A lot of web site owners hear the term “meta tag” at some point and aren’t really sure what it is.  Then they start to panic and wonder if their web site designer included this. This topic can be rather extensive, so I will just cover some brief points.

Firstly, there are many types of meta tags.  These tags are within the code of your web page.  Basically what the tags do is define certain information about your site that may be important to a search engine or computer.  A few examples are: title, description, keywords, and author (but there are many more).

So are they important? Yes, sort of.  They are based on earlier Internet technologies, and many search mechanisms ignore them. However, some tags – like the title tag – are still considered important to include, especially for search engine exposure.

Should your pages have meta tags? Yes. At least title, description, and keywords tags are a good idea.  It certainly does not hurt your site to include these, and it might help.

The most important ‘meta tag’ is the title tag. This is the title you see displayed in the web browser (in the top bar).  Even after a couple decades of Internet behavior changes, experts still agree that the title tag is an important communication tool that tells both browsers and search engines what your site is about.  It should be one of the first things in your code, so it is one of the first opportunities a search engine has to read about your site.  So – this is an ideal place to include strong key phrases about your business.  Furthermore, search marketing professionals will stress that you should strive for variation on each title tag page to page.

How can I tell if my pages have meta tags? View your web page in a browser, right click (PC), and select the View Source option (might be called Page Source or something similar).  This will display some of the code for your page (excluding certain programming like php or asp).  Toward the top, there should be several lines that start with <meta name=….

WEBii can help with enhancing your site for search friendliness, and this is one of the things we look for in that process.  Contact us if you would like assistance improving your web site’s code.

Every business needs a media/press kit (the two names are interchangeable). Your media kit is a go-to guide for others to learn about your business. It should be enticing and informative. It should provide viewers with a good snapshot of your company, and make them want to learn more about your company, products and services.  You want your media kit to shine and stand out amongst others.
Traditionally a press kit was used to pass to journalists and media outlets to give them quality information about your company. Many times this was used as filler information for their stories about you. It also helped when you pitched them on a story because you already had all the information they need to know. Granted a good reporter will verify your information, find supporting evidence and back it up (or refute it, if that’s the case).

Today there are vast ways you can expand your media kit’s reach and expose it to larger numbers of individuals. A key medium to tap into is the Internet and your website. Your website is already an important tool for marketing your business, now you can add to it.  You can include a press section on your website, and provide these resources for your customers and your prospects with the click on a button. Having a press section on your website provides easy access for your clients, prospects, business associates, etc. to get needed information any time of day.

Key features to include with your press kit:

• Backgrounder – this is a short biography of your company
• Company timeline – this can be a brief, bullet-point list of the major happenings your company has experienced over the years
• Key facts – include important, and relevant, information that consumers need to know about your products & services, and your company.
• Price sheets – use this for your products and services
• Staff biographies – if you have a key employees that you want to spotlight, or all of your employees – this is a good way to put a face with a name
• Product / Service Sheets – keep it concise, but this is your chance to showcase what you have to offer
• Recent Press Releases – you want to show you are generating buzz
• Testimonials – ask your customers to share some kind words about you and how you’ve helped their business
• And more — add items that you feel are pertinent to your company and what will showcase your offerings.

It’s always good to have “paper” versions of your media kits so that you have tangible items to pass out. Don’t forget to tap into the resources you have and get that kit on your website. The exposure it will get is unmatched. A good design company will be able to help you integrate the new press section into your existing site fairly easily.

One reminder: once you get this press room open on your website, don’t forget to update it. There’s nothing worse than old news!

You always hear the term “brand” and “branding,” but have you figured out how that translates to your company? You might think your brand is strong but you should consider giving it a good critique to see if its living up to the expectations you have for it.

Your brand is compromised of many elements – your logo, color scheme, tag lines, design elements and more. It is the meaning behind your company. It helps define the attitudes and associations individuals make about your company. It encompasses all that your company is.

You have a “brand” in your head and you hope most people think of your brand when they hear your company’s name. Hoping and knowing are two completely different things. The best way to build and strengthen your brand is to critique it and make sure it is clearly defined.

To have a well-defined brand that everyone recognizes can be tough, but you can do it. Your brand should be everywhere! You can’t let it slide on this or that, you have to keep it consistent through everything you do. From letterhead to your blog’s color scheme … your brand should be there. Your website should be an extension of your brand, as well as all of your other marketing materials. Even your word choice on your marketing materials defines your brand. Your brand should clearly shine through all of your messages.

Building a brand is tough. The key is to have a clear, concise theme and message behind your brand  — that will take you further than some sloppy ole’ mess thrown together in a paper sack.

It is important to always stay in communication with your internal and external constituents, prospects and users. Regardless of what is going on (bad economy or not), it is imperative that you keep the rapport up and stay talking. You always want your brand and company to be present in peoples’ minds.

There are few simple things you can keep in mind when targeting your communication, and making the most out of it.

Focus. Your message needs to be specific and your target market defined. Decide what you want to say, and say it concisely. Your message should be crystal clear. The easiest way to get people’s attention is with a focused message.

Adapt. And quickly. You need to be able to take what is thrown at you and work with it. Times are changing and things are different everyday. Different groups of people respond to messages in different ways. You need to be able to handle that, and cater your message to different crowds.

Persuade. You still want customers to buy your products, so you need to make sure your messages still have flair. Remember, creative and functional: that is what works. Boring is boring (period). Creative doesn’t always sell. That is why you need both elements (creative & functional) to make it work.

Keep talking!

This morning, I got bit by the April Fool’s bug… clocks got set ahead, and I thought I was late. It took me about 10 minutes (and 4 coworkers playing along with the joke later) to get it. It gave us all a good laugh, and it made me start thinking … one thing no one wants is for their marketing efforts to make them the laughing stock of the show.

Your marketing efforts should serve a variety of functions. Here are a few tips to help with your efforts:

• Enhance your brand: Don’t work against the foundation you’ve already laid … instead, build onto it with your marketing tactics. You want something that works well with and adds to what you already have.. Remember, your brand is more than just logos and color choices. It is so much more. It is your word choice, your presentation, your value and your personality.
• Emphasize the value: Your marketing efforts should show off your company, product and services. You want to give clear, tangible reasons about how your product or service will help your customer, and why they should buy/use it. The more clear your message, the greater the value.
• Entertain your audience: You want creative, snazzy promotional materials. Be catchy and make it memorable. Don’t go too crazy, just make sure your efforts stand out above the rest.
• Exercise your rights: Marketing should be continuous … branding should be continuous. You can’t wake up one day and decide, “oh I want the XYZ brand to look like this and everyone know it’s out there.” You need to build and work on it overtime – this means keeping your marketing efforts going on year around, not just whenever the fancy strikes you.

Channeling your creativity for your marketing efforts can be tough. Maybe its because of budgeting, maybe lack of time or even lack of resources. Regardless, the most effective marketing is creative, and functional. That should be your focus and the 4 E’s above should help you rev things into high gear.