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Website Design

Organic Landing Pages: The Author Index Landing Page

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Use Author Index landing pages to create a directory of your author landing pages

Looking for keyword phrases to boost your results in search engines? How about a name?

If you’re looking for quick ways to build your page count and add content that is easily indexed by search engines, don’t forget your authors and editors.

The author index page is a list of all the writers contributing content to the website, much like a contributor’s page in the front of many magazines. These pages came into existence when publishers noticed that a lot of website traffic was arriving via organic search of their website’s authors. … Continue Reading »

Design Above the Fold - 9 Crucial Items

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

Website Design: 9 Items a User Should Immediately See On Your Blog when Designing Above the Fold

Twenty years ago, “above the fold” only referred to the upper half portion of a newspaper. Now, above the fold can be applied to many things, especially website design, and the first screen of content a user will see when they go to your URL. … Continue Reading »

Mequoda In The News

Friday, November 7th, 2008

Continue Reading »

Aimee Graeber

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Aimee Graeber Senior Partner, Mequoda Group, LLC

Aimee Graeber brings more than 11 years experience to her position as Senior Partner. She is the Principal Information Architect and Design Team Leader for the Mequoda Group. She is an expert in project management, information architecture, website usability, Internet marketing and system development. Aimee is responsible for the prototype development projects, and teaching program for Mequoda’s clients. Her team includes four website designers, three usability experts and two top direct response copywriters.

Aimee started her career in project management & systems development by spending 6 years as a consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers. She continued her career as Director of Business Solutions in her role managing a 35-person system development team at Blue Dolphin Group. She has also worked at other companies in the internet and email space at Foodline.com and Fidelity Investments.

Aimee received her B.A. in Business Logistics from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. She has also completed the Capella University Website Usability and Design Program. … Continue Reading »

Homepage Design: When Scrolling is Better than Clicking

Wednesday, August 13th, 2008

Should your homepage design offer full-length articles to increase conversions, or use snippets to increase clicks? … Continue Reading »

The Three Lenses of Consumers: Online, Offline and In-Person

Friday, August 8th, 2008

A special-interest user experience includes multiple platforms: online, offline, and in person; using all three guarantees you the most visibility and the best user satisfaction. … Continue Reading »

About Mequoda

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

Mequoda Group provides research, training and educational services exclusively for the publishing industry. Our mission is to help publishers succeed online by providing them with free daily tips, free reports, online seminars, live events, consulting services and software services.

We have brought together publishing industry veterans and information architecture experts to create a unique road map for creating successful websites. We combine the benefit of 30 years of experience in periodical management with a cutting-edge knowledge of Internet marketing and publishing.

Mequoda Educational Services: Discover the best practices for online media management and Internet marketing strategy through private and public training workshops.

Mequoda Consulting Services: Transform your business into a profitable online publishing company in 12 months or less with intensive coaching from Don Nicholas and the Mequoda Research Team.

Mequoda Software Services: Outsource your website system design, development and support to Mequoda’s software team for a fast and economical strategy for building your online marketing program.

Mequoda Clients: Learn more about the publishers who have chosen the Mequoda system to help them make more money on the Internet via the sale of information products, sponsor revenue and lead generation.

Contact Us: Please reach out to learn how we could help you launch your online publishing and marketing initiative. … Continue Reading »

Mequoda Pro

Thursday, August 7th, 2008
Now you can ask any question about online publishing and marketing and receive a detailed answer from the Mequoda Pro Research Team and I for less than 54 cents a day.

Introducing Mequoda Pro — the ultimate publishing support program — designed exclusively for experienced professionals who want to take the next step toward a secure and rewarding future in online publishing.

Plus, get unlimited access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video training modules online, discuss the Mequoda Pro Online Publishing and Marketing System with your professional colleagues, and stay on the cutting edge of our rapidly changing industry.

Special introductory offer slashes the Mequoda Pro charter membership fee to only $297, but only if you act quickly.

Dear publishing colleague,

Frankly, if you haven’t yet mastered all the details and nuances of online publishing and marketing, it’s not your fault.

There’s an awful lot to learn.

For more than five years, my Mequoda Pro Research Team and I have been working nearly full-time to discover, document and update the best practices of the world’s most successful publishers.

During that time, we have become the recognized authority on online publishing management, Internet marketing, landing page optimization and membership website publishing.

Our work is never done, because the landscape keeps changing.

We’ve created books, case histories, special reports, online webinars and a two-day seminar on how to build, manage, and get real results from your online marketing program.

Now you can ask any question about online publishing and marketing and receive a detailed answer from me and the other members of the Mequoda Pro Research Team.

Not to sound immodest, but we know what we’re talking about.

Over the past 20 years, I have personally guided the media strategy for hundreds of companies in the areas of content development, information product design, marketing, economics, mergers, acquisitions and organizational development.

I’m an expert on Internet media strategy. The Newsletter on Newsletters has dubbed me “a publisher’s publisher” and the Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA) calls me “one of America’s leading experts on website publishing strategy.”

In fact, I have spent my entire adult life working with publishers—from huge media giants like Gannett, Hearst and Time Inc., to hundreds of small and medium-sized special-interest magazines, newsletters, and book and website publishers.

“Ever since Aristotle mentored Alexander the Great, smart politicians and business people have been hiring more experienced people to enhance their educations, advise on best practices, and help advance their careers.”

Plus, I’ve been fortunate enough to work on what are now some of the most successful publishing operations that started in print and have moved onto the Internet. These include Computerworld, Morningstar, Tech Republic and Consumer Reports, among many others.

I’m currently coaching some of the most prestigious publishers in the industry. My hourly consulting fee is $450, with the average Mequoda Pro consulting client on retainer for $3,600 monthly, or eight hours of my time.

But what if $3,600 monthly is a little bit out of your reach, but you’d still like to have direct access to me and the other members of the Mequoda Pro Research Team?

Where can you get our expert advice and instruction when you’re on a budget?

The answer may surprise you.

There is a solution to getting detailed, authoritative answers to your most pressing questions about online publishing for yourself and your staff members. And the fee is so low, I think you’ll want to jump on this offer right away — before we change our mind.

Join Mequoda Pro today at the special charter membership fee of only $297 and I’ll answer your questions about online publishing and marketing, plus give you unlimited online access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video modules — and more. This limited-time offer is exclusively for publishing professionals. Your complete satisfaction is assured with our 100 percent, money-back guarantee. But you must act now, because the low Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will soon increase to $697 annually.

Yes! I want Mequoda Pro charter membership for only $297, including Mequoda Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, plus unlimited online access to all Mequoda Pro Video modules.

I understand that I can review the initial Mequoda video training seminars risk-free for 30 days. If I am not completely satisfied, you’ll refund my investment in full. I also understand that I will automatically renew at the $297 rate a year from now unless I contact you beforehand. On that basis, here’s my order.

Yes I want to subscribe to Mequoda Pro

We hate spam as much as you do. You have our promise not to sell or share your email address, ever! Please read our Privacy Policy. Learn more about Mequoda.

An invitation to join Mequoda Pro — the new membership website exclusively for publishing professionals

Now you can ask questions and receive detailed answers from me and the Mequoda Pro Research Team for less than 54 cents a day.

That’s right. The charter membership fee in Mequoda Pro is only $297, or less than 54 cents a day.

Your Mequoda Pro membership entitles you to ask me and the Mequoda Research Team any question about online publishing and marketing strategy and get a direct answer. Questions like these, that we are asked nearly every week:

  • What qualities and skills should I look for when hiring an online editor?
  • What are the job descriptions of the staff required to run an online publishing business?
  • What is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and how can it be used to hire and understand co-workers?
  • What is a “reader satisfaction” score and how is it calculated?
  • How can I increase the amount of product I sell from my email newsletters?
  • How can I increase my email subscriber file?
  • What’s the best way to structure a sponsorship package?
  • What is a revenue pyramid and how should I construct one?
  • What is the best source of content for my free special reports?
  • What’s a “free on free” offer and why do you recommend it?
  • Why is it important for ad-driven publishers to collect email subscribers?
  • How do you measure the total number of keywords you should be targeting?
  • What exactly is a “Mequoda website”?
  • Which business model (search, online publisher or online retailer) generates the most revenue?
  • How are an online subscription website and a membership website different?
  • What is the function of “conversion architecture” on a webpage?
  • Where is an upsell landing page typically used most effectively?
  • How can I get our email “white-listed?”
  • What does it mean to “webify” the content of an email message?
  • Is it appropriate to use testimonials in email? Why or why not?
  • How can I measure my website’s effectiveness? What metrics are important?
Join Mequoda Pro today at the special charter membership fee of only $297 and I’ll answer your questions about online publishing and marketing, plus give you unlimited online access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video modules — and more. This limited-time offer is exclusively for publishing professionals. Your complete satisfaction is assured with our 100 percent, money-back guarantee. But you must act now, because the low Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will soon increase to $697 annually.

Yes! I want Mequoda Pro charter membership for only $297, including Mequoda Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, plus unlimited online access to all Mequoda Pro Video modules.

I understand that I can review the initial Mequoda video training seminars risk-free for 30 days. If I am not completely satisfied, you’ll refund my investment in full. I also understand that I will automatically renew at the $297 rate a year from now unless I contact you beforehand. On that basis, here’s my order.

Yes I want to subscribe to Mequoda Pro

We hate spam as much as you do. You have our promise not to sell or share your email address, ever! Please read our Privacy Policy. Learn more about Mequoda.

“Don Nicholas has an unquenchable thirst for learning and applying new technologies. He is also a gifted and passionate teacher. Combine those attributes with over 20 years in the publishing business, and you will understand why I tell you that this program is a ’must have’ for anyone involved in the development or management of a modern publishing enterprise.” — Greg Jones, President, Granite Bay Media, Inc

“Mequoda Pro sounds too good to be true. What’s the catch?”

Actually, there are two.

First, there’s a limit of one question per week or 52 questions annually.

And second, you have to be willing to share your question and answer with other Mequoda Pro members (after any personal or company identifying information has been removed).

Here’s how it works. You’ll send me your question via email and get a direct, specific answer by return email.

We reserve the right to rewrite and reprint the question and answer (deleting any specific information that identifies you or your company and publication) in the new Mequoda Pro Answers forum on our members-only website. So, you should expect the question and answer to be read by other Mequoda Pro members.

How can we afford to do this? How can we enable you and every other Mequoda Pro member to ask and receive answers to 52 questions annually?

The answer is simple.

Everywhere I go — especially at meetings of SIPA and the Magazine Publishers Association (MPA) — I get asked many of the same questions.

Most queries are about procedural issues — “how-to” questions like the ones above that have specific, empirical answers.

So, because we expect a lot of Mequoda Pro members will have the same or similar questions — and replies — we can share them online at Mequoda Pro Answers.

We figure that over time, the average Mequoda Pro member won’t ask a question every single week, but will discover that many of the answers to their questions have already been posted in the Mequoda Pro Answers forum.

The entire contents of the Mequoda Pro Answers forum will be searchable and available to Mequoda Pro members 24/7/365.

So we can promise you this: If the answer does not yet exist in the Mequoda Pro Answers forum, or you can’t find it, simply send us an email inquiry. We will either answer your question directly or point you to the existing online answer.

Either way, your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Join Mequoda Pro today at the special charter membership fee of only $297 and I’ll answer your questions about online publishing and marketing, plus give you unlimited online access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video modules — and more. This limited-time offer is exclusively for publishing professionals. Your complete satisfaction is assured with our 100 percent, money-back guarantee. But you must act now, because the low Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will soon increase to $697 annually.

Yes! I want Mequoda Pro charter membership for only $297, including Mequoda Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, plus unlimited online access to all Mequoda Pro Video modules.

I understand that I can review the initial Mequoda video training seminars risk-free for 30 days. If I am not completely satisfied, you’ll refund my investment in full. I also understand that I will automatically renew at the $297 rate a year from now unless I contact you beforehand. On that basis, here’s my order.

Yes I want to subscribe to Mequoda Pro

We hate spam as much as you do. You have our promise not to sell or share your email address, ever! Please read our Privacy Policy. Learn more about Mequoda.

Access to a virtual Who’s Who of publishing professionals

What happens if you ask a question that we haven’t already researched and answered?

The Mequoda Pro Research Team and I will go to work.

We won‘t hesitate to fall back on other highly experienced publishers like David Baum, Golf Odyssey, Matthew Bennett, First Class Flyer; Lynn Chambers, Canadian Living; Ed Coburn, Harvard Health Publishing; Helmut P. Graf, Verlag fur die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG; Clay Hall, Aspire Media; Helen Hoart, StayWell Consumer Health Publishing; Stuart Hochwert, Prime Publishing, LLC; and Gregory S. Jones, Granite Bay Media. Plus Jodi Kahn, Reader’s Digest Association; Robert Michel, Dark Intelligence Group; Steve Sachs, Real Simple; Billy Smith, American Quarter Horse Association; Charlie Spahr, American Ceramics Society; Peter F. Sprague, Gearhead Communications and Bryan Welch, Ogden Publications.

These are the crème de la crème of publishing professionals, members of the Mequoda Pro Advisory Board, who are ready to weigh in with advice, comments, resources and personal experiences.

Plus, you’ll get unlimited access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video training modules online

That’s right, as a Mequoda Pro member, you’ll get unlimited access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video training modules online.

These are high quality, HT-64 QuickTime videos, each ranging in length from 22 to 55 minutes, that explain in detail the Mequoda Pro best practices for online marketing and publishing.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #1:

Online Market Analysis — Getting to Know Your Online Neighborhood

Discover how to do market analysis research, then choose or change your website business model, plus which competitors represent potential marketing or content-sharing partnerships.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #2:

Search Engine Optimization — Mapping and Tracking your Keyword Universe

Discover how to know, with certainty, the keywords by which web surfers find your website. Learn how to use the Google Keyword Tool to do keyword research, and how to use the Google search engine to quantify competition.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #3:

Website Strategy — Converting Visitors into Buyers and Subscribers

A well-crafted landing page will maximize the possibility that a user will take the action you desire and not click away. Learn the 9 website templates required to handle multiple sources of traffic to your website and understand how to implement the conversion architecture that will maximize site traffic and build strong customer relationships.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #4:

Editorial Strategy — Using Content to Drive Traffic

Discover the various sources, both original and recycled, that editors can use to aggregate and produce online content. Learn how publishers today are successfully recycling, reusing and repurposing their print content into robust online content that effectively drives traffic to their site and sells more product.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #5:

Business Strategy — Embracing Multiple Business Models

Choosing the right business model and supporting infrastructure is fundamental to online publishing success. Learn the 9 ways top publishers are monetizing customer relationships through several business models, as well as definitive website metrics that verify the results of profitable online publishers.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #6:

Email Strategy — Using Email as a Publishing Platform

For publishers in-the-know, those who generate 40-70% of their revenue in email, they treat email as a publishing platform. Learn how to create an email editorial calendar that aligns with your products and sponsorships and understand the role of service journalism and clever copywriting in generating serious email revenue.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #7:

Reporting Strategy — Managing by Exception

For websites, some metrics are more important than others, depending on the site’s business model. Discover how to measure and manage with a key metrics dashboard, and how to make decisions by regularly reviewing a standard set of daily, weekly, or monthly reports.

Mequoda Pro Video Training Module #8:

Organizational Strategy — Organizing to Innovate

While there is no single, perfect organizational structure for a multiplatform publishing business, there is a pattern that is best described as “organizing activities around the content.” Learn how to integrate your print and online media teams and how to hire dedicated writers, marketers and technical staff to run the online business units.

Join Mequoda Pro today at the special charter membership fee of only $297 and I’ll answer your questions about online publishing and marketing, plus give you unlimited online access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video modules — and more. This limited-time offer is exclusively for publishing professionals. Your complete satisfaction is assured with our 100 percent, money-back guarantee. But you must act now, because the low Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will soon increase to $697 annually.

Yes! I want Mequoda Pro charter membership for only $297, including Mequoda Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, plus unlimited online access to all Mequoda Pro Video modules.

I understand that I can review the initial Mequoda video training seminars risk-free for 30 days. If I am not completely satisfied, you’ll refund my investment in full. I also understand that I will automatically renew at the $297 rate a year from now unless I contact you beforehand. On that basis, here’s my order.

Yes I want to subscribe to Mequoda Pro

We hate spam as much as you do. You have our promise not to sell or share your email address, ever! Please read our Privacy Policy. Learn more about Mequoda.

Special introductory offer slashes the Mequoda Pro charter membership fee to only $297, but only if you act quickly.

That’s not a misprint. Invest only $297 for the first year during our Mequoda Pro charter membership offer. After that, Mequoda Pro membership will be $697 annually.

Plus, you’ll receive these valuable bonuses:

Bonus #1: Google Visibility Report

Bonus #2: Email Performance Report

Bonus #3: Email Circulation Calculator

Bonus #4: Email Lifetime Calculator

Bonus #5: Key Metrics Dashboard

Bonus #6: Online Publishing Model

Bonus #7: Link Building Lifetime Calculator

Bonus #8: SEO Lifetime Calculator

Bonus #9: Online Market Audit Sample

“I have known Don for over 20 years, as my friend, business partner and consultant. His strategic brilliance has been a constant throughout that time. Pay close attention and Don will put you on the path to a more successful Internet strategy.” — Stuart R. Jordan, COO, University Health Publishing

Little-known secrets…practical strategies…tactical advantages…and proof.

Whether you’re a publisher, editor, journalist, copywriter, circulation director, website architect, usability engineer, creative director, website designer, Internet strategist, or an online marketer of newsletters, magazines, books and other information products, you know the pressure for more subscribers, additional product sales and higher profits has never been greater.

Now you can save yourself from expensive, tedious, trial-and-error marketing efforts. We’ve done the “best practices” research for you.

Over the past five years, the Mequoda Pro Research team has become the recognized authority on online publishing management, Internet marketing, landing page optimization and membership website publishing.

The Mequoda Pro Research Team and I have already researched, discovered, codified and proven the best Internet marketing practices of the world’s most successful publishers.

With your Mequoda Pro membership, you will discover their little-known secrets, practical strategies and tactical advantages.

And as we discover new and improved strategies, techniques and tactics, we will continually refine the details of the Mequoda Online Publishing and Marketing System.

But make no mistake. While the “best practices” of online marketing for Internet publishers are constantly changing and evolving, Mequoda Pro is not simply theory.

Every bit of the Mequoda Online Publishing and Marketing System has been proven to work to create more subscribers, additional product sales and higher profits.

As a Mequoda Pro member, you will be able to access this priceless information in eight convenient Mequoda Pro Video training programs that are updated regularly.

And don’t forget the most valuable benefit of all: As a Mequoda Pro member, you will be able to post your questions to Mequoda Pro Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, and get specific advice and comments from me and other members of the Mequoda Pro Research Team.

Just click on the button below to sign up.

I urge you to do it today. Because the $297 Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will not last forever. This is an introductory offer and may be withdrawn at any time.

Please join Mequoda Pro right now using the order form below.

Join Mequoda Pro today at the special charter membership fee of only $297 and I’ll answer your questions about online publishing and marketing, plus give you unlimited online access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video modules — and more. This limited-time offer is exclusively for publishing professionals. Your complete satisfaction is assured with our 100 percent, money-back guarantee. But you must act now, because the low Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will soon increase to $697 annually.

Yes! I want Mequoda Pro charter membership for only $297, including Mequoda Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, plus unlimited online access to all Mequoda Pro Video modules.

I understand that I can review the initial Mequoda video training seminars risk-free for 30 days. If I am not completely satisfied, you’ll refund my investment in full. I also understand that I will automatically renew at the $297 rate a year from now unless I contact you beforehand. On that basis, here’s my order.

Yes I want to subscribe to Mequoda Pro

We hate spam as much as you do. You have our promise not to sell or share your email address, ever! Please read our Privacy Policy. Learn more about Mequoda.

Cordially,
Kim Mateus
Don Nicholas
Managing Partner, Mequoda Group, LLC
Chief Architect, Mequoda Wordpress Systems
Editor-in-Chief, Mequoda Daily Network

P.S. In case you have any concerns about the veracity of the Mequoda video training series content, please consider this:

  • Our findings are based on solid research, not theory.
  • More than 2,500 Mequoda consulting clients, Mequoda webinar attendees, and Mequoda Summit veterans can attest to the value of the Mequoda Pro Online Publishing and Marketing System.
  • While client confidentiality requires that I not reveal their identity, one publishing company of our acquaintance redesigned its online marketing program in adherence our best practices guidelines and saw a 38 percent increase in sales, and a 24 percent increase in profits, within one year. Your results may vary, but dramatic improvement is the norm, not the exception.
  • This isn’t rocket science. You could do the same and achieve similar results. But only if you learn these little-known secrets and practical strategies.

P.P.S. Don’t delay. Act today. People are already telling me this offer is far too generous and we should charge more for Mequoda Pro membership.

But for right now, your Mequoda Pro charter membership fee is only $297 (subject to change in the near future).

So, while I can guarantee your complete satisfaction, I cannot guarantee the low, Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will be in effect much longer.

Don’t miss out. Sign up right now.

Join Mequoda Pro today at the special charter membership fee of only $297 and I’ll answer your questions about online publishing and marketing, plus give you unlimited online access to all eight Mequoda Pro Video modules — and more. This limited-time offer is exclusively for publishing professionals. Your complete satisfaction is assured with our 100 percent, money-back guarantee. But you must act now, because the low Mequoda Pro charter membership fee will soon increase to $697 annually.

Yes! I want Mequoda Pro charter membership for only $297, including Mequoda Answers, the new Mequoda Pro members-only forum, plus unlimited online access to all Mequoda Pro Video modules.

I understand that I can review the initial Mequoda video training seminars risk-free for 30 days. If I am not completely satisfied, you’ll refund my investment in full. I also understand that I will automatically renew at the $297 rate a year from now unless I contact you beforehand. On that basis, here’s my order.

Yes I want to subscribe to Mequoda Pro

We hate spam as much as you do. You have our promise not to sell or share your email address, ever! Please read our Privacy Policy. Learn more about Mequoda.

Subscribe to Mequoda Pro

Join Mequoda Pro today!

For our introductory price of only $297, you will get unlimited instant access to our eight video training modules (based on our live Mequoda Summit).

You will also be able to participate in our interactive Q&A with your coach Don Nicholas.

Register now>>

Register today and receive these valuable bonuses:

Bonus #1: Google Visibility Report

Bonus #2: Email Performance Report

Bonus #3: Email Circulation Calculator

Bonus #4: Email Lifetime Calculator

Bonus #5: Key Metrics Dashboard

Bonus #6: Online Publishing Model

Bonus #7: Link Building Lifetime Calculator

Bonus #8: SEO Lifetime Calculator

Bonus #9: Online Market Audit Sample

Register now>>

Mequoda Research Team

Mequoda Advisory Board

  • Phil Ash
    National Institute of Business Management
  • David Baum
    Golf Odyssey
  • Matthew Bennett
    First Class Flyer
  • Alan Bergstein
    RCR Wireless News
  • Ed Coburn
    Harvard Health Publishing
  • Bill Dugan
    The Pohly Company
  • Helmut P. Graf
    Verlag fur die Deutsche Wirtschaft AG
  • Susan Hackley
    The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
  • Bill Haight
    Magna Publications
  • Clay Hall
    Aspire Media
  • Stuart Hochwert
    Prime Publishing, LLC
  • Gregory S. JonesGranite Bay Media
  • Carl Kravetz
    Cultural Assets
  • Pat McKeough
    The Successful Investor, Inc.
  • Nancy McMeekin
    Oakstone Publishing
  • Stephen Meyer
    Business 21 Publishing
  • Robert Michel
    Dark Intelligence Group
  • Steve Sachs
    Real Simple
  • Charlie Spahr
    American Ceramics Society
  • Bryan Welch
    Ogden Publications

Continue Reading »

6 Ways to Improve your Website Conversion Rates

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008

Convert more website visitors into buyers or subscribers from any page on your site by using these 6 methods … Continue Reading »

Breadcrumb Navigation Best Practices

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

If your users are Hansel and Gretel, then your website is the woods, and your navigation is their breadcrumb … Continue Reading »

How to Start and Run an Effective Online Marketing System

Thursday, December 27th, 2007

Key components of the Mequoda Internet Marketing System

The launch and operation of a Mequoda Marketing System can be divided into four phases. Most of the steps in each phase are then repeated over and over again to build email circulation and monetize customer relationships. … Continue Reading »

Database marketing 101: The money is in the list

Monday, November 5th, 2007

Your online marketing campaign is worthless if you don’t secure the email addresses of visitors to your website and get their permission to follow up with them.

We’ve all heard the phrase a thousand times, since the dawn of postal direct response marketing, “the money is in the list.”

Make no mistake about it. List building with rapid conversion landing pages is the lifeblood of your online marketing campaign. You must build a database of loyal individuals to whom revenue-generating products may be promoted on a regular basis. … Continue Reading »

Master the details of strong conversion architecture in incremental steps and with testing

Friday, October 19th, 2007

Every website landing page should be designed with a complete organization, labeling, and navigation scheme that enables users to fulfill their goals effortlessly. But where do you start?

Learning how to increase landing page conversion rates can mean the difference between the success and failure of your Internet marketing program.

You can have first-class products and create a beautiful website, but if your site is difficult to use, it will be nearly impossible to get casual visitors to become loyal buyers. … Continue Reading »

More Impressions from the Same Users

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007

Having fresh, valuable content is a great way to attract repeat website visitors

There are lots of ways to drive website traffic, and not all of them are purely online marketing techniques.

One way to boost website traffic is to focus on repeat (rather than unique) visitors. Repeat visitors are great because they increase the number of impressions served on you website and you’re not spending any marketing dollars to locate them.

To become frequent repeat visitors, users need to be given incentives to return to your website. Two great incentives are quality content and fresh content. … Continue Reading »

Accelerating Slow Websites

Tuesday, July 24th, 2007

Slow websites push visitors away; speed yours up

Creating your website—or even editing it—is a complicated undertaking.

Many different parts have to work together to satisfy your visitors, and ultimately, satisfy you.

Yesterday’s Daily pointed to two areas where your website could be tweaked—its labeling and language and its technology—but there are many other areas that could hinder a website’s success.

One of them is how long your website takes to open, or its load time. … Continue Reading »

Slashing Paths to Online Profit

Monday, July 16th, 2007

Being a pioneer doesn’t always pay

Publishing on the Internet is mostly uncharted territory, like the Amazon jungle was 150 years ago.

Some daring publishers have hacked a path to “online profitability” or “a successful membership website,” and other publishers caught a tropical disease or were bitten by a snake, killing their business before they reached their goals. … Continue Reading »

Finding Effective Online Strategies

Friday, July 6th, 2007

Only use proven methods

Conduct research before you make any changes to your online marketing or publishing strategies.

Research is essential to online profitability.

There is a wide array of technology, marketing tactics, website designs and publishing platforms, but not all of them work. … Continue Reading »

Controlling Search Engines

Friday, June 29th, 2007

Fed up with search results? Now you can create your own engine

We at the Mequoda Group are very fond of our website archetypes.

They are website designs from which all similar websites are patterned—kind of like a category.

We’ve previously identified seven distinct archetypes, and each has its own unique tactics and strategies. Some may sound very familiar to you, like: … Continue Reading »

Proven Tactics Improve Profit

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

If you have to change your website, only use proven tactics

If your website is not making much money, it’s natural to want to constantly change it.

You might think after some guess and check tweaking you’ll eventually stumble into the website design that will shoot your conversion rates to the stars.

But, as yesterday’s Daily explained, constantly changing your website is a bad idea.

After so many changes in a short time period users will tire of trying to figure out how your website works and they’ll flock to a more consistent competitor. … Continue Reading »

More Revenue from Better Designs

Tuesday, June 26th, 2007

Time spent on your site and revenue are effected by site design

If you are going to have a website at all, make sure it is designed well.

Yesterday’s Daily illustrated how important website design is to conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Every visitor to your website has a finite amount of time before they reach a breaking point and leave to a competitor’s site. Some visitors can last longer than others, but why push them?

Avoid the breaking point completely by having a good website design.

Part of a good website design is using persistent navigation. That means if a user enters your website and sees a navigation bar, that bar should be visible from almost every page on your site. … Continue Reading »

Less Confusion, More Conversion

Monday, June 25th, 2007

Inconsistent website design and navigation lowers conversion rates

Since online publishing is so far from maturity, there are very few absolutes.

But one thing you can always count on is that users do not like to be confused.

When users come to your website, they want simple and consistent navigation.

The easier your website is to use, the more it will satisfy users, the more repeat visits you’ll get and the more conversions you’ll have. … Continue Reading »

Solving Website Problems

Friday, June 15th, 2007

There are solutions to every website problem

You have a website and it costs money. So it should be generating revenue, right?

As we described Wednesday, that is not always the case. Most publishers have websites that contribute less than 10 percent of their total revenue.

We listed four reasons why a website could struggle Wednesday, but there are dozens more.

A lack of website traffic is a common problem. The best way to solve it is to use as many tactics as possible, including: … Continue Reading »

Fine Woodworking Mequoda Media Brand Case Study

Sunday, June 10th, 2007

Taunton’s Fine Woodworking launched in 1975 as a black-and-white quarterly, followed by books on woodworking.

A few years ago, they started publishing special newsstand editions, which they now do seven times a year. Most are created from repurposed content from the magazine.

They have been producing video for 20 years and with the advent of DVDs, finally turned a profit on their video content. They also have a membership website at FineWoodworking.com.

They are now putting more emphasis on the advertising component and plan to use the same multiplatform model (or a variation of it) for their other brands

A few years ago, they started publishing special newsstand editions, which they now do seven times a year. Most are created from repurposed content from the magazine.

They have been producing video for 20 years and with the advent of DVDs, finally turned a profit on their video content. They also have a membership website at FineWoodworking.com. … Continue Reading »

Increasing Email Subscriptions

Friday, June 8th, 2007

Floaters can double conversion rates on your website

Remember the Wild West days of the Web?

Just under 10 years ago everyone had Napster, was scared to death of the Y2K bug and could not visit a website without seeing two or three pop-up ads.

You might wonder, why were there so many pop-ups? They were incredibly annoying.

The answer is that pop-ups worked. They increased conversion rates and made online businesses more money. … Continue Reading »

InternationalLiving.com Travel Website Design Review

Friday, June 1st, 2007

Today, most would-be travelers start their journeys online by researching destinations, carrier schedules, accommodations and free web mapping services.

In order to compete with travel agencies and agents, travel information publishers, who traditionally published books, magazines and newsletters, have migrated to the Internet and become online publishers. Some have created retail websites whose primary objective is to sell traditional hard-copy books. Others are focused on publishing travel reviews on their sites, and derive revenue from advertising and affiliate links. … Continue Reading »

Increasing Visits with Free Content

Friday, May 25th, 2007

Celebrity news continues to dominate the blogosphere while the nation’s top newspaper slips in rank

The April results of the Mequoda Blog100 are posted, and celebrity news hub TMZ continues to dominate our list of the top 100 media blogs in the US.

The biggest change this month is the hit USAToday took in unique visitor counts—losing over 590,000 and dropping from number two to number three in the ranking. … Continue Reading »

The Users Goals Are Your Goals

Friday, May 18th, 2007

Clearly communicating your website’s features to the user will help fulfill your goals.

It is easy to get carried away when designing a website. With the constantly emerging technology, business models and website designs, it’s easy to blurt out “Let’s do em’ all!” at a staff meeting.

Whoa. Hold on, there.

Your website should strive to fulfill specific business goals by allowing users to fulfill their goals.

This relation between your goals and the users’ is called your website’s strategic intent, and it needs to be clearly communicated to be effective. … Continue Reading »

Top 100 Media Blogs in the US

Friday, April 27th, 2007

The top five media blogs in the country remained for March, but one community-centric website is knocking at the door.

The March results of the Mequoda Blog 100 are in, and the top five media blogs in the country are the same as last month, but shuffled. They are, in descending order: … Continue Reading »

Tagging: Letting Users Define Your Content

Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

How tagging gives you the ability to follow the customer.

Tagging started out as something used internally by companies to help employees find and share files easier. Nowadays, it goes hand and hand with Web 2.0 and user-generated content, as people are actually able to put their own vocabulary and interpretation into something that they didn’t create—blogs, articles, podcasts, videos, etc. … Continue Reading »

An Ad Disguised as an Email Newsletter

Thursday, April 12th, 2007

Find out why your email newsletter should follow the 60/40 rule

Email newsletters are a great way to keep a company’s brand in front of its customers. Their popularity, however, has not spawned effectiveness, and many email newsletters have flawed formats.

Thankfully, the Mequoda Group has a new free email newsletter review to help publishers avoid the flaws and mimic the best practices of email newsletters by analyzing The Daily Dish, South Beach Diet Online’s email newsletter. … Continue Reading »

Constantly Updated Content Fuels UV Counts

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

Celebrity news sites are making gains on the Mequoda Blog 100 with content added several times an hour

The February results are in for the Mequoda Blog 100, our list of the top 100 media blogs in the US. Tech-blog Engadget dropped from the top five, leaving it mostly to entertainment news blogs, and there are ten new additions to the list. … Continue Reading »

Dominate Your Market

Wednesday, April 4th, 2007

How one company designed a website that shot to the top in 6 months

Socrates Media began helping small businesses and consumers manage themselves financially and legally online five years ago. They started with Socrates.com, established CompleteLandlord.com about 18 months ago and more recently launched RentSlicer.com. With two new websites focused on real estate, the company is gaining traction on its climb to the top. … Continue Reading »

Print’s Shrinking Bottom Line

Monday, April 2nd, 2007

The cost of publishing a high quality magazine just went up.

It may be time to consider switching to online publishing. The print business is not getting any cheaper in America. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez announced Friday that tariffs of 10.9 to 20.35 percent will be placed coated paper imports from China, according to the New York Times. … Continue Reading »

Website Load Time is More Important Than Ever

Wednesday, March 28th, 2007

Websurfers are not getting any more patient.

More people are installing broadband connections in their homes, and more than 80 percent of all active Internet users in the US now access the net with broadband, according to Website Optimization’s March 2007 Bandwidth Report. The pokey 56K connection is becoming too slow to satisfy. … Continue Reading »

TMZ Tops Mequoda Blog 100

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

TMZ’s constantly updated celebrity news draws more unique users by a wide margin.

Entertainment news hub TMZ dominated the Mequoda Blog 100 this month, generating more unique visitors during January than the two closest contenders combined. … Continue Reading »

Is Your Website Design Working Hard Enough for You?

Monday, March 19th, 2007

Capitalize on these frequently overlooked opportunities to sell more products from your website and increase your average dollar amount per sale.

If you’ve ever bought a product in direct response to a TV commercial, you’ve experienced the “upsell.” The operator always has a special, “today only” opportunity to increase your order or add another product at a special, discounted price.. … Continue Reading »

Top 100 Media Blogs in the United States

Friday, March 16th, 2007

The Mequoda Research Team has made a list of the top 100 media blogs in the country based on unique page visitors per month.

In the sprawling and volatile blogosphere, mining for a gem of a site is hard work. That’s why the Mequoda Research Team created the free Mequoda Blog 100. Mequoda has identified the top 100 media blogs in the US to show our readers how the best blogs run their websites. … Continue Reading »

Introducing Our Mequoda Email Newsletter Scorecard

Thursday, February 15th, 2007

10 Guidelines for Designing Effective Email Newsletters

While success or failure of an email newsletter should be directly tied to bottom line goals (like sales, revenue, etc.), there are some things that can help—or hurt—a newsletter’s chances of achieving those goals.

We’ve developed 10 guidelines for designing an effective email newsletter that we will use to analyze the email newsletters of successful B2B and B2C publishers. … Continue Reading »

8 Tips for 2.0 Blogging

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

If there’s a new blog born every half second, how will yours get noticed?

The average blog reader views 77% more pages than an average user, and believe it or not, those blog readers are 11% more likely to have an average income of $75,000 or more, according to Clickz. Well that sounds like a great target audience, but with over 50 million blogs out there, how do you get your blog to stand out of the woodwork and get noticed? Well we’ve been doing some research of our own in an effort to redesign the new Mequoda Daily 2.0 and here’s some fun stuff that research has shown us. … Continue Reading »

Website Usability Tip: Does Less Hype Equal More Comprehension?

Friday, February 2nd, 2007

Looking back on an expert’s claim that website usability testing proved promotional language imposes a cognitive burden

It’s nearly a decade now since website usability expert Dr. Jakob Nielsen proclaimed that “that 79 percent of our test users always scanned any new page they came across; only 16 percent read word-by-word.”

“Users detested ‘marketese’—the promotional writing style with boastful subjective claims,” said Dr. Nielsen in 1997. … Continue Reading »

Internet Strategy Tip: How Forbes Uses Earned Media

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

Driving website traffic with syndicated content and organic search

Forbes Media executives can no doubt tell you the value of the average website visitor in advertising revenue per year, but they do not release these figures to outsiders.

Mequoda estimates Forbes.com Revenue per Average Visitor at $8.48 for 2006. Revenue per Average Visitor (RPAV) becomes the holy grail for how much an online publisher can spend to create one average monthly visitor. … Continue Reading »

Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report is Difficult to Join

Thursday, January 18th, 2007

The Internet is a constantly evolving medium. Websites get redesigned, either owing to new graphics, new content, or because the essential architecture is inadequate to serve the site visitors.

If the human factors haven’t been properly addressed — if visitors can’t easily find what they’re looking for or can’t order your product easily — you’ve got insurmountable problems that mandate you to re-engineer your website. The issue here is website usability.

In the time since we first published a review of the landing page for Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report, some elements have been redesigned, but some have only gotten worse. … Continue Reading »

Online Publishing Strategy: Make Websites More Senior Friendly

Friday, December 22nd, 2006

U.S. Government Creates Guidelines

If the target market for your email newsletter or membership website is older Americans, you might want to heed this advice on senior-friendly websites from the National Institute on Aging. If fact, you might find these suggestions are worthwhile for any group squinting at the computer screen.

“Plain text, plain type, and plain terms are plainly effective ways to broaden the reach of a website to an older audience,” says the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. … Continue Reading »

Website Usability Testing Should Determine Whether you Change your Website Design

Thursday, December 21st, 2006

Experts on Website Design and Website Usability Testing Can Disagree

“Never redesign your website,” says one of my esteemed mentors and colleagues.

Disturbing words, especially because, as a website design expert and information architect, I spend 50+ hours a week explaining to clients why and how they must redesign their websites. … Continue Reading »

House of White Birches Website Design Review

Friday, December 15th, 2006

House of White Birches, a division of the Dynamic Resource Group, is an experienced print publisher. It has an enviable collection of magazines and book titles. It has carved out several profitable special-interest niches that it addresses with excellent products. But like many other successful print publishers, its Internet marketing strategy is not well executed.

The WhiteBirches.com site suffers from disorganization and an inferior architecture that confuses users and diminishes sales. … Continue Reading »

A Rare Opportunity for Your Company

Friday, November 3rd, 2006

Instead of our usual company-seeks-candidate job posting, today we bring a rare opportunity for your company. We have a candidate-seeks-company job posting that you should pay close attention to.

This isn’t just any ol’ candidate. This is a highly respected, highly qualified ecommerce director that I have great admiration for. He is a pioneer in the Internet marketing and publishing space and the company that hires him, in my opinion, will be extremely lucky, immediately grateful, and ultimately more profitable. … Continue Reading »

The History of Search Engine Optimization

Wednesday, September 13th, 2006

The Mequoda Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Process: A Simple, Seven-Step Process for Writers and Editors Who Want to Take Control of Website Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Have Their Content Found … Continue Reading »

America’s Test Kitchen Mequoda Case Study

Friday, September 1st, 2006

How America’s Test Kitchen’s Revenues have Grown from About $15 million to an Estimated $46 million in Just Five Years… Shouldn’t you be Using the Same Strategy for Selling your Information Products on the Internet? Doesn’t your Job Depend on it?

Chris Kimball, CEO of Boston Common Press, is master of what we now call multiplatform publishing. Chris has gone from a publishing a single cooking magazine, Cook’s Illustrated to a growing media empire that spans books, another print magazine, books, membership websites, a TV Show on PBS, email newsletters and DVDs. … Continue Reading »

Eight Website Usability Terms you Should Become Familiar With

Thursday, August 24th, 2006

Having just conducted a mini-usability test this week with a very confused customer, I have website usability on the brain. We have some tests scheduled for the end of September that I just cannot wait another second for!

As many of you know, website usability is a hot issue in Web development, most likely because, over the past decade, so many websites were launched without any user testing at all, leaving the Web littered with confusing and unusable interfaces. … Continue Reading »

Using Card Sorting to Understand How Users Organize Content into Clusters

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

Perhaps you’re confident of the words you must use on your website but not how they should be organized. Our usability expert, Roxanne O’Connell, likes to make that a job for a Card Sort Test. This test is especially helpful if you have a lot of categories or sections and you want to know how users expect to see those organized.

As the name implies, a Card Sort requires the test participant to sort cards, each with a word or statement printed on it, according to the user’s mental model of the relationships between the words or statements. The test facilitator then records the sort in a spreadsheet. … Continue Reading »