Integrity Marketing

Responsive Web Design vs. Mobile Website

As you may have read, Google has announced that starting April 21 their algorithms will shift to favor websites with mobile-friendly designs. While any of our Essential Clients’ websites will show up on any device regardless of mobile optimization, there are two ways to go about creating a website that is optimized for mobile (which is what Google likes).

 

Mobile Website

The first way to create a mobile-friendly website is to create a separate site just for mobile. With this option, we create a completely separate set of code and include a script that tells browsers to display this set of code on a smartphone, and the desktop set of code on all other devices. The mobile site is indicated by “m.” at the beginning of the URL instead of the “www.”

 

Pros:

• User Experience - This way of coding allows us to focus on making sure that the mobile version of the site works well on phones. Buttons are large and easy to click and the menu is simplified for easy navigating.
• Speed – For mobile sites, we remove most of the images from the desktop website to allow more space for text and buttons. With fewer images and animations, the site loads faster, which is great for mobile users.

Cons:

• More maintenance – A separate code set means that any time you make an update to your desktop site, the edit must be made separately to the mobile site. We do use a service that is meant to sync any changes to the desktop site with the mobile site, but sometimes that doesn’t always happen smoothly.
• Lack of features – The mobile sites we create cannot support the same level of graphics, animations and features that the desktop sites create. This often means that mobile users are not having the same experience on your site as desktop users.

 

Responsive Web Design

The second way to create a mobile-friendly website is to make your website responsive. Unlike a mobile website, a responsive design uses one set of code, regardless of device. With this option, you only have one website.

 

Pros:

• Single website – Having a single website makes maintenance much quicker and easier. You also ensure that your users have the same experience on your website, regardless of how they view it.
• High Tech – Responsive websites use the most up-to-date coding techniques. Because of their fluid layouts, responsive websites are more “future-proof” meaning that they will look good on a wide variety of devices, even as smartphones get bigger and bigger.

Cons:

• User Experience  – Having a responsive website presents the challenge of always presenting the appropriate information to the appropriate audience. For example, more mobile users are going to want easier access to your phone number than desktop users.
• More complicated coding – With one site meant to work across more devices, the coding gets a little more complicated. Exceptions and cases must be made for different devices to ensure a smooth experience across all platforms.

While I believe that the current best practice is to use responsive design, a mobile site can still be a good option. If you haven’t already, consider which option is the best solution for your firm. Then give us a call! 

Phone Faux Pas: A Foundation for First Impressions

Essential Clients sign on for more than just a pretty website.  They understand the system and the processes it takes to get that “pretty website” to really work, like blogging, social media activity, emails, video and more.  Once the system is in place and working, the phone should be ringing. 

Have you thought about what potential clients hear when they call in? I’ve actually personally experienced calling a couple of law offices and been shocked at what I heard on the other end! 

At IMS, we are diligent in guiding your digital marketing plan. Solidify that branding by carrying the strong message through from your website to phone presence.

Consistent Greeting

Many of the estate planning and Elder Law firms that we work with are just one or two people that wear many hats.  Some are both the attorney and appointment scheduler.  Other firms may be a little bit larger and have another staff member handling the initial phone calls into the office.

Either way, it is very important that each staff member – every one of them – be properly trained on the telephone techniques for that firm.  For example, if Sally normally answers the phone but has a dentist appointment and is out this morning, a caller should receive the same greeting from Paul, who is covering for Sally while she is away from her desk.

The greeting needs to be short and sweet.  Clearly identify both the name of the company and the person with which the caller is speaking.  “Hello and thank you for calling The Best Firm in Town.  My name is Sarah.  May I help you?”

If your company has a brief tagline that you want to include in the greeting as well, by all means.  Just keep in mind how you feel when calling businesses yourself.  Don’t make your caller sit through five minutes of introductions before they can ask their question or be transferred.

In contrast, the greeting should not be too short.  “Yel’low?”, “Hello?”, “This is [name].” etc. are not acceptable greetings for a law firm.  Remember, you likely want to reflect professionalism and trustworthiness.  Your phone greeting is a great place to reinforce those traits!

Scripted Responses

Because of the sensitive subject matter that may be associated with some estate planning or elder law phone calls (perhaps the loss of a loved one, arguments between siblings or family, etc.), it would be a good idea to practice or script out approved responses you and your staff members can refer to while on calls.  Having appropriately supportive responses by your staff may make all the difference in the selection of an attorney for a daughter who just lost her mother and needs assistance figuring out the next steps to take.

Transferring Training

Another seemingly small but actually very important part of a company’s phone presence can be time on hold or being transferred.  Make sure, again, every single person who works in your office has practiced and can reference a guide for putting a client on hold and making transfers.  Both tasks should be seamless. You would hate to lose a client because you accidentally hung up on them!

These are just a few suggestions to help keep your potential clients happier on the phone with your firm.  If you are interested in learning a bit more about marketing ideas carried through to your phone systems, check out this article by Tristan Barnum of MarketingProfs, including the use of vanity numbers, product or education recordings for clients on hold, and automated messaging tips.

Facebook Lists Part Two: Sharing Posts to Select Friends

In the past few weeks we've discussed how to create a friends list in Facebook and how to view posts from a friends list in Facebook. Today we'll walk through the steps for sharing posts to a select list of friends. This is especially useful if you are sharing something work related that may be more appropriate for your professional colleagues, as opposed to your entire friends list. In this example we'll demonstrate how to share a Facebook post; however, this process can just as easily be used for sharing a blog post or web page.

Sharing Posts to Select Friends:

1) While logged in to Facebook, navigate to a post you would like to share to your own Timeline and click on the Share link.

• If sharing a blog post or web page, navigate to it in a new tab within your browser window (CTRL+T).
• Copy the URL and paste it into your Status area.

2) Click on the drop-down menu to edit who should see this post.

• Depending on your default settings, you may need to click More Options.

3) Click on the pre-defined list you would like to share your post to.

4) Type a message about the post, blog or web page you are sharing and then click to Share Status.

Keep checking back for more on using lists in Facebook.

Have a great week!

- April

 

Connect with Your Audience through Social Media

Some small businesses feel they do not have the time to engage with their followers on Social Media.  Some do not see the value in it or simply do not want to learn how to use this “foreign” marketing platform. Maybe it is because they think their target audience is not active on social media?  Or they don’t realize that it takes 4-6 touch points to actually get a potential client to inquire about your business.

If you are a small business it is your benefit to engage in social media, if not on a daily, but weekly basis.  The automatic post from your blog feed is a great source of organic content.  Content is more valuable when users are engaging with it. 

Here are a few tips on how you can build engagement with your Social Media audience:

(1) Show your personality – The Facebook platform is a great informal way to build a relationship with your prospective clients.  This gives them a chance to get to know and connect with you before actually becoming a client.

(2) Interact with your community – Use Facebook to interact within your existing networks, if you are a part of non-profit or social organizations.  Facebook is a great way to share articles, comment on events or like posts.

(3) Share Media – Through videos and photos.  Users are more likely to respond to imagery than text.  Facebook is a great way to showcase photos of your office or share informational videos about your services.

Ultimately, interacting within your Social Media account and posting organic content is FREE advertising and it should be incorporated into your existing marketing strategy.  

Sayonara, Sliders!

I’ve had the privilege of interacting with a couple of very stand-up attorneys recently. Both of them realized that with their professional training being in law, they really did not feel confident to make website design suggestions and allowed our outstanding IMS designers to lead the charge.

The results have been phenomenal.

Check out Tim Jarvis’ website, here: http://www.jarvisfirm.com/index.php.

While a slider might have been “cool” in this section, if you visit the website you’ll see that the text “Plan Ahead for the Second Half of Life” and the call-to-action buttons, like “Attend a Workshop,” are to slowly fade in. This feature draws a visitor’s attention to exactly what Jarvis Law Office wants viewers to see very quickly. Tim’s message is instantly delivered instead of waiting for two or three slides to pass to glean the whole story.

Another website that has recently gone live is David A. Carpenter, in Oklahoma: http://www.trustconcepts.com/index.php.

If you scroll down a bit, you will also see animation on David’s page in the testimonials section. If you are trying to polish your professional image and gain client referrals, you really need to collect and send us client testimonials and peer endorsements to add to your website. Testimonials play such an important role in a potential client feeling confident in picking up the phone to contact you or completing a form on your website. Having experiences of other (real) clients on your website paired with a beefed up bio and pleasant head shot can engage your readers and positively impact the amount of contact you receive from your website.

Does your website have a slider? Do you not have a space for testimonials on your home page? It might be time for an update. Give us a call and we’d be happy to discuss the benefits of refreshing your marketing.

Facebook Lists Part One: Viewing Posts from Select Friends

In a previous post we discussed how to create a friends list in Facebook. Let's review one of the many ways we can use Facebook lists.

Viewing Posts from Select Friends:

1. Log in to Facebook; from your Newsfeed look down the left-hand column to the Friends section and click on the More link just to the right.
   
   
2. Click on any list to see posts from ONLY those selected as members of that list.
   
   

Keep checking back for more on using lists in Facebook.

Have a great week!

April

How to Choose a Font for a Website

Our clients often ask about choosing a font for their website. With all of the options available and factors involved, choosing an appropriate font really becomes an art form!

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a font:

• The font needs to be web-safe. By default, websites try to use fonts that are installed on your individual computer. But you can’t be sure that the font options on your computer are exactly the same as they are on mine or on your clients’ computers. The most common way of overcoming this issue currently is to use fonts hosted on external sites that we can link to. Make sure the font you have in mind is available.
• Will you be adding custom printed marketing pieces in addition to your online marketing tools? If yes, choose a font with licensing for both print and web use.
• How old is your target audience? There are fonts specifically designed to be easier to read on screens, which are a good choice for a more senior audience. For younger audiences, be sure to pick a font that scales well for mobile devices.
• How much text will there be? Certain types of fonts are better for headings than for long paragraphs of text, and vice versa. Be sure to pick a font appropriate for the amount of copy. You can usually get away with using a more elaborate or decorative font for a heading than you can for your welcome message.
• Consider other fonts being used. Combining fonts makes things even more complicated! When choosing fonts to be used in unison, I like to choose fonts that have an obvious contrast. For example, try a font that’s bold and chunky for headlines with a font that’s thinner for the body copy.

I know it can get a little overwhelming to choose a font. But that’s why you’ve chosen to work with the team at Integrity Marketing Solutions! Our designers will listen to your concerns and choose a font appropriate for your audience and situation.

You Have Until April 21st to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly

According to user trends all demographics are moving toward searching for information on a mobile device or tablet over a desktop.  In turn, desktop sales continue to decline as smartphones and tablets sales continue to increase.  So it only makes sense that Google adapts to these user trends and updates their search algorithm.

 Google released this news in late February, “Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal.  This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.  Consequently users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.”

 What does this mean exactly?   Well it means that if your website is not mobile-friendly (i.e. you have not implemented a responsive website design into your marketing strategy) then your organic search ranking will be negatively affected by this ranking signal change. 

 What can you do? 

• Check your email.  Google sent out an alert email a couple months back that stated if your website was not mobile-friendly and that changes need to be made. 

• If you can’t find that email, then take the Mobile-Friendly Test.  Google Developers have provided a Mobile-Friendly Test to analyze URLs.  After you enter your URL, Google will provide a report if the page has a mobile-friendly design. You can take the test here. 

• If your website passes the Mobile Friendly Test then your website is in good shape in the aspect of an upcoming algorithm changes, but it is best practice to update your website at least every two years, so it wouldn’t hurt to give us a call to discuss the benefits of a website redesign.  Digital Marketing is an ever-changing industry and we are experts!

• If your website did not pass the Mobile Friendly Test then you should give us a call ASAP!  It is critical that we start the redesign process.  The April 21^st deadline is fast approaching and the sooner you take action the better.

IMS President Kyle Krull Sworn into Bar of United States Supreme Court

Our very own IMS President Kyle Krull was sworn into the bar of the United States Supreme Court on Monday. Kyle was part of a group of Washburn University School of Law alums appearing in open session before the justices.

Kyle highly recommends the experience to any attorney admitted and in good standing before any state or federal court, regardless of practice focus.

An avid blogger, Kyle took to his blog this week to inform readers of his absence from the blogosphere last week and shared his experience in Washington, D.C.:

I was sworn into the bar of the United States Supreme Court on Monday, as part of a group of Washburn University School of Law alums appearing in open session before the justices.

Following the ceremony, we all enjoyed a private reception with Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Ginsberg and Justice Sotomayor, lunch at the Army and Navy Club, a tour of the Pentagon, and an evening reception with Senator Bob Dole.

What a day.

The experience of being sworn into the court in open session is open to any attorney admitted and in good standing before any state or federal court, regardless of his or her practice focus.

Congratulations, Kyle!

Read Kyle's full post at: http://blog.kylekrull.com/kansas-missouri-estate-planning/2015/03/my-tuesday-absence-explained.html

Follow-up to Finding Followers: How to NOT Lose 'Em Once You Got 'Em!

A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to make some chocolate chip cookies. I found what looked to be an awesome recipe – I mean, soft, gooey, delicious. I couldn’t wait. I had all of the ingredients I needed already in my pantry. I’m a total rule-follower, so I carefully measured out the exact measurements listed. I looked up what “cream together” meant for the butter and sugar, just to be sure. I used parchment paper so the bottoms of the cookies would not burn. I even set the timer three minutes short so they wouldn’t get too done.

The result?

Small, hard, and dry cookies.

What went wrong? I followed the recipe to a “T”!

Turns out, there are some things that you shouldn’t do when baking cookies (that I did) that the recipe didn’t outline.

Why am I telling you this?

Last week, I read a very interesting article about a question many Estate Planning and Elder Law attorneys ask us, “How can I get more people to follow me on social media?” The article outlined several important “ingredients” to use in your recipe for successful social media engagement: e-mail, networking and investing in design.

However, just as in baking, there are also things that you shouldn’t be doing (that you may be doing) that could be driving away those followers that you just got!

Andrea Lehr of the Hubspot Blog learned about why people are following a brand’s page in the first place. The top reasons are an interest in the company, the chance at free or discounted offers and hearing about the new company happenings, like products or services.

This particular study revealed that followers prefer to learn about your business via photos first, closely followed by video and reviews. You probably have most of those items covered in sharing your blogs, pages of your website (potentially with video!) and articles of interest.

So why would anyone choose to un-follow you? Take this quick test to see if you have committed any of these social crimes!

HAVE YOU EVER…

1) Posted Too Much Self-Promotion or Uninteresting Content?

It is important to encourage visitors to check out your website or notify them of upcoming events. However, just like in real life, if someone is ONLY talking about themselves, it’s tough to get involved in the conversation. Be sure to share community events, interesting articles and a big one, ask open ended questions. These items will add value to your reader’s experience and engagement.

2) Overused Automated Messaging or Lacked Personal Engagement?

Have you ever submitted a question online and received an e-mail immediately after? Something like, “Thank you for contacting us. You are important to us. We will respond to your message as soon as possible.” These messages are helpful confirmations that our submission reached the proper destination. But, if you do not get a response “as soon as possible,” you are disappointment. Followers can feel the same way on social media. 

Be sure you are taking time to reply to the messages you may receive in your inbox on your social media platforms. If you get a new follower, “Like” it, if possible, so they feel acknowledged. If they leave a funny comment on a blog post or photo on your page, reply as much as you can.

3) Used Hashtags Wrong?

If you don’t know what a Hashtag is, here you go: #. Yes, that’s a pound or number sign. But the Twitter world started a Hashtag phenomenon that basically addresses the subject of the content you are posting in a brief word or phrase that then becomes a searchable link for all posts with the same Hashtag.

Be diligent to use your Hashtags sparingly and only if they make sense with your post.

If you’ve just been caught red-handed, be sure to remember a few specific guidelines. 

• First, it is okay to post regularly. Your followers are expecting that! Just be sure that you treat your posting as a sort of conversation. Conversations that are one-sided or “salesy” won’t last long. 
• Be sure you are sharing information that you think your readers might really want to know. 
• Try engaging with them directly – wish them well on their birthday or “Like” pictures they post, etc. In this way, you are developing relationships. A brand that is near and dear to you is one that you may share with your other friends and loved ones. Be the brand that gets shared!