Does My Site Really Need This?

It seems intuitive that a feature, or application, should only be added to a website if it stands to benefit the user or the site owner (business owner) in some way. But in many cases, business owners want to add things because they’re thought of as new or impressive. The hope, I can only assume, is that the ‘new’ feature will be interpreted by customers as proof that the company is up to date with the latest and greatest technology, which translates into their own industry.

The problem with adding something to your site solely because it’s the trend is that it may not serve an actual purpose for your visitors. Moreover, the new feature may end up doing the opposite of what it was intended to do, which was to portray your business as current and knowledgeable.

The best example of this is a blog, or a latest news section. Frequently, business owners ask about starting a blog or adding a latest news application to their site so that it adds timeliness to their site. A blog can provide a great service to customers by providing detailed information related to your industry, although if you haven’t updated it in four months, that’s not exactly telling the visitor that you’re on top of things. Additionally, you’ve probably lost whatever following you once had, since those visitors are now going follow more dedicated bloggers. Similar rules apply to a company Twitter account.

There are numerous examples of superfluous add-ons for websites – RSS feeds and visit counters are also frequently misguided requests – and really, anything can be superfluous if it doesn’t meet the following criteria:

• The add-on solves a user’s or site owner’s problem (or both)
• The add-on is maintained relatively frequently (if applicable)
• The add-on flows with the rest of the website’s content so as not to obstruct or distract a user from making the intended action

It’s only natural to want the latest and greatest technology added to one’s site. But before you move forward with adding a new application, make sure you’ve considered the cost/benefit thoroughly and have considered the level of maintenance it requires.

Top Floor Technologies Launches New Website

We’re excited to announce the launch of the new Top Floor Technologies Website.  The new site represents a significant step forward in design, usability and information architecture – while maintaining our high standards of SEO excellence.  Multiple members of Top Floor Technologies’ Production and SEM teams played a role in planning and developing the new site, lead by Top Floor’s Creative Director, Jon Balza.  In addition to providing information regarding our primary service offerings, the new Website showcases several client case studies and portfolio examples.  The site takes full advantage of social media, tapping into our LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook content.  Visitors to the site can also learn more about our ongoing series of educational Internet Marketing Seminars, and register for upcoming events online.  Check out the new site at www.topfloortech.com.

Top Floor to Speak at Business Education Seminar Series in Milwaukee

Top Floor Technologies is pleased to announce our participation in an upcoming series of business education seminars offered by the UWM Small Business Development Center.  These two-hour seminars are partially funded by a special SBA grant and offer education on key small business issues.  Any small business located in Milwaukee County and in business prior to June 2008 is eligible to attend.  We’ll be leading the following sessions:

Friday, October 2, 2009 – Website Strategies
7:30 – 9:30 AM – Polish Center, Franklin, WI

Friday, October 30, 2009 – Leveraging Social Media to Grow Sales
7:30 – 9:30AM – The Pulaski Inn, Cudahy, WI

Friday, December 4, 2009 – Using Email to Reach Your Market
7:30 – 9:30 AM – Polish Center, Franklin, WI

Friday, February 5, 2010 – Leveraging Social Media to Grow Sales
7:30 – 9:30 AM – Polish Center, Franklin, WI

Friday, March 12, 2010 – Website Strategies
7:30 – 9:30AM – The Pulaski Inn, Cudahy, WI

Friday,  April 16, 2010 – Using Email to Reach Your Market
7:30 – 9:30 AM – Tri City National Bank, South Milwaukee, WI

For more information on any of the above sessions, or other classes offered, contact the UWM School of Continuing Education at 414-227-3098.

Common Mistakes on B2B Websites – Part 3

In our business, we’re reviewing and improving B2B Websites every day.  I continue to be amazed at some of the issues that come up again and again.  For every site that gets it right, it seems that at least five completely miss the mark … leaving business on the table for their competitors to grab.  Perhaps the most common (and potentially fatal) flaw is poor navigation.

Common Mistake 3 – Poor Navigation

Let’s consider an illustration from the bricks and mortar retail environment.  Imagine entering your favorite

Common Mistakes on B2B Websites – Part 2

How many times have you visited a Website and struggled to understand the purpose of the site or how you might take a next step of engagement?  Perhaps it’s an issue of misguided content, poor navigation, a phone number that’s next to impossible to find, cumbersome contact forms, or more.  In too many cases, businesses make it difficult for their Website visitors to engage with them and suffer the consequences of poor online conversion.

Common Mistake 2 – Lack of Clear, Compelling Calls to Action

Throughout your Website, you need to do more than simply provide content; you need to guide your site visitors through a logical process toward a successful outcome.  Conversion doesn’t just happen – it needs to be strategically planned.