Click here for the November 2007 TechPoint Newsletter

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TechPoint Newsletter - October 2007

In this Issue ...

The oligarchy of the PDF
Give me one good reason to return
Case study: Canadian Forest Industry
Get an expert analysis of your website
Getting started on the right foot

The oligarchy of the PDF

Almost everyone knows the PDF, or Portable Document Format, as the universal way to send complex documents in a readable format to just about anyone with a computer. The software needed to view it, Adobe Acrobat, is a free and easy download, and a PDF can't be altered, granting some element of security against copyright infringement. Many-a-user is captivated by the initial charm of this powerful tool, but most who integrate PDFs into websites push their use beyond what they were designed for. While it's easy and convenient for website owners to upload a PDF in place of an additional web page, this practice can turn into a frustrating waste of time for site visitors and result in poor performance from the company website.  With more and more people accessing the Internet via cell phones, small laptops and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PDF files, often huge in size, can block out all but the people most desperately seeking information.

PDFs provide a vast amount of uses for any company; however, when it comes to sharing information via a website they must be used with care.  Good website planning should include PDF files as an option for clients to access additional information, but shouldn't be the only way they can get the information.  The best way to structure a content-heavy website is to get the basic information and some supporting files into the most flexible format possible - a database – and then use PDFs for the more detailed, thorough data or specifications. When information is placed in a database it can be updated with ease and displayed in any style required and clients can access the information right before their eyes with no additional steps. Listing product overviews, highlights and selling features in a database and backing these up with technical specifications in PDF files would be the best bet. That way browsers and curious surfers can get the jest of a product from the website without information overload, and get down to the nitty gritty with PDF spec sheets, photos and other detailed supporting documentation if required. PDFs also come in handy when a client wishes to print off website marketing materials, brochures or information for presentation in a readable, presentable format. But again, this should be an optional format, not a replacement for having the same information readily available on a web page.

The goal of an effective website is to remove all barriers and perceived barriers to accessing information.  For many users clicking on a link  only to find out it's a link to PDF, which then automatically launches yet another piece of software (Acrobat Reader), is nothing but an annoyance.  If users are browsing a website they expect to only have to use their web browser to find what they need with the option to delve deeper if something really grabs their attention.

In the end the role of the PDF on a website is a supporting role for digital site content that can be delivered in a viewable format to fit any device a customer may be using ... if they so choose.

Give me one good reason to return

We talk about content all the time and how important it is to have lots of detailed content on a company website.  In the past few months we've see many businesses start to see the results of this advice, but many still lack the one key element for building online success: providing a good reason for visitors to return.  It breaks down like this: Many businesses market website addresses everywhere trying to boost website traffic, which is a great start and, if the static content on the site is rich in information, relevance and key word usage, should be a piece of cake. But providing these visitors, ravenous for fresh, dynamic change, little or no reason to return negates the effort put in to getting them there in the first place.  This is quite simply the worst thing you can do if you expect to use web as the powerful sales and marketing tool. 

Every company website should have an area on its main page dedicated to providing visitors a reason to return to the site. The type of business a company is in and how much marketing it does will help determine what the “reason” is and how often it should be updated to keep visitors checking back.  Despite what some will say there is simply no company in business today that cannot provide its clients and visitors a reason to come back to its website. 

Here is a list of some of the most common “reasons to return” just about anyone can provide:

Newly arrived inventory
New product lines
Monthly specials or web-only sales
Recently completed projects
New staff announcements
Product or service bulletins
Technical tips and advice
Trade show or conference announcements
Product or service calculators or estimators

Once a company has decided on what its compelling reason(s) to return are, it must decide on how frequently the information should be updated.  This can be weekly or daily for companies that sell low dollar cost products through an online store; monthly (the most common) for companies that sell higher ticket items or bring in new or used products, or quarterly for companies that offer large scale projects or services.  The minimum we recommend for any company is a quarterly update; after all that's only four times per year, a pretty minimal effort to keep customers interested.

The only things left to ensure a successful plan are an easy, hassle-free way for the appointed update person to actually complete the task, and the commitment to keep to the schedule.  It doesn't matter how great a site looks; if the person tasked with keeping it current can't easily update it, the site will soon grow old and stale.  Once the web-tools are in place the only thing left is to stick to the schedule of completing the updates and that's simply a matter of commitment.

Maximizing the amount of visitors returning to a website site will result in improved customer satisfaction and increased sales for any business.  Putting a manageable and sustainable plan together is the key to getting clients to return to the website and to increasing the amount of business they do with the company. Getting the most out of a company website is almost entirely contingent on giving clients and prospective clients a good reason to keep coming back for more.

Case Study  - Canadian Forest Industries Magazine

Situation
Canadian Forest Industries (CFI) Magazine covers Canada's billion dollar logging market from BC to Newfoundland.  The management at CFI wanted a new website upgrade to serve their growing audience on the Internet.

Problem
The CFI management need to solve three distinct issues with its new website. First they needed an easy way to add and archive editorial content on a daily basis. Second they needed a way to provide new product news to site visitors, and lastly they needed a site structure which allowed graphic design updates and changes without having to do a major re-build.

Solution
Working closely with the CFI staff, Point One Media was able to provide an effective site management solution with the Business Online Service Solutions (BOSS) web tools. The Web Page Editor tool allowed CFI the flexibility of updating content with the ease of using a word processor. Point One Media's Bulletin Manager facilitates the creation and archiving of news articles, newsletters and other dynamic content, key components of a successful website. Once the initial design concepts were complete the technical infrastructure was put in place to support the client's requirements.

Results
With the successful deployment of the CFI website, editor Scott Jamieson can now create and archive web-exclusive content, post new product news and provide advertisers with an effect way to reach their growing online market place.  Click here to view the new Canadian Forest Industries website.

Get an expert analysis of your website

This month we are offering industry businesses the opportunity to have a no-cost, no-obligation website analysis done by our senior technical and marketing experts. This comprehensive report will examine and rate your website in key areas including design and navigation, usability, content, layout, functionality, technology and much more. The Report will also include a set of recommendations to address any shortcomings or improvements that should be made to your site.

Again, this is a FREE two-page Report designed help you evaluate the success of your company website and to advise you about what can be done to improve your Return on Investment (ROI).

If you'd like a FREE analysis by our expert staff simply complete the questionnaire below or call us toll free at 1.877.755.2762.  All information will be strictly confidential. Once we receive this information we will analyze your site and contact you with further questions.  Once completed we will email you a full report on your site and call you to review our findings. 
Click here to find out more!

Getting started on the right foot

If you need a new website that provides a strong technological foundation and top-quality sales and marketing structure,   Point One Media has the perfect solution. Our Launch Point website is a fantastic entry level product designed to give business clients everything they need to maximize their Internet success.

From high-quality design with search engine-friendly architecture to the easy-to-use navigation and expandable functionality, there is simply no better and more economical product to build your online business. The Launch Point  site will provide your company with:

• A domain name <www.yourcompanyname.com> (or the transfer of an existing domain)
• Up to ten customized email addresses with a web-based email service
• Two website design proof-of-concepts to choose from
• Three web pages including: Home, Products & Services and a Contact Form (additional pages extra)
• Focused engineering for successful global search engine indexing
• Standard monthly web statistic reporting
• Creative writing and graphic design services
• Engineering to facilitate expansion for any future growth including e-commerce, inventory mangers and more

How easy is it to get started? Too easy. All we need is 30 minutes of your time and any logos or company pictures you can easily provide. Call or email today and we can help your company with a successful launch or relaunch on the Internet.  Call toll-free 877.755.2762 or email <info@pointonemedia.com>.