News
Archive for January, 2009
What does it take to move products in an online store? Some business owners are successful onground, yet they seem to struggle with creating an online shopping experience where visitors actually buy things. The reason is that people’s expectations change when they are looking to make an online purchase.
The difference between an online store and “full sell store” online might not be visible on the homepage or anywhere else on the site. The difference is in the details. Creating a website that will display products and facilitate simple online transactions is only the first step in setting up a successful online store. The user first needs to feel comfortable. What’s next?
Users need to feel a call to action when they visit your store. Pay careful attention next time you are online shopping, you may notice two common themes. The first theme is a call to action in disguise, commonly seen as a discount or added benefit from buying online, such as free shipping. The second theme you may notice is security. At every reliable online store there are SSL certificates for secure transactions. Security for your online store should be purchased through a reputable SSL provider or be facilitated by a provider with SSL (PayPal, Express Pay).
You also want to consider search engine optimization standards, so it’s imperative that meta-data and search engine friendly content are added to the coding of the website. This meta-data can’t be seen by a normal visitor, but it is readily available for search engines looking to fill user queries when they search for products to purchase. A great way to gather good meta-data content is to search for what you are selling and collectively create content more appealing than the top results for your products related search engine results.
Once a user is on your site it is important to get information from that user to keep bringing them back in the future. Make sure that your site has an info capture form, questionnaire or offer that will effectively create a mass email database for future email marketing and general marketing efforts. Another extremely important aspect of connecting with your customer base is using web 2.0 portals like creating Facebook clubs around particular interests and creating a MySpace page.
For more information on how to integrate all these aspects into a successful “full sell” website, contact mediaG at inquiry@mediaG.com.
For nonprofit organizations, utilizing car donations has become very competitive.
Purple Heart has a long standing presence in America, but they were finding themselves to be just one of many nonprofits who take car donations. They contacted Media Genesis, a Troy-based web development company, to increase their site traffic and donation numbers.
The “Military Order of the Purple Heart” was formed by Congress in 1932 to serve the interests of all who have received a Purple Heart – an award given to members of the armed forces of the U.S. who have been wounded or died in combat. They also provide available assistance to all veterans, their dependents, widows and orphans.
Media Genesis redesigned their current car donation web site http://purpleheartcars.org, to enhance usability.
In redesigning the site, they have achieved a better aesthetic feel, as well as a quicker and more comprehensive way for a potential donor to take action online. However, they also wanted their new site to be more detectable by search engines.
For this issue, Media Genesis is using Search Engine Optimization, SEO, to bring more traffic and greater visibility to their web site. Using SEO gives Media Genesis the ability to track the web sites success rate.
First, traffic patterns of actual searches were identified, and then rated based on relative competition so that words can be targeted with high demand and low competition. Content was then written to appeal specifically to search engines.
Media Genesis specializes in search engine marketing, which results in higher viewings by current customers, potential customers and potential recruits. Other services range from web development, content management systems, e-learning courses, video presentations, interactive multimedia, strategy consulting and marketing. For more information visit www.mediaG.com.
(Troy, Mich.) – While the web has taken giant steps to becoming interactive and social, it may never replace real life contact and relationships.
Media Genesis (www.mediaG.com), a web development company, is trying to bridge that gap with the use of videos to provide a personal connection with a web site.
Working with a leading Detroit law firm, Dickinson Wright, Media Genesis created a series of candid videos to engage users. The video project includes videos from several of the firm’s lawyers, such as Dennis Archer, chairman of Dickinson Wright, former Detroit Mayor and former president of the American Bar Association.
“Professional services firms, firms whose primary service is intellectual property, need to have their web site reflect their core service in an engaging fashion – and no amount of text can provide the experience of Dennis Archer explaining how the practice of law has changed,” said Antoine Dubeauclard, president of Media Genesis.
Today, people want to have a relationship of trust and comfort with their attorneys and out of that, expect a partner to assist in all aspects of business – not just a courtroom gladiator, Archer said.
To capture these sound bites and candid comments from time-pressed attorneys, Media Genesis set up a rolling schedule over a couple of days to do 20 minute interviews on location. These interviews were then edited and turned into 30 second clips and incorporated into a custom-built Adobe Flash-based video player for display on www.DickinsonWright.com.
Media Genesis provides a suite of services geared at professional services firms (law firms, accounting firms, consulting firms, training and development firms, architectural and engineering firms). Services range from web development, content management systems, e-learning courses, video presentations, interactive multimedia, strategy consulting and marketing. For more information visit www.mediaG.com.
The term “search engine optimization” can seem overwhelming at first. You may or may not be familiar with what it actually means. If you are, you know you need it, but maybe not where to start. The good thing about SEO is that it’s easier to understand than you think. And even better than that, you can start implementing these techniques into your website right now.
Basically, SEO refers to the art of increasing the number of visitors to your website and improving the quality of traffic from search engines. Consider those the generic “goals”. Your specific goal might be to increase widget sales, or get more people signed up for your newsletter. SEO is flexible like that. And I stress the word “art” because it isn’t an exact science. There are “best practices” and there are tactics that are frowned upon. We can get into those a little later on.
The most important thing to start off with is the notion that search engines appreciate a well-organized site with relevant content and proper coding. That’s pretty much what everyone who is browsing around on the Internet is looking for. These 3 key factors impact your website’s ranking in the following ways:
- Well-organized – How is your website’s hierarchy structured? Is the navigation simple and intuitive, or are there many levels and hidden pages that can’t be found from the homepage or sitemap?
- Relevant Content – Are you writing quality copy that reflects what your company does? The Internet is no place for marketing fluff. Users don’t want to read it, and it’s meaningless to search engines.
- Proper Coding – This aspect may be out of your hands and depend largely on your web developer, but it still helps if you are aware of this piece of the pie. It refers to meta tags, HTML, CSS and other programming language acronyms that represent the way a website is built. Think of it this way: there are a couple different ways to get to Phoenix, AZ from Detroit. Some are just more efficient and easier than others. Same for SEO and web development – some ways just appeal more to search engines.
These three concepts are just the tip of the iceberg. SEO is a very deep field, and it’s always changing, just like the algorithms that tell search engines how to rank websites.
If you are interested in gaining more info on SEO, Media Genesis will be hosting a lunch and learn seminar on February 18th at 11:00AM to discuss SEO tactics and how you can implement them into your marketing program. Contact Jim Glasglow at jim@mediaG.com for more details and to book your seat.
For decades photographs have told stories – whether it is about an event, culture or a representation of the times. But as digital cameras are becoming increasingly widespread, being able to tell a story that is unique and compelling takes more than the standard point and click.
Data from Kodak indicates that digital photography printing alone increased by more than 25 percent from 2004 to 2007 to 10.8 billion prints, and with the increasing use of cameras on phones as well as the pace at which new cameras are becoming affordable, it’s little wonder that digital photography has begun to saturate both online and traditional media.
Media Genesis realizes this and has researched and tested different methods for creating innovative and engaging photography. For our training endeavors, we used a stylized form of photographic composition, which was loosely inspired by the work of photographer Dave Hill.
The photos ride the line between illustration, composite and portrait, accentuating hyper-real aspects of ordinary life. In our case these photos speak directly to our employee culture at Media Genesis, which is artistic, edgy and just a little crazy.
MediaG CEO Brad Frederick shows off serious boarding skills - and yes, this is a real picture
Recently, the topic of web site security has made its way into news headlines.
At a conference at the end of December, security researchers from the United States and Europe demonstrated how someone could hack into a version of SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, which is a technology that allows the transmission of private data via the Internet.
With the MD5 version of SSL, the researchers used PlayStation 3 game consoles to appear as a trusted Certificate Authority, or CA. The CA is a licensed company that issues a digital certificate. This certificate enables the encryption of sensitive information and verifies the identity of the certificate owner when it is issued.
After disguising themselves as CA’s, the researchers demonstrated how these fake certificates could give the illusion of legitimacy to a phishing web site designed to steal bank account passwords.
For example, when Media Genesis is hosting a site for an e-commerce client who accepts credit card information we need to work with a CA to ensure that all sensitive information is securely protected.
Since the MD5 version of SSL has proven vulnerable to hackers, many CA’s are now only using SHA-1. Both MD5 and SHA-1 are hashing functions used in cryptographic algorithms. The main difference is that the encryption key-size in MD5 is 128-bits. In SHA-1 it’s 160-bits, which is why SHA-1 is harder to break and a more secure certificate. Media Genesis has done extensive research on different CAs and MD5 versus SHA-1. Media Genesis only uses CA’s that have moved to SHA-1 certificates.
The following CA’s that Media Genesis uses are:
- Verisign
- Netsol
- Thawte
- Comodo
- GoDaddy
For more information email us at inquiry@mediaG.com.
Company training courses use to require paper, manuals and handouts – now there’s a different way to deliver these courses that will not only saves money, but is more environmentally responsible.
E-learning courses can be brought to hundreds of employees via a computer and print materials can be made available only as needed rather than printing an entire book for each person.
Media Genesis, a Troy-based web development company, has developed several of online training courses for clients, such as Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Kia, and Detroit Diesel. A majority of these courses have been built from the ground up; starting with design, acquisition of assets, voice-over, building and programming, testing and lastly implementation to the company’s Learning Management System.
“Learning within organizations is an essential aspect of the development and previously, the training footprint that corporate trainers and learning agents have left behind has had a resonating impact on the environment, said Antoine Dubeauclard, president of Media Genesis. “‘Mottainai’ is a Japanese term that embodies reverence and respect for things, and I believe companies should embody this idea.”
A recent study by the Britain Open University found that on average, the production and condition of an e-learning course consumed almost 90 percent less energy and produced 85 percent fewer CO2 emissions per student then a course delivered with materials such as handout and manuals.
“For the last 12 years of doing web based training and computer based training, the general premise was always cost cutting, Dubeauclard said. “This year, we’re excited to see many companies approach e-learning on the premise of reducing their carbon footprint, be smarter and faster, and connect with employee values.
But with this philosophy companies will in fact cut costs as a result.
In many senses an e-learning curriculum can be recycled. Instead of preparing several courses for each skill set or competency, the curriculum can be re-arranged to accommodate everyone. Also, they can be more easily repaired – rather than having to revamp an entire course and its corresponding navigation.
“The opportunity and technology for “greener learning” is now readily at our disposal and waiting to be utilized,” Dubeauclard said. “The philosophies of efficiency and consciousness about resources are values that should resonate soundly with the mission of any organization in this economic climate.”
Media Genesis is a leading providing of e-learning web courses programmed in Flash, interactive multimedia, web development and maintenance programs. For more information visit www.mediaG.com
Search Google for the phrase “customer complaints” and the number of search results you will see is around 7 million. With websites like Complaints.com, My3Cents.com, and RipOffReport.com, it has become all too easy for disgruntled customers and ex-employees to blog away their problems with your products or services. How do you combat this for your own company? Be proactive, not reactive – start your online reputation management program before you have problems.
These websites make it incredibly easy for customers to leave feedback, so Media Genesis recommends that you start by monitoring as much of the consumer-generated content as you can. Search engines such as Google and Yahoo can send alerts that email you the latest relevant content of a particular phrase. And if you don’t have a search engine optimization strategy in place now, begin one! By creating and promoting the positive aspects of your company it makes it that much harder for negative content to surpass the positive. Optimize all digital content on your website, and review any presence you have on social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
While implementing these practices can help, they are not a surefire way to avoid negative online attention. If that has been the case, the best policy is to resolve the issues, not ignore them. Even though it might be difficult at first, read these reviews and take these steps:
1. Is there merit in this feedback? Are you aware of the situation, or has it happened before?
a. If not, then provide the facts and ask for corrections
b. If yes, then be willing to listen and correct the situation
2. Be prepared with your reply to the complaint, whether you resolve the issue, or even simply acknowledge it
3. Be open and honest with your consumers, and truly listen to what they say. Customer Service 101: LISTEN
Media Genesis does not view negative feedback as simply an SEO problem; it has helped improve the customer service for some of the largest companies. Any visits to ComcastSucks.com, or “Dell Hell” will tell you that everyone goes through the process of learning how their customers really feel. By being proactive and putting your best foot forward first, you can help minimize the negative attacks. And don’t be surprised if you happen to find an angry customer online, just remember that very few situations are beyond repair and only need good communication.
For information on how to implement an online reputation management strategy, contact Media Genesis at inquiry@mediaG.com.
On January 22nd Media Genesis and Boyle Burdett law firm are hosting an exclusive event at the Detroit Institute of Arts. A curator will give a small group of guests a private tour of a newly renovated gallery. The renovations began 7 years ago in an effort to reinvent how the DIA’s galleries engage their visitors. After the tour cocktails and appetizers will be served.
If you are interested in being entered into the drawing to win a pair of these tickets, please respond to MG_Newsletter@mediaG.com with your name and contact info no later than Thursday, January 8th.
We’re all familiar with traditional marketing methods – advertising on TV and radio, direct mail, personal selling – but what does online marketing mean to you? You might be familiar with the terms “pay-per-click”, or “Search Engine Optimization”, but how does just being aware of those terms benefit you? The truth is that online marketing is just as diverse as its traditional counterpart, and can be even more impactful in today’s marketplace.
All methods of online communication with your customers and potential clients fall under the umbrella of Online Marketing. Some techniques commonly used are SEO, paid advertising, banner advertising, email marketing, and even Web 2.0 strategies. To get the greatest return on your Online Marketing efforts, Media Genesis recommends combining methods and trying different approaches of online marketing. To follow the old business adage – Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Even though all of these new methods can draw influences from your traditional branding and marketing efforts, there are some major differences.
1. Better point of contact – Online marketing can give you better contact with your future customers in that the customer is actually searching for information, not just receiving information.
2. Measurable results – As opposed to old advertising methods, almost every aspect of online marketing can be tracked and analyzed. How many people read your email? How many visited the website? How many contacted you directly? All those questions can be answered.
3. Budget friendly – Don’t have the budget for TV Ads and direct mail flyers? SEO campaigns and email marketing can be implemented on some level for almost every budget.
Everyone knows that times are tough, but it’s important to remember that finding new customers is vital to your business. Don’t hack off your whole marketing budget just save a few bucks, but strategically mix traditional and online marketing to gain the greatest advantage over your competition.
For more information on the benefits of Online Marketing, contact Media Genesis at inquiry@mediaG.com. We’ll be glad to help determine the best solution for you.
