eMarketSouth Central

Growing up, many of us learned lessons from our readings of Dr. Seuss. But who knew we could take those lessons online?

“You can steer yourself
any direction you choose…
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”

A sitemap can be just as good guidance as the words of Dr. Seuss. When a site has so many pages and links, it is often hard for the visitor to find information or know exactly where to look. When we redesigned Coastal Pet Rescue last year, we threw out their navigation that had drop down menus. Instead, we created six category pages with new links and information on each of those pages to guide visitors to the links they needed.

With more than 100 pages of information, how could visitors be expected to see everything or even remember where they found information on a previous visit? So we created a special sitemap page just for Coastal Pet Rescue’s visitors. Here, we have categorized links to every page on the site we want the visitors to see. We place a link to the site map in the top of the design that is on every page of the site to give visitors an as easy way as possible to navigate our website.

As Coastal Pet Rescue is on TV and in the media quite a bit, people often hear tidbits of information and go to the website to learn more. For that reason, we implemented a search box both on their home page and on their sitemap page. The search box is customized to search all of their websites:

• CoastalPetRescue.org - main organization website
• SavannahPets.org - blog
• Volunteers.CoastalPetRescue.org - online orientation site for volunteers
• Forum.CoastalPetRescue.org - online volunteer message board
• Pet Rescue Barbie - personal blog of the organization’s founder and president

The idea is to make information as accessible to your visitors as possible. If there is information buried on your website that you want people to be able to see, then make sure you have a link to it from the home page.

But using a sitemap isn’t just good for your visitors, it’s also a great way to help search engines index the pages on your site. Search engines like text links, and having a page on your site that has text linking to all your other pages only helps. So even if you don’t want it for your visitors, consider creating a simple one and having it linked at the very bottom of your page. After all, bringing traffic to your site is a good thing, so the spiders will reward you for making their job easier.

Tags: Search Engine Optimization, eMarketSouth by Lisa Scarbrough
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As Lisa mentioned in the prior post, we attended the blogsavannah unconference last Friday.  I was very impressed with the facility and felt like such a hip geek with my new macbook and wireless internet.  My expectations of the conference were merely to listen and learn; however, I quickly realized the conference was a forum for us to talk with each other and learn from others what works and what doesn’t.  I sat in on the breakout sessions about vlogging (video blogging), mommy blogging and internet public relations strategy.  They each brought new meaning to why I blog, what I am after with blogging and what makes other people’s blogs popular.  In the vlogging session, the presenter traveled with his wife across the country and decided they would post a video everyday of their experience.  They even set up a map for readers to post suggested stops along their tentative route. They did a great job.  They shared a passion of finding America, posted everyday and invited their readers to become a part of their journey.   The presenter went on to explain that as with writing in blogs, video segments must also be authentic, relevant and appealing enough for readers to want to return to the site and see what is going to happen next.  One example of a successful video blog we discussed is The Zefrank Show.  This guy developed a funny niche and then he committed his time and energy to keeping it current and fresh. Check it out … I promise you can’t watch just one!  The Mommy blogging session brought together some interesting local women who blog for a variety of reasons.  The presenters Ginger Heidel and April Groves blog for very different reasons.  Anne Hart, our very own Southernmamas.com attended to learn about what other moms are doing.  Skirt magazine editor, Jessica Lebos, was also in the conversation offering insight to blogging in business and blogging for herself.  One mom doesn’t allow any comments on her blog because she stated that her original purpose for the blog was to chronicle her baby’s growth and make a type of scrapbook for her.  One mom feeds off the comments, she brings up issues she wants people to comment on so she can become part of a conversation.  One mom wants accurate and current information on the web about living with children on the autistic spectrum so she blogs about her research and personal experiences with this issue.  It was great to hear their perspectives and good to know there are no rules to blogging for personal use.The internet marketing session was presented in part by Marjorie Young of CarriageTrade.  She discussed strategies for marketing and promoting your business using a blog as a tool.  Most of the attendees in the room either blog as part of their job or want establish a business blog to promote their products.  I learned that the blog communication tool will forever change the face of how we share information, research products and establish business reputations.  It is a fascinating new way of doing business and I got a free t-shirt!

Tags: Blogging, eMarketSouth by Suzy Buelvas
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On Friday, Suzy and I attended the second annual BlogSavannah UnConference. I was very critical of the event last year, mostly due to the cold building and one person who refused to let a presenter present. This year, we were at the very plush AASU Center on Abercorn. Wow, what a facility. It’s hard to believe that used to be a Publix. Even the bathrooms were phenomenal.

The purpose of the UnCon (UnConference) is to gather people together and let them learn from one another rather than just have one person preach information to the others. I attended sessions on Blogging and Life, Legal Considerations and Internet Public Relations. True, much of this information can be found doing a simple Google search online, but there is something to be said about discussing things offline.

When trying out new technology, it is much more helpful to talk to someone already doing it, which is why I attended the UnCon last year. I’ve been essentially blogging for years, but mostly through my website and without a purpose. Attending the UnCon led me to create three separate blogs with each serving a different audience. This is especially important for business blogging.

In one of the sessions on Friday, the subject came up about blogging and readers. If I blog and nobody reads, should I continue blogging? The answer should be yes. Only about 1% of readers actually make comments or interact with the blog host. But as a blogger, you become a part of other people’s lives inadvertently, as Andrew Odom said (he was the catalyst for the first BlogSavannah and made an appearance again this year). People who read blogs can have a very strong loyalty and look forward to reading the posts. So as long as you have something to say, there is a chance there is someone out there that wants to read.

As a business blogger, this is your opportunity to open a clear channel for communication with your consumers and clients. The blog doesn’t have to be all business, all the time, but make a commitment to its content. Make posts regularly, and be thoughtful. Don’t be afraid to make posts that aren’t business-related. If there is something on the news of similar content, or a special event happening, write about it. Sometimes a glimpse behind the scenes of mishaps or “doh!” moments helps the reader to feel more connected. A story was shared at the conference of a company that sent bills to thousands of its clients that were all over the actual amounts due. Instead of hiring a PR firm to spin it, the company reacted the very next morning on it’s blog, with the title, “Oops, We Goofed.” The blog explained what had happened, apologized to its customers, and explained how it would rectify the situation. Customers tend to be more forgiving when honesty is used.

So, here are three things from the conference that you can consider using for your own blogging purposes:

1. Blog for your audience and blog often. Have an idea of who are your readers and make the content fresh and interesting for them.

2. Beware of libel. You must be accountable for everything you post online. If you don’t have something nice to say, back it up with facts.

3. Get your employees blogging. Don’t leave it up to your PR firm or media relations person. You can connect better with your audience when they feel the posts are by real people. The Playstation blog by Sony is probably the best example of what a corporate blog can be and how it can increase loyalty from its customers. Even if you aren’t into playing games, check it out and see what they’re doing because they are doing it right.

Tags: Blogging, Search Engine Optimization, eMarketSouth by Lisa Scarbrough
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