What is the future of website marketing?

That's a good question. The internet as we know it is now at the ripe old age of 25.

Since the emergence of Google as the dominant search engine, controlling more than 40% of internet searches, online marketing has never been more competitive or expensive.

So how can a small business hope to compete for a page#1 or even page#2 SER (search engine rank) without a good marketing budget?

Simple answer is you can't. Unless you've got some unique content to keyword ratio, ethical on-page SEO and good clean HTML pages, don't even try. It's widely debated but I believe that on-site SEO contributes to about 10% of a websites popularity. With more weighting towards your websites popularity (the sites linking into you).


So can't I just go out there and spend about a week swapping links with as many sites as possible?

No you shouldn't, mustn't, never do that!
It's a little more scientific than that (come on this is Google we're talking about) If it was that easy then search engine companies would be out of business overnight.

An ethical SEO company should use only ethical techniques. Avoiding any method that could violate Google’s Guidelines, Yahoo Guidelines or MSN’s Guidelines.


So how should I go about promoting my website?

For most small business' working to a tight budget, I'd recommend a combination of pay-per-click marketing and ethical SEO ahead of banner advertising and broadcast email marketing. Don't get me wrong; these are both very effective in driving incentivised traffic to your webpage, but it generally costs more in the long run and harder to quantify.

Fact is more money is spent on online marketing than ever before. In my experience the toughest business sectors to compete in are property, gambling, mortgages and insurance.

• Personalized Results of about 1,330,000,000 for property
• Personalized Results of about 247,000,000 for porn
• Personalized Results of about 143,000,000 for gambling
• Personalized Results of about 341,000,000 for mortgage
• Personalized of about 850,000,000 for insurance

It's highly unlikely your site will grab top spot on these generic single word search terms unless you're backed by a merchant bank or applying black-hat SEO marketing. So we recommend 3 keyword combinations and even regionalised keyword phrases to give you a better chance of being found.

This shouldn't be guess work either. A good SEO firm will be able to research the most popular search terms and tailor your campaign to target semi generic keywords. E.g. Personalized Results of about 19,600 for property to buy SW1

Following this principle we've managed to achieve a page#1 rank for waltonresidential.co.uk
It's not rocket science, but clients should acknowledge there is a science to ethical website marketing. It's a fluid situation as 1,000s of sites compete with yours for top spot on a daily basis.

It's a full time job, so appointing a SEO company to handle every aspect of your website marketing campaign from start to finish, allows you to concentrate on your principal activity or running your business.

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What's your New Year resolution for your business?

For most small businesses, highly effective marketing is make-or-break necessity. it's impossible for you to succeed without good marketing & sales techniques - they bring money in the door.

A marketing plan specially prepared by Signature Image Consultants Limited can help your business;

1. Reduce your marketing spend
2. Increase brand awareness
3. Drive targetted traffic to your website
4. Incentivise customers to make an enquiry
5. Win instructions & referrals from your competitors
   

Our marketing mix is blended to meet the needs of your business. There are no set prices. Simply call 0870-0205-805 or click signature.gb.com/services/marketing.htm to discuss your business objectives and kick start your marketing activity for 2008!

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A website is not just for Christmas!

A highly effective web site is essential, so why do so many business' neglect to keep their sites up to date?

There are so many sites out there with out of date content, contact details, spelling errors, broken links and web forms that don't work. One of them could be yours!

A simple content management system (CMS) will empower your firm to bring website management in-house; transferring control over your sites content to non technical staff. Saving you time and money.

As marketing consultants, we encourage website owners to challenge their web designers to produce websites with a content management system and make the best use of free social networking tools like blogging, social bookmarks, podcasting and rss feeds.

This will empower site owners like yourself to keep your customers educated and informed regularly with fresh case studies, product updates, price changes, news, success stories and anything else that takes your fancy!

It's not only about Google and search engine optimisation (SEO). Once they've landed on your site you have to hold that visitors attention and give them a reason to buy, bookmark your site and come back to your site time and time again (referred to as sticky marketing).

There's no point paying thousands to drive traffic to your site if your website fails to convert browsers into buyers :-(

So this Christmas why not invite us to review your website, over a glass of mulled wine?

We'll take a look at your competitors websites too and draw up a shortlist of your sites strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats absolutely free! You'll be glad you did :-)

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Targeted email marketing still rocks!

What is the point of creating a targeted email marketing campaign?

Let's say you... Sell a 24.95 PRODUCT or SERVICE.
Let's say you... Broadcast Email to 500,000 PEOPLE DAILY.
Let's say you... RECEIVE JUST 1 ORDER for EVERY 2,500 EMAILS.
CALCULATION OF YOUR EARNINGS BASED ON THE ABOVE STATISTICS:
[Day 1]: 4,990 [Week 1]: 34,930 [Month 1]: 139,720

So if you want to reach specific customers a targeted direct email marketing campaign should form part of your marketing mix. It can drive sensitized traffic to your website for a fraction of the cost of off-line marketing campaigns.

But isn't bulk email marketing, simply spamming by another name?

I agree, the reputation of opt-in email marketing solutions has been tarnished by the significant rise in unsolicited commercial and junk email I receive in my inbox every day! It's therefore important to find the right 'list merchant' with a proven track record of success in your business sector; so ask for references and click-thru rates. If your spending lots of money on an online advertising campaign or running ads on your own site tracking advertising performance is essential. All leads should tracked so you can monitor landing paths and exit pages (equally important).


I like the idea, but isn't it a bit like a shot gun approach?

If you carefully define your target audience(s) and refine your offer it can be an extremely cost effective marketing channel.

It's worth while customising your landing page to increase relevancy and user experience (turning browsers into buyers). Ensure your HTML email creative is professionally designed and use a professional copywriter to give your advert high impact.

What is the cost of not using an email marketing campaign?

A targeted op-in email campaign is up to 15 times more likely to result in a sale than a banner advert!

Still curious?

Engage our viral marketing services and measure the difference!

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No website, no sales

For most online business's highly effective web site marketing is make-or-break necessity. It's impossible to succeed without an effective web site marketing strategy. It brings the money through the door!

You can now buy almost anything online. The IMRG Index reports online shopping in the UK reached 1 billion GBP in November; a reflection of the growing consumer confidence in shopping online.

If you are in retail you cannot afford to be without a well designed ecommerce site and web site promotion. Total retail sales in Britain grew 6.5% year on year indicating people are trading and buying with confidence.

It's no surprise, the advances in order processing, stock control and fulfillment processes make buying goods online simpler and easier than ever. So is your business missing a trick?

In a word YES! There is always room for improvement. Web usability is about making your web site in such a way that your site users can find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently.

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Exciting new website launch for "Pet Friendly Rentals"

Fact! Pet owners tend to stay longer. So list your property on PetFriendlyRentals.co.uk the easy and cost effective way to advertise your UK rental accommodation online!

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Hot property website makeover for Thanet's local estate agents

Parkland Estate Agents is a multi branch independent Estate Agent with offices in Birchington, Cliftonville and Ramsgate. Established in 1995, they recognised the importance of a stronger online identity to improve customer relationship. The redesign has a fresh new look!

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Why advertise your property on Tesco.com website?

It's an obvious question that warrants discussion. I first heard about this idea 2 years ago. Since then we have portal sites like onemove.com, thesmartwaytorent.com, thinkproperty.com as well as private sale websites such as ourpropertymove.co.uk

Is the market big enough to accommodate a new player - I think so!
From a consumers point of view a massive site like Tesco.com is a very BIG shop window to advertise your property. Their tie-in with Fish4.co.uk enables independent estate agents to benefit from extra market exposure.

Now here's the rub.
The site seems to have a foot in both camps and is more than a property portal; offering 'Low cost conveyancing' and more, which might not sit well with an independent estate agent.

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What's the smart way to rent?

TheSmartWayToRent.com is an exciting new property portal website for private landlords and tenants. Developed by Signature Image Consultants, this portal site can be integrated into "CFP Software" allowing simple bulk upload of properties to thesmartwaytorent.com

For more info visit www.thesmartwaytorent.com

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Hot Property Websites, Estate Agent Marketing Solutions

VENTURE ONTO THE WEB and you cannot help but notice the increasing array of sophisticated content and capabilities available: interactive maps, enhanced search engines, data forwarding, live RSS feeds, and database marketing services facilitated to real time social networking.

It is a far cry from only a few years ago when static Web pages ruled the NET.

Signature Image Consultants Hot Property Websites are a leading marketing company for SMB* Estate Agent Marketing, with 10 years Estate Agent Marketing experience. Hot Property Websites are Dynamic Next Generation websites that combine many elements such as;

1. Unique Award Winning Website Designed, supported and UK hosted by professional developers. No templates, no call centres, just geeks!


2. Goggle API Mapping integrated into your website, runs of live property data


3. Text Messaging. Fully interface to the innovative mobile solution


4. Email marketing to groups of customers about property and associated services.


5. Create press ready adverts for internal and external printing


6. Upload floor plans, multiple photographs


7. Run live on a laptop, PDA or mobile phone taking your entire system to your customers


8. Export property data to leading property portals


9. Optimised websites for Search Engines


10. Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns, Viral Marketing Campaigns, Targeted Door Drop leaflets and innovative left field Niche Marketing Initiatives that will drive customers through your doors!

Hot Property Websites for Estate Agents work smarter to send local property hunters directly into your estate agency and increase the exposure of your estate agent brand in your town(s). Click here for more info...

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'Cha Ching' with a signature e-commerce website

Cha Ching! You can now buy almost anything online; a reflection of the growing consumer confidence in shopping online. If you are in retail you cannot afford to be without a good ecommerce site.

Signature Image Consultants, provides you with a quick and easy way to establish your online shop on the Internet. Retailers can now get a complete, professionally designed and cost efffective online shop. Retailers can now easily customise and update their products.
Featured website http://www.boudoirbabe.co.uk/

PASSWORD PROTECTED ADMIN AREA ALLOWS YOU TO DO THE FOLLOWING

• Easily maintain your products, requiring no FTP or Computer knowledge
• Localisation; present the front-end to your customers in the language of your choice
• Easily manage Products, Categories, Options, Customers, Shipping, Locations, Orders
• Activate/Deactivate individual customers.
• Order stock levels can be adjusted when the order ships
• The software does not limit the number of Products, Categories and Options.
• Offer item discounts based on quantity ordered with single or multi use discount codes
• Products can be linked to multiple categories, and multiple option groups
• Dynamically create product listings on your "Home Page"
• Cross-Selling is supported via a related keys mechanism
• Support for product Ratings & Reviews per product
• Support for SSL, including most "shared" SSL certificates
• Encryption of Passwords and Credit Card numbers in the database
• Supports offline/online payments, NOCHEX, PayPal, Secure Trading, Worldpay etc

CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE

• Customers can view or edit their personal info by logging on to their account
• Full order history and detail is available to the customer
• Customer receives confirmation eMails when order placed, and when status changes
• Digital Downloads are fully supported. Order confirmed before allowing download
• Customer can re-attempt payment at a later date
• Password Reminder feature for Customers
• "Email A Friend" functionality allows customer to send a link to a Product via email.
• Support for tax-free customers
• Advanced search and "Save Cart" functionality

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

• Data forwarding
• Search Engine Optimisation/ Ranking/ Placement
• Website tracking/ visitor anaysis

Want to talk to us about your project?
Drop us a line at signature.gb.com and let's chat. You can also read our blog to stay tuned.

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Signature Fresh and Funky Websites

Designing fun, fresh and funky websites for the leisure, entertainment, music, theatre and events industry is a challenge.

Remember to keep it real!
Web developers should build a site around the content.Making effective use of text, white space, icons, colour, background textures, and 3d effects to create a fresh and funky website that exploits exciting new and emerging applications; Google AdSense, Flickr, blogging, search engine optimisation (SEO), cost per click, wikis and syndication (mashups) in order to engage audience participation.

Find out what your audience wants and give it to them with bells on!
With the increase in broadband ADSL take up, customers are demanding more from the Internet. Website Analytics tells you everything you want to know about how your visitors found you and how they interact with your site. Enabling you to focus your marketing resources on campaigns and initiatives that deliver ROI, reduce churning and improve your site to convert more visitors.

Experiment, experiment, experiment!
Experimenting with CSS, XML, JavaScript and Flash for everything from intro headers and banner adverts, through to complex menu structures and interface design for database driven websites is key to delivering websites that get results!

Talk to us about your project
Drop us a line signature.gb.com and let's chat. You can also read our blog to stay tuned.

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Kent web site promotion company gets a web site makeover!

Kent web site promotion company Signature Image Consultants has a brand new website, too.We have been intending to get this online for months, but as usual we have been too busy designing and building web sites to sort our own out!

The design makeover reflects our brands new positioning as 'Internet Marketing Specialists' and our commitment to provide a competitive web site promotion service for London Kent and the South East of England.

The site has been overhauled to better reflect the breadth and depth of work that has been produced whilst working with our clients over the past 10 years.

It offers improved navigation, site search, a team blog and exciting new content. Despite all the changes the 'helpdesk' remains and continues to provide clients with help and advice.

You can also access the client lounge (our personal playground) where we showcase new ideas and releases. It looks good, is easy to use. Enjoy!

Please read our new terms and conditions; updated to refect our ongoing commitment to offer uk hosted web applications for sme's, commercial and not-for-profit organisations.

Want to talk to us about your project?
Drop us a line and let's chat. You can also read our blog to stay tuned. We will post our latest news on here including site launches as they happen, as well as our thoughts on the web design industry, web design in the South East, and anything else that takes our fancy.

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