Get Listed for Local Google Searches

You can now list your business with Google local listing searches.

There are tools to help customers find your business easier, see where your customers are coming from, and more... go to http://google.com/lbc and get listed today.

http://www.simplywebcenters.com/

Is Social Media a Fad?

Or is it the biggest shift since the industrial revolution? Watch this thought provoking video and judge for yourself...

Are You Ready?

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Secrets To An Effective Web Presence

It's time for small and medium-sized businesses to move beyond their online brochures and pack their Web sites with engaging, interactive content.

We've been talking a lot about this lately, and we've got even more advice on the topic this week! Bill Siwicki at Internet Retailer interviewed some leading e-commerce experts about running an effective Web presence. Their opinion? Content is everything!

"Having well-developed site content detailing products and categories can turn pages of an e-commerce site into a presence akin to the most knowledgeable of salespersons...thus making consumers more comfortable with online shopping-and more apt to buy," Siwicki concluded.

Jason Friedman, e-Commerce VP at J&R Electronics, talked to Siwicki about what makes his company's site so successful. Friedman said feedback from online customers helps him understand what he needs to add or change on the company's Web site.

Our clients can use the feedback page included in our Web Solution for the same purpose...it's an easy way to make site visitors feel like valued customers!

Friedman also uses "well-written, in-depth product descriptions with multiple images" and creates site pages "devoted to education through articles, videos and more" as a means of keeping site visitors informed about their potential purchases. He says this extra attention to content is what clinches sales for his company!

That's great advice for your business as well! With our Complete Web Solution Package, you can create the kind of e-commerce catalog Friedman's talking about and develop site pages with embedded media and industry-related articles. Because the solution we offer is so user-friendly, it won't take much effort for you to add those features and achieve the same results!

Siwicki also spoke with Keith Maddox at Parentgiving about his company's thriving Web presence. Maddox echoed Friedman's comments...content is what drives sales!

"...you have to offer a great Web experience that includes excellent content, so people researching products online will come to know you as an authority and become repeat customers."

To be credible figures in your industry, you need an online presence that's professional, informative and interactive! That's how you can draw customers and keep them coming back!

"The alternative is having an image, a short description and a Buy! button and hope they buy, and that's not enough," Friedman says.

If you don't see the value in a dynamic Web site that allows you to add superior content, this advice from your peers will help change your mind!


------- Did you know...

E-mail marketing is helping companies beat the downturn and increase their marketing budgets! E-Consultancy and Clash-Media's latest study revealed that 53% of surveyed companies in the US have increased their marketing budget over the past year...all because of their e-mail and online campaigns!

The respondents cited cost-effectiveness, better targeted marketing and increased ROI as their reasons for switching to online lead generation. Here's what two of the respondents had to say:

"Better comparability between online and offline cost-per-lead has enabled us to shift budgets from off to online."

"Offline is too expensive and doesn't get the same speed of responses as online. Online gives faster calls to action and results, too."

Companies everywhere are switching their marketing efforts to the Web! They're saving money, reaching a larger market and increasing their profit all at the same time. And with our Web Solution's e-mail marketing tools, you can too! Set an appointment and let our Product Specialists show you what an effective Web presence can do for your business!

www.SimplyWebCenters.com

Are You Ready For The Value Hunters?

The latest study by Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates (in partnership with LinkShare) reveals that all those consumers who have turned to the Web are sticking with their new habit!

According to a press released about the study: "With the economy slowing down over the past year, a shopping behavior that for some consumers had been an occasional habit has now become a routine - turning to the Internet to find the best value."

Earlier in the downturn, PSB coined the term "Recession Shoppers" to refer to those consumers. Now they're calling this group "Value Hunters," because the shoppers aren't just comparing prices anymore....they're looking for overall better value and a better experience on the Web!

"These consumers...claimed that as economic situations worsened, they would look to the Internet to find the best deals. Now, months later, even as the economy's vital signs are improving, online shopping behavior shows consumers are still heavily focused on value - in quality price, convenience and time."

Now, according to the researchers, "value" is the new fundamental objective of online consumers! As LinkShare's Yaz! Iida explains, "More than ever before, consumers are searching online for products, services and Web sites that provide value."

Here's a breakdown of the study's findings based on their survey of "Value Hunters:"

51% look for incentives when making online purchases
63% have purchased something online they wouldn't normally have because of a special offer
68% of online shoppers search for value in the form of coupons and special promotions
45% purchase something online once a week or more
47% prefer shopping online to shopping in-store
22% plan to make more purchases online this year than last year

PSB advises that online businesses can "differentiate themselves from competition through value offerings." That means focusing on "pricing, quality and experience."

These businesses must "create an online experience built on value." PSB specifically emphasizes accomplishing this "through the use of an easy-to-navigate Web site!"

There's a lot to take away from this study! First, owners of small- and medium-sized businesses-need a Web presence to garner attention from all those "Value Hunters" out there. It's a crucial market that you simply can't ignore. Also, for all business owners who currently have a site, you need to move beyond your low-quality online brochures to a dynamic, engaging Web site that provides visitors with a superior experience, including e-mail campaigns that promote discounts! Simply WebCenters offers a complete Web solution that provides all the tools necessary to accomplish these things...easily and effectively!

--- Did you know...

July was an encouraging month in the world of online sales, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index! Capgemini's Mike Petevinos said, "Online continues to perform strongly with year-on-year growth in July exceeding the last 12 months average at 16.8%...as retailers further improve their online propositions with better product information, visual merchandising and delivery methods."

And Tina Spooner, also with Capgemini, said online retailers were clearly outperforming their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

"It is evident that online merchants are becoming more sophisticated in their marketing efforts and e-mail communications to their customers, the result of which can be seen in higher conversion rates..." Spooner said.

Businesses that leverage the Web are going to experience better success and growth during the downturn, and retailers are catching on! It's time for you to get on board! We will help you achieve these results!

Set an appointment today for a no-cost, no-obligation demonstration of our Complete Business Web Solution Package.

Visit us at SimplyWebCenters.com