Sweetmantra: Internet Marketing Advice

Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly?

I'm one of the millions of Canadians who uses a mobile device (two, in fact) to surf the Web. Twice this past week I was thwarted in my attempt to access a number of popular Websites because the sites weren't designed to allow mobile surfers, like myself, in.

I have two observations to make regarding this:

1. Companies that continue to ignore (shut out) mobile surfers are going to start noticing that they are losing customers and, even worse, irreparably damaging their brands. As more and more people start to use mobile devices to access the Web, they are going to flock to the Websites of the companies that welcome them and their wireless brethren and avoid those that don't. Even when mobile surfers are forced to surf through a 'wired' device (e.g., a desktop computer), which Websites (and brands) do you think are going to be top-of-mind to them? Certainly not the ones that spurned them in the mobile environment.
2. It's not as difficult as you might think to make a Website (or at least some of its key content) accessible to a mobile surfer. You don't even need to create a separate WAP Website. If you avoid the use of frames, JavaScript/Flash navigation, image maps, and tons of images, your main site will be more mobile-friendly. Sound familiar? Pat yourself on the back if you recognized that many of the same best practices that make a Website easily found by search engines also make a Website easily accessed by mobile users.

If you're planning on launching, or re-launching, a Website, make sure you remember to consider the mobile surfer in your plans. Their numbers are only going to increase over time.

Why the Hell Aren't You Blogging?

It's been less than three months since I launched this blog (and less than two months since I told anyone about it) and I can't believe how many wonderful (and sometimes unexpected) things have already happened because of it:

• I now dominate the Canadian and US Google search results for "Bill Sweetman." (This was not unexpected but I still didn't think it would happen so quickly.)
• I was invited to be an upcoming guest on Call For Help, an internationally syndicated television show. (Don't worry, I'll let you know more details nearer the time.)
• I was asked to speak at a Canadian Marketing Association event about blogging.
• I got mentioned (along with my blog) in seven other industry blogs.
• I got several new business leads, including one from Kansas City, Missouri. Go figure.
• I was contacted by a high school friend who now lives in Singapore and who I haven't seen in over 20 years.
• Not to mention the fact that this blog played host to 461 unique visitors from 9 different countries who looked at a total of 1,177 pages.

Suffice to say, I am overjoyed by the positive and positively remarkable responses to Sweetmantra. I'd also like to thank Ken Schafer for getting me warmed up to the idea of having my own blog by inviting me to be a contributor to the amazing One Degree and Mitch Joel for upping the ante by introducing me to the term "bloggus interruptus." In other words, they are to blame for this! Thanks guys.

If you don't have your own blog yet, why not? Let me know what's holding you back.

Could a Monkey Sell Search Engine Advertising?

As a tactic, search engine advertising practically sells itself. Here's just one example:

I was recently asked by a somewhat price-sensitive client which tactic I would recommend they should do first: perform search engine optimization (SEO) on their Website or run a search engine advertising campaign for a few months.

I said go with the search engine advertising campaign, and here's why:

• They'd start to receive qualified traffic to their Website almost immediately versus waiting weeks or months for the SEO to kick in;
• This traffic could be directed to a very specific landing page (or set of pages) that could be fine-tuned to increase the conversion rate;
• The traffic they'd get would be from people within the client's specific geographic target market (in their case, Ontario);
• The client would quickly learn what people were searching for, which search terms generated the most clicks, and - most importantly - which search terms converted the best into leads;
• Learning from the search engine advertising campaign could then be applied to the SEO project and, perhaps, the client's offline campaigns; and
• All of this was guaranteed to happen within a fixed budget (agreed to in advance by the client) leaving little room for any last-minute surprises or overages.

Needless to say the client agreed with my recommendation and gave us an immediate green light on the search engine advertising campaign. We will also likely be doing the SEO project, but for now the client is happy to be receiving qualified traffic so quickly and so affordably.

I wish all Internet marketing tactics were as easy for clients to buy!

The Seven Deadly Domain Name Variations

So you've finally come up with a killer domain name for your new Web 2.0 venture. You've registered walrussite.ca for a year and now it's time to book the caterers for the launch party.

Hang on a minute - you're not quite done yet! In fact, you should seriously consider registering 10-20 additional domain names right now. That's because you need to protect yourself from The Seven Deadly Domain Name Variations:

1. Extension Variations: No matter how heavily you promote the .ca version of your domain name, a portion of your target market will still type in .com, so be sure to register...
   
   walrussite.com
   
   ... and point this domain name to the same Website as the .ca URL.  While you're at it, I highly recommend you register...
   
   walrussite.net
   walrussite.org
   
   Always think about the worst case scenario, which is what if someone else owned walrussite.net and pointed it at an 'adult entertainment' site? It's worth investing five minutes of your time and $10 a year to register that domain name to avoid this happening.



2. "Suck" Variations: If you're a big enough venture to be worried about negative PR, you should consider registering anti-corporate domain name variations like...
   
   walrussitesucks.ca
   walrussitesucks.com
   walrussitesucks.net



3. Typo Variations: Not everyone aced the spelling bee, so be sure to register the most obvious misspellings of your domain name. For example, you should at least register the following...
   
   wallrussite.ca
   wallrussite.com
   wallrussite.net



4. Plural Variations: Regardless of whether or not there are plurals of words in your domain name, you should register both versions just in case.
   
   walrussites.ca
   walrussites.com
   walrussites.net



5. Adjoining Letters Variations: Check your domain name to see if there are any repeated adjoining letters that might trick people up. In our example's case, the first word ends with an "s" and the second word begins with an "s" so you should also register...
   
   walrusite.ca
   walrusite.com
   walrusite.net



6. Transposing Variations: Your target market may remember that your domain name contains the words "walrus" and "site" but it's possible they may not recall the correct sequence of the words (Remember gordanandfrank.ca?). So be sure to register...
   
   sitewalrus.ca
   sitewalrus.com
   sitewalrus.net
   
   ...and while you're at it, consider registering the misspellings and plural variations that could go along with this.



7. Phonetic Variations: What happens if people only hear your domain name rather than see it in print? Be sure to register the 'sounds like' variations of your domain such as...
   
   walrussight.com
   walruscite.com
   walrussighed.com
   wallrusight.com
   wallruscite.com
   wallrussighed.com

While there are other domain name variations to consider, if you can learn to overcome The Seven Deadly Domain Name Variations you will be well on your way to protecting your online venture. At only about $10 a year per domain name, this is money (and time) well spent.

Integrating Alternative Media – Marketing Roundtables

I will be leading a discussion on blogging and podcasting at the 3rd annual Marketing Roundtables. The event is hosted by the Canadian Marketing Association and takes place on Thursday, June 8, 2006 in Toronto, Canada.

This year's roundtables focus is on integrating alternative media into the traditional mix. Sounds like the stage is set for a lively discussion.