The website architecture is a major factor in developing a successful online presence, and consists of the aesthetic, technical and functional criteria. One, a search directs a potential customer to your site, the first thing they notice is the way it looks. After all, you can only make a first impression once, and yours better be darn good to keep visitors interested in staying to find out more about you. Is the color scheme representative of your brand? Is the content fresh and interesting? Is it easy to read, with a clear flow? Aesthetics plays an integral role branding process, and is necessary before the other two criteria become important. The design gurus at Convert Volume uncover what you want your site to “feel” and look like, and then develop the perfect site for you.

The third, and arguably most important component of solid website architecture, is how functional it is as a whole. Is contact information easily found on each page? Are the pages clearly marked? Is it easy to place an order? How much are shipping charges? These are all questions that the functionality must address, and are the number one reason customers and clients return to your site. Sites like Amazon, eBay, and OverStock have this element perfected down to a science, and continue to experience explosive growth year after year. We love creating virtual flow charts for each buying or information scenario to ensure that each visitor easily gathers the information they seek, resulting in more sales or exposure for you!

The content optimization of your website is an area often ignored by organizations as they tend to be overwhelmed by large amounts of information. Content then may be lumped together, have no real value to the reader, or simply be bogus; all of which will lead the reader to your nearest competitor. Keeping content fresh, relevant, and of value will keep customers coming back time after time, especially if they feel they have learned something each time.

You already run your online business. Shouldn’t you own how people find you as well? A Business Pages listing can do exactly that; share with the world what you want to be known. This is not just a directory with contact information, but a sophisticated database that also provides business category, brief history, ownership, and more. As your partners, we at Convert Volume are constantly seeking out the best business listings pages, and include you if we agree that it is in your best interest.

Content marketing is a relatively new term for an old practice. Since the dawn of the internet and website boom, content has been king. The better the content, the better the product or service must be. At least, that’s what our minds are conditioned to believe. And in many cases, that is true. The more time and effort a website manager puts into providing great content, complete with audio, video, links, social media, and photos, the better the user experience will be. The more senses that are involved, the better the product is perceived to be. There are many content factories to be found which provide cheap, poorly written, and non-researched content to make it appear they have a lot to say. In reality, talk is cheap, and there is no substitute for well-conceived content. Lucky for you, Convert Volume loves to create exceptional content, rich with links, video, and any other necessary tool to enrich the user experience, and expand your bottom line.

The art of the press release is not lost…at least not at Convert Volume. For nearly a century, press releases were carefully written and distributed to the appropriate media by and advertising agency or public relations firm. Times have definitely changed. Today, there are hundreds of websites that offer distribution services via digital media, and thousands of media outlets can be reached at one. Templates are available so that virtually anyone can create a professional looking press release, complete with links, graphics, and contact information. Although this may sound like an appealing plan to follow to get the word out to a lot of people, be aware that each outlet receives thousands of press releases every day, and most likely yours will never be read. The good news is that at Convert Volume, we continue to create each and every press release on an individual basis, and distribute it to only those media outlets that are relevant. In addition, we follow up on each one sent to answer any questions, and encourage the recipient to read the release again. And let’s face it, they may not read it until we follow up. Our distribution lists are tailor made for each and every client, and therefore our placement rate is much higher than other firms. You want it seen? Let us develop and distribute for you.

Social media marketing is the catchphrase of the day, and with good reason. This much hyped avenue for developing brands and marketing products and services has become an essential component for any company with an online presence or a tangible location. So, where do you start? Well, that depends on what you are marketing. And before you think “but I have a Facebook page. Isn’t that enough?” Uh, no. Unequivocally, absolutely, with a doubt, no. This type of presence might be a part of the strategy, but is not the sole solution by any means. Here is why: If you are a photographer, then we may recommend you have a presence on Pinterest or Instagram, which are both visual mediums. You might promote your services on your personal Facebook page, with a link to your business page, and other social media sites. With hundreds of social media sites, some very well known, and some that are very niche specific, the experts at Content Volume can discern which sites are the best for you. When you meet with us, we may even snap a photo to put on our Facebook page.

Your site must work. Have you ever followed a web link excited about what you might discover, and found yourself on a big fat error page? Or worse yet, a “this is no longer available” greeting you. Not only do you lose the interest that one time, but are most likely going to discourage the viewer from ever returning to your site. All links, related content, and pages must work correctly, and must be tested periodically to ensure they are usable. This we leave to our IT experts, who happen to have decades of combined experience in all matters tech.

Keyword research is, well, key in organizing large amounts of content and inviting visitors to quickly identify what they are looking for on your site. According to Ad Age, the average visitor will spend between 14-18 seconds searching for the item they need. If they are unable to find it within that time frame, they leave the site, and may have a bad taste in their mouth for your brand. Our job is to ensure that ever possible tidbit of information is categorized and user friendly to ensure it is found quickly.

Google Places is quickly rising to the top of the list when searching for local spots by location. You might not think this to be an important component in your website toolbox, especially if you do not have a retail location. However, you might make recommendations to visitors for spots in the area that may be of interest to them. For example: A computer store only sells their wares online. With a Google Places listing, you may point visitors to the nearest accessories store that sells items compatible with your computers. Or direct people to the best local coffee shop to relax and read a good book if you are a bookseller. Folks will not only appreciate the information, but create the idea that you are interested in truly helping them no matter where they are in the world.

Next to knowing your product and service offerings, knowing the products and services of your competitors is the most important information you can monitor. The vast majority of business owners and managers have a passion for their own lines, and assume that their competition is a distant second…or third. Passion and knowledge are important to success, but knowing the strengths and weaknesses of those you are competing with is just as important. Are they opening a store near yours? What is their pricing strategy? Do they offer a broader product line than you do? Now, this information should not be used to copy their every move, but to fine-tune your marketing and your message accordingly. Your competitor may offer a less expensive option, but fail to have great service. Knowing these nuances will not only make you more successful, but more informed as to what works and what doesn’t. It also gives you greater insight into who your ideal customer may be, and then give you laser focus on how to entice more of the right kind of customer to buy from you.

Like links? Turns out most of us do, especially when making purchasing decisions. The more quality information offered, the better. The problem is that you have to be very careful what you link to, and how visitors are linked to you. And this process takes a lot of time and research to find those that are the best fit for your company. Ever been to a site that is littered with links? It not only looks sloppy, but very few people will take the time to click on each link. And more than likely, the content creators did not have much to say, and therefore used links as a crutch instead of a tool. Analyzing which sites provide the best links, and which you should link to is an art, and one that is best left to those who do it daily…like us.

Now, before you yawn at this next topic, know that although it may not be exciting, it is imperative in developing your brand successfully. Tracking and reporting are the boring brothers to your marketing efforts, and set the path for all that is done next. You will find out how your brand and message is being received, and how and why folks purchase your product or service. Thankfully, the internet has greatly streamlined this process, and perfected the gathering of this important data. Need to know which outlets most of your sales are coming from? Want to find out what city has the most sales? Like to learn which products or services sell at what time of day? Well then, please meet your new best friends tracking and reporting. They will give you details of your sales and viewing activity by just about any criteria you define. Convert Volume offers state-of-the-art services to track, report, and then tweak what you are doing with your brand. After all, you can’t decide where you are going until you learn where you have been. See? That wasn’t so bad, and certainly not boring.

Reputation. Is there anything more important in life or business? We are not here to judge your personal reputation, but would love to help you at the professional level. What do clients think of you? At what point might they leave you? What is the impression of potential clients? These are all relevant questions tied closely to reputation, and ultimately, to the success of your business. Word of mouth has traditionally been the way reputations were formed on a company. But today, with the internet such an integral part of our lives in business, one lousy review or disgruntled customer can wreak havoc on your reputation as a whole. Our reputation at Convert Volume is stellar, and we would love to find out about yours.