While money may be the highest factor for travelers when using a travel website, a lot of them will leave a website if they have difficulties navigating the website and checkout process. According to a survey of survey of US online travel bookers by PhoCusWright, site-related complaints like not wanting to register with the website, slow loading times, and general confusion caused people not to complete their online transactions. Also, more than a third of online travel bookers said that website problems like this make them less likely to shop at that website again. Business travelers, who are more likely than ...

It is important when creating a presence for your business on the web to choose the options that work best for your specific business. It can be difficult to decide if you want to create a microsite, if you want to get multiple domain names, or to use your main website. Each option has strengths and benefits depending on what you are aiming to achieve, and the budget you have available. Microsite A microsite provides detailed information about a specific product or service that may not be available on the main website. By using a microsite, you can target specific keywords to make the ...

Search Logs are often not included in regular analytics package, or if they are included, they are ignored. Paying attention to your website's Search Log can help you learn more how people use your website. Pay attention to these three aspects of your search log. Your Top Search Terms - This shows how visitors think as they explore your site. See if any of the results have any patterns relating to the calendar year. Are people searching for tax information right before tax day? Are people searching for gifts and flowers around Valentine's Day? Once you figure out your top search terms, ...

A study from Constant Contact finds that after word of mouth, small businesses consider websites the most important marketing method in finding new customers. Approximately 93% of the people chose a website, while the next highest choice was email marketing at 89%. In 2009, only 78% of small businesses surveyed relied on a website to bring in new customers and only 70% thought email marketing was important. With so many businesses relying on their website to attract new customers even more than before, it is important that you keep your website up-to-date in design and technology in order to compete. If you ...

While it may be tempting to put all of the information you have about your company, its products and services on the home page for people to see right away, this is often overwhelming for visitors and can drive people away from your company. Websites should be treated like an online version of a store or business. When you walk into a grocery store, you aren't confronted with flashing lights, blaring music, and every product the store has in stock. Instead, you will see a handful of products with signs and indicators directing you to other items. In the same way, your ...

According to the survey "Website Design Strategies and Tactics, most e-commerce websites are planning a redesign of their website in 2010. Almost half of the e-commerce websites planning on a redesign are looking to create better organization with updated home and inner pages of their website. They are also looking for better search engine optimization and clearer navigation for the website. About one-third of the retailers are also looking to add video or streaming media as well as customer reviews and ratings. The main reason given by retailers for the redesign is to increase sales and attract new shoppers. It is important to keep ...

In a recent study from BIA/Kelsey and ConStat, almost all US Internet users research local products and services onilne first before making a purchase. Approximately 97 percent use online media for local shopping research, and of those 90 percent use search engines,  48 percent use Internet Yellow Pages, 24 percent use vertical sites, and 42 percent use comparison shopping sites. The report also showed that more than half of the people surveyed used an online coupon when shopping for products in the past year and almost 20 percent booked an appointment online somewhere other than a restaurant. As more and more people turn ...

With more people searching and researching companies on the web and making their purchasing decisions online, your website could easily be the first thing a potential customer sees about your business. Having a corporate website design that hasn't been updated in years conveys that your company doesn't belong in 2010. Regardless of the industry you're in, it's imperative to keep your website up-to-date. There are a few simple ways you can see if it is time for you to revamp your website. Lack of intelligent reporting and analytics - Your website is a powerful medium through which you can engage your audience. ...

As a full service marketing agency, it’s kind of hard not to notice the marketing efforts utilized by the businesses around us. It’s great to see campaigns being launched and creativity being stretched. So we thought it would be interesting to make this a regular thing and see what companies are doing to help grow their business and increase their exposure. Today’s featured business: Express I received this ad from Express awhile back, and recently decided to check on their website to see how the promotion was going.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that Express.com had updated their website to be ...

The best way to figure out if a marketing campaign is doing well is by looking at the data. Reading up on your clicks and conversions will quickly tell you what works and what doesn't. There are a few things that should stand out to you when looking at your marketing campaign's data. If your campaign suddenly gains or loses traffic Even minor changes to a landing page or website can make a significant difference in your turn around. If you are experience a significant difference, do some testing ot find out why. If subscribers are constantly opening your messages When customers are ...

Having a great website can easily be your best marketing tool. Potential customers can learn about your company and its products and services. Only 3% of buyers from various companies say a website has no influence at all over a purchase decision, according to a survey by RainToday.com. A professional services website has had an increasing influence on purchasing decision over the past four years. The survey reports that a website holds at least some influence over 74% of buyers' decision. This is up from 2005 where it was only 51%. A professional design with valuable content, pictures, and information can help ...

2010 is well on its way and it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities. However, with the year still new, it is important to reflect on your business' 1-to-1 marketing and see if you are effectively executing your online solutions. Here are a few things to review and see if they are being properly utilized. Review your website. Look at your website with a fresh set of eyes. Is the information you want conveyed properly to your target audience? Could new visitors quickly find information about your products and services? Are you clearly highlighting how to find ...