Quick Search

Keyword shortcuts can backfire December 13th, 2007

I was asked in a focus group recently, whether Google allowed a company to put multiple ads under the same keywords. I have always been led to believe that Google does not agree with this, on the basis that it is unfair competition. It merely drives up the cost per click for other advertisers and allows them to monopolise the Google results. I know that from time to time UKFast advertises under the same keyword. However, we do so only when promoting completely different brands. Each brand has a different marketing strategy so it is very unlikely that two UKFast ads are ever seen next to each other. Whilst doing some research, I chose keywords that related to our industry. The two words being ‘dedicated… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Demonstrate a willingness to communicate November 7th, 2007

Thanks to Claudia McConnell’s question “is it necessary to put your location or contact details on your web site?” The answer is not really about your web site and more about your business strategy as a whole. If you have managed to attract someone to your web site to learn more about your product, it is essential that you do not give them any reasons to doubt your capability or question why they should use your business over a competitors. In my opinion you shouldn’t just give your contact details, you should make it even easier and provide a free phone number to encourage communication. More often than not, if the web site is well written you will not receive a call as they will… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Northern Rock plummets online September 19th, 2007

In the last few days we have seen Northern Rock suffer a dramatic loss in consumer confidence and consequently customers. In spite of the Government issuing a guarantee that Northern Rock customers would not loose any money, customers have queued in their thousands to withdraw money from the wavering building society. Ironically the longest queues were experienced with those trying to log in online. The biggest area where we see consumers being unforgiving in this instance is when they cannot access the Internet site to view or transfer their money. We are all programmed to expect to access our regular and favourite websites 24 hours a day. So often I come across clients who spend a fortune on their web site and then underestimate the… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Caching in on Anita Roddick’s good name September 12th, 2007

Online marketing, where will it stop? In a desperate race to out do their competing news rivals, the Telegraph and Business Guardian both have added Anita Roddick’s name to their pay per click advertising. Traffic to the newspaper’s sites is so important; the media giants, who once ignored the Internet and search engines, now pay Google to forward them traffic. With businesses paying a premium to advertise on their sites it is imperative the newspapers grow their online presence. Any type of customer is a potential good customer and so we see topical stories driving the pay per click campaigns. Personally I don’t view it as a bad thing as I am great believer in freedom of speech and with that surely comes the freedom… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Looking for motivation? August 18th, 2007

Have you ever wondered what is the ingredient guaranteed to improve your life? Dedication and commitment. Dan Innes a good friend to whom I owe my life after he and five friends dug me from an early grave after I was buried in an avalanche shows he has it in abundance. My earliest memories of Dan, outside of boyhood, was his 2 man effort rowing in a race across the Atlantic. No surprise 15 years on he is still growing strong with the same ingredients that makes him successful and larger than life: Dedication to whatever he sets his mind on and absolute commitment. It came as no shock when I heard Dan was taking on not one, but 4 events in less than 40… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Can enthusiasm dampen results? July 27th, 2007

How often do you type in your keywords on Google to see where your advert appears? If you are like the rest of us, probably quite often. Firstly it’s important to weigh up where your advert appears in the rankings. Are you going up are you going down? It is imperative that you measure your results. However, are you aware that Google calculates the number of times you view the adverts? If you do not click on them, after a relatively short time (undisclosed by Google) your advert disappears! Don’t worry it is still there for the rest of the world to see, however the search engine recognises that you keep ignoring it, so it serves you something else instead. Very clever, but how do… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

The perfect online form April 16th, 2007

The perfect online form Is there such a thing as the perfect online form? Unfortunately there is no form that is going to satisfy all the individuals who will visit your site. The more information you insist on, the more likely you will put off potential visitors. There is an argument for stating that, if a visitor is not prepared to give you all the relevant information from the outset, they are not a serious customer and they will not buy. Unfortunately it is not as simple as that. We have clients who have refused to give phone numbers and company emails at the point of gathering marketing collateral, so as not to get bombarded by sales people at a later date. Those people eventually… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Why do so many online businesses fail? March 16th, 2007

The first question I ask clients wanting to set up an online business is “what are the main differences between and online business and a traditional business?” How they answer this question will mean the difference between success and failure. The answer is “there is NO difference.” The main reason that there is a high proportion of online disasters, is that business men and women fail to recognise the importance of good old fashioned customer care and communication. How many times do you see a web site without a telephone number plainly visible? Yet the owner of the site may be perplexed why the orders trickle in. Simple failures can make a massive difference and it is all about percentages. If you generate 100 visitors… Read the Rest »

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Head in the clouds, feet firmly on the ground. February 19th, 2007

Well, after a long hard but very satisfying weekend climbing Snowdon with some of my team, I am reminded why I put team building so high on my list of priorities. This weekend’s jaunt in sunny Llandudno was an experience that was priceless. With rucksacks full of packed lunches, dog food for my two boxers (Indy and Lara) and plenty of water, we left the St.Kilda hotel, Llandudno in a convoy of cars after a full welsh breakfast. (Same as an English one funnily enough) The were a few of the team nursing headaches from the night before and a couple still suffering from partying too hard at the awards ceremony on Thursday night where we won Best Business Host in the ISPA hosting awards… Read the Rest »

Posted in Lawrence Jones, People development, UKFast | 3 Comments »