If your company has separate departments for marketing and web design, who is responsible for ensuring the website leads to a conversion? You may assume that the optimisation of conversions is part of the web designer’s role; however, as marketing managers delve more into the world of online marketing, conversion optimisation becomes much more of a collaborative effort between departments.

Marketers have a unique understanding of the needs and wants of their customers. They use this specialist knowledge to drive potential customers to the website. But can they use these skills to turn potential customers into conversions? Many marketers may not realise how important their customer knowledge is to conversion optimisation.

In a recent article, Dave Chaffey (Smartinsights.com, 2012) talks about landing page success factors. Our SEO specialists believe many of the points he has made can easily be applied to improve website conversions. Here we have summarised the key points that both marketers and web designers can use: 

1. Delivery Relevance – clear headlines and suitable images reassure potential customers they are on the right page to find the information they need
2. Integration – as a marketer you work hard to entice customers to visit the website. Keeping your message consistent from offline to online will improve conversions
3. Details – whilst short sharp points will attract attention, visitors are also likely to be looking for informative text which helps them to make buying decisions
4. User Journey – this is where the web design department really becomes a part of the optimisation process. Every page should be designed to take users on a journey, whilst minimising the number of clicks to reach their destination
5. Page Length – part of conversion optimisation is about testing out which approach is most effective. Longer pages with lots of information or shorter, more impactful pages. Try both and test which is the most effective at converting
6. Graphics – through experience with offline brochures and advertisements, marketers will have gained useful insight into the images that illicit the strongest response from the target market. These should be incorporated into your web design to improve conversions
7. Menu Options – reducing the number of menu options on a page also reduces the number of possible clicks, often resulting in improved conversions 
8. Call to Action – marketers should be adept at writing persuasive copy, and strategically placed calls to action could be the difference between a conversion and a lost customer

Whilst the web department will have an expert understanding of what looks the most appealing, website design should be guided by the expertise of marketers. By working together and analysing the data, conversion optimisation becomes a lot easier. There is no single solution to website conversion optimisation. Only testing and in-house knowledge and expertise can help to provide your customers with the ultimate online experience.

A recent investigation from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has shown that up to a third of the UK’s leading online retailers could be in breach of consumer laws. 

The OFT, which works to protect the rights of consumers, conducted a study into the country’s leading 156  websites, and found that as many as 62 may not be in full compliance with consumer protection law. Those found to be contravening laws have been asked to make the required changes by Christmas. 

Two of the most common problems encountered by the OFT were unreasonable restrictions on refunds and the addition of compulsory charges to shoppers’ bills without prior warning.    

Another problem which was particularly prominent among clothing sites were returns policies which stated that returned goods must be in their original packaging or condition. This is a contravention of the buyer’s right to inspect or assess a product. 

So what are the rights of online customers?

• Unless otherwise agreed, goods should always be delivered within 30 days
• You are free to cancel any order within seven working days in the majority of cases to receive a full refund. This period may be longer for financial products
• Goods do not need to be returned in their original packaging
• Refunds should include delivery charges, although you may have to pay for returns
• Customers are responsible for returning items safely
• If items need to be returned due to a fault then postage must be paid by the retailer

Another common breach of E-Commerce regulations was the failure to provide an email contact address; two thirds merely provided a web contact. However, despite these failings the OFT survey found that most of the online retailers they checked complied with the vast majority of their obligations dictated by the Distance Selling Regulations. 

One of the regulations commonly upheld was that goods should be delivered in 30 days. After delivery customers are entitled to a 7-day cooling off period when orders can be cancelled and customers can receive a full refund, although this time period is longer for financial products.

With the boom in online shopping over the past decade the OFT has become increasingly active in regulating internet retailers. Those sites that ignore warnings from the OFT could face a court appearance and subsequent fines, although in the vast majority of cases to date, websites make the alterations before this stage is reached.

To help you keep your ecommerce site compliant, a video from the OFT, explaining the rights of consumers is available here.

One of the major sticking points for websites is how to create compelling and truly original content. In a post-penguin world penalties rather than SEO benefits await websites that rehash and chop and change content already published online. Perhaps understandably, authors of original content are fed up of seeing amended versions of their keenly researched and well constructed articles crop up on other websites. This creates an ethical dilemma for many webmasters and online marketing agencies, who want their websites or clients’ websites to rank highly, but often do not have the time required to write a piece of truly original content. This is where the Curator’s Code can help to ensure original authors are properly credited for the insightful articles they produce.

As a smorgasbord for innovation, few events come close to the annual South by Southwest festival. The festival brings together many of the world’s leading technical minds to discuss and analyse their ideas and create a framework on which to shape the future of online behaviour.

This year the topic of content curation took centre stage, with discussions focussing on the ethical connotations of profiting from rehashing someone else’s work as well the subtle differences between curation and aggregation; however, the biggest news came after the event, with the announcement of the Curator’s Code, which is the first attempt to standardise the way unoriginal or reworked content is attributed by websites. 

The Curator’s Code encourages the standardisation of attributing content, with the Unicode character ᔥ used to represent ‘via’, which signifies a direct link to content, which should be used when reposting content from another source which has not been significantly modified. The second symbol used in the Curator’s Code is ↬, which is used to indicate a ‘hat tip’, which seasoned journalists, both online and off, will recognise as industry language for a lead or indirect source.

The Curator’s Code is a simple but incomplete solution to a problem that has plagued the internet since its infancy. However, ethically minded online marketers and webmasters will be happy to see that this topic is finally receiving the attention it deserves, in the hope that a more sophisticated approach will soon be reached.

The Webmarketing123 “State of Digital Marketing 2012 Report” is out and it is full of fascinating figures for marketing professionals and SEO specialists alike. Drawing on responses from over 500 Business to Consumer (B2C) and Business to Business (B2B) marketers, this report and the infographic it produced makes very interesting reading indeed.

Take a look at the infographic here.

Amongst the findings is the news that increasing numbers of B2C & B2B marketers are turning to SEO to secure firm results for their brand and business. According to industry professionals, the emphasis is no longer solely on creating brand awareness; it’s about producing measurable results that have a real impact on revenue. To achieve these figures, marketing professionals are increasingly relying on the measurability of online channels.

One key factor behind this trend is that SEO and online marketing are much more measureable than traditional offline marketing techniques. By investing in SEO you can clearly gauge your spend and the volume of lead generation this spend has created. Perhaps this is the reason that, in the report, 59% of B2B marketers and 49% of B2C marketers said that SEO is the marketing technique with the biggest impact on lead generation.

At Liberty, we have been committed to providing measurable SEO for years and want all clients to accurately gauge the results they are getting. Using Webmaster Tools (WMT), Google Analytics and specialist SEO software, we have the ability to provide extremely accurate statistics about:

• The amount and quality of traffic any one channel is producing
• The number of conversions achieved through SEO vs other online channels
• Your SEO conversion rate
• Your SEO cost per conversion 

Whereas up until fairly recently, it has been quite complex for a lot of businesses to accurately tell how well their SEO has been performing, with the right software, it is now easy to determine ROI and compare it to other markeing activities.

The 2012 report contains more good news for online marketing agencies – proving that in-house SEO rarely holds a candle to SEO undertaken by a specialist team. Businesses using an online marketing agency were found to be twice as likely to be ‘highly satisfied’ with their SEO strategy than those using an in-house team.

Other interesting nuggets from the survey include the news that, when it comes to social media, B2B marketers are hot on the trail of B2C teams. Social media was once deemed to be the realm of B2C business, allowing them to engage personally with individuals. Yet, B2B marketing professionals are quickly catching up and utilising the power of social media to increase brand awareness, reputation and relationships.

There was a worrying article on the online business resource Forbes last week, entitled “Why Companies Waste 71% of Internet Leads”.

The full article is here and the main stats from their 5-year study of over 10,000 businesses are:

• Average lead response time is 46 hours and 53 minutes
• Sales reps give up after 1.3 call attempts
• Just 27% of leads are ever contacted

These findings are astounding. We know how competitive and expensive it can be in some markets to generate sales enquiries. If the average business is treating their prospective customers in this way, many will soon find themselves in a precarious position.

The article examines how the implementation of new processes and technologies can potentially improve results by up to 341%. We would like to add some of our own thoughts on additional methods of making the most of your internet leads...

1. Auto respond

Consider putting an auto-responder in place, which will send an email to individuals who have completed an online enquiry form. Something along the lines of: “Thanks for your enquiry; we will be in touch shortly. If in the meantime you have any questions then please call...” This will help to keep the prospect warm. The message can also include details about latest offers, company news, a link to your FAQ page, etc. to better inform the individual about your offering and prompt them to take certain actions. Auto-responders can also be set up that periodically send through information, such as a weekly bulletin or a monthly newsletter, until the prospect is ready to buy.

2. Use your Analytics data

In Google Analytics (and many other website data systems) you can track enquiries by setting up Goals, and if you are a PPC advertiser then you can put Conversion Code in place. This data can tell you which keywords and adverts lead to a sale, as well as the pages that an enquirer visited on your website. If you look in the Network sub-section within the Technology section of the Audience tab, you can see the IP addresses of visitors. Combining all of this data will give you knowledge on the information your enquirer was searching for and the page that prompted their enquiry, allowing you to make a more informed sales call.

3. Nurture your leads

If you provide professional services or sell to businesses, it is highly likely that enquirers are not ready to buy straight away. It is important a system is put in place to keep these parties interested while they consider their purchase. Develop some ‘keep in touch’ campaigns that allow you to communicate regularly with enquirers and help you direct them further down the sales path. Such campaigns can include emails, telephone calls and physical items like newsletters, postcards, letters and brochures, which include a mixture of sales offers, industry news and company information. The most important thing is to keep your offering in the forefront of their minds. 

4. Use your social assets

Get closer to your prospects by following them on social sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Here you can learn about their interests and the way they like to work, helping you to develop your relationship. Taking the time to involve yourself in the occasional conversation, the odd re-tweet of one of their messages and interacting in the groups they favour, as this will show you care. This could make all the difference in whether they sign up with you or a competitor. Be careful not to overdo it though, as there can be a fine line between helpful supporter and internet stalker.

5. Use a sales database

CRM (customer relationship management) software allows you to keep on top of enquiries. Building up a database of all sales leads, grouping them up by industry or interest, assigning tasks to each one, tracking progress and much more can be easily achieved in one of the many CRM packages available. With CRM systems available for free and even those that are very popular costing just a few pounds a month, you have no excuse to continue organising your sales activity on Post-It notes and print-outs. This is especially important if you have a team of sales professionals, as the reporting can tell you who is looking after their leads and where improvements need to be made.

You may be aware that EU regulations governing the use of cookies on websites are changing. As of 26th May 2012 you’ll need to have given some thought to how you’re going to change your approach to using cookies on your site. The new regulations were laid out on 26th May 2011 and the one year ‘grace period’ is about to expire. It’s now time to implement your new cookie policy.

Whether you are up-to-date with the ICO’s (Information Commissioner’s Office) new guidelines or don’t know your cookies from your shortbreads, you can find out all you need to know here to help you plan for your future.

So what are cookies?

Let’s start from scratch. Cookies are small text files which are sent from your web server to your visitors’ web browsers. These files are then used to collect information from your visitors and store it so it can be used later.

What’s the problem?

The key problem is that very few users understand what cookies are or what they do. This means that the vast majority of websites are essentially ‘taking’ information from visitors without their knowledge or permission. The percieved morality of this depends on whether or not the information taken is being used for the visitors’ benefit or for the benefit of the website’s owners. 

For instance, some cookies are used to help guard against forgery. They can help users assemble and save a shopping basket or remember settings that users have chosen. These types of cookies are clearly in the user’s interests.

Whilst many cookies are helpful to users, others are very helpful to advertisers and website owners. Cookies can be used to show users targeted adverts that follow surfers across the net based on their previous browsing, leaving some to feel like their privacy has been invaded. These are the main types of cookies the new regulations are legislating against.

Google Analytics and cookies

Whilst some cookies are clearly helpful to either visitor or website, others fall into a grey area. One of the biggest problems with the changing regulations is just how helpful cookies can be for both parties. They make it possible for websites to assess performance, improve usability and boost business too. With Google Analytics on your side you can keep track of:

• Where people view your site from
• What technology people use to browse your site
• How often visitors return
• Areas of most interest on your website
• Along with so much more

Over 60% of the top 10,000 websites make use of Google Analytics, and it has been suggested that in excess of 15 million other sites make use of the tool. As Google Analytics relies on cookies to gather information about website usage, the change in EU regulations is a big worry for a vast number of sites. SEO and Pay Per Click teams are especially reliant upon good analytics to create effective online marketing campaigns for your website.

Are my cookies ‘good’ or ‘bad’?

The type of information cookies collect and how this information is used varies and will affect how you need to roll with the changes. Below you’ll find the different categories that cookies broadly fall into. Some of these are integral to the running of your website and these will not be regulated. Some cookies, however, are not essential and the new regulations will affect how you use them.

• Category 1: Strictly Necessary

These are cookies used for vital parts of websites. This includes information like anti-forgery tokens, shopping basket references and user account sessions. The new regulations will not affect the way that these are used and you will not need to have the consent of visitors to use them.

• Category 2: Performance

These cookies are used to assist performance. They help with tasks like showing a particular version of a site to the relevant visitor. Although you’re unlikely to need consent, these cookies need to be mentioned in the terms and conditions of your site.

• Category 3: Functionality

Analytics is the big one here. These category 3 cookies store information from visitors to your website which can be analysed to gauge usage and develop your website accordingly. This is the category you should be most concerned with when it comes to SEO and Pay Per Click advertising. These cookies will also remember customisable user settings like font and colour preferences. 

ICO states that you should have the consent of users before these cookies are downloaded to their browsers.

• Category 4: Targeting/Advertising

These cookies are one of the main reasons people are nervous about cookie usage. They track visitors from site to site, collecting information which makes it possible for websites to display specific, personally tailored adverts – this is known as targeted advertising and many people are uncomfortable with it. You must notify visitors if you want to use category 4 cookies. You must also obtain each user’s consent before downloading them to any browser.

What’s changing?

Awareness and consent are at the centre of the new EU e-Privacy Directive’s regulations. Extensive research has revealed that very few people actually understand how cookies work, what they’re for, what they do or how to opt out of using them. For instance, one study commissioned by The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, revealed that 37% of respondents had heard of cookies but had little or no understanding of how they work or what they do.

With this in mind, the EU has stated that websites must make all visitors aware of any cookies used and obtain user consent for any cookies of category 3 or above. If websites fail to do this, they risk being lumped with a civil penalty of a maximum £500,000 per cookie. Ideally the ICO would like to see an ‘opt-in’ policy, where users must actively choose to use cookies instead of an ‘opt-out’ policy, where users must actively disable cookies themselves.

What does this mean for my website?

If you’re using anything higher than Category 1 cookies on your website then it is time to rethink how you use them. To be compliant with ICO guidelines you will need to do some of the following:

• Inform visitors immediately that cookies are in use on your website
• Give visitors the option to opt out of using cookies before proceeding
• Provide visitors with thorough information about which cookies are in use, what they do and how they are used

Although these steps will ensure that users are fully aware of and complicit in your use of cookies, there may well be some negative effects. For example, it is likely that many users will not opt-in and choose to use cookies when presented with the choice, particularly if they are unsure about a cookie’s purpose. If many people fail to accept your cookies, you could start to see flawed Google Analytics statistics and may find you are forced to work in an entirely new way.

Many experts advocate split testing a few pop-up options in order to design an informative, cookie opt-in service with a high opt-in rate which causes the fewest bounces from your site.

What should I do?

Here at Liberty we aren’t legal experts; if you want to be absolutely positive you are sticking to the letter of the law, get your solicitor to look over the ICO guidelines. That being said, the ICO regulations document has the following to say about Analytics cookies:

“The Regulations do not distinguish between cookies used for analytical activities and those used for other purposes. We do not consider analytical cookies to fall within the ‘strictly necessary’ exception criteria. This means that in theory websites need to tell people about analytical cookies and gain their consent.

In practice we would expect you to provide clear information to users about analytical cookies and take what steps you can to seek their agreement. This is likely to involve making the argument to show users why these cookies are useful. Although the Information Commissioner cannot completely exclude the possibility of formal action in any area, it is highly unlikely that priority for any formal action would be given to focusing on uses of cookies where there is a low level of intrusiveness and risk of harm to individuals. Provided clear information is given about their activities we are highly unlikely to prioritise first party cookies used only for analytical purposes in any consideration of regulatory action.”

As you can see, this is a very flexible statement which appears to state that those using cookies for purely analytical purposes are very unlikely to face any type of formal action, provided they supply clear information on their site about which cookies are being used and why.

If you are using cookies which are more intrusive, it would probably be wise to ensure you are completely compliant with the regulations. However, if you are using analytics cookies, you are very likely to be safe as long as you update your terms and conditions to ensure:

• Your users have easy access to information about which cookies you are using
• Your users understand which cookies are at work on your site and why
• Your users know they have the option to turn cookies on and off
• Your users know how to turn cookies off if they so choose

This is the way Liberty intends to progress; how you decide to work with the guidelines is entirely your call. 

Another consideration is the fact that many experts are of the opinion that it is only big names and persistent, aggressive ‘regulation-flouters’ who are likely to face heat from the ICO. Many people from within the web industry believe the ICO is likely to make an example of a handful of large internet presences that make no effort to comply as well as those that repeatedly and unconscionably flout regulations and use invasive, aggressive cookies without warning visitors. 

These regulations are going to be extremely difficult to enforce across the internet so, unless a direct complaint is made against you, a good, honest information policy regarding cookies is likely to stand small-to-medium enterprises in good stead.

What’s everyone else doing?

There have been a range of different responses to the changing cookie law across the internet. Some sites have done nothing at all, whilst others have expanded their terms and conditions to include an explanation of the cookies used on-site. Meanwhile, some sites have taken a more direct approach to ensure they are fully compliant with the new regulations. By and large it is the big brands and big names who have taken compliance most seriously.

BT, for example, have taken it to the extreme. If you look in their footer menu, you will see they have provided a clear, thoroughly informative pop-up and toolbar which gives each visitor all the facts they need as well as the opportunity to opt in or opt out of using cookies. They even allow visitors to decide whether they want to turn specific cookie types on or off. This gives users the choice to use any combination (or no combination) of:

• Strictly necessary and performance cookies
• Functional cookies
• Targeting cookies

Meanwhile, websites like the BBC and John Lewis have opted to meet the ICO halfway by providing very thorough help sections on the cookies used on their website. This at least shows willing, which is much more than many sites are doing. 

Should I panic?

We wish we could give you a definitive answer here, but unfortunately all we can say is ‘probably not’. If you’d like to make sure you’re on the safe side, an informative and helpful guide to your site’s cookies is a very good move. Taking this step will not harm your website and also shows your visitors you are responsible and honest. If you do want to be as compliant as you can be, you may like to look into implementing a pop-up system to give users up-front, immediate information and options, yet compared to the majority of small to medium businesses online, this would be a fairly extreme response.

So how does the cookie crumble?

In summary, before the 26th May you should perform a thorough audit of the cookies you are using on your site. 

• If you decide they are intrusive, either stop using them or (if you just can’t keep your hand out of the cookie jar) implement instant pop-ups which warn and inform users, then give them the option to turn cookies on or off.
• If your cookies are analytical, you might like to implement an instant pop-up strategy, although you are likely to remain compliant without it so long you provide all the requisite information somewhere on the site. 
• If your cookies are for functional, user-centred purposes only, you are fine and can sit back and relax!

Best of luck with your new cookie policy!

Even with the best online marketing services to hand, rankings do have a horrible habit of fluctuating. You can spend huge amounts of money on strategy, but - if your online marketing agency isn't prepared for Google updates - it could all go out of the window very quickly indeed.

So what are Google updates and why do they cause such havoc with your place on the search engines? Above all, how can you make sure that you're investing in online marketing services that are future-proof and will withstand even the more radical change in Google's algorithm?

What are Google Updates?

In basic terms, a Google update occurs when the techie team at the search engine giant make changes to the way websites are viewed and ranked. Google uses an algorithm to work out where your website belongs in the rankings. There are hundreds of different factors, which Google's algorithm takes into consideration, some of the most crucial factors are:

• Internal links
• External links
• Anchor text
• Web copy (originality)
• Keywords
• Social metrics
• Site architecture

Agencies providing on-the-ball online marketing services will make sure that your site ticks all of the right boxes with regards to these factors. This will get your website ranking highly. Yet it isn't quite so simple because Google are constantly changing the goal posts. To paraphrase one person's remark at the recent Brighton SEO conference: "Google are the opposing team as well as the referee, plus they own the ball, the pitch and the goal posts!"

Every time Google updates their algorithm, the way they rank websites shifts. There are hundreds of updates every year and usually they are very subtle, but sometimes these updates are big news and can make a big impact. For example...

Google Panda

Many online marketing service providers will shudder at the mention of Google Panda. It was a huge update to the algorithm, which was designed to eliminate the use of unhelpful, duplicate and plagairised content and give priority to highly original, high quality websites. It hit the UK in April 2011 and dramatically impacted 11.8% of all search queries.

Many high profile websites took a real beating and many online marking agencies were left blinking in horror at the un-doing of all their hard work.

How to Get Google Update-proof

Google keep all their updates thoroughly under wraps, which means that online marketing agencies can't really do much except wait and then work with what they're given once changes hit. Even if they do hint at what changes have been made, they usually don't give too much away...

Although it's impossible to know which changes are going to happen, there are ways to help protect your website against any negative impact that updates might have. As the motivation of Google updates is to weed out low-quality, spammy webpages, an ethical online marketing strategy which places quality at the forefront of its approach is vital. If your online marketing agency or in-house team implement this sort of plan, Google is unlikely to make changes that majorly (and negatively) affect your site rankings. By creating the kind of content and links that Google likes, you're less likely to be penalised by an update.

To run a good, ethical, high-quality online marketing strategy the basics need to be covered:

• Good, unique, keyword-rich content,
• A large, varied in-bound link profile, with lots of domains, a variety of anchor text and a mixture of dofollow and nofollow links,
• A blog/news section will help keep the site seen as fresh,
• Social integration and social media work will be important in the months/years to come.

If you want to succeed online, you’ll need to work with an ethical SEO agency that provides quality-driven online marketing services. As staunchly white-hat SEO and PPC experts, Liberty Marketing can help you weather Google updates and make a big splash on the web.

It might sound a bit medieval but, as official Google Local Champions, Liberty Marketing will be riding in on their noble white steed to get small-to-medium Welsh businesses online, in touch and up to date with the internet! There won’t be any swords, shields or damsels in distress, instead we’ll be offering workshops and one-to-one support as part as the Google Juice Bar and GWBO (Getting Welsh Business Online) initiatives.

These programmes were masterminded by Google after a study found that Wales is lagging far behind its British neighbours when it comes to online business. Whilst the UK as a whole has the biggest online economy in the world, Wales is not receiving a proportional amount of this benefit. Here are a few interesting facts and figures that illustrate the problem:

• The UK online economy makes up at least 7% GDP
• That’s more that the construction, utilities and transport sectors
• The internet economy contributed more than £100bn to the UK market last year
• In Wales 25% of small-to-medium businesses don’t have a website
• Of the 75% that have a website, a mere 58% have a high web presence
• Welsh businesses with successful sites grew 7x to 8x faster than those without a well-performing website.

These statistics are the result of an in-depth, Google-commissioned study which showed a surprising backwardness in the Welsh online industry. With these stats in mind Google and the Welsh Assembly Government decided it was time to act.

Starting in March 2012, a year of online awareness will see the Google Juice Bar travelling across the country. After the launch event in Cardiff on March 6th, the Google Juice Bars and workshops will travel across the country, helping small-to-medium businesses to blossom and reach their full potential on the internet.

These workshops and Juice Bar sessions are free, friendly and don’t come with any added sales pitches! Best of all, they can cover the area of your choice. Whether you’re a total novice looking to set up a free website for your company, or want to learn how to market your existing website online – the Google Juice Bar experts are here to help.

As official Google Local Champions, the Liberty Marketing team are excited to be part of such a fantastic, worthwhile initiative. As the fastest growing online marketing agency in Wales we are passionate about promoting and boosting Welsh business online. If you would like to learn more about how to boost your business online, or would like to know more about the GWBO initiative, take a look at the following link or get in touch with the Liberty team today!

When it comes to online business Wales is lagging well behind its UK neighbours. Google recently provided figures which show that only 60% of Welsh small & medium enterprises (SMEs) have their own website and, of these, a paltry 33% are set up for ecommerce. With more and more of Britain’s shopping taking place online, Welsh business could suffer if it fails to modernise.

Fortunately the Welsh government and Google have now teamed up to help Welsh SMEs get online and get profitable. The 12 month programme will organise over 1000 free e-skills seminars and free consultations across Wales, equipping local businesses with the skills they need to improve their online presence.

According to the Welsh Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science, Edwina Hart: “We want Wales to be a truly digital nation…We welcome this initiative to help companies gain maximum benefits from using and exploiting digital technologies to innovate, grow and access new markets, driving business growth.”

“Digital technologies and online services have the potential to revolutionise the competitiveness of business and I hope as many as possible take advantage of the expertise on offer from Google.”

Meanwhile, Adrian Clark, chairman of Cardiff & Co, agreed that: “Getting online is one of the most important marketing tools for businesses…You don’t need a huge investment to win a share of the online market but you do need the skills.”

These skills do seem to be lacking in Wales but, if you know where to look, there is a whole seam of skill and knowledge to be found in the country. In fact, part of the Google initiative involves linking web novices up with top digital agencies and online marketing services across Wales.

The year-long programme will also see the popular Google Juice Bar touring the country, bringing online business experts to less web-savvy companies from Cardiff to Caernarfon. The Google Juice Bar will be offering complimentary 1-2-1 sessions that will show SMEs how to increase traffic to their websites and build a profitable business online.

This year is seen by many to be the year that Wales goes live. The project will kick off in Cardiff on March and will tour South Wales for a further 3 months before taking on online business in the rest of the country for the rest of the year. If you’re in the South this March, make sure you attend the Google Juice Bar launch event on the 6th.

In the meantime, you can improve your web presence and online skills using your own initiative. The first step is to source great advice and real expertise to help you on your way. Liberty are the largest and fastest growing online marketing agency in Wales, with a wealth of knowledge and specialist online marketing services designed to get your business booming online.

To find out more about how we can help and our online marketing services, call the Liberty team today on 029 2076 6467.

For more information on the initiative, please visit the Getting Welsh Businesses Online (GWBO) website by clicking here.

As Liberty is on the Google Engage for Agencies programme, on Wednesday, our Pay Per Click advertising manager Chris had the pleasure of attending an event at their UK HQ.

The main focus of the event was to understand how best to improve the visibility of small businesses online.

There were some very interesting topics discussed and some great insight into search trends. Here are the highlights from Chris’s notes on what Google was saying:

Changes to AdWords

There are quite a few changes in AdWords ad extensions this week. You will soon be charged for clicks on your location extensions, such as people using your advert to find directions to your premises. Google realises these are useful and lead to more interaction with your business, so want you to pay for it.

Video extensions will be the next big thing for AdWords extensions, where videos will be playable from within the sponsored ads section of the search results. This is currently a beta test and only rolled out to major film companies for the time being.

Google is removing the £5 activation fee for new AdWords accounts. This is great news for small businesses, providing less of a sticking point – it’s even better if you have an AdWords voucher, meaning you really can now try it for free!

The Google Checkout button is being removed from the ads, though it will still be seen within the Google Products shopping results.

Getting British Business Online

This is a big focus area for Google and Getting British Business Online is something they want online marketing agencies to help them push. In the UK last year, 17pence in every £1 was spent online – which highlights why a new or small business without a website needs to seriously consider an online presence. For one-man-bands or those dipping their toes into the web, the great part is that after a simple registration process, you will get the following from Google:

- Free. co.uk domain for 1 year
- Free easy-to-update website for 1 year
- Free email address @yourdomain
- Free support

If you or any small businesses you know want to take advantage of this then let us know and we will happily point you in the right direction.

How big brands are being innovative

Using Google AdWords with other Google tools - like Trends & Insights - can help you find and attract cheap traffic that your competitors aren’t targeting. See this great example from Converse.

Is YouTube the next major destination for online shopping? Check out how fashion retailer French Connection turn videos into ecommerce opportunities via links within product videos.

Other interesting facts

The number of people making decisions in stores has halved, which is mainly down to product reviews online. Your potential customers have the ability to browse the web almost everywhere – via pc, laptop, mobile and tablet. The key message on the day was make sure you and your products can be seen and make sure you manage your reputation online.

Also, 1 in every 3 Tweets now has a YouTube connection.