Friday Notes: Can’t wait for our first ever StartUpHamilton Event!

October 21, 2011 by · 3 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

I couldn’t have stated this any better than the folks over at our Innovation Factory – so thanks Stephanie and Tammy and Keanin and Mike and Ron!!!!

And here’s the skinny on what I and hundreds of others are going to be doing this whole weekend at the McMaster Innovation Park headquarters –

Read more

Online Marketing Program: SEO Foundation Tasks

October 17, 2011 by · 15 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

Okay, it’s time to move “up” our Online Marketing Success Pyramid, to the next level where weekly tasks abound – the SEO Campaign!

But, what is an SEO Campaign you ask….

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the research-based approach of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via “natural” (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results. Search engine optimization targets the free, organic, natural, or left hand side of search and their ranking algorithms. Read more

InnovationNight3: Hamilton StartUps Success!

October 14, 2011 by · 5 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

Once again, it was my pleasure to be asked by the Innovation Factory folks, to help coach and mentor the next batch of our Hamilton startups for their presentations to Innovation Night:3 held just last Wednesday nite at the MIPs Centre here in Hamilton! And what a batch it was!

We had founders that were inventors, community builders, marketing mavens, new app builders and print publishers…and one and all were so damn passionate that it was a pretty easy task to coach them into developing their one or three minute presentations – and myself and the other coaches/mentors there all had a great time doing just that and I wanted to invest in a couple myownself, eh!

Read more

Online Marketing Program: 1.4 Conversion Tracking

October 11, 2011 by · 4 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

A/B and/or Multivariate Testing…

The attention span on the Web has been decreasing ever since Google had arrived and changed the rules of the game.

Now with millions of results available on any topic imaginable, the window to grab a visitor’s attention has decreased significantly (in 2002, the BBC reported it is about 9 seconds).

Read more

Student Software Entrepreneurism Opportunities: An Op-Ed View!

October 7, 2011 by · 6 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

While a Computer Science graduate student and lecturer at McMaster University I’ve often had graduating students ask me if I know if any “good jobs” are available.  Students are having difficulty finding jobs that they find fulfilling intellectually, that offer opportunities for advancement, and that make them feel a sense of purpose by doing something important to them. 

I genuinely believe that even though the opportunities presented to students may seem bleak, the ability for students to create their own opportunity through software-based startups has never been better.

Read more

Online Marketing Program: 1.3 Call To Action – Part 2

October 3, 2011 by · 4 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

Yup, time to move along to Part 2 of our Call to Action area in our Online Marketing Program, and we begin with a look at color – and how it can influence and often determine the difference between an effective call to action and one that languishes in last place!

Here’s what we’ve found, color info wise….compare some of the colors below with what you’re using – and what other successful websites use too! Do a survey….and use A/B testing to determine what works for your site!!!

Read more

DemoCampHamilton3: A Booming Success!

September 30, 2011 by · 3 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

Okay, by now, you’ll know that I love start-ups, I love my community and yes I have a soft spot for my alma mater McMaster and it’s generation of brand new brains that enter our community with a penchant for both business and hi-tech….so it should be no surprise that our latest DemoCampHamilton3 was a booming success, eh!

Held just last Wednesday, September 28th at the 1280Pub at McMaster, there were almost 200 attendants for what can only be described as a growing turnout for both our educational and business communitys….and I was proud to see that many enthused folks all in one room!

Read more

Online Marketing Program: 1.3 Call To Actions – Part 1

September 26, 2011 by · 5 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

The term “call to action” means, well, just what it sounds like – it’s instructing someone to do what you want them to do, or calling them to action.

For example, a successful call to action can motivate a customer to click on a link at the end of a blog post, reply to an e-mail, or “like” your post on Facebook. After your readers have finished reading your content, a call to action provides web visitors with the next step, leading them one step closer to converting from a visitor to a customer. Whether it’s completing a sale or downloading an article, a strong call to action is an important part of any marketing strategy – perhaps it’s said the MOST important part of any strategy!

Read more

InnovationFactory: Lunch ‘n Learn Success!

September 21, 2011 by · 2 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

Okay, you’ve all been to lunch ‘n learns before, I take it…but if you’ve never been to one sponsored by our Hamilton Innovation Factory, then you’re needing an update on this successful totally free learing series!

Just yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending their September event  based on using the new Business Model Canvas app, ably led by Robin Hopper, an IF EIR (entrepeneur in residence) whose background more than warrants notice!

Read more

Online Marketing Program: 1.2 Products & Services

September 19, 2011 by · 27 Comments
Filed under: SEO 

When you sell services or Web apps online, you should do exactly the same thing that a store does: show the product.

It’s surprising how many websites that sell software for example, don’t actually show screenshots of their applications.

Sure, these are intangible goods, digital goods that you can’t touch or smell, but they’re still goods you can see.

Producing your own products boils down to 3 simple steps:

  • plan it
  • produce it
  • and sell it

Read more

« Previous PageNext Page »