Atlantic Business Technologies, Inc.

Category: Strategy & Design

  • The Best Content Strategy for Time and Space

    Does Your Website Need Time-Sensitive Content?

    The web design and online marketing communities have been debating an interesting issue. Is time-sensitive content necessary for websites?

    Some developers and experts will argue that it’s more important than ever. Addressing hot topics can lead to immediate search and social visibility. It takes advantage of the fact that current events are already on the minds of users. Yet, there are others who will tell you that you should strive to generate “evergreen” content. These kinds of articles and videos can keep drawing traffic, views, and leads for years to come. They will always be relevant. It only makes sense to get as much mileage from them as you can. Especially given the time and expense involved in fleshing out your new ideas.

     

    How does your choice of content affect your brand as well? Many brand prognosticators believe that companies must make statements on current issues in order to stay relevant. They also believe that brands choosing to stay out of cultural conversations reduces the amount of trust consumers have in them. If a company will not state what their thoughts are, consumers will create those thoughts for them. Then they will associate that with the brand, most likely causing damage. Equally damaging? The odds of isolating potential consumers who disagree with what you have to say. Is it worth the risk?

    So, which viewpoint is the correct one? Does your website or blog actually need time-sensitive content? In our experience, there isn’t a single answer to these questions. Instead, there are a set of simple guidelines you might want to follow.

    Find a Blend of Hot and Lasting Topics

    You must establish your website as a source of information on new topics and evergreen tips. For example, our blog will feature articles about voice-assisted search technology one week. The next week, we will feature a piece about general design and development ideas.

    We jumped right into events as they were happening, posting about the Equifax Data Breach within the week of it occurring. We also anticipated events that would potentially influence our users. We were ready to go and shared our thoughts on the expiration of Amazon One Click the day it happened.

    But we also want our users to know that they can count on us to be consistent. We care about the work we do everyday and we know what we’re doing. Being a resource of fundamental knowledge is equally important. We provide our eCommerce customers with payment information. Anyone wondering about how we approach designing a new website can easily find out. And we’re happy to share the unique things that inspire our team and set us apart from the competition.

    Your users and prospects most likely want to know about what is happening in your industry. But, they also need some general strategies they can use week after week. Consider the most important piece of advice on the topic. Give them a good mixture to choose from.

    Work From an Editorial Calendar

    Establish an editorial calendar. It’s much easier to balance your content strategy with this kind of tool. It allows you to even out the publication of newand older ideas. It also gives you room to actually create articles and videos that can fit right into the ideal schedule. A calendar will let you know what kinds of themes, events, and milestones are on the horizon. You’ll also be able to see if you tend to gravitate to one kind of content over another. That kind of reference point will help you see if you lean to far towards one end of the content spectrum.

    When you have a written plan and schedule in place, content marketing gets easier. An editorial calendar lets you organize your campaigns. It also ensures that your message comes through consistently.

    Here at Atlantic BT, our marketing team relies on the content calendar for many reasons. It keeps us all on the same page. Everyone knows what topics are on deck and what we can look forward to down the road. It also allows us some flexibility should time sensitive content come into play. Do we have new information we need to communicate quickly? Do we have a piece that we can’t publish just yet? Our calendar lets us adjust for that easily.  Again, it also communicates that adjustment to the entire team.

    Don’t Forget to Update Your Content

    Posting on current events or trends will show users that you’re always living in modern times. Remember, then, that it’s important to return to your content once in a while and update your ideas. That could mean a few different things. You may have to write new posts or follow up on case studies. You might even have to delete old material that is no longer relevant. Don’t forget to redirect your pages if you do.

    Consider the quality of the work as well. Are your thoughts being communicated clearly? Is the idea compelling? Can your audience connect with the stories you have to tell? This is relevant to both ‘evergreen’ and current event topics. It’s ok to scrap pieces because they’re simply no good. Content quantity is important. It’s no substitute, though, for making real connections with your users. You always want to give your consumers the very best. That belief should be clear in the quality of your content.

    Revising or pruning different pieces of content helps your users. This is a great way to keep your website fresh. Your prospects and customers are never getting information that is out of date. Also, a website that is consistently up to date reflects a company that is always moving forward.

    Need Help Putting Together a Solid Content Strategy?

    At Atlantic BT in North Carolina, we know what it takes to build a great website and make the most of it. Are you looking for ways to make design, development, apps, and content all work together? Especially in a way that moves you towards your bottom line revenue goals? Contact us today for a free consultation.

     

  • Taxonomies: A Trilogy – Your Hard Won Victory

    This blog is part 3 of a 3-part series on Taxonomies. Read part 1 on an Introduction to Taxonomies or part 2 on Common Taxonomy Mistakes if you want to catch up.

    The development or revising of a website taxonomy requires constant check ins. Aren’t you curious to know the results of all your love and labor? Then these check ins should be common sense. In this, the thrilling conclusion to the Taxonomy Trilogy, we will focus on evaluation. I will review basic taxonomy guidelines and techniques. Designing an efficient categorical system can be daunting. These techniques will be sure to help build your team’s confidence as they do so.

    Signs Your Taxonomy Needs Improvement

    First, let’s see what kind of shape your taxonomy is in. Review these warning signs that your taxonomy still needs work:

    • Your content publishers struggle to apply your site’s taxonomies in a uniform manner. Agreement is clarity. If your content team disagrees over which terms to use in which section, your users will end up confused.
    • Users are struggling to find the right content. It can be difficult to tell when users struggle. This is especially true of sites that aren’t tied to marketing success metrics. But, if you have user data that points to findability issues, use it. Data from customer service or social media feedback can help. You can zero in on the areas of the site that need improvement.
    • Multiple classifications in a taxonomy overlap. Similar terms in more than one classification option can cause confusion. Content publishers will struggle to identify which one to use.
    • Perceived hierarchy or mixed usage within a category. Is this an issue? Meet with the content strategist and talk about the needs of the website. Discuss the development of the terms. Try to get rid of the subcategories of your terms. If need be, create new categories.
    Ineffective website taxonomies can cause confusion throughout a team of content creators.
    Ineffective website taxonomies can cause confusion throughout a team of content creators.

    How to Test Taxonomy at Any Stage in Web Design

    You may identify problems early on or while the taxonomy is live. Here is a brief guideline of measures you can take throughout the process. From creation to post-implementation, these will see you through every step.

    Stage 1: Creating Taxonomies

    During the development and testing stage, keep multiple roles involved. This will ensure that eyes are on all aspects of the taxonomy system. These roles will be crucial to gathering valuable feedback. Below are some team roles that will be useful cohorts in this journey.

    Developers:  They will be aware of the possibilities and limitations of your taxonomy system. In essence, they are your experts on taxonomy as a tool.

    Information Architects: This is the person who will likely take the lead in creating your taxonomy. They will focus on efficient and representative organization of terms.

    Content Strategists: This role will keep an eye on how the taxonomy will affect the structure of the site’s content. They will be able to recommend what categories the project does or does not need.

    UX/Interaction Designers: Keep the designers in the loop for updates. If you are finalizing the taxonomy along with the page designs, this is important.

    Researchers: They will identify the best timing and methods for testing your taxonomy. This will be data and insight based. They are likely to be very smart and fun to be around (in my unbiased opinion)

    While you develop your system with these roles, keep a couple of things in mind. Be sure to establish consensus on which page views your taxonomy will generate. Also focus on the overall business goals of the website. Document what aspects will rely on your taxonomy and the purpose it will serve. Then bring the taxonomy draft to team sessions for review.

    As you focus on these aspects, it will be useful to run a few card sorts with end -users. This will help your team understand the benefit to end-users. It will also ensure you are meeting their expectations.

    Stage 2: Revising and Testing Taxonomies

    It’s difficult to predict exactly how everything will work out once a website is live. Test your taxonomy with both the content owners and the direct team. This test will also be a card sort, but this time we will be working in the reverse direction, adding terms to content.
     
    You may want to adjust the standard card sort protocol to get the right results. Remember, this type of testing is about replicating the proposed environment. Prepare to alter testing methods for more representative results.
     
    Be sure to pay attention to the comments and actions of the content owner. As you test, these clues should help make their understanding of the terms clear. And the end of your sessions you should have a good idea of problems that are likely to occur. When possible, solve these problems by adjusting the taxonomy and terms. Any term or category that must exist but is not understandable will need clarity. Make sure you create documentation that clearly explains its purpose.

    Stage 3: Revising Taxonomies After Implementation

    Please note that the most difficult time to get buy-in for research is going to be after the content is live. This is for good reason. There will be a daunting amount of work, picking through all your content. And then creating new terms. Keep this in mind as you redesign or design a taxonomy. Do everything in your power to refine and test a taxonomy while the system is being designed.
     
    But, if you think your live taxonomy isn’t up to snuff, here are things you can do:

    Review terms and categories

    If you find changes in the taxonomy or additions made over time, you might want to consider some revision. Establish the problem space. Then you will be able to relabel taxonomy terms and categories. Always test any changes you make to ensure that you are moving in the direction of improvement.

    Define, develop, and deploy staff training

    You don’t have many options for taxonomic revisions? The problems occurring are severe? Consider assessing how the current system could be best employed. Introduce a new training guide. This will put the bulk of the burden on the content managers. Provide them with as much support and documentation as you can.

    Burn the website and start over from scratch.

    Alright, so this is a little dramatic. But, it’s worth pointing out that this is a viable option. Particularly if the site relies on a system that isn’t working.

    Don’t discount the liberating feeling of destroying a taxonomy that doesn’t work.
    Don’t discount the liberating feeling of destroying a taxonomy that doesn’t work.

    How to Test Taxonomy at Any Point in the Process

    Building a taxonomy is a great exercise in team communication. It’s also an excellent place for researchers to assist in discovering user understanding. Your taxonomy may take a day to build and work fine for a simple website. Its development could also take months for a more complex project. Above all, there are three principles to follow in your journey.

    1. Regularly gather feedback. Communicate with your design and development teams. Test with internal and end users
    2. Be flexible in revisions. The taxonomy will need to support the content needs of the website, so don’t get attached to a single idea. It may not work out in practice.
    3. Research other systems and guidelines related to your framework. Both WordPress and Drupal have excellent resources available. They can help with using and building taxonomies within their frameworks. If you aren’t the developer, you will want to review these.

    Thanks for reading and happy categorizing!

  • How to Create a Strategy That Will Enhance Your Government Website

    Many years ago, in a very different time and place, a vital government website called Healthcare.gov launched. The reception to the site was fraught and not for political reasons. The site development and structure wasn’t built to handle the influx of traffic it received. The project was a huge undertaking. Unfortunately, perhaps due to lack of time or lack of strategy, the initial roll-out fell flat.  

    The issues were quickly rectified and users on Healthcare.gov continue to rise. Yet, the initial damage was done. The beginning of a new and helpful program for citizens, earned an unfair reputation due to faulty software design.

    Sure, new websites launch with issues all the time. Government websites, however, adhere to a completely different standard. They require even more strategy and planning from the beginning before development can start. These are some of the best ways to stay focused and create a winning strategy for a government website.

     

    Define the Project

    Starting a project without a clear concept of what you aim to accomplish can lead to cost and timeline overruns. It can also run the risk of failing to deliver on expectations. To develop a clear strategy, you need to know the foundation you are building on. Your government website is crucial to the needs of many constituents. You’ll want to know the ultimate reasoning behind your site.

    Ask yourself three questions:

    • What are we trying to accomplish?
    • Who will the project benefit?
    • What is the actual, core problem?

    The answers to these questions will help you establish the main goal you wish to meet. It will also help your government site to best meet the needs of those maintaining it, as well as the users.  

    Ask Why and What

    Once you have identified your main objective, it’s time to outline the details. You can do this by asking two important questions: why and what. It seems simple enough but the outcomes are anything but. The answers will provide details crucial to the understanding and development of the site.

    Start with ‘why’. Asking ‘why’ in response to many goal statements can really help get to the root of what you’re trying to create. Consider the following example:

    • (Ultimate Goal) We want to make it easier to generate content for the website (Why?)
    • Because our current, outdated management system is hard to use (Why?)
    • Because we built it 7 years ago and it can’t keep up with modern technology (Why?)
    • There has been no investment in the website for the last several years (Why?)
    • Because we focused elsewhere and are now in a position to change the situation.

    Channeling your inner 3 year old can help your goal evolve into what you truly seek to achieve. And because this is a government website, the more of the ultimate goal you understand, the better. What if you had decided that the true goal was just to make the site look nicer? In the meantime, you ignored vital services your users needed access to.  Your real goal of improving your website would not happen.

    Complete the same exercise with the word ‘what’. Doing this will give you a comprehensive solution to the problems at hand. It will also give you a clear idea of what you need in order to accomplish the goals ahead.

    Learn From Others

    The many branches of Government have been making websites for their constituents to access for as long as websites have existed. Over time, the sites have become more complex, with the needs of users increasing. There are many examples that your team can look to for lessons learned. Research projects similar to yours. Consider websites like govtech.com or digitalgov.gov. What worked for them and what didn’t? There are many ways to collect data.

    • Get advice from team members who have experience
    • Talk with others in professional settings, such as trade shows or association meetings
    • Get information from vendors and service providers
    • Research industry trends and best practices

    Knowing how others have solved similar issues will help you lay out an ideal plan.  You can avoid pitfalls and emphasize best practices. This will put you in a great planning position from the start.

    Establish Your Map

    There is nothing better than a great to-do list. Mapping out a clear direction for your project and denoting the details at each stop will provide clear guidance for the entire team. It will allow you to celebrate accomplishments and plan ahead for the next leg of the project. It will help your team to remain focused. What government sites need to provide users is different from that of an eCommerce business or information website. It’s a unique combination of what all of those types of sites need and then some. Don’t charge into the development stage, willy-nilly. Have a map and then stick to it.

    You will also need to consider who the stakeholders are. They will affect the map and how you work on each piece.  Stakeholders are those who have a vested interest in the outcome of the project. Seek out their input and apply it judicially. Having everyone on board will allow the process to run as smoothly as possible.

    Gather Your Team

    Now that you know exactly what you want to do and how to do it, you need to bring together the best team. A government website deserves the best. Find your superstars. Include those who have the skills needed to help you reach your goals. Be sure that communication within the team is always clear and concise. Fill out a RACI matrix. This diagram will help everyone know who needs to focus on what.  It will also show the resources needed and how to best allot them.

    The key to a great team is an excellent Project Manager. Choose wisely. Your Project Manager is the glue of the team. The job requires the ability to keep track of every facet of the project, keep communication flowing, and supporting team morale. Also consider Project Governance. While the Project Manager will oversee the entire production, who will lead in certain designated areas?  Be sure that everyone knows who to go to for answers to specific questions. Also make it clear who can make certain decisions regarding the site design. This is especially important with government websites as there are many rules and regulations to follow. Seek out those who are knowledgeable about what must be adhered to. This allows your site to comply to Governmental standards and provide citizens with exactly what they need.   

    Plan for Post-Launch

    Even though you haven’t even begun the development stage, add to your plan what to do after the new site launches. This is particularly important with government

    websites. Should any problems immediately arise, solutions must be implemented quickly. Planning ahead for that will make everyone’s lives easier. You can practice this by also implementing a Milestone Plan into your process.  At each milestone, evaluate where the project is and what has been accomplished thus far. Imagine if it was launched right then and there. Would you be where you want to be or would there be issues to deal with? This will support your post-launch plan and have you ready for anything the project could face.

    It’s also important to establish criteria to measure success. A working website is great, but what tells you that the site is doing exactly what it was designed to do?  What numbers matter most to your team? Is there feedback from constituents that is most sought after? What jobs are you aiming to make easier? Considering the measurement of success as part of your plan fleshes out your true goals. It also helps your design team focus on what really matters. This is why you should consider such measurements before development even begins.

    A Government Website To Be Proud Of

    Jumping into a harrowing situation with no plan is only something a crazed character in an action movie should do. A government website provides many necessary and helpful services to its citizenry. Developing an effective government website is dependent on a lot of things. Especially a smart, detailed, and expertly crafted strategy. Devote the time to cover every single base prior to development. You can then create a government website that your constituents will appreciate. It will also be a project that you can be proud of.

     

  • Taxonomies: A Trilogy – Mistakes and How to Survive

    This blog is part 2 of a 3-part series on Taxonomies. To read part 1 on an Introduction to Taxonomies, click here. To read part 3 on How to Evaluate and Test Taxonomies, click here.

    As you have already learned, the word taxonomy can have different connotations. Ernesto’s post pointed out that taxonomy has its roots in scientific classification. But, web designers and marketers now use the concept to structure websites. This evolution has led to the improvement of the user experience. With such a range of meanings, it’s easy to understand why the term taxonomy can create confusion. Especially for anyone trying to understand how to apply it.

    To add to this confusion, many of us learn about taxonomy concepts in bits and pieces. Me? I first learned about taxonomies in a library science class. We discussed the topic in a very conceptual way. What were the best ways to use taxonomies in the academic setting? How could they be best used to organize huge amounts of academic information? Then I entered the web development world. I learned here that we aren’t always trying to classify everything on a site. Instead, we use smaller, flat taxonomies to support specific site functions.

    Using taxonomy shouldn’t be scary or overwhelming. But, it’s easy to see how one might get confused about how to classify content on a site. We’ll now discuss come common confusions about taxonomies. Most importantly, we’ll make sure you don’t fall into any traps.

    Common Taxonomy Confusions and Clarifications

    1. Taxonomies Are Keywords

    When you add keywords to a piece of content using free text, you associate metadata with that content. This can be a very useful tool. Keywords can describe a document with a lot of precision. They also mean you don’t have to choose a best fit for your taxonomy.

    Taxonomy is effectively a series of keywords.
    Taxonomy is effectively a series of keywords—carefully organized with users in mind.

    Yet, this free-form approach cannot provide the structure that taxonomies can. Developers can design systems that rely on taxonomic terms to dynamically generate pages. Imagine trying to do this with a system based on free-text, chosen by a content publisher, keywords. The page would miss terms created ad-hoc by content publishers. Things would be harder to find. Also, you wouldn’t be able to make complex associations. Such an unprepared system wouldn’t be able to handle variations.

    How to Fix It

    Avoiding this confusion is pretty easy. Structure content publishing in your content management system. Also, don’t forget to provide training for your content team. Have content publishers associate a taxonomic term with a piece of content. Then teach them what consequences that association will have.

    Also, don’t rely on trendy keywords to populate your drop-down filters. Use your research to choose more precise terms for your taxonomy. The inherent differences between these specific, chosen terms will enhance the site’s UX. They will guide users to choose the correct option for the information they needed.

     2. Your Top Level Navigation Should be a Taxonomy

    A map of your site structure will look a lot like a taxonomy. Why? Because the organization of the pages are hierarchical. Furthermore, you could take that structure and directly translate into a navigation system. In that system, you would have to drill down from the largest categories to find content.

    Yet, your top navigation system doesn’t have to perfectly represent your site structure. Keep in mind, translating a taxonomic site structure into a navigation system can be hard. It will likely limit your designers’ abilities to enhance certain parts of the UX. Highlighting/lowlighting parts of the site that will better meet user needs are not as easy. Also, there’s no rule against crosslinking. That allows the linking of a page in one section to that of a page in another section. This action could also be useful to users. Yet, it does not follow the ‘perfect’ taxonomy philosophy of organization.

    How to Fix It

    Your navigation system must match user needs. It also must reflect the key functions of your website above all else. For example, sections like Terms of Service. That more than likely occupies a high level in a site structure. Yet, you don’t want to put a link to that section in your top-navigation. Why? Because it won’t be a section that many users need to access. Since needs will differ for any site, be sure to use user research. (This includes testing and Laura will cover that in our thrilling conclusion.) Also use business objectives to help you choose what to focus on.

     3. Taxonomies Must Have Multiple Levels of Classification.

    Remember, the classic example of a taxonomy is the scientific classification of species. This hierarchical taxonomy illustrates the informational power of hierarchy. You can infer things about a species based on the chain of broader classes that it belongs to.

    How to Fix It

    Hierarchical structure is great for scientific classification. It may also be appropriate on your website. But, there’s nothing wrong with a single level, or “flat” taxonomy. In this taxonomy structure, there is no nested term under any other. In fact it’s often the most common we interact with on the web. Many drop-down filters are actually flat taxonomies. For example, consider the body style taxonomy on a used car website. As you can see from the screenshot, the taxonomy includes no hierarchy, but places each care into a class.

    Of course, viewing an organizational system as a flat taxonomy is a matter of perspective. There is usually some way to add hierarchy if you want. For example, it would be easy to create a second level of classification from the used cars list. All you would have to do is group all the pickup trucks in a pickup class, all the vans in a van class, and so on. Whether you need to do that or not is the question you need to address as the organizer. The next post in this trilogy will address how to test taxonomies with your users. This will allow you to find the right one for your needs.

    A Great Taxonomy Takes the Right Team

    After reading this far, you may be ready to jump into taxonomical work without hesitation. But, if you’re feeling like you need some help, you’re not wrong. Producing a good taxonomy requires a lot of work. This would include research, design, and testing. The right team can make sure you get taxonomy right the first time to avoid having to clean up a content mess later.

    There’s good news! There are professionals who spend a lot of their time tuning taxonomy. They are willing to help. Here at Atlantic BT, we have plenty of perspectives to bring to the table. Our Information Architect, User Researcher, Content Strategists, and developers are on board. They are all able to create powerful and well-planned taxonomies. Feel free to contact us if you have questions.

    The final part of our trilogy will be gripping. It will tell you everything you need to know about testing and validating a taxonomy. Revisit our exciting plot episode if you can’t get enough.

  • How to Build and Tune Your Website Engine

    A company’s website is one of the most pertinent ways a consumer can connect to a brand. It propels the client relationship forward. An effective site, like a strong engine, brings all parts together to keep business activity running smoothly. And, like all engines, it requires thoughtful design, regular maintenance, and necessary replacements. Consistent website maintenance is imperative to your company’s digital success.

    But you can’t just poof an amazing website into existence. You have to plan obsessively and then execute on that plan. This takes time and talent. It also takes trial and error. Don’t forget good judgement and a strong understanding of what you want your site to do.

    Suppose you’ve spent a healthy amount of time and money bringing a large website to life. How do you make the most of your investment by maintaining it? Or just as importantly, how can you keep from having to pay for another large web development project in the near future?

    Here are a few ideas about what you can do to keep a complex website in like-new condition for years to come and your website engine running smoothly. 

    Have A Plan

    Knowing exactly what you want your site to do is imperative to making a site that works effectively. A site that just exists is in constant crisis. It’s also taking up valuable space and that’s just selfish. Users don’t have time to wander through a site that promises a specific service and then doesn’t follow through.  They will be angry, leave, and complain to others who will then avoid your site like the plague. What actions justify your website’s existence? If it’s not to help potential consumers then what direction is your website engine taking you in?  Have a map and know where you want to go. 

    Monitor Traffic and Web Analytics

    After your website goes live, a lot of the future growth and improvement should be user-driven. How can you know if it’s running at its best capacity? Great news! There are tools available that can measure the results. You should use them!  By studying visitor traffic patterns and user behavior, you can determine how people are using your pages and what they want more or less of.

    It’s like taking your car in to be inspected. You get good news and you get bad news and you act accordingly. Unless you put things off until the engine explodes in the middle of a busy intersection during rush hour and everyone hates you for a solid half hour. That’s on you.

    No matter how well you understand your market or field, there really isn’t any substitute for knowing what the numbers say. So, as you continue to grow and make the most of your website, pay close attention to the messages sent from your web statistics.

    Keep Adding New Features

    When your new website goes live, it isn’t really finished. Instead, you have simply reached a point where it’s ready to be used. You can continue to add new features and plug-ins for years to come. In fact, that’s exactly what you should plan on doing. Just like thoughtful upgrades to a vehicle adds value to a car, your website engine can benefit from constant growth. 

    Consider the options you have to achieve the goal in your mind. Are they worth taking? Is the goal necessary or a distraction? Will it enhance the entire vehicle and make everyone’s lives better?  No? Then be happy about what you have. Yes? Then get to work on the necessary website maintenance. 

    Not only is it more cost-effective to add to your current website than it is to plan a new one, but fresh content and programming will give users or customers reasons to come back. That makes all the time and money you put into your web development project more valuable.

    Check for Security Issues

    Develop a website maintenance routine that encourages check ups and minor improvements when needed. Particularly regarding security. Website security is a bigger topic than ever before, especially for large companies and institutions. Regular audits of your content management system, custom programming, and plug-ins are crucial if you want to keep hackers away.

    In addition to regular security monitoring and testing, you’ll want to know that your website (and any associated data that has been collected online) is being backed up securely at predictable intervals. That way, you’ll have an extra layer of protection if your website is compromised.

    Update Your Content Periodically

    Relevant content is crucial to productive website maintenance. In the same way that you should keep adding new apps to your website, it’s also a good idea to review your content periodically to ensure it stays up-to-date, which is one of the biggest challenges large organizations have. But, doing so can help you attract search engine visits, make your organization seem more like a credible authority, and prevent the kinds of misunderstandings that arise from outdated information being posted on the web.

    Having outdated content undermines credibility, hurts search engine visibility, and can lead to all sorts of errors and disagreements. Besides, it isn’t that hard to keep content updated if you have a common sense plan in place. Following this checklist will help:

    Your Content Maintenance Checklist

    • Schedule or Assign Monthly Reviews and Additions – Decide who is the best person or team for the content job and then commit to reviewing the pages on your website once a month.This will keep any needed revisions small and the job won’t turn into an overwhelming chore.
    • Remove Inaccurate or Outdated Content -Always look for errors, inaccuracies, and outdated ideas. All of these can be corrected or even removed. An eagle-eyed editorial process is your best friend.
    • Pay Attention to User Activity – By digging into your analytics data, you can see what pages or topics visitors are accessing the most. Your goal should be to give customers more of the content they want and need.
    • Create a Roadmap for Future Updates -As you note which themes are popular and where you could add more thoughts in the future, work on creating a list or editorial calendar. You should strive to reach a point where you are actively producing new pages and articles.

    Know When to Let Go

    There will come a time when your website requires a complete overhaul. This is a natural development in the website life cycle. Making peace with that knowledge will help you waste no time in getting the updates your site needs.  When you’re ready for that next big step, you’ll want the right mechanics on your side.

    Look for a Web Development Team that Puts Your Organization First

    Institutional web design can feel overwhelming, both in terms of the investment required and the number of details to manage. Things get a lot easier when you have the right creative team on your side. At Atlantic BT, we have helped hundreds of groups like yours to break their projects into manageable and actionable steps. We’ve developed a 20+ year reputation for quality creative work, unmatched service, and a commitment to helping our clients achieve their real-world organizational targets.

    Great engines and websites do not magically appear, perfectly polished and roaring with power. They are created to serve a need. We can give you the tools and knowledge you need to keep your business on the road to success.

  • Want to be a Digital Marketing Super Star? 26 Letters is All You Need

    The ABCs of Digital Marketing

    Your Handy Guide to Important Digital Marketing Terms, Alphabetized

    Welcome to the world of Digital Marketing! Like all communities, digital marketers have their own language when they talk about their work. We’ve compiled every acronym and term that digital marketers use most to help you keep your vocabulary up to date. Don’t get lost in the jargon. We’ve got you covered and in alphabetical order.

    A is for…

    Application: There are two main types of applications. A Mobile Application, commonly called an app, is any program designed to run on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. A Web Application, or web app, is a client-server software application where the user interface runs in a web browser. Tools like Blaze, wikis, or platforms that support eCommerce sites, are all examples. 

    Fun Fact: There is no correlation between number of apps maintained and having one’s life together.

    B is for…

    Banner Ad: A form of online advertisement found on desktop and mobile, usually in image format. Largely seen as annoying and ironically slated for banishment if they can’t behave.

    Do Not Confuse With: Banner years, Banners that wave, Bruce Banner  

    Blog: Content written for a website, usually in a conversational style, and updated regularly with keywords to drive traffic. These posts typically focus on a particular subject matter or service. Often timely, blogs are usually written, published, and read relatively quickly (as opposed to site content like product pages, which remain live for months or years).

    Movie Quote: ‘You best start believing in blogs, Ms. Turner. You’re in one.’

    Browser: The digital tool you use to navigate the internet, both on mobile and desktop. Examples include Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

    National Holiday: AOL Remembrance Day remains on hold because Linda won’t get off of the phone.

    C is for…

    Click Through Rate (CTR): The number of times users click on an item of interest, like an advertisement, in comparison to the number of impressions (foreshadowing!)

    For Example: While playing Racquetball, the number of times the ball hits you in the face would be the Hit Through Rate. The number of times you actually saw the ball would be the impression.  

    Content: Any digital material provided on a website. This includes text-based content like blogs, company bios, product descriptions, and other informational copy. Content also covers images, video, and audio (which is often used to supplement text-based copy).

    Do Not Confuse With: Feeling content, otherwise known as contentment, because that does not exist.

    Conversion: An action taken by a persuaded user to engage directly with the website. Examples of this include eCommerce purchases, form submissions, and phone calls. Conversion Optimization is the process of increasing the percentage of visitors who convert. Conversion Rate is the ratio of conversions to visits, often used to measure digital performance.

    Other Entities With High Rates of Conversion: Theatres bringing Hamilton to town, any team playing against the Patriots in the Super Bowl, Girl Scouts selling cookies outside of a pot dispensary, etc.

    C is excessive…

    Cost Per Click (CPC): The amount of money required to produce a single click on a digital advertisement. CPC calculation is by the ratio of clicks to money spent.

    Otherwise Known As: Marketing Department tears

    Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM): An ad payment that charges based on the value of impression (per 1,000 impressions) as opposed to clicks measured with the CPM.

    Say It With Me Now: Location, location, location.

    Crawler: A program that visits websites and reads their code to create entries for a search engine index (such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo). These programs are also called spiders or bots. Crawlers programming are for sites submitted by their owners as new or updated. They visit entire sites or specific pages, indexing each one. These programs are so named because they crawl through a site one page at a time, following the links to other pages on the site until they have finished reading all of them.

    For Visual Reference:  Your baby has learned how to crawl and this action has caused you to see your home in a brand new light, namely as the hellish death trap it truly is, thereby inspiring you to make some significant changes.     

    D is for…

    Desktop: A non-mobile computing device like a personal or laptop computer.

    Do Not Confuse With: The desktop that the desktop is on, meaning the top of a desk, being the desktop and a common place where one can find or put a desktop. This name could have used more thought.

    E is for…

    eCommerce: Everything related to the sale of products and services online falls under this term. This includes applications, analytics, and strategy to reach more customers. Some examples of eCommerce platforms include Magento, Shopify, and WooCommerce.

    Movie Quote: ‘We are now the Knights who say â€˜EtsyEtsyEtsykabangWooCommerceMagentoShopifiy’

    E-mail Marketing: The process of using mass email messages to share information and to promote products and services. This is often done by collecting email addresses through a web form on the site in order for users to ‘subscribe’. Email marketing is often automated, firing off a targeted email after someone takes an action on your website.

    Can Also Be: A way to feel like your favorite store is your personal friend, who really does care that it’s your birthday.

    F is for…

    I think we all know what word belongs here.

    G is for…

    Google Analytics: A free analytics service offered by Google that shows acquisition and behaviors on your website. A variety of measurements can inform a marketer of a site’s strengths and weaknesses. With Google Analytics, users can review general website performance, pain points and pages that need help, traffic channels, and the success of campaigns.

    Also Known As: The poor man’s Mixpanel.  

    H is for…

    Homepage: The introductory or main page of a website.

    Flashback: Remember Homestar Runner? This has nothing to do with homepage, I just wanted you to remember him.

    HTML (Hypertext Mark-Up Language): A language used by web developers to create websites. It is a standardized system for tagging text files to achieve font, color, graphics, and hyperlink effects on web pages.

    Flashforward: In the future, HTML will be an acronym used by youth to mean Hip To My Loo  

    I is for…

    Impressions: The number of times one user sees a displayed advertisement. Commonly found on websites, Google searches, and Facebook, every time a viewer sees an ad on a site, that is one impression. Ad clicks or conversions are unnecessary to make an impression.

    Nugget of Wisdom: Outside the internet, you only get one chance to make a great impression. Unless it involves amnesia.

    Index: A searchable catalogue of web pages and digital content used by search engines, like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, to provide relevant results.

    Also: A finger. But not the finger.

    J is for…

    Java: A programming language used to create applications that can run on a digital device. It’s scripting language sibling, Javascript, is only used in web browsers.

    Fun Fact: The word ‘java’ is now infamous thanks to Brendan Fraser and his critically acclaimed turn as George of the Jungle. Though he was high on coffee and not on code.

    K is for…

    Keyword: A word or phrase indicative of the main theme of a piece of content. How often a keyword appears on a webpage in comparison to other words refers to keyword density. Keyword stuffing is when a keyword is too often used, and in an attempt to manipulate search engines. This unnatural use of keywords can land your website with a penalty.

    You Know That Feeling: When you’re trying to explain something to someone and they stare at you blankly and you feel like you’re losing your mind until all of a sudden you say a specific word and their eyes light up and they say “Ohhhhh!!” because they finally get it?  That magic word was a keyword.

    L is for…

    Landing Page: The first page on a website that a user sees. This is not necessarily the homepage of that website. It could be a form to subscribe to emails or a display of top sellers for an eCommerce store. The homepage remains accessible but it is not the first place visited when users access the site.

    For Example: If The Wet Bandits were breaking into your home through your kitchen, that would not be the proper home entrance but it would be the first part of your house they would see before their heads were aflame.

    Link: A text or image that transitions users from one web page or website to another.

    Do Not Confuse With: This guy  (IMAGINE A LEGAL PICTURE OF LINK FROM ZELDA HERE)

    M is for…

    Mobile Device: A smartphone or tablet capable of browsing the internet or loading applications.

    PSA: To seek help with your mobile device addiction…set it down.

    N is for…

    Nofollow: An HTML link attribute that communicates to web crawlers and search engines that the link to the destination web page should not transfer SEO equity. Any link that has been “unnaturally” acquired (monetarily) should have a nofollow tag.

    Just Like: That sign that said “I’d Turn Back If I Were You” that only the Cowardly Lion was smart enough to respect.

    Newsfeed: The central hub on social media, made up of posts from friends and followers. It is consistently and constantly updated.

    Also Known As: The most consistent cause of despair and agony on a daily basis.

    O is for…

    Organic Listings: Sometimes referred to as organic search results or natural listings, these are results from searches that are not paid advertisements. Keywords pair a user’s search with an appropriate piece of content. The user finds the site naturally. 

    Just So You Know: These listings are also cage and chemical free, grown in the freshest of fresh locations and treated humanely.

    P is for…

    Paid Listings: Advertisements that appear on search engines’ results pages based on particular keywords or demographics. They are often found at the top of search results.

    In Other Words: The search results with the word ‘ad’ underneath that you will scroll past to click on the same link without the word ‘ad’.

    Pay Per Click (PPC): A type of paid listing in which advertisers pay when users click their ads. This is essentially a way of buying visits to a site, rather than attempting to ‘earn’ visits from organic listings.

    I’m Not Saying: It’s like an escort or anything….

    Q is for…

    Query: Also called a search term, this is a keyword or phrase that a user types into a search engine in order to find a product, service, or an answer to a question.

    It’s How People Talk: When they are trying to win Jeopardy.

    R is for…

    Ranking: A listing’s position on a search results pages, both natural and paid.

    Origin Story: The invention of Facebook centered around the college male’s desire to rank girls based on their attractiveness. Isn’t that something fun to recall now?

    S is for…

    Search Engine: A tool that indexes and returns relevant digital content in response to users’ keywords. Popular search engines include Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

    A Limerick: There once was a guy named Jeeves

          Who would answer whatever you please

          Until Google and Bing

          Said We’ve got this thing

          And Jeeves could do nothing but leave

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The practice of making changes to web pages, content, and the promotion of that content to improve visibility in natural and paid search engine results, often using keywords.

    Best Friend Tough Love: “Look, I’m not saying you should change yourself for other people, I’m just saying that maybe some SEO would help you land an actual date.”

    Search Engine Marketing (SEM): Although SEM can refer to both paid and organic search, it traditionally only refers to paid (think Google Adwords). Marketers bid for their ads to appear with search results for keywords that users are typing in. This form of advertising allows users searching for services to see relevant businesses. Marketers provide a daily budget based on how often the ad displays in a day, while daily ad engagement and allotted funds determine how many impressions the ad gets.

    It’s Kind of Like: ebay….but not.

    Oh, yeah, still on S…

    Search Engine Results Page (SERP): The list of results appearing in a search engine in response to the user’s search query.

    Fun Fact: The most common phrase uttered after the appearance of the SERP is ‘I have regrets.’

    Session: Sometimes called a visit, this is how much traffic a website gets within a given time frame. A single session can contain multiple screen or page views, events, social interactions, and eCommerce transactions.

    Just Like: Therapy…but not as limited and less likely to end abruptly in the middle of a sobbing lag.

    Social Media: Content such as text, images, or videos created by individuals, shared across the internet, often on social networks.

    Everyone’s Favorite Disease: Where you won’t freak out if you hear the word ‘viral’.

    Social Network: A community of individuals creating and sharing social media on programs such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Also: An award-winning film. Jesse Eisenberg took home the prize for most words spoken in under 30 seconds.

    T is for…

    Traffic Acquisition: The process of attracting visitors, often referred to as traffic, to websites, mobile apps, and other digital assets.

    The Truth:  It’s our Bat Signal.  We have a Bat Signal.

    U is for…

    Unique Visitor: A single visitor to a website during a specific period of time, or session.

    Often Thought As: The One! That special person that sparkles with glitter! Maybe it’s you!

    Uniform Resource Locator (URL): The unique address of a page or piece of digital content on the internet.

    So Unique: That if you mistype one letter, Lord knows where you’ll end up…but certainly not where you meant to be.

    V is for…

    Visitor: A user of a website over a particular period of time. In a given time frame there are new visitors (those there for the first time) and returning visitors (those who have already browsed during this period).

    But Not: Unique. Just there. With no glitter. Maybe it’s you.

    W is for…

    Webinar: A online seminar used to educate, train, or sell to viewers who signed up for the presentation.

    A Place For Us: Who like to learn of the things and on the internet for the learning.

    White Hat: Ethical digital marketers who don’t participate in work viewed as unethical or as spam.

    Did You Know?: A White Hat, never spotted in the wild, leads to some believing them to be a myth. But I believe.

    Wireframe: A cursory layout drawing of a webpage that acts as the first step in the design process.

    Do Not Confuse With: Regretful choice of glasses.

    X is for…

    XML: Or eXtensible Markup Language, it is similar to HTML as it is primarily used to categorize various data for more effective use. XML allows for customizable tags

    for marking up information that would be otherwise difficult for computers to understand. For example, it is frequently used to build sitemaps. 

    Or Could It Be: The New Crossfit? Because XML sounds just like an exercise program I do not want to do because I have Netflix.

    Y is for…

    YouTube: A video sharing website, now owned by Google and part of their ad network. It is the 2nd most used search engine in the world.

    Guess What: I know you’re thinking about your favorite video on YouTube and now you’re going to go watch it. #mindreader

    Z is for…

    Zapier: A web-based service that allows end users to integrate the web applications they use (such as GitHub and Slack) and is often described as a translator for web APIs. This allows data to remain consistent across applications.

    Rhymes With: Rapier, which is a sword and not an action.

     

    You did it! It takes real commitment to be a cracker jack digital marketer. By making it all the way to the letter Z, you’ve proven yourself up for the task. Now grab a beer and get to marketing!