Aaron Weiche

I've long been preaching the team effort of how great web design and great search engine optimization work together, each benefiting the other.  I'm of the opinion these days that you can't have one without the other.

SEOmoz posted the same thoughts today looking at 7 Cutting Edge Web Design Trends That Can Actually Improve SEO.

The opening graphic on the mesh of SEO and web design growing importance on today's web is a simple, but great one.

For too long, many web designers and SEO's have treated their skills on separate islands, but that's changing.  It takes great interface design and code to properly structure your contents value and position and vice versa. 

It takes these elements working together, in a crowded space to attract links, attention, traffic and then convert that attention into something more valuable.

I'm always a fan of web designers and businesses sharing their web design and redesign process with the masses.  The latest I ran across to do so was the BBC.

The BBC website redesign is coming later this month and they put out a great post on their thinking behind their most dramatic redesign since 2003.  You can see a slideshow of screenshots as well. In delivering massive amounts of content daily, the BBC outlined their goals with the redesign.  These items are all contributing to the goal of making their website as EASY to use, read and share as possible. 

Their website redesign improvements include:

• a fresh, updated design, with more space for the main stories of the day
• better use of video and images
• clearer and more prominent labeling and signposting of key stories, whether you are on the front page or a story page
• a better indication of which are the most recent headlines
• easier ways to share stories with others, for those who wish to

Also of note is that the BBC will be rolling out a North America version as well with the redesign, another step in improving the users experience by considering where the user is located.

Social media might never be the same with Gink.  Live ginking a schmorkel?!?!?  Fabulously funny in my opionion, but you might need "earmuffs" toward the end. :)

Thanks to Lisa Foote for the find!

The big announcement came today that Google has changed their name ... to Topeka.

I'm all for change, but this switch has left many hurting and wondering why?

Here in Minnesota, the people in cities such as Wanimingo, Embarass, Flaming and Fertile are left to wonder why not them?  Why didn't Google change their name to their town/city?  Public hearings, protests and general tears are sure to follow.

It's a tough topic here locally as well as elsewhere.  Frog Suck, Wyoming is devastated I'm sure.

Want the latest info on the iPad?  Just Google Frog Suck it.

“People ask me if we have ‘made money’ with Twitter. Absolutely yes. But not how most business think. We have solidified loyalty and have our name out there, front of mind. Because of that, many social media meetups use our place. Patience! One has to believe that increased loyalty and awareness are a key to business growth.”

That was the last paragraph in a recent Mashable article on How Small Businesses Are Using Social Media For Real Results.  The quote was from Joe Johnston of Arizona restaurant Liberty Market.

I'm singling it out because of it's value and accuracy.  So many businesses look to make their mark with marketing that translates into an exact dollar amount (or so they think).  Joe points out the efforts you take on that build loyalty and awareness are keys to business growth. That's what makes money.

I can also identify with his "front of mind" comment.  I often seek out businesses and places to eat that are on Twitter or Facebook first because I know more about them and see them engaging their audience. I like a business interested in interaction with it's customers.

So here is the answer you are going to get from me if you ask "Can my business make money on Social Media?"

Yes, your business can make money by enhancing customer loyalty and awareness online, using Social Media. It's that simple.

Finding a trusted source, it's a challenge for business owners in many things to run your business.  Good news, I have the best source for a business owner or marketing person to learn best practices of SEO and Local Search.

Coming to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area on May 13th is Local University.  Local U is a 1-day Internet marketing workshop focused on entry level to intermediate level information for marketing online.

Who are you learning from?  Only the best.

• GOOGLE:  Reps from Google are part of the workshop and will walk you through their Local Business Center and explain the basics you need to properly claim and edit your business information on Google. 
• BING:  A Rep from Bing will be there to discuss their local search offering and what Bing offers as a search engine. 
• NATIONAL EXPERTS:  Trusted, experienced and highly sought after speakers will walk you through search engine optimization for your website, social media, blogs, local search, Google maps, do it yourself tips and more.

--> View the details, speaker bio's and sign up online now!
Use promo code five2010 to save $40!  Only $89 for the workshop!

Below are just 3 of the many positive comments from past Local U attendees:

I was completely new to these concepts, but they were well explained. It was very easy to go to the office afterward and implement everything discussed.
-- Benjamin Pingel, Marketing Director for Thrifty Car Rental of Spokane, WA

I appreciated that this seminar was directed towards FREE methods of improving search results and improving site traffic.  We are equivalent to a non-profit and so we have no budget for ppc marketing. Also was impressed that the presenters are top in their field - that gave a little more weight to what they were saying.
--Sarah Reynolds

I really appreciated all of the small details that you clarified (meta tags are NOT used to classify my website? HUH?) as well as the differences between organic, maps and adwords and how to boost my status. I also appreciated knowing what I need to do to help the spiders figure out who I am and what I do. If you ever need a regular, run of the mill business person to speak at any of your events - call me! I would love to participate!
--Tia Wooley, Beautiful Photo Studio

Local University is a great opportunity for Minnesota and I hope to see you there.  A big thanks to the support from local sponsors Deluxe For Business and ReliaCloud - Cloud Hosting from VISI.

Matt McGee at Small Business Search Marketing recently featured a HubSpot post on business blogging and it's impact on traffic.  Not a big surprise to me that business's that blog regularly see as much as 6 times the organic search traffic. Did you catch that, 6 times more?

Matt closed his recap this powerful statement:  A good company blog is an exceptionally powerful SEO weapon.

I agree 110%, probably even more.

A key word in that statement though is "good".  As the HubSpot article points out:

"A follow-up study shows that the mere act of blogging does not guarantee more site traffic. Anyone can set up a blog and leave it idle as initial excitements fade. Businesses that actively manage their blogs, however, fare much better than those without blogs."

Great info to consider for any business wanting to improve online. Maybe it's time you considered a business blog to contribute to your business efforts ... not just setting it up, but managing a good one.

There are a couple of events going on right now, each on a different scale in size and web design.  In my opinion, one is a fantastic web design, the other is completely a waste of clicks.

The 2010 Winter Olympics Web Design - Gold Medal
The Vancouver 2010 web design is a wonderful mix of colors, theme, layout and tons of content. Photos, events, video, interviews, medal counts and so much more. It captures the energy of the games while easing interaction will all of the events and stories.

My only critique of this web design would be the left alignment.  It just makes a site feel crowded and crammed to me.  I get what they were trying to leverage with the design elements to the right, but they should have stayed true to center alignment.  Here is another post full of great Olympic design examples.

The Minneapolis Home & Garden Show - DNQ
Locally, the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show event kicked off today and this web design is about as lame, boring and unfriendly as it gets.  It gets the Did Not Qualify award for not being worthy of finishing the race.  I'm sure the Home & Garden Show is very interested in bringing in as many attendees as possible, but this website won't motivate a soul to get off their couch.

I could even forgive the poor web design if the content was solid, but that's a whole different kind of fail.  How about some photos or videos from past shows (non distorted please).  Show me what the experience is.  Let me know about concrete deck builders, granite fabricators or tree care specialists.

Now only if I could say I was going to attend both events this weekend.

Those of us with an iPhone know that the device will try to locate WiFi connections for use when possible.  If you're like me, you find yourself laughing at some of the strange and odd names that homes and businesses give their WiFi connections. A few weeks ago, when in Maple Grove, I think I stumbled on to a restaurant using their WiFi connection name for marketing.

Now this could be just an accident and with my marketing mind I'm reading too far into it.  But it's the first I've ever seen someone use their main service/product and phone number in their network name.  Sawatdee in Maple Grove is the owner of this example and their food is pretty solid.  They also have a current coupon online for 50% off a second entree.

If it is on purpose, I like it.  An easy and small approach that can't hurt and can only help. I grab my iPhone to check email or use the web while shopping in downtown Maple Grove ... and there is Sawatdee letting me know their is Asian food nearby. This would also apply to any nearby laptop users attempting to connect to a network at an office or coffee shop.

What do you think?  Accident or Advertising?

The last 2 iPhone apps I've downloaded are pretty cool, both in content and features.

The first is the This American Life app.  I'm late to the party on this fabulous NPR show, but their new app gives me access to all of their nearly 400 episodes included in the $2.99 price.  Here is a video clip on the release of their app and all of its great features.

The second is the NBC Olympics App.  While the apps best features are for those actually attending the Olympics, there is still plenty of info for events, medal counts, video and more.

Also tempting is the Olympic cow bell app, but I haven't pulled the trigger on that yet. Do you have a new favorite app or two?