Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Member You - Improving Traffic Statistics through New Content Generation
The cold foiling process, as the name implies, involves foil blocking without the use of heat. Traditional hot stamping foils require heat and pressure to transfer the foil from the carrier film to the substrate being printed, whereas cold foiling does not.A hot foil generally consists of a polyester carrier, or, more rarely, polypropylene or cellulose film, a release layer, a lacquered layer, the colour which determines the shade of gold or coloured metallic effect, a layer of vacuum deposited aluminium and finally a sized layer to give adhesion to the printed stock. A cold foil has basically the same structure, though cold foiling usually requires a thinner aluminium layer, and the adhesive layer is not always necessary.The hot stamping foil is applied to the stock by means of a heated die, set at a temperature of between around 100 Celsius to over 200C, depending on the type of stamping press being used and the area being blocked. The heat activates both the adhesive layer and the release layer, and allows transfer of the foil from the carrier film according to the design of the die.A
From a web marketing perspective, specific problems have resulted from Big4.com’s competitive environment: 1. A low number of monthly unique visitors 2. Few page views per monthly unique visitor 3. Infrequently updated content
Monthly unique visitors are the web equivalent of print circulation. Consequently, there is a direct correlation between monthly unique visitors and the ability to garner advertising revenue. With only 10,000 monthly unique visitors, Big4.com’s share of the Big Four alumni market was quite small. Big4.com needed to find ways to attract new readers.
<Lawn care business is one of the most unique business ventures where there is seldom a shortage of demand. New customers are being created on a regular basis as more new houses are being built each year. With each house having its own lawn, someone will need to maintain them. Not all house owners have time to maintain their own lawn which in turn lead to a higher demand for quality lawn care services from lawn care companies. Thus a lawn care business is actually quite lucrative if it is being operated properly.One of the best things about lawn care business is that you don’t need huge capital to get started. You can easily start on a small scale and expand when there is a steady increase in sales. However, it is imperative that you have a proper understanding of the nuts and bolts that goes into lawn care business. For a start, you must be able to estimate the lawn maintenance cost accurately and bid correctly in order to avoid loss would be the key to your lawn care business. If possible, visit the actual location before providing estimates. Do not estimate blindly and go into a price war with other c
Big4.com faces the same challenges as most small businesses on the web. There is always more works than people to do it. Growth often takes a back seat to rote operation, and every small business is worried about cost. Most small businesses can succeed on the web if they are able to make big challenges manageable and tackle them one at a time. By taking a look at Big4.com’s approach to writing more content for its web site, you can learn fro their pain – and apply their success to your own business.
Content, on the web, is king. If you do not give your visitors something to read, watch, or do, they will have no reason to return to your site. Give them a reason to stay! Big4.com explored this exact problem and found that focusing simply on creating more content – more material for visitors to enjoy – kept visitors on their site longer, attracted more new readers, and syndicated their content.
You can use this case study to understand how beefing up the amount of content on your web site can attract and retain visitors, yield viral marketing, and ultimately help your business generate more revenue.
Case Background
To understand the importance of content in growing your online business, let’s take a look at Big4.com. Big4.com is an online publication – deriving most of its revenue through web advertisements and online fee-based services. Like any online business, Big4.com relies on visitors for revenue. Growth, therefore, would come from increasing traffic to its site, as well as getting visitors to view more pages.
Big4.com focuses on the current employees and alumni of the Big Four accounting firms and their related consulting firms. The Big Four are Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and KPMG. Consulting firms related to the Big Four – through mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, or group hires – include BearingPoint, Cap Gemini, and Accenture. The Big Four excel at alumni management; online and personal networks – both formal and informal – thrive among former Big Four employees.
Few companies leave such a pronounced impression on their employees, even years after they have moved to new firms. Having worked for one of the Big Four is like being initiated into a business fraternity. Former employees keep in touch with each other – cultivating relationships that lead to new jobs and future business deals.
The market for current and former Big Four employees is substantial. The Big Four have a total of approximately 100,000 current employees during any given year. With an annual turnover of about 30%, 30,000 new alumni are created every year in the United States – and 30,000 new Big Four employees replace them. “Big Four Alumni” is a demographic that grows rapidly, consistently, and predictably, making it a great venue for an online community. Big Four alumni and employees tend to have professional positions, almost universally some form of higher education, and starting salaries that exceed US$50,000.
Big4.com wants to become the focal point of the broad Big Four alumni community by offering content specific to Big Four alumni, as well as services and merchandise that would appeal to this demographic, Big4.com has focused on building a network that can be monetized effectively at a future date.
Big4.com’s Challenges
The most substantial challenge faced by Big4.com comes from its own audience. The Big Four firms already do an effective job of managing their alumni networks. Further, these firms have access to information from themselves first – detailed and confirmed information about their former employees as well as internal news that has not reached the public. These factors provide for a much richer online community. While Big4.com has broad appeal across the Big Four, it does not have the nascent information advantages of the alumni web sites for Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
This problem is common among small businesses. Often, we struggle to differentiate ourselves from larger competitors. Their sheer size can overshadow our differences – and competitive advantages – despite the fact that what we offer is unique and more appropriate to our audiences. Big4.com’s problems were not unusual. It needed a way to stand out, but the competition was overwhelming in its size and presence.
From a web marketing perspective, specific problems have resulted from Big4.com’s competitive environment: 1. A low number of monthly unique visitors 2. Few page views per monthly unique visitor 3. Infrequently updated content
Monthly unique visitors are the web equivalent of print circulation. Consequently, there is a direct correlation between monthly unique visitors and the ability to garner advertising revenue. With only 10,000 monthly unique visitors, Big4.com’s share of the Big Four alumni market was quite small. Big4.com needed to find ways to attract new readers.
There are lots of ways to deal with difficult interview questions. In these situations it helps to understand some of the possible motives interviewers have in asking you these questions, and what your own motivation should be in answering them. Here are a few insights to ponder for yourself. Whatever your approach, you should record the answers that work for you, and find new approaches for those that do not.1. What are some of your significant accomplishments?This question is an opportunity for you to express how your contributions have put dollars and cents into the company's growth. If possible, quote figures on how much money your ideas or actions have saved your previous employers, or added to their bottom line. If you have never been a higher paid employee, or offered any significant contribution beyond your good work, you can simply state that you have always earned what they paid you to do the job. If you are looking for a higher paying position, think of something you have done to improve work flow, customer base, or income for the company. There are lots of possibilities. Do no
Case Background
To understand the importance of content in growing your online business, let’s take a look at Big4.com. Big4.com is an online publication – deriving most of its revenue through web advertisements and online fee-based services. Like any online business, Big4.com relies on visitors for revenue. Growth, therefore, would come from increasing traffic to its site, as well as getting visitors to view more pages.
Big4.com focuses on the current employees and alumni of the Big Four accounting firms and their related consulting firms. The Big Four are Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and KPMG. Consulting firms related to the Big Four – through mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, or group hires – include BearingPoint, Cap Gemini, and Accenture. The Big Four excel at alumni management; online and personal networks – both formal and informal – thrive among former Big Four employees.
Few companies leave such a pronounced impression on their employees, even years after they have moved to new firms. Having worked for one of the Big Four is like being initiated into a business fraternity. Former employees keep in touch with each other – cultivating relationships that lead to new jobs and future business deals.
The market for current and former Big Four employees is substantial. The Big Four have a total of approximately 100,000 current employees during any given year. With an annual turnover of about 30%, 30,000 new alumni are created every year in the United States – and 30,000 new Big Four employees replace them. “Big Four Alumni” is a demographic that grows rapidly, consistently, and predictably, making it a great venue for an online community. Big Four alumni and employees tend to have professional positions, almost universally some form of higher education, and starting salaries that exceed US$50,000.
Big4.com wants to become the focal point of the broad Big Four alumni community by offering content specific to Big Four alumni, as well as services and merchandise that would appeal to this demographic, Big4.com has focused on building a network that can be monetized effectively at a future date.
Big4.com’s Challenges
The most substantial challenge faced by Big4.com comes from its own audience. The Big Four firms already do an effective job of managing their alumni networks. Further, these firms have access to information from themselves first – detailed and confirmed information about their former employees as well as internal news that has not reached the public. These factors provide for a much richer online community. While Big4.com has broad appeal across the Big Four, it does not have the nascent information advantages of the alumni web sites for Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
This problem is common among small businesses. Often, we struggle to differentiate ourselves from larger competitors. Their sheer size can overshadow our differences – and competitive advantages – despite the fact that what we offer is unique and more appropriate to our audiences. Big4.com’s problems were not unusual. It needed a way to stand out, but the competition was overwhelming in its size and presence.
From a web marketing perspective, specific problems have resulted from Big4.com’s competitive environment: 1. A low number of monthly unique visitors 2. Few page views per monthly unique visitor 3. Infrequently updated content
Monthly unique visitors are the web equivalent of print circulation. Consequently, there is a direct correlation between monthly unique visitors and the ability to garner advertising revenue. With only 10,000 monthly unique visitors, Big4.com’s share of the Big Four alumni market was quite small. Big4.com needed to find ways to attract new readers.
<An impending redundancy from his well paid corporate job in the banking industry left Geoff Alexander pondering his career direction. Rather than apply for other corporate roles, he used the experience as a catylst to follow his entrepreneurial aspirations.In October 2004 he established his own marketing company. Out of that he spawned the idea for a separate online company called BeautyandHealth.com...The Interview.DS: What inspired you to quit your well paid corporate job and set up the Beauty and Health Ltd?GA: Well, I had been growing restless for some time, and had been evaluating various opportunities outside my ‘day job’; when notified that my position was going to become redundant, this seemed like the perfect time to ‘go it alone’. Beauty and Health was one of a several ideas that were brought to fruition as a result.DS: Did you have any help setting up Beauty and Health Ltd or were you going it alone?GA: I sought advice from numerous areas and read extensively. I still own 100% of the shares.DS: What was the biggest challenge you faced in bringing your
Few companies leave such a pronounced impression on their employees, even years after they have moved to new firms. Having worked for one of the Big Four is like being initiated into a business fraternity. Former employees keep in touch with each other – cultivating relationships that lead to new jobs and future business deals.
The market for current and former Big Four employees is substantial. The Big Four have a total of approximately 100,000 current employees during any given year. With an annual turnover of about 30%, 30,000 new alumni are created every year in the United States – and 30,000 new Big Four employees replace them. “Big Four Alumni” is a demographic that grows rapidly, consistently, and predictably, making it a great venue for an online community. Big Four alumni and employees tend to have professional positions, almost universally some form of higher education, and starting salaries that exceed US$50,000.
Big4.com wants to become the focal point of the broad Big Four alumni community by offering content specific to Big Four alumni, as well as services and merchandise that would appeal to this demographic, Big4.com has focused on building a network that can be monetized effectively at a future date.
Big4.com’s Challenges
The most substantial challenge faced by Big4.com comes from its own audience. The Big Four firms already do an effective job of managing their alumni networks. Further, these firms have access to information from themselves first – detailed and confirmed information about their former employees as well as internal news that has not reached the public. These factors provide for a much richer online community. While Big4.com has broad appeal across the Big Four, it does not have the nascent information advantages of the alumni web sites for Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
This problem is common among small businesses. Often, we struggle to differentiate ourselves from larger competitors. Their sheer size can overshadow our differences – and competitive advantages – despite the fact that what we offer is unique and more appropriate to our audiences. Big4.com’s problems were not unusual. It needed a way to stand out, but the competition was overwhelming in its size and presence.
From a web marketing perspective, specific problems have resulted from Big4.com’s competitive environment: 1. A low number of monthly unique visitors 2. Few page views per monthly unique visitor 3. Infrequently updated content
Monthly unique visitors are the web equivalent of print circulation. Consequently, there is a direct correlation between monthly unique visitors and the ability to garner advertising revenue. With only 10,000 monthly unique visitors, Big4.com’s share of the Big Four alumni market was quite small. Big4.com needed to find ways to attract new readers.
<I returned a rental car at an airport yesterday. As the person who was going to check me in approached, he smiled (which shocked me) and said, “Hello Mr. Galler,” which shocked me further as I don’t have a clue how he knew my name – obviously there was some way of identifying my car, and therefore me, at a distance. “How was your trip; was everything OK with your car?” he inquired in a friendly, personal tone. “Everything was fine I replied” “Great – I hope we’ll see you back soon. There is some bottled water in the cooler over there for you” he said as he directed me towards the shuttle bus to the terminal.As I made my way out of the facility, two more staffers greeted me, not in the impersonal manner of an automaton, but as if they really cared whether I had a good experience with their product, that they sincerely wanted me to return.As I sat on the shuttle bus I considered my experience. Their product and price is about the same as their competitors. Why should I choose one car rental company over another? Simple, their attitude!They impressed me with their attitude – one of car
Big4.com wants to become the focal point of the broad Big Four alumni community by offering content specific to Big Four alumni, as well as services and merchandise that would appeal to this demographic, Big4.com has focused on building a network that can be monetized effectively at a future date.
Big4.com’s Challenges
The most substantial challenge faced by Big4.com comes from its own audience. The Big Four firms already do an effective job of managing their alumni networks. Further, these firms have access to information from themselves first – detailed and confirmed information about their former employees as well as internal news that has not reached the public. These factors provide for a much richer online community. While Big4.com has broad appeal across the Big Four, it does not have the nascent information advantages of the alumni web sites for Deloitte, KPMG, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
This problem is common among small businesses. Often, we struggle to differentiate ourselves from larger competitors. Their sheer size can overshadow our differences – and competitive advantages – despite the fact that what we offer is unique and more appropriate to our audiences. Big4.com’s problems were not unusual. It needed a way to stand out, but the competition was overwhelming in its size and presence.
From a web marketing perspective, specific problems have resulted from Big4.com’s competitive environment: 1. A low number of monthly unique visitors 2. Few page views per monthly unique visitor 3. Infrequently updated content
Monthly unique visitors are the web equivalent of print circulation. Consequently, there is a direct correlation between monthly unique visitors and the ability to garner advertising revenue. With only 10,000 monthly unique visitors, Big4.com’s share of the Big Four alumni market was quite small. Big4.com needed to find ways to attract new readers.
<Anyone who depends on building a database with online subscribers knows this is becoming more difficult by the day. Primarily, the competition for the consumer’s attention is fierce. Today’s consumer has become much more demanding and savvy when it comes to buying products online or signing up for “stuff.”Smart marketers realize the power and profit that comes from a strong alliance through joint venturing. JV’s can be one of the smartest marketing moves any online marketer can make.Something that has become very popular in recent months is where one person or company sweetens the offer of the product they are selling with lots of bonuses. The bonuses can be their own information products or those of others who understand the benefits of this type of campaign. Of course, there is no charge for the bonus products.There are two primary ways to participate in a JV of this nature. One is to simply give the PDF file to the person who is selling a product. The seller gives the PDF directly to the buyer. The advantage to this is your bonus product gets seen by others. The disadvantage is you don’
From a web marketing perspective, specific problems have resulted from Big4.com’s competitive environment: 1. A low number of monthly unique visitors 2. Few page views per monthly unique visitor 3. Infrequently updated content
Monthly unique visitors are the web equivalent of print circulation. Consequently, there is a direct correlation between monthly unique visitors and the ability to garner advertising revenue. With only 10,000 monthly unique visitors, Big4.com’s share of the Big Four alumni market was quite small. Big4.com needed to find ways to attract new readers.
In addition to needing to find new readers, Big4.com had the derivative challenge of needing to keep visitors on the site. The average visitor did not spend much time on the site per month. Generally, readers left after only two page views. This tendency resulted from a dearth of content, with new articles appearing only monthly.
The lack of content not only resulted in a lower level of reader engagement – it also had a search engine impact. Big4.com did not receive prominent search engine results placement, which limited the publication’s ability to attract new readers.
New Content for Big4.com’s Readers
Big4.com needed to act quickly to keep from being overlooked in a large, competitive marketplace. To rejuvenate itself, Big4.com executed a content-centered strategy. For most companies, this is an effective way to grow on the web. New content allows you to use your business expertise, putting your business knowledge to work. Also, it is less expensive than other approaches to web marketing.
Big4.com has doubled both its key metrics – monthly unique visitors and page views per unique visitor. While the publication’s market share is still small, it is growing quite rapidly. Big4.com facilitated this growth with t a web marketing strategy that focused on new content.
Big4.com started as a monthly publication. Generating approximately five articles per month, though, did not give readers a reason to return to the site throughout the month. To remedy this problem, Big4.com moved to a weekly publication model – publishing five articles every week. Further, Big4.com has continued to grow this number, reaching approximately ten articles per week with plans for more.
The increased volume of content has made Big4.com a premier destination on the web for Big Four alumni. The web site now attracts 20,000 monthly unique visitors – double its previous number. Big4.com has also doubled its other key metric, page views per monthly unique visitor. Big4.com was able to affect this transition over six months.
Big4.com was able to leverage its readers for the increase of content volume. Many readers, committed to the Big Four alumni community, were eager to submit their own content. As a result, internal writers became editors, and Big4.com was able to increase its pace and volume of publication with little increase in cost.
The proliferation of content yielded an additional benefit – syndication. Other online publications around the world took an interest in Big4.com’s content, and they carried the articles themselves – while preserving Big4.com’s bylines. This implicitly increased Big4.com’s readership while functioning as advertising for Big4.com on other sites. The consistent republishing of Big4.com’s content with attribution resulted in the acquisition of many new readers as well as a long-term, no-cost strategy for web site promotion.
Conclusion
Think about your own business on the web. You may have many of the same problems that Big4.com did. Larger competitors get in your way without even noticing you. While you get a fairly steady flow of visitors to your web site, you would be happy with more – in fact, you need more traffic. But, your budget just cannot handle expensive or sophisticated web marketing efforts.
Big4.com’s experience demonstrates that strengthening your presence on the web does not have to be expensive. Simply putting more content on the web site yielded substantial results for Big4.com, and these results have gained momentum. With little expenditure, Big4.3com has earned a great return.
You can take advantage of Big4.com’s experience. Online growth does not have to be expensive, time-consuming, or sophisticated. You can leverage your business expertise to grow. Increasing your content consistently and regularly helps you promote your business, educate your customers, and attract new business.
Copyright 2006 Daniel Scheff
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.memberyou.net/article/68641/memberyou-Improving-Traffic-Statistics-through-New-Content-Generation.html">Improving Traffic Statistics through New Content Generation</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.memberyou.net/article/68641/memberyou-Improving-Traffic-Statistics-through-New-Content-Generation.html]Improving Traffic Statistics through New Content Generation[/url]
Related Articles:
How You Can Find Freelance Writing Employment
Tips To Do A Competitive Analysis
Bookmark it:
|