Unleash the Hounds
Information scent and lessons learned from the canine world
Ever watch a dog walk through a door into an unfamiliar room? It immediately sniffs around the perimeter, sniffs each person, and sniffs any objects or dark spots on the carpet. The dog is on the lookout for the two essential communication devices of the canine world: food and excrement.
Web users act in much the same way.
Read full article »3 Basic Steps to Nonprofit Twitter Success
A nonprofit organization can begin to build an effective Twitter presence in several basic steps when they give their audience a reason to stay connected and provide opportunities for direct action.
Keep in mind that Twitter is a two-way communication street. Strive to give your audience a reason to stay connected, and provide opportunities for direct action whenever possible—usually in the form of a hyperlink that takes the person to a webpage where they can carry out that action.
Read full article »Does “Above the Fold” Matter?
(And How Do I Measure It?)
What is “the fold”?
“The fold” comes from printed newspapers (remember those?). In a printed newspaper, the prime real estate is on the front page, above the place where the paper is folded in half.
At a news stand, stories that are above the fold are visible without any manhandling on the part of the consumer. Stories that are above the fold are also typically the only ones you can see (before buying) in newspaper vending machines.
On the web,…
Read full article »Is Conversion Optimization the Holy Grail of eCommerce?
Exploring motivational factors beyond measurement
Conversion optimization is, loosely put, the process of making incremental changes to your website that increase the volume/pace/value of desirable actions by your users (as measured by your web analytics software). But can conversion optimization go too far? Is there ever a case where optimizing conversions at the expense of all else could be harmful?
Read full article »Get Your Web Content In Tune
Finding a harmonious balance between usability and SEO
Creating effective web content involves artfully balancing usability and search engine optimization. Viewing content through the lens of your audience is a great first step. On the Web, your audience consists of both website users and search engine bots or “spiders”. Let’s take a look at some of their unique attributes, as well as corresponding content development methods.
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