In an effort to clean up and validate their data, Google is actually calling local businesses to verify Google Places and Maps information. This, according to Miriam Ellis’ article,  “Don’t Hang Up! Google Really Phoning Local Businesses” for Search Engine Guide. Miriam’s article discusses the Good, the Bad and the Ugly implications of this new effort by Google. These range the from obvious benefit of having correct information listed for your business on Google to the obvious detriments of not being able to confirm that it is truly a Google representative calling and scammers taking advantage of the situation to access your business data.

Google may need to rethink the method in obtaining their goal.  In the mean time, let us know if you get a call from Google.

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You should reevaluate the content on your website on a regular basis.

Do you have a set it and forget it relationship with your web site?  The following are ten very good reasons why you should reevaluate the content on your website on a regular basis.

1. First Impressions – Internet users hate web sites that have cobwebs – the out of date images and logos or events and news from 2007.  If you don’t take they time to keep it current, new visitors won’t want to spend time looking at it.  It is very easy to move on to the next site that catches their eye.
2. Credibility – Web sites that aren’t kept up to date allow people to question your credibility.  People think, if they don’t maintain their web site, will they provide good customer service or are they even still in business or how could they be any good.
3. Customer Loyalty – Keeping your web site current gives your customers a reason to come back over and over again to look at the latest and greatest that you have to offer.
4. Search Engine Rankings – People as well as search engine like fresh and current information.  Your web site will rank higher with the search engines if you give you web site regular TLC.
5. Web Site Goals – Web sites are one of the most measurable forms of advertising.  If you aren’t setting goals and measuring the success of your website, don’t you think it is time you started?  You created your website with a purpose.  How else will you know if it is actually living up to your expectations?  Monitoring those goals is a great way to motivate you to keep your website up to date and keep an eye on your return on investment. 
6. Money – Did your web site come with a Content Management System, CMS?  If it did, you probably paid good money for this system that allows you to easily change parts of your website.  It would be such a shame to waste all that money you paid to your web developer to build this CMS if you don’t utilize it.
7. Deliver the Goods – Customers really dislike seeing items in your product catalog that has been discontinued or are perpetually out of stock.  Keeping your online inventory up to date is crucial for an e-commerce site.  Remove old products and add new products as quickly as possible!
8. Keyword Trends – Let’s face it.  The keywords people searched for 5, 3 and 1 year ago are not the same keywords they are searching for now.  Language changes and your content should be rich in keywords that internet users are searching for today.
9. Seasonal Marketing – Do you keep your Christmas tree up in your house all year long?  If you do, it is our secret and it is a good thing that the whole world doesn’t know.  But if your seasonal marketing, banners or website flourish stays up too long after a holiday, customers will wonder if you went out of business.
10. Reality Check – keeping your website current makes you and your company “real.”  In the internet world of virtual reality, you are viewed by the information that is on your website.  If you are going for that retro vibe, then by all means keep your old content up.  But if you want people to know the true you of today, including your vision, plans and direction, please keep it current.

Your website represents your company or organization to the world.  You have only a few seconds to make an impression before that internet user moves on.  Did you catch their attention?  Did you entice them to click further on your website?  Was your website attractive enough to give the visitor a reason to discover more about you and your business?  If they don’t like what they see, there are so many other websites to choose from and other companies offering similar products and services.  What internet users expect from a website continues to evolve at an ever increasing pace.  Likewise, the technology to help those potential visitors find you website is also rapidly evolving, i.e. search engines.  So how do you know when your website is past it’s prime?

Here are some questions to ask about your website:

Business Questions

• does it reflect the currently mission, goals and strategies of your business or organization?
• does it reflect the current marketing strategy for your business or organization?
• are you getting the desired return on your investment from your website?
• do users know how to find your location, contact you or ask for more information?

User Expectation Questions

• does your website content contain typos, broken links, outdated information and images, or is it just hard to read?
• does your website display correctly in all web browsers, including the newest such as Chrome, Internet Explorer 8 and Safari 4?
• does your website include obvious links to your blog, video sites and social media sites?
• can users find their way around the site quickly and easily?
• do users leave your website without going to any additional pages?
• do users know what you want them to do on the website?
• are web pages that require personal information secure?
• do shopping carts function quickly and smoothly?
• does your website entice users to learn more about your organization?
• does your website welcome users with the same feelings and emotional appeal as if they were face to face with your staff?
• do the colors and photography on your site generate the same comfort level as your business?
• are your photographs up to date, and demographically appealing?
• can your website be viewed from mobile devices?
• can users easily identify navigation items and important information without having to contend with useless elements on your web page?

Search Engine Questions

• does your website rank well in Google, Yahoo and Bing?
• does your website pages have URLs containing real words instead of mysteriously coded names?
• does your website have unique titles, description tags and keywords for each page?
• does your website have keyword rich text content on each page?
• do all of the images on your website have alt tags containing keywords?

If you answered “No” to any of the questions above, it is time to think about a redesign.

Still not sure?  As a general rule, if your website is older that five years, you need an redesign.  You don’t run you business the same as you did five years ago.  Website users expect more from you than five years ago.  They want you to give them a reason to come back to your website time and time again.  The way websites are ranked by search engines has changed over the last five years.  Solving ranking problems starts with programming a search engine friendly site.  Stanton Street will be happy to help you stay on the cutting edge, with Net Results.

Businesses, be aware.  Your customers want to talk with you, and they want to use new media to do it, as reported by the Center for Media Research, “American Customers Want a Dialog With Business”,  in an online poll was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation.    (New media consists of sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, iTunes, YouTube, blogs, online games, and interactive message boards.)

Issues on their minds include corporate responsibility and influencing business decisions by contributing their point of view.  They also EXPECT you to engage in the discussion.

The survey also points out; buying decisions are made based on information gained from new media.  Positive product feedback enticed 30% to buy, while negative feedback cause 23% to switch brands or even boycott a company.

Does your company have a presence on new or social media?  Stanton Street will be happy to advise you in getting Net Results.

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