Adobe Creative Suite
The most comprehensive tool in this article, Adobe’s Creative Suite gives you many options for creating an app. Dreamweaver allows you to build HTML that you can then convert into an app. InDesign also provides the ability too create interactive publications and ebooks. Adobe Edge allows you to quickly create rich, interactive animations. And, of course, Flash allows you to build many kinds of apps, ranging from games to books to interactive marketing pieces. Yet, it is important to note that all content you create (no matter what CS program you use) must end up being processed in Flash or AIR to create the final build for App Store submission.

Baker eBook Framework
Baker’s framework is a simple tool that is based around HTML5 and CSS3. By using these core technologies, you design, package and then publish your app using the Baker Framework. The process is similar to building a website. For example, you can build and edit your pages in Dreamweaver and then place the framework files within your site. This simple step turns the website into an HPub package, which you can then submit to the iTunes App Store for publishing.

Demibooks Composer
Created and distributed by Demibooks, Inc, this new tool is unique in that it allows you to create an app right on your iPad. Once installed, simply gather your assets and sync them with Demibooks composer within iTunes or DropBox. You can then start building your app using the system’s intuitive controls. Interestingly, this is a fairly feature-rich tool, as animations, sounds, built-in previews, an even physics are supported. You can then submit your app to the Demibooks Printshop service to receive assistance in getting the app published in the App Store.

iRise Studio
A newcomer to the scene, iRise Studio is a visual aid in building your apps. Built to eliminate wasted time spent on wireframes, mock-ups, and requirements documentation, this tool instead helps you visually prototype apps and jump-start projects. What you get from iRise is essentially a realistic simulation of what the coded app will look like, but without the tedious coding. By adding navigation, media, interactivity and sample data within iRise, you can easily simulate the user experience of your app before production (reducing costly edits and “re-dos”).

Kwiksher
Advertising itself as “the easiest way to transform your Photoshop compositions into mobile apps”, this interesting tool is actually a Photoshop plug-in. Once installed (along with the required Corona SDK), you can easily add animation, videos, interactivity (such as buttons), and even sounds to your Photoshop files. Once done, you export the project and it is complied (and viewable) within the Corona Simulator.

PhoneGap
Recently acquired by Adobe, PhoneGap is a superb service that takes your HTML, CSS, and javascript and builds an app from your source code. By mixing your HTML with such robust javascript tools such as Titanium and JQuery, powerful apps can be built with out learning Objective C. Better yet, PhoneGap can also create non Apple-based apps, like those for Android, Palm, Symbian and Blackberry devices.

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The tools mentioned above serve as a good starting point if you are an artist, designer, illustrator or writer looking to build an app. As always, keep in mind that hiring an Objective C coder may very well be the best solution for you in the long run. Yet, it is important to know what options are on the table before making the plunge into the serious cost and development time involved with outsourcing an app.

• Using Keywords Organically
• Focusing on content
• Writing clean code
• Using links with meaning

These rules are important to establish even during the design phase, so that the content being created for your site is tailored to get better SEO results. Lets continue this article by covering additional SEO rules for the designer.

Rule #5: The homepage is primary

A site’s homepage is key to search engines. It should not only summarize the content contained within the rest of the site, but also give the user a clear reason to continue spending time on the site. By using strategically placed keywords, effective “Calls to Action”, and highlighting key pieces of the site, you are taking a great step in optimizing you home page’s SEO.

Rule #6: Title Tags for Every Page

Each page on a site needs a title, as this is what generates search results and gives users a clear call to action. A title typically consists of a shortened description of the page’s content, along with the site (or business) name. It should also include keywords, but should never go over 60 characters.

Another good rule of thumb is to ensure that navigational links also include title attributes that match the title of that particular page. An example of this would be: <a title=”title of page” href=”link”>. This is a small effort that can go a long way when it comes to improving your SEO.

Rule #7: Alt Attributes for Images

Be sure to focus on the alt tags for images that are particularly relevant to the page they are on. For example, if your page is focused on print materials, labeling an image “example of print materials” will enhance the SEO results for the page. Giving it a generic name like “image” or “portfolio_01″ serves no good.

Rule #8: Meta Tags are a thing of the past

At one time meta tags were a key to good SEO strategy. However, this is no longer the case. For most, the only meta tag that is of any use is the description tag, as search engines use this information to generate the text (found under the site links) in their results. Ensure that you use a well-worded description that explains to the user why they should visit your page and site.

Rule #9: Implement a Site Map

Though simple, creating a site map helps Google find your key content. A site map is typically an .xml file that includes a detailed description of the structure and hierarchy of a site. Not sure how to create one? Lucky for us, there are online generators available that help you create, optimize and submit them to search engines. This is a link to the guidelines for submissions made to Google. and here is a link for a submission service.

Rule #10: Design for your Users

In all reality, search engines are simply tools for the user to find what they are looking for when on the web. By taking this into account, we have the task of designing our site and its content specifically for our user. This is not necessarily a challenge to make art, stand for some kind of virtue or prove a point. But, we do have the responsibility of creating a site that is easy to use and full of content that the user is looking for.

To recap, here are our 10 SEO rules for designers:

1. Using Keywords Organically
2. Focusing on Content
3. Writing Clean Code
4. Using Links with Meaning
5. The Homepage is Key
6. Title Tags for Every Page
7. Alt Attributes for Images
8. Meta Tags are a Thing of the Past
9. Implement a Site Map
10. Design for your Users

Have other helpful SEO suggestions? Please feel free to comment below and let us know how you have optimized sites!

In part 1, we discovered what questions clients typically ask about ecommerce websites and answered their first question: What is ecommerce?

In part 2, we answered their second question: Should I build an online store?

In part 3, we answered the client’s question Do I have the Expertise?, and reviewed ways in which we can ease client’s concerns over the technical details of ecommerce.

Finally, in part 4, we will address the cost of ecommerce and how to realistically set client’s expectations.

What Are the Costs Behind Ecommerce?
Behind every ecommerce project lies the biggest client question of them all. Will this ecommerce store cost me an arm and a leg? And, what hidden costs might there be? By asking these questions, the client is essentially trying to decide if it is worth taking the hit in terms of cost, time and risk, and if it will pay off in the long run.

The answer? Only they can determine this. But, as their advisors, we can help them make the best decision in determining whether it will be worth the costs they must absorb for ecommerce.

At Malphurs Interactive, we help them make this decision with knowledge. In particular, we let our clients know of five key costs:

• Web Development
• Web Hosting
• Banking Fees
• Client’s Time – Up Front
• Client’s Time – On going

Lets briefly look at each of these.

Web Development
Covered in the initial client proposal, “web development costs” typically includes the design, programming, and set-up of the website from the project start until it is “live” to website visitors. More specifically, we define the stages of the project (and the costs involved) for the following:

• Project consultation
• Site architecture
• Design
• Programming
• Licensing Fees
• Support

Defining these key project milestones and the costs involved ensure that our clients know what they are looking at… and that there are no surprises in store for them at the end of the project.

It is important to note, though, that there are a few items that a proposal can not estimate with complete accuracy. Some of these include:

• Photography
• Deliveries
• Data Entry
• Changes to the project scope

Be sure to list them out so that you do not get any surprises when the client refuses to pay for things they thought were included within the overall project costs.

Web Hosting
We typically try to avoid using particular hosts (i.e. -  GoDaddy) and instead ask the client to go with the services with which we feel most comfortable. Why? It eliminates the time and cost of not having to deal with bad hosting!

Are two favorite hosts are:

• GotFast.net
• MediaTemple.net

Both have great customer support and allow you a nice amount of control over your server environment… all at a reasonable cost.

In terms of costs, all hosting packages are quite variable. It is more important to let the client know that the package price is dependent upon multiple factors such as hosting size, the number of email accounts, bandwidth needs, and contract length. Taking the time to find the best package up front will save time and aggravation down the road.

Additionally, inform the client that they will need an SSL certificate for security purposes and that this is a reoccurring cost each year. These typically run in the $99-$199 range. We also suggest that these be purchased directly form the host instead of a cheaper third party (again, see GoDaddy). We have run into project delays and complications going with this cheaper route… You always get what you pay for!

Banking Fees
The biggest area of confusion for clients usually come from the banking fees associated with ecommerce. In all reality it is quite simple once explained. We do so by breaking these fees into two “easily understandable” components… Merchant account fees and gateway fees.

Merchant Account Fees
Merchant account fees are typically those that a bank charges someone in return for the service of taking credit card transactions. We have found that most clients prefer to use their own bank as their merchant for reasons of convenience… They already have an account with their bank, so why not consolidate these services? Makes sense.

The costs range widely from bank to bank, but typically are in the following range:

• Set-up Fee: $99.00
• Monthly Fee: $20.00
• Transaction fee: 2.9 % + $0.10

Note that you can also go for an all-in-one solution (such as Authorize.net or PayPal) which will handle both services for the client. Some larger banks even offer both merchant and gateway accounts, so definitely consider this scenario.

Gateway Account Fees
Gateway accounts seem to always trip up clients. “Why are paying for a gateway account when we already have a merchant account?” We answer this question as simply as possible by informing them that there has to be a way for their website to talk to their merchant account… And do so in a way in which they can understand each other. Is this an over simplification? Yes. But it is usually all the client needs to know.

The most common gateways are:

• Authorize.net
• Google Checkout
• PayPal Pro

The fees vary, but typically lie in the following range:

• Set-up Fee: $99.00
• Monthly Fee: $30.00
• Transaction fee: 2.9 % + $0.30

The Client’s Time
The old saying that “time is money” is true with ecommerce sites as well. The client should have a realistic expectation of how much work it is to both set-up and run an ecommerce store! We try to make this easily understood by splitting up the client’s time into two phases: Up front time and on-going time related costs.

Up Front Time
Many clients do not think through all that is needed to set-up an ecommerce store, while most simply don’t know. But, it is import to inform them of what they are facing when building the store and what they will need to provide. This will help avoid both project delays and client frustration!

Be sure to mention the following items they will need to provide, each of which will take a portion of their own time:

• Gateway and merchant account set-up
• Shipping methods and account set-up
• Knowledge of tax rates and laws
• Fulfillment service set-up
• List of store categories
• List of products
• Product photography, descriptions, and variations (cost color, size, etc.)
• The input of their products and respective data
• Training time on how to use the ecommerce store and admin area

Seeing all this will be quite overwhelming for the client! But, it is better they know up front then get hit by all this further down the road.

On Going Time
Clients often forget that there is quite a bit of work to be done, even when the website is live. “Live” never means “done”!

Unless they are being provided with an integrated ecommerce solution and using fulfillment services, a client will typically need to check the ecommerce store daily in order to keep their inventories up-to-date, fulfill orders, change products, set-up sales, and more. And, this does not even take into consideration the marketing efforts needed to drive traffic to the store and make all this worth it in the first place!

Of course this only touches the tip of the iceberg. But, Malphurs interactive has found that by informing the client of all costs in terms of both time and money, project delays are avoided, client’s are better informed of what to expect, aggravation is avoided, and – best of all – clients come away much happier at the end of the project.

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Thank you for reading through this four part series… We hope you have gained insight on how to better manage ecommerce projects with your clients. Feel free to share your feedback in the comment area below… We would love to hear how you have managed clients through your own ecommerce process.

Before we begin, lets first establish whom we are dealing with when implementing an SEO strategy. Since we will be focusing on Google for this article, it is imperative to point out that there is a room full of “genius scientists” there, whose job is to make sure that Google cannot be fooled. You cannot cheat the system. Don’t even try! Instead, focus on great design and content. Remember this as you follow the guidelines below.

Rule #1: Use Your Keywords Organically

Select some keywords (W3 definition of keywords). Select keywords or phrases that best describe your site. Then, when developing your content, use them throughout the site wherever it is natural. (This is what we refer to as an organic SEO method.) Remember that unnatural repetition will only bring about negative results. So, use your keywords organically in places like sentences, headlines, page titles, and links.

Rule #2: Content is Paramount

Content is what is being searched by the engines, not your great design. If your content is not what people want, it simply will not drive an audience to your site.

Every page needs to follow what is called the Inverted Pyramid method. This method is where you put the most substantial and important information in the forefront. Then follow with the important details and include the rest of the information that is of less importance. For example, lead with a relevant H1 tag that includes one or more of the keywords or phrases you defined in step one. In addition, the first paragraph should typically summarize the rest of the content on the page.

Rule #3: Clean Code = Searchable Code

Write clean, orderly, semantic HTML. Your code should always follow the structure of the page, such as using just one H1 tag, other H tags for headings and subheadings, ULs for lists, Ps for paragraphs, and STRONG for bolded text. Try not to overuse divs in your structure.

Rule #4: Links Need Meaning

Search engines closely analyze the links on your site, as well as the text used for those links. It is good practice not to use links that include text such as “click here” or “see more”. The text in a link should be descriptive of where the link is going to take the user. Some examples are “learn how to design a landing page” or “register for your next class”.

The more relevant links that are used on a page, the more likely it is that your page will be found and ranked highly. Try not to overuse links or link to irrelevant content. If your page is about mobile web design, don’t link to a department store (unless it is relevant to your content). Instead, a link to responsive design is proper and will improve your SEO results. Linking to some bad stock photography will not.

Wrap Up

This concludes the first part in our series on SEO rules for designers. By following the simple rules introduced above, you will surely see improved SEO results. And, by taking careful consideration of the information your audience is looking for, you will have taken a solid first step in your SEO strategy.

Come back soon for part two in this series, where we will be covering other practical SEO methods such as Title tags, Alt tags and more.

The following is written to assist either the latter type of company, or those that are looking to transition from being a general services firm to a speciality services provider. It is important to note that there is no real formula for developing a niche market for your company. But, there must be a starting point and the steps below have helped my business find niche market services to consider.

Keep an Eye on the Industry Landscape
The first step in finding a niche market typically starts long before you actively begin to build one. A good place to begin is to look for new market ideas, industry trends, and emerging technologies. By simply keeping your eye sand ears open as you take in all the information that flies around you, ideas will begin to form. Other things to consider include ways to innovate and improve existing services and solving problems you run into during your everyday work life. Be sure to keep track of your ideas!

Many struggle to find these ideas. Personally, I pick up on trends (and thus ideas) by subscribing to newsletters such as those sent by Springwise, Smashing Magazine, wpMail.me and other industry publications. You can also peruse industry and technology websites to gather the same kind of information and ideas. Use an RSS reader (such as NetNewsWire) to help you quickly look over news articles and pick the topics that interest you.

Most importantly, look for something you enjoy doing. Nobody wants to develop a niche service and suddenly find they hate what they do for a living. Make sure you cultivate ideas that are of interest to you and your employees!

There is No Right or Wrong
Next comes the brainstorming process. The main thing to keep in mind is that there are no right or wrong ideas at this point. You are simply brainstorming to come up with multiple ideas for specialty service areas. Examples include:

• Mobile applications for telecommunication companies
• WordPress theme development for advocacy groups
• Training in Apple programs for those who are special needs teachers

Again, your goal is to come up with multiple ideas, especially those that get you excited. Personally, I like to include my employees in this process. This helps in two ways. It:

• Gets them involved in business strategy
• Provides them with the knowledge that they are a key to the business

For more brainstorming ideas, read this excellent Entrepreneur article.

Rapid Reduction of Ideas
So, you have finished the brainstorming work. You have created – say 5 – niche ideas you would like to focus on. What’s next?

It may come as a surprise, but your job is to review and dispose of all those carefully crafted ideas and do so as quickly as possible. The reason for this is simple. Why waste time developing a business service if it is not viable? Nothing will sink a company more quickly than putting a ton of time and resources into a service offering that won’t hold water.

The obvious question that comes from this is “How do I determine what is viable?” Let me suggest the following methods:

1. Clearly define the niche market service idea and give it a name.
2. List what you will need to know in order for it to be considered as a viable service.
3. List the methods in which you can discover the answer to these questions.
4. Research this list in detail, noting your findings and conclusions.
5. Determine if you have the internal resources and talent to make the idea happen.

Again, the goal is to find out if this is a good opportunity or not. By following the methods above, you can quickly dispose of those that are simply not viable. Do this so you can more fully focus on the ideas that do look to be good candidates for a niche market service.

Choosing the Right Idea
Now that you have narrowed down your idea, perform further research on such things as:

• the competition in the service area
• the industry and market growth data
• potential marketing methods
• the internal training need for implementation

Once you have done this, you will likely be left with only one or two ideas. The only thing left now is the hard part… Choosing the niche market service to target!

Many struggle the most with this step, as they like too many of their ideas! But, with the research you have done to this point, you should have a strong sense of which idea to go with. Remember to ask yourself which idea:

• has the biggest growth potential?
• has the biggest market from which to target customers?
• would you and your firm enjoy doing the most?
• is your company best suited to do?

When all is said and done, choose your niche market service and don’t look back. Now is the time to move forward and run with it. Market the service, train internally for it, and begin getting your name out there. And most of all, good luck!

• Changing passwords
• Editing permalinks
• Uploading a theme
• Changing the default category
• Activating Akismet

Let’s take a look at some other best practices that can be implemented to ensure a better results in managing your WordPress site.

6. Install Google XML Sitemaps Plug-in

Installing the Google XML Sitemaps plugin generates a XML-Sitemap, which allows all the major search engines to index your site with ease. Anytime you edit or add a post the site map is automatically modified on it’s own.

Click here to visit the Google XML Sitemaps plugin page.

After installing the plugin go to Google Webmaster Central and login with your Google account. The first page will ask you to “Verify” your site. All you have to do is follow the instructions.

After verifying your site, click the “Add Sitemap” option from the main page and enter the URL to your sitemap.

ex: “http://www.yoursite.com/sitemap.xml”

7. Install WordPress Database Backup Plug-in

Backing up is always a good practice and your WordPress site should be no exception. For example, someone could make a mistake that breaks the site or you could experience server problems.

The WordPress Database Backup plugin will backup your WordPress blog. Another great feature of this plugin is the ability to set it to email you a backup of the site weekly. So all you really have to do is activate it and it does the work for you.

Click here to visit the WordPress Database Backup plugin page.

8. Testing, Testing 1,2,3…

In order to ensure what your blog is going to look like after development. Content (i.e., multiple posts and all types of formatting) has to be added in order to test all the functionality. Fortunately there is a resource for dummy content.

Click here to visit WP Candy to download their dummy content.

Once you have downloaded the “posts.xml” implement the following steps to load the content:

• Navigate within the WP admin to “Tools” > “Import” > “WordPress”

WordPress will then add all the dummy content so that you have the ability to test the functionality of your site. From sample posts with comments, to parent/child categories and formatting, this will help bring up any issues that you can. Then alter to your liking.

9. Adding your RSS to Feedburner

The first step is to change your RSS settings:

• Navigate within WP admin to “Settings” > “Reading”
• Edit how many posts you want to show in your RSS feed and whether to show a full post or not

Next, burn your feed using Feedburner. The advantage in doing this is that Feedburner will provide stats and automatically ping services so that your new content is updated. Be sure to look around, as Feedburner also gives you access to many other services.
Adding Feedburner gives you a great set of RSS tools from which to draw. After signing up with Feed Burner:

• Change the feed subscription link within your theme.
• Place the following code between the head tags:

Wrap Up

This rounds out our list of good practices after a WordPress installation. Though this does not cover everything, it is a good starting point to solidifying a site to be both useable and effective in attracting an audience to your site. As we all continue to grow in customizing WordPress, there will be a future need to implement further best practices. Fortunately, we have a community that is committed to driving a better experience.

Everyone comes to a point in their personal or professional life where they lose passion for something. Many people come to that point many times in their life… Recently, I found myself there.  The words below are about what I have gone through in losing love for my profession and what I am doing about it now that I have reached that point…

So, let me be your example for what to do. Or, for what not to do… I honestly don’t care. This is more about putting “words on paper” and maybe… hopefully… helping someone else in the process.

Recently, I hit a point in my professional career where I simply stopped caring about many of the projects upon which I was working. Having built website after website for more than a decade, nothing stood out or had any meaning for me any more. Sure, the work got done. Was it done well? Sure. Was it great? Maybe. But, was it inspiring? Absolutely not.

Being an introspective person, I began noticing this in myself and started to ask why. Why did I feel drained every morning before work? Sure, there is drudgery in every job. But, where was the passion? Was I burned out? Did I need a vacation? Heck, a new career?

Analyzing all of my feelings brought up many of the typical complaints of those in the career “mash-up” known as the media industry. For example, I found that most of my client’s became – at best – an annoyance and – at worst – unbearable. To combat this, I simply began turning down projects from (or flat out firing) clients I didn’t want to work with.

But, after all my complaining was done, I realized this was simply the fine art of finger pointing at its very best. Something needed to change… And that change could only come within me.

When I got over my self-pity and began looking at things more clearly, I found that the change I knew was needed could become a good thing. Something that invigorates… that excites… that takes my business and life in a new direction. Was it scary? Yes… Would I succeed? Maybe, maybe not. But, the only way for me to find out would be to shake things up… To find a passion and begin to care again.

Many quotes came flooding back to me:

“You might as well love what you do, because you have to do it every day.”
- My dad

“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
- Steve Jobs

“If you don’t enjoy what you do, you just own a job.”
- Rick Robinson

“Start with the “WHY”.”
- Simon Sinek

I am probably leaving out many other pseudo-motivational quotes, but I believe in my soul that the words above are true. So, what to do?

Well, I am still trying to figure that one out… This isn’t a process that is easy and I fully expect to take time. But, I have decided to follow Simon Sinek’s advice in starting with the “why”. I could explain more about what this entails, but I’ll let Simon do it for you.

I have also began to look back at projects – and yes even the clients – of which I have enjoyed working. This have given insight into what I really should be doing and the clients I should be working with. These are now becoming my target customers and projects.

Other things I have explored include:

• Looking into different niche markets and target projects and clients within these segments.
• Experimenting with new ideas.
• Reading about how others have found or renewed their passion.
• Setting new goals.

The obvious questions now is: Where has this lead me? Honestly, to confusion. John W. Gardner said that “Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” This is perfect, as I find myself right in the middle of a scribbly mess. I have no idea if I am going in the right direction… I have no idea if I will fall flat on my face… I may – and probably will – flame out spectacularly.

But, one thing I do know is that I’d rather be here than where I was 6 months ago. I’d rather fail than be miserable. I’d rather lose security than deal with the bullshit that I somehow decided was acceptable. More than anything else, I no longer buy into the rat race and bill of goods that society says is correct. Shutting up and taking it, accepting things as they are, and having a lack of passion are no longer acceptable to me.

So, cheers to those taking a risk. Applause for those who are truly rethinking things. And, props to those being brave. I truly believe that those who do these things and refuse to settle are those that find their passion and live a rewarding life. And, in the process, maybe… just maybe… make a difference in someone else’s.

1. Change the Admin password and add additional users

When WordPress is installed it creates a temporary password that is almost impossible to remember. It is a good practice to go into “Users” within the WordPress admin and change the admin password and add any additional users.

2. Edit Permalinks

The default for WordPress creates a url structure (i.e. www.malphursinteractive.com/?p=158) which generates poor SEO results and creates a user experience that is less than ideal. Meaning that it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to the user when navigating the site.

1. Within the WordPress admin navigate to Settings > Permalinks
2. Under “Common Settings” choose “Custom Structure”
3. Enter %postname% in the field
4. Or you if you would like the category displayed in the url, enter %catergory%%postname%

* Occasionally a WordPress theme has a specific url structure so check the documentation for the theme.

3. Upload your Theme

After selecting the theme that you would like to use.

1. Upload the theme to the “themes” folder within “wp-content”.
2. Within the WordPress admin navigate to Appearance > Themes. Then click your theme.

4. Change the default Category and add any additional

WordPress creates a default category of “Uncategorized”. This can be changed to reflect what category that is attached to most postings

1. Within the WordPress admin navigate to Posts > Categories
2. Click on “Uncategorized” to edit – change it to ‘News” or whatever you commonly choose for posts
3. Add any additional categories filling out the form by clicking the “Add New Category” button.

5. Activate Akismet

This plugin comes with the WordPress install and can be easily activated to block comment spam. If the ability to comment is available on your site you will get spammed.

1. Within the WordPress admin navigate to Plugins and click “Activate” next to the Akismet plugin.
2. WordPress requires an API key (you can acquire this by registering on WordPress.com under your profile and copy the copy key.
3. Within the WordPress admin navigate to Plugins > Akismet Configuration, then paste in the API key.

Wrap Up

This concludes the first part. Some of the topics that will be covered next will be installing sitemaps, backing up and testing your site. Through application of these good practices your next WordPress project will have a better foundation to build upon. By improving the user experience and defending your site from spam, you will have a better overall experience as a result. Which is what it’s all about anyway…

In part 1, we discovered what questions clients typically ask about ecommerce websites and answered their first question: What is ecommerce?

In part 2, we answered their second question: Should I build an online store?

In part 3, we will answer the client’s question Do I have the Expertise?, and review ways in which we can ease client’s concerns over the technical details of ecommerce.

Do I have the Expertise?
Clients often face the fear of whether they can pull off the task of maintaining and running an ecommerce site. How do you answer this and ease their concerns?

At Malphurs Interactive, we address this issue in two ways:

1. Show them demos of ecommerce stores
2. Promise (and provide) training and documentation

Showing Demos
By showing demos of other sites, you can engage your clients on the ins-and-outs of the processes that typically drive ecommerce stores. Assuming that these have been built well, it will quickly become apparent that ecommerce is not rocket science.

Begin by walking the client through a top level overview of how the store looks to the public. Be sure to show:

• the storefront
• category pages
• product details pages
• search functionality
• the check-out process

By covering these pages first, you provide a solid understanding of what will be produced through the store’s admin area. This is important because the client needs to understand the correlation between the admin area and the public-facing site. In other words, they will be able to better grasp “what effects what” when administrating the site.

With that ground covered, it is time to move over to the administrative side of things. First, walk them through a top level overview of the admin area and its navigation, ensuring that you provide a short description of what each section does. I advise NOT going into specific detail of functionality at this point, as we are simply trying to give the client an idea of what the admin area contains. We want to first help build the client’s mental model of the admin before providing detail that very well may overwhelm them at this point.

When this is done, briefly show them how:

• categories are set-up
• products are added
• shipping is controlled
• tax rates are applied

Again, I advise only showing one or (at the most) two examples of each… We don’t want to overwhelm the client, as this would fly in the face of our intentions of showing them a demo in the first place!

Finally, be sure to ask the client if they have any questions before moving on. But, to beat this horse dead, ensure you are being clear and concise in answering any questions. Too much detail is what we are trying to avoid.

Training & Documentation
Now that we have shown the client a sample ecommerce site without making their head spin, it is time to discuss the support options you will be providing. This helps them understand that when the project is complete, they won’t be left hanging all alone.

At Malphurs Interactive, we typically offer two support options:

1. One face-to-face training session
2. A short, customized user manual

Some clients prefer to meet in person and be guided through each piece of the store’s functionality. Others simply prefer to have a guide that they can reference instead. The decision between using one support option over the other (or even both) should be dependent on how best the client learns. Visually? Through conversation? Through getting their hands dirty?

Regardless, of their preferred method, we are attempting to convey that – just as they have seen – they can do this and they will have the support they need along the way! This goes along way to address and ease a client’s fear and also increases customer satisfaction. And, thats just good business practice!

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Come back soon for Part 4, the final article in this series. In the meantime, share your feedback in the comment area below… We would love to hear how you have managed clients through the ecommerce process.

1. Ensure your Landing Page has a Concise Message

Stick to a single goal, message, and call to action in order to create a clear directive. Do not establish too many calls to action, as this will only confuse the message your are trying to convey.

2. Produce Consistency

When designing a landing page it is important to create a consistent look and feel, message and stream of information. The goal of this is to provide the user with the same experience from beginning to end.

3. Stick to the Relevant Information

When creating the content of your landing page, make sure to highlight only the information that is relevant to the user. Avoid any information that will bog down the user with unessential data. Of course, some information has to be present in order to support the main point. However, this information should be relevant to your message and easily accessible to the audience. Make it stand out!

4. Direct Attention to a Clear and Succinct Headline

The headline is what grabs our attention when wading through the sea of information we are all bombarded with everyday. Thus, it is crucial to make this headline something that will cause your audience to stop and take notice (and then see what else the page has to offer).

5. Different Users and Traffic

If your campaign is targeting different types of users, a landing page should be created for each. By guiding these different audiences to separate landing pages, they not only get a specific, tailored message, but your tracking will be more accurate. This ensures that the landing pages are effectively reaching the intended audience, and – if the tracking shows disappointing results – you can make the necessary changes for success.

6. Keep it Simple and Clean

Remember to evaluate the design to ensure that it’s both clear of clutter and that there are not too many competing elements that only draw attention away from the call to action. Evaluate your page thoroughly to look for your call to action. In most cases, your answer should be that there is only one. If this is not the case, go through and remove any additional distractions.

7. Remove Navigation

Remember that a landing page is not supposed to be a full website experience. Navigation can cause your audience to lose focus of the page’s purpose…. The reason why you directed them their in the first place. Keep navigation minimal, which should typically consist of only a link to your contact info, home page and/or a place for them to learn more information.

8. Minimize Reading

The most important content on your page should be the most easily accessible. You don’t want it to get buried alongside a bunch of other content. If you force the audience to go through the trouble of finding the important copy, it is likely that you will lose them in the process!

9. Keep it Above the Fold

Keeping things “above the fold” implies a concept that all relevant information should be seen immediately no matter what screen resolution the audience may have. This eliminates the need for them to have to scroll to locate the call to action. It is right there in front of them! If you page has to be long, it is a good practice to ensure that the call to action repeats throughout the page.

10. Congruence

Congruence refers to the concept of making sure that all information refers to – or supports – the main point of the page. If any of the content does not support this main point, remove or rework it.

BONUS:

1. Explore the Use of Video

When it comes to using video, we no longer have the drawbacks of being in a world where dialup prevails over broadband. So, exploring the idea of using video as a method to communicate can be a great option. This is especially the case when it comes to an audience that would rather listen and watch than read. However, if time and effort is not placed in producing quality video this could end up hurting your communication more than helping.

2. Allow Sharing of Viral Pages

When designing a landing page meant to be viral, make it easy for the audience to share the page on different social networks. Of course, this doesn’t ensure that it will create buzz for your product or page. But, it does give you the opportunity to place it in front of an audience that you may not otherwise be able to reach in a conventional sense.

3. Providing an Incentive for Information

If your landing page happens to ask for personal information or some other means of contact, it is good practice to find a way to thank the audience for providing it. A link to content that may be relevant to them (whether on your site or another) is one such “thank you”. Other ideas include white papers, coupons or discounts, and free marketing material. In other words, anything that provides the audience with the knowledge that you appreciate them contacting you.

Where do we go from here?

Committing to the process of designing effective landing pages is hard work… The considerations above will help guide you towards a more successful campaign. Remember, the goal is not always just about getting good results from your analytics, but generating increased client interaction that results in added interest in the services you provide.