How the description tag can improve clickthrough and conversion

In a previous blog post regarding the description tag for search marketing, even although Google no longer (or ever did) use it in their search algorithm, it was suggested that it was still important enough to take time crafting it effectively.

Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Webspam team, did confirm that it is still used, and displayed below the page title in search page results, when relevant to the search terms entered.

So, how can it be used effectively to help increase clickthrough rates?

Tags: SEO | Web Optimisation | Copywriting | Search Engine Optimisation | Ecommerce | Landing Page

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Eye tracking now available for all web sites

Testing web site useability has always been a valuable exercise to undertake but in the past has always been prohibitively expensive.

As such eye tracking analysis was only really available to the larger online business owner as it involved sophisticated tracking devices and the availability of test subjects similar to those being targeted as potential customers to get a actionable set of data to implement.

Tags: Analytics | Web Optimisation | Conversion | Google Analytics | Ecommerce

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Amazon are successful! Why not just copy them?

If you're in the web design/optimisation business, how often are you asked if you can build a site just like Amazon's?

Maybe not every day but enough to have investigated how and why Amazon are as successful as they are and if there are any lessons to be learned.

To copy is the sincerest form of flattery!

Whereas that might be true to a point, it is where the point is and where it stops. And, there may not be any point at all!

Tags: Web Optimisation | Google Website Optimizer | Ecommerce

Website optimisation - what good can it do?

Two sides of the same coin

SEO and WSO are two sides of the same coin! Both work to ensure your web site is successful but in different ways.

SEO builds traffic and drives visitors to your site and WSO converts them to paying customers & clients.

Tags: Web Optimisation | Google Website Optimizer | Copywriting | Google Analytics | Analytics

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The importance of landing page design

I had the pleasure, a few months back, together with Ann-Maree Morrison of Labels4Kids, of being involved in a Making Money on the Internet workshop entitled Labels, Links & Lolly run by FEAT (Falkirk Enterprise Action Trust).

Tags: Google Website Optimizer | Web Optimisation | SEO

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How many web sites, once built, are almost abandoned?

What do I mean?

How many web site owners ignore the potential to communicate effectively with their visitors and Potential Customers.

Every visitor, well, almost every visitor, is a potential customer. Why would they have taken the trouble to search you out or click on your search result in Google or any of the search engines?

• Do you know what they were looking for?
• Do you know if they found it?
• Do you know what search engine they used?
• Do you know what they did on your web site to try and find it?
• Do you know what actual keyword or phrase they used to find your site?
• Do you know what pages/content they read?
• Do you know what pages or content they find of most interest?
• Do you know how long they stayed or how many pages they looked at?
• Do you know if they ever come back?

If you answer no to any of the above then you've abandoned your site, albeit unintentionally.

Tags: Analytics | Web Optimisation | Conversion | Google Website Optimizer

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The importance of optimising landing pages

I had the pleasure, recently, together with Ann-Maree Morrison of Labels4Kids, of being involved in a Making Money on the Internet workshop entitled Labels, Links & Lolly run by FEAT (Falkirk Enterprise Action Trust).

Ann-Maree gave an outline of her company's history and experience of setting up a sucessful online ecommerce business. Over the last 4 years she has built the business up from nothing to turnover in excess of £180,000.

She gave an outline of the many areas to be considered in relation to finding, getting and converting visitors into customers convering both SEO and WSO (web site optimisation).

Tags: Conversion | Web Optimisation

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Amazon - Progessive and incremental changes for higher conversion

If you've been on Amazon.co.uk recently you will have noticed they are celebrating their 10th anniversary. How many can remember what Amazon's site looked like 10 years ago?

I can't remember either but I know it looked nothing like it does today!

Amazon UK's big brother is three years older being launched in 1995 and this is what it looked like when it first arrived on the scene (on the right):-

Amazon re-design or Evolution?

Today is looks a lot different (below) and looks like it's gone through some major re-design since first being launched when it just sold books.

Tags: Analytics | Web Optimisation | Conversion

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