eCrossings Media | Crossover Ideas

As These Web Technologies Converge, the Internet Marketer Benefits

2010-05-05T14:58:00.001-04:00

The rapid growth of content on the web is a double-edged sword. On one hand, highly-specific and relevant content is available. On the other hand, layers upon layers of content can make it difficult to find the most useful search results the user seeks. This presents frustration for end users and obvious challenges for Internet Marketers who are tasked with communicating their message effectively.

The good news – for both groups – is that two web technologies are converging which will make the end user and marketer happy.

Auto-complete functionality is already a popular feature on search engines like Google and even forward-thinking websites. You type and it anticipates words or phrase you might be looking for. Now search engines are combining the popular auto-complete with geo-targeting.

Geo-targeting displays search engine results based on the user’s location. In other words, the same exact search terms will yield very different results based on the location that the search engines detect. As the convergence of these technologies is perfected, relevance in search results will be a little less elusive and everyone benefits. In addition to search engine efficiency, this creates a boon for online marketers whose products, services and users are not in one place.

More about geo-targeting
More about auto-complete

Jeff Howlett
Account Manager
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to optimize their marketing impact

Look Beyond Today’s iPad for A Next Generation eBook Experience

2010-04-14T13:56:00.002-04:00

Despite a tsunami of buzz, to me the iPad falls short as a next-generation e-book reader. I don’t question its stature as the catch-all gadget de jure but has it really pushed the e-book envelope?

It sports a nice backlit screen and access to a vast library of titles. But that same brilliant screen slurps battery power to the tune of only 10 hours versus competitors lasting almost a week. It’s also too heavy to read like an actual book (over long periods it is most comfortable for reading off of your lap) and throws off a brutal glare when trying to read outside. Also, unlike the Kindle and the Barnes and Noble Nook readers, using iBook to purchase will lock you into only reading that title on a Mac product.

To redefine the “book” experience a digital device needs to provide more value than digesting the same content in print. It sounds simple, but e-book readers have primarily focused on replicating printed text instead of improving it. The future is in smart eye-tracking tablets and a concept called Text 2.0.

Firms such as Tobii Technology are advancing technologies that adjust the text experience based on how you are consuming it. For example, if their eye tracking software identifies that you are skimming it will emphasize only the most important words in the text, or if you pause on a word, the definition will pop up. This new technology is definitely something to look out for in the future and seems more worthy of the “revolutionary” label.

iPad Glare and Other Gripes
Learn More About Eye Tracking Tablets and Text 2.0

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to leverage new media opportunities

Email marketers shift from classic buzzwords to a focus on “You”

2010-03-31T15:58:00.000-04:00

Email marketing can be characterized as an “established new media.” In the digital world, “established” roughly translates to potentially effective yet increasingly difficult to capture share of voice.

Forward-thinking marketers are now looking to enhance this medium by channeling technology while utilizing language that resonates. New studies show that “you” and “your” have gained in popularity in email subject lines*. Old marketing mainstays like “free” and “% off” still rank (for those in the eCommerce space) but have declined in popularity.

Staying relevant has never been more important – especially in the digital space with virtually unlimited amounts of information.

--
*Source: Experian Marketing Services, tracking Top 10 Subject Line Terms from 11/08-11/09

eMarketer: Top E-Mail Subject Lines Focus on ‘You’
MailChimp: Email Marketing Subject Line Comparison

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients on digital multi-platform campaigns.

Web Tools to Keep Your Friends Close but Competitors Closer

2010-02-23T15:48:00.000-05:00

The web has changed almost everything in the marketing space, but some business practices are more relevant than ever. Knowing your competition and their next move is now front and center as digital drives down the cost of communicating. If you are not the market leader, keeping tabs on the best in class is also must.

Here are two ways to keep an eye on the field, while going for your organization’s goals:

New improvements to by Google allow you to track updates to a website even if they do not have an RSS feed set up. Google will continually check for updates and pass them to you through a Google Reader. The custom feed will allow you to be in the loop – much to the chagrin of your competition.

Even if your competitor doesn’t have a site search tool, you can find things on their site with ease. Using Google, you can specify “search within a specific site” with the following construction [search term: sampledomain.com]. Here is an example of an actual search for the term “healthcare reform” searching only on the site “wsj.com” [ healthcare reform site:wsj.com ].

Learn About Custom RSS Feeds
Learn About Google Specific Site Search

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients on Internet marketing strategy

Web Marketing and the 90% Deliverable

2010-01-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

An effective web presence has evolved from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” for Internet Marketers. No one disputes the trend that non-technical marketers are having a major impact on the web. Today’s marketers rightly demand increased control over online messaging and tools. In a broader sense, the marketer’s increased involvement is even causing agencies like eCrossings to examine the dynamics of the web project itself.

Traditionally, web project managers create and manage highly structured timelines. There is an almost obsessive approach to making to sure the site is rock solid before client testing. This runs into two problems with Internet Marketers in real world scenarios.

1. A marketer’s job involves continuous tweaks to messages and content. So chances are, by the end of a 3-6 month project there will be changes in content, messaging or both.

2. Marketers in the healthcare and pharmaceutical space, especially, need buy-in from a number of stakeholders. Going through the site with a fine tooth comb might be wasted effort if the C-suite doesn’t like the direction.

Based on our experience and the dynamic nature of Internet Marketing projects, we have begun experimenting with sharing a less-than-complete deliverables so we don’t waste time perfecting something that has a high chance of being changed anyway. Deadlines are often solid, so why not release a “90% deliverable” with release notes on the sections that are almost done, or have a high-probability of being updated?

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients on interactive projects and strategy

YouTube Direct Brings Online Communities to New Heights

2009-12-09T16:27:00.003-05:00

The web excels in empowering two-way communication between marketers and consumers. Savvy Internet marketers take advantage of this by encouraging comments and other user-generated content to keep users coming back. Not only does this create an online community receptive to new marketing messages, but also provides instant feedback on how to tweak existing messaging. In the past, users could only comment on articles, blogs and message boards with text and links off to other sites.

Enter our friends at Google -- the parent company of YouTube.

Recently YouTube Direct was unveiled. This exciting technology allows users to upload YouTube videos to third party sites (like yours) quickly and easily. Today Internet discussion is increasingly video-enabled and now your site can be too.

Learn More About YouTube Direct
ABC News and YouTube Direct
Washington Post and YouTube Direct

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to develop online communities.

eNewsletter Campaigns Have Never Been Easier To Implement, but Avoid These 5 Common Pitfalls

2009-10-30T10:24:00.004-04:00

eNewsletters are enjoying a resurgence. Yesterday’s mass media is increasingly expensive, scattered and surely difficult to measure. While there is still demand to get your message out, the supply of cost effective options dwindles.

Marketers have a variety of email campaign providers at their disposal. From web design shops to dedicated email blast companies, the industry footprint is growing. With a design, copy and a list you’re on your way.

Although marketers can turn email blasts around quickly – like everything in business – it will pay dividends if you consider some of the finer points.

Even with opt-in mailing lists, your subscriber’s email box probably sees you as a spammer. Spend the time for usability testing to minimize being filtered before hitting the inbox.

Don’t assume your print fonts will work in your eNewsletter. There are actually only a handful of web-safe fonts, and using one that isn’t compatible might automatically change your fonts to something your computer can read.

Be careful with attaching files to an email blast as they are red flags that you might be spamming. Instead consider putting the PDF on your server and including a hyperlink to it.

Test your eNewsletter against different platforms and older mail systems. Chances are all of your clients don’t have all of the latest technologies on their machines.

Double check that your “opt out” mechanism is working properly. Worst case scenario, you can violate federal “Can-Spam Act” regulations and be sued by those you are trying to serve.

Good luck future email marketers!

Can Spam Act legislation

Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Email Guidance

Jeff Howlett

Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to develop strategy and help implement email marketing campaigns.

Social media marketing is great, provided you think like a marketer

2009-06-25T14:16:00.004-04:00

No one doubts the sheer volume of social media users. In fact, a recent report by Pew Internet indicates that adult internet users with a social network profile have “more than quadrupled in the past four years.” Numbers like that can turn even the most traditional marketer’s head.

Like the forty-niners to the Gold Rush, marketers are now flocking to capitalize. "Get us up on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter they shout!" Engage those users so they can engage our brand and our bottom line. Without barriers to entry, many marketers are jumping headfirst into multiple social networking channels without a plan or a second thought.

This is all fine, but isn’t marketing about segmenting your target audience and customizing your message accordingly?

It’s true that from teens to seniors everyone is getting involved. But the devil is in the details -- and more specifically the demographics. Looking a bit further into usage of social networks, it’s clear that baby boomers are more discerning with those in their network. Long term and more complex communication are embraced by this demographic. Relating back to your business, these users might be more patient with posting quality messages (think product or service feedback).

Conversely, younger demographics are more attuned to more frequent communication that is often less complex in nature. Trying to stimulate interest in events geared toward a younger audience? Text messages might provide more traction. Want similar product feedback from younger users? Consider using more video with different channels for response (text, comments, Facebook wall).

The social media landscape continues to change. As a marketer, your job is to not only embrace new technologies but understand how your target audience interacts in those media.

http://tech.msn.com/news/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=19904693
http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007113
http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007118

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to leverage new media opportunities

eCrossing’s Siegelski Nominated as Healthcare Rising Star

2009-04-08T09:57:00.000-04:00

eCrossings Media’s Jackie Siegelski has been nominated for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Rising Star award. This award recognizes Jackie as an outstanding performer and an ambassador for professional women in healthcare. It also acknowledges Jackie's ability to grow into a true leader in the field.

She will receive her award at the annual Woman of the Year luncheon at the New York Hilton on May 7. This year mark's the 20th anniversary of the luncheon, so the meeting will be more special than usual. The HBA is the premiere organization for providing training, education, and mentoring for women in the healthcare industry.

Jackie joined eCrossings in 2006 as a Web Developer and is now a Project Lead.

Social Media and No-Cost Internet Marketing

2009-02-23T09:01:00.001-05:00

Internet marketing can be a large and expensive undertaking. From designing and building a website to continuing site management, costs can rack up quickly. Next you will be tasked with determining how to spread your finite promotional dollars.

This is really difficult – and I’m not going to provide a formula on how to do so. Instead, I’d like to suggest ways to use social media to drive your brand at no cost.

If you’re in the business of marketing, you know that you’ll need to communicate where your customers are “listening.” Today, people are listening to each other through social networking channels, which have no entry cost.

For example, if you have promotional or informational videos they can be posted on YouTube at no cost, you can even create your own YouTube channel devoted to your videos. If you’re feeling daring, you can allow users to comment on your content. Or disable comments if you like.

Similar to the YouTube phenomenon are social networking sites. Increasingly mainstream, these sites provide yet another avenue to create dialogue about and touch points with your brand. Marketing to professionals? Consider creating a group on Linked In. Marketing to a more mainstream audience (possibly for community outreach or fundraising)? Then you might consider developing a Facebook or YouTube Presence.

Still skeptical, consider that President Obama had 5,599,451 “supporters” linked to his Facebook page and 1,299,795 “friends” linked to his MySpace page at the time this post was written.

Now that is a lot of listening.

http://www.myspace.com/
http://www.youtube.com/

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to drive their brand.

The Best Healthcare Website Features Pay You Back

2008-12-03T15:37:00.000-05:00

Recession? Check.
Budget Cuts? Check.
Panic? Double check.

It’s no secret that hospital marketers have a difficult job. Add one part tough economy and two parts budget cuts and lately the job can seem even more daunting. Unfortunately, even though fat website budgets have gone the way of the dodo, it seems that expectations have not. But before you put your shoes through this screen, I wanted to mention some website improvements that might pay you back.

Since costs are a constant in the offline world, you might consider website features that reduce costs associated with operating your business. Patient pre-registration tools are a great example. With some careful planning (and a lot of testing) your marketing and admitting team can reduce the cost of getting patients into the doors. Reduce costs by investing in a well developed pre-registration tool and you won’t need the same amount of resources to answer phones and manually enter the same information.

Another great example is a gift shop. Bad economy or not, visitors will always come with gifts in hand to see their loved ones in your hospital. If a gift shop feature isn’t up on your site, your organization is losing money there as well. In the offline gift shop you will need staff and space as well as logistical and billing resources. Wouldn’t it make more sense to create a Gift Shop section on your website where users can browse high-quality images and make a transaction then and there? In addition, chances are by the time the visitor comes to the hospital to see the loved one they probably have the gift. Providing an option for them to access the Gift Shop when they are on your site, will provide (1) a seamless interaction with your brand (2) convenience and (3) less chance that they will visit someone else’s florist on the way to the hospital.

Even if you maintain strong offline gift shops and pre-registration resources, web features will begin your cost savings. Good luck putting those features to work.

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to implement cost saving features.

Overlake, Lenox Hill Hospital Win Web Awards

2008-11-12T10:40:00.000-05:00

Two eCrossings Media clients were recently recognized for online excellence. Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, WA, earned a distinction award in the Best Overall Internet site (200-399 bed) category of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards. Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, won a standard of excellence award in the Healthcare Provider category of the WebAwards.

Overlake Hospital is a nonprofit regional medical center offering advanced medical services to the Puget Sound Region. Its site was redesigned by eCrossings Media in 2007.

Lenox Hill Hospital is an acute care hospital located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and is one of the leading hospitals in the nation. Lenox Hill’s website was redesigned by eCrossings Media last year

The eHealthcare Leadership Awards recognizes the best healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare associations, online health companies, pharmaceutical/medical equipment firms, suppliers, other healthcare organizations, and business improvement initiatives. The awards highlight the Internet's role in achieving an organization's business objectives and recognize the hard work that has gone into creating outstanding health Web sites.

Winners were recognized at a conference held in Orlando, Fl, Nov. 10-12. The awards are sponsored by Strategic Healthcare Communications.

The WebAwards recognize talented individual and team efforts in outstanding Website development. The awards are sponsored by the Web Marketing Association and were given out earlier this year.

Web Content Management 101

2008-08-06T09:58:00.000-04:00

You’ve got a cool website. It’s shiny, things move, and it talks. The problem is all of that content.

When you have an informational website, one of the biggest challenges is managing all of your quality information. Ideally you want both fresh content and features that grab you.

Gone are they days when basic HTML knowledge will allow you to manage a large site. Even if you had an army of people “HTML-ing” away, you will spend half of your time and resources just tracking edits. Things have changed.

Today’s leading websites use a content management system (CMS) to effectively manage vast amounts of information: editorial, images, video. They use a folder structure so people can quickly drill-down to the page they want to edit. For example, a hospital CMS might have the following CMS structure:

Programs and Services -> Orthopedics -> Orthopedics locations page.

CMS editors often have a WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) controls similar to Microsoft Word — so it’s easy for non-technical folks to make changes.

Most CMS programs even log all of your edits so you can see who made what edit and when. If it’s a temporary change you can revert back to an old edition. Cooler still, the majority of Content Management Systems allow you to drop in keywords for Search Engine Optimization and integrate with multimedia and other Web 2.0 add-ons.

For large sites that require a lot of edits by multiple people, a quality CMS is a Godsend. Depending on the product, there are many other bells and whistles.

Good luck future content managers.

Wikipedia

CMS Review

CMS Matrix

What is a Content Management System

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff works closely with eCrossings Media clients to ensure their CMS is helping them achieve their overall online goals.

What Will Shake Out Of the Social Networking Sieve?

2008-05-15T17:01:00.000-04:00

The idea and allure of social networking is pretty simple. It’s like that old Faberge commercial where the woman’s picture multiplies as she tells two friends about the shampoo and then they tell two friends and so on and so on and so on.

It’s been called word of mouth on steroids and, for the savvy marketer, the idea of linking up like-minded people to spread good tidings about their brand is much like manna from heaven.

Of course starting your own social network is the problem. Launching a blog is easy. But posting content and managing comments can be a drain on a marketing department’s already limited resources. Forums are a great idea and have been around since the beginning of the Web but who will monitor the forum for abuse and, aaargh, negative remarks about the company?

Even off-site marketing initiatives are proving cumbersome. Do you spend Monday morning updating the company’s Wikipedia entry, MySpace page or Facebook account?

Social networks are the killer application of the new century. Most if not all of the top sites on the Internet have some kind of social aspect to them so either this is a popular feature or a big coincidence. Still, even Adam had issues in the Garden of Eden.

One bugaboo has been the portability of content and information across networks. It’s great if someone gives your site a shout out on their MySpace page but what happens when your fan outgrows MySpace and opens a Facebook account? Is it realistic to expect people to carry over content from one platform to another?

The social networking community feels your pain and there are a slew of tools coming onto the market to help add social networking to sites large and small. The good news is that almost all of these applications are free, the bad news is deciding which one to use. It’s the latest version of the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray war or Betamax vs. VHS for you old timers.

Google entered the fray this week with Google Friend Connect, a free program that allows Web sites to add social networking features without major programming. Google Connect lets site owners link out to other popular social networking platforms, including Yahoo, AOL and Facebook.

Perhaps most impressive is Google Connect’s single access login. Users can type in their existing AOL, Yahoo or Google passwords to login to any site with Friend Connect installed. Essentially, Friend Connect accepts any login that uses the popular OpenID standard. Once logged in a user can activate and set up one or more social networks.

In theory, a user logging into a Google Friend Connect site can see other friends who are also on the site, send out text messages and see who in their networks have bookmarked the site. Applications are almost endless, from sharing guacamole recipes (as Google shows in this example) to doctors creating networks of patients on their sites.

Of course there are more issues: privacy, access, implementation and the ubiquitous free application wait list all need to be sorted out.

Google’s isn’t the only company fishing in this pond (MySpace and Facebook have similar products) but they do have the biggest net. Friend Connect may not be the Holy Grail social networkers are looking for but it’s a sign that the killer application of the early 21st century is here to stay.

Blogging at work will drive marketing?

2008-04-18T10:53:00.000-04:00

Blogs are uber-trendy and all over the Internet. People already loved to hear themselves talk and now they have a platform.

But aside from the self-adultation of seeing your comments in cyberspace, blogs can provide major benefits to your organization.

They quickly develop online communities. Users keep coming back and interact with your brand or message. Whether you're selling advertising seeking product feedback, or promoting a softer, less institutional feel for your hospital, the increased traffic will be a boon to your web efforts.

Even cooler is what blogs do to your placement on search engines.

Aggregators and search engines are continuously combing the web for new content. So seconds after your blog post is submitted, the new content with affiliated links, keywords, messages, etc.
will be processed by search engines.

Here at eCrossings Media, we encounter a lot of clients considering blogs and how best to engage that community. Although there are some viable concerns, oftentimes the benefits are overlooked.

More is more with search engines. More links, references and keywords will fuel search engines to find your message and give it a higher rank.

Now that's a blogging bandwagon worth jumping on!

If you want to learn more about how blogs work visit How Stuff Works

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff is instrumental in providing internet strategy for eCrossings Media, our clients and our partners.

Hospital Rooms: The Next Frontier for the Internet?

2008-03-17T17:07:00.000-04:00

An interesting piece in the NY Times crossed my screen the other day with direct relationship to many of our clients in the healthcare field. Several high-end hospitals have started offering online service in patient's rooms.

The service allows not only web browsing but the ability for patients to order medical supplies and other items directly to their room. Think about the patient who forgot a comfy pair of slippers at home.

The wow factor is certainly there but will patients burdened with an illness really be inclined to surf the web? And what the heck will this do to Hospital sites if it catches on?

Will we be designing portals to help patients research procedures from their hospital beds? Or will e-commerce functions become more important in hospital/healthcare design?

Intriguing questions with no answers at the moment.

Bad Video Leaves Bad First Impressions

2008-02-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

We get more and more requests at eCrossings Media to add video to our sites, however new studies from Pew and Jupiter Research point to the old saying that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

If your organization isn't ready to produce quality in-house video, then you might be better off pursuing other ways to get your marketing message out.

This report from Curt Worden at iMedia sums up the latest research nicely.

Patrick Patullo

Implement Web Analytics, But Don’t Forget What Matters

2007-11-29T12:14:00.001-05:00

Marketers have always dreamed of having perfectly quantifiable communications – and more importantly quantifiable results. In the past they would throw money at old media and hope something sticks. When it did they could run a victory lap around the office high-fiving everyone on the floor. But more often than not, and even if the campaign is great, it was very difficult to know how your clients consumed the message.

Was the increase in sales a consequence of our marketing magic? Or was it because of other factors?

Fortunately, in today’s internet age, every click is quantifiable. Marketers are now presented with a dizzying amount of information about who you are, where you came from and how you interacted with our product. This seemingly endless information about your consumers should be marketing gold.

But too often marketers capture web analytics without the end goal in sight. They’re producing fancy reports but not effectively relating it to their business. Metrics for the sake of metrics will make you sound cool, but you’ll surely get lost in a sea of information.

The smart marketer combines Web Analytics with Strategic Management. It’s important to take a step back and define “what’s our core business,” “what are we trying to do with our internet presence,” and “how are we going to define performance.” By defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), marketers can match what’s important offline to an appropriate web analytics metric. For example, the New York Times might have a basic KPI such as “keep people intrigued with content as a means to sell advertising.” As such, NY Times online marketers might equate this offline KPI to web metrics that define site stickiness. “Average Time Spent on Site” and “Average Page Views Per Visit” might be good web metrics to concentrate on as they match the KPIs.

Conversely, a company like E-Trade would have an offline KPI such as “Number of Trades Executed.” According to this KPI, they would care little about “Average Time on Site” or “Average Page Views Per Visit.” In fact, this type of transaction-based company might avoid long average time on the site, as it means that trades are not being executed quickly and efficiently. Similarly, “Average Page Views Per Visit,” would be undesirable as it would mean they are clicking around and not getting to the desired action (in this case a transaction). A more effective metric to match their KPIs might be “Exit Pages ending on Trade Confirmation Page.”

Knowing your product and working hard to understand the consumer has always been paramount. It’s important that marketers don’t get so caught up in reporting every web metric imaginable, that they lose sight of what’s going to drive their business. Effectively defining your organization’s KPIs and applying them to matching web metric will maximize your website as a communication tool. Oh and you’ll still look cool, especially to those signing your check.

Jeff Howlett
Account Executive
Jeff handles much of the Web analytics information for eCrossings Media, our clients and our partners.

Welcome to the eDesignLab

2007-11-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

The eDesignLab is where eCrossing Media's crakerjack staff comments, questions and passes on our thoughts, musings and understandings about the wild world of the web that surrounds us.

For clients, we'll bring you tidbits that we find interesting and for colleagues we hope you'll get a better grasp of what we do here at eCrossings.

Oh, you don't know about eCrossings Media. Well, we are a newly-branded agency that designs, develops and supports almost 100 Web sites across the Internet. We have a special focus on healthcare, retail and foodservice but we've worked on a diverse range of sites. Before our rebirth in November 2007 we were known as Dowden eMedia.

Mostly, we're just a group of people who love all things Internet, so visit our sites, click around and feel free to send us an email or give us a call.

Patrick Patullo,
Web Content Architect