Twitter creator Jack Dorsey recently gave the first public demonstration of his hotly-anticipated latest venture “Square” – a device that allows its users to make credit card payments through their cell phones.

Square is a card reader about one inch in length that attaches to the headphone socket of most cell phones. 

The device contains a magnetic strip reader that allows a user to swipe a card, which will then coordinate online with card issuers and banks through a mobile application on the user’s cell phone. 

Basically, the Square works very similarly to card swipers that you see in most retail stores.

The device is scheduled to be available for iPods and iPhones in March 2010. 

View the latest "Square" YouTube video from TechCrunch    

Sources: 

After Twitter, Comes Square - By Richard Neil Ilagan, The News Chronicle

Creator Reveals Square Mobile-pay Device - By Barry Neild, CNN

Best

Denice MacDonald

Online holiday retail sales will grow 8% this year to $44.7 billion, predicts Forrester Research Inc. That would represent a continued shift of shopping to the web, as the National Retail Federation has forecast total retail sales will decline 1% this holiday season.

So, before you go online to shop, check out these great 'coupon' websites that provide discounts and promo codes for top retailers like Old Navy, Target, Kohls and as well as computer giants such as Dell.   

RetailMeNot: Coupon Codes [Above]

FatWallet: Online Coupons 

DealCatcher: Free Online Coupons

MyCoupons.com: Grocery Coupons and Online Coupons

Deal of Day: Coupon Codes

The Bargainist: Coupons & Coupon Codes

Dealnews: Online Coupons 

Now - get out there and start shopping!

Best,

Denice MacDonald 

MacDonald Consulting is gearing up for a fairly large e-commerce project. During the due diligence process (discovery), one of the questions I asked is: what would your customers prefer: Click to Call or Live Chat? 

Solemn reply: I don’t know – do customers need it, do we have the staff to support it and is it costly? My come back: you can’t afford not to use it! Internet Retailer points out that 10 to 15 percent of e-commerce browsers will buy, if they engage in online chat, versus 2 percent who do not use chat.

Where to start -- catering to your audience:

Click to Call, for example, is suited for a younger, more advanced user who routinely uses ‘self help’ technology.  

Live Chat, on the other hand, would be more advisable for non-technical users (luddites), baby boomers or an older market that prefer immediate ‘voice help’. 

When to use both:

There may be an instance when using both technologies will work for your online e-commerce strategy – especially if you are seasonal, have peaks or limited staff. 

Now is the time to get with the program:

Whether it’s to browse, shop or buy or simply completing an online form – customers may require some help along the way. Why not build in safety nets so that conversion can be enhanced and abandonment diminished?   

To learn more about Click to Call and Live Chat – check out these great resources: 

Liveperson.com (Small, Medium Businesses)

eStara by ATG (Enterprise)

Live Help – Power of Click to Call and Click to Chat (White Paper by ATG)

Best

Denice MacDonald

One of the most important sections of a web site is the web form page. Whether the goal of your site is to get visitors to sign up for your e-mail newsletter, fill out a form for more information, get a quote or purchase a product online, every aspect of your form can potentially impact conversions, and therefore should be carefully examined.

When first thinking about creating web forms, you must think beyond the input fields. When your visitors look at a web form, it’s not just a one-time decision that is being made, but more likely a series of mini-decisions. Does this graphic grab my interest? Does this headline make me want to learn more? Do I want to provide my e-mail address? Do I want to give out my phone number? Should I hit the Submit button? Do I want to refer to a friend?

Anything that is created on the form page, from top to bottom, creates or motivates a decision to act.

Here are some aspects of a web form page you should consider:

1. Headline - create a sense of urgency in an impact statement that appeals to YOUR customer - cliche one-liners won't work here.
2. Form layout - less is more here, keep it simple and easy to understand.
3. Pricing - make it clear what the price is AND include value (free shipping, discounts etc.).
4. Fields - include only fields that are necessary - too many fields will cause a visitor to opt-out.
5. Opt-in copy - should be enticing and include privacy/spam language.
6. Links - ahhh....links will not only entice but also steer customers to learn more about you or your affiliates.
7. Submit buttons - believe it or not, the size, shape and placement of your submit button can make or break the final step (conversion) of your web form.

How do you know if the web form is meeting a visitors criteria? 

Similar to a web content page, layout the form in a wireframe - outlining exactly where fields, graphics and other interactive features will reside.  Compare against customer expectations, demographics and psychographic needs.  

In some instances, the web form is the first impression of your organization if it is used in conjunction with trade show lead generation, custom landing page supporting an adword campaign or simply a direct custom URL to a product.  Remember, your goal is to get the customer to act.

Additional Resources:

Web Form Design: Filling in the Blanks by Luke Wroblewski

Creating Wireframes

Optimizing Web Forms

Online marketing continues to evolve while traditional media is waning. The result is that many organizations are beginning to utilize social media as an effective way to engage and collaborate with consumers through social communities.  

Unlike traditional marketing, social media allows a two-way communication with consumers. People are talking about brands all the time. Companies need to evaluate if they are ready to start listening and engaging in conversations with their customers and prospects with an effective strategy that will build personalized, lasting and meaningful connections. 

This connection will prompt viral exchanges, call to action scenarios and brand lift for a number of organizations that are stuck in traditional strategies that are not longer effective. 

There are a number of excellent resources that will aid organizations that are ready to embrace social marketing. Here are a few great resources to get started:  

Mashable: The Social Media Guide (Learn the various components of social media - realizing that social interaction is 1 to many, not just 1 to 1)

110 Ways Retailers are Using Social Media Marketing (Leverage this detailed listing of organizations that are doing it right the first time)

Internet Retailer: Growing Importance of Social Media (Don't underestimate the growth potential - Internet Retailer has it all fared out for management disbelievers)

Best

Denice MacDonald

To build e-commerce sites that drive more traffic and sales, retailers are creating interactive page treatments and adding video, customer reviews and other advanced features.

Time to motivate customers

By incorporating video, customer reviews and other advanced features, b2b and b2c retailers are positioning content, tools and applications on product pages in a way that motivates the visitor to take a specific action.

For example, if your customer base relies heavily on compliance or regulatory mandates, consider a video that provides insight on how your product or service will solve or comply with a regulatory issue. Likewise, consider adding customer reviews on new products – doing so will not only show that your organization is transparent, but that you are willing to learn from product feedback – whether it’s good or bad.

Lastly, smart retailers are providing insight and thought leadership in the forms of blogs or interactive forums to draw in prospects and customers – using them as a third-party sell. Doing so will not only elevate your brand but provide content to virally get your message out.

What’s next?

Some web retailers are taking a wait-and-see approach to launching mobile commerce or digital communities. But that doesn’t mean that these features should not be on your radar and/or part of your ‘next steps’ in the evolution of your e-commerce web site. Technology and customer expectations are moving quickly, regardless of the economic downturn. Be prepared.

Who's doing it and how are they doing it?

iPhone 3G Shows How to Use Online Video to Sell Products by Holly Buchanan of FutureNow

Ebags.com (view video lower left hand side of web product page)

Microsoft (uses customer profiles to tell the story - very cool)

Best,

Denice MacDonald

Website Magazine is the one magazine that focuses exclusively on the business of running a website: tips for successful websites, solutions for enhancing website traffic, the latest Internet industry trends and statistics, as well as news analysis on the Internet industry.

By providing a broad scope of useful articles and tapping premier talent in the industry, Website Magazine covers all the elements that together make websites successful: search engine optimization and marketing, website design, content management, blogging, E-commerce, online advertising, email marketing, analytics, web software and applications, customer service/customer relationship management, web hosting, mobile web and more. 

I highly recommend that anyone who is involved with web site development, strategy or execution (including internet marketing) subscribe to this publication. Website Magazine has also developed additional content exclusive to their digital edition which is available only to subscribers.

You'll find insightful articles on SEO for WordPress, product videos and ROI, advantages of being a certified Google AdWords Professional, Internet usage market share, domain names and SEO and the ultimate PPC bid matrix.

Lastly, you can join Website Magazine's online community and get a free listing!

Subscribe Today!

• Free Subscription Here
• Sample Issue

Enjoy!

Denice MacDonald
 

Some analysts predict e-commerce is well-poised for this upcoming holiday season. A recent survey by e-marketer acknowledged e-commerce’s 2008 advantage over brick–and–mortar stores. 

The E-commerce Silver Lining 

Free shipping and 'only available online' scenarios will likely create new opportunities for e-commerce sites to increase sales. Bargain hunting and comparison shopping are sure to increase, and both are easier to do online than in stores. While this is encouraging news, online marketers realize that competition for consumers in the e-commerce world is still quite expansive and diverse.

To be part of this positive trend, brand positioning through optimization becomes even more of a necessity. 

Where to Start 

Before focusing on driving traffic, online marketers need to consider whether or not their landing pages are ready for visitors. Focus optimization on these high–impact areas: 

Homepages

• Category Pages (example: review taxonomy and cross-relational/cross-sell items - if you like this, you might like this)
• Offer/product–specific pages (example: emphasize high end, seasonal, one of a kind) 

And within those areas, focus on specific page elements designed for high impact by holiday visitors to your site: 

Content

• Headlines and Subheads (eye grabbing copy that gets the visitors attention)
• Body Copy (emphasizing 'one of a kind' or other differentiator)
• Calls to Action (example: sale - today only)
• Testimonials (customer quotes that help sell the product) 

Graphics

• Product photos (thumb and enlarge)
• Buttons, calls to action (easy to read, actionable descriptors)
• Credibility indicators (badges, awards, security symbols)  

Forms

• Email opt–ins (make it easy for them to stay connected)
• Order forms (make it easy and intuitive) 

Lastly, and more importantly, emphasize the brand and value proposition for the organization now and beyond the holidays. 

Sources:

• Marketing Experiments
• E-marketer
• Internet Retailer

Related Blogs:

• Successful Online Shopping - What Can Your Site Guarantee? by Denice MacDonald
• Simple Rules for SEO Success by Denice MacDonald
• Web Forms: Get'm to Convert! by Denice MacDonald
• Testing for Search Optimization by Denice MacDonald

Best.

Denice MacDonald

Jupiter Research determined long ago that a simple and easy-to-use navigational scheme is key to online shoppers’ satisfaction.

Online shoppers indicated they are likely to return to a retailer’s site if it is easy to navigate, particularly during the registration, log-in, and checkout processes.

Assurances regarding the security of personal financial information are also important for the majority of online shoppers.

Online shopper loyalty is also contingent upon several issues related to site features and overall site performance. Specifically, online shoppers insist on a rapid checkout process, while most stated that quick page loading is critical to their loyalty.

Quick page loading is particularly important to shoppers who have actually made purchases online in the last 12 months. Buyers stated that quick page loading made them loyal to a given online retailer compared with only 34 percent of shoppers who had not recently purchased products, but only researched their options online.

To see who’s really doing it right, check out these great web sites ranked by Internet Retailer as the top 10 online retailers. 

Amazon.com Inc. *  Staples Inc.   *  Office Depot Inc.  *  Dell Inc.   *  HP Home & Home Office Store

OfficeMax Inc.  * Apple Inc. *  Sears Holding Corp.  *  CDW Corp. *  Newegg.com

Denice's Choice . . .  TARGET!

Bob Pearson, of Dell, recently presented insight into Dell's learning relative to the web - and in my opinion, they are spot-on with their findings. I've taken the liberty of condensing the learning below.

What Dell's Learned so far?

1. The online world is undergoing the most significant transformation so far. 
2. The # of conversations is exploding. 
3. Customers want to speak with us in their first language. 
4. New countries are formed every day that are not being treated with the full respect that their nation's population deserves. 
5. Watch out for content pushers. 
6. You new home page is really cool .... but do you know where it is? Today's home page is a Google search Results page.  The Traffic that matters is not about you!
7. If you build it they will not necessarily come!
8. Less than 1% of a personal time online will be spent online purchasing.

What has Dell's Key Learnings & Action been with all of this?

1. The most important thing you can do is help customers w/ their technology problems.
2. Blogging is global ... blogging is multi-lingual ... blogging is by community of passion ... blogging is not "one blog". 
3. Would you rather do a focuses group with 10 people or listen to 100,00 people debate ideas for a few months and ask them questions throughout the process? 
4. Customers are partners and partners join together to make a difference. 
5. Communities are more powerful than individuals, Communities want to help each other improve.
6. The online experience at work should be similar to the online experience at home. 
7. Join your customer's communities and become part of the solution.
8. You can be easy to see, and should be easy to converse to.
9. If you are dealing with an issue be truthful, transparent and diligent in updating your customers.
10. Your customers are people not lines of business.  One customer or Employee --> Many communities.
11. Measurement requires thinking outside the box.  Don't try to fit old thinking to the new environment.

 Citation Link: Search Marketing Gurus

Ten Key Online Predictions for 2008

eMarketer has issued predictions for 2008 in key online areas, including those related advertising, videos, social networks, e-commerce and entertainment, saying online advertising will ride out potential economic storms in the US - and YouTube will decide political elections.

The 10 predictions for 2008 according to eMarketer:

1. Online ads remain resilient.
2. Video surge slows.
3. Social-network advertising hits $1.6 billion.
4. Networking goes beyond MySpace and Facebook.
5. YouTube decides the election.
6. Beijing Olympics pumps up ad spending.
7. Buy online, pick up in-store becomes expected feature.
8. Movie downloading hits the mainstream.
9. Music marketers roll out new business models.
10. Dynamic ads heighten gaming revenue potential.

Social Network Usage

Social networking will remain a key online activity, with 44% of US consumers using social networking at least once a month in 2008. While MySpace and Facebook will continue to dominate the market, changes are taking place that will extend social networking activities beyond a single destination site.

Profiles will eventually become portable, meaning consumers need only create one and be able to use it in many places on the web. Widgets that today work with only one social-network site will be designed on an open platform, extending their reach.

Activities such as online shopping, searching and even sending email will be enhanced with social-networking features.  Moreover, much of the social networking strategy can also be applied to B2B applications with intranet scenarios.

For the top social networking sites thru November, click here.