Author Archive

Our 30-Point Mobile Website Inspection

February 17th, 2012 · · Marketing Audits, Mobile No comments

Is your website mobile-ready? Here are some reasons why it should be: 

1. One half of all local searches are done through mobile: This means that if your site is not optimized for mobile, you are giving a weak user experience to fully one half of your users. 
2. By 2014, mobile should overtake desktop in terms of internet usage: Instead of thinking of mobile as an alternative way of accessing your website, you should think of it as central. 
3. Americans spend an average of 2.7 hours a day socializing on their mobile device – that’s over twice the amount of time they spend eating. It is important for marketers to meet people where they are… and more and more every day, they are on their mobile devices. If you are a restaurant, you the guy who got texted a link to your location to be wowed by your site. If you are a store, you want someone to easily transact with your site through their devices.
4. Apple sold more iOS devices in 2011 than Macs in 28 Years. This represents both a huge risk to those businesses that are not mobile-ready and a huge opportunity for those who are.

About Our 30-Point Mobile Website Inspection

Our 30-Point Inspection accomplishes the following:

  • Using W3C Mobile Best Practices we  meticulously determine how your site is doing, and what can be improved.
  • We take conversion best practices into account in terms of calls to action and purchasing behavior.
  • We create unique experiences built for mobile devices based on successful implementations, not trends.

What to Do With the 30-Point Mobile Website Inspection

Our clients put the 30-Point Mobile Website Inspection to a variety of uses:

  • Use it as input to work with your current developers.
  • Take advantage of our directory of both outsourcers and local mobile developers.
  • Work with Convert Innovations to build mobile sites and applications.
Contact Us using our page, or call us at 416-642-8470 for more information.

The Mobile Website Difference

February 6th, 2012 · · Mobile No comments

Building mobile-ready websites is a very different proposition from building standard sites. The design is different, the technology is different, and in many cases even the purpose of the site is different.

In terms of technology, the key is HTML5. This is a relatively new web programming language that is key in building mobile websites. It allows for highly advanced interface as well as a wealth of potential content without having to resort to additional languages or technologies. For instance it’s not unusual for a website to make use of HTML, CSS, Java, Flash, and so forth. This jumble can often slow down the user’s experience; lead to different experiences depending on the user’s operating system, computing platform and Internet browser; require additional downloads; open up security holes; or lead to crashes due to overcomplexity.

HTML5, however, dispenses with many of these problems, providing a powerful yet efficient language that offers benefits that previously could only be found by using a range of languages. It’s highly stable and secure.

Design-wise, the combination of HTML5 and the touch-screen interface of portable devices opens up amazing potential for building mobile websites. Indeed, at the risk of sounding dramatic, it’s an entirely new paradigm.

Today’s websites are essentially static, with twenty-year-old conventions we all take for granted: menu bars, top images, text links, slideshows and so forth. But when using HTML5 to build a mobile-ready site, you can craft an experience that feels far more like an app than a mere website.

To see the difference, try doing a Google image search on a portable device. Instead of a grid of pictures, you get a slideshow of images you navigate by swiping the screen. Or try pointing your mobile device’s browser to the Toronto Star’s website — you’ll find it a completely different, and probably far more enjoyable experience than the standard website.

And that is only the beginning. HTML5 allows for media-rich interactivity the likes of which we have never seen. It will take the Internet experience, strap it to a warp drive, then fire it to the other side of the galaxy.

The revolution will be so complete that we can only begin to imagine what it will look like.

Facebook Page Creation Guide

February 1st, 2012 · · Social Media No comments

Are you creating a business page on Facebook? Take a look at our introductory video on the ins and outs of creating a Facebook business page.

Mobile Website Developer Wanted

November 15th, 2011 · · Jobs No comments

We are looking for a mobile website developer to create a mobile version of a North American Website for a large Toronto-based multi-location company. This will be a version of an existing site with automatic mobile browser detection. We will be working on the writing and UX of the site, but you will be working on the development. A preferred candidate will have:

  • A portfolio of mobile websites to show that work on various devices
  • Ability to target stylesheets to handheld devices
  • Ability to create fluid layouts that will work with various sizes of mobile devices
  • Ability to work with PHP or other server side scripts for automatic mobile browser detection

It would be nice if you could also design the site, but this is not required. Please send us some sample sites along with confirmation that you can do the above. Please contact stefanie@convertinc.com to apply. Only those selected will be contacted.

iPad App Developer Wanted

October 26th, 2011 · · Jobs No comments

We are developing an app for babies similar to Alpha Baby.

This will be a highly interactive, colourful and sound-enabled app that will allow babies to enjoy using the iPad. The app will feature different original animals, making sounds and speaking in languages including: English, French, Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese.

We are looking for a developer to partner with to code our app. We will provide designs and thorough technical specifications. Please contact us if you are interested.

What is Strategy – Michael Porter

October 25th, 2011 · · Strategy No comments

In this compelling video of Michael Porter, he discusses “What is Strategy” and the common pitfalls in defining strategic directions for firms. For him, strategy is about being different. “It means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value.”* Strategy is about competitive position. He defines it as “a combination of the ends (goals) for which the firm is striving and the means (policies) by which it is seeking to get there.”*

Porter is saying that many people mistake strategies and steps. For example, they will say that their strategy is to “Internationalize”, rather than showing the unique way in which they choose to attain their goals. This is an important difference, since with a true strategy, you can constantly change your tactics as the environment changes. If you are focusing on steps, you are not so flexible.

Now – I don’t want to be too picky about definitions by quoting the grandfather of strategy but a lot of Marketers are out there calling themselves Marketing Strategists, then they will only provide tactics (Get on Facebook! Get on Twitter!) Any consultant worth their salt will be able to tell you why, how and what makes you different, instead of just recommending you show up. Now more than ever, it is important that your marketing strategy be flexible, and you do not get there by relying on a set of tactics.

*Michael Porter. Harvard Business Review (Nov-Dec 1996). and Competitive Strategy (1986). Michael Porter. Harvard Business School Press.

Conducting Marketing Audits – Important Questions

October 23rd, 2011 · · Marketing Audits No comments

We are all so busy implementing the latest programs according to the needs of Management, other department heads, employees and others. But, this scatter shot approach is not always beneficial, and it can turn the marketing department into a home for pet projects instead of an important revenue-generating centre. We all want to satisfy our stakeholders, but it is more important to give them what they need, which is ROI-generating initiatives, not just what they want, which ultimately may put your job at risk.

Ultimately, as Marketers we need to show that we are creating value. A Marketing Audit can help you do that. After the Audit is complete, I like to also create a framework for future-proposed initiatives, to see if they are in keeping with marketing goals or not. In this series on Marketing Audits, I am going to go through questions you should ask, along with creating specific tools for measurement. It is important not to make this a long drawn-out process, so you can focus on go-forward steps as soon as possible.

Go through a list of your current marketing initiatives, from the stuff you are doing, your employees, your partners/distributors, your franchisees and more.

  1. What are your marketing goals? Make a list.
  2. Are these goals realistic given the resources you have? Put a column next to each goal, and state whether it is realistic, or not realistic.
  3. Make a list of your Marketing activities. Do these activities support your marketing goals? Score them from 1-5 where 1 is a lot of support, 0 is neutral and 5 is no support.
  4. Are you getting a good ROI on your marketing initiatives? Score them from 1-5.
  5. How are these programs doing in terms of getting new customers? Score them from 1-5.
  6. How are these programs doing in terms of loyalty among existing customers? Score them from 1-5.
  7. Look at the programs that are successful. Can you enhance these programs? If these programs are being done by franchisees, partners or locations, can you make sure others within the network are learning about them? Can you take the success of these programs and apply them somewhere else? For example, if you are having success in PPC, can you look at moving on to other Search Engines? Can you expand your geography on those programs? Can you use other tools such as improving landing page etc?
  8. Look at the programs that are not successful. Can you improve these programs? Is it time to kill them? For example, in the environments I am in, I have found that Social Networks such as Twitter and Facebook are not direct lead generators. I am testing and testing, but I have still found it to be a great loyalty tool, but not such a great lead generating tool except in lifestyle products. Every industry is different, so talk to other marketers to compare notes. Do not trust online case studies, since these studies are often not reliable, and are done only to promote the marketer doing them.
  9. Are you effectively managing your brand? Do an online search for websites, social media and PR activities. Have people out in the field pick up promotional flyers, take photos of billboards and other marketing tools. Take an honest look at the brand, and rate the strengths and weaknesses. I have done this before by printing out materials and hanging them on a wall. This can be an effective way to see if we are all speaking the same language.
  10. Take a look at the strengths of your brand, and rank them against your top three competitors.
  11. Look at the weaknesses of your brand, and rank them against your top three competitors.
  12. How strong are internal communications and communications with partners and distributors? Rank this from 1-5.
  13. Are you engaging your stakeholders in building effective marketing programs?
  14. Look at your initiatives as a whole. If you are not attaining your goals, why? What needs to change?
  15. What has changed in your business or the businesses of your partners and customers? What changes do you need to make to your marketing programs?
  16. How is the competition marketing to their audience? You don’t want to be “me too”, but look at
  17. What are current trends that you can apply to your business? How are thought leaders marketing to their audience? Is there anything that you can learn from them and apply to your business?
  18. What marketing research can you conduct?
  19. What marketing experiments have been successful, and what can you apply to your programs next year?
  20. What marketing experiments can you conduct this year?
  21.  How are you communicating your marketing strategy to your management, and to the field? Score this from 1-5.
Creating a Marketing Audit document answering these questions can help create the right environment for measurable marketing programs. See upcoming posts on tools for Marketing Audits, and specific sections for Digital (including Social Media), Print, Broadcast, Research and Public Relations, and a special section on Marketing Audits for Franchise networks.
Special thanks to Sitepoint for giving some inspiration to my questions.

 

Why I Am a Social Media Skeptic

October 12th, 2011 · · Social Media No comments

As a marketer, and a creative person in general, I am always excited to see and try the latest innovations our industry has to offer. When Social Media (SM) first emerged as as a medium, I was very enthusiastic, and ran a number of tests. As I got into it, some were very, very successful, where message met target market successfully and created sales (that is what we are here for right?). Others, were not so successful – in fact they were bombs. So much so, that I considered abandoning SM all together.

Yet, I kept seeing SM consultants saying how great the medium is. Try a Google search on Social Media Criticism and most of the articles are about how to respond to criticism on social media, rather than looking at the medium critically. All of this hype bothers me and takes credibility away from our industry. If we critiqued and analyzed more within the industry, we would be able to be more accountable to our stakeholders, and create more useful programs. Here are some reasons why I am a social media skeptic.

1. There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution: In Marketing, as in all things, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Yet, SM consultants seem to think that they always have the answer. Any marketer in traditional media knows that you use the right strategy in the right situation. Tools include: Direct Mail, Trade Shows, TV, Radio etc. And, the it takes an intelligent planner or strategist to determine the right mix for your market and brand. But for some reason, the SM consultants think you should throw that all away and use their tools despite your situation. I guess when you have a hammer, all you see is nails.

2. You Need to be Where Your Customers Are: Despite what the SM Acolytes will tell you, not everyone is in the conversation. One of the true guiding principles in marketing for me is that you need to meet your customers where they are. If you are selling to say, Owners of Hotel Properties in the Hospitality Industry for example, I do not think they are spending their time on SM. That person is typically working 12-hour days, and is not on the internet. You should be focusing on Direct Sales with a rep with industry knowledge, experience and contacts. Look for where your customers are – social networks often have demographic information about their users.

3. Your Time is Money: In my experience with Franchise networks, there are many business owners who are approached by SM consultants who say that SM is a free tool to get leads. In some industries, this is true, but in many, it is not. Spending hours updating Twitter, Facebook and blogs is not as useful in many industries as PPC or offline activities.

The best thing to do with any new medium is to start small and test, then go big if it is successful. As a SM skeptic, I am not dismissing it, but I am testing it. I hope that as the industry matures, the consultants in it will as well.

Steve Jobs: The Greatest Entrepreneur of Our Generation (So Far)

October 6th, 2011 · · Entrepreneurship One comment

On the announcement of his passing on Wednesday, I got to thinking about his contributions to this world and came to this conclusion:

Steve Jobs is the greatest entrepreneur of our generation. He brought us so many inventions, including the Mac, the iPad, the iPhone and the iPad. He changed the way we consume music with the iTunes store. He founded Pixar.

You think of some of the other Entrepreneurs of our time, and they only had one or two good ideas. Bill Gates with his Operating System. Sergey Brin and Larry Page with their search engine and adwords model. These are great ideas, but Steve Jobs just had so many groundbreaking inventions that will keep changing the way that we live.

Also, it is my belief that a company is an expression of its founder. Like a piece of art or a song, the person who made it is inseparable from the thing itself. You add up all of that person’s beliefs and experiences, and you see it expressed in his or her company. See Steve’s quote on design:

“In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer. It’s interior decorating. It’s the fabric of the curtains of the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.”

You can clearly see this principal in all of his products. We will miss you Steve.

 

Educational Blogger Wanted

October 3rd, 2011 · · Jobs No comments

Are you ready to make the world a better place? Are you able to inspire? An international tutoring company is looking for a web writer based in the Toronto area. The job will be to provide an education-based blog every week. Must-haves:
- a love of learning
- ability to inspire
- cultural sensitivity
- native English speaker
- residence in Canada
- knowledge of the Canadian and American education system from Elementary to University
- impeccable grammar
- experience in Social media including generating a following

The blog will be at the center of both the newsletter and the social media program, so posts should be both engaging and able to pick up viral attention. This is a very independent work-from-home position. We will be asking you to proactively send us one blog post per week on Thursdays. Sometimes the topics will be selected by us, but mostly by you, so there is a lot of creativity involved. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a business that helps children, and make a difference.

Compensation is 10c/word, and we will be asking for a post once a week. Contact me at stefanie@convertinc.com to apply.