You land on a website. You’re cheesed off by stuff on it. You leave faster than you came. Been there done that? A step back and a quick think: are you sure potential customers aren’t abandoning your web site for the same reasons? They shouldn’t, but only if you’ve taken care of the basics. Here are a dozen that we thought you should nail down.

Define website goals clearly: What if your favorite cousin or attractive neighbor were reading your page for the first time… would they easily get what your Page or your business is all about? It’s critical to clearly define your brand values, nature of business and products/services available. In a ... Read more...

Why Travel Brands Need to Book Social Media on their Itineraries The recent increase in the number of people going online to research and plan their vacations has prompted travel brands to develop a solid digital presence. Although some are still testing the waters, many travel brands have already made social media an integral part of their marketing strategy. Tech-savvy travel agencies are looking to make their websites a one-stop shop for users who want all travel related information in one place. Whether it is last-minute travel tips, destination information or attractive offers, everything is just a click away. According to the 2011 Digital Travel Content and User Experience Survey conducted by Frommer’s Unlimited:

• Almost ... Read more...

In the third and final installment of the 'Three Major Demographics for Online Marketers' series, the Position² research team looked at the importance of marketing to women and how brands can benefit from one of the largest audiences online. Women, who make up for the majority of users on many popular social networking channels, have established a strong presence on the social web. Snippets from a recent study by ComScore show that:

• The average time spent online by women is 24.8 hours, compared to men who spend approximately 22.9 hours.
• In April 2010, women accounted for 16.3% of the average time spent on various social networks, as against the 11.7% average ... Read more...

In the first part of our three series study, we focused on how teens and young adults are increasingly using the web for more than just 'casual browsing' and what this means for online marketers. While we agree that the youth will continue to be one of the heaviest users of social media, our second part highlights how older users or the baby boomers are rapidly becoming web-savvy. Going by eMarketer's recent study, we know that today's 60-year-olds do more than just stay home in their slippers, sipping a mug of hot cocoa and surfing different television channels. According to the report:

• At 78.2%, baby boomers spend more time and money online than any ... Read more...