4 Nov 2008
Google has provided maps to help us keep up-to-date on the 2008 election, and they can be found here: Google Election 2008 Maps. Available maps include a map of search queries from May 18th to October 23rd, 2008, plus maps that chronicle the journeys of the individual candidates. I’ll post the election map below, and you can follow the results with us at the Big Wave Blog:
The people at MoveOn.org have created a viral video that many of you may have seen by now. No matter what your political leanings, the video is pretty hilarious and very well done, and a great example of the use of technology to spread a message. The basic message of the video is to “get out and vote”. That’s something that we all can agree with, and, even though the video is very obviously pro-Obama, I’ve sent it to republican friends who also thought it was quite funny. Here’s the video, and when you send it out, the “Non-Voter” name is automatically replaced with your friend’s name and sent to their inbox as an official-looking “CNNBC.com” report:
From a business perspective, the video is a good example of what should be included in a Web 2.0 viral video campaign. The video is high quality, it’s clever and it really is funny, and it’s something that you would actually want to send out to your friends. They also make it very easy to send out. There are no complicated forms to complete, you simply enter your friends name and email address and they do the rest.
Apparently 12 million people have seen this video, and the creators are trying to reach their goal of 15 million by Election Day. Whether this video actually pushes anyone to go to the polls that would not have gone otherwise is debatable. But it did make a lot of people laugh.
If you want to send it to your friends, here’s the link:
CNNBC.com “Non-Voter” Video. See you at the polls tomorrow.
31 Oct 2008
Take a look at the evolution of Google’s Halloween logos over the years, starting with the year 1999. They seem to have gone from cute to scary. The 2008 logo (at the bottom) was designed by Wes Craven, legendary horror director. Which is your favorite?
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It’s really sad when great search engine marketing campaigns don’t bring about conversions due to problems with the website. So this week we are examining issues we have encountered with various shopping carts, contact forms, and booking engines.
Although a robust shopping cart is crucial for conversion of your website traffic, it is often overlooked when websites are being designed or updated. Any business that sells products and services online needs to recognize the importance of a shopping cart that works! These are some of the malignant and chronic problems I have diagnosed for clients.
Is your shopping cart compatible with all of your customers’ browsers? This is the most important issue plaguing online businesses and their shopping carts. You need to keep in mind that your customers now use Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome, etc. By not having your shopping cart optimized for all of them, you are saying goodbye to sales and brand-building opportunities.
Mac or PC? How about both! Please don’t alienate potential customers by not supporting the Mac platform. Mac user numbers are on the rise thanks to the massive blunder known as Microsoft Vista. Test and ensure compatibility on both platforms for best results.
How many steps to the finish line? Are you making it notoriously hard for your customers to complete a sale? Do you really need to have 10 steps before you confirm an order? Always keep things simple. Your customers will happily buy your wares online if you don’t frustrate them with unnecessary steps. A crisp, clean look and feel minus unnecessarily steps is key to excellent conversion.
Why did someone abandon your shopping cart? It’s for them to know and you to find out. Start cranking out those Abandonment Surveys in order to learn why. This is probably the hardest step to implement, but it is also the best way for you to find out how good/bad your customers’ online shopping experience is. Be sure to include your phone numbers, contact information, and email addresses. And remember, for each person that gives you criticism, there are 10 others who felt the same way and didn’t tell you.
Offer protection, kill doubt. In today’s world of online scams and identity theft, make sure that you present a secure and reassuring shopping cart experience. Having a logo such as Hacksafe or SSL helps ease peoples’ fears about buying online. Likewise, a shady-looking shopping cart is almost certain to fail you on conversions. According to some surveys, over 40% of customers abandon a shopping cart when they are asked to give too much personal information. Remember, a shopping cart and an online survey are two very different things. Nobody should ever feel interrogated on your website.
Best advice coming out of our Chicago office: “Test Early and Test Often”
Your shopping cart is your bread and butter. It deserves your undivided attention. Don’t hesitate to check, test, and change things around to ensure that revenue does not seep through the cracks.
