HP Adopts Viewstream’s Proprietary Presentation Technology Posted by John Assalian on June 23, 2008 For the past two years, Viewstream has provided proprietary networking and display systems for HP and The Kenwood Group events. Our system, developed in-house, allows audience members to send questions via text message or e-mail, which were processed and displayed on the main screen in real time. Most recently, we were in Las Vegas for the 2008 HP Software Universe Conference. Check out the photos to see our technology in action! Images courtesy of The Kenwood Group.
The Changing Search Engine Interface Posted by John Assalian on June 18, 2008 Usability-wise, there are a couple simple facts about search engine usage that Viewstream uses as the basis of our search marketing and search engine optimization practice: Over 50% of users don’t read past the first results page (btw, interesting fact: men tend to go past the first couple of pages more than women). If you are not on the top of the results (paid or organic) there is limited value. There are some changing search engine interfaces that reinforce these two facts. Space Time has a cool product and is developing alternative methods of reviewing and selecting your webpage, photo, and video search results. By presenting the pages in 3-D, results are stacked in an open space to be shuffled and organized visually. The Economist had a good article about the changing trends in search engines. What we see happening in the future is a new segment of search, that is search as entertainment. We recommend our clients pay more and more attention to search optimization (with consideration for new search engines) as well as website design creative to truly stand out. Media-based design using video, vector and motion graphics has more and more value in this information as entertainment world. As always, the surfing patterns of your customers is what counts, so each situation needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Viewstream can help with your search marketing and search engine optimization in the ever changing world of search. Give us a shout!
Outdone by Gmail and Outlook? Posted by John Assalian on June 16, 2008 We have a couple employees who love Gmail and refuse to use Outlook. That’s cool, whatever tool works. The big problem is when you send mail from Gmail — it is impossible to hide the “gmail.com” label Google automatically adds the “on behalf of” copy in the send header. Check this out: The consensus is that it can’t be fixed, it’s just something Google did to spread branding. Oddly, Yahoo mail doesn’t do this.
In SEO, Don’t Forget the Details Posted by John Assalian on June 13, 2008 Most people understand the importance of SEO, the ability to find your site through search engines. As the price for paid search rises, organic optimization becomes more and more critical. One simple tip that we found on Web Designer Wall is good to remember as it impacts the copy and messaging phase of website development. Yes, it is important to place keywords throughout the site. If you are in the virtualization space, for example, you might want to mention data processing, networking, enterprise computing, etc. in your text. But don’t forget you can also place keywords in your design! So, for example, your site has navigation buttons to direct viewers to further information. The key is to say more than “Click Here” in the link anchor text. Try “Learn More About Desktop Virtualization.” Finally, don’t forget to use html copy for everything, including website buttons with simple code to make spiders find the copy.
Search Engine Expectations: A new study stating the obvious… Posted by John Assalian on May 8, 2008 …but a wake-up call nonetheless. Internet users are not willing to dig too deep to find what they are looking for. While searching online, people place high expectations on search engines to generate the desired content right away. Any why shouldn’t they? A new study funded by iProspect and conducted by JupiterResearch found that most users performing searches are going no further than the third page of search results to find results. In fact, almost half of users give up and change their search terms if they don’t find what they are looking for on the first page, and 91% give up by the third page.Vertical searches, like Scirus and Technorati, who tailor their entire engines to specific demographics/verticals, are becoming more prevalent, but have yet to present themselves as true alternatives to the giants (Google, Yahoo!, and MSN). Instead, Big Three users are clicking on specialized search result types when performing vertical searches. But the the value of community sites/social networks/forums (our beloved social media) will be the clear winner as the web moves forward for clicks that really return value. So what does all this that mean for your business? In a place where high search engine placement is one factor in industry leadership, it means everything. Search placement should be at the top of your list. One of the most effective ways to come out on top is through effective search marketing techniques, including keyword optimization and search analytics. Viewstream’s full suite of branding and search marketing and analytic services can position you at the top of the evolving search engine game. Your next qualified lead shouldn’t work too hard to find you. After all, if they can’t find you, they don’t find you, they won’t miss you.