Fivesite

Mobile Marketing - Shouldn’t YOU be doing it?

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It doesn't take a genius to know that the mobile phone market is among the fastest growing and largest overall global markets today. So why aren't more companies making the most of this with their marketing campaigns?

The following should give you an understanding of its importance, and the many ways it can be utilised.

Why is mobile marketing so important?

Generally, mobile marketing can be both a cheap and effective marketing method, whilst also retaining a great degree of flexibility. Furthermore, the reach that it allows marketers to have is enormous as there are currently more wireless mobile devices than televisions and computers combined. Mobiles therefore offer a level of opportunity never seen before by any other medium and are used by most major demographics, making it an extremely appealing marketing channel.

Let's break this down with a little market research:

Reach
There are over 15m mobile media users in the UK.

Acceptance
Mobile penetration in the UK is now approaching 125%, meaning many phone users have multiple SIMs or devices.

High response rates
Forrester Research says that SMS campaigns regularly get response rates of 5% to 25%.

Targeting
Mobile phones offer an inherently intimate medium. It facilitates highly targeted, one-to-one communication with lots of potential for personalisation and up-selling.

Wireless Web
28.3% of European mobile subscribers have 3G devices, and Web traffic from mobiles is already estimated to be growing 8 times faster than web traffic from UK PCs.

Applications and Smartphones
Both are on a meteoric rise, especially in developing countries where standard internet access (through a PC) is often non-existent.

Human Behaviour
Changes in the way mobile phones are being used, brings mobile marketing to centre stage. Devices such as the iPhone, Google's Android phones and Windows Mobile smartphones mean its now easier than ever to send and receive email and access the web 'on the move'. Statistics indicate that total 3G penetration has increased by 36% year on year, with the sales of smartphones increasing exponentially in the past 2 years.

So how do they go about doing it?

The entry of big brands to the mobile market support future growth and help to increase growth rate. So what options are available to businesses looking to take advantage of this? Here's a shortlist of the options; some you already know about, others you may not:

Short Messaging Services (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS)
Bluetooth, Wireless and Infrared marketing
Mobile search marketing
Mobile display advertising
Mobile video advertising
Mobile Applications
QR-codes

If you're looking to take advantage of the opportunities that marketing to mobile device can offer, please call us for a free consultation on 01234 292222.

Search Engine Marketing Trends

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Recent research has thrown up some interesting information about the current Internet market trends and developments.

Not only are we seeing more and more evidence to show the growth of online marketing but we are also finding out what this means to the Internet surfer’s attitudes to search engine results.

Summary of Online Activity

The table above shows us which areas various companies are spending on online services. As you can see Keyword Research is in the lead with 70% of companies focusing on it. This is a significant number and perfectly demonstrates the importance of getting ahead in SEO programs. The competition for a space on the first results page of Google is increasingly tough but getting there will provide unparalleled Internet exposure for relatively low cost.

The latest Google stats…Why is it still so important to be on the first page?

68% of people try another search if they can’t find what they want on the first page of search results. (June 2008)
91% of Internet users prefer using natural search results when looking to buy a product or service online. This shows that most people trust natural search results much more than they do PPC adverting.
Only 8% of Internet users go beyond the third page of results.
7/10 people said that they would click a search result on the first page of results.
Out of those 7/10 people, 90% said that they would change their search if they didn’t find what they wanted on the first page.

By not being on the first page of the major search engines you will loose a huge percentage of potential customers searching for keywords relevant to your service.

How have other Businesses been developing their online marketing strategy?

More and more businesses are allocating valuable Budget to paid search.
This is because it is a cost effective, tried and tested method of generating leads and sales. It is relatively easy to manage and can deliver good levels of ROI in the wake of difficult economic challenges.

Stronger focus on Analytics and Optimisation
Companies are becoming much more creative and confident in their approach to paid search, which has resulted in them paying more attention to the details of conversion and landing page optimisation, in order to maximise their ROI.

Tracking and reporting have been a key focus for companies because of the need for even greater accountability during a recession.

Google continues to rule
The number one goal for all companies is still to focus on hitting the first page in Google search. Although other search engines such as Bing (Microsoft) and Yahoo are still important, Google is growing and evolving at an incredible rate…

For example, Google recently reported revenues of $5.94 billion in 2009; an increase of 7% compared to the same period of 2008.

For more information on how we can help you with your Internet exposure call us on 01234 292 222

Online Lead Generation

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The credit crunch means that companies large and small need to consider new, effective marketing techniques and new revenue sources in order to ensure maximum efficiency.

Driving an accountable return on your investment (ROI) has never been more important. It is no wonder then that online lead generation in the UK is growing around 35% year on year and accounts for 5% of total UK online advertising spend. This growth is likely to continue in the coming year as utilising online lead generation is a proven technique of targeting and marketing to your audience effectively.

Benefits

- Online lead generation can provide highly targeted, appropriate leads, which produce higher conversion rates compared to most methods of direct marketing.

- Online lead generation is intrinsically measurable, which means it can deliver solid return on investment

- This will drive further growth in the online lead generation sector because the technology enables greater communication with its prospects at a reduced cost.

- Online lead generation technology allows advertisers full control over delivery, quantity and the types of leads received

- Problems that come with users giving false details are eliminated with filters. This means that leads can be checked against data methods such as the electoral role, and procedures can be implemented to validate a user's email and telephone information.

Potential Challenges

When planning marketing strategies, companies need to be able to measure the value of their leads. This is an on-going challenge for most companies and many struggle to manage it effectively.

The reason for this is often:

- Lack of technology or poor technology usage

- Lack of resources

- Lack of understanding

Fivesite specialises in generating cost effective, high quality leads using the latest digital marketing techniques. Please contact us on 01234-292-202 for a FREE initial consultation on how we can generate high quality leads for your business.

Google Wonder Wheel

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What drives every successful PPC campaign is ensuring that you have a comprehensive and accurate keyword list. It is imperative that you are targeting the right keywords and that your keyword list is extensive and robust. However, when it comes to SEO and PPC you can not afford to rest on your laurels because the Internet is ever evolving and your keywords need to be as well.

Continually maintaining a relevant keyword list may seem like a lot of pressure but we can help you achieve the best possible results when it comes to gaining as much visibility as possible on the big search engines such as Google. Google itself is always developing to make searching the web as easy as possible for its users. Therefore understanding and its new ventures is essential. The latest development by Google is the Google Wonder Wheel.

As this diagram shows, the Wonder Wheel is a more visual way of searching the web. In the example I have used the term 'outlook email' as the main search phrase and the other terms are related searches that may be of interest to the searcher. When you click on one of these related searches a new 'wheel' appears in that subject area whilst keeping your entire search history mapped out on the page. This means that moving back and forth and into new related areas is extremely easy and you can visually map out how Google is relating your searches to others in the same subject field.

For SEO and PPC purposes this is extremely exciting as it means that choosing your keywords is now infinitely easier as the Wonder Wheel actually provides a map in which you can navigate through. This is useful as it has proved to be a valuable tool when writing copy for a website as it shows what terms Google relates to others. It is well reported that in ranking results Google doesn't only look for the search terms; it also analyses the surrounding content to see if it appears relevant. By using the Wonder Wheel it is straightforward to find out what terms Google relates to targeted key phrases and these related terms could be utilised in your website's content.

At the moment the direct impact that Wonder Wheel is likely to have on SEO is unclear but, alongside the other features found in the new options bar, it provides another interesting advancement in the way searches may be conducted in the future and is already proving to be extremely popular. To find it, simply conduct a search in Google and you should see a tab that reads 'show options'. You will then see the Wonder Wheel listed on your left like this:

The other tool in this section can also be extremely helpful when conducting keyword research, looking for those new niches you may be missing, is the Google Related Search option. This tool works similarly to the Wonder Wheel but it has no graphical element. However, it contains more results and the results are slightly more detailed as it stands but the Wonder Wheel is constantly being improved so that it is on the same level as the related search.

Knowing these kinds of progressions and developments online is exactly why we are so successful in our SEO and PPC campaigns for our clients. If you have any questions about SEO and PPC or are looking into this area for new marketing opportunities for your business then please give us a call on 01234 292 222 and we'd be happy to help.

Search Engine Optimisation... Why is it so important?

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our extensive experience as web developers, has taught us that having a dynamic and professional website design is only the first step toward an effective online presence. This is because the Internet is a vast and highly competitive medium and no matter how good your website is, if potential customers are unable to find you then it is completely useless.

How do I get potential customers to find my website?

If I told you that 91% of web users use search engines to navigate their way through the web wouldn't you agree that this would be an essential area to dominate?

More specifically, if I said that 8 out of 10 searches are done through Google, Yahoo and MSN can you imagine how beneficial it could be if you were among the top 10 results for searches in your field?

That is where Search Engine Optimisation (or SEO) comes in. Here at Fivesite we are experts in implementing outstanding SEO programs that aim to get you to the top of all the major search engines with keywords and phrases that are relevant to your service. We don't want to move you from page 40 to the first 5 results pages on Google; we want you on the first page. Furthermore we want you at No.1 because we know how beneficial the No.1 slot is for generating new business and boosting sales.

The importance of being on Page 1

A recent survey by Jupiter Research (2008) cites that 68% of web searchers don't look beyond the first page of results when using online search engines. This is an increase of 42% since 2002. These stats not only show the importance of being on the first page of results (thus gaining maximum exposure to potential clients), but it also shows us the increasing importance search engine placement bears on the searcher.

This is because today's internet users are savvy and experienced, therefore they know that the companies at the top of the search results page are going to be the most relevant and the most trustworthy. They think:

High Search Rankings = Leader within their Field

Therefore they are more likely to click through to your website and read more about you, hopefully provoking them to make an enquiry or even buy something directly.

In the report below you can see where web searchers focus their attention when analysing search results. As you can see Google users barely even reach the bottom of the page when viewing results, nor do they pay much attention to the right hand side of the page where PPC adverts are placed. Although Yahoo and MSN users are a bit more sporadic in their viewing, it is still clear that the main focus of attention is the top left hand side of the page... this is where your organisation needs to be.

Beneficial whether you're big or small

The wonderful thing about SEO is that it allows even the smallest company to compete against large organisations. This is because achieving the top slot on Google, for example, costs nothing – search engines offer a free online service which aims to connect searchers with the most relevant websites possible. It's all down to hard work and skill rather than budget that will get you to the top.

Call us on FREEPHONE 0800 292 2014 for more information on how our superb SEO programs can improve your online presence.

Twitter - How to use the latest social networking craze to your brand’s advantage

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

More and more brands are realising the benefits of Twitter and are jumping on the band wagon. Some brands are simply listening to Twitter, finding out what users are saying about their products; some are snapping up their brand names and making sure the twitter-squatters don't get them; and some are being really brave and actively taking part in the conversation.

The great thing about Twitter is that it is unlike any other social networking site. Some may find this a bit scary but once you realise the rules and the boundaries that you should work within it could be extremely lucrative and valuable for the development of your brand.

1. Don't preach to your fellow Tweeters...

Twitter is a ‘social' media which means that getting involved and engaging in conversations is essential in inspiring a reaction. Using the site as a platform for PR announcements and stuffy business jargon will just not do - people don't want to be advertised to, they want to be part of the debate.

2. Make friends and start following...

To be involved in Twitter means actively following other tweeters and getting involved in their debates as well as your own. You cant simply wait for people to follow you, you need to be out there following others and making friends. Twitter is one of the few social networking sites where there is no shame in having a similar following/follower ratio: Stephen Fry is currently following 54,000 people!

3. Don't be afraid to get personal...

You've got to communicate in the same 'language' as other users, or you've got no hope of them interacting with you. Fine, tell consumers about your new product launch or big event, but don't shy away from talking about the little things too - tell them how your day is going!

4. Reply to questions, and get involved in conversations...

When you talk to big brands like Zappos and Wholefoods on Twitter, they reply to your questions and thoughts - that should be a given for a brand on Twitter. If people feel that they have an influence or closeness with your brand you will infinitely increase their loyalty to you. Even if their comments are sometimes uncomplimentary, if they see that their thoughts matter and you reply with solutions or apologies then that will be greatly valued by them and other tweeters. Many a great brand advocate has been created by just the smallest interaction with a brand, and Twitter is the perfect way to do this!

5. Don't be afraid to have multiple accounts...

Lots of the big brands who are doing well on Twitter have multiple accounts for different areas. Dell have almost a dozen - one for their outlet store, one for their UK store... even one for 'Alienware' etc. ASOS have loads too - as well as two or three corporate accounts, loads of their employees are encouraged to use Twitter, and it's really working well for them.

6. Drive traffic to your Web site...

By posting links to news articles or blogs on your website you will no doubt see a spike in your site traffic. As you continue to secure relationships and gain dedicated followers you will soon notice more and more people becoming regular visitors to your site as well as your tweets. At the moment, there isn't a more immediate, effective, interactive marketing tool than Twitter.

Here at Fivesite we are not only website designers, but we can guide you in all aspects of online marketing and improving your online brand awareness.

For any more information about Twitter or improving any aspects of your online presence please contact us on FREEPHONE 0800 292 2014

In-house Web Designers vs Outsourcing

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

One of the dilemmas faced by companies that are in the process of launching their website or web application for their business is whether to hire a team of in-house web designers and web developers or to outsource the entire project to a third party. If you too are in such a dilemma, here are some factors that you need to take into consideration to make your decision.

Firstly, you should consider the nature and the size of your web design or web development project. If you are going to develop a website just to showcase your products and services, then you will only need a small content managed website, which ranges from 5 to 25 pages depending on the nature of your products and services. Here it may not be worth taking the trouble to recruit in-house web designers and website developers. Here the best option is to outsource the project to a third party web design company.

On the other hand, you may want to launch a huge website with thousands of pages with elaborate programming modules to run the entire operation online. Here the duration of the project may run anywhere between 6 months to 1 year.

In such a scenario, you may consider hiring a temporary team to develop your website. But, it may work out to be much easier to get the project done by a third party company with the required expertise. Finding the right team of web designers and web developers for your in-house team will be both time consuming and an expensive affair.

You need to find experts that can review the skill sets of the web designers and web developers.

Moreover, when you have an in-house team in place to develop your website, you will end up managing the entire project. This will distract you from concentrating on the core function of your business. Therefore, you should also take into consideration factors such as the overall time, cost and effort before deciding to have an in-house team. You must take into consideration the amount of time that you are willing to spend on the project as well.

One of the reasons why some companies may like to hire an in-house team for their web development project is related to confidentiality issues. If you are worried about confidentiality issues and about the safety of data, you can split the project in to multiple parts and have the aspects of project which you think will raise confidentiality issues developed in-house and outsource the rest to a third party web design and web development company.

By doing this, you can guard your corporate data as well as reduce the over all cost of the project because the third party company that you hire can do major part of the web development at a cheaper rate.

Overall, by hiring a third party company to deal with your website development needs will work out to be the cheapest and easiest option. This will also allow you to concentrate on your core business which only you can handle.

Flame Tests for Finding the Best Web Design Company

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Finding the best web design company has always been one of the most challenging tasks for entrepreneurs who want to take their business online. Today we can find thousands of web design companies on the web, each of them claiming to be the best. Not all entrepreneurs are Internet savvy enough to pick and choose the best web design and web development company. If you too are stuck in this confusion, here are few factors that you should keep in mind before you select your web design company. These are flame tests that will help you find the best web design company to suit your needs.

Always remember not to rush through the selection process of your web design company because you will be entrusting them with the crucial responsibility of creating your business's online face. You certainly don't want your website to be the experiment of an amateur web design company.

Flame test one /

Firstly check the experience level of all the web design and web development companies you are considering.

It is not enough to be in this field for a decade or more, they should have designed a large number of websites and dealt with various industries. A web design company can be in business for a number years but they may have designed only a few websites because of poor business. You don't want to end up with such a company. You should appoint a company whose portfolio is filled with past work.

Flame test two /

The second factor that you should consider is how professional they are in their service renderings. It is very difficult with a company that does not have any professional standards. Lots of entrepreneurs have burnt their fingers by using such companies usually based on price. Before signing up with a web design company, make it a point to get a feel for their web development procedures. Testimonials from past clients are also a very useful reference point at this stage.

Flame test three /

Thirdly, they should be a highly responsive company. You should be able to correspond with them easily over the telephone and by email as this will be an essential part of the web design process. Your input to the web design team is crucial for developing a website that meets your specific requirements. It is critical you do not have problems in corresponding with your web design company. If you sense any issues in this area, it is best to avoid such companies because you are more likely to end up being frustrated.

Flame test four /

The next important factor is meeting deadlines. One of the common problems in the web design and web development industry is timely completion of the work. This is not to say that all web design companies have problems in this area. There are many web design and web development companies that promptly meet their deadlines. It is your responsibility to check the reputation of the web design company in this area before you appoint them.

By carefully reviewing web design companies on the above parameters, you will be able to find a reliable web design company that you can work with successfully going forward.

Web Designers - The Importance of User Testing

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

More than ever, it is essential every penny spent by your business is spent well. Many companies will design and develop web systems based on their own preferences as opposed to the factual preferences of their intended target audience. This is a big mistake.

When these companies realise their developments are not delivering the expected results, they often throw more money at it, repeating the same mistakes! Let’s be clear; there is only one way to ensure your website development is effective and efficient ensuring satisfied users and that’s to carry out regular user testing programs.

As a general definition:

Usability is the extent to which a product can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use

ISO 9241-11: Guidance on Usability (1998)

An effective website...

Allows customers (users) to achieve their goals
Has a high conversion rate
Meets business objectives
Delivers a positive brand image

An efficient website...

Provides answers quickly
Follows a logical sequence
Doesn't waste resources
Requires less content management time

A satisfied user...

Achieves their goal
Enjoys their experience
Tells others
Comes back again

When designing a website all of these points are crucial considerations. A great deal of time is spent testing various technical aspects of your site before it is available to the public. You will ensure that the navigation functions smoothly, forms can be submitted correctly, and the site behaves well on all browsers and so on.

While this is an excellent and obvious start, this approach can neglect a critical variable: your users.

Not only does user testing help identify potential problems with your site it also ensures that your site is compatible with the behavioral characteristics of your target market. And don’t forget… users that abandon your site due to poor usability are unlikely to return.

Here at Fivesite we can provide third party User Testing programs that always return valuable information and suggestions for improvement.

We create a profile of your average consumer, including valuable demographic information about the sex, average age, and earning potential of your users. The site is then looked at by a third party who has never had contact with your site before. The test is filmed and recorded and then we are able to see where there was confusion or complications in the site.

The user tests always throw up extremely interesting results. Generally the feedback has been very positive (which is just as important to hear) but where there are issues, we have been able to rectify them very promptly and to great success.

Doing a test such as this, combined with a thorough SEO program is the only way to successfully improve and monitor your websites success. For any questions or advice about user testing or improving your website please call us on 01234-292-200

* And don’t spend another penny on your development until you have the factual usage information to hand!

Social Networking

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace have had incredible success over the past few years which has heralded a shift in the way people use and interact with the Internet. These two examples of online social media sites may be the current favourite amongst Internet users but the future possibilities of this form of communication are infinite.

Darren Waters, technology editor for the BBC, has claimed that ‘social networks are the new email'. He believes that the problems with email are not an issue on social media sites. Problems such as spam which can not only be very frustrating but in trying to prevent it you actually risk the blockage of legitimate, often important, messages. Social networks can prevent this as the only people able to contact you are accepted by you as friends.

But if social networking sites are replacing email what does this mean for your business?

We believe that social networking is not only a tool to stay in contact with friends and family in your own time but it can actually be a fantastic forum to keep your company and its employees interactive and engaged in all aspects of your business. Here are some of its benefits...

Greater sense of community

Email is very much a one on one interaction, whereas in a social networking arena you can post ideas and thoughts to a large number of people which can provoke thought sharing and idea development which is available for everyone to see in interactive thought streams

Clearer sense of ‘real time'

By having frequent updates and developments through a ‘news feed' feature, users are able to have a clearer sense of time and structure which allows them to manage themselves and their work load more efficiently.

Easy communication

Whether you would like to post news articles, business development ideas or even new job opportunities to your colleagues you can easily post this to an entire company via a social networking application.

Talking between colleagues in one and one interactions is also made easier with its instant messaging application. This is much faster than email and much simpler as you don't need to route around searching for email addresses; you just enter the recipients name in the networks search engine.

Mobile

The mobile phone holds great opportunities in regards to online communication, in particular to social networks. Nielson Online have done research into online activity via the mobile phone and it was discovered that 23% (2 million people) of social network users access their favourite sites on their phone.

Here at Fivesite we are experts in creating social networking sites for large companies. We have recently created one for Thompson Holidays (TUI) which has allowed their holiday reps to communicate and stay in touch around the world. The site has been a great success. Simon Allatt at TUI said about the site:

"I can only say one thing about the site, IT'S FANTASTIC. Far beyond what I thought was possible and amazing given the time you've had. This can only lead to bigger and better things!"

To find out more about social networking opportunities for your business or for advice on developing other aspects of your online profile please contact us on 01234 292222.

Give Your Online Advertising Campaigns Punch!

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Our media buying solutions can give your online advertising campaign an unparalleled advantage over your competitors.

Online advertising can offer your company a unique solution to promoting brand awareness without the price tag attached to other media. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. The other benefits that will become apparent to you when utilizing the Internet for advertising opportunities are nothing short of incredible.

What are the advantages?

Scalability

Unlike television advertising, it is relatively cheap to increase the reach of an online campaign. There is no need to print additional copies of a magazine or to create and send direct mail pieces as you would traditionally. Expanding the size of your ad campaign can be as easy as sending an email or clicking on a Web page.

Hot demographics

The UK online community is more affluent, better educated, younger and more willing to spend money than the population at large. The online population is also increasing all the time, unlike television figures which are actually on the decline.

Targeted messages

Unlike broadcast and print media, the Internet allows advertisers to target exactly who will see their ads and in what context. Web publications serve every conceivable audience, from the mass market to niche groups, making it easier for advertisers to find a receptive market for their products and services.

Broad and flexible reach

The Internet this year will match and surpass television's market penetration, the size of the online audience is growing very quickly. More importantly, because you buy online ads by the impression, you can buy as much or as little of that audience as you desire.

Deep content

Unlike television or printed adverts, an online advert is only the beginning of the process. While your MPU advert might present only your branding message, interested customers can click directly through to your website. Once there, they can access as much material about your company and your products as you care to present.

Cost-effective

Because you only pay for what you're getting, online advertising can be extremely cost effective in comparison to other forms of advertising. For example if you buy 1,000 ad impressions you know that exactly 1,000 people will see your advert. In addition to this, changing economic conditions have forced many of the large portal sites to reduce the cost of online advertising, making it more affordable than ever.

Detailed tracking and measurement

Compared to online advertising, traditional media advertising is like shooting in the dark. The Internet allows advertisers to gather detailed information on who is watching their adverts, in what context, how many times and so on. This information is easily accessible which will allow you to adjust your ad campaign and make it even more effective.

New online ad technologies

The old-fashioned, static banner ad is giving way to a new generation of adverts that use animation, video and even built-in e-commerce capabilities. These ads can deliver more information to customers and make it easier for them to learn about your company's products.

Here at Fivesite we are experts in creating comprehensive advice and direction in online advertising. We understand that the Internet can be a daunting place for those companies who have not used the Internet in this way before which is why we can be an extremely beneficial ally. We can create, plan and buy your entire online campaign for you and start it within 30 days.

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

How Are Fivesite Clients Beating The Down Turn?

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

2009 is already shaping up to be a busy and exciting year for Fivesite with enquiries at a record level. Our existing clients are continuing to grow and prosper too despite the current economic climate which is proving fatal for many other businesses.

You may wonder how this can be possible but it simply attests to the fact that the Internet is currently the most successful platform to generate business as well as maintain and promote your brand's message. And it doesn't break the bank. The digital activities possible such as online newsletters and blogs combined with the infinite marketing opportunities provided by social networks such as Facebook and video channels like YouTube means that contacting current and potential customers has never been easier, or cheaper!

Regardless of economic conditions it is important to know that companies can still do well, its simply about visibility.

Working with our clients we can increase their visibility by turning their online activities from passive to active. By doing this you can build a direct rapport between you and your target audience. For the consumer this is engaging, educating and will therefore stimulate their intent to buy.

An example of this would be to create your very own YouTube channel. Take a look at the channel we created for Discovery Foods at www.youtube.com/discoveryfoods The channel displays several videos with instructions on how to cook Mexican food with their products. It has been a runaway success with over 70,000 viewers!

YouTube is a hugely successful site and it was announced this week that even the Pope is getting involved! It is said that the Vatican is going to use the site in order to promote religious teachings by posting the Pope's sermons and blessings on the channel.

Recently the Monty Python lot created their own channel on YouTube, uploading loads of their best sketches. Within a matter of weeks the DVD climbed to No.2 on Amazon's Movies & TV bestseller list, with increased sales of 23,000 percent!

A new website worth mentioning:

www.twitter.com is a micro blogging site which is proving to be hugely successful! For example Stephen Fry, an avid user of twitter, has just reached 50,000 twitter followers on his account. Fry uses the blog to keep fans up to date with his movements and leans on his supporters for help and advice on problems he may face in his day to day life. After requesting advice on how to deal with a loose bat in his home he received 100s of replies within a matter of seconds by his fellow tweeters!
From a business perspective this heightened level of interactivity between customers could be hugely successful in relation to answering customer questions, technical support and advertising!

There are many other low cost ‘active' measures that can be taken such as SEO, PPC, SEM, email marketing, Facebook, online advertising, blogging and more. There's more information about these opportunities in our August and December blog entries so take a look.

I have only skimmed the surface of the infinite online opportunities we can provide to aid and promote your business so please don't hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help activate your digital profile!

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

A definitive year for fivesite!

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So we have reached the end of another year, and what a year we have had here at Fivesite!

2008 has seen our company grow in many new directions. This includes the expansion of the web services we offer, the variety of clients we work with and the substantial growth of our team which have all resulted in our most successful year ever!

Even more importantly our customers across all sectors are also reporting strong performance for the year with our web activities playing a major role in that success.

Even better news is that 2009 is already shaping up to be another bumper year.

Our continued success is testament to the on going passion and commitment from our team of outstanding web professionals.

2008 Credits Roll /

Tim, Ollie, Mark, Paul, Andy, Susan, Farhad, Fey, Heather, Alex, Imran, Len, Ramesh, Brian, Tony, Andy.N, Ashley, Nick, Emily, Glen, Pask, Jay, Keran, Laura, Lee, Nicola, Rob and Sam.

Rock the Kasbah /

To celebrate our year we recently “Rocked the Kasbah” at the MK Bowl. The evening proved to be very successful and highly unusual due to the excellent execution by our party organisers - the marquee was adorned with fairy lights, rich fabrics and colourfully painted pottery to create the feel of a traditional Moroccan souk!

During dinner we were entertained by belly dancing, razor blade swallowing and hair-raising stunts involving a bed of nails! After the show there was a chance to show off our own moves on the dance floor which (due to the free bar) was a sight to be seen I can tell you!

Despite a couple of sore heads the next day, everyone had a wonderful time and it was a fantastic way to end such a brilliant year!

Therefore I would like to say a big thank you to the Fivesite team this year who have done such a wonderful job and who have been a pleasure to work with…roll on 2009.

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

Marketing Budget Been Cut?

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Online Advertising – A cost effective way to stay ahead during the credit crunch!

The credit crunch has put financial strain on everyone over the past few months and will no doubt continue to do so well into next year. For any business this is a worrying state of affairs and the importance to remain ahead is challenged by the lack of available funds to support this. The internet could be the answer.

The UK has the most active online population in Europe, with the highest average number of daily visitors (21.8m), the highest usage days per month (21 per user), and the highest average time spent per month per user (34.4 hours).

The average British internet user now spends 164 minutes online each day for personal use, the equivalent of over 41 days each year. This compares to 148 minutes spent watching television.

Key Differences Over Other Media

Highly targeted
Growing as opposed to contracting medium like magazines and TV
Contextual and behavioral advertising capability
Low cost reach and richness
Highly measurable results
Offers high and fast ROI

The above chart clearly shows the leading online channels at this point in time although these are constantly changing.

In terms of what people are doing online there are four leading activities:

The use of search engines
Keeping in touch with family and friends
Instant Messenging
Gathering information

Evidently the main websites that need to be targeted are social networking sites and the big search engines.

Google is the largest search engine site, averaging 25.1 million UK visitors each month according to Nielson Online (Feb 2008). This is clearly an important site to target when planning any advertising strategy for your company. By simply being at the top of their results lists for example, will prove highly advantageous in attracting new customers for next to nothing cost wise. This means that when words associated with your brand are entered into the search engine we can make you appear in the top three results. Being in the top three results of a website such as google, which is favored by over half of web users, is a huge advantage over your competitors.

In a different field social networking sites such as Facebook and Bebo are gaining numbers all the time and now over half of the UK’s 16 – 24 year olds actively contribute to and use social networking sites. This increase in online activity is interesting as it means that young people are turning their backs on television, radio and newspapers in favor of online communities which could mean the decrease in television’s power in the future. Advertising on these sites is incredibly cost affective due to the details that are available to us about the people we can target. This means less money wasted on advertising to the wrong people. This will obviously save you and your company a significant amount of money.

As you can see the internet is a force which needs to be reckoned with. The sheer number of active internet users is reason enough but regardless of this, getting a firm hold of the online market will be an important development for any company due to its growing influence and shaping of our society. The fact that it will be significantly cheaper than other advertising is a bonus that is perfect considering the current economic climate.

By utilizing Fivesite’s expertise and skill in online marketing you can breathe new life into your company’s future prospects, allowing you to continue to grow and develop despite current economic limitations.

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

Integration: How can Fivesite increase your revenue while cutting your costs?

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So much has been written about integration, but the fact is most organisations have a real mixture of legacy systems, packaged solutions and so on. Can the cost and effort involved integrating disparate systems really boost the bottom line?

The short answer is yes. The three major areas for cutting costs/improving performance are:

Operational – at its most basic, this means a drastic reduction in re-keying the same information, elimination of ‘islands of information’, cutting down on transcription errors and so on. This ‘mechanical’ aspect of integration alone can fully cost-justify the project and the effort involved. Integration really comes into its own when you are ready to scale up, operations – growing the business. Instead of costs increasing exponentially, they diminish with growth.

Trading - Integration of back office systems and web-based solutions opens up a whole new world of trading opportunities, from affiliate marketing to electronic fulfilment. Extending the supply chain electronically creates new opportunities for ‘straight through processing’, where the end customer drives the transaction, carefully guided by your system workflow engine.

Business agility – the most significant benefit of strongly integrated systems comes from the business agility that is unleashed. Change as the marketplace changes – or if you are a real pioneer, change the way the marketplace functions.

Real Life Integration Case Study number 1

We are working with a company based in America, Canada and Latin America. They are the largest suppliers of Audio Visual equipment in those regions and sell only through dealers (interestingly, they had searched world-wide to find a company that was on the same wavelength and could demonstrate the skills they required).

Fivesite has integrated their website into existing Navision back office accounting systems as the starting point. Now, when dealers login securely into the website they can see their pricing, their invoices, their order history and their statements without any need to pick up the phone.

Dealers are able to place orders electronically, each passed seamlessly into the back office accounting system. This level of integration has led to a dramatic reduction in SOP costs and allows staff to focus on the front-end of the business, rather than being tied up with mundane data entry and enquiries.

The next step in integration has been a Configurator, which allows our client quickly and easily to create web pages in the style of their many dealer websites.

These pages are then embedded into all the dealers’ own sites. The clever bit being that pages display all the products our client sells, with pricing, specification and pictures. Being a ‘live’ link, each time our client changes products, pricing or specifications in their back office system - all dealer sites are updated automatically.

Just imagine the logistical nightmare this could pose in a normal situation, with 400 dealers and 5000 plus product lines requiring monthly changes.

Furthermore, when customers place orders on dealer websites, the orders pass directly into our client’s accounting system and they dispatch under ‘a white label’ or under the dealer’s own branded paperwork, printed out automatically at point of dispatch.

Now that’s integration!

If you are unsure how your business could benefit, call us for a free consultation - contact us now.

Real Life Integration Case Study number 2

A second example is the UK's largest CNC machine supplier. We have integrated their website into back office accounting systems, with all the benefits we have already described.

The twist, however, is that we have added an additional and significant revenue stream to the business in the form of an intelligent spare parts portal.

Clients who require parts can now simply login into the system. They are shown a list of all the CNC machines they own and the system will inform them if the machine is in or out of warranty and whether a maintenance contract is in place.

In the absence of a maintenance contract, one is offered at discounted rate – tying the end customer into an ongoing relationship.

Importantly, the system will only offer spares that are appropriate to the specific machine (two apparently ‘identical’ machines may have slightly different parts).

The order is then placed electronically and then passed seamlessly into the back office accounting system.

Fivesite has used social media to educate clients on how the system works. An early example can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF4qanCYfNE

Real Life Integration Case Study number 3

Finally, we have been developing with Europe's largest IT distributor a system that combines the key features we have already described, and more. Check it out at www.hotlamps.com.

The project has been so successful we have been asked to roll the systems out throughout Europe in numerous languages (by the time you read this, it may well be complete) and we are also currently working on other product versions, such as Screen Expert.

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

SEM, PPC, SEO and all that stuff... is it worth the hassle?

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mouse-trap than his neighbor, though he build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Shows how little Ralph Waldo knew about business!

Every company, however good its products or services, has to elbow its way past a myriad of competitors to get in front of prospects. And today, that takes dedicated electronic marketing techniques.

Exactly what is SEM?

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is all about connecting anyone who searches for information relevant to your brand with the information they are seeking. If you don't, your competitor will.

It is about making your brand highly visible within the search engines to attract new prospective customers.

PPC (Pay Per Click) and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) are methods of placing your product or service in front of prospective online customers when they are in BUYING mode.

PPC is a form of paid advertising, using sponsored listings with a search engine or a partner site. You pay a fee every time your advert is clicked.

SEO means your web pages have been evaluated by search engines as being highly relevant to specific search terms. As a reward, yours will appear amongst the top sites, above all the thousands of competitors, for those search terms. The search engines make no charge for this.
In short the PPC method is immediate (you could launch a ‘paid for' listing today) but less trusted by prospects. SEO takes longer to achieve, but gives prospects more reassurance, so in all a far better proposition.

High ranking is king

Research shows that, unless your brand appears amongst the top 10 in the listings, yours is considered an ‘also ran' brand. Get into the top three and yours is perceived as a mega brand.

Put us to the test!

Go to Google right now and type the words:
• " Drainage". You will see that our client is top out of more than 2 million sites.
• " Mexican Food" - top out of 400,000 sites
• " QS site support" - top out of 50,000 sites
• even something as esoteric as "Flour for homebaking" - top out of more than 50,000 sites

"Top ranking guaranteed" - Buyer beware

Sadly, there are many charlatans in the field of SEO, all offering instant rankings. If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true.
Fivesite has earned its reputation because we work hard and long at site optimisation. We always use ethical methods, so you can be confident you will never be in Google's bad books (it is said that even BMW were black listed for a time).

You can be confident that we will achieve high rankings that are sustainable. Rankings that deliver more prospects to your door and more profit to your bottom line.

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

Google, Yahoo, MSN... who's the real big daddy?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There are three top search engines – Google, Google and Google.

Not quite true, but very nearly. In the UK 87% of searches are conducted via Google. Yahoo comes second and then you have the real also-rans.* And most of the also-rans piggy-back Google anyway.

Lesson number two:

If Google is king, then it’s the top three or four rankings within Google that scoop up all the business.

Think how you do searches yourself. Almost certainly via Google, and almost certainly you visit the top two or three sites displayed – depending on some key decision factors that we really do understand.

Back to my point; imagine there are almost a billion people worldwide using the Internet everyday. How valuable to your brand and business do you think it would be if you were one of those first three choices? (Like our clients). You’ll need superlatives like ‘huge’, ‘substantial’, ‘enormous’.

Go to www.google.co.uk right now and type the words "Drainage", or maybe "Mexican Food" , "QS site support" or maybe something even more difficult "Flour for homebaking" and our clients' sites will appear in the top three results.

This is how and why companies you have never heard of last year have suddenly become global mega brands in a matter of months when traditionally it has taken decades to build global brands in this way.

To that end the most commonly offered services are:

First: Keyword research (86%)
Second: Competitor research (83%)
Joint third: Landing page development (81%)
Joint third: Copywriting (81%)

Hey, there’s something new. The biggest climber since last year is copywriting, which is why we now have the services of three of the UK’s top web copy writing specialists on board.

This increase reflects the growing importance of high quality content in driving good organic visibility on search engines. The technical side of SEO is still important, but it is not as easy now to make radical SEO improvements merely through technical adjustments as more companies are getting to grips with the basics.

As search engines increasingly rank sites based on their content, high-quality and original copy has become even more prominent. The good news is that good copy also works for humans (after all, they are your real prospects). Good copy also eases the way for valuable site links.

Social search activity is also a growing factor. As a result, we help our clients to create a presence on a range of well known social media sites, like Youtube, Facebook and Myspace. Check out www.youtube.com/discoveryfoods

By this time next year, there will doubtless be another site that will emerge as the new Facebook. Expect niche social networks to be much bigger very soon.
If you seriously want to get to the top of Google, then you are in the right place because we are seasoned pros at this kind of stuff.

* By the way, if you live in Russia then its Yandex that scores (which ironically translates to Yet Another Index).

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.

Email Marketing Is No Longer About Sending Emails!

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Clients and prospects are always asking us about the pros and cons of email marketing.

Much of the time this medium receives negative press because of all the Viagra spam emails we all get (or is it just my wife trying to tell me something?). So I thought it might be useful to explain how, on the contrary, intelligent email marketing can be extremely lucrative and - done properly - works a treat.

This is because effective email marketing offers businesses a range of advantages from highly tangible revenue increases to softer benefits such as improved brand perceptions.

I risk labouring the point: email marketing has to be part of an overall web strategy to achieve maximum effect.

Different companies have different requirements, which is why everything we do is bespoke to that individual client. Following the discovery process, campaigns will normally fall in to one or more of the following categories:

You want to drive sales and build revenue?

Effective email communication can help to maximise customer lifetime value.
Communicating the right information at the right time will help drive sales.
Email can help you acquire new customers (provided lists are used with care).
Create opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling.
Drive traffic to website (more importantly, the right kind of traffic).

You want to make your marketing budget go further?

The right messages at the right time will help you retain customers - retention is significantly cheaper than acquisition.
Email is much cheaper than traditional direct marketing.

You want to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty?

Relevant and tailored information will score you points with consumers.
A happier customer is less likely to defect to a rival.
Build an emotional connection with your audience.
Email affords excellent opportunities to remind customers of the benefits of your proposition and the value they are getting.
Companies can exploit data (e.g. CRM and web analytics) to identify and meet customer needs.

You are looking to improving customer intelligence.

Learn from customer feedback.
Email is a highly measurable channel.
Integration with web analytics software can help this process.

You are looking to boost brand awareness and credibility.

Effective integration of messaging and ‘creative’ into broader marketing strategies is essential for successful businesses.
A holistic customer experience and brand experience will enhance perceptions of your company and improve recall.
Build relationships by engaging users in an efficient and entertaining way.
There is an opportunity to exploit rich media to engage more effectively with customers, provided it is non-intrusive.

If you fall in to one or more of the categories listed above then you are in the right place because we are seasoned pros at this kind of stuff.

Forget email-shots and start thinking well crafted electronic campaigns.

We can have you up and running within 7 days and we can even generate email marketing lists for you!

To find out more contact us on 01234 292222.