4 Internet Marketing Books Reviewed in 1 Blog Post

There are many ways to gain new knowledge in the world of Internet marketing.  Blog posts, podcasts and websites all contain how-to's and strategic guides to improving your online presence.  And while the bite-sized nature of today's popular mediums can often appeal to our on-the-go lifestyles, some ideas and concepts require a good solid book's worth of information.  Today on Big Picture Web, I'll share four of my recent favorite Internet marketing books with you.  Each book covers a slightly different area of your overall Internet marketing strategy.  Going out and reading all four would be a sure-fire way to get a crash course education in Internet marketing.

1. Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media, and Blogs (The New Rules of Social Media)

(Thank you! Please read our book referral disclaimer)Inbound Marketing is a wonderful tactical guide for today's Internet marketing techniques.  Authors Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah provide a blueprint for starting up a successful web presence.  They believe that in order to succeed on the web, you must turn your web site from a megaphone to a hub. What does that mean?  Read Inbound Marketing and find out.

2. Don't Make Me Think

(Thank you! Please read our book referral disclaimer)If you could only read one book about creating web sites, this would be the one.  Steve Krug authors this excellent introduction to usability, the art and science of making the functionality of your web site crystal clear to your web site visitors.  You'd be surprised how many people can't buy your products or find out about your services simply because your site is too confusing (Find out for free with 4Q).  Don't Make Me Think will help you make your web site self-evident and avoid turning potential customers away.

3. Web Analytics 2.0

(Thank you! Please read our book referral disclaimer)The cornerstone of business success is return on investment.  Web Analytics 2.0 is a strategic and tactical web analytics guide that helps you measure your online goals and outcomes.  Author Avinash Kaushik describes free and cheap tools that provide major insights.  Where are your customers coming from?  What are they looking for?  What web pages are being viewed the most?  Is anyone buying anything?  The best part about the web marketing channel is its ability to be measured.  Web Analytics 2.0 is your guide to measuring what matters to your business.

4. Letting Go of the Words

(Thank you! Please read our book referral disclaimer)Once you've mastered the tactics, design and measurement, it's time to put the words on the web page.  Letting Go of the Words is your guide to writing content for the web.  Different than print media, web site content is made up of small chunks of skimmable, scannable content.  And nevermind the long-winded marketing message.  Just the basics, please, in a bulleted list if possible.  Letting Go of the Words is a tactical guide for creating the words and layout of your web site.

And there you have it.  Four Internet marketing books, and if read in order, will give you a pretty good idea of how to start a solid web presence.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?  We'd love to hear them.  Leave a comment below to continue the conversation.

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Internet Marketing Planning in 3 Easy Steps

Marketers, small business owners and individuals are looking for ways to bring their message to the masses via the Internet more and more these days.  In fact, eMarketer recently published a report in which Forrester Research predicted a 17% compound annual growth rate in Internet marketing in the next five years.  But for many, planning your Internet marketing strategy can be difficult.  It can be all too tempting to skip planning and jump right into design.  But doing so will almost always lead to disaster.  Today, Big Picture Web brings you a post about the three things you need to develop a successful Internet marketing plan.

Internet Marketing Planning:  Easy as 1, 2, 3

With so many options today, it can be completely overwhelming to plan your online marketing strategy.  Do you need a Web site?  Should you be using Facebook and/or Twitter in your Internet marketing mix?  Should you be working to get more visitors from search engines?  Surprisingly, these tactics will line up at your feet if you start with a solid Internet marketing plan.  Start your plan today in three easy steps:

1. Define your Internet marketing goals. Successful Internet marketing plans start with the end in mind.  What is it you want to accomplish for your organization through your online marketing efforts?  Do you want to increase sales?  Are you trying to gain new customers or prospects?  Are you trying to better serve the customers you already have?  By clearly defining your objectives, you're one-third of the way to a successful Internet marketing plan.
2. Identify your ideal customer and their online goals.  To appeal to your potential customers, you must be able to think like them.  What are they trying to accomplish?  What's the best possible way to organize information about your company so that it is easy and intuitive to find for your Web site visitors?  In a world where we are overwhelmed by information and the competitor is just a click away, it's absolutely critical that you make your Web presence as straightforward, clear and appealing as possible to your customers.
3. Select only the Internet marketing tactics that meet the goals of you or your customer (or both!).  This final concept is very intuitive yet practiced less than one might think.  Why would you do something if it doesn't accomplish anything?  But you'd be surprised how often folks spend too much precious time and resources haggling over the smallest details or adding features that are "shiny" yet do nothing to help their bottom dollar.  Strongly consider this when putting together your Internet marketing plan.

Think about these three steps the next time you or someone your organization comes up with a new idea for the Internet marketing plan.  Just ask yourself, "How will this help us meet our own goals?  What about our customers' goals?"  If you can't come up with an answer to either of those questions, chances you probably shouldn't be including it in your Internet marketing planning activities.

 

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?  We'd love to hear them.  Leave a comment below to continue the conversation.

Big Picture Web, Now Powered by Squarespace

You may have realized that Big Picture Web hasn't been as prolific recently as in the past.  We've been swamped with many great opportunities but are finally able to come up for a little air.  And we've also finally done something that's been coming for a long time.  Today, Big Picture Web is proud to announce that we've switched our hosting to Squarespace.  

Hosting and Content Management in One

With Squarespace, you get hosting and content management services.  Squarespace provides incredibly intuitive web development tools to help you build your website.  And unlike many content management systems, Squarespace is very comprehensive right out of the box.  Finally, Squarespace is SEO-friendly right out of the box, making it easier for you to concentrate on creating content without getting bogged down in the technical details.

Just a partial list of Squarespace features:

• Content management
• Powerful blogging platform
• SEO-friendly
• Manage your styles, layout and design through a user interface
• Build your website by adding and arranging individual components
• Easily add social networking links
• Onboard web analytics
• Ability to input custom html and javascript

Big Picture Web and Squarespace

Join Internet marketing sources like Leo Laporte and Big Picture Web in trying Squarespace.  And now that we've made the switch, we're looking forward to being a lot more prolific.  Adding new posts is now a breeze and there are a lot of opportunities on the horizon.  I'm looking forward to sharing Big Picture Web with you even more in the future.

A Website Planning Worksheet - Measuring Performance Improvements

If you've ever been involved with planning website improvements, you know how hard it can be to decide what action to take. You've heard great potential lies in social media, adding product reviews to your site and search engine optimization (SEO) but which is the best to pursue? Luckily, estimating and measuring performance improvements is easy when you look at the numbers. Today, Big Picture Web brings you a special website planning worksheet that's sure to empower you to correctly select the big ticket items on your next web project.

Website Planning 101

When measuring performance improvements on an individual's or business' website, you can only do three things:

1. Acquire visitors to your site
2. Engage them with your message
3. Convince them to do business with you

That said, the website planning worksheet is a tool that measures performance improvements in these areas. All the math comes baked in. Just enter your website's information, estimate your various improvements and evaluate the relative results. And it's a Google Doc so you can go here to view it and then keep a free copy to use forever and ever.

Measuring Performance Improvements Made Easy

To use the website planning worksheet, you'll need a few numbers. Plug them into the spreadsheet into only cells with gray backgrounds. Gather your website's averages for monthly traffic, goal conversion and goal value (if you don't have them, again, feel free to read up on setting and measuring online goals). Next, do some research to estimate what the various improvements you've identified will do for your business. Plug these numbers into the website planning worksheet as well. Planning, estimating and measuring performance improvements is the best way to prepare for any efforts towards your website. Let's see a few examples of how this might look.

Website Planning Worksheet Example 1:

A small blog convinces about 2% of average visitors to download a whitepaper on expert content the author has created. The author has just read an exciting usability book like Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug and wants to do a usability overhaul to improve her conversion rate by perhaps as much as 83%. Plug in the numbers and volia. (click on the image to access your copy of the spreadsheet)

Website Planning Worksheet Example 2:

A medium-sized business has 200,000 visitors a month. Its stakeholders feel the site offers great products and services and want to pursue search engine optimization (SEO) to get more visitors to the site. They know through research peformed on sites like SEOmoz that more of their market will find them, helping them improve their overall revenue. Thank you, website planning worksheet (and SEOmoz).

Website Planning Worksheet Example 3:

A small business begins a rewards loyalty program to increase customer engagement They offer more value to their customer, and in return increase the average order value on their website.

Website Planning, in Summary

So there you have it. Use the website planning worksheet to estimate the potential benefit. Then be sure you're measuring performance improvements as you implement your most promising enhancements. Leave your comments below if you're able to get some use out of the website planning worksheet.

(Note: Website project results will vary on many factors. The Website Planning Worksheet is a tool and a resource but does not guarantee success. Of course, you can always contact me if you want my two cents or assistance on any projects you're working on).

Internet Meetups for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Beyond

If you're like most people, you're hearing more about Internet marketing and social media every day. Heck, you're probably researching something right now to improve the way you do business on the Internet. Did you know there are people in your city that are willing and excited to talk to you in person about your goals and ideas? It's true. Some really smart folks ranging from enthusiasts to real live experts meet regularly to discuss all types of ideas about how to fully embrace the web and succeed online. In fact, Minneapolis/St. Paul boasts a handful of social media and Internet marketing events each month. Whether you call them a group, a meetup, or even a tweetup, today we'll look at the Big Picture of Internet marketing events in the Twin Cities. (Don't worry if you're not from the area... there's something for everyone. Read on.)

Learn About Minneapolis/St. Paul Meetups

There are many reasons to join folks (like me) at these meetups. These are some of the more compelling ones.

• Meetups are Accessible. You don't need a certification or an exclusive membership and the price is usually nominal if not free. All one needs is a passion to succeed online, really.
• Meetups are Useful. You meet some really fun and interesting people that know a lot about doing business online. From Minneapolis/St. Paul small business owners/podcasters like @IDS07 to Internet marketers from big agencies like @kareemy, Tweetups and meetups are teeming with Twin Cities Internet talent. Bring your questions and your ideas.
• Meetups are Fun.  Check out great specials at some of the Twin Cities' best places to meet up. Enjoy a long breakfast once a month with new friends. Even take in a Saints game. You'll find yourself making more and more room on your calendar for these Minneapolis and St. Paul meetups and tweetups.

Join the Twin Cities Meetup Community

At this point, you're no doubt excited to start making new friends and bringing your business to the next level. Tell me where to go, you say. I'm going to have to be honest here, friends. I'm new to the Twin Cities tweetup scene myself, but I have done some research and have even been to a few. This is what I know so far.

• MSP Tweetup.  With events ranging from happy hours to Saints games and venues ranging from Minneapolis to St. Paul, MSPTweetup is a great Internet marketing and social media tweetup. It's true what they say: you always remember your first meetup.
• Social Media Breakfast - Twin Cities.  Just one search for the #smbmsp hashtag in Twitter to realize that the Twin Cities Social Media Breakfast meetup is one of the most happening social media events in all of Minneapolis/St. Paul, boasting an active community. Fill up on Internet marketing knowledge and breakfast at this popular event.
• Meetup.com.  You can use Meetup.com whether you're in Minneapolis/St. Paul or not. Search by keyword within for your city to find any number of meetups about Internet marketing or any other topic for that matter. A quick search in the Twin Cities and some initial vetting turned up Minnesota Online Marketing Mastermind, Minnesota Search Engine Marketing Authority and The Biz Blogger Meetup Group.

Now that you've read about meetups in the Twin Cities and the very best tweetup in all of Minneapolis and St. Paul, won't you come join us? What will you add/take away from this new conversation? For those out of the area, what meetups are big in your neck of the woods?