Pom Perspective: Go Mobile or Go Home
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011Android, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7, iOS, RIM, Symbia. What does it all mean?
It means that if you thought smartphones were going the way of the lava lamp — a loved, but short-lived accessory, it’s time to think again. Smartphones are here to stay and they are making a noticeable impact on web design & development, and thus, how you represent your brand online.
Today, wi-fi, tethering and increasingly ubiquitous high-speed mobile coverage make it possible for us to stay connected. Always. That means when Joe’s boss asks him to cut IT costs by 30% in Q2, you better believe he’s taking advantage of his 40-minute train ride to explore vendor websites, check-in with his twitter network and update his Facebook friends to let them know he’s under the gun — again — at the office.
So what does this all mean for marketers? At a minimum — and I do mean minimum — it means that Joe is expecting that your website is going to work on his Droid. So, how do you make sure it does?
Here are 3 simple tips to get going in mobile:
1.    Know your audience. What phones and platforms does your audience use most? Don’t forget to include tablets here — have you seen the feeds coming from CES 2011?!
2.    Test, test, test. Find out what phones and mobile browsers your potential customers are using and get them. Then test your site on them to determine what, if anything, needs to be fixed.
3.    Don’t beat yourself up. It’s ok if not all aspects of your site work in all mobile browsers. Like life, mobile is a journey, not a destination. Don’t be afraid to try things and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Why IT people hate most websites
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011A recent poll of 262 IT and business professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region identified the Top 5 things that irk them about technology-related websites:
1. Too much fluff. They think most technology-related websites make too many expansive performance claims and don’t include enough specifics on how things work.
2. Instant gratification. They dislike having to dig deep to find adequate information about technical specifications and system requirements. They want to know how things work!
3. Not enough proof. They want evidence that the technology works and that it’s better than what else is available. They like things like competitor charts with features and benefits. They also like white papers with hard data.
4. No demos. It annoys them to be required to fill out a form to request a demo and then be harassed by a sales person. They want to see a demo first and then decide if they want more information.
5. Too hard to see the benefits. Tell them straight up how the technology will make their life easier. Will it help them sleep better at night? Will it reduce their workload? They want to know what’s in it for them right upfront.
Journey to a New Website — Where to Begin?
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009At Pomerantz, we recently took some of our own advice and decided to give our website a complete overhaul— total redesign, new content management system, and fully optimized for search engines. During this journey, as we walked a mile in our clients’ shoes, we discovered that there were some things that even our agency struggled with along the way (and we’re the professionals!). That got me thinking about how challenging it can be to figure out where to start with all of this web stuff, how to determine what’s going to work for your business, and how to select a service provider that will turn your goals into reality. Here are a few tips to help you sort through the muck and focus in on what’s really important:
1. Research the basics
You could spend countless hours reading articles about web design, web development, content management systems, internet marketing, search engine optimization, web analytics, and more, but the goal of your research should not be to become an expert in these disciplines. The idea is to form a basic understanding of the tools available to enhance your company’s web presence so you don’t feel overwhelmed when shopping around for service providers. A few quick searches can help you make sense of the difference between pay per click advertising and search engine optimization or weigh the pros and cons of using a content management system versus not using a CMS. But when it comes to understanding the techniques that are used to implement these tactics— it’s probably best to leave that to the professionals.
2. Research your competitors
Although any good web service provider includes competitive analysis when formulating an internet marketing strategy, it doesn’t hurt to go into the process already knowing what your competitors are up to. Start with your competitors’ websites and make note of what you like and what you don’t like. Look for certain design styles that catch your eye (in a good or bad way), try to find specific functions that appeal to you such as the navigation or portfolio gallery, notice the calls to action on the websites and how prospects are encouraged to contact the company or take a desired action, check to see if your competitors are utilizing a blog or promoting social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc) on their websites.
3. Shop around
If your company doesn’t have an agency of record that can help with a website redesign or internet marketing, do some comparison shopping before you pick your service provider. Not all web design firms, search engine companies, and internet marketing agencies are created equal. Many have a checklist of standard services that they will sell you, even if your company doesn’t need it, so beware of firms that don’t talk to you about your business and goals before offering prices and solutions. Don’t be afraid to ask for references, descriptions of the web work the agency has performed, and the results their clients have seen. Also, if an agency can’t explain their services or results in a way that you can understand… then keep looking!
Don’t worry, if you need help along the way just Ask The Marketing Coach! Or if you want to start shopping around now, contact Pomerantz for a free Website Evalution.