June 2019 Newsletter
In This Issue
Reputation Management Part 2: Reputation Management on Social Media
In Part 1 of the Online Reputation Management Strategies You Can Implement Today series, we explored ways to manage brand reputation on Google My Business and other local review sites. But as we know, our online footprint isn’t limited to our website and the search engines. In Part 2 of the reputation management blog series, Nicole outlines steps you can take immediately to analyze and improve your business’ presence on social media. Steps include:
- Finding out which social media platforms your customers are using
- Engaging with your audience
- Monitoring brand mentions
- Creating a process and sticking with it
Learn more about how you can get started with reputation management on social media today!
Non-ADA Compliant Websites “Sitting Ducks” for Lawsuits
According to UsableNet, there were 2,285 ADA website lawsuits filed in the U.S. in 2018, up 181% from 2017. Disabled plaintiffs frustrated with being unable to properly access and view content on business’ websites are turning to attorneys to take action. So what does your website need to have in place to avoid these increasingly common and potentially catastrophic lawsuits? Here are some of the most common requirements:
- All functionality of the website should be accessible by use of a keyboard, especially navigation menus
- Video content should have on-screen captions
- All website text content should be readable by screen readers
- Web pages should not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period (this is to prevent seizures)
A complete list of guidelines can be found here. If you are uncertain if your website meets ADA requirements, Top Of The List can help!
Chatbots: Just A Trend or New Necessity?
Chances are, you’ve seen or used one – a little box that pops up at the bottom of the screen when you visit a website, asking if you’d like some help. While these can seem annoying at times, they are becoming increasingly popular – and in many cases, helping businesses gain customers and insights about website usage. There are a slew of options out there when it comes to chatbots; some are actual AI programs that work like an automated phone system to direct visitors to the appropriate information, while others initiate chat with a real person. Employees at your business can interact directly with the visitor on their computer or even in text messages on their phone. Unique advantages chatbots can offer:
- See live data about where a visitor is on the website, so you can assist them more efficiently
- Instantly answer questions that are too specific to highlight on a webpage
- Provide information to customers without forcing them to make a phone call or write an email (extra steps that often push customers to websites who won’t make them take those extra steps)
- Give the visitor customer service on a platform that doesn’t provide interaction
- Record advanced website usage data that can help you gain additional insights about your customers’ behavior and your website’s performance
There are many considerations to keep in mind when deciding if a chatbot is right for your website. For assistance with determining if this is something worth investing in, contact us today! We’re happy to evaluate your website and make recommendations on the best chatbot options for your business.
Tip of the Month
Write Search Engine-Friendly Headings. Did you know that search engines use the headings on a page to understand what that page is about? While the search engines look at all the content on your page, they skim just like humans. Headings are huge indicators for what the rest of the content is about, so it’s critical that while they make sense to readers, they also clearly reflect the subject of your content to search engines!
Let’s use an urgent care facility as an example. Their well-intentioned copywriters write a compelling heading, “Care, When It Matters Most.” While this does create an emotional response in a reader, it doesn’t really tell the search engines anything! With a few quick changes, we re-write the heading to say “Affordable Urgent Care, When It Matters Most ”. See, that wasn’t so hard! We still stayed on message, while adding words people search for when looking for urgent care services (Urgent Care, Affordable Urgent Care).
Keep this rule in mind when writing Blog Posts, News Articles, even Newsletter Headings for good practice. Over time it will become habit, and your website will reap the rewards. Contact us if you’d like some help!
Just for Laughs
I asked my daughter if she’d seen my newspaper. She told me that newspapers are old school. She said that people use tablets nowadays and handed me her iPad. The fly didn’t stand a chance.
Our best for your success!
