Building a business online, not just a website

Stay creative, stay alive. It’s not easy to create. But it’s at the heart of all of us. It’s something we all need to do. And can do. If we’re not creating, we’re dead.

29 ways to keep yourself creative.

Search engine optimization (SEO) may seem like magic to some but there is actual Science behind it – as the above table shows. Search engines such as Google and Bing reward pages with the right combination of ranking factors. Have a look through the table and make sure you have as many of these in place today as you can.

Most of the “on the page SEO ranking factors” only take a few hours to implement, some a lot less. It’s the “off the page SEO ranking factors” were you will need to spend time watering and growing. A little every day is the best strategy; make it part of your routine. Some of these actions include being active on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, writing guest posts on other blogs and websites in your industry or niche, or creating interesting content on your own site such as infographics like the above or well written observations that get shared and linked to naturally.

The Takeaway

I recommend going through the on the page ranking factors in the table and actioning those in the next few days – a couple of hours at a time – until you have those completed and in place on your site. Check your title tags, add some good content to your site. Are your URLs just numbers or describe the content of the page too? Does your site load quickly? Is your site being crawled by the search engines? Google Webmaster tools will help you with most of these.

Then, create a simple step by step approach to off the page ranking factors. Do one or two actions a day (only an hour) for 30 days and measure the impact of these actions with Google Analytics or however else you take metrics for your website. What is working? What isn’t? What needs adjusting? Change your strategy based on what you see happening and keep working on it a little every day until you start to see some interesting results.

It takes time and momentum and won’t change over night but an organised and consistent approach of lots of small steps everyday can make all the difference.

Anchor text matters. It matters quite a lot but is often overlooked.

According to Wikipedia:

The anchor text, link label or link text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink

So for example, in “I like cheese“, the “cheese” is anchor text in this example as that is the word that is linked to another website.

You can have internal anchor text (linking to pages within your site) or external anchor text (linking to other sites). It’s these external anchor texts linking to your site that are important.

Why are they important?

Anchor text is essentially a vote of confidence from one site to another. I’m saying to Google or Bing or whoever, “hey, this site that I’m linking to with the text “cheese” is really all about cheese and I think they really do a good job talking about and providing information on “cheese”.

Rand at SEOMoz talks about this effortlessly in last week’s white board Friday:

There should be some manual efforts, some efforts, whether that’s guest posting and blogging, whether that’s sponsoring an event, whether that’s getting your biography featured or something like that, getting a badge embedded somewhere or a graphic embedded somewhere that links back to you in a certain way, you do need that anchor text link match. So, working on at least a little of that external anchor text is definitely worthwhile.

And there it is. The golden nugget in the video.

Linking happens naturally. We can’t and shouldn’t control how people link to us and what anchor text they use. So if I want to say “hey this is a great website about cheese” or “I love this site” – Pong can’t do anything about that. It was natural to me and they would have preferred I link with the word “cheese” but I didn’t.

But if Pong were to give me an infographic or cool video about making cheese or a badge that says “I love Pong cheese” and I could embed those on my blog, with a predefined anchor text, they would start to build the links that they want.  These would contain the anchor text that they want and would be providing great value to bloggers (and their readers) using their embedable widgets on their sites.  It’s a win win. That’s natural.

Examples

Matthew Inman did this well with his launch of Mingle2 with clever cartoons and calculators.

I just went through the zombie harmony search and now I would want to embed this on my personal blog:

Easy to use and then embed.

This one’s a long one but a very effective infographic anchor text link building campaign:

Great and valuable information to any website owner too so will get loads of embeds, and clever use of anchor text at the bottom and within the graphic too.

Some guest post tips:

Writing that guest post email to a top blogger and here

How to guest post

The Takeaway

Build (or outsource to get someone to build) a great interactive infographic or cool game or tool and let people embed badges on their site to share their achievement or experience using your resource.

Guest blog, get your bio on other sites, or even create a service that automatically adds your brand and anchor text within the tool as part of the site’s architecture. For example, you could create a free service that would place anchor text in the footer like in every email sent by hotmail or I could use “powered by latteperday” (could be email marketing for free perhaps so in the footer of every email a client could send or free 1 page websites with some anchor text in the footer as default) or a calendar sync tool that means others have to signup to see the calendar you are sharing. Use your imagination.

Whatever you try, firstly make it useful, informative, fun and cool to share and people will hopefully do just that. Then add the anchor text somewhere as a secondary function and the rest will happen naturally.

Photo by untipografico

Without really knowing it this has been my approach to web design over the past 6 years. The Lean Approach. Quick, measured, agile, bootstrapped.

It wasn’t until I read Eric Ries’ The Lean Startup that it all started to fall into place in a tangible way where I could write it down and explain the Lean Approach to Web Design. It isn’t the only approach to web design and goes against the grain of detailed wire-framing, mock ups and design meetings. But it’s an approach.

Eric’s observations are adroit. His explanation is clear. I love his approach and apply his methodology to my own startups here, here and here.

Build. Measure. Learn.

The Lean Startup Process by Eric Ries

Adapting these principles by Eric to web design are straight forward:

The Lean Approach to Web Design

As Eric says, the quicker you go through the loop the better.

Get the idea or design brief from a client based on a need or something people actually want; build and deploy; test; measure; analyse; learn; iterate; build; test; measure…To Infinity.

You’ll soon find out what is working and what is not and save hours and hours of wasted time and client’s money and trust guessing what people want or guessing how they will think when looking at your site or how they will behave. Just go and find out.

If it doesn’t work out you can iterate until it does or scrap it. You’ll have done it in less time and saved everyone all the hassles and money. If it works, then well done you.

At the centre of all this is the design. The design is what can communicate the findings in the testing, what needs the amends from the learning and what needs to be built upon.

How does this work for web design?

Build

Get your idea for a project or brief from your client and quickly sketch on a piece of paper, whiteboard or iPad. Use a Sharpie – a thick one – and some grid paper or UX Notes. And just sketch out quick outlines. A doodle will do. Title, video box, calls to action, logo position etc. Doesn’t need colours, doesn’t need the actual copy – that’s why we’re using a thick Sharpie, no detail at this stage and just squiggles will do, and doesn’t need anything more than barebones, just like using draft:

Then, straight into code. Run with it. No need to jump into Photoshop or 8th round of wire-frames or anything else. That’s just another procrastination and guessing game. We need to get through the loop as quick as we can.

Code is real, living and breathing. You can soon see what is possible and what is not. Your clients can see a real website that is moving and interactive on their own screens rather than some pdf you’ve just printed out.

Also, I can’t stress this enough but at this stage put in real content. Not random stock photos or Lorem Ipsum or Pig Latin.

Design and Information Architecture is all about the conveying of the message to your audience in a way that makes sense. If you are planning with the wrong photos or copy then it will just look different when you launch and the layout may not work the same way with the real content. Simple but true. Titles will be different in length, the font may look out of place, images will be cropped incorrectly and it’s just doing more work for work’s sake.

Ask your clients to compile all the content upfront and add it at this stage. They can always edit it during the Learn phase when they realise the photo is not emotive enough or the title too boring.

It makes it easier to make amends and iterate on the fly if you go straight to code and cuts out making it twice (Photoshop and then coding).

Go straight to it. It doesn’t matter if the call to action button is orange or green at this stage. Just make it pancake-looking. You won’t know anymore than the client at this stage too except for what you think is right or has worked in the past. The colours need to be tested along with everything else so choose one and move onto the next stage.

Measure

Show your client the site as soon as you can and start making iterations based on their feedback in real-time. Do this live in the browser. Don’t go back to Photoshop, change some layers, re-cut it into html.. etc.

Start some usability tests as soon as you have something workable and see if the buttons are working as they should and users are actually downloading your book or sending you an email or buying your iPhone cases. Split test, talk to your customers or those of your client and start your funnel analysis now.

Make edits as you go and see what happens. You won’t know until the flow of traffic starts and people begin landing on the page what’s going to happen.

Analyse the data. Look at your Google Analytics and other Search metrics. What are they telling you?

Are people falling out of your funnel? Why are only 0.5% users actually signing up for your free trial? Is a different title or using a video on your frontpage converting more users than just a photo of your product? Changing your photos to your actual staff rather than models from a stock photo website – is this the reason you are getting more enquiries?

Make decisions quickly and try something else.

Learn

Realise what the customers are saying to you. Realise that what you thought would work isn’t. Realise that the users’ thought process or their feelings when they land on your new site are different to yours. Or maybe it is all perfect and you’re lucky and guessed well. But that’s OK because at least you now know what’s working.

Make design edits. Make content and CMS edits. Your client can be involved at every stage of this approach but especially here they can edit their content based on what’s working and what’s not. They know their business and what will need changing. Grow the site together.

Do further split testing and customer interviews. Listen. And then with the new ideas and feedback acquired, start to build and redesign and code again before more testing and so on and the cycle continues.

Go through the loop again but even quicker this time.

The Takeaway

Build. Measure. Learn.  The lean approach to web design is just one way to tackle the needs of clients and your own projects, but I think it’s the best way. It’s efficient, agile and the most time and cost effective. It works well for single founders, bootstrappers, startups or small businesses on a budget.

If you have millions of dollars then do it however you want.

If you don’t or don’t want to waste your money or time, then I suggest you get lean and start building what people want. Not just businesses that people want, but web design that works too.

In case you were wondering. We build big houses on hills.

This illustration by inMotion (not where we host our sites) should give you a good idea of the three kinds of typical hosting out there on offer.

Which do you prefer? 

Image by inmotion hosting

The King is dead; long live the King.

Finally, finally, finally.  The Achilles Heal to all web designers everywhere.  The Pandora’s Box to all web developers.  Open it and it will unleash all evil across the world forever – and no hope will come out.  Poor old Pandora, poor old web engineer.

Drumroll

But wait, there is now hope.

Now we have a cool hip new way of writing the code to websites in town.  As cool as Italians zipping along on Vespas, beeping horns and looking cool. HTML5 can cruise through the streets, hang out and enjoy itself. Ciao.

Expect to see greater things from greater developers. More interactive sites and web applications, media on the net will get better, more compatibility across various iDevices, faster, better graphics and effects and more fun and less disgruntled web developers.  Good if you are married to one.

Here’s a few HTML5 cheatsheets (provided by inmotion hosting) for those that need them:

“You must be tired” as they say in Japan after a hard day’s work but I’m glad you are retiring IE6, take your pension and go.

Here’s to the future of web design.

The party is now just getting started.

Live your dream and share your passion in 2012.

That’s it.

A selection of some of the things that I am going to do in 2012. If you don’t do them already, you might find them worthy of effort.

Make change.

I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

- Steve Jobs

Change can sometimes be the hardest thing to do but just small and daily changes will get me to my goals.

Listen.

Re-tune my ears for conscious listening: to other people and the world around me.

Follow passion.

Love what I do and do what I love.

Do what you love and the rest will come

- Dennis Crowley, Foursquare

Be creative.

Without creativity, we are dead.

It’s also important to create the best possible environment for exploring and harnessing that creativity.

Simplify.

Cut out the stuff that really just doesn’t matter.  And focus on what does.

Help people.

Help people reach their goals and dreams – that’s what it’s all about.  

And don’t make software that people don’t want.

Build. Measure. Learn.

- Eric Ries

The Takeaway

Embrace change. Never be afraid of making changes or being brave. As long as you are always moving forward then baby steps are fine. One day at a time.

Nothing is ever permanent – you can always change it back if it doesn’t work.

Image by stockerre

Warning: If you don’t follow the steps below you’re probably already making your website copy worse than it needs to be.

Content is king on the internet as I’ve recently posted.

How about your website copy?

Is it compelling? Does it tell the reader to do anything? Is the layout attractive to read ? Will it keep people coming back for more or even get them to do what you want them to do (such as call you, sign up for your newsletter, click a button on your website)?

Calls to action

This is probably the most important element of your website. Period.

You’ve just worked really hard to get that visitor to your website.  They’ve just landed on the page.  Are you then telling the reader to do anything? What is it you want them to do?  Do you want them to click on a button? Download a file? Read an e-book? Sign up for a newsletter?

What is the purpose of your writing?

You must have a purpose and you must tell people what you want them to do after they’ve read it. People like being told what to do and will often comply. They’ll be a % that will do it.

If there’s no phone number or enticement to email and order (or even a “buy now” button), or any call to action whatsoever, then they probably can’t work that out for themselves. They’ll struggle and the majority of times read and then go.  They then won’t interact further with your copy other than just read the text and leave.

It will be like a potential customer walking into your brick and mortar shop and then just going straight back out the door without any interaction with you the shopkeeper.  Pointless.

Headline

The headline of your copy is very very important. Perhaps the most important element of the page.  Just like the subject line of an email or a tagline on a tv commercial. It’s the hook. If it’s boring or doesn’t attract the interest of the reader, you’ve lost them after the first sentence.

Entice your reader but don’t give too much away.

The headline draws them in and keeps their interest before they hit the back button. Headlines are often rushed but shouldn’t be overlooked.

Try a question in the header or play on the reader’s needs or wants. Experiment and watch the results and refine what happens. Take your time to be creative here.

For example, a header called “The best software for editing your website” is OK, but “Web Editing Software that will increase your web sales by 300%” is much better and most people would certainly read on to see what the software does and if they can afford it.

Regardless of the truth in this software example, it is more important to focus on the end result (something that the reader wants; the benefit) rather than just what it is that you are talking about.  Think WIIFM.

Play on those emotions and measure your success and adapt it.

It also helps to add in the title a couple of keywords that people might be using to search for your page, this will help your article to be picked up on the search engines.

Font

Keep it web-safe or, if possible, sans-serif for the net. These are much more compatible across operating systems and browsers and sans-serif is much easier to read on the screen over big chunks of text than serif fonts.

So that means more Helvetica and Arial if your design permits.

For those cool headings or other stand out headers, use google fonts for maximum speed and compatible.

Bullets and sub-headers

Breaking text up on the net is common sense for most but still it is possible to see sites with endless text.

Use sub-headers to divide your text. Most readers skim read the text before deciding to fully read the content (if at all) so if there is nothing standing out of interest (such as 3 or 4 great sub-headers) then they’ll close that browser down.

Break up the text with bullets so that it is more manageable. The internet is a medium to be quickly digested like a newspaper or magazine; not War & Peace.

The Is have it

Avoid “I” as much as possible. Write in the 3rd person if possible or just use “I” as sparingly as you can. 3rd person adds depth to your web business and an authority and

“You” certainly brings readers closer to your product and service. It absorbs them and personalises your copy.

I would also have at one point said advised to avoid “I” as much as possible.  This is so not the case nowadays.

Privacy is dead on the Internet and to build a brand it’s good to show your face, show your individual voice and be yourself.  People want to see who you are to make that connection, build trust and make sure you are the real deal.

Be proud of who you are and what you have to say and just say it.

Don’t be afraid to offend

Apart from playing to a reader’s wants and desires, you’ve got to not be afraid to offend.

Be provocative. Remember, rocking the boat isn’t always a bad thing.

We’re not talking about outright offending readers but just writing in a way that isn’t aligned with traditional thinking habits or reasoning. Stand out and write different.

The best copy on websites get attention by being provactive and interesting, being different. Don’t always say the same things everyone else does. “This is who we are, this is what we do, this is how we do it”.

Is there a better way?

Acting different will give you a voice, a reputation and a distinction.  That will repel people, but also attract so many like minded people at the same time and ultimately will get you links, diggs, referrals, tweets and sales.

Spelings

Check your spelings and grammer as much as possible. If you can’t spel properly then how can you build trust with your customers or readerz? Unfortunately, it’s a pedantic world we live in and you have to just make sure you get it wright.

Block quotes

Use the blockquote tag to bring out important sections of the text that you want readers to see and break up the text and add variety to the page.

Your readers will thank you for it.

Pictures speak louder than words

Pictures speak louder than words

 Image by Boudewijn Berends

And so does video.

Research has shown that people will more likely watch a 5 minute video than sit and read a page this length even. So why not post a video on your front page and A/B test that theory with your audience?  Put a call to action in the video and see what happens.

Additionally, experiment with photo / image only posts.  Infographics for example. Or just break up sections of your copy with photos with a headline (the most importnat key points) under each photo and track if people just read those headlines and then you can start to get an idea of how people are interacting with your pages.

The photos can often be amateur photos taken on just a mobile phone.  Get creative with your photo selection.

It’s more than likely people are just reading the headline anyway, looking at the photo / image and then a couple of words and then deciding what to do next. Would be worth checking if this is the case and how best to use that data to your advantage.

Essentially, people don’t read on the Internet *I wonder how many people get here to read this sentence – leave a comment below if you did*

Remember that the next time you are about to publish War & Peace on your website.

Extras if you are writing a blog

I suppose these could apply to normal web copy but easier to implement in a blog.

Write about relevant and trending topics.

Check on Google Trends or Twitter what is trending and popular and see if you can relate the theme of your ideas and copy for your article to this trend.  For example, in the run up to Valentine’s Day I posted on the perfect Valentine’s Day Break.  Other obvious things today could be the Olympics next year, kit homes or iPad2 cases. Daily news stories are often good too. Think Recession and Economic doom.

Speak with emotion.

Be passionate. Your enthusiasm, knowledge and authenticity will come out more in every word if you say everything with passion. Nobody likes a boring fart, be Mr. Brittas.

How to topics.

These are popular and well liked pages on the Internet because they are useful, complete and help people solve real everyday problems straight away. They are instant hits. Articles on how to mend pipes and how to SEO a website are popular and it’s a good way to present your information rather than just theming your articles as “the history of pipes” or “what is SEO”.

Summary writing.

As mentioned above, people don’t like to read but they don’t mind reading summaries.  Summarise a recent event, news story, product release or industry change and post it on your site. If it’s a good summary, you’ll find that your summary gets recommended around and linked to and will become the “go to” for that particular idea as it will be so easy to share and understand.

Being difficult and complex and verbose is easy; being brief and compact and simple is not.

Enjoy writing every word.

This can’t be said enough.

The Takeaway

Above all, make sure that you think about not only how you design a page but also want you put in it.

All too often small businesses just rehash their brochures or other printed materials into their web copy and this often doesn’t match the web. They are different beasts and require a different planned approach.  Take your copy and spin it for the web is one step.

Remember summaries are good, don’t make it too long as people are lazy and add more photos and videos.

Your readers will thank you.

Image by JD Hancock

This is just what I posted yesterday:

Get Out of the Building

The most powerful ideas are the simplest—and in retrospect, the most obvious. But it’s the obvious ideas that are the hardest to see when you’re focused on the day-to-day activities inside your organization.

The Best Insights Come from Watching Customers Use Your Products

Get out there with your users. See the world from their perspective first, and then observe as they interact with your offering. Obvious improvements will become apparent when your product or service is viewed in the context of the customer’s life.

If you always look at something from the same point of view you won’t see anything new. Sometimes you have to change your perspective to see what is most obvious.

Another great synopsis by the Startup Daily.  Get on Karl’s mailing list if you’re not already.