema markup bandwagon and not just traditional physical goods merchants. Information publishers can sell whitepapers, ebooks or special paid reports, for example, by using the Product Schema to display elements including price, ratings and even availability (if its a tangible product). This markup element supports numerous properties, such as those for similar and related items, as well as offers each of which could prove particularly effective in combination with marked-up products. CODING SAMPLE: wsm.co/productmarkup Individuals (People) Not every member of your enterprise plays a publicfacing role, but those that do (e.g. if profiled on an about page, such as an executive management team) should absolutely receive the semantic markup treatment. Schema.org provides a specific markup for individuals which can help individual listings appear far more credible than without. For example, properties under the Schema for Person include such useful information as organizations they are affiliated with, educational institutions they are alumni of and awards theyve received. CODING SAMPLE: wsm.co/peoplemarkup Authorship One of the most accessible types of semantic markup is authorship markup, a feature available through the official Schema that enables authors, writers, bloggers, etc. to feature richer profile information including personal photos, the pages theyve authored, and more including a link to their Google+ profile page). Authorship markup has exploded in use over the past few months, and provides a fast and relatively easy way to dress up those often traditionally dull listings on the search results.
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mastering
search
Website Magazine has written extensively on the topic of authorship markup, but as the Web search results become richer and richer, those enterprises that fail to profile key players in content marketing initiatives will find theyve lost trust and likely sales as a result. Testimonials & Reviews By far one of the least used types of semantic markup is that which accommodates testimonials and reviews. Users reviews, as discussed in this issues E-Commerce Express article, are a powerful means by which enterprises can influence the purchasing behavior of prospective customers. Using testimonials in your marketing should be on the minds of every SEO using the Schema.org markup for reviews is a compelling addition to listings. CODING SAMPLE: wsm.co/testimonialmarkup Events While the promotion of (or even attendance at) actual, real-world events may be out of the realm of possibility for many enterprises, those that do engage in the marketing tactic have an additional exposure opportunity on the search results pages thanks to the schema markup for Events. CODING SAMPLE: wsm.co/eventmarkup Google gave the Web marketing community a gift in Dec. 2012 with the release of its Data Highlighter (available within Google Webmaster Tools accounts). The tool enables users to tag data (name, location, date, etc.) for events that are listed on a website to create structured markup and rich snippets using a simple point-and-click method. Video If you have a video featured on your website, it too can have the semantic markup treatment. Using Schema. orgs VideoObject provides SEOs an opportunity to include information that can help the search engines understand what the video is about. Google has long provided video sitemaps, and that approach certainly aids in efforts to crawl and analyze video content, but support for VideoObject takes helping Google understand what video content is about several steps further. CODING SAMPLE: wsm.co/videomarkup Getting Started Guidance During the development of this article, several resources were discovered that help those interested in
as to what
the future will hold for semantic markup, well, that depends greatly on whether digital media workers see the benefits and take the time to do so.
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mastering
search
schema markup to actually create the code that can be included on their website properties. Check out both MicrodataGenerator.com and Schema-Creator.org both of which enable users of their free services to enter the data and copy and paste properly. The Future of Semantic markup Search engines are actively beginning to include more of this information within the search results. As to what the future will hold for semantic markup, well, that depends greatly on whether digital media workers see the benefits and take the time to do so.
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e-commerce
express
CONSUMER REVIEWS
3 WAYS TO DRIVE ENGAGEMENT
By Allison Howen, Associate Editor
From good to bad to downright malicious user reviews vary greatly.These snippets of unltered opinions offer multiple benets to merchants willing and able to market them (appropriately). The rst being search engine optimization, but the list of opportunities doesnt stop there. Consumer reviews can also increase audience engagement and influence other shoppers purchasing decisions. Eddie Machaalani, co-CEO of Bigcommerce, is a big believer in their impact. Consumer reviews and social proof have always been one of the most powerful marketing tools, with some analysts predicting its 33 percent of a consumers purchasing decision, said Machaalani. The reason for
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this is that product reviews build trust, and that trust increases conversions. There are plenty of ways for merchants to repurpose this user-generated content for their benefit and that of their consumers. While displaying reviews on a website is definitely useful for consumers who are already browsing there, merchants should also promote positive reviews in all of their marketing initiatives to reach a larger audience, both online and off. The question becomes how merchants can implement reviews into their broader marketing efforts.
Email Marketing
Few advertising channels can garner a better return on investment (ROI) than email. Pair a promotional email and consumer reviews, and its a winwin situation. For example, a merchant who is launching an email campaign to promote their bestselling Valentines Day products could easily add a favorable consumer review to complement the message. This not only reminds the subscriber that the holiday
e- c o m m erce
express
is coming up, but also provides them with gift ideas recommended by their peers. One way merchants can implement reviews into their email campaigns is with the Ratings and Review solution that Listrak launched earlier this year. Instead of manually inserting reviews into a message, this solution automatically incorporates a merchants best reviews into emails, which, according to the companys CEO, can be very beneficial for merchants. In addition to influencing immediate purchase decisions, ratings and reviews can result in consumers being more engaged with the brand, prolonging the customer life cycle and increasing customer lifetime value, said Listrak CEO Ross Kramer. Email isnt the only place where merchants can use reviews to grab their customers attention, as usergenerated content can also be leveraged to engage more social consumers.
Crests use of consumer reviews in this print ad is a creative way of leveraging valuable, qualitative insights.
Social Media Marketing

Social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ also provide merchants opportunities to promote their positive consumer reviews and acquire new ones. In fact, chances are that merchants are receiving consumer reviews on these sites already. If this is the case, they should make sure to not only engage with
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these customers on these networks, but also publicize these reviews when possible. On Twitter, for example, merchants should retweet their positive customer feedback, while on Facebook and Google+, merchants can start a Group or Community to encourage consumer conversation. One brand that effectively uses Facebooks Groups to encourage consumer reviews is Listen to Your Gut, an e-commerce retailer selling a line of natural stomach care products. Social proof is important to its business because holistic products are typically alternative treatments to more widely used prescription or over-the-counter medicine, thus less information
e- c o m m erce
express
is available about them. This is why the company maintains an open Group Page on Facebook, which is devoted to interacting with, and obtaining reviews from, customers. Visually driven social networks, like YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram, also present opportunities to encourage audience interactions and promote consumer reviews. On YouTube, merchants can post videos that show how a new product works and ask for consumer feedback in the comments section. By doing this, merchants can increase product awareness while engaging with their audience. Businesses can also repurpose the video by posting it on sites like Facebook and asking for feedback from that social networks audience too. Conversely, merchants can use a similar strategy by publishing images of new or popular products on Pinterest, Instagram or Tumblr and then use these posts to ask for fan feedback or publicize positive reviews from shoppers across channels. Even with all of these tactics, the Web isnt the only place where consumer reviews can be put to good use.
Offline Marketing
Merchants can integrate user reviews into their offline marketing strategies to reach a whole new group of consumers. An example of a big-named brand that recently used this tactic is Procter & Gamble. The company
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e- c o m m erce
express
Once positives reviews have been incorporated into ones marketing strategies, one question remains.
leveraged user reviews from ExpoTV to create an ad for its Crest Pro-Health line, which ran in a variety of magazines (see image). The ad boldly quotes the RANKED www.WhosOn.com which makes the 50 TOP Software Solutions to Explore reviews, product more relatable to Website Magazine potential customers. The ad also asks its audience to submit their own product reviews on Facebook. Another way brickLive Chat & Customer Analytics and-mortar retailers can Customer Interaction Solutions for: incorporate flattering reviews is through in-store Live Visitor Chat signage, a savvy practice Live Visitor Analytics in the age of smartphone Proactive Engagement carrying customers. For SaaS or On-premise Agile Business Solutions example, merchants can post QR codes next to 10% Off popular products, which, with coupon code when scanned, will take WEBMAG13 customers directly to use at checkout consumer reviews for each www.WhosOn.com Tel: (800) 680 7712 specific item. info@parker-software.com
www.WhosOn.com
What about Negative Reviews?

Merchants are never thrilled to discover a negative review on their site, but this undesirable user-generated content is actually good for business sort of. While it would not be a good idea to use these reviews in acquisition initiatives, merchants can gain valuable product insights from this customer feedback. Machaalani, of Bigcommerce, suggests that negative reviews can also help boost a merchants credibility. Online retailers should think about being as transparent as possible when it comes to reviews, said Machaalani. Dont be scared of negative reviews or worse, delete them. Studies have shown that shoppers who read bad reviews convert 67 percent more. Why? Because when a retailer only displays positive reviews it can look suspicious or fake. Keep it honest and do your best to work out your customers issues, which could result in a positive review, too.
14 day free trial
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design
development 5 EVERYDAY NAVIGATION TECHNIQUES TO MASTER

By Allison Howen, Associate Editor
One of the most effective ways for Web designers to help meet a companys goals and achieve the digital success they so desire, is by implementing navigational elements on their website designs that propel users forward through the sales/lead funnel. It is, after all, one of the only ways that designers can directly influence conversions which clearly plays a direct role in an enterprises success. Lets take a look at some of those envelope-pushing, mind-blowing, face-melting Web design techniques and tactics that are helping Web pros across various industries drive customers to take decisive, positive action.
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Floating Navigation Floating (or fixed) navigation is a great way to ensure the user can move freely throughout the site at any time, said Josh Farkas, the founder of Cubicle Ninjas. A floating navigational menu (see image A) rests along the top (or bottom) of a website. Since its in a fixed position however, it will move up or down as the user scrolls. Floating navigation bars are particularly useful on sites heavy with content or with multiple conversion paths, because they keep users from constantly having to scroll to the top or bottom of the page to access links to other key sections of the website. Image-based Navigation The best website navigation designs that I have seen include the use of large-scale, full-page width content panels with oversized photography that include JavaScript and jQuery animations, said Anton Shepherd, the Web designer at SWC Technology Partners. Large thumbnail images and full-scale photography effortlessly showcase content and provide a unique interactive experience.
de s i g n & de v e l o pment
digest
Designers are increasingly turning to images as a means to funnel users to different sections of a website. While this strategy can require immense creative effort, being conscious of the visual nature of the modern user experience may pay big dividends to a companys bottom line.
Parallax Scrolling Right now, Im really interested in the HTML5 parallax-scrolling design, which provides a unique experience for the user by guiding them visually through the [pages] content, said Stephen McQuaide, the manager of earned media at The Search Agency and former Web designer. This is not your traditional navigation, but it is a way to navigate the user through your content and create a story. c i t s a Parallax scrolling (see images B and C) is when the t n Fo s t n different layers of a Web page move across the screen o F b e b e W at different speeds as the user scrolls. This allows gle W raging o o G e r l t o t b ba Kit developers to contain an immersive experience on Type hats the viest Wes. v r T a s pe s? a single vertical or horizontal page, as sectional Font ween the d develo t the n u t a p e b zine ners tions transitions take the place of scrolling. You can read desigsite Magarvice solu ad e e b h s e W s-ad-to more about getting started with parallax scrolling ont-a astic hea at f o n t tw on iso 13 online at wsm.co/getparallax. in a f compar astic
ont f / o .c wsm
Advertising agency McGarryBowen uses oating navigation effectively.
Drop-Down menus Drop-down menus in navigation bars can enhance the user experience, said Jessica Ivins, the senior UX specialist at AWeber. They appear quickly, allowing easy access to sub-categories within a menu. When used in the right context, they can reduce the time it takes for a visitor to navigate [a site]. These menus-within-a-menu provide additional navigation options when a website visitor clicks or hovers over an item within the primary and immediately visible navigation menu. Using drop-down menus helps designers not just make navigating a website easier for users, but also de-clutter both pages and menus. Its even useful, as you might imagine, as a means to provide a hierarchy of information (see image D on last page of article).
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de s i g n & de v e l o pment
digest
However, drop-down menus can become problematic if designers rely too heavily on them. Drop downs work best as an enhancement to a standards-compliant and functional navigation menu, said Ivins. If a navigation menu functions across all devices, contains appropriate labels and looks beautiful, it will achieve its intended goal for end-users. The menu shouldnt depend upon the drop down. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) Effective navigation bars follow the less-is-more paradigm and include links to only the most essential pages within the website, said Avraham Cohn the founder and CEO of Digital Development Consulting. This minimalist look not only looks cleaner, but also reduces the anxiety of the viewers as they navigate through the site and, thus, improves conversions. A minimalist website design presents a multitude of benefits for both site owners and their users. It dramatically simplifies navigation (making it easier to direct visitors to those areas of a site that will inspire conversions) and increases the speed and performance of a website, particularly on mobile devices, in addition to making the content easier to read and follow. Plus, the more minimal a sites design is, the better it is at accentuating calls-to-action and letting users know what they should do on a site. Im annoyed when websites dont have a clear call-toaction, said Jeff Blettner, a Web designer at Formstack. Every site has a purpose and, therefore, should have a call-to-action that should be stated clearly on the homepage, front and center. Scattered calls-to-action will result in scattered conversions. learn to Adapt A strong, well-conceived website design should naturally utilize the best available navigation techniques to help direct users to specific aspects of the site and inspire them to convert using thoughtful routing tactics and easy-to-understand calls-to-action. As the Web continues to evolve, designers will have to work harder to come up with new ways to help users navigate their websites. Fortunately, there are plenty of creative ways to do that already, and the best part is that innovation never stops.
View Images B,C and D on the next page
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Using parallax scrolling, Nintendo takes users on a trip through where its Mario Kart product has been and where it is going. Notice the supplementary navigational guide on the bottom of each screen, which can help users skip pages or go back.
D
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Get Satisfactions use of a drop-down menu helps prioritize and organize information.
CONTENT THAT SELLS

By Peter Prestipino editor-In-Chief
Content marketing is the digital tactic du jour among the new media elite, but its not enough to just produce content. Todays savviest digital enterprises must relate to their audience with content that motivates, involves, captivates and excites the user, because thats the content that drives results.
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So how are the top enterprises using content marketing today? What methods do they employ for developing and distributing information and analyzing their contentrelated performance? This months Website Magazine feature answers these important questions and others to help set your enterprise on a profitable course down the content marketing road.
enHAnCinG tHe DeFinition oF Content MArKetinG
Beat Digital Writers Block

What can you do if youre struggling to get a few characters on the screen? Hear from professional content marketers on how they overcome writers block and keep the content owing at
CM stAtistiCs unleAsHeD
Content marketing has captured the attention of the digerati for two reasons. Primarily, it is accessible from a cost and development perspective. Secondly, it flat out works. When marketers receive a return on their content investment, theyre going to keep at it. Today, enterprises are aggressively testing different tactics, distributing content to more destinations and spending money to make it happen. According to a recent study on content marketing from MarketingProfs and the Content Marketing Institute, there is some uncertainty in relation to whether tactics are being used effectively, but organizations are seemingly unafraid to engage in the pursuit. The B2B Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmarks, Budgets, and TrendsNorth America report revealed that, on average, B2B content marketers are spending 33 percent of their marketing budgets on content marketing, up from 26 percent last year. Whats more, 54 percent plan to increase content marketing spending in 2013. If ever there were a time to get started, its now.
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Depending on your vantage point, you might think digital marketers have all gone content crazy. They are sometimes wildly developing and distributing their content, but too few have any formal strategy, a serious problem wsm.co/digitalwritersblock for brands in a far more crowded and demanding environment. Perhaps the problem is that theres no single definition of the practice. Theres a difference between content marketing and content strategy (some might argue that content development also differs). The result of all this confusion is an absolute content mess. If youre serious about leveraging content within your digital marketing, its essential to have a formal strategy in place. The strategic element of content demands attention to objectives, audience personas and analysis. The marketing of content relates primarily to how content is curated and distributed and how strategic objectives are executed. Both strategy and marketing, as well as content development, require involvement with a variety of tools, channels and techniques, many of which are quickly proving necessary in order to attract, acquire and engage both current and potential customers and drive profitable customer interactions. The good news? When done well, content marketing works but not without some effort..
When it comes to content marketing its important to keep in mind the end goal for your content marketing strategy, said Alexis Karlin of Percussion Software. For instance we track the success of content marketing through inbound lead generation, bounce rate, marketing qualified leads, click-through rate and new visits. This is tracked on a daily basis, measured against content themes monthly and reviewed quarterly. Using this data helps us understand where we need to add more content, produce more email campaigns and reach out for guest posts. With a better (or at least enhanced) definition of content marketing, and some confidence that the right strategy will yield positive results, the next phase should be to consider what content marketing means to your enterprise specifically and that starts with knowing your audience.
Content For tHe AuDienCe

The practice of creating a user persona of an ideal customer is the perfect place to start. This persona includes age and gender of course, but that information alone is too limiting. It is also important to know how often users will purchase, their average spend (or income) and, most importantly, how long that prospective customer will take to convert into a paying customer once in the sales funnel. The more you know, the better you will be able to market exclusively to them. Website Magazine has put together a guide to developing website audience personas available at wsm.co/audiencepersonas. Strangely, its not enough to understand the marketing contents intended audience. Its also important to consider how a marketers
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own bias may influence strategy decisions. When assumptions are successfully mitigated, they wont improperly influence the content marketing strategy. Despite all the big data at our collective disposal, marketers experiences tend to dictate the conversation, and more often than not, its just way off base. ExactTarget released a new chapter in their Subscribers, Fans, and Followers series called Marketers from Mars, which contends that the modern marketer is far ahead of his or her consumer counterparts. For example, 90 percent of marketers own smartphones but only 51 percent of consumers do. There are, of course, certain areas where the two groups think similarly. As you can see in the chart on the next page, the differences
seem to outweigh the similarities in number and in what they represent. ExactTarget asked both marketers and consumers where brands should be spending their time and effort in order to increase customer loyalty and service and what they found will downright shock you. For example, marketers have long believed that the secret to an active Facebook page is the use of related content (e.g. not one promotional update after another). Twenty-three percent of marketers agree, but only 6 percent of consumers thought this was a good idea. Consumers do want more Facebook posts, but mostly, they want to consume information through email and websites. Are you producing content for appropriate users, in the format they are most likely to consume it? If not, you dont know your audience.
tHe PHAses oF user DeMAnD
Using content to drive awareness, loyalty and, of course, sales is far from a new practice. Online marketers have always used content. What has changed is when and how content is used within the buying cycle. In essence, enterprises are finally realizing the potential of their content as a means to influence users and drive response across channels. When you know where users are in their own personalized buying experience, the type of content you develop begins to play an important role. One of the best practices that content marketers can engage in is to align the type of content they are creating to where users are within their individual buying cycle. As they begin the often-lengthy purchase experience, marketers will need to address the phases
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of awareness, consideration and to run an effective content finally, the actual decisions. Often marketing campaign, you however, its more common for have to have the right tools at brands to address just one of your disposal. review Website these important phases, typically Magazines 2013 Content the one closest to the actual Marketing toolbox and access conversion. Theres a better way. the top research, analytics and For example, in an awareness social media offerings at phase, brands can address the wsm.co/cmtoolbox business problem, detail the requirements and highlight the objectives of implementing such solutions within their content. In the active consideration phase, content should help users explore their actual options, research solutions and determine an overall strategy. Finally, as consumers reach the decision phase, businesses should publish content related to specific products and vendors, help their users build short lists, assess potential ROI and make the decision. Different products and services will have different content demands, but the source and type of content matters greatly within each phase. For example, the act of distributing quality content through online communities can have strong SEO implications, which is useful in the awareness phase. In the consideration phase, email newsletters and whitepapers are valuable. Lastly, demos, free trials and case studies can make a positive impact in the decision phase. Business-related content of the past tended to focus on promotion of the business. While there is certainly a time and place for
Content Marketing Toolbox
that, there are many alternative opportunities. For example, is your content solving an immediate or pressing problem? Is it making something they do or are responsible for easier? The objective now is to help users overcome obstacles. Publishing (and distributing) content to do exactly that puts your enterprise on the fast track to marketing success. So why not turn to users for content inspiration? Remember, were solving problems and driving action, so content should do the same. To do so, enterprises must understand even more about their users, which is why its important to survey those users and audience regularly. Website Magazine Associate Editor Allison Howen recently put together a list of digital platforms for obtaining customer feedback, a terrific starting point for just this sort of effort, available at wsm.co/feedbackplatforms. Of course, it doesnt have to all be so strategic. You could opt to fly by the seat of your virtual pants and leverage the vast amount of real-time data available to create content in hopes it will drive response. Bitlys recent public release of its new social data API, provides one such good opportunity. The amount of information that is shortened, shared and ultimately clicked by Web users is absolutely staggering. With the new bitly API, its possible to access the content that is actively being shared across all of the social networks. The API provides three types of functionality to access, including real-time search data, attention spikes and metadata about the URLs being shared. So how can this information be used for content marketing? Well, when you know whats trending, and are monitoring social
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data in real time for attention spikes, the choices made in terms of what content youll publish will naturally be better. This means youll guess wrong less often, because those decisions are rooted in empirical evidence (data).
Distribution
When most Web professionals think of content marketing, they think primarily of where their content will be distributed. Theyre not wrong to do so, but hopefully, they are also thinking of their brands content strategy, the audience that will consume it, and have the content assets ready to send into the channels that will drive new and repeat visits to their digital property. In short, its as much about curation and topic ideation as it is distribution. According to Percussions Karlin, we use tools such DivvyHQ, InboundWriter and Google Alerts. We integrate DivvyHQ with our CMS, Percussion CM1. Through a dashboard widget, were able to keep track of our content through an easyto-use editorial calendar. To help with optimizing our content for search engines, such as Google, we use InboundWriter. This tool helps us pick a specific keyword for our content and optimize each post for those keywords. And to come up with new ideas to post about we use Google alerts to notify us on the use of specificindustry keywords. We can write a response post, generate a white paper from it or even comment on the new post. Content distribution, however, definitely plays an integral role in the marketing tactics success. Not all enterprises will be drawn to using third-party tools and services for the sake of distribution; often, brands let users play a vital role in the process.
We use the AddThis widget in order to get our blogs and content shared across a wide range of social media, and we measure the viral level using AddThiss reporting features, said Ian Aronovich, President and Co-Founder of GovernmentAuctions.org. We also have Awardable.com run giveaway events for us, which helps us increase and encourage social interactions via sharing. Since we started doing that, weve seen a huge increase in the buzz we are able to generate via users and readers of our content, which over time translates into more customers. More often than not, unfortunately, brands involved with content marketing have a far too narrow scope on the channels and methods by which content can be distributed. Those that are open to all the possibilities, stand to reap the most reward. One key weve found to online content is to make use of all your channels (blogs, email, social) as well as to blend in appropriate PR tactics, like news releases, said Doyle Albee, President of Metzger Associates. For example, we frequently get both online and traditional media coverage for a client in IT security by offering a point-of-view on a current event in the industry, rather than hoping reporters and editors see our blog post. We will issue a news release (in addition to the other items noted, above) indicating were available for comment. This generates not only coverage, but also offers for guest blog posts, contributed articles, etc. Yet its the email channel that for most marketers will yield the best results. According to Andrew Knibbe, CMO at Flippa, Email has been our biggest driver to the site, so we spend a fair amount of time making sure we send timely, relevant emails with optimal content and subject lines. This relates to both our weekly newsletter
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(with site announcement and other content we think our users will love) and to our transactional emails (bid notifications, prompts, receipts, watch list notifications). The most important element of your content marketing efforts, as it relates to distribution, is where users end up once content has been distributed into search engines, through email and within social media networks. Thats right, you need to control the user experience and theres no better place to do that on your own property. Users need to be on a businesss digital property if the aim is to get them to complete the brands objective sales conversions or leads. But what works best? Weve found that a mix of site announcement, guest posts and round-ups of relevant links from elsewhere keeps our readers coming back to the site and engaging with our content and platform, said Flippas Knibbe. Since our product is fairly niche, our content is aimed at educating our current and future users. With time, this content ranks well in Google, bringing in new users.We publish 2-3 blog posts per week, and have increased our newsletter sends to weekly in the last year with very positive results. In the last three months, we have ramped up our marketing efforts, publishing content on other blogs read by our target groups. We also distribute wider announcements to a list of bloggers in our niche, which means our most active users will often read about our product on several channels over a given week.
Content AnAlytiCs
With so much more content now being distributed, the analysis of these marketing efforts in particular is of paramount importance
buts its not always easy. Andy Crestodina, Strategic Director at OrbitMedia and author of Content Chemistry: An Illustrated Guide to Content Marketing said the following about how his agency uses online content to drive results: The trick is to create content with the promotion in mind. Ideally, a single piece of content gets traction in all three major channels: search, social and email. The nature of this traffic looks very different when youre measuring the results in Analytics. Social traffic looks a bit chaotic. Its hard to predict. On the other hand, email traffic is very consistent. It looks like a heartbeat on an EKG machine. Search traffic can be very slow to build up, but over time can look like a long slow line or curve upward. Using traditional metrics, such as unique visitors and page views, time-on-site and bounce rate are reliable metrics to use when analyzing content marketing, but a new crop of solutions has emerged that are designed to provide more meaningful cues as to how these initiatives are really working. Glam Media, a vertical social media company focused on lifestyle, partnered with SaaS analytics company Moat to measure its content engagement and effectiveness beyond common measures, such as page views and social shares. With all the current chatter about content marketing, you would think there would be a virtual flood of solutions to help marketers understand how content is performing, but, alas, they are only now starting to emerge. Glam Content Analytics for example, which is powered by Moat, helps digital enterprises determine just how much attention a user is paying to a particular piece of branded content and how that
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attention benchmarks against other campaigns. As more and more marketers start leveraging content marketing, and distributing brand assets far and wide through the virtual world, content performance (and the solutions being used to understand that data) is definitely going to receive more attention. In the case of Glams new content analytics offering, the users attention is examined through focus-related attributes, such as whether the user is actively scrolling through the content and how much time is spent with the content in the users active browser window, among other factors. Overall, I think youll see just how important this will be to those investing anything in the tactic.
Content MArKetinG PlAn (MADE SIMPLE)

Content marketing is a valuable part of any business strategy and it comes in many forms. Its implementation, however, remains underutilized. A study by digital marketing company IMN found that 78 percent of companies surveyed placed content marketing as a high or medium-to-high priority yet only 52 percent reported a formal content marketing strategy was in place for every channel of distribution. There is obviously a sizable disconnection between content marketing ideals and reality however. With so many mediums for promotion and brand building, for content marketing tactics to work they need to be specific. Not only is specificity needed, but so is planning. Without a formal plan, how can businesses ever market their products or services in an optimized way? Despite blogs and websites flooded with advice for content marketing and numerous agencies and consultancy groups that
can handle it on behalf of the clients, companies are still awash in buzz word philosophy that is not grounded in actual practice. Website Magazine has put together a visual resource for those considering a content marketing initiative, containing details on the best course of action for planning the content marketing experience from audience research, to content production and analysis available at wsm.co/contentmarketing2013. The power of content marketing makes it irresistible to brands both large and small. When approached with a thorough strategy, with an eye on serving users meaningful information and using appropriate performance indicators to measure success, your content will sell.
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Get Paid!
simplifying the recurring payment process with a subscription Billing saas
By Michael Garrity, Associate editor
Web businesses that offer products, services or information based on a subscription model spend a lot of time and effort managing customer billing and payments. This process only grows more complex as a business acquires more customers. Scaling to handle these new accounts can quickly get out of hand.
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SOFTWARE
eVeRYWHeRe
In an effort to correct the problem, many Internet-savvy professionals turn to subscription billing software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions to automate the process.
Selecting the Right SaaS

The demand for subscription billing SaaS solutions has caused a proliferation of software choices for business owners, which means there are a number of options to choose from. To select the right system, its important to consider a businesss unique needs and those of its customers. The first major step to take when choosing recurring billing software is to decide what types of payments to accept. Most businesses will likely want to take credit card payments, but others will want to consider automated clearing house (ACH) payments or alternative services like PayPal. A merchant account may be needed for those accepting credit card of ACH payments, so finding a subscription billing solution that integrates them will remove the cumbersome step of having to make separate purchases for an account and billing system. Payment considerations dont stop there. Merchants also need to prepare for any payment acceptance needs they might have beyond recurring billing, such as one-time payments or charges. Beyond that, businesses need to be aware of how much technical expertise is needed to run an online recurring payment service. Some solutions provide complete control over the payment experience, but require immense technical resources and expertise, while others offer customizable-hosted payment forms that automate subscription sign-ups and online payment processing. For this reason, it is important to know how much flexibility youll
Automated Advantages
Many benefits exist for those businesses willing to hop on the subscription billing SaaS bandwagon. Ultimately, they all come down to helping you, the provider, save both time and money. SaaS-based automated billing systems streamline subscription billing and the entire renewal process, which can include everything from email notifications to automatically retrying failed payments. These features can dramatically improve efficiency and increase revenues. Some of the other advantages that go along with using a subscriber billing SaaS are access to APIs, improved security measures and PCI compliance, as many of these are compliant from the initial build. These services also offer some payment choices, including options for different payment gateways and the billing needs of different customers, as well as the ability to offer trial periods, promotions, and plan upgrades or downgrades. But perhaps the most useful benefit to these systems is the instant access to key metrics, such as the number of sign-ups a business receives, monthly and/or daily revenue, outstanding accounts and more. Most of them will even let users customize how data is presented and integrated into their websites.
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With so many great choices out there, theres

need in your recurring payment collection options, and how much of the payment process a merchant will want to automate before selecting a solution. Another variable to consider is what a businesss reporting needs will be, specifically, if it wants (or requires) a system that proactively notifies staff when there are potential issues that may hinder the automated billing process, such as a credit card that is about to expire. Data sharing needs should also be top-of-mind because if other systems need to integrate with the billing software, that needs to be factored in as well.
no reason you shouldntswitch over to a subscription billing saas to simplify your payment processes right now.
support for an entire organization, including accounting/billing operations, sales, marketing and management. Avangate Avangate offers a quick setup process and its users can customize the purchase experience for customers and even offer their products to consumers around the world. It also comes with the industrys highest security standards, including fraud checking, secure order pages and PCI compliance. Chargify Customers can charge using flat, metered or tiered pricing with the Chargify recurring billing solution, which even offers functionality for the use of coupons and setup fees. Chargify helps manage the entire subscription cycle, from sign-ups and trials to payments and upgrades; it even covers affiliate payouts. And all of this is secured and PCI compliant. Of course, there are many other solutions that you could use, such as Billing Circle, Zuora, SaaSy, Monexa, Recurly, SubscriptionBridge and CheddarGetter. With so many great choices out there, theres no reason you shouldnt switch over to a subscription billing SaaS to simplify your payment processes right now.
Subscription Billing SaaS Providers

If your business is in the market and you sell your product or services directly on the Web or through a mobile application, there are many different providers to consider. Authorize.net The popular payment gateway provider Authorize.net offers an Automated Recurring Billing (ARB) solution that lets its users submit and manage recurring transactions that can be created manually or in Web checkout forms. Fusebill This automated and flexible recurring billing and payment solution was designed with mid-sized businesses in mind. Fusebill helps manage billing throughout the customer life cycle. Features include account creation through recurring payments and invoices and
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digital agency Matchmaking

By Lisa Barone, VP of Strategy at Overit Media
When and how to start the process

I work on the agency side of the digital marketing world, which means I regularly meet with new clients to discuss their needs, goals and experiences. These conversations are incredibly enlightening in terms of understanding their needs. Theyve also taught me that businesses struggle to understand when its time to consult an agency and how they need to prepare for this meeting. Here are experience-driven tips to finding a rewarding match.
When to Consult a Marketing Agency

As business owners and proud marketers, we often want to do everything ourselves. We believe we are the best person to touch our site and that we know better than anyone does about what our customers want.
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This is 100 percent true. Until its not. There comes a time when its best to consult an outside agency for strategy, implementation or even to hand off entire parts of your project. By not seeking help, you are actually doing a disservice to your company. What are signs it is time to partner with a marketing agency? Youre chronically overextended and doing too much outside of your expertise Leads have stopped for you, not your competitors Employees are unhappy (and leaving) Many business owners delay working with a marketing agency because trying to find an agency that is capable and trustworthy can be needlessly intimidating. Aligning yourself with the right marketing agency takes asking the right questions, of both yourself and your potential partner. Ask Yourself: What do you need? Answering this questions means preparing for the conversation with key information like: What areas of your business are working? Where do you think you need help? Where are your competitors strengths and weaknesses? Where do you want your business to go?
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How to Find the Right Marketing Agency
Whats most important is that youve identified your needs and goals. By relaying this information to your agency, theyll be able to draw the lines for you. Ask Them: What are your areas of specialty? The digital agencies you interview may have experience in a wide range of disciplines, but what do they think theyre best at? As a prospective client, their answer will give you a more intimate look at the agency and their perceived strengths. You want to work with an agency that shares your view of the market, your beliefs and your similar goals. If you think video is the next hot ticket, you want your agency to be excited about videos potential, as well. More than that, you want them to have expertise in video. Ask Yourself: What is your preferred client/ agency relationship? Youve already invested your time, blood, sweat and tears into your marketing efforts. Thats what got you here. So dont hand it off to anyone without ensuring youre getting the client/agency relationship that works best for you. Ask yourself: Do you want to be actively involved in the entire process? Do you want an agency thats going to act like a third-party consultant or blend into your existing team?
For most clients, Id recommend only pairing with an agency that is willing to become part of your larger team. This is someone
who will be excited to understand your whole business, your goals and how their efforts will complement your entire marketing strategy. Success happens with full integration. Ask Them: What is your work process like for projects like mine? Every agency will have a different approach to your project. Some start working before your signature is dry and others will require an initial brainstorm or planning session. At some agencies youll have a single point of contact (usually an account manager), while others will assign you different people for each department working on your project. Understanding your agencys work process will lay the groundwork for a relationship of open dialogue, idea sharing and a stronger result. Take the time to understand not only how your project will get work done, but also who will be involved and how youll be brought into the loop. If a company cannot articulate how things are done, take that as a sign they may not get it done. Knowing when to bring in an agency and how to find them takes time and research. However, an agency that understands your goals and shares your vision can help grow your business to depths you could not have reached without their specific expertise.
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INSIGHTS On AnALYTICS
HELPLESS
if youre dealing with the growing Keyword Not Provided problem, youre working in the dark
By Michael Garrity, Associate Editor
in late 2011, Google implemented a major change, forcing search engine optimization professionals to work in the virtual dark, as keyword-level data from users logged into and searching on Google was no longer available to them. While the change has benefits to users (improved privacy/security, faster speeds and an improved overall experience), it has been a significant problem for digital media professionals. the issue is only getting worse. The problem is these professionals no longer have information on why Google search engine users are showing up at their websites. This is particularly detrimental for SEOs, as that data is essential to running any halfway decent optimization campaign and driving traffic to websites from natural/organic results. As Tad Miller, vice president of accounts at Search Mojo, puts it, It makes it harder to justify your existence as an SEO.
The Growing Epidemic

When Google first announced the change, it impacted less than 10 percent of queries. The situation has gotten much worse leaving many to wonder if Google knew exactly how far reaching the implications would be for websites. I think that Google definitely underestimated the impact this would have, said Shannon Welch, the director of Web analytics at Terakeet Corporation.
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INSIGHTS On AnALYTICS
According to Welch, keyword not provided has had a pretty huge impact on her work, and it is currently affecting the companys top-three keyword searches. It makes our job to improve searches for users more difficult, said Welch. Its hard to come up with concrete answers with a large percentage of branded traffic not provided. Miller, whose company works with a mix of B2B and consumer brands, has noticed similar problems. He reports that Search Mojo has some clients with 50 percent of their traffic encrypted, so obviously that makes it completely impossible to do any year-overyear analysis. But this isnt an isolated problem, as Optify released a study in late 2012 showing that 39 percent of Google search terms are shown as not provided, and that 64 percent of companies are now seeing between 30-50 percent of their traffic displayed as such in Google Analytics.
the adoption of Googles online There are al services, all of which require users to the W ternatives eb to sign up for a Google account. popular a s most The problem is only going to service. F nalytics in get worse as Google tries to push wsm.co/ d them at googlealt people to get involved in Google+ s because of the personalization it provides in the search results, said Miller.
Google Got You Down?
How to Deal
To date, there hasnt been much that Web professionals can do to combat the keyword-not-provided problem, but that doesnt mean theyre not trying. Our work around has been to look at the year-over-year traffic on a page and gather from the history what data is provided and what keywords drive the most traffic to a page, said Miller. Say a homepage has a 20 percent drop [from that] we can usually assert that searches for a brand name are down. Meanwhile, Welch has been creating custom filters in the Advanced Segments section of Google Analytics and rendering landing pages for not provided keywords to see just where those particular searchers are trying to go. Creating landing pages and custom reports have so far become some of the industrys best (and only) practices for dealing with this issue, as they are one of the only ways to fill in the gaps left by missing keyword data. For now, its just a temporary solution to the very big problem. We can do work arounds, guess and assume, but were still missing a lot of data, said Welch.
Before It Gets Better

Anxiety about the future of keyword not provided is getting more intense thanks to an increasingly tech-savvy customer base for many online companies. According to Welch, one of the biggest problems has to do with what your audience is. If your users are generally Google-heavy or younger and likely to have a Gmail account, its more of a problem. Adding to that concern is a recent change to the Chrome browser (v25), as all searches that are conducted in the address bar (or Omnibox) will now also be encrypted, even if users that arent logged into Google accounts conduct them. Unfortunately, there doesnt seem to be any way to slow down
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mObIlE MATTeRS
App-ly Common Sense

to App Development
By Amberly Dressler, Managing Editor
The amount of time consumers spend interacting with mobile apps in the U.S. is growing. In fact, Flurry Analytics report that between Dec. 2011 and Dec. 2012 that number grew by 35 percent. By their measurement, U.S. consumers are also spending more time in apps than on the Web. Does this mean we should all be racing to build apps? Well, yes and no. We look to several industry experts to gain some common, yet overlooked, sense in this app-building journey, as well as some inspiration.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Q Do we need an app?
Id wager the majority of business needs can be solved by HTML responsive design, with a mobile-first mindset, said Seth Banks, Founder of Cashboard. Responsive design lowers the barrier to mobile and offers more bang for your buck than building an app for the App Store or Google Play. Frameworks like Gumby.css make responsive design dead easy. We leveraged this framework for our recent redesign, and weve seen a huge spike in conversions since.
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mObIlE MATTeRS
In my mind, apps are the realm of software companies. Theyre overkill for your average retailer or Web business.
Q Whats the users incentive to download and use the app?
Q prices What are the of past

projects?
be everything to everyone, with no specific area of expertise.
Too many companies build apps that are nothing but a miniversion of their sales portal, which is fine if youre Walmart or Target, said Ron Rule, CEO of Coracent. If youre selling trinkets from a shop down by the beach, you dont need an app, just a good mobile website.
Want to bu yoursel ild an app? Do f Websit with help from it e App Bu Magazines D IY ilder Co m parison chart av a i l able a wsm.co /builda t pp13
DIY Ap p Buildin g
Q How will you monetize the app?
Most developers will have a portfolio of their best apps, so ask them what the cost was of the ones theyre showing you, said Rule. If your budget is $10,000, it doesnt matter how great someones $50,000 app was; you need to know what they can do within your budget.
b2C App Inspiration Experts Speak: for more app inspiration (including B2B apps), visit wsm. co/appspiration Uber is a good B2C app, and a great example of a mobile application that seems simple, but in fact has a very complex back-end, because it involves exchanging money and geolocation. For an app like Uber, an organization should pick their dev firm very carefully, ensuring they have experience in this field. Sean Ziolko Designer at KTA Most inspiring B2C app is Square. Accepting mobile payments is just pure brilliance. This app makes it easier to set up a store without getting entangled with usurious and dated payment processors. Joshua R. Simmons CEO of Bluebird Interactive
There are a number of ways to monetize an application, but if the customer does not have a clear plan, or we cant help them quickly arrive at one, it is usually a good sign that they shouldnt spend money to build it, said Ryan Stemkoski, interactive director at Zipline Interactive. Questions to Ask a Developer
Q What services do you specialize in?

You want to avoid shops that simply dont offer the expertise youre looking for, said Jay Melone, CEO at DigitalXBridge. However, also beware of the shops that promise everything under the sun. Theyll either be a large agency with a hefty budget or trying to
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WEb HOSTInG PAneL
ClouD VPs For beGinners

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
By Jason Silverglate
From bloggers to retailers, it seems that everyone has their heads (and businesses) in the cloud.
Left and right, decision makers are entering the cloud-hosting sphere and leveraging its power to obtain a structurally sound digital presence (from blogging software to e-commerce platforms) that can help them attain online dominance. In case you still need convincing, here is a general overview of what cloud hosting and, more specifically, virtual private servers (VPS), can do for you. blog On In todays Internet-centric world, people in the know understand that blogging is much more than simply sharing their thoughts with the digital world. Bloggers understand that their craft is a way to attract and keep ad revenue coming to a website. Through various means and tactics (search, social and email), professional bloggers can attract ad revenue and keep it there. Cloud-hosting providers offer multiple blogging platforms, such as WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. Yet, competent suppliers also offer lesser-known blogging platforms to their clients; these include b2evolutions, Chyrp, Dotclear, eggBlog, Open Blog, PivotX, Pixie, Serendipity and Textpattern. It should also be noted that the best hosts offer these platforms using a one-click installation process that
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WEb HOSTInG PAneL
makes your busy life much easier. So, blogging should definitely be the first thing you use your cloud virtual private server (VPS) for. Sell, Sell, Sell Alright, so maybe writing isnt for you; maybe your role is in sales. Theres cloud hosting for that, too, in the form of e-commerce websites. But first, you need to figure out which e-commerce platform is right for you. Will it be Magento or Avactis? How about CubeCart or BoxBilling? Or maybe even Axis, AbanteCart or AlegroCart? Whatever your choice, all of these solutions will allow you to utilize your cloud-hosting platform to make a ton of money and capitalize on all the incoming traffic youll gain by using scalable cloud technologies to meet the growing needs of your e-commerce business. So, dont rule out e-commerce as a great method for making money using your cloud-hosting platform. Do Your Homework We have covered blogging and selling, but we forgot one (big) thing. See, both options require analysis. Whether you are analyzing incoming traffic and bounce rates or how long it takes for your customer to order their product, analysis is essential for you, the person who makes his or her living off of tracking numbers, optimizing click-through rates and figuring out ways to bring in more traffic. Now we cant tell you which application to use, personally we cant get enough of Piwik, but we can let you in on some of the most popular website analytics, polling and survey applications, including Aardvark Topsites, Advanced Poll, CJ Dynamic Poll, LimeSurvey, Logaholic, Open Web Analytics, Simple
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PHP Poll and, of course, Piwik. These offerings will provide your enterprise with real-time reports on website visitors, the search wsm.co/oss13 engines and keywords your visitors used to access your site, the language they speak, where they are from, the most popular pages, etc. Essentially, with these apps you can know everything about your visitor without having to consult Google Webmaster Tools (but lets be honest, you are probably going to use Google Webmaster Tools, and certainly Google Analytics, to get a second opinion on your website performance numbers). As with blogging and e-commerce platforms, the best providers offer a one-click install. Is That All? Nope! You should know cloud hosting can also be used for online ad management, calendars, customer support, database tools, ERP, forums, gaming, etc. Cloud hosting has many uses and this is, admittedly, a broad overview, but with so many positive uses, only one question remains. What are you waiting for?
FortressITX CEO Jason Silverglate entered the Web hosting universe in 1997. Silverglate spends his time pushing the bounds of cloud hosting technologies, educating small businesses on the benets of cloud infrastructures and throwing himself into anything tech.
This article sc ratches the surface of the many available platforms ava businesses lo ilable for oking for Web success in my riad ways. Dig deeper w ith Website Magazines B ig List o Source Softw f Open are at
Into the Cloud!
INTERNET ADVeRTISInG
Ahead of the Game in 2013

By Jeremy Bloom, Co-Founder of Integrate
Keep your ad strategy
The technology advancements of 2011 and 2012 will drive the platform and product adoptions of 2013. Marketers are already starting to push away the antiquated solutions of yesteryear in favor of automated, real-time tools that enable omnichannel strategies. So, what can you expect from the Net advertising of the future?
mobile RTb will take off in a big way In 2012, U.S. marketers spent $2 million-plus on digital display ads purchased through a real-time bidding (RTB) exchange or platform, doubling the previous years figures. The value of RTB is clear: It provides advertisers with the ability to reach a unique user in real time, increasing ad relevance and spend efficiency. Most Internet users have an identifiable browsing history supported by cookies, and advertisers can use RTBenabled exchanges and platforms to pinpoint specific audience segments using cookie-based targeting. Mobile, one of the fastest-growing marketing channels, has been all but absent from the RTB chatter due to its lack of cookie targeting. Mobile inventory is currently available on an RTB basis only through specialized providers, such as Turn, Moolah Media and Tapad. However, 2013 will be different, as we can expect to see
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a meteoric rise of RTB in the mobile space courtesy of Facebooks cookie-less mobile ad network, giving advertisers the ability to purchase high volumes of mobile display inventory using RTB systems. Although RTB-powered mobile ad buying is currently available, adoption has been slow to ramp up. More accurately, adoption rates are closely following industry trends. |Since mobile ads usually redirect to a mobile site or an app store landing page, buying mobile ads on an RTB basis is reasonable only if your mobile site is optimized for mobile devices or your goal is app downloads. Further, although the rise of mobile advertising has made it easier for marketers to reach their target audiences on the move, tracking and attribution platforms cannot accurately compare the performance of mobile ads to other paid media, at least not currently. This limits the effectiveness of mobile analytics on the path to understanding how mobile ads drive users through conversion paths. As more marketers develop and optimize increasingly engaging mobile experiences and learn to quantify the bottom-line result of mobile ads with evolving cross-channel media attribution platforms, mobile RTB spending will increase. The elephant in the room, and what will largely determine the rate at which mobile RTB ad buying grows, is Facebooks mobile ad network. The social network recently paused a test of its beta ad network, which allowed marketers to serve ads on third-party mobile apps using Facebook targeting data. This nifty feature
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circumvents the problem targeting mobile users without cookies and enables advertising based on the content that Facebook users have shared or liked.
d t techn understa discover n ologi es av d the au a wsm tomate l ilable to ea .co/a dstra d tegy1 3
Brid Auto ge the mati on G Mark o ap f eters m an us
Strategy #1: Prepare yourself for the return of Facebooks mobile ad network by experimenting with current mobile RTB platforms like EveryScreen Media, Strike Ad and Tapad, but only if your mobile sites and landing pages are optimized for the small screen. If your goal isnt app installs, dont waste time with mobile ads until youve created a flawless mobile experience. b2b will look more like b2C B2B marketers have traditionally paid 10 times more than B2C marketers for media buys due to the finite inventory that exists in the B2B market. With the advent of programmatic buying, and more B2B marketers becoming involved in retargeting and RTB through demand-side platforms (DSPs), many marketers had ah ha moments in 2012. They discovered that B2B decision makers were buying products and converting outside of the premium B2B placements they were paying a pretty penny for. By leveraging DSP-enabled technologies, B2B marketers realized they could gain insight into where their audiences live and convert once they clock out of work for the day. Since marketers are
generally being asked to do more with an equal or smaller budget, the tech-savvy B2B marketer will embrace and test more segments with DSPs. Well also see more placements of B2B brands and offers with relevant B2C publishers. This is great for B2C pubs and B2B brands, though somewhat concerning to B2B publishers who have been living high on the hog with exorbitantly priced CPMs the good old days are coming to an abrupt end, and the machines are taking over. However, B2B publishers that shift their strategies to combine new technology and methods with their existing industry expertise will continue to monetize their inventory effectively. Strategy #2: To avoid neglecting profitable opportunities, B2B marketers should understand and stay abreast of trending B2C marketing strategies (e.g., targeting individual as well as business characteristics) and realize that every B2B target is also a consumer.
mobile ad network by experimenting with current mobile RTB platforms like EveryScreen Media, Strike Ad and Tapad.
Prepare yourself for the return of Facebooks
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AFFIlIATE InSIDeR
Website acquisition
income Generation for small Business
By Ken Courtright
The economy hit people hard and many are looking for a better, or at least a different path for income. Joining the small business community, which has enjoyed a healthy growth in recent years, may be the way to go.
According to the Intuit Index, a monthly report of people working at businesses with 20 or fewer employees, employment was up 4.7 percent from July 2009 to Feb. 2012. By contrast, the Bureau of Labor Statistics measure of the overall U.S. non-farm employment increased by only 1.9 percent. With this upward trend in small business growth, what options are there for those wanting to start a company? Purchasing an already monetized website one with low overhead and potential for sustained income could provide the financial security one seeks. Todays most popular methods of making money on the Web, of course, come from display ads, lead generation, product sales, or direct sales of a service, product or app. The purchase of a monetized website offers something unique. When buying a website that is already making profits, the buyer may not have to have any experience in the industry the site resides in. The days of needing a specific education, skillset or industry training to own a small business are over. Because buying revenue-generating websites takes little in the way of industry experience, it is a great option for those needing extra income or for many who need to work from home. One must still take careful consideration before buying a monetized website
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AFFIlIATE InSIDeR
as without knowing what Web properties are truly sustainable, people can slowly watch their investment erode away. There are many ways to go about acquiring a thriving online business, but take the following criteria into consideration and youll be on the fast track to generating online income. 1. Assessing the Commitment If you are in the market to acquire a site, make sure you are comfortable with the financial and time commitments. Focus on Non-Heroic websites, meaning buy websites that are easy to maintain, market and manage. You must also make sure you have the passion, interest, content and funding to get into the game. 2. Funding the Acquisition A quality, sustainable website acquisition can range from thousands of dollars to millions. There are three main factors in determining the proper budget for acquiring a monetized website. The first would be the risk tolerance of the new business owner; the second is the amount of income they are shopping for; and the third is how much of the starting capital should be set aside for monthly maintenance and marketing. 3. Finding the Right Site Now comes the tricky part finding the right Web property. At any moment there can be 10,000-50,000 sites for sale throughout the world, but not all are potentially viable investment opportunities. Monetized websites are listed for sale just like homes and cars on sites like Flippa.com and others. There are many strategies and methods
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for identifying a quality, sustainable site. Consider evaluating a site on the following criteria: quality of design and development, current and potential market share, existing promotional efforts and overall promise. 4. Acquiring the Site It is necessary to scan hundreds of sites each month to determine the best fit for an individual. Only consider acquiring those sites that are consistently generating stable revenues, and at roughly two times their earnings, which means that at the time of purchase it is producing a 50 percent annual return. 5. making It Work and Grow While it is essential to acquire a site with a proven track record of revenue and success, the ultimate goal is likely to grow the sites income even further. The first recommendation is to understand exactly what type of monthly marketing they were doing to get the site into its current position. You may want to look to partner with an Internet marketer that understands how to make your digital asset grow and prosper.
Keys to Success
The key to buying a quality, sustainable monetized website is to do the homework, make sure the website has steadily generated income over time and is in an industry you believe has a good future.
Ken Courtright is an entrepreneur who has leveraged his 20 years of business experience to drive the success of Todays Growth Consultant and its division Income Store.
STAT WATCH
Data, Data, Everywhere!

The most interesting stats and metrics from the digital world.
The Web moves pretty fast. If you dont stop and look around once in a while, youre sure to miss some new trends, evolving best practices, or opportunities that will help your enterprise not just survive, but thrive. Website Magazines editorial staff aggregates and curates some of the more interesting recent research and statistics and publishes it daily on the Web, as well as in this months Stat Watch. Find more useful data and valuable insights at WebsiteMagazine.com.
Digital Hiring Demand

The demand for freelance online talent keeps growing and so does those digital professionals incomes. Those most commonly hired, according to the Elance Global Online Employment Report, were mobile developers and Web programmers (followed closely by marketers and Web content professionals). HTML developers saw a 149 percent earnings increase, while PHP and CSS experts saw their income improve by 108 and 103 percent respectively. Mobile-minded Android and iOS developers also saw increase of 146 and 132 percent.
68%
The percentage of the Internet population across 11 countries who would select a do-not-track (DNT) feature if it was easily available as reported in Ovums 2013 Consumer Insights Survey.
25 Billion
The number of songs sold on the iTunes digital music store, a milestone reported by Apple.
60%
The majority of potential consumer electronics purchases that are inspired by a consumer review to select a brand not in their original consideration set, according to Weber Shandwicks recently released Buy It, Try It, Rate It research study.
64%
The percentage of online marketers who say their budgets for paid search advertising will increase in 2013 (according to a Vizu/ Nielsen Report).
5.6 million
The number of directions generated from the Yelp mobile app in Jan. 2013 (according to Yelp). Customers who leverage Yelp spend an average of $101.59 on their first visit.
| A P R I L 2013
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WEB 100
Website Magazines Web 100 Guide is available NOW! Current Website Magazine subscribers can discover the digital tactics of leading enterprises at wsm.co/getweb100.
>>> Success Corner

CANT MISS RESOURCES TO ACCELERATE YOUR WEB SUCCESS
24 24 24 20
QUOTED
Alexis Karlin of Percussion Software Andrew Knibbe, CMO at Flippa Andy Crestodina, Strategic Director at OrbitMedia Anton Shepherd, Web Designer at SWC Technology Partners Brett Pitts, EVP, Head of Digital/Internet Product Management, Wells Fargo Doyle Albee, President of Metzger Associates Eddie Machaalani, Co-CEO of Bigcommerce Ian Aronovich, President & Co-Founder of GovernmentAuctions.org Jay Melone, CEO at DigitalXBridge Jeff Blettner, Web Designer at Formstack Jessica Ivins, Senior UX specialist at AWeber John Kalinich, VP E-Commerce at Deckers Outdoor Corporation Josh Farkas, Founder of Cubicle Ninjas Joshua R. Simmons, CEO of Bluebird Interactive Ron Rule, CEO of Coracent Ross Kramer, CEO of Listrak Ryan Stemkoski, Interactive Director at Zipline Interactive Sean Ziolko, Designer, KTA Seth Banks, Founder of Cashboard Shannon Welch, Director of Web Analytics at Terakeet Corporation Stephanie Schulman, Public Relations Manager at Weight Watchers Stephen McQuaide, Manager of Earned Media at The Search Agency
Avraham Cohn, Founder & CEO of Digital Development Consulting 20 9 24 18 24 34 20 20 8 20 34 34 18 34 34 34 33 7 20 33 7
Website Magazines print edition is only the beginning of our coverage on emerging trends, best practices and news that impacts your Web success. Here are three popular articles you might have missed at WebsiteMagazine.com. 7 Innovative Solutions to CAPTCHA User Attention
Among the many solutions that Web workers have devised to improve security measures and the user experience on their sites, is the CAPTCHA (or Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart), a solution that presents a challenge response test to users that ensures the person trying to access the site is actually a human and not just an annoying spam bot. Read more at wsm.co/captcha13
Web 100 Features

Content-Rich Rankings Exclusive Interviews With the Webs Biggest Inuencers Best Practice Takeaways From the Digital Elite Lists of Third-Party Providers Used by the Webs Best
Tad Miller, Vice President of Accounts at Search Mojo Theresa DiMasi, VP of Content at WeightWatchers.com
Responsive Design: Not So Simple

Sometimes, a good idea on paper can blossom into a great idea in practice. Other times however, a seemingly great idea on paper can quickly turn into a wastebasket full of unexpected and unnecessary frustration. Such can be the case for those who decide to build a responsive website for their business. Read more at wsm.co/responsivedes
NOTED
AddThis Authorize.net Avangate Awardable.com Billing Circle Bing bitly Chargify CheddarGetter 24 Facebook 30 Flippa 30 Flurry Analytics 24 Foursquare 30 Fusebill 10 Glam Media 30 InboundWriter 30 Instagram 8 Listrak 24 McGarryBowen 24 Monexa 18 Moolah Media 10, 18 Optify 24,37 Pinterest 34 Recurly 10 SaaSy 30 Sencha Touch 24 Silverpop 33 18 30 30 34 8 36 36 36 18 12 10 18 30
Trends in Title Tag Design

Its difcult to overstate the importance of title elements when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). The title of your website or Web page as it appears on a search engine results page (SERP) is an important factor when it comes to how well you ultimately end up ranking. Read more at wsm.co/titletag13
24 Google 10, 18, 33, 35 Strike Ad 18 Tapad 12 Turn 18 Twitter 20 TypeKit 24 Yelp 30 YouTube 36 Zuora
24 SubscriptionBridge 30
Free to Website Magazine Subscribers & Available at wsm.co/getweb100
Commission Junction 7 jQuery Demandware DivvyHQ ExactTarget ExpoTV
EveryScreen Media 36 Moat
| A P R I L 2013
Growing Your Digital
WEb COMMenTARY
By Amberly Dressler, Managing editor
The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. Mark Twain Spring is around the corner, and if you are anywhere other than states famous for their year-around good weather (e.g. California, Hawaii, Floridaall those sound nice right about now), then it cant come soon enough. Aside from more sunshine and higher temps, spring is a time for rebirth, regrowth, renewalall the words synonymous with starting over. In Chicago, for example, at time of writing its gray, windy and freezing, literally. Give this city about eight weeks, and well start seeing hundreds of thousands of beautiful tulips line the Magnificent Mile (for the unfamiliar, thats 13 blocks of North Michigan Avenue filled with hundreds of stores, dozens of hotels and a vital, bustling part of Chicago). While tulips may spring up naturally in certain parts of the world, their grand, welcomed appearance in the heart of the concrete Second City is no accident. Around St. Patricks Day the same time the Chicago River is dyed green landscapers lay the groundwork for the annual display that typically lasts from mid-April to the end of May. The city workers feel hurried to get this massive job finished. Their efforts are worth the troubles.
Garden
| A P R I L 2013
_
Plan
WEb COMMenTARY
When all is said and done, the tulips signify to Chicagoans that the long, cold winter is truly over. In todays ber competitive digital landscape, plenty of businesses are facing a metaphoric Chicago winter, but each enterprise can plant its own seeds for success. There is no better time than now to plan, plant and protect your enterprise. Think of it as growing your digital garden. In every business there are attractors and detractors impacting its success. If pressed to answer who is who at your company, Im willing to bet you can point out whose commitment, loyalty and drive is unwavering. Im also willing to bet, itd be just as easy to point out whose actions, words and overall presence casts a negative shadow around projects, productivity and morale. Have you had an honest discussion with the latter group? If not, dont put it off for tomorrow. Give them an opportunity to improve their behavior, but dont plant bad seeds. Oftentimes we hang onto people and things out of fear. You didnt get to be in a position of decision out of fear; dont make decisions based on it either.
Promoting, hiring or delegating can be part of this process. If you know what it takes to take your business to the next level, but are bogged down with the everyday tasks you are hanging onto, hire, promote or delegate the right person for the job, so you can do yours growing your business.
Protect
Just as you would nurture a garden, your business must have proper care and protection. While there is no magic insurance policy that protects your business from lawsuits or threats (either internal or external), due diligence is as close as it gets. This begins with understanding current issues. Online privacy is a big one, and enterprises keeping current with its changing tide are the ones positioned for success. So read everything you can, talk to everyone in your industry and keep learning. Spring is a great time to start anew and part of the planting process is removing what was previously there. Beautiful tulips cannot grow on top of lifeless poinsettias. Just take one step at a time and know that sometimes its the simplest advice that has the greatest meaning. As my young sons favorite book instructs, Sprinkle seeds into the ground, scoop some dirt and pat it down. With sun and rain both helping out, soon the seeds begin to sprout. Go ahead watch your digital garden grow.
Plant
The act of planting is a leap of faith. You have to believe that your preparation will truly pay off. This is a time to take some risks.
| A P R I L 2013
Meet The Staff
The Magazine for Website Success

999 E. Touhy Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60018 Toll Free: 1.800.817.1518 International: 1-773-628-2779 www.websitemagazine.com
PUBLISHER: Susan Whitehurst susan@websitemagazine.com MANAGING EDITOR Amberly Dressler adressler@websitemagazine.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Allison Howen ahowen@websitemagazine.com Michael Garrity mgarrity@websitemagazine.com MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER: Shannon Rickson shannon@websitemagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Joann Dzon jdzon@websitemagazine.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Peter Prestipino peter@websitemagazine.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/ ADVERTISING: Kelly Springer kspringer@websitemagazine.com Troy Pickett troy@websitemagazine.com Brian Wallace brian@websitemagazine.com ART DIRECTOR: Janet Crouch www.grakadesign.net CONTRIBUTORS: Jarrod Wright Jeremy Bloom Ken Courtright Jason Silverglate Lisa Barone
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Covering search engine optimization and online advertising, afliate marketing, Website design, Web development, and e-commerce subscribe today and stay up to date on the latest trends, techniques and tactics for Web success!
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We contact your customers to verify each statement. Authenticated Testimonials provides a verication seal to display on your website. Prospects are more inclined to trust and purchase your products or services!
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F R O m T H e e D ITO R

Inside the Online World

Visit these upcoming Internet Industry Trade Shows.

IF YOU OFFER, THEY WILL CLAIM

read more at Website Magazine: http://wsm.co/NetBriefsApril13

Foursquare for Business

Acquisitions & Milestones

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| A P R I L 2013 7search.com | 1.800.577 .1165 | 1.773.283.0086

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WELLS FARGO CHASE COMMUNITY GIVING

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Is Facebooks Graph Search a Game Changer?

The Local Rivalry The m ome

Lead Scoring for Success

7 Ways Website Tags Can Make You Miss Your Number

Real-Time Delivery of Fraud and Security Intelligence

6 Web Metrics Even the Experts Forget to Measure

Why Consumers Choose to Chat with Retailers

Identifying Anonymous Website Visitors

Iden%fying Anonymous Website Visitors

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