What is a Good Web Brand?

What is a Good Web Brand?

Your web brand, or online presence, is anything that improves your reputation and generates business. In the alternative, your web brand is anything that ruins your reputation and costs you business.

What Makes a Good Web Brand?

Overall, focus. Too often companies lack focus. They try to do everything and please everyone. Good marketing is exclusionary. Your web brand should exclude those you don’t want as clients, and target those who are potential clients. Stop trying to practice and sell in all areas. Pick a topic and focus your attention. If you pick a topic, one that you the passion and knowledge, you will succeed.

What Ideas/Features make a Good Web Brand?

This is a very basic overview of everything to consider when thinking about your web brand. This is in a rough order of importance.

• Basic Communication
  • Domain – Get a good one, short one, old one, and a .com.
  • Email Address – Pick one that is easy to type and friendly.
  • Email Signature – Use one in every reply and email sent.  Put in your logo, address and contact info.
• Web Site
  • Design Something Unique – Don’t just copy or use old templates.
  • Organize Content – This will allow you to focus your message.
  • Logo Needed – Put in the top left or top right, make it look nice.
  • Contact Info Prominent – Put near the top and in the bottom.  Don’t make people think.
  • SEO – Optimize the site for top search rankings.
  • Menu – Standardize your menu to allow for easy navigation
  • Don’t Clutter – Don’t add too much to your page, focus the user on what you want them to see.
• Analytics
  • Install an analytic tool to track traffic, inquiries and more.
  • Review it to improve your web site.
• Blog
  • Focus, focus, focus – Pick a topic and write about it only.
  • Have a voice – Be interesting.  Be unique.  Be intriguing.
  • Add Content regularly – Try to post weekly and if you can daily.
  • RSS Feeds – This is standard on your blog for syndication and pushing your ideas to people.
  • Standard Features – Categories, Archives, Posts, Pages, Blogroll, Subscription, and others.
  • Identity – Create an identity for the blog (based on overall corporate identity or own).
  • Where to Host – Discuss the Pros / Cons of hosting under subdirectory or new domain.
  • Communicate – Interact with Others and respond to comments.
• Publish Online
  • Email Newsletters – Create something on a regular basis to publish online and blast out.  Even better, do it from your blog.
  • White Papers – Create informative, in-depth articles to publish.
  • Articles – Create shorter topic articles, like this one.
  • Blog Posts – Create quick posts on a regular basis to keep a following.
• Search Engine Optimization
  • Set goals  – Keep in mind your goals and set realistic benchmarks.
  • Relevancy and Page Rank – Know the difference and what needs to be achieved.
  • Research & Analytics – Review your previous site and/or new site regularly.
  • On Page Optimization (Title Tags, Meta, H1, Content, Alt, Bold, Links, etc.) – Make sure this work is complete on site launch.
  • Link Building – Add links to your site on a monthly basis.
  • Content – Provide relevant resources on your target keyword phrases.
  • Avoid Issues / Errors – Avoid anything shady, unethical, or that will prevent indexing of your site.
  • Domain Names & 301 – Choose one domain, redirect all domains to that domain.
  • Site Architecture / Usability – Review your site links, menus, and other features for easier browsing.
  • Conversion Tracking – Install Google Analytics and see how people are reaching your site.
• Your Social Network Accounts
  • Facebook – Get an account, add some friends, and let them know you exist online.
  • Twitter – Sign up, post your ideas, comment and make new friends.
  • LinkedIN – Update your listing, connect with other business owners.
• Links – Get as Many As You Can for SEO and Traffic
  • Directories
  • Portals
  • Social Network Sites
  • PR Releases
  • Design Portals
  • Article Sites
  • Forums
  • Search for Link Partners
• Google Maps Listing
  • Create and maintain your account at Google, get listed.
• Pay Per Click Advertising
  • Create a Google, Yahoo and MSN Account
  • Create a campaign – Do this by overall goal.
  • Ad Groups – Organize all your keyword phrases by groups
  • Keyword Phrases – Add keyword phrases to your group.
  • Advertisements – Create 4 to 10 ads to test various types.
  • Landing Pages – Point ads to specific pages to test copy / design.
  • Tracking Code – Track everything to know what’s working.
  • Review, Analyze and Test
• Discussion & Reviews
  • Review Sites – Find industry sites and see what people are talking about.
  • Forums – Post answers to common questions online.
  • Blog Posts – Post on your blog and others answers to questions.
  • Viral Applications – Create a unique application that is sponsored by your company.
  • Posting Answers
  • Free Things – Give away free advice, tips, applications or anything related to your industry.
• Videos
  • Create interesting conten
  • FAQs
  • Ideas
  • Upload to Video Sites
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
  • MSN Video
  • AOL Video
  • Other Social Media Sites
  • Embed on your Site
• Mobile Sites
  • iPhone Application
  • Other applications
• Killer Application
  • For advanced web sites only, but create something.
  • Something that is Unique
  • Something that solves a Problem.
  • Something that helps People