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Best of the Website Success Blogs (March 6, 2009)

We have a bunch of great stuff for this edition of Best of the Website Success Blogs.  Google is offering training and certification in Google Analytics, Yahoo! has added some new functionality, e-mail tips, Matt Cutts on how to link to a specific part of a YouTube video, a posting about the new Facebook changes, a primer on Social Media Marketing and 9 usability mistakes to avoid with your website design!

I appreciate the suggestions you've been sending and I will have more "best of" for you in the next couple of days!

Google:
Google Analytics Launches Individual Qualification Program

What is Your Google Analytics IQ?
The course is free! The certification test is 50 bucks.

Boosting Adwords ROI With the Conversion Optimizer

PPC Hero:
New Features Rolling Out for Yahoo! Search Marketing, FINALLY!

Webmaster Resources:
Yahoo’s Phrase Based Indexing and It’s Effect on Your Site

InvespBlog:
Avoid Blacklisting and Get on Your Prospects Whitelists

Matt Cutts:
Link to a Sprcific Part of a YouTube video

Mashable:
HOW TO: Measure Online Influence

New Facebook Pages: A Guide for Social Media Marketers

G5 Search Marketing:
Facebook, Twitter, Real-Time Web, Social Marketing and Why You Should Care
Good social media primer for those of you who are SM curious

Advertising Age:
Web 2.0 Etiquette: A Review

Smashing Magazine:
9 Common Usability Mistakes In Web Design

E-Mail Don'ts (2 Case Studies)

I have a couple of case studies to share with you relative to E-Mail.  Last week a customer told me that she was going to use a buddy's list to send out email promoting her services.  "No No No No No," I replied.  There are multiple reasons why.

1. It doesn't comply with the Can-Spam Act.
2. Her friend's "herd" may have never heard of my customer and might not be receptive to her offers or appreciate the unsolicited email.
3. Sending out SPAM can affect your reputation.
4. Sending out SPAM can get your email addresses blacklisted.

"It's much better to have your message sent by your friend, including the fact that your friend is giving you a testimonial," I said.

There are other ways of building your list of people who may be receptive to your offers.

My other customer has built a list of nearly a thousand email addresses in ACT.  She has noticed some emails coming back to her and it varies.  Her list had also become less responsive.  I think I know why.

1. The list was never asked to opt-in - or give permission to send unsolicited mail.
2. She had not been emailing her herd on a regular basis.
3. Her subject lines and even internal content may have tripped filters.
4. Her ISP, AOL (and others), is getting more aggressive and unforgiving of SPAM.
5. Her emails were not delivering value, which made it easy for recipients to mark as SPAM or filter it.

I don't have much experience with ACT, nor do I know any online marketers who use it.  I think the list managers (I recommend Infusion and AWeber most) are beneficial in a variety of ways.

• Their servers are generally known to ISPs and often get a pass when it comes to complaints.  The ISPs know the best email CRMs conform to best practices.  These CRMs also have staff who work diligently to get blacklisted servers and domains on the right side of the track.
• You can see how much mail was delivered and the reason why you got soft or hard bounces.
• The CRMs usually have tools to help you tone down your suspected SPAM index before you send it.

Unfortunately, the days of easy emailing have gone the way of the rotary telephone, in part, because of the abusive behavior or both white hat and black hat marketers over the years.

But you can do it right and do it effectively!  Ask me how!

E-Mail Requirements That Save You a Fine & Keep Customers Happy

You may or may not be aware of rules and regulations pertaining to sending emails out to a list.  Many of the were defined in the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) and there are other rules of etiquette that responsible e-mailers should adhere to.  This applies to anyone sending out mass emails to customers, people you've met at a trade show, lists you get from acquaintances or joint venture partners, etc.

Failure to comply with CAN-SPAM can cost you a fine or even jail.  But even just failing to be a responsible emailer can cost you customers!

Today, we're going to focus on new rule provisions from the Federal Trade Commission.  It may prompt some thoughts about your own tactics.  If you have questions about email broadcasts or autoresponders, please email or call!

The new rule provisions address four topics:

• (1) an e-mail recipient cannot be required to pay a fee, provide information other than his or her e-mail address and opt-out preferences, or take any steps other than sending a reply e-mail message or visiting a single Internet Web page to opt out of receiving future e-mail from a sender;
• (2) the definition of “sender” was modified to make it easier to determine which of multiple parties advertising in a single e-mail message is responsible for complying with the Act’s opt-out requirements;
• (3) a “sender” of commercial e-mail can include an accurately-registered post office box or private mailbox established under United States Postal Service regulations to satisfy the Act’s requirement that a commercial e-mail display a “valid physical postal address”; and
• (4) a definition of the term “person” was added to clarify that CAN-SPAM’s obligations are not limited to natural persons.

For most people doing any kind of broadcast emails, these new requirements may already be part of their process.  And I'm sure that the vendors who provide email services (AWeber, Infusionsoft, Constant Contact and 1shoppingcart to name a few)  will encourage, if not enforce, compliance.  That's one of the benefits of using these vendors, even with a small list.
 
For more info click over to www.ftc.gov