Avatar News May 17, 2007

Home Page Fresh Test

In just 4 seconds, you have to create the best possible impression for your Web site, or face losing your audience to the better-looking site one click away. Take a minute to answer 10 quick questions below and find out if your Web site's home page is fiery or fusty...

1. Dead or Alive? Does your home page text appeal to Web scanners and skim readers? Is it quick and easy to read? Or is it Moby Dick all over again?
2. Bookmark Me? Have you made it easy for viewers to bookmark your home page? Are you encouraging viewers to save your site to their favourites and make return visits?
3. Guiding Light or Damp Squib? Does your content show that you are an expert in your field? Does your content inspire viewers to return to learn about the latest developments in your industry?
4. Text Appeal Does your content include text appeal for your target audience? Does it get to the point; does it answer their questions, address their needs and talk to them in the language they like?
5. Cowboy or Corporate? Have you done enough to establish your online credibility? Or does your site create the impression that you'll be riding off into the Internet ether never to be seen again?
6. Light Under A Bushel? Have you got enough text on your home page for search engines? Can they get a good idea of how to index your Web site from what you say about it on your home page?
7. The What Not Why Does your home page describe your business? Does it champion the benefits your business offers?
8. Cooo-eeeee! Does your home page include a clear call or calls to action? Is it clear where you want viewers to click next?
9. Knock Out or Knocked Together? Does your home page have graphical impact? Do your pictures do justice to your business? Do they look stylish and up-to-date?
10. A Maze or Amazing? Is it easy to navigate around your Web site?

Perk Up Your Web Site
If you have answered 'yes' to the questions above, fantastic! What more can we say? However, if you have said 'no' to one or two questions, now is the time to talk to us.

Double Whammy — This Month's Special Offer

This month's special offer is a real goodie, whereby you can kill two birds with one stone! You can enhance your online credibility by adding testimonials to your Web site and create impact on your Web site home page by featuring animated text.

We'll create an area on your Web site home page* where visitors can view rotating testimonials. This normally takes about 3 hours of design time, but until the end of May, we're only charging for 2 of them. This means you can enhance your home page for just $240+gst.

Contact us to find out more.

*Subject to conditions.

Mixing Your Marketing Cocktail

With last year's finances finished up, it's an optimum time to plan out your marketing spend for the next period. Maybe you have already started to think about what you can spend, what you want to achieve, what media you will use and what the most desired outcomes from your marketing are?

Popular Ingredients
Your marketing mix may consist of all, or some of the following:

• Web sites and online media
• Advertisements in newspapers and magazines
• Flyers / brochures / newsletters
• Press releases, radio and television advertising
• Sponsorship and product placement
• Yellow Pages, White Pages and local directories (offline and online)

Why Online Marketing Should Be Included
Being a Web focused design and marketing company, we champion online marketing because of its enormous potential and exceptional value for money. Here are a couple of things to think about:

• Huge, targeted reach — More than 79.8% of the population within New Zealand connect to the Internet and about 15-20% of total media consumption by the New Zealand public is on the Internet, with collateral viewed by a highly targeted audience.*
• Relatively inexpensive — A few thousand dollars can help promote a business through Web design, search engine optimisation, search engine advertising and online directory listings. Costs are significantly less than TV and radio, print and letterbox advertising.

Online Support for Offline Marketing
Your online presence can support, enhance and even manage offline marketing and promotions. For example, updating your Web site home page or adding new sub-pages with details of your offline promotion is a simple process. You can also create more sophisticated marketing campaigns online and really measure your results.

Find out more about online marketing options. Contact us today.

* Source: AC Nielsen Media Research, 2006

New Kid on the Block

Just in case we ever run the risk of getting a bit crusty, we recruited a new designer dude to join the team. Matt Nuthall joins the madhouse fresh from his studies in Web development and graphic design at Natcoll. Look out for some of Matt's work in our upcoming sites of interest.

Matt the Second, Matt 2, MattN, Little Matt — we're still working on the best way to distinguish our new Matt. It's a tough but necessary call ever since Matt Elliot (our Project Manager) lost that 'mo'.

Interesting Tidbits

• Play space invaders on a notepad. Shoot down a few aliens and star ships in this funky little space invaders game.
• A big banana over Texas. Canadian artist, Cesar Saez wants to float an enormous banana-shaped airship over Texas to bring "humor to the Texas sky."
• Banksy laughs his way to the bank. A painting by "guerrilla" artist, Banksy (previously featured in Tidbits), recently fetched over NZ$777,000 at auction. Not bad for one man with a spray can.
• The big G increases its market lead. Internet trends tracker, Hitwise, reports that Google led the field in the U.S. with over 64 percent of all searches going their way over the last month.
• Is there anybody out there? The recently discovered Gliese 581 super-Earth planet is the exo-planet most like Earth yet with temperatures "just right" for life to have a chance to exist.
• 'Kryptonite' discovered in mine. No longer just the stuff feared by the comic-book wonder. A new mineral discovered in a Serbian mine has the same chemistry as the fictional green rock.
• First mice, then men? Three IBM researchers have used computers to simulate the activity of half a mouse brain. Is this the first step towards a real walking, talking, livin' doll?
• Let the pixie dress you. The weather pixie offers a representation of the weather using data reported (mostly) by airports and aerodromes around the world.
• New free music downloads community. We7 is aiming to become one of the most significant music download destinations on the Internet. You get to review new music, share reviews and eventually download your favourite music for free, safely and legally.

Sites of Interest

Here's a selection of sites we've designed, updated and/or marketed recently...

• The Grange (design and promotion)
  Christchurch guesthouse offering bed and breakfast accommodation and motel-style apartments in the central city.
• Victoria Ski Sport (design and promotion)
  Ski and snowboard shop in Christchurch offering ski and snowboard gear, hire, trade-ins and repairs.
• Air Milford (promotion)
  Leading operator of scenic and chartered flights to Milford Sound, Aoraki Mt Cook and the Catlins.
• Cuddon Freeze Dry (update)
  Manufacturers of freeze drying machinery and equipment for the lyophilization industry.
• Alpine Jet (update)
  Christchurch and Canterbury jet boating trips operated in the foothills of the Southern Alps on the Waimakariri River.
• New Zealand Rent A Car (update)
  Nationwide network of car rental offices in New Zealand offering a wide range of rental choices.
• Blue Chip Coaching (update)
  Leading New Zealand coaches and mentors delivering proven business coaching and leadership development services.