Avatar News : January 2012

Greetings All, Another year launches and the Avatar crew is all set for another stellar adventure. It's going to be an interesting year. Will Google+ become the next big thing? Will mobile and online video usage continue their incredible surge? Will the world end on Dec 21st as per the Mayan Calendar 2012 Phenomenon? That'd be a bummer, but the doomsayers have been wrong every other year so far. In this newsletter, we talk about how to prep your site for 2012, cover the usual odd assortment of tidbits and finish with some sites of interest that we've worked on. Oh, and we wish you a most salubrious year!

Prepare Your Web Site For 2012

Here's a six-point checklist to consider as you start to get your head back into the online marketing game for this year.

1. Keep Your Content Current
Check year dates on your booking forms, copyright years and any other time-orientated information on your site that may need adjusting.

2. Think About Creating Video Content
You'll likely have noticed that videos appear in your search results more frequently these days. There is a huge opportunity for many sites to generate more traffic from video and these can be easily optimised to target relevant keywords.

3. Think About Mobile Users
Check your Google Analytics stats (if you haven't already set this up, then this should be at the top of your list) to see what the mobile usage is on your site. If your site is averaging 5% or more usage, it could be time to start thinking about setting up a mobile friendly version of your site that loads fast and looks good on a weeny screen.

4. Facebook
Is your target audience using Facebook? If so, it's inexpensive and easy to put a stake in the ground and setup a basic Facebook page for your business. You can then ponder a strategy that will enable your target audience to engage with your Facebook presence.

5. Google Places
If you haven't already, make sure you have visited Google Maps and added your business location.

6. Social Widget
Locate all your Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and RSS blog content onto one page on your site with the NZS.com Social Widget.

Contact Avatar if you'd like any help or would like to talk about your online marketing strategy.

Tidbits

Why Weird is Wonderful (and Bankable). We loved this weird little piece about the benefits of being weird, some great insights here about how to develop your unique place in the market.

Webstock. A diverse and interesting web technology conference running on February 16 and 17 in Wellington.

Polarising American Football Legend. Most Kiwi's don't follow the NFL but the intriguing quarterback Tim Tebow has achieved huge fame with his winning from behind performances and strong religious views.

Stunning Basketball Shot. While we're on the sports theme, a great hoop shot on the buzzer, but the hysterical commentator's reaction has to be heard to be believed.

Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope. Otherwise known as KM3NeT, this giant underwater telescope will search for neutrinos from distant astrophysical sources and will be a powerful tool in the search for dark matter in the universe.

Sites Of Interest

Southern Edge Adventure outfitters providing wilderness-based adventures, from bush treks to cultural journeys. This WordPress driven site has a wealth of tour content and a handy tour filter.		The Cashmere Club Christchurch sports bars, beer gardens, a restaurant including outdoor dining and full conference, wedding and function venue facilities. A WordPress site with a clean design.
Mt Pleasant Memorial Community Centre & Residents Association Inc A site with comprehensive content about the Mount Pleasant community in Christchurch with information about events, the farmer's market, businesses and organisations. The stylish site design uses WordPress with photo gallery, events and directory plugins.		Armstrong Landscapes Working in all aspects of landscape design and construction in Christchurch and Canterbury, with over 30 years industry experience. Using WordPress for content management and sporting a vibrant green design.