Having your website critiqued by a fresh set of eyes can be useful, as we’re so used to seeing our websites that we’re effectively blind to any issues that may be staring visitors in the face. This first in a series of website teardowns is for the Business of Software Conference. If you’d like to submit your website for review, … Read More
90 second SEO overview – no additional tools
One of the reasons that a lot of companies never get around to even looking into their search engine optimisation is that they don’t really know where to start. They’re often not too sure where to begin in looking at what often appears to be a pretty huge and overwhelming task. In today’s video I’m going to show you a … Read More
The reality of first impressions
How much of an impact does the first impression have on a website? We already know that visitors don’t really spend any time in deciding – they make snap judgments. So why do so many websites fail to deliver? Transcript of video: Hi this is Dave Collins from SoftwarePromotions. Today I’m going to be talking about how long visitors to … Read More
Good news everyone!
Every morning I spend half an hour looking at news and commentary from a wide variety of sources. Yet it’s only recently that I’ve become aware of how the quality and creativity of the headlines and titles have improved dramatically over the years. I think that David Ogilvy may be to blame. And yes there is blame: “On the average, … Read More
Step by step: adapting to (not provided)
Transcript of video – adapting to (not provided): Note: The video is worth watching as I’ll show you exactly what to look for and where. Plus it’s only 6 minutes long with no sales pitch! Hi everyone, this is Dave Collins from SoftwarePromotions. Today I’m going to talk about (not provided) and how you can actually deal with this new … Read More
It’s time to throw away your sales funnels
Why do we use the analogy of a funnel for our website visitors? Could it be wishful thinking? A funnel is designed to conduct the flow of liquids or other substances into a container with a small mouth. Rather than pouring the liquid over the mouth and hoping that some of it actually falls in, the funnel channels the flow. … Read More
Pain is a catalyst for change
Moving from inertia to action usually requires some sort of change in circumstances. Too often, status quo appears to be the easiest option – even when it isn’t. Many online businesses stick with using poor support and tracking systems for their customers. Not because they are so attached to the systems in question, but because the pain of switching to … Read More
How To Win Customers and Influence Visitors
Every page on your website has the potential to impress or repulse, so why has it become acceptable to only optimise the home page, main page and landing pages? Broadly speaking, every page performs one or more of the following functions: – To inform. – To impress. – To persuade. – To compel. Pages that inform. Passively sharing information is … Read More
Good headlines help your sex-life
An eye-catching headline can make the difference between a glance and engagement. This is beyond obvious, right? So why aren’t you doing it? You probably spend a fair amount of time writing and testing your website’s headlines. And if you’re running AdWords ads, you certainly understand the importance of a good title. Yet many companies fail to capitalise on the … Read More
Bad Content is the Fast Food of the Web
No-one questions the wisdom of creating good content. It reinforces authority and expertise. It acts as a catalyst for creativity. It’s good for search engine traffic, marketing, sales, and (shudder) social media. So why is there so little good content? There’s a seemingly infinite amount of content, but almost all of it is sorely lacking when it comes to quality. … Read More
