1.) Logo

Although time consuming, a logo is an essential part of your brand.  Discuss your ideas with a graphic designer and be open to their interpretation.  Ultimately you want a simple logo that is aesthetically pleasing, but also makes a statement.

2.) Layout / Site Structure

This is one of the biggest challenges when creating a site.  You want to optimize your space, but also make it organized and user friendly.  If your audience cannot immediately find the information they are looking for, they will move on to one of your competitors.  Usability and funnels are key elements that drive sales conversion and above all, success of a business.

3.) Images

We tend to be visual creatures, so the images that you display on your site are important.  You want the pictures to catch the viewer’s attention and make them wonder what is beyond your home page.  A photograph is worth a thousand words, having the ability to capture in seconds your audience and deliver your message.

4.) Content

This is a tedious task, but it is essential that the wording is right for your potential customer’s and the content affects your ranking on search engines.  Make sure the content throughout your site is relevant and informative.  Depending on your audience, calls to action to sell a product or service can have a significant impact on lead conversions.

At TOTUS Agency, we looked around the web and highlighted features of sites that we like and do not like. For many sites, website design is a creative way to showcase your artistic skills in an effort to compete.   Our advice is the “less is more” approach.

When it comes to a redesign or revamp of your current site, find an Internet marketing company or web design agency that has proven experience.  Changing your site can affect your rankings, so tread with caution and discuss this with your website designer.  There are many aspects beyond the design of your website that your internet marketing agency can share with you. Your goal should be to make your site your #1 marketing tool.

On February 1, 2012 the company filed an IPO (initial public offering) to the SEC in an attempt to raise between $5 and $10 billion dollars of revenue and make Facebook (FB) a publicly traded company.   In the IPO is a letter from Zuckerberg to existing and possible investors explaining FB’s mission and future goals.  It is no secret that Zuckerberg is hoping that when the stock hits the market somewhere around May of 2012 that Facebook will become the most valuable internet company in the world.

The IPO’s underwriting and investing has a slew of investment banks lined up.  They are not the only one’s anticipating the possible financial implications of Facebook going public.  The State of California stands to profit on the capital gains paid by overnight Silicon Valley millionaires and the future state taxes of the Facebook headquarters located in Palo Alto.

While many are anxiously awaiting the chance to buy up stocks, others are leery.  History shows that the dot com bubble can not only burst overnight, but that IPO’s are anything but consistent.  Although FB continually strives to be a “force” what may seem like a sure thing to some, can prove to be a big disappointment in the blink of an eye, while others have been highly profitable.

Economic investor’s advise to do your homework and look for a company to invest in that has long term plans and goals for the future;   a company that plans to be around for the long haul.  Do not base your investment decision on a get rich quick frame of mind.

A few months ago, I got an invite from a friend and the mobile application sat on my phone untouched. Suddenly, this influx of friends started asking me about Pinterest, so I got on the app to see what I was missing. That was it. I was officially hooked along with millions of other “pinsters” all over the world.

Pinterest is a giant marketing melting pot of things that people love and want to share with others on a virtual pin board. The site is organized into columns and categories and allows the user to then create their own personally named categories that they want to save their “pins” in. You can “repin” information that others have posted and you can “follow” your friend’s and what they are pinning. Find a recipe online that you want to share or want to add information regarding SEO internet marketing? Pinterest makes it simple to copy and paste the URL and add your own “pins”. You can search for specific information and you can even shop. It is a constant cycle of revolving eye candy and highly addictive discovery.

The site was conceived by two college friends and launched in March 2010. The explosive global growth to over five million users in the short amount of time has got big businesses taking notice. With this growth have come consistent changes and an improved user experience to the site. The internet rumor mill suggests that even better enhanced modifications are to come. Time will tell what the intriguing and exciting future holds for Pinterest.

If this causes a change in your pulse rate, then you are not alone. It is a very scary reality.

We can see how things would be through the eyes of China. They have used censorship on the internet for years through China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or MIIT. No Facebook, no Twitter, no Flickr, no YouTube. They even block certain keywords from being searched. Many of you may not be aware that we already are being censored from certain topics on the internet because of business relations that we have with China. Search engines and software companies that we use every day have already heeded to the Chinese and their demands for censorship. If SOPA and PIPA pass, the fear is that Americans will know exactly how it is for the government to police the internet.

Yes, copyright laws and the arts are important and the piracy needs to be stopped, but there are other ways they can be protected and this is where Congresses focus needs to be channeled. We, in the United States, take some of our freedoms for granted every day, but as Americans we need to stand up and fight for our unalienable rights under the Constitution, or we can start to kiss more and more of our freedoms goodbye.

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Here are a few suggestions of how to proceed and help the process go smoothly.

1.        Make a plan.

Jot down your Internet Marketing needs and number them in order of importance.  Make notes and write down questions along the way.  Refer back to this plan, as needed, until it is decision time.

2.        Inquire.

The best way to find a successful Internet Marketing Company is to ask colleagues.  Getting a name from a firsthand customer is an excellent way to find a trustworthy agency.

3.        Check out their track record.

Look into their history with clients.  You want to hire an agency that can get results and can prove it.  Internet Marketing Agencies do not find success by using Black Hat strategies.

4.        Ask questions.

Ask any and all questions that you can think of so that you know exactly what you are signing up for.

5.        Trust your gut.

While interviewing Internet Marketing agencies, if any “red flags” pop up, then scratch that company off of your list of possible candidates.  Take your time and find an agency that you feel comfortable with.

Discovering the perfect Internet SEO Company for your business can take some time, energy and patience.  It is worth it to do your homework and find a trustworthy marketing company that will fulfill ALL of your Web Marketing needs!

The word branding has been around for many years. We know it is a term used when ranchers brand their cattle in order to discern their cows from their neighbors. Branding literally means to “burn” ones mark on a product and today that is the ultimate goal of a business owner. How do they imprint their image in the minds of consumers everywhere? It is a challenge in today’s world because we all have so many options at our fingertips. If you can make your customer’s perceive and trust that your business or service is the only solution to their problem, then they will pay, not matter what the cost.

What does your company stand for? If you are unable to describe your company in simple terms, then the consumer will not be able to define you either. Come up with a few ideas and build your marketing strategy and business plan from there.

Keep in mind that branding is not about the product itself, but the customer’s perception about your product or service. It is proven that the consumer’s perception is much more important, not the facts. At the end of the day, you want to successfully brand yourself so that you will attract business and create a loyal customer. It does take time, money and consistency, but if you build your brand creatively and accurately, success will come.

1.       Have a Headline that Helps

The headline that users see when they click on your blog post or website can make or break you.  The headline must be clever enough to get them interested but not too catchy that they don’t understand what they will be reading.  Make sure your headline tells the reader what they will learn or how reading your site or post will help meet a need or solve a problem for them.

2.       Too Wordy Causes Worry

The attention span of internet users is less than minimal.  At the click of a button your site visitors can easily change their mind and be long gone for good from your site.  Make sure that there is not too much content on your page to overwhelm them.  If all a user sees is word after word filling the page, they will likely move on rather than read on.  Use lists, bullet points, or sub-headings to allow them to skim or read quickly to find what they need.

3.       Vocabulary Can be Vicious

Of course your knowledge of your business or industry is far greater than your reader.  However, no one likes to be confused by jargon so keep yours out of your online posts.  Most content is written between a fourth and eighth grade reading level.  While some technical terms may be necessary for explanations, try to limit them to promote maximum understanding to your readers.

Content is an important part of any internet presence and taking the time to provide quality content is huge if you want your business to do well online.

If creating that content is over your head, contact TOTUS Internet Visibility.  We can provide content as well as help you with all of your internet marketing needs.

If you’re not convinced, take a look at these stats just released by the Neilsen Company regarding social media today…

• Americans spent more than 53 billion total minutes on Facebook in May 2011
• 70 percent of active online adult social networkers shop online, which is 12 percent more likely than the average internet user
• Females and 18-34 year olds are the most active social network users
• Almost 40 percent of social media users access social media from their mobile phones
• More than twice as many people that are 55 or older visited social networking sites on their mobile phone than last year
• Social networking app usage is up 30 percent from a year ago
• Across ten major global markets, social networks and blogs reach over three quarters of active Internet users

So, all that said odds are your target market is involved in social media in some way and it’s high time you get there too.

TOTUS Internet Visibility can help you navigate the waters of social media as they continue to fill with more and more options.  There is a social media platform that is just right for any business out there.  Let us help guide you to the best place to take the plunge and join the social media revolution!

1.       Have a clear Call to Action.

Visitors should not have to search all over the page to figure out what it is you want them to do.  Stick to a simple, minimally distracting page with the call to action easy for any user to find in a matter of seconds.

2.       Don’t Require TMI!

Asking visitors for Too Much Information is a surefire way to lose them.  Decide what information is absolutely necessary to get from the visitor to continue the sales process.  Capture just what info you need and then use it well in the follow up.

3.       Don’t Overuse Content.

Yes, content is very important on the web for search engines.  However, most people will NOT read paragraph after paragraph to figure out how to get what they want from you.  Minimal but meaningful is a good way to look at what content you will put on your landing page.

4.       Do What You Say You Will Do.

Lying to your potential customers is one way to ensure that they will not become your customer.  When you promise something to users in a pay per click ad, make sure that the site they are taken to delivers on that promise.

Just a few tweaks here and there can increase your landing page conversions and in turn boost your business in a major way.

Let TOTUS Internet Visibility help you create, redesign or tweak your landing page for better results.  With quality analytics and proven experience, TOTUS might be just what your business needs to take your internet marketing to the next level.