Advice to Protect eCommerce Website Availablilty and Security in the Holiday Shopping SeasonRe

                                         Gareth Hoyle


Retailers cannot afford for their eCommerce website to have any malfunctions during the upcoming Holiday season. What should these internet retailers do to ensure that they do not lose money due to security problems or a website outage?  Great advice on the internet has been found to share!

Prepare for the Worst and Plan for the Best

To ensure website availability and security , online retailers must prepare for the worst through escalation and incident response planning by outlining standard operating procedures for down time, including establishing and training incident-response teams. They should also monitor their site diligently to determine service health
and identify anomalies quickly and accurately, as well as provide failover to back-up IP addresses to ensure the site is always available.


Improve Your Infrastructure

Optimize the scalability and performance of your internet infrastructure with demonstrated management of increased traffic load coming your way during the holiday shopping season. Whether you manage your site internally of through a vendor, a track record maintaining satisfactory service levels during the rest of the year may not be a reliable indicator that service level can be maintained during the peak holiday traffic season. If scalability and performance of your infrastructure are not optimized, it could damage you sales revenue and reputation at the worst possible time.


Don't Forget About DDoS

With the increase in size and complexity of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, companies should consider leveraging upstream service providers to protect both Web servers and DNS. If either goes down, a company could be out of business. A cloud-based approach to both DNS management and DDoS protection provides a cost-effective alternative to maintaining uptime.

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Implement Security Best Practices By Partnering With a Security Provider for Holistic Support

Not all ecommerce sites can develop an internal cyber intelligence capability. Security service providers can help to quickly identify and understand the various security incidents and their implications,determine effective mitigation and remediation tactics, and develop a clear plan to enhance security.

There are very good security support providers out there on the web.  Do research based on product reviews and pricing that you can afford.

http://www.circleid.com/posts/20130925_tips_protect_ecommerce_website_availability_security_in_holiday/

A New Website Plan Must Include a Foundation of Processes and Reviews for a Great Outcome

                                   thereviewbin

When building a website there must be a an orderly plan to follow to completion of the project. This plan involves more that just the web designer/developer. The following activities have been recommended to use to insure a great website.


Keyword research. Identifying strategically important keywords is crucial not only for search engine optimization, but also for developing the thematic structure of site content.

Sitemap. A sitemap identifies each page of the new site and where it appears in the site’s navigational structure.

Wireframe. A wireframe is like an interactive construction blueprint that allows users to see what the site will roughly look like and how the navigation works. It allows a firm to tweak design and content placement before actual design and content development begin.

Content. Once site pages have been locked down in the sitemap and word counts locked down in the wireframe, writers can get to work.

Design. Designers can proceed as well at this stage.

Development. When content and design are complete, the new site can be programmed and made functional.

Pre-launch testing. Make sure everything works before going public.
Launch. A variety of tasks go into moving the new site from test mode to live mode.

Post-launch troubleshooting. Something always goes wrong, but there is nothing to worry about if you have a system in place to make corrections.

Define the Review and Approval Process

A firm must obviously approve the keyword research, sitemap, wireframe, etc., before the project can move to the next phase. But what is the procedure for internally reviewing these creative outputs, and who exactly is responsible for giving approval?

An effective review and approval process involves enough people to provide balance and thoroughness, but not so many as to create endless discussion and division. Review teams may vary somewhat depending on the item under discussion, but continuity and consistency are enhanced when team members stay connected in some degree to all project phases.

Most important of all, a firm must empower a specific individual to make final review and approval decisions. If this is not done, one of two things will happen:
Decisions won’t get made and the project will never get done.
Poor, rushed, or inconsistent decisions will be made, ruining the quality of the site.

Create a Project Schedule

To meet a launch date, work schedules must be organized carefully. Left to their own devices, writers and designers can tweak ideas forever; on the other hand, if deadlines are too tight, quality suffers.

A good schedule provides adequate time for production, review, and revisions. Common sense, evaluating talent, and understanding the corporate culture are the most important factors in scheduling. For instance, it’s reasonable to assume that a design won’t be approved without at least one round of revisions. And, if the firm tends to be very particular about branding and image, allowing for two or three rounds of revisions makes sense.

If the project has one writer handling 100 pages, one week will hardly be enough time for content. In this situation, the firm can decide in advance whether to hire additional writers or extend the timeline – a much better option than scrambling as an impossible deadline approaches.

Designate a Process Owner

A successful site project has a specific person responsible for keeping the process on track. This individual, the project manager, makes sure deadlines are tracking to be met, that changes to the schedule are made and communicated to all team members, and that unexpected problems are handled in an organized and efficient manner.

Whoever handles this role needs an understanding of the technical aspects of web development and extraordinarily strong communication skills. This is not a job for an efficient executive secretary or a brilliant technician with minimal people skills. A lot of firms that do everything else right get into serious trouble by putting the wrong person in this position.

Document the Process

Even when project management has been assigned to the ideal candidate, the process must exist in documented form, not only in the head of that individual. Why? First, if anything happens to the project manager, the entire project will be thrown into disarray; second, without a documented process, team members and company leadership will have a hard time visualizing the entire process and understanding where they fit in it; third, without a “scorecard,” assessing the performance of the project manager and making appropriate revisions to the process for the next time around become difficult.

Firms always get caught up in the fun aspects of a new website: cool designs, snappy content, amazing animation, and the like. But invariably, firms with high-performance sites have people on staff who love to plan and live to organize. If those skill sets are in short supply, stock up before building your next company site.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2013/09/11/a-bad-building-process-will-kill-your-new-website/

Would You Like to Know How to Spend Your Money Wisely by Using Certain Apps and Websites?

We all need the best advice in handling our money wisely so the burden of debt can be reversed.  The Buffalo News Business page posted an article on how we can save money by using 11 apps and websites.

Websites and smartphone applications can be tremendous resources for spending your money more wisely. Problem is, so many new ones crop up that it’s difficult to keep up.

So we searched for some websites and apps you might not be using and that you might find helpful.

In general what we found was a growing sophistication among money tools. Some smartphone apps use the built-in geolocation capability of the phone to help you spend money more wisely – by offering a coupon for a store that you’re already in, for example.

Another trend is for sites and apps to engage consumers by incorporating small game-type methods of reaping rewards, called gamification. And many new sites have online videos to explain their tools.

Of course, new and unusual spending tools don’t necessarily trump the tried-and-true.

For example, worth considering are Mint.com to track your spending, ConsumerReports.org to investigate product quality, AngiesList.com to find top-notch service providers, the CardStar app to electronically store your loyalty cards, GasBuddy to find low, nearby gasoline prices and Amazon Price Check and RedLaser to scan bar codes to compare prices.

But among new and lesser-known tools, we’ve rounded up a few interesting and promising ones. With newer ones, it’s hard to predict whether they’ll succeed and be available a year from now. And we weren’t able to thoroughly review every one.

But if you’re a smart consumer who likes trying new sites and apps, these seem worth a shot. Details are available online. All are free, but most have some method for earning money, if only from advertising.

Keep in mind that these aren’t being listed as the best; they’re just a sampling of ones worth exploring.




Glyph and Wallaby apps

Have a bunch of reward credit cards but aren’t sure which card will give you the biggest reward for specific purchases? Glyph (paywithglyph.com), which plans to change its name to Wisely, and Wallaby (walla.by) can help.

For each of these apps, you first enter the reward cards you own. Armed with that information, they will use the GPS on your phone to identify the retailer or restaurant you’re in and advise you on which card to use to maximize your cash back or reward points. This can be a huge help for credit cards that change bonus-reward categories each month. Each has a companion website. Linking your cards can be time-consuming, but presumably, you do it just once.

Avvo.com
This website attempts to help average people with their legal problems and also rates attorneys and offers referrals. It has a free question-and-answer forum with questions answered by lawyers. A well-known site geared more toward do-it-yourselfers is LegalZoom.com.


Manilla

This site (Manilla.com) is a couple years old but seems to fly under the radar among mainstream tools. It’s somewhere to organize many of your bills and subscriptions in one place.

You can link your accounts for your cable TV, wireless phone, electronic company and travel rewards among others. Manilla keeps tabs on those accounts, storing your bills and statements and alerting you to bills that are due so you don’t incur late fees or possibly damage your credit rating.

This site requires a lot of trust because you enter logins for many of your online accounts, including financial ones. Manilla is owned by the large media company Hearst Corp. and has detailed explanations on the website about its efforts to keep your information secure.

For a site more geared toward paying off debt, see ReadyForZero (ReadyForZero.com).


Flipsy

Selling back your unwanted electronics can be a great idea. For example, you might get $50 for a waterlogged iPhone that you thought was worthless. Flipsy is a trade-in comparison site that shows what some companies will pay you for your used books, smartphones, Mac computers and video game consoles.

To get the best deal, be sure to check out the big trade-in sites too, such as Gazelle, NextWorth, Glyde and Amazon Trade-In.



Ibotta

This app allows you to earn money for products you plan to buy by completing minor tasks.

For example, if you were going to buy Silk Pure Almond milk, you could earn 25 cents for watching a 90-second ad on your phone. If you were going to buy Green Giant frozen broccoli, you could answer a poll question to earn 25 cents.

After completing the tasks, go to the store and buy the items. Then take a picture of your store receipt to prove you bought the items – some stores offer automated verification – and money is credited to your Ibotta account. You can withdraw the money via PayPal.



CartCrunch

This app, formerly called Saverr, says it uses crowd-sourced pricing data to help shoppers find the best prices at their local grocery stores.

You can scan your grocery receipt to receive customized offers and a recommendation on which supermarket is best for you based on lowest prices, although supermarket choices are limited so far. Beware, the app is very young, but it’s interesting. Other grocery-related apps recommended by ShopSmart, the Consumer Reports magazine, include SnipSnap, Shopular and Reclip.it.

Dlyte.com

Buy gift cards from this site to reap reward points, which can be accumulated and used to purchase more gift cards. You can also use points to bid on gift cards in auctions.



Shopkick

This app is the opposite of “showrooming,” the term for consumers scouting purchases in real stores but then buying the products online for a lower price.

This app rewards you for physically being in the stores of major retailers by giving you “kicks,” the program’s currency, for being in the store and interacting with products, such as scanning bar codes of items.

As a consumer, you should be aware that the idea behind the app is to encourage you to walk into stores more often and perhaps be enticed to make more purchases. Accumulated kicks can be cashed in, mostly for gift cards to Target, Starbucks, Macy’s, iTunes and others.



Wattzon

This website and accompanying apps attempt to save you energy and money. After asking a few questions about your home, it will offer suggestions on how to cut energy use, for example. You can link the site to your utility account to monitor electricity and natural gas use.


Greentoe

This website allows you to name your own price for electronics, similar to Priceline and Hotwire for travel. You make an offer, with help from the site, which then notifies retailers of a potential buyer. The first retailer to respond makes the online sale to you.

Be sure to check prices elsewhere to make sure you’re not offering to pay too much.

Of course, this is only a sampling and just scratches the surface of new money-related tools. But it might give you a sense of what’s available.

http://www.buffalonews.com/business/money-smart/11-apps-and-websites-to-help-you-spend-money-more-wisely-20130908

Chatwing Company Develops a Premium Chat Box For Career Support Websites

Are you looking for a great way to get information concerning careers in your area?  What about a using a chat box where businesses and those needing to find a place of employment can communicate. Chatwing has developed this great application for websites.

                                                   www.techinfoblog.net


Chatwing.com launches an informative widget that can be embedded and utilizes social media well.

Chatwing chat software has undergone improvements aiming to provide users with a communication leverage that will further social connectivity and expansion. One of the latest upgrades includes Yahoo and Gmail log in methods, which makes the chat app raises the website’s level of accessibility. Career support websites can still interact with Facebook and Twitter users and transfer important chat messages from chatbox to one’s own Facebook wall as a form of announcement and promotion. The process of looking for the right people for a certain profession will not be tedious and challenging.

Chatwing’s thousand user capacity can definitely accommodate web surfers across the globe. Sharing interview tips, professional advices and job descriptions can be accomplished in just a few seconds and can stay in the chat box for a longer time. This will allow new web visitors to view previous messages where they can also gain from earlier conversation exchanges. Job help websites can also engage in group chats through Chatwing vanity URL form. This is possible with the generation of username and shortlinks, thus career assessment can be done efficiently online.

Chatwing chat app is highly customizable. Web admins can design the chat tool in ways that can add up to the site’s professional reputation or entice more web surfers into the web page. Users can experiment with the color combinations and upload photos as the widget’s background image. In the coming months, Chatwing chat software team plans to release more advanced chat software that can also help business oriented websites and niche blogs improve online presence. The Chatwing.com is always updated with effective tips on how to use the improved chat tool in website developments and communication advantage. About Chatwing.com
Chatwing.com specializes in the new field of live website chat software. Over years, the development team has introduced live chat widget for hundreds and thousands of blogs. The application bridges people from many parts of the world, creating global synergy through the Internet. The shout box can be installed in just seconds, and it can be used for varying purposes such as leisure and Internet marketing. It also allows a user to customize the size, color, and name of the widget.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb10982826.htm

Tips To All That Are Involved in Relaunching Your Business Website

The first question you need to ask yourself is "why do I need to change my website ?".  Is the function and appearance of the website pleasing my customers.  If you think that a makeover is what you need then there are some great tips out there for you and your web developer.

Joe Griffin has served as the co-founder and CEO of a digital marketing firm and he shared some great tips in the article that he wrote.


Re-launching a website is a massive, multi-layered task for any business.
You have make decisions not only about design and branding — a re-launch requires a seemingly endless checklist of tasks: benchmarking, content strategy, audience research, SEO, back-end hosting … the list goes on. Plus, as a business every decision is hinged on ROI: What impact will the remodeled website have on your business’ traffic, engagement, and conversion?
Your business’s flaws and weak links are often exposed when it comes time to reinvigorate your web presence.
Whether this comes in tandem with an organizational restructure, a change in services or products, a reinvigorated brand strategy, or simply after realizing that your current website is not converting customers at the level you’d like, every business should re-convene on their web strategy at least every few years.


These tips can serve as a blueprint, checklist, and guide for your enterprise’s future website remodeling plans. 

1.Get everyone on the same page

Talk to each and every stakeholder about the impending re-launch. Meet with colleagues (within your department and cross-functionally), shareholders, clients, board members, industry mentors, and other key parties as you embark on your re-launch planning.
Ask each group similar questions:

• What is missing?
• What do you like about the current site?
• Do you think it’s the right time to re-launch?
• Do we have the capacity to do this as a company?
• Do you think we will come out better afterwards?
• Do we want a re-skin, which impacts the overall design aesthetic of the website, or a re-launch, a total overhaul?

Answering these questions early on – and getting buy in and feedback from all parties — will help you in the long run. When relaunching iAcquire.com, for example, multiple departments within our agency combined forces to create a vision for the website. Doing this helped us define scope, high-level direction, budget, requirements, and most importantly goals — all essential for the beginning strategy documents of a website redesign.

2. Allocate a budget and bandwidth

Your overall budget for your website redesign will frame your bandwidth. If your budget is in the tens of thousands of dollars, you have the budget to utilize a big agency to create a new website for your enterprise. If your budget is smaller ($7,500-$15,000) you may be able to utilize outside help on a consulting basis.
Either way, a large chunk of change will be needed for a website redesign. Hosting isn’t free either, so even if you do everything in-house you’ll need a budget.
Also, consider the project scope and if your in-house team has the capacity to complete such a large-scale project. Creative, content, promotion, SEO, and developers will all need to commit a large part of their workload to the project. For example, our marketing and strategy team dedicated a good solid three month to the project.
CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and legal need to be engaged from the beginning as well. And project status should be communicated at least one time per week to high-level stakeholders.

3. Ensure benchmarks are in place

Create benchmarking documents to track the current website’s design and content, layout, as well as audience targeting and current website analytics (visitor interaction and conversion) so you can accurately measure success after the new site launches. Define your current and future KPIs and keep track of them. Keep in mind that these may change as your organization grows, so be inclusive and collect as much as you can.
For iAcquire, we use the following key performance indicators:

• Leads
• Time on site
• Share of voice
• Number of links
• Organic search rankings
• Impressions
• Traffic

4. Define or redefine your key audience personas 
Consumers are getting savvier and savvier by the minute and modern technology allows users to tune out various messages. With that being said, it is crucial to craft your remodeled website around your converting, engaged personas.
Once you define audience personas, you can better direct:

• The tone of the copy
• The website’s overall design/look
• What type of content (images, copy, videos) resonates best
• Calls to action – where the are placed, what copy to use, user path

Creating audience personas helps all creative, content, and allows marketing stakeholders to maintain uniformity. Leverage audience market data, survey results, and need states to create personas and user stories. Use this template and create your own three to five personas. Utilize market research tools like Experian, Nielsen, Facebook data, and even Google Analytics to get to the core of your visitor base.

5. Plan as much as you execute

Draft a creative brief that includes all project requirements – from copy and SEO to technical hosting and color scheme requirements. This brief will serve as the blueprint for all parties working on the redesign.  The plan can be as long as 30 pages, though the length is not important; the content is the important part. If it helps you, then delegate specific sections to different leaders within your team. Come together and review the plan, and then from there start executing your strategy.

6. Consider your copy

A shiny, well-designed site is great, but like your looks it’s the first thing to go with age. If your content isn’t great, neither is your site. And it’s not just about well-written prose; it all has to be planned out, persona-driven content, created by understanding your key audiences and how they behave online. Develop a roadmap for content strategy and your copy will fall into place.
Within iAcquire, we know that governance and establishing an editorial calendar is just as important as setting up the content framework. Without structural guidance organizations can fall into content paralysis. These processes defines the players, topics, and requirements necessary to curate and publish content.

7. Keep the bot in mind

Within your re-launch two key “audiences” need to be kept in mind: your visitors and the search engine spiders. Search engines have a very detailed algorithm for ranking pages, and with your re-launch you want to make sure that you stay even or above in your rankings. Here are three key considerations you should have for SEO:

• Redirects
  If specific URLs are no longer active, or you are changing the site architecture, make sure 301s redirects are in place. Non-existent redirects can lead to a “docked” search position.
• Conversion end-points
  Your re-designed website will probably not have the same conversion funnel or path as your last site, so make sure someone is dedicated to checking the conversion points on your redesigned sites to make sure they are a) working, b) properly migrated, and c) tracked.
• On-page keyword analysis
  Target two to three keywords per page and intertwine them organically throughout the copy and metadata. If your organization previously targeted a list of keywords, look at them again as competition and volume changes from year to year and even month to month.

8. Who’s your host?

Consider where you are going to host your site.

Is it going to sit on a server that your enterprise owns and maintains, or will it live with a hosting company? Is your hosting bandwidth enough? Consider what frameworks you will use on the front end, and what Javascript libraries you will use, such as MooTools or jQuery. PHP, .Net, or Rails? WordPress or Drupal?
All of these decisions need to be made early on.

9. Utilize Google Webmaster Tools

Once your website is in development, have your organization set up a Google account (if you don’t already have one) and get acquainted with Google Webmaster Tools. This free Google tool can tell you any problems with site/page indexing and even click-through rates. If the content is being rearranged on your new site, it could be buried deeper, making it harder for search engines to crawl, which leads to a non-indexed area.

10. Strategize a post-launch plan

Your job isn’t over when your redesigned site launches. Create a plan to promote the new site on social media, PR outreach, and blog announcements. Plan on pushing marketing messages through these channels for at least two weeks past the launch. Connect with key influencers on social who can push your message further.
Then create a plan to organize, develop, curate, and publish new content so you keep luring new visitors in: inbound marketing at its finest. On an internal communications front, make sure that your organization is kept in the loop as well. Inform all departments of the re-launch. Be clear on what has changed and how they can utilize your “2.0” or “3.0″ website to optimally conduct their respective jobs.
While every organization has needs, adopting a process is a crucial element. Use this list as a guide, and customize it to meet your organization’s unique challenges, and develop a website that reflects your company
http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/07/10-essential-tips-for-your-companys-web-design-project/

 

 

 

Ecommerce Website Development and Marketing News

Interesting article in the news how important it is that you realize what a well developed website can do for your business. With the internet your business is not just 9 to 5 it is 24 hours a day.  This is why you need a website that can handle customers when you are not able available.

If there is anybody here who is actually planning to start his own business,flaw detector manufacturers and suppliers. he should also consider doing online marketing and it is highly suggested that he should do so most especially if he wants to gather a lot of potential clients not only in the conventional way. Nobody can fully deny that, nowadays, everybody is always online every day and all through the night.HENGJIA INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED is a professional and crowned promotion usbs, gift pen drive, usb sticks manufacturer in Shenzhen China.Our website:www.usbstickspromo.com. There may be some who would just look through various internet sites searching for something intriguing and find new knowledge. But, almost all people today are going shopping on the information highway trying to find what they need and what they want. Because of shopping on the web, many people who are into business advertising different products and/or services should consider ecommerce website development so that he can market his products and/or services not just domestically but offshore as well and collect more potential clients.

With a web page of his own, not only he can attract potential customers near his own city but he can also attract several customers, possibly, from several countries as well. He may not know it but there might be some person thousands of miles away from him who are looking for a particular product and it so happen that he is also marketing the same product.



Additionally, if he has his own web site and would fully utilize his online business, it's highly suggested that he should go for ecommerce website development and should try to spend time, a great deal of money and lots of effort on it so he can reach to millions of people all over the world faster. One can just imagine the amount of people who are interested in his various products and/or services,These Premium electronic cigarette flavors brands give smokers an alternative smoking option. All of IVG's electronic cigarette brands contain no smoke, no secondhand smoke, no tar and no tobacco. right? For sure, he is going to enjoy huge sales revenues, right?

When one is talking about web site development to boost his business online undertakings, there are many different points that he needs to ponder over and needs to always keep in mind.

First on the list of these various things is that a web site should also be handled like an ordinary department store. This means that the virtual store owner must also spend a lot of time, effort and money in pampering up his webpage to make it look so very good and very attractive to the visitors who can be potential clients. This is where website designing comes in.

Aside from web development, it is also highly recommended that he should concentrate on creating different articles that are informative and relevant to his business and that can aid visitors be totally informed of what is being promoted on his website. This is one of the very vital parts of internet site development wherein the owner of such web page can inform his readers and/or website visitors and make them understand what the
webpage is all about and to find out if what they wanted or needed is available.


When talking regarding ecommerce website development,pcb manufacturers-Cheer Time Manufacturer Of rohs pcb assembly,PCB Quick Turn,PCB QUICK WASH etc. one should really spent a lot of time, money and effort most specifically when trying it out for the first time. But, there are many people who would hire someone to do this job for them.I get rid of a rubber hose shop in being thinking that the Toulouse centre is Midica's. I am in there my centre , live in, you are not that driving and it are face to face easy to get to be obliged to face, that discovering Cheap Surveillance Security Cameras in me than speaking is that other had better speak is generally expensive, shop but self it be in the past go to there. Truthfully, it is not difficult in finding somebody since, these days, there are many different Business Process Outsourcing or BPO companies on the Net that has a battery of professionals who can do this type of work for anybody who will contract out to these outsourcing solutions companies or firms.


Link: http://needlebearing.sportsblog.com/post/116884/catapulting_electronic_business_via_ecommerce.html

Five Website Strategies for 2013

Do you have any strategies for your website development?   There is a lot of competition out there and you may need some advice to help your sites get noticed.

Once considered a calling card for your business or an online brochure, websites have now evolved into a visually packed battle ground for businesses. If you think your marketing is just fine with your standard website, think again! There’s a good chance your standard website just won’t be compelling enough in the new year. Make your web strategy a priority in 2013 by implementing these five trends.

1. Support Mobile Devices
If you haven’t updated your website to support mobile devices, this should be your top priority in 2013. People are accessing your website from a multitude of devices – including smartphones and tablets – at a record pace. The easiest way to support all devices is implementing responsive web design, which enables your website to be viewed on nearly any device. If your website is more complicated, consider creating a separate mobile website or creating a mobile application. Not sure if you’re ready for mobile? Test your website to check for mobile compatibility.

2. Make your Website a Place to Stay
Websites need to be more than just a home page and a list of services. Effective websites have become interactive playgrounds, using video and games alongside striking images and intelligent content. Make your website a place where people come for a long visit. Websites that entertain and educate the audience are much more effective than the traditional sales pitch.

3. Provide Great Content Marketing
With the numerous changes to search engine algorithms, you need to provide fresh content on your website on a regular basis to compete and be found. Strive to create relevant, timely content that people find valuable and ultimately want to share. And sharing is one of the best ways to drive traffic and obtain new, high-quality leads.

4. Tell Your Story Visually
The amount of information that people are accessing in any single day is staggering. Visual storytelling, often through infographics, is quickly becoming a popular way to communicate with viewers. A strong visual element allows visitors to scan information and absorb the data quickly. It’s a great way to get your information and website shared on social networking too.

5. Reignite Your Email Marketing
With the number of smartphones on the market, people have access to email instantly. Rethink your email marketing strategy with the ideas of social, local and mobile. Focus on segmenting your email list based on the preferences and locations of your subscriber, and send out information that is easy to view and digestible on the go. Be sure to make your email list subscription a focal point of your website to build subscribers.

 http://parkbenchdigital.com/blog/5-website-strategies-2013/

Top 10 Best Practices for Multilingual Websites

Worldwide communication is at the fingertips of business websites. In America alone the Hispanic language is on many products that we purchase on a daily basis. Learning what makes a great multilingual website is important in the business website marketing.  The following article will be of great help to you.

 Prepared by GobiernoUSA.gov and Government Multilingual Websites Group based on theHispanic Online Best Practices developed by Lee Vann.

1. Language: Online communications must address the language preferences of users. The use of machine or automatic translations is strongly discouraged even if a disclaimer is added. If government agencies decide to use software assisted translation, have the translation reviewed by a qualified language professional before posting it to the website to ensure that the translation correctly communicates the message.

GobiernoUSA.gov, the trusted source for government information in Spanish, offers users a complete experience in the Spanish-language. Content, navigation, and all functionalities and features in GobiernoUSA.gov are in Spanish.

2. Culture: Conduct user research to understand the cultural considerations for your target audience. Regardless of language used, the online experience must be culturally relevant to achieve an emotional connection with the audience.

Although GobiernoUSA.gov and USA.gov, its English-language counterpart, have the same structure and look and feel, the Spanish site offers content, images, and a color scheme that resonates with the Hispanic community.

3. Access: Enable users to find your multilingual website via prominent access on the English site. Access to multilingual websites should be made available on the global navigation on the top right of every English page.

The Federal Trade Commission provides the "En español" link as part of their global navigation on their English site.

4. URL Strategy: Use a stand-alone, dedicated URL for marketing and search engine optimization purposes. That URL can then re-direct to another one more in line with your agency URL convention.

The Social Security Administration uses http://www.segurosocial.gov to market and drive traffic to their Spanish language site.

5. Comparability and Maintenance: Ensure that your multilingual website provides a comparable user experience to your English site. Plan for regular updates and maintenance to ensure that your multilingual website remains comparable to the English site.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide a comparable experience on the English and Spanish sites through consistent maintenance of site content and experience.

6. Users' expectations: Manage user expectations by providing notice when a user is going to navigate to an English-only area, external website, or require a special program or software to view an application.

EPA.gov's Spanish site denotes English-only content by putting "en inglés" next to links only available in English.

7. Toggle: Enable users to toggle between comparable content or features on the English and multilingual websites if available.

Users on MedlinePlus and MedlinePlus en español can go back and forth between the English and Spanish sites on a page-by-page basis without having to go through the home page.

8. Online Features and Functionality: Provide interactive features and functionality on multulingual websites.

The CDC site in Spanish offers basic features such as Print and Email This Page and gives users the ability to subscribe to email alerts, RSS feeds, podcasts, and more.

9. Integrated Operations and Marketing: Integrate your multilingual website initiatives with internal infrastructure and external consumer touch points, and into your overall online-offline strategy.

GobiernoUSA.gov provides phone and email support in Spanish through 1-(800)-FED-INFO, as well as PSAs and other marketing materials in Spanish. In addition, GobiernoUSA.gov is an integral part of the overall online and offline strategy of the Office of Citizen Services in GSA. This was especially evident in 2007 when a name change and redesign were implemented at the same time for both USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov.

10. Online Marketing: Develop and execute a targeted multilingual online marketing program, including social media, and track results.

Many agencies conduct dedicated online outreach for their multilingual sites includingGobiernoUSA.gov, MedlinePlus en español, CDC.gov, and EPA.gov, among others. In addition, many of these sites are using social media tools to reach out to Hispanics: EPA's blog Greenversations has regular bilingual entries; CDC.gov offers RSS and podcasts; andGobiernoUSA.gov has a presence on facebook.com and twitter.com.

http://www.howto.gov/web-content/multilingual/best-practices

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