HOW EFFECTIVE IS YOUR WEB SITE?

In today's digital age, a Web site can be your company's most important marketing tool. It is wise to evaluate your site every six months to ensure that your message is being properly broadcasted through cyberspace. 

When it comes to the Web, don't approach it like a message through print; the page should be concise yet informative, and the design should be basic, but eye-catching.

Here are five key elements to consider when assessing your Web site:

1. Audience

• Make sure your site speaks to your desired audience.
  
• Find out who is visiting. Can you track visits?

2. Design/content

• A simple design is a good design. 
  
• Dark text over a light background is easier on the eyes. Light text on a dark background will always make the text appear smaller than it actually is.
  
• Consistency and branding — font styles and colors should be consistent on every page.
  
• Is it informative without being too text heavy?

3. Navigation

• Is it easy to navigate? Use descriptive and short, labels. Navigation should be in the same spot on every page.

4. Search Engine Optimization

• Is it search-engine friendly? A search engine should understand what the site is about and match people's queries to it correctly.

5. Usability

• Java and Flash are great, but not everyone has appropriate software to view it. Try to your site have the quickest load times possible — not everybody has a broadband connection.

When the layout and intentions of the site are clear and complete, make sure to tie up all the loose ends. It is always a good idea to put a ‘contact us' link on the bottom of the page for any questions or feedback from your audience. When you're finally done, double-check every section of your site for consistency.

Now that there is a finished product, make sure to update the site as much as possible so it doesn't get stale to your regular audience.

ONLINE GUERILLA MARKETING

e-Guerilla, Under Attack?

It seems guerilla marketing is competing with itself these days — or at least with a bevy of trendy monikers. Whether it's viral marketing or buzz marketing, whisper campaigning or stealth promotions, it seems guerilla marketing is besieged by its own concept in today's e-world.

What's most important is that guerilla marketing, in its various forms, is actually an ideal way to work with today's highly fragmented markets. The name was coined in 1984, long before commercial use of the Internet and e-mail. The concept works well for today's mixed-media environment because the idea is to strategically reach people in unconventional ways through highly precise targeting on limited resources.

The Web and all things "e" provide the ideal landscape for modern guerilla marketing. Here are three tips all marketers and communicators should consider:

1. Meta is Mega 

Last year, $5.75 billion was spent on search engine marketing, and 83 percent of that was for paid placement, according to the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization. Meta marketing, whether organic or through paid search, is critical more than ever to maintain Web presence.

2. War of the Words

Watch out for competitors generating fake content to drive business away from you. Whether through blogs, public message boards, fake Web sites or the world of "user comments" that abound on the Internet, make sure your competition isn't waging a war of strategic keywords to maximize their own Web presence while demeaning yours. 

3. Got Intelligence?

Best regards,

Peter Rush, Chairman & CEO

Visit Our Web site: www.kellenPR.com or contact Cara Clinton, at 212.297.2109 for more information.

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