Wednesday, 30 August 2017

Reputation Management Commandments

Your online reputation simply is your reputation. In the digital era, nothing is protecting you from criticism anymore. This is good from a freedom of speech perspective; bad if your company has been defamed and attacked. To conclude, ten practical tips that sum up what we have covered in this guide.
We pitched the client, and subsequently implemented, a pretty ambitious plan. Our stated goal was to own 90% of the first two pages of Google results in 6 weeks. To control at least 18 positions, we knew we needed to focus on more than just 20 pieces of content. We decided that we would define 50 pieces of content, and as time went on, we'd determine which pieces of content Google was signaling that it liked (by slowly moving it up) and which it didn't. The content we focused on fell into two natural categories, Pre-Existing Content and New Content. The content for each of these categories was as follows:

Pre-Existing Content

1.            Subdomains on the client's website - The client had created two of these before we were brought in. They were subdomains setup that specifically addressed the false accusations.

2.            News articles - A benefit of the client being a big company is that they've already had plenty of mainstream press. We identified positive articles from Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, and other Industry publications to promote for the scam phrase. We found that, even if the article didn't contain the word 'scam', anchor text alone, linking to these strong domains, could get them to rank for the scam phrase.

3.            Wikis - It seems that most industries and niches have their own wiki's. Our client had a page in a niche wiki, so we simply added the word 'scam' into the wiki in a natural way. Doing this, plus a few links, helped it rank for the scam phrase.

4.            Blog Posts - There were a number of positive blog posts about the company already online. The problem was, as I mentioned previously, that the comment sections of many of them were overrun with very negative comments (we could tell most of the comments were anonymous and contained inaccurate and fake information, likely from competitors). So, we chose to only promote blog posts that had disabled comments. Even if a blog post had no comments, we didn't use it if comments were open because they could always turn negative.

5.            Youtube - The client had created a few Youtube videos disputing the mis-information being spread about their business. Since YouTube allows for full content moderation, we found videos to be a great source of positive content that can be controlled.

New Content
1.            Content on the client's website - When the client originally tried to tackle this problem themselves, they had created a few posts on their blog that were optimized for the brand name + scam keyword. Since an official brand site is the most likely site to rank for any query containing the brand name, this was a smart move.

2.            Posts on sites we own - We have a fairly large number of blogs that we run as part of our business. Some of these blogs focus on the same industry as the client, so we simply created posts optimized for the scam keyword. Since these domains are aged and trusted, we knew it wasn't going to be too difficult to get them to rank.

3.            Article Directories - Squidoo, HubPages, eZineArticles, Buzzle, InfoMarketers, Go Articles, and many more - We have nice, old accounts on many sites like these, so we added new articles optimized for our term to them.

4.            Mini Blogs - We setup a number of mini-blogs on WordPress, Blogger, Posterous, Tumblr, and a few other WordPress MU sites we identified that we felt we'd be able to create a blog on that could rank.

5.            New Sites We Created -We bought the .com, .net, and .org versions of the exact match domains for the search phrase (including the word 'scam', eg. brandnamescam.com). We also bought hyphenated versions of the domain as well. We then setup mini-sites on different c-class IP addresses.


Design Steps in Responsive Web Design Workflow

95 percent of the web design workflows process are as follows: First, planning; second, wireframing and prototyping; third, designing and developing, where the front and back-end developers show their skills; finally, content filling.
Unfortunately, this web design workflow doesn’t work anymore. Why? Because there are more and more new devices. There are no longer the standard sizes of desktop, tablet and smartphone; Android alone has over 24,000 devices. A website should be available on a wide range of devices, from the screens of Tesla cars, which can hardly be afforded by the majority at the moment, to smartwatches or fitness trackers.
It makes no sense to show or hide certain contents according to breakpoints, simply because the terminal is not available. What is now being talked about: content first, because it determines the concept and design in the end. In best responsive web design, it should be clarified in advance, what content is existing and what should be integrated later. A meaningful sequence of responsive design workflow should look like this one:
1. Content Setup
The first step is to create the existing content, similar to a wireframe of a website. However, it does not mean that you have to make a final wireframe. How and where should contents, such as images, PDFs and texts, be put?
2. Content Creation
Now comes the most important and decisive point of responsive web design workflow. The core goal is to make users "learn more about our super-premium products". It’s worth to make a precise content plan because it can prevent the later reworking of all files and save costs in the end.
3. Content Testing
Then comes content testing. Does the content work on all devices or does it need to be adapted and revised? It is where most of the web project design workflow is done. A relaunch without content reworking works rarely well. There has been a lot of changes in recent years, including reading behaviors and habits.
4. Fine-tuning
Now "fine-tuning" of the content follows, which can be finished on a mood board, for example. How should the content work? Should any image values be transferred? Whether corporate identity should be considered?
5. Prototyping
Only now does prototyping go on. Not every designer is working in the frontend, and close collaboration between designers and front-end developers is increasingly important in the age of agile projects. Fast prototyping tools can avoid bad surprises.
6. Device Testing
There are some good simulators that show testing on different browsers or devices, but if you want to ensure no risk at all, you should test it directly on the devices. It can figure out, for example, direct "device bugs". The testing on the Tesla will be still unavailable for some time.
Conclusion
It is clear that good content is expensive, but they pay off. It is essential to give the user the information they want. Why is good content expensive? It has to be researched, sorted, written, corrected, planned, stored and managed before it can be published. However, the prerequisite is that the web design workflow can not be done during the process of website development, but should be completed in the first place.

Best Online Reputation Management

What are people saying about you? Good online reputation management is not only about reacting well to what people say about you, your brand, or your products and services, but also about whether to react at all and, if so, when. Sometimes a reaction is not necessary, and sometimes a reaction that is too late can cost you millions.

A proactive approach to the matter consists of monitoring your public reputation on a regular basis, and not just when you come to know about a specific event to deal with. How do you do this? The magic tools invented to solve this problem fall under the name of “social media monitoring.”
Simply put, social media monitoring allows companies to gather public online content (from blog posts to tweets, from online reviews to Facebook updates), process it, and see whether something negative or positive is being said affecting their reputation.

In the online reputation management scenario, there are two types of negative content that companies should be aware of. One is represented by complaints on social networks. They need to be addressed properly, but unless your company has serious problems, they do not pose a real challenge to your business.

The other is what I define as “online reputation bombs,” which affect your reputation and sales long term and can severely damage a business. They are very powerful because, unlike social network content, they are prominent in search engine results. What if someone googles your brand name and finds defamatory content? Let’s see what they are:

•             Negative reviews: Review sites allow users to express their opinion on your brand. Did they like your service/product? Would they recommend it? Negative content can affect your sales, and addressing the criticism on the site may not be enough. Websites like Ripoff Report and Pissed Consumer provide the perfect platform for this kind of negative content.

•             Hate sites: Some people go beyond simple negative reviews and create ad hoc websites with their opinions, some of them containing illegal content. So-called “hate sites” sometimes address companies and public figures with insults and false information. Needless to say, a search result like “The truth about NAMEOFYOURCOMPANY” or “NAME scam/rip off” will make your potential customers run away!

•             Negative media coverage: Phineas T. Barnum used to say “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” That may be true for controversial public figures like Paris Hilton, but many times unfavorable TV, print, and online media coverage impacts negatively on companies and brands.
It is obvious that everyone has the right to express their voice about your brand. There are, however, certain boundaries that need to be respected. Some of the negative content online actually is illegal. Why?

•             It uses defamatory language
•             It reports false information
•             It is aimed at damaging the company’s reputation

How do you react to all of this? How do you defend yourself or your company from this kind of illegal behavior? Depending on the scope of the problem, several paths can be pursued in order to restore your online reputation:

•             Aggressive SEO: If someone googles your name, appearing on page 1 and 2 of the search results will be much more important than your business card or website. They will show at a glance several high ranking web sources talking about you. If they display false information, the first thing that you or your online reputation management company should do is devise a search marketing strategy that increases the ranking of positive content, owned by either you or third parties. The search engine game is too important to be ignored, and it is the first step in restoring your image.

•             Review removal: Did that user claim something false about your company? Is that review clearly aimed at destroying your reputation rather than providing feedback? Does it contain improper language? Legal liaison and speed of reaction will make it possible to remove the negative review.
•             Online investigations: In case of serious attacks to your brand image, it may be necessary to hire skilled online analysts to investigate untraceable threats and attackers via email tracing, data cross-indexing, and other information collection techniques. Cyber investigations are the definitive path to get to the bottom of difficult reputation management cases.


Thursday, 24 August 2017

Web Design Trends for 2017 - Part 2

10. Courageous Colours

2016 is definitely the year for super-rich colours online. Whereas in the past, many brands and designers have typically stuck with web-safe colours, more brands today are being braver in their approach to using colour, as we’re seeing with over-saturation, vibrant hues and a resurgence in the use of gradients. This in part is helped by technological advancements in monitors and devices with screens that are more apt at reproducing richer colours.

The use of bolder colours in web design is helpful in attracting the attention of users, but it’s also a signifier of change for brands, as many make a conscious effort in 2016 to try new things and break new ground, moving away from the previously established, ‘safer-bet’ practises.

11. More card and grid UIs

We’ve previously touched on the rise of UI patterns, and although there are hundreds of which we could touch on, one which is seeing more and more across the web is the use of card-based UIs, a fundamental principle from Google’s Material Design.

Cards, made famous by Pinterest and then even more so by the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Google are UIs where pieces of content (text, imagery, video) are broken down into individual ‘cards’ which the user is able to navigate through. Card UIs allow brands to show larger amounts of content on a screen at once, but in more manageable chunks, so users can quick scan to see what’s appealing to them and dismiss what isn’t.

12. VR-Inspired Experiences

VR is definitely a hot topic for 2017, especially with more hardware manufacturers investing in the technology and producing headsets. See Oculus, Sony and HTC for some great examples of ones available to purchase right now.

Although the majority of these headsets are geared up for gaming and media consumption rather than web browsing, we anticipate seeing many brands attempting to mimic the VR experience online. Many brands are already creating more interactive solutions for web which directly involve the user. These experiences put the in the centre of the action, viewing it all from a first person perspective and navigating it freely as if they were actually in the experience themselves.

13. Innovative scrolling and parallax


Scrolling, once reserved for getting from top of a page to the bottom, is being used in more creative capacities to deliver content online. Where designers in the past were concerned about keeping the most important content ‘above the fold’, we’re seeing this old-fashioned notion disappear, as ‘the fold’ is now harder to define, as users are viewing content of screens of all different sizes and resolutions.

Scrolling is a versatile mechanic which (when executed well) can work great with all varieties of content delivery. It works with video based content, where large full screen videos play and pause as the user scrolls, as well as static content, which can animate, move, or change depending on the users input.

14. Asymmetric and broken layouts

If 2016’s real emergence in grid exploration was anything to go by, we’re pretty confident that the coming year will see big developments in both asymmetrical and unconventional ‘broken’ layouts. Although brands and services which are heavily content-led may continue using card UIs and more traditional grid based structures to help efficiently organise and display their content, we anticipate an increase in the use of experimental layouts across the web as brands seek to create unique experiences which set them apart.

Broken layouts (or grids, to some) are typically an approach to web design which places on-screen content outside of a standard 8, 10, 12 or 15 (etc…) column grid. What exactly constitutes as a ‘broken layout’ will vary by designer and project, but they generally involve organising elements and content to a loose underlying baseline grid which acts as a starting point to move and manipulate content for the desired effect.

15. The increased (and exaggerated) use of drop shadows

To wrap up, moving on nicely from both parallax and broken layouts, is the use of drop shadows. Now, drop shadows aren’t new. They’re not new to graphic design, web design, or even UI design in general. So, why include them here?

Well… as with a lot of trends, many come to life as a progression or development of a previous trend or style. Some trends may be apparently obvious and altogether new, whereas others, like the long-standing drop shadow, are continually refined and developed over time until new and exciting variations arise.


Web Design Trends for 2017 - Part 1

1. More brands adopt a mobile-first approach

As the name suggests, mobile-first design is the process of designing for mobile (or smallest screened devices) first, then working up to the bigger ones.

The mobile-first approach to design isn’t new to 2016 and has been around for a few years now, but with mobile-phones now officially named as the primary devices used for browsing the web, especially here in the UK, more companies are realising the importance of having a site that effectively delivers content on a smaller screen, and are rushing to get onboard.

2. Wider implementation of responsive design

We know what you’re thinking - first mobile first, and now responsive design? Neither of these are new for 2016!

Although responsive design is also something which has been around for a few years, what we predict to see over the coming year is an even bigger uptake in the number of brands, both big and small, who are building responsive-based sites.

3. Widespread utilisation of rapid prototyping tools

Although not a design trend per se, rapid prototyping tools are definitely one of the most useful breakthroughs to hit the web design world over the last year or so and are a must-have tool for any web, UI and UX designer.

4. UI Patterns and Design Frameworks

The mobile-first and responsive approach to web design, as well as the increasing popularity of WordPress and pre-designed themes, has had a somewhat noticeable impact how many desktop sites work and look today.

What we’re starting to see more and more are both UI and UX patterns emerge across the web where many sites look and function in very similar ways as they learn from one another to hone their user’s experience.

5. Bespoke Illustrations

Illustrations are fantastic, versatile mediums for creating visuals which are playful and friendly and add an element of fun to a site. Talented illustrators are able to create illustrations which are full of personality and tailored to match the tone of the brand, something which brands will be striving for more than an ever in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

With a unique style of illustration established, brands are then able to roll that out through their entire identity, for use in large header images, custom iconography and beautifully animated visuals.

6. Big, bold, beautiful typography

Typography is also a powerful visual medium, able to create personality, evoke emotion and set tone. As device resolutions become sharper and type becomes more easy to read on-screen, brand’s will be looking to push the limits of typography even further to appeal to their users.

Expect to see an increase in over-sized and full screen type which breaks the grid, beautiful, unique, hand-rendered typography and lots of dynamic text and image layering working in tandem with parallax scrolling.

7. Authentic photography

The big one - photography. Photography will always be a main-stay within web design and design in general, but as mentioned before, people desire authenticity from the brands they use and they know a canned, stock photo when they see one.

Brands and designers will now be thinking more carefully about the imagery they use on site, hiring professional photographers to take their shots which frame them in the way they want to be seen.
Unfortunately, it’ll probably be a long time before much of the cheesy and cringe-inducing stock photography completely disappears, but expect to see it start falling off a little more quickly this year.

8. Animations advance

As browsers and languages become more advanced, we’re seeing more websites move away from the use of static imagery and finding new ways to engage users and be unique in their approach to communicating.

Story-telling and personality is something more and more brands are working on in hopes to capture their user’s attention, and animation, in part thanks to developments with HTML5, CSS and jQuery, is starting to play a bigger role in this.

9. Video becomes king

They say a picture paints a thousand words, but a video does that tenfold. Much like with animation, a moving image on a page instantly captures the users attention, drawing them in so brands are able to get across their carefully constructed narrative and message.

Video, although by no means new, is long-established and versatile medium, useful for story-telling, marketing and vlogging alike, and has several advantages over traditional photography. Where static imagery is flat and motionless, video is altogether more dynamic, using sound and movement to appeal to the senses and hold attention for longer.


Unconfirmed Google Ranking Update

New, unconfirmed Google ranking update ‘Fred’ shakes the SEO world

The webmaster and SEO community, along with the automated Google tracking tools, all show strong signs that there was a Google algorithm ranking update.

Since yesterday morning, the SEO industry has been watching an unconfirmed Google ranking update that seems to target more of the link quality aspects of the overall algorithm.
Many are calling this the Fred Update, a name we’re also adopting. That came from Google’s Gary Illyes, who has jokingly suggested that all updates be named “Fred.” It’s sticking with this one.
We’ve seen more chatter and reports of changes from within the “black hat” SEO community, which generally means that this is a spam algorithm update around links. Last time we reported a link spam-related update was in early February, and that update also was unconfirmed by Google.

There was also a large content quality Google update on February 7 that was never confirmed. As you expect, Google is very unlikely to confirm algorithm updates these days — but that won’t stop us from reporting large shifts in the search results that convey an algorithm update has happened.
Many of the automated tracking tools currently show significant volatility and fluctuations, which is an indicator of an update. Plus, with all the industry chatter, and with webmasters both complaining about ranking declines and rejoicing about ranking increases, it’s likely that there was a Google update.

We are waiting to hear from Google if they have any comment. All we have right now are the typical Google lines from John Mueller and Gary Illyes that Google makes updates all the time.

Report: 57% of traffic now from smartphones and tablets

It’s been a little over two years since Google first announced that mobile searches had exceeded desktop queries on a global basis. That number has continued to grow, although the company has not provided an official update recently.

At a recent press event, a Google speaker casually said that the “vast majority” of search queries are now mobile. However, this is not official and wasn’t affirmed by spokespeople.
In the absence of official updates from Google and Bing, third parties have offered a range of statements on the question of mobile search and mobile traffic volumes vs. the desktop. For example, earlier today, BrightEdge reported that 57 percent of traffic among its clients is coming from smartphones and tablets.


Thursday, 17 August 2017

Web Design Trends 2017 – Part 2

New Navigation Patterns

Navigation does not have to be glued to the top of the design. From hidden or pop-out styles to navigation on the side or bottom of the pages, it is trendy to move the menu. (As long as the placement is still quite obvious.)

When considering a change to navigation styles, think about user patterns. Is the nav easy to find and does it work in a manner that users will understand intuitively? If so, go for it. If not, rethink the idea.

More Tactile Design

Web design is rooted in physical things. It started with Material Design and the development of more tactile planes and layering of objects. This interface trend is expanding to the visuals as well.
Designers are much more rooted in reality. This includes images, rather than illustrations, and plenty of elements that feel like the user can reach out and touch them. The images are more natural as well, featuring elements that are made from materials found in nature and crafted into usable objects.

Neutral Color Palettes

Tactile principles will carry over into color palettes as well. While the last two years have been some of the most colorful we have seen in web design that is going to shift to a more natural, neutral set of hues.

Look for more greens, beiges and muted tones in projects. Color palettes will be derived from the natural world and have less of a bold, bright, almost-neon look to them.

Wearables Influence the Web

Small design will influence everything else. Very much in the way a mobile-first design mentality has impacted the way all websites work, a wearable-first approach will most specifically impact app design. (You’ll want your app to work on a phone or a watch, right?)
This influence will likely change the look and complexity of some mobile apps. We might see larger typography and more minimal styles emerge. With so many users opting to buy wearables of some sort and wanting those interactions to replicate on other devices, this method of design is destined to happen sooner rather than later.

Custom Typography

Big, bold lettering never goes out of style. It is one of those trends that seems to just get better and better. Thanks to a growing number of web fonts and compatibility, more designers are taking typography risks with more novelty and interesting typefaces.

It’s a win for the design and a win for users that are likely tiring of the same few sans serifs that seem to dominate design projects. From vintage type styles to retro looks to completely custom typefaces, designers need to think about how to add flair with type to create visual interest.

Just keep in mind, cool lettering still needs to be readable. So whether you are pairing it with an image or as stand-alone artwork, make sure users can understand exactly what you are trying to say at a glance.


Methods of adding CSS to HTML

There is more than one way to add a Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) to your HTML document. In this short tutorial I will explain the strengths and weaknesses of the four main methods.

Linking to a separate CSS file   
       
This is the most common method of attaching CSS rules to an HTML document. With this method all of your style rules are contained in a single text file that is saved with the .CSS extension. This file is saved on your server and you link to it directly from each HTML file. The link is just a simple line of HTML that you put in the <head> section of your HTML document, it looks like this:
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="mystyles.css" media="screen" />
Make sure you include the correct path to your CSS file in the href. If the CSS file is in the same folder as your HTML file then no path is required (like the example above) but if it's saved in a folder, then specify it like this href="foldername/mystyles.css". The media parameter specifies when the CSS rules are to be used. "screen" indicates for use on the computer screen. If you specify "print" then the rules will only be followed when the page is printed. You can include multiple CSS files if required.

Embedding CSS into the HTML

You can also embed CSS rules directly into any HTML page. To do this you need to add the following code to the <head> of your HTML document:
<style media="screen" type="text/css">

Add style rules here

</style>
All of your CSS rules go between the style tags. As before, the media can be "screen" for your computer screen or "print" for printing.

The disadvantage with this approach is the styles must be downloaded every time someone visits the page, this can cause a slightly slower browsing experience. However there are a few advantages. Because the CSS is part of the HTML document, the whole page exists as just one file. This can be useful if you are sending the page to someone via email or if it will be used as a template such as a blogger template. I use this method on my liquid-layout demos so when people view the source of the page they can see the HTML and the CSS code together. Another advantage of using this method is with dynamic content. If you are using a database to generate the page content you can also generate dynamic styles at the same time. Blogger does this - it dynamically inserts the colours for headings and other elements into the CSS rules embedded in the page. This allows users to change these colours from an admin page without actually editing the CSS in their blog templates.

Adding Inline CSS to HTML tags

Style rules can also be added directly to any HTML element. To do this you simply add a style parameter to the element and enter your style rules as the value. Here is an example of a heading with red text and a black background:

<h2 style="color:red;background:black;">This is a red heading with a black background</h2>
This is not a good method to use because it will bloat your HTML and make website maintenance a real headache. However it can be useful in some situations. One example could be if you are using a system where you don't have access to the CSS file - simply add your style rules directly to the elements instead.

Importing a CSS file from within CSS

Another interesting way to add CSS to a HTML page is with the import rule. This lets us attach a new CSS file from within CSS itself. Let's look at an example of how this is done then I will show a practical example of when you might use this method. To import a new CSS file from within CSS simply use the following rule:

@import "newstyles.css";

Just change "newstyles" to the name of your CSS file and be sure to include the correct path to the file too. Remember the path is relative to the current CSS file that we are in, if the CSS is embedded into the HTML page then the path is relative to the HTML file.

Let's imagine we have a 1000 page website and we link to a CSS file from every page on the site. Now let's imagine we want to add a second CSS file to all of those pages. We could edit all 1000 HTML files and add a second CSS link or a much better way would be to import the second CSS file from within the first file. We just saved ourselves many hours of work!


Web Design Trends 2017 – Part 1

Gradients

Missing from the design landscape for a few years, gradients are making a major comeback. But the look of the color blurring technique has shifted.

In the last round of gradients, there were subtle variations throughout the design. Apple’s iOS icons were a prime example. Now, gradients are big, bold and use plenty of color.
The most popular usage is a two color gradient overlay on photos. (This technique can look absolutely amazing!) It’s a great option to switch up your look or to make a less-than-interesting photo a little more intriguing. You can also use a gradient background to draw the eye when you don’t have other imagery to work with.

Video with Sound

People are becoming more accustomed to watching videos – from short bits of YouTube to movies – on their devices. Websites can mimic this cinematic experience as well with a full-on video with sound display on the homepage. (It does not have to be auto-play to be effective.)
Proceed with caution. Include an option to toggle sound off and on, because not all users will appreciate it. The content needs to be so stellar that users will demand sound as part of the experience. (This is a trend that can be tough to pull off but can work beautifully if you have the right video and sound content combination.)

Virtual Reality (Almost)

Virtual Reality will likely be the most talked about design element of 2017. With more devices on the market – and at affordable price points – VR is going to be big. Gamers will probably get the most out of VR initially, but it could definitely reach into marketing and other applications.
You’ll need to be ready to design for it. But moreover, you need to be ready to create virtual reality experiences that don’t require a headset. This includes website designs with 360-degree video and other highly interactive experiences with three-dimensional effects.

Anything that takes interaction to the next level will have that VR feel and be perfectly on-trend.
Even More Parallax

Parallax scrolling effects were a big trend in 2016 and designers have only gotten cleverer with these mouse-based movements. That trend will continue with more impressive – and fancier parallax effects.

Look for parallax effects that move up, rather than down, and movements that capture a much more layered design. The key to almost every design trend in 2017 is that touch of reality and parallax will be no exception. The more real the movement looks on the screen, the more users will want it.

Super Simple Homepages

More designs will start to strip away the type heavy homepage styles that have been popular for a while. More designers are opting for design that feature only a word or two on the first screen of the design.

And before you worry about SEO, these pages are often packed with plenty of information below the scroll. This is a great example of how user habits are changing web design as a whole. Thanks to plenty of scrolling on mobile websites, users are scrolling more on websites regardless of device. This makes it easier to design a light, airy hero area and pack the design with content on the scroll.
Here’s the trick: Just make sure to give users enough in this simple design to make them want more so that they will engage in scrolling behaviors.


Friday, 11 August 2017

How Often Should You Update

How Often Should You Update or Rebuild Your Website

Deciding whether to update, redesign or reengineer your site should depend entirely on your business goals, objectives and economic considerations, rather than on some superficial time frame pulled out of thin air. We asked him to explain.

Q: Why would I redesign the look and feel of my website but not rebuild it?

A: A variety of factors can make a redesign worth considering, but here are several that almost always require an update. You’ve got new branding and color standards, and you need to make sure your new look extends to your website. Your bounce rates are extremely high, meaning people visit but few convert; a well-thought-out redesign can turn this around. Or your business has grown, and plans call for new products and services; your site’s design may need to reflect that change. Last, your customers complain about your site, claiming that it looks outdated or doesn’t work well.

Q: What developments might require me to reengineer my website from scratch?

A: The most important one is if your current site doesn’t adapt to mobile device screens. Fixing this is an absolute must in today’s mobile-driven world. Another would be if your site was originally built using Flash: Apple’s iPads and iPhones don’t support Flash. That’s reason enough to rebuild, but there’s another reason: Flash can slow your site down.

Anyone in your company should be able to learn and use your content management system (CMS) to update your site. You shouldn’t have to hire a programmer to make simple changes and fixes. Along those same lines of keeping things simple: If your site takes forever to load, you need to reengineer the backend. Nobody puts up with long waits anymore.

Q: Should I invite my customers to be part of the redesign process?

A: Yes! Customer opinion and feedback give you the kind of insights that convert visitors into customers. Start by asking what they think of your proposed design and if it appeals to them. Then ask about the problem they’re looking to solve and if the information they need access to is easy to find in the new design. After you relaunch the site, ask them again if they like it. If they say no, address their concerns through incremental design enhancements, which your new site should allow you to do without starting over.


Create APositive Reputation

Create a Positive Reputation Before Anything Negative Happens

One way to manage your reputation is to make sure you have as much positive press as possible. When the internet is flooded with positive news stories about you, negative ones do not seem to matter as much. Many of them will be drowned out by the positive press while others will be disregarded by readers due to the abundance of encouraging news.

In order to build your positive reputation you need to claim all your online profiles. By this I mean you need to create a Facebook page, Twitter handle, Crunchbase profile, and more. You need to sign up with every website that allows you to create a profile. It is also recommended that you purchase your branded domain name.

Another great way to build a positive online reputation is to start blogging. Bloggers can create a positive reputation and become known as experts or authorities in their field. Search Engine Journal has a great guide to reputation management blogging, laying out the steps you can use to help build your online reputation.

Pushing Down Negative 
Content          
                                                                                                      
One of the best ways to remove negative information is to push it down the search results. Things that wind up on page 2 of Google are rarely seen by those using the search engine. As such, you can effectively “remove” negative content simply by pushing it down Google pages.

The way to push negative content down is to outrank it with positive content. You will need to conduct media outreach in order to do so. Getting yourself mentioned and linked from high authority websites will help with the process. Simply find out the domain authority of the website you want to push down. Then, try to land featured articles in publications with a higher domain authority.

Wikipedia seems to be at the top of the list for people wanting to manage their online reputation as it has a high domain authority and will help push down negative content. However, experts recommend not using Wikipedia as a reputation management tool. The reasons are simple. If you create a Wikipedia page and there is negative information about you available online, it will ultimately be added to the page and actually cause negative articles to creep back to the top of the search engines.
Online reputation management is synonymous with SEO. There are many SEO techniques to avoid and you need to keep this in mind when trying to push down negative content. Make sure to optimize content properly so that it will outrank the negative content you are trying to get rid of.
Final Thoughts

So basically there are two methods of online reputation. The first, and most important, is to have a positive reputation in the first place. The second is more of “reputation repair” in which you try to suppress negative content. Anyone with an online presence should be aware of these methods in order to maintain a positive perception and be able to rebuild if someone tries to disparage you.
If you have any online reputation management suggestions I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.


Establish AndOwn Your Online Reputation

Online Reputation Management

Establish and Own Your Online Reputation

Control your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) with best practices in SEO.
•             Maintain as much property as possible on the first page for all your keywords.  This is where we find having a comprehensive online strategy in place can be the most helpful.  This can include press releases, your own site pages, your blog, and potentially other extensions to your online brand.
•             Keep your eyes focused on great online communication while also staying abreast of ever-changing search engine algorithms. We have learned that time and again the strategies that work the best are just solid marketing communications versus trying to leverage the latest tactic.  The long-term strategies are the ones that always win out.
•             Monitor your analytics and search engine reporting daily for upturns, downturns and identify long-term trends. 

These trends can help you adjust your strategy to accommodate your consumers’ wants and needs.
Stay Socially Active Online.  Engagement is key. Promote your brand with a constant and constantly growing online presence. Use a blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube and press releases to engage consumers with regular updates and timely responses to your followers on all social media platforms.

Be creative in your approach for maximum engagement.  This is probably the most difficult part of the entire strategy because you really have to dig deep to determine what is going to work best for you and your brand.  What works for a retail business is probably not going to work for a B2B focused business.  There are some common themes that you may want to consider.  Host contests. Encourage followers to share videos or photos that demonstrate how they used your product and how it worked for them. Consider event sponsorship and partnerships worth promoting. Most importantly, an active blog does wonders to perk up a static website.

The blog’s domain name should reflect your brand. Content should provide professional, brand consistent information about your company and its products, trends in the industry, success stories and available support. Incorporate videos and images into your website and social media, and make your topics relevant to trending news whenever possible.

Maintain a Dynamic PR Strategy

“Unique” gets noticed. Fresh, informative content on a consistent basis is key to keeping your online reputation heading in a positive direction. Revisit your PR and social media plans on a regular basis, using reliable analytics to adjust your strategy when necessary. Always “Expect nothing. Be ready for anything.”

Create a Crisis Strategy

Do not wait for the bottom to drop out before outlining a strategy to handle issues with the potential to damage your reputation. Your first line of defense is to minimize the damage.
Create a supportive and encouraging environment for your employees. They will respond by providing good customer service. Happy, thriving employees will support your brand at the most critical moment—when customer meets company. It is wise to train your team in the use of social media tools, the benefits of social media and the caution required when responding on any social media outlet.

Monitor Website and Social Media Activity Around the Clock

Technology can fail at any time, in any capacity. It is wise to have a back-up system that alerts you to website failure and viruses as well as social media glitches. When something occurs that affects your
community’s ability to access information, you need to respond quickly and effectively.
As you can imagine, technology issues are often much easier to repair than negative perceptions of your company and product.


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