It has been a crazy busy couple of months in the Warren Huska Associates shop - new partnerships, new clients, and a great dose of challenges.
I had started a blog under separate cover about the glories of Keynote - the relatively new Apple software, now in Version 2, that really takes a run at PowerPoint for the presentation software crown. It does an exceedingly good job at dethroning Microsoft Office for a variety of uses. When you have data, and want to demonstrate insight, nothing helps like good, solid visuals.
Keynote typifies what I like about the Mac platform (I work in both Windows and Mac) - fewer clicks, and features that have you slap your forehead and say, "Well that's just genius - and so obvious a feature to have!"
Twitter has become part of our toolbox - it can and often is a surprise how connected people are on this network. It may not be highly adopted (perhaps 5% of online users), but it certainly comprises an audience of early movers and opinion-shapers.
A not entirely unrelated story about an e-Bay auction: Twitter was one of the channels I used to publicize an auction for an old crew jacket I had in the closet - the 1990's CGI animated series 'ReBoot'. Expecting about $60, I pulled up the finished auction and hit the 'refresh' button on my browser - that couldn't be right - $700 U.S.!
Experiments like these give us a whole new appreciation for - experiments! We've determined the clickthroughs and sources for this 'campaign' and are darned sure to be testing similar tactics for our customers!
Showing posts with label traffic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traffic. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Why would you jump in front of a train?
Well, to throw the switch that deflects that train (a massive traffic surge) into your switchyard (your website).
So, if we extend the metaphor - how do we know a train is coming?
You listen to the telegraph.
And since that feature isn't on anyone's iPhone - what we're really talking about here is listening acutely to the media.
Television, radio, web news outlets - these are all conduits for massive amounts of public (or business) attention.
Attention means traffic.
There is an opportunity to bend public attention to your benefit - but it requires nimbleness - a good reaction time.
For example; a financial planning client is offering a service related to investments.
Careful monitoring of the news reveals topics that are not quite on the public 'radar' (a new program proposed in a government budget, for instance). However, if you were to put out some feelers (perhaps a very low-bid paid search campaign) - you would be monitoring in near-real-time what search traffic is searching for.
When search heats up on any of these terms you have staked out - you can then respond by creating a more robust response by beefing up content on the site, having a specific landing page with relevant actions.
These strategies are persuasive arguments for;
1) employing a long-tail approach to keywords in your paid search efforts
2) quick turnaround on producing content, and
3) frequently reviewing website analytics
So next time that train is a-comin', you get some heads up - and are even awake at that switch.
So, if we extend the metaphor - how do we know a train is coming?
You listen to the telegraph.
And since that feature isn't on anyone's iPhone - what we're really talking about here is listening acutely to the media.
Television, radio, web news outlets - these are all conduits for massive amounts of public (or business) attention.
Attention means traffic.
There is an opportunity to bend public attention to your benefit - but it requires nimbleness - a good reaction time.
For example; a financial planning client is offering a service related to investments.
Careful monitoring of the news reveals topics that are not quite on the public 'radar' (a new program proposed in a government budget, for instance). However, if you were to put out some feelers (perhaps a very low-bid paid search campaign) - you would be monitoring in near-real-time what search traffic is searching for.
When search heats up on any of these terms you have staked out - you can then respond by creating a more robust response by beefing up content on the site, having a specific landing page with relevant actions.
These strategies are persuasive arguments for;
1) employing a long-tail approach to keywords in your paid search efforts
2) quick turnaround on producing content, and
3) frequently reviewing website analytics
So next time that train is a-comin', you get some heads up - and are even awake at that switch.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Case Study: Traffic Segments
Use of Web Analytics to qualify traffic
Specialty clothing retailer
Challenged by our initial campaign results, the client was able to test, and then adjust their assumptions about ‘who’ the primary customers of their products were.
Mounting our web analytics on their existing website, we were able to demonstrate the sources of their most profitable traffic. By showing the relationship of keywords, search engines, and referrals, we were able to not only demonstrate where to focus resources, but identify previously unsuspected characteristics of a large segment of their visitors that 'converted' from visitors to customers.
The insight was that people that bought the specialty clothing were not, in fact, the people that used it. Who the purchase decider was - was in fact the caregiver or institution.
These new insights allowed them to re-deploy their marketing in a way that not only dramatically boosted their website inquiries and sales, but also meant they were able to eliminate wasteful spending.
Specialty clothing retailer
Challenged by our initial campaign results, the client was able to test, and then adjust their assumptions about ‘who’ the primary customers of their products were.
Mounting our web analytics on their existing website, we were able to demonstrate the sources of their most profitable traffic. By showing the relationship of keywords, search engines, and referrals, we were able to not only demonstrate where to focus resources, but identify previously unsuspected characteristics of a large segment of their visitors that 'converted' from visitors to customers.
The insight was that people that bought the specialty clothing were not, in fact, the people that used it. Who the purchase decider was - was in fact the caregiver or institution.
These new insights allowed them to re-deploy their marketing in a way that not only dramatically boosted their website inquiries and sales, but also meant they were able to eliminate wasteful spending.
Case Study: Traffic
International ticket vendor
Achieved immediate profile: was instantly featured in selected worldwide online publications, blogs and networks, and generated new customers in markets previously unknown to them.
Careful allocation of resources kept their return on investment at 2000%.
Achieved immediate profile: was instantly featured in selected worldwide online publications, blogs and networks, and generated new customers in markets previously unknown to them.
Careful allocation of resources kept their return on investment at 2000%.
The Drill-Down #1: What? / Why? (Traffic)
1) Website traffic:
Any number of schemes can flood your site with viewers – but what are you paying for? Can you tell what is happening? Are there hidden penalties?
‘Relevant traffic’ means visitors are already interested in what you have to offer. Relevance is determined by proper research and filtering – creating a storehouse of market research you can use everywhere. We keep you relevant – and your name off blacklists and spamlists.
‘Just traffic’ is overrated and misunderstood.
Are you merely a showboat?Just getting people to your website is easy – but it can be very costly, and spectacularly ineffective.
Any number of schemes can flood your site with viewers – but what are you paying for? Can you tell what is happening? Are there hidden penalties?
‘Relevant traffic’ means visitors are already interested in what you have to offer. Relevance is determined by proper research and filtering – creating a storehouse of market research you can use everywhere. We keep you relevant – and your name off blacklists and spamlists.
‘Just traffic’ is overrated and misunderstood.
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