Special Offer on iPad sites... for a good reason!

New iPhone... new interest in mobile browsing. With more and more emphasis being placed on capabilities among mobile devices, it has become increasingly important to make sure your mobile web site presence is up to snuff.

iPhones and iPads are leading the way as usual and we are seeing new highs crest up for mobile use. Many of our clients are within or exceeding 20% mobile users among their web visitors. That number got here fast and it continues to grow. Sure, sales of these devices is driving this wave but what is really behind this surge in use?

1) Convenience. The more socialized you are to using your smart phone, iPad or tablet, the more ways you adapt to using it. An increasing number of people are using their mobile devices for their casual use and leaving the bulkier laptops and desktop computers behind on desks for the heavy use.

2) Streamlined use. Smartphones, iPads and tablets all have one thing in common: you can’t do a lot of “heavy lifting” on them. You can write, do some basic excel and use apps for some program-specific functions, but any really sturdy work has been delegated to laptops and desktop computers. This has created streamlined use of mobile devices, which of course includes quickly jumping on the web.

3) Better mobile sites. The early adopters are setting the bar, especially on iPad sites. This is a place where one can make a major image of difference because of the extreme visual nature of the iPad presentation.

So, for the last two months of the year, Dog Star Media wants to give you a chance to join that early adopter group. In November and December, we are offering 15-page iPad web sites for only $1000 (a savings of $500). If you are interested in this special offer, please email me for more information at donald@dogstarmedia.com.

Understanding Modes Online

This year, we noticed an interesting trend that has re-ignited new discussions about establishing brands and making first impressions vs. putting yourself directly in front of apparently ready shoppers.

Several clients tried advertising on Facebook. I already documented how all of them received an unexpectedly high amount of traffic for what they were spending. However, when we measured the actual conversions from those clicks, hardly any resulted in calls or contacts. As this was widespread, we reached the conclusion the clicks from Facebook were kicking tires. Meanwhile paid search clicks recorded consistent results in terms of clicks, calls and emails. The conclusion there: people using search engines were in a more active shopping/buying mode.

So, what about all those clicks from Facebook? Are they worth it since they come at such a low expense. And, what about the exposure, as people are spending so much time on Facebook? It raises the old question about the value of exposure.

We all just came out of a time when economy in marketing meant we got to survive another day. And, in some places around the country, times are still lean. The days of spending just for exposure and awareness seem like a distant memory but Facebook has brought the conversation back with a digital twist. In many cases. $300 means 200-300 clicks. Those are site visits, not just logo views.

Most of our clients have elected to keep the Facebook ads, paying for cheap exposure. And, then one of my oldest and wisest clients reminded me of an old axiom she was taught years ago. It is thought that it takes 11 exposures before most people are moved enough to make first contact. And, these 11 exposures can take place over a short or long period of time. Although I have always questioned that theory, I can’t ignore the importance of being “out there” and visible. The recommendation that I would make is: If you are going to spent simply for branding, do it on the web where you stand a chance to make the best impression. The key to this, of course, is having a great web site. But that is another conversation...

Email Marketing and Blogging

All I had to do was miss a few blog posts and I was quickly reminded of the importance of email marketing. For more than five years now, I have consistently posted good marketing info into my blog, only missing the odd date here or there over holidays and vacations. Over the past few months, we have had some transitions in the email marketing department. We changed email marketing programs, which has caused us to be unable to email to some addresses and I have simply missed a few weeks as I have been working on a very time-consuming project.

And every day, someone has asked me why they had not received my blog recently.

This reminds me of the first thing I tell clients about email marketing. Offer good information and be consistent. This is how you build a following. You don’t have to offer a lot but, if it is good, people will follow you, expect your contact, anticipate receiving it and miss it if it does not come to them. This is exactly what I experienced.

So, here is my recommitment. Every Tuesday, you will see my marketing blog. We will complete our transition to our new email program and give our email data a good scrub. In a few weeks, the Dog Star Media blog will be back full strength, going out via email but also from Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. As we work on this, let me know from which medium you prefer to receive your blog notifications.

Why not join me? Let’s all be regular in building a good audience for our blog and social network communications.