3 Mistakes Web Programmers Need to Stop Making

Here are three common mistakes we programmers make, and what we can do to fix them.

1. Forgetting About Conventions

Ever since they started using the Internet, users have been trained how to interact with a website. Therefore, they often get frustrated when websites don’t meet their expectations. Here are some examples.

• They hover over an object they think is clickable, but become confused when they see an arrow instead of a hand pointer.
• They click on blue, underlined text, but find it’s not a link.
• They click on the logo in the top left, believing it will return them to the homepage, only to find it takes them nowhere.

Web design doesn’t always meet our expectations. However, developers and designers should always maintain certain rules to avoid user confusion. Here are three.

Clickable Elements Should Have the Pointer on Rollover
Everything clickable should switch to the hand pointer when a user hovers over it. You can accomplish this using simple CSS. The code would look like this

div:hover { cursor: pointer; }

Style Links Appropriately
Links should look different than regular text, and should be underlined within a page’s main content. If you really want to stick with convention, make them blue — research found users engage most with blue links.

Make Logos Clickable
The logo in the header of your website should be clickable, and should take the user to the homepage. This is pretty simple: Just wrap your logo in a tag.

<a href=%u201Dhttp://www.example.com%u201D>
<img src=%u201Dlogo.gif%u201D alt=%u201DExample Company%u201D title=%u201DExample Company Logo%u201D height=%u201D100%u201D width=%u201D100%u201D />
</a>

2. Creating Slowly-Loading Websites

Users hate slow websites. Studies have shown that 40% of users will abandon a website that takes more than three seconds to load. Here’s how to avoid common speed mistakes by new programmers.

Resize Images Outside the Browser
New programmers will sometimes use a very large image, let’s say 600 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall, but will set the height and width so the image shrinks to the desired size. They use the following code.

<img src=%u201Dbig-domo.jpg%u201D alt=%u201DDomo%u201D title=%u201DBig domo at the park%u201D height=%u201D200%u201D width=%u201D200%u201D />

There are two problems with this method: First, the full image still needs to load. Typically, bigger image files mean longer load times.

Second, shrinking an image using the height and width attributes can render a photo awkwardly, causing the browser to display a photo not nearly as clear as it would be were the image sized 200 x 200 pixels.

To fix these issues, resize and compress images in an editor like Photoshopor Gimp. Then code the image like we did above. Try to use a tool likePhotoshop’s Save for Web & Devices to further shrink the file size.

Load JavaScript in the Footer
Many programmers unnecessarily load all the page’s JavaScript files in the head tag. This stalls the rest of the page load. In almost all cases, except for JavaScript critical to user interface navigation, it’s okay to load script in the footer. Then the rest of the page can load beforehand. Try this code.

Rest of the page%u2026
<script type=%u201Dtext/javascript%u201D src=%u201Djs/scripts.js%u201D></script>
</body>
</html>

Load CSS Externally
Sometimes new programmers load CSS on each individual page using inline styles or an internal stylesheet. For inline styles, code looks like this.

<p style=%u201Dmargin-top: 50px;%u201D>Hi Mom!</p>

And for an internal stylesheet, you’d most likely see this code in the head tag.

<style type=%u201Dtext/css%u201D>
p { margin-top: 50px; }
</style>

You should almost never use CSS in the page that holds your html. Store it externally using code like this.

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href=%u201Dcss/style.css" />

There are two advantages to loading CSS externally: First, the user’s computer will save the external stylesheet to be used on every page, instead of retrieving the same styles over and over. This greatly speeds up load time.
Second, using an external stylesheet is much easier to maintain. If you need to change the font size of your website’s paragraphs, you’re able change it in one place, without having to access each individual html file.
Learn more about good CSS practices at CSS Basics.

3. Not Accounting for Potential Backend Changes

Most programmers nowadays are using a content management system like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal to build their websites. This is great because it gives website owners the ability to make changes and updates.

The problem is that a lot of developers only program for a website’s content at launch time. For example, at launch a developer may only create CSS styles for website headings 1, 2 and 3. What if two months after the website’s launch, the communications director decides to set some text to heading 6, since that’s an option in WordPress’s format? That decision would revert to the default styles of the browser since the developer never styled for it initially. Here is how to avoid this situation.

Include Styles for All the Common Tags
To make sure that the design of your website remains consistent with any backend formatting, programmers should include styles to handle the following html tags.

• Body (<body>)
• Heading 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (<h1>, <h2>, <h3>, <h4>, <h5>, <h6>)
• Link (<a>)
• Paragraph (<p>)
• Address (<address>)
• Preformatted (<pre>)
• Strong (<strong>)
• Unordered list (<ul>)
• Ordered list (<ol>)
• Quotes (<blockquote>)

It’s best to check the WYSIWYG that your website owners are using to make sure you have all the appropriate tags covered.

Basic styling isn’t the only opportunity for your website to break down. Also make sure to prepare for large image uploads and for copy/paste from Word. Although items like these can seem trivial, educating your website owners about how to add content can make all the difference.

You’re Smart, But It’s Hard To Remember Everything

The mistakes listed here have nothing to do with a developer’s intelligence. Like most jobs, things fall through the cracks, especially when you’re just getting started.

Do you agree with the items listed above? Are there any others we should have included?

By Jonathan Goldford - a partner at JG Visual, an Internet strategy company that works with organizations to develop and implement their online presence. You can connect with Jonathan on the JG Visual Facebook page.

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Tips to Boost Your PPC Campaigns

Paid search or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can yield substantial returns on investment, but also needs careful control to keep budgets in check.
To make sure you maximize your ROI but minimize your risk, consider the following.

The Basics

Here are a few things to bear in mind from the outset - and to make sure your campaign is built on a firm base.

1. Know Your Sector

If this is a client, make sure you understand their business as much as possible. Maybe even suggest going through a company training or induction program to quickly get you up to speed.
Check what your competitors, partners, suppliers and customers are doing, and adjust your bids accordingly. Keep a watchful eye on competitors bidding on your brand name and avoid losing potential customers.

2. Start Small, Scale Up

Identify a number of target keyword areas and bid across these. But don’t spread you budget too thin, start off slowly with a restricted campaign and then scale it up.
This helps to test the water across a variety of brand names, descriptive terms and competitive keywords to see which perform best.

3. Measure, Measure, Measure

It’s amazing how many campaigns I’ve seen which have failed to setup basic conversion tracking.
Make sure you put effort into getting this correct from the start. That way you can have a long-term approach, where you can learn average conversion rates and revenues, allowing you to estimate the performance of future keyword bids.

4. Include Plurals

Your PPC platform of choice may automatically account for differing singular and plural forms of keywords, but double-check this.
If not, test which performs better - singulars or plurals - and adjust your bids and ad copy accordingly.

5. Be Logical

The more logical you are in your approach to your campaign, the easier it will be to see what's working.
Give your bids time to come good, as early poor performance may average out over time - but don't send good money after bad. Make sure you use a logical campaign naming structure and organization too, that way it makes it easier if someone else has to help out with managing the campaign.

Managing Your Bids

Keep your campaign in close check and you can make sure it is up to date and giving you the ROI you need.

6. Know Your Target CPA

Depending on your PPC platform, budgets may be set as maximums, averages or some other target figure.
Know how to set yours at a level that suits your overall budget, and make sure you are achieving your target ROI. If you know your average customer value and target CPA’s you can then find the optimum budget to maximize revenue and profit from your campaign.

7. Be Pragmatic

It is easy to expect a massive ROI when you appear up top on a competitive search term, but be realistic.
Not everyone will click your ad, and not everyonYour PPC Campaigns a Boost - Search Engine Watch (#SEW)e who does will make a purchase. As long as your ROI remains positive, that's the main thing. Just make sure you learn from your mistakes and keep things improving.

8. Use Google’s Tools

Google’s tools have improved greatly over the last couple of years. And bidding tools such as Conversion Optimiser can be a great way of ensuring you maximize the performance of a campaign by focusing on bidding for high-quality, converting clicks – as opposed to traffic volume.

9. Use the Search Query Report

Most PPC platforms will offer in-built data reporting, but be sure you can segment paid search traffic in your website's analytics to show the exact keywords which are sending you traffic.
You can then measure keyword performance and by using the AdWords search query report you can find converting long-tail keyword variations to add to your campaign – and likewise, non-converting keywords to add as negative matches.

10. Learn to Adapt and Keep Testing

There are countless other PPC marketers out there with their own campaigns.
If somebody starts fiercely bidding on your preferred keywords to the point that it’s not profitable, refocus your attention and avoid a bidding war. And with all campaigns, keep testing. Small increases to CTR, quality scores and conversion rates can have a huge impact to a campaigns overall performance.

Optimize Your Ad Copy

Keep your message clear and compelling, and your ad revenues should rise accordingly. PPC ads are brief, so avoid confusion as much as possible.

11. Tweak Your Titles

Just like on-page headlines, the titles of your ads are the most eye-catching elements.
Marketers will tell you to "make them pop", so be concise but highlight your unique selling point or special offer.

12. Your Body is a Temple

Ensure your body text is concise, relevant to the terms you are bidding on, and highlights your USP or special offer.
Avoid clichéd advertising phrases and focus on clear descriptions - words are at a premium, so make them count.

13. Be the Strongest Link

Links matter. The URL of your ad is likely to appear in the results, so avoid meaningless numerical page addresses and get those keywords highlighted in bold.
A keyword-optimized URL helps to demonstrate relevancy and could secure more traffic as a result.

14. Identify Your MVPs

The five or ten best performing keywords or ads in your campaign are your most valuable players.
Keep them at the center of your plan of attack, and arrange your broader paid search activities around them. The 80/20 rule is often very true in search campaigns, so find out where your converting traffic comes and ensure you get everything you can out of those keywords and ad variations.

15. Discover the Niches

In the most crowded of PPC markets, there are effective key terms that have been overlooked.
Be original in your bids and you may manage to stumble upon one of these neglected goldmines.

Target Your Ads

Targeting ads is different from optimizing the ad copy itself. Optimization is about driving click-through rates whatever your audience; targeting is about knowing who your customers are, and writing with them in mind.

16. Write for an Age Group

Age and gender are classics of demographic targeting, and are as relevant as ever.
Write for your chosen target demographic and you raise the perceived relevance of your product for those individuals.

17. Judge Your Prestige Level

In advertising copywriting, there's a world of difference between 'value for money' and 'cheap'.
Know which description suits the prestige level of your product, and stick to it for on-message ad copy.

18. Mind Your Surroundings

Knowing your local customer base is important even on the World Wide Web.
Tweak your ad copy for geographical markets, and target those regions in your campaign settings.

19. Vary Your Calls to Action

Just as you target different key phrases, be sure to vary your ad copy accordingly.
A selection of different ad texts gives you the opportunity to see what works for a given bid term.

20. Research the PPC Markets

Targeting does not have to take place within a single campaign.
Different PPC platforms may reach different or specialized audiences; place ads on the most appropriate ad network.

The Next Level

Once you've mastered the basics, it's time to get serious. Here are five of the things that professional paid search campaign managers deal with on a daily basis.

21. Improve Your Landing Page Tests

Learn how to conduct detailed A/B and MANOVA tests, allowing you to tweak two or more variables in your landing pages ad copy.
Quantifiable results will help you to make more informed decisions about campaign changes, so use Website Optimiser and measure every small change to improve performance. Make sure you produce relevant landing pages to support your ads. This way, you can define funnels that guide individuals from being searchers, to prospects, to converting customers.

22. Find Negative Keywords Via Social Media Monitoring

Set up a social media monitoring service, Google Alerts is fine, and track which keywords are listed alongside your top keywords and brand terms.
This way, you can make sure that anything irrelevant, which you may not have thought of previously, can be blocked using negative matches.

23. Go Global

Target the same keywords in your PPC campaigns as in your on-page optimization and inbound link-building efforts.
This builds on the tip above to help demonstrate to your prospects that the page is tailored to their needs.

24. Schedule Your Campaigns

Schedule new ads for specific dates to make the most of seasonal opportunities and consider budget changes to reflect an increase in search demand and buying intent.
This can also help to keep your campaigns moving when you are out of the office yourself.

25. Keep Things Moving

However well your campaign is performing, there are new audiences to reach and better keywords to bid on.
By Kevin Gibbons
Source : Search Engine Watch

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Know How To Create MSN adCenter Campaigns in 15 Minutes

Many marketers procrastinate when it comes to building adCenter campaigns. There is a prevailing notion that MSN campaigns are just as labor intensive as AdWords campaigns yet produce a small fraction of the yield.
While the latter point has validity, the truth is that MSN campaigns can be quickly built once your AdWords campaigns are up and running. Here are six simple steps to have your ads showing in Yahoo/Bing in the next 15 minutes.

Step 1: Sign Up

Creating an adCenter account is relatively simple. Follow the simple two-step sign up here.

Step 2: Export Campaigns from AdWords Editor

MSN now allows for quick import of AdWords Bulk Sheets. Simply put, this means that your entire AdWords campaign, including account structure, ads, keywords, and settings, can be summarized in a CSV file. Simply download AdWords Editor and load your campaign. Next, export the campaigns directly to your desktop as shown below.

Step 3: Import into MSN Adcenter

After MSN sign up, you should see the following light box appear:

Press “Import existing campaigns into Adcenter” and then load your recently exported AdWords CSV file.
Tip: One of the benefits of adCenter is that CPC pricing is generally a bit lower. Consider lowering all bid prices by 20 percent before uploading. To do this, open your AdWords Export file then locate the Max CPC column. Change the name of the column to something like “Old CPC.” Next, insert a blank column to the right and give it the Label “Max CPC.” Then, apply the formula as shown below to the new max CPC column to automatically lower bids by 20 percent. You can quickly apply this formula to the rest of the cells in the formula by clicking the lower right side of the cell and dragging it down.

After importing your files, you might notice that adCenter doesn’t recognize a few of your AdWords campaign settings, such as geographical targeting, ad scheduling, or device targeting. Don’t worry about this now and simply finish the import.

Step 4: Edit Settings

Once you’ve successfully imported your campaign, go to the campaign tab, select a campaign, and select “change settings.” Here, you will be able to adjust your geographic, device, and scheduling settings that were lost on the import.

Step 5: Add Conversion Code

Remember, you can’t optimize your campaigns unless you track! On the campaign settings screen, check the “Track conversions” button. This will reveal the JavaScript code.
Place this code at the bottom of the [/body] section of HTML on your form/purchase completion page. Don’t place conversion code on your landing pages unless you want the dreaded 100 percent conversion rate!

Step 6: Complete Billing

Simply fill out your billing information and you’re finished!

Tips and Observations

• While Yahoo/MSN occupy a combined 30 percent search market share (compared to Google’s 65 percent), don’t expect a 50 percent boost in search volume when launching these campaigns. A more realistic traffic increase will be in the 15 percent range, but this depends significantly on your perspective audience’s age, income, and education level.
• Expect significant performance variance on the keyword level. Just because a keyword performs strongly on Google doesn’t mean it will perform similarly on adCenter (I have no explanation for this performance deviation; I just accept the reality). As a result, be sure to optimize heavily in the first month of campaign launch. Weekly performance reporting and quarterly optimization rounds are also a good idea.
• Get campaign tracking on your MSN destination URLs. Also, Social Snap has launched a free URL tracker to help build and store custom URLs.
• MSN’s Publisher Network is notoriously less reliable than Google’s Display Network. Be aggressive in blocking sites or strongly consider opting out of the network altogether.

By John Lynch

Source : Search Engine Watch

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Top 14 Things Marketers Need to Know About QR Codes

I recently spoke at SES New York on best practices for mobile marketing with QR codes. Here's a follow-up crash course on tools, tactics, and best practices to confidently help you jumpstart a 2D barcode marketing campaign.
1. A QR Code is a 2D Barcode
QR codes are an encoded barcode image resembling a square-like maze. Unlike a 1-dimensional UPC code, a 2-dimensional barcode stores data in both directions and can be scanned vertically or horizontally to be decoded.

2. 2D Barcodes Can Store a Variety of Data
A traditional 1D barcode (UPC/EAN) stores up to 30 numbers, while a 2D barcode (QR) can store up to 7,089 numbers. The additional storage capacity accommodates a variety of data beyond numbers:

• Text
• Hyperlink
• Telephone number (Phone call)
• SMS/MMS message
• Email (Send message)
• Contact entry (vCard or meCard)
• Calendar entry (vCalendar)

Storing a hyperlink presents a myriad of possibilities beyond just loading a web page -- play a video, download a mobile app, check-in on Foursquare, update a Twitter status, "Like" a Facebook page, display map directions, and more.
3. Read/Decode a 2D Barcode by Scanning it With a Smartphone
(A 2D barcode reader app is required to decode the encoded data.)

4. 2D Barcodes Can be Placed in and on Nearly Any Location
Once the barcode image is created, it can be printed on nearly any surface and location -- newspapers, TV ads, billboards, temporary tattoos, product packaging, clothing labels, cake frosting, and more. This enables you to drive traffic, interaction, and conversion from anywhere. 2D barcodes excel at bringing non-digital media to life.
Note: Use caution placing barcodes online. They should always enhance the user experience. If a user could click a hyperlink, don't make them scan a code to complete the same task.
Bear in mind the location must be easily scannable. Plastic frames and packaging can reflect light. Lighting can cast shadows, and hillsides and subways can kill Wi-Fi access. Consider all contextual factors that could impact the scanning experience.
5. Mobile Barcode Scanning is on the Rise

• 2D barcode scanning outnumbered 1D (UPC) scans in Q1 2011.
  - ScanLife's Q1 2011 Trend Report
• Mobile barcode scanning grew 1,600 percent in the year 2010.
  - ScanLife's 2010 Trend Report (PDF)
• QR barcode scanning was up 1,200 percent in the second half of 2010.
  - Mobio's Naked Facts Report
• 22 percent of the Fortune 50 have already used mobile barcodes.
  - Burson-Marsteller Report

QR codes can be used for nearly any function (logistics, advertising, customer service, etc.) for B2B and B2C across a variety of industries:

• Best Buy uses QR codes on in-store price tags for quick access to online reviews.
• Golf Digest uses Microsoft Tag in their magazine to accompany tips with interactive video.
• Real estate agents use 2D barcodes on "for sale" signs providing prospective buyers access to virtual tours.
• Libraries are using QR codes to facilitate learning via interactive scavenger hunts.

6. QR Isn't the Only Type of 2D Barcode
The most popular 2D barcode formats are QR code, DataMatrix, ScanLife EZcode, and Microsoft Tag (Tag).

There are several key differences in these code formats. ScanLife EZcode and Microsoft Tag are proprietary formats only decodable by their tools, while QR and DataMatrix formats are open standard. (Additional format differences can be addressed in another blog post.)
A Google Trends analysis of these 2D barcodes shows "QR code" dominates by far from a search popularity perspective. QR has become a common term used to reference a 2D barcode (2D code, mobile tag, mobile barcode, etc.) even when codes are technically a different format. Even @MicrosoftTag uses the #QRcode hashtag on Twitter.
7. Tools to Generate and Read 2D Barcodes are Free
Tools are available for all major mobile phone handsets. To run a 2D barcode campaign you'll need to following:

1. 2D barcode generator (Website service)
2. 2D barcode reader (Mobile app)
3. [Optional” 2D barcode management/tracking tool (Website service)

Generators:
Different generators have varying features. Choose a generator based on the options for:

• Code Format (i.e. QR, EZcode, Tag, etc.)
• Stored Data (i.e. hyperlink, meCard, SMS, etc.)
• Output (i.e. color, size, download file type, etc.)

QRstuff.com is a comprehensive QR generator providing a variety of stored content, color, size, and output options. ScanLife's generator creates their proprietary EZcode as well as QR and DataMatrix formats. Microsoft Tag only generates Tag.
Note: To generate a code on the ScanLife or Microsoft Tag sites, you'll first need to create an account. (Tag requires providing personal info like birth date, gender, etc.)
Readers:
Microsoft Tag and ScanLife EZcode can only be decoded by their respective reader apps. Because of the open standard for QR codes, dozens of reader apps are available. (DataMatrix is usually supported on most QR readers.) Some mobile handsets come with a reader app pre-installed.
The following 2D barcode reader apps work on the majority of phones/handsets.

Reader App	Code Formats	Download Link (from your mobile phone)
RedLaser	QR, UPC/EAN	redlaser.com
BeeTagg Reader	QR, DataMatrix, BeeTagg	get.beetagg.com
AT&T Code Scanner	QR, DataMatrix, UPC/EAN	scan.mobi
ScanLife	EZcode, QR, DataMatrix, UPC/EAN	getscanlife.com
Microsoft Tag	Tag	gettag.mobi

RedLaser and AT&T Code Scanner also have geolocation features for local price comparison shopping.
8. Management Tools are Available to Track Scanning Analytics
URL-shortener and web analytics for 2D barcodes storing URL hyperlinks are a great start. For comprehensive scan tracking, you'll need to use a barcode generator tool that includes tracking analytics. (These tools are not independent.) Some management tools will merely track the number of scans while others provide detailed metrics like demographics, repeat scans, geolocation, and more. Collected analytics depends on the reader app used for scanning, so data results may vary.
Management tools are relatively inexpensive and sometimes free. Paid plans typically have a free trial with fees based on the number of scans.
2D Barcode Management & Tracking Tools:

• Microsoft Tag (Tag)
• ScanLife (EZcode, QR, DataMatrix, UPC)
• Tappinn (QR, UPC)
• Paperlinks (QR)
• QReateBUZZ (QR)
• BeQRious (QR)
• SPARQCode (QR)
• QReate and Track (QR)

9. 2D Barcode Content Should Provide Special Value for the Customer
It's work to scan a barcode, so users have higher expectations as to what content they will find. Reward the user with discounts, exclusive content, or useful tips relevant to the code's context. Consider scenarios that leverage smartphone features (email, SMS, phone call, video, map, apps, etc.) to save the user time.
For example, including a QR code on a business card that links to a meCard would be a lot easier than the user manually entering the contact record. In contrast, a QR code that links to a website homepage adds limited value.
Note: If you link to a web page, make sure that it's mobile-friendly.
10. Small or Complex QR Codes Can't be Scanned by Smartphones With Lesser Quality Cameras
Complex 2D barcodes (a lot going on, not very dense) are more challenging and time consuming to scan. In the case of QR codes, more stored content forces a larger code size. In general, it's best to minimize data stored in 2D barcodes. Always use a URL-shortener to shrink hyperlinks. (Add analytics tracking parameters before shortening the link.)
Warning: Small, complex QR codes are the biggest mistake currently being made by marketers. (Microsoft Tag and EZcode formats generally don't have this issue.) Smartphone cameras with resolution less than 4-megapixels can't scan a QR code smaller than about 1"x1". Moreover, without the auto-focus (AF) camera feature, a complex QR code will have the same scanning issue, even if the code is larger. The iPhone 3GS and Blackberry are popular handset examples that lack both of these camera features. Unscannable codes kill and delay the adoption rate for 2D barcode campaigns.
Tip: Always provide a back-up (i.e. hyperlink, SMS text message, etc.) option for users to retrieve info within the code. A back-up enables non-smartphone users to also participate.
11. Consumers Need Guidance to Scan 2D Barcodes
The variety of code types, readers, and different terminology is confusing to consumers. Nielsen Company estimates that only 40 percent of U.S. mobile devices are smartphones as of Q1 2011, growing to almost 50 percent by Q3 2011. That means there are a lot of smartphone rookies that barely know how to use their phone, much less distinguish differences in mobile barcode formats and reader apps. As long as 2D barcodes are a novelty concept, always include a brief step-by-step guide with the context of your code.
Logical steps:

1. Get the reader app
2. Scan the code with your mobile device
3. (Action that happens upon scanning)

Tip: For the reader app download, include a URL link or SMS shortcut to expedite the process. This step is imperative when using proprietary Microsoft Tag or ScanLife EZcode formats since only one reader is capable of scanning their codes.
Steps two and three can be combined as a call-to-action. Example: "Scan to ____." (... watch a video, download our app, call customer support, etc.)
12. 2D Barcodes can be Customized Artistically
QR codes include an Error Correction Level (ECL) that enables "damaged" codes to still be scanned. The error level tolerance (set by the code generator) can be as high as 30%. As a result, creative license can be used to create designer QR codes from a variety of colors or materials (i.e. jelly beans, sand castles, product packaging, etc.) as long as there is adequate contrast to read the code.
When it comes to advanced QR code graphic design, it's harder than it looks. If you want to get fancy, I recommend connecting with QR art experts at QRarts.com or Delivr.com.
Microsoft Tag also allows for artistic codes. Their custom tag tool allows users to generate art from codes or even overlay codes on top of photographs.

Tip: Some artistic design is fun and good to see; however, don't go overboard. As long as 2D barcodes are novelty, it's important that users easily recognize a scannable code from a distance.

13. Testing Scannability is Imperative.
Before you mass print or distribute barcodes be sure to test for scannability. Testing factors:

• Smartphone cameras (resolution/auto-focus)
• Reader apps
• Scan context (i.e. lighting, shadows, surfaces)
• Scan distance
• Scan timing

14. Seek Expertise to Ensure Successful Campaigns
To ensure campaign success, consider consulting with a mobile barcode marketing expert, especially if it's your first time running a mobile barcode campaign. Technology, trends, and tools in this arena are rapidly changing. A few hours of expert consulting can bring your team up to speed, help optimize campaigns for success, and avoid unnecessary embarrassment for poor implementation.
Expertise goes beyond consultants: Talk to your web analytics guru and learn all you can about the mobile users currently accessing your website. Seek out mobile marketing industry statistics regarding popular devices and demographics to appropriately target your audience. (Compete, ScanLife, and eMarketer provide regular useful reports.) Follow the #QRcode Twitter hashtag or subscribe to "QR Code News & Mobile Trends" (Paper.li) for the latest news and case studies.
Finally, download my QR Code Best Practices Checklist & Campaign Worksheet to help plan and manage your campaigns:
By Angie Schottmuller
Source : Search Engine Watch

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Use QR Codes for Better Conversion Rates

From building loyalty and generating sales to capturing customer feedback and boosting local SEO, check out the ways 2D barcodes like QR code and Microsoft Tag can improve conversion rates and help achieve your business goals.

Mobile Barcodes 101

QR codes are a 2D barcodes that resemble square-like mazes. The content encoded in these barcodes can be revealed with a smartphone using a QR code reader mobile app. QR codes can store 133 times more data than a UPC (1D barcode) including letters and numbers which enables storage of various content – hyperlinks, maps, phone numbers, email, and more. Smartphones are able to interpret the appropriate mobile app (i.e. contacts, YouTube, maps, etc.) for rendering barcode content which can uniquely equate to useful time savings for users.
Although the technology is still new to North America, mobile barcode scanning was up over 4,500 percent comparing Q1 2010 to Q1 2011. So far this year (as of Q3 2011), ScanLife reports over 20 million barcodes scanned worldwide, of which 60 percent were in the United States.

Golden Rules of Mobile Barcode Usage:

1. Serve a business objective
   (Generate leads, retain customers, drive traffic, etc.)
2. Add value for the user
   (Save time, reduce cost, enhance experience, mobile-friendly content, etc.)
3. Provide contextual assistance
   (How-to steps, link to get a reader app, call-to-action, barcode link or SMS alternative, etc.)
4. Test to ensure codes are scannable
   (Code size, lighting, Wi-Fi, etc. across different readers and handsets)

Note: Inferior camera phones like iPhone 3GS and Blackberry with less than 3 MP resolution and no autofocus cannot scan barcodes smaller than 1"x1". Not accounting for these handsets is like redesigning a website and forgetting about Internet Explorer. Your intended brand experience could totally backfire without adequate testing. Always include inferior camera phones, in addition to various reader apps, lighting and speed, to truly verify scannability.
Failure to comply with golden rules #3 and #4 is currently an epidemic amongst U.S. marketers. Do not be mesmerized by the QR code and forget logical sense of purpose, design, and usability in your marketing. It's not acceptable to just slap a mobile barcode on promotional materials to link to your homepage. There's no clear objective and no added value. Mobile barcode usage should be intentional as a call-to-action focal point capable of bringing to life purposeful and value-added non-digital information.
(Read up on QR code marketing fundamentals and download the mobile barcode marketing campaign checklist to learn more about tools and best practices.)

Conversion Optimization 101

A conversion simply means that a user completed an intended call-to-action. If you invite 100 people to an event, and 30 people RSVP, the conversion rate is 30%. Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the practice of increasing the percent of users that act on a suggested action.

QR Codes as a Conversion Tool

Conversion optimization tactics target:

1. What users want
2. Where users want it
3. What users need to act
4. When users are most likely to act

The "most likely to act" window of opportunity is often brief, and in today's world, it's often when people are on-the-go. However, the mobile revolution has equipped users to interact online from anywhere at anytime which presents an entirely new perspective on conversion opportunities. QR codes can be used to bridge the non-digital and digital gap at the opportune time from virtually any location.

10 QRonversion Opportunities

Below I've provided a collection of ten diverse business goals with influential tactics and timely opportunities to leverage QR codes for conversion.

1. Product Info or Comparison Data on Price Tags

Best Buy leverages in-store use of QR codes on price tags.

Business goal: Sales
Conversion challenge: Increase # of products sold
Industry: Retail, consumer goods, food, automotive
Feature a QR code near product price tags that encourage users to scan and view additional info, customer reviews or price comparisons. (Leverage the opportunity to back-up customer satisfaction claims and lowest price guarantees.) Tip: Consider promoting a "Buy Now" mobile option (similar to self-checkout), so customers don't have to wait in line.
"When" opportunities: After attending a demo, in-store shopping, catalog shopping
Barcode content: Link to a product review or competitive comparison page

"40% of US smartphone owners compare prices on their mobile device while in-store, shopping for an item." - HubSpot 2011

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2. Feedback Surveys on Sales Receipts

Receipt feedback requests without a QR code can lack visual attention, accuracy and speed.

Business goal: Capture customer feedback
Conversion challenge: Increase # of completed surveys
Industry: Retail, hospitality, food, recreation, entertainment
Include a QR code on receipts that encourage users to scan and rate their experience. Feature an incentive like a discount off their next purchase or a lotto contest (i.e. "you'll be entered for a chance to win a ___") to add value for the user.
Conversion tip: Dynamically generate the QR code so that it's automatically encoded with the transaction ID and timestamp to lessen the amount of data a user would need to provide.
"When" opportunities: Immediately after purchase
Barcode content: Link to a feedback survey

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3. On-Demand Interactive Video Tutorial & Support

Golf Digest Magazine uses Microsoft Tag to link to videos teaching golf swing sequences.

Business goal: Customer support, satisfaction
Conversion challenge: Increase # of video views
Industry: Retail, manufacturing, consumer goods, telecommunications, automotive
Provide on-demand quality support and reduce call center costs by featuring QR codes that encourage users to scan and watch videos for installation or troubleshooting instructions. Display ideas: product guide, manufacturer's product label, product packaging
"When" opportunities: New purchase / product assembly, product troubleshooting / disassembly
Barcode content: Link to a video or video play list
Tip: For product troubleshooting videos, include a call-to-action link on the video for ordering potential replacement parts.

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4. In-House Facebook "Like" Promo

Business goal: Brand advocates
Conversion challenge: Grow the Facebook fan base
Industry: Retail, professional services, automotive, health care, hospitality, food, recreation, entertainment, education
Display QR code "posters" on-site that encourage users to scan and "Like" the page on Facebook. Include reasons why following you socially adds value for the user. (i.e. "Like us on Facebook for the latest trends and exclusive coupons.")
Consider display locations where and when the audience is most captive like dental office ceilings or restaurant placemats. Brainstorm clever opportunities to make designer codes out of product packaging or common office surroundings. Display location ideas: waiting room tables, fitting room walls, point-of-sale countertops, shopping bag exteriors, door exits, and window displays.
"When" opportunities: In-store shopping, window shopping, seated in fitting or waiting room, leaving the location
Barcode content: Link to "Like" the Facebook page

"37% of Facebook users Like a fan page to get coupons and discounts." - eMarketer Report, Mar 2010
"64% of consumers are more likely to follow a brand socially after making a purchase." - GroupM Search Report, Feb 2011

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5. Facebook "Like" on Products

Diesel pioneered use of Facebook "Like" on products in-store with their jean styles.

Business goal: Product advocates
Conversion challenge: Increase # of Facebook product "Likes"
Industry: Retail, consumer goods, food, hospitality
Feature a QR code beside a specific product as a sign or attached sale tag that encourages users to scan and Facebook "Like" the product.
Note: "Liked" web pages can be administrated similar to a fan page within Facebook. You'll be able to post status updates directly to fans of the product (even if they haven't liked the actual fan page). Leverage this targeting opportunity and post periodic product-specific messages to entice purchases with trackable incentives.
"When" opportunities: In-store shopping, catalog shopping, clothing trial in fitting room, reviewing a food menu
Barcode content: Direct link to Facebook "Like" a specific product web page

"68% of consumers are more likely to buy with a positive Facebook friend referral." - eMarketer Report, Mar 2010

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6. Google Places Review Flyers & Posters

Business goal: Local SEO
Conversion challenge: Increase # of reviews
Industry: Retail, hospitality, food, automotive, health care, entertainment
Reviews are a powerful factor of local SEO that also impact click-through rates and sales conversion. Regular reviews are important to show consistent and current quality. Define a campaign that encourages users to post reviews. Design “posters” for on-site use with QR codes that encourage users to scan and review the location. Display location ideas: door exits, ticket booths, table placemats, parking structure columns, and drive-thru yard signs.
“When” opportunities: Entering the location, seated at the location, waiting in line, walking through a parking structure, exiting the location
Barcode content: Link to review the location on Google Places
Note: “Reviews on third party sites offer greater reach and credibility than on-site reviews,” says local search expert Gregg Stewart. Since Google recently removed third-party reviews and listings from their Places pages, directing reviewers to Google Places is likely the best outlet for local search visibility. (Sources like Yelp, TripAdvisor and Citysearch had claimed that Google unfairly used their content.)

"78% of social networkers and 71% of mobile users find consumer ratings and reviews extremely important for local search." - 15miles & comScore Local Search Study, 2010

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7. Foursquare Check-in Posters

Business goal: Loyalty
Conversion challenge: Increase # of check-ins
Industry: Retail, hospitality, food, recreation, entertainment, health care
Build a Foursquare loyalty program that provides incentives for repeat check-ins and mayorship. Design "posters" for on-site use featuring these benefits with QR codes that encourage users to scan and check-in at the location. Display location ideas: door entrances, point-of-sale countertops, table placemats, drive-thru yard signs, and bathroom stall doors.
"When" opportunities: Entering the location, seated at the location, waiting in line
Barcode content: Direct link to check-in at the Foursquare location
(e.g. http://foursquare.com/venue/ < VENUE-ID-HERE>.)

"2 in 5 smartphone owners use their devices from the bathroom." - Google Smartphone Consumer Study, April 2011
"55% would check-in to a venue or store via a site such as Facebook or Foursquare to get special deals." - Havas Media Social 2011 Social Commerce Survey

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8. Interactive Map & Directions

Business goal: Drive traffic (literally)
Conversion challenge: Increase # of in-store or on-site visitors
Industry: Retail, hospitality, tourist site, recreation, education
Advertise QR codes that encourage users to scan and get directions to the location. (Note: QR codes can conveniently leverage smartphone mapping features along with the user's current location to route directions to a specified geolocation.)
QR codes with map links provide a quick confirmation about a destination's location and duration along with a GPS guide to reduce fear of getting lost. Display location ideas: billboards, campus sporting event posters, event invitations.
This presents an exceptional opportunity for off-freeway tourist attractions (restaurants, hotels, recreation facilities, etc.) and off-campus sporting events to lure more visitors. Very large campuses with mapped streets (e.g. schools, amusement parks, fair grounds) can leverage this tactic to promote other on-campus locations or events. (Be sure to test driving and walking scenarios in Google Maps to confirm accuracy.)
"When" opportunities: Driving nearby the location, leaving campus, walking around a large campus, leaving a dining facility, opening a postal mail invite, waiting for baggage at an airport
Barcode content: Link to the geolocation of the site

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9. Smart Reorder from Product Labels

Business goal: Customer retention
Conversion challenge: Increase # of reorders
Industry: Retail, consumer goods, automotive
Feature QR codes on product labels that encourage users to scan and reorder product. Product examples: clothing, projector light bulbs, toner cartridges, car parts, vacuum bags, specialty pet food, etc.
Note: For the clothing industry this will require smart e-commerce planning for discontinued items. Leverage such occasions to promote new similar items as alternatives, but also to capture feedback that may influence bringing back previous product lines.
"When" opportunities: Product life is nearly expired
Barcode content: Link to the online product page

"13% of smartphone owners have scanned a barcode to purchase a product with their phone." - Compete Report, Jan 2011

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10. Expedited RSVP & Lead Generation

Geico leverages QR codes on direct mail prospecting pieces to generate leads. It also presents a unique opportunity to calculate "open rates" for direct mail.

Business goal: Lead generation and sign-up
Conversion challenge: Increase the # of sign-ups
Industry: Retail, professional services, professional association
Feature QR codes on promotional materials that encourage users to scan and sign-up. The "sign-up" logic could work for entering contests, joining professional associations/LinkedIn groups, registering for events, or RSVPing to invites. If you're linking to a lead form, be sure to auto-fill information (if applicable) to save the user time.
"When" opportunities: Upon receipt of a postal mail letter/invitation, tradeshow/expo booth visit
Barcode content: Link to an online sign-up form
Alternative option: Link the QR code to a video that highlights sign-up benefits or "greatest moments" and close the video with a call-to-action link that takes users to the online lead form.

Are You a Mobile Barcode Convert?

Although there's much hype over the fad or revolution future of mobile barcodes, it seems there are clearly some good opportunities here for enhancing user experiences and improving conversion. Granted, compliance with the four golden rules of mobile barcode usage is still imperative.
By Angie Schottmuller

Source : Search Engine Watch (#SEW)

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Twitter Apps for Good Organization

Twitter is big business. Everyone from movie stars to the average Joe is on Twitter sharing their thoughts and ideas with the world. For average users, just going to Twitter.com and typing their tweet might be enough to get the job done, but for some users this will simply not suffice. People who use Twitter all the time need a way to make Tweeting more efficient and effective, and that is why these Twitter apps are here.

Twentyfeet

Twentyfeet is kind of like Google Analytics for Twitter. It keeps track of all the important stats and lets users know when something important is happening. The app displays easy to read graphs and insights so users can keep track of their follower numbers and how they are changing over time. Not only can users keep track of Twitter stats, but they track also sites like Facebook and YouTube.

Buffer

This is a really cool service for people who like to share a lot of links on Twitter. Basically, Buffer allows users to submit links to their queue and it will post them Twitter in nice spaced out intervals. The last thing anyone wants to do is lose follows because of “over sharing” and with an app like Buffer that won’t be a problem.

Keepstream

Keepstream is a nifty service that allows users to store certain Tweets and organize them in collections. This makes is a lot easier to go back and find Tweets from certain people. This is a great way to increase Twitter efficiency because time spent searching for old Tweets can be better used crafting important new Tweets. It also offers the ability to embed Tweets in blog posts for easy sharing.

Proxlet

FourSquare check-ins can be pretty annoying, and they can clutter up a Twitter news feed making it hard to find the tweets that actually matter. With Proxlet that won’t be a problem since it blocks services such as this. It also can block individual users, and it does it right though Twitter.com.

Strawberryj.am

This app goes through your Twitter stream and searches out only the best of the best and displays only those Tweets. It finds Tweets based on the amount of times relevant users mention a link. This filters out all the junk from the timeline and shows only the links that people are actually talking about.

Tweepi

Tweepi is an incredibly easy way to clean up the people an account is following. Instead of having to decide which accounts are not worth following the tool will tell you. It lets users know things like which accounts are not reciprocating by following back and which ones are inactive and not Tweeting much. For anyone looking to clean up the people they follow this is a must use app.

Twaylah

This is an interesting app that creates a Facebook like fan page based on the content of a Twitter account. It shows Tweets based on the topics that are most Tweeted and includes images from the timeline. This a great place to point perspective followers to give them a taste of the type of content they can expect from a given Twitter user.

Tweriod

This tool simply lets you know the most effective times of day to Tweet. It looks over all the people a user follows and the users time line and analyses the best times to Tweet so they will have the most impact. For a business using Twitter for marketing this is incredibly valuable information, since a business wants their Tweets in front of as many eyes as possible.

TwitHawk

TwitHawk is like super targeted marketing for Twitter. While it is a kind of controversial app, there is no arguing that it is effective. It costs 5 cents per Tweet, and it all happens automatically. A user sets keywords and when it finds a user Tweeting about the keyboard it automatically replays to them with a predefined Tweet.

With the help of these powerful apps any Twitter user can become a power user. Anyone looking to grow their business on Twitter or just expand their Twitter presence needs to try these apps!

This guest post is written by Lior Levine, a marketing consultant for a company that designs a task management tool application for businesses. Lior also consults for an online company that providespsd to html conversion.

Source : Kyle Lacy's Thoughts on Social Media Productivity, Innovation, and Marketing

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Press Release Posting Tips for Better Google Rankings

Press Release SEO has been one of the most popular topics to attract Google search traffic here on Online Marketing Blog.  In fact, Lee told me he’s been using PRWeb (a TopRank SEO Client) to promote content in a news format since 2001. We’ve seen the ups and downs in the Public Relations industry over the years and have helped inform many Public Relations professionals on the finer arts of SEO by speaking at events like PRSA, providing training for PR agencies and corporate communications departments and writing about the topic here.

After seeing the nice write up by Adam Sherk on Ragan on how to write press releasesGoogle will love, I decided to curate a list of our own Press Release Optimization tips and share them with you. Plus Lee’s added a few more at the end of this post.

Essential Press Release Optimization Tips
Multiple studies have concluded that both consumers and journalists search for and read press releases.  By optimizing your press release for a specific audience the content will be easier to find and therefore attract new traffic and brand recognition .  This post provides a useful checklist and process for creating a better optimized press release.

4 Tips for Getting PR Approval on Optimized Press Releases
Integration of approved news and SEO keywords can be a daunting task.  Including Public Relations in early in the process can help alleviate problems related to SEO approval.  This post includes 4 essential tips to ensure that your optimization recommendations can be approved and impact your SEO program.

Lowdown on Press Release Optimization
Clever copywriting may not always be a best practice approach for optimizing press releases.  Why?  The objective of a press release should be to present a well written article which contains relevant keywords pertaining to the audience that you are trying to reach.

Press Release Optimization and Blogger Relations
The hardest part of news optimization is not always the optimization, it is the measurement.  Traditional PR is becoming more and more difficult as major organizations are shutting their doors or laying off employees.  An online PR strategy encourages sharing and creates a larger audience base for your news releases.

3 Reasons PR & Communications Need to Know SEO
An understanding of the needs of their “customer’s customer” has always been a very essential piece for PR agencies to remain relevant and productive.  Now with the added element of an online strategy it becomes even trickier.  This post dives into 3 ways that PR professionals can continue to provide value through a better understanding of optimizing press releases and news.

Takeaways from Lee:

[Note from Lee: Thanks to Ashley for curating some of our advice on Press Release SEO that we've given over the years. The SEO tips in these posts are pretty much timeless but the increasing influences of Social Media must also be factored in to create news release content that matters to intended audiences and that inspires them to share and link.  In addition to the tips for optimizing press releases above, here are a few things worth considering:]

1. Research Google News specific keywords using Ubersuggest. Other keyword research tools like WordTracker and Wordstream focus on general search engines, but why not find out what’s popular on Google News as well?

2. Focus on a single keyword phrase and 1-3 variations per release. Most important keywords should be first in the title, but not at the expense of a compelling title. Optimize for customers first.

3. Always include an image and attach other useful images using keywords in the file names and annotations.

4. Include video as an embedded element of the release if you can. More engaging content means more shares and reach to attract links.

5. Promote your press release through a distribution service like our client PRWeb, which is very SEO friendly and effective not just because TopRank provides them with SEO advice, but because they are committed to being a great resource for small business marketers and PR professionals.

6. Syndicate and promote the RSS feed of your newsroom (assuming you publish a RSS feed) as well as the RSS feed provided by the press release distribution service. Example tools for this include: Pingomatic, Twitter Feed and posting short form or summary versions of the release with a link to it via Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and other relevant social channels. Monitor social shares of the release and respond accordingly.

7. Write your news as an article. Try experimenting with creating a timely and newsworthy article format for your news release vs. traditional press release style. It might inspire more editorial pickups and links.

8. Create a series of press releases. Don’t treat your release like a one night stand. Build awareness and momentum with news distribution by creating a series of press releases or at least coordinating releases with other content marketing and online PR efforts over time. One press release is NOT a silver bullet.

9. Archive press releases on your site using keyword categories. Chronological organization of past press releases is only useful for a short period of time.  But if releases can be tagged with keywords and associated with topical categories relevant to your business and the interests of the media and your customers, then they also become useful to search engines that can surface those releases where people are looking.

10. Link to press releases from other media and content. When you publish case studies, white papers, reports and ebooks, consider linking to a relevant press release. Many of those types of documents are MS Word or PDF format and you can embed links within that can be found by search engines. White papers and ebooks are often shared socially and re-published on other websites and blogs. Your document hosted on another domain name that includes links back to relevant press releases can provide a strong signal to search engines for better rankings.

By Ashley Zeckman

Source :  Online Marketing Blog

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