Month: March 2017

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Drift – Much More Than a Messaging App – Part Two

Continued from Wednesday.

The Drift messaging app for websites is on target with my needs.
The Drift messaging app for websites is on target with my needs.

Implementation of the Drift code on my website, to enable clients to use the app, took under five minutes, as I use header includes.

As I have tested out the application, I have found that it sends emails to the user to remind them of their appointment with you and also saves their email in the Drift application.

So, my concern with getting the prospect’s phone number in the initial conversation with the bot is moot. As the appointment approaches, I  can directly contact the client and make calling arrangements on my own. I can even communicate using the email link for appointment confirmation via the Drift app to ask for the phone number.

Drift has a mobile app which allows you to respond to website messages while you are out of the office and on the go. Talk about instant communication!

Once the appointment is scheduled by the prospect, within seconds the appointment appeared in my own Google Calendar. I was even able to select my own Google category for incoming calls so they would be marked and colored properly in my calendar.

I have to say that the Drift app has some very nice new features that I have not seen before in other calendaring or messaging apps. I do like some of the automation features and the ability to interact with prospects immediately when they really have a question while they are sitting on my website.

I do recommend that you check out the free version of Drift. At the very minimum, you will have a really nice website chat app and if you upgrade, you will get some really nice features that are unique to Drift – like the bot, team settings, and auto response functions.

 

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Drift – Much More Than a Messaging App – Part One

Nancy McCord
“Just Nancy” – My Point of View for Today.

Drift , it’s not what you would expect. This new application is much more than a simple messaging app. It is a robust website and lead generating tool you embed right in your website code.

Yes messaging and online chat is what it does, but the paid version (although pricey for the month  about $50), really puts your website to work.

First, know that their site does not work in Internet Explorer (the site will appear like a blank screen where nothing loads), but definitely works in Google Chrome.

Second, know that I am not being paid for this review. I just like the app and am interested in using it for my own website. The team at Drift asked me to look at their app as I am a user of Calendly and have written about that app before on my blog.

You can check out my online Drift profile.

You can check out my Drift online scheduling app.

View Drift in action on my website.

Here’s what I like about Drift – (I am using the free version.)

It is relatively easy to use. I did full customization of my Drift account, messages, and profiles in about 30 to 40 minutes. I was able to add my bio, image, social media profiles and company information. It was not hard and they have some really nice tutorials you can watch on YouTube.

I was able to customize the apps colors to match my website. You are offered font colors and even font styles to help you make it match your website.

I was able to customize most of the messages that clients see. Not only could I choose what the chat bubbles would say when I was online and offline, but I could select the days and hours to be available. The paid version will match your availability of your Google Calendar and does have other very nice features.

They have a very neat bot that helps to book your online appointments. I thought that was actually very cool. I wished that the free service had at least one or two options to customize bot messages, like when scheduling an appointment making sure to ask for the prospect for their phone number.

Now the paid version has a robust use of the bot and I can think of many uses for that feature. If you are running an ecommerce store you can preload FAQ’s for the bot to answer to help users and save your team time. That is very cool!

Check back on Wednesday for more of my candid thoughts and review on Drift.

 

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Do You Have a Content Production Schedule?

Do you need a content production strategy?
Do you need a content production schedule? Yes you do!

A content production schedule, what’s that? Even if you do not blog and pay a service to blog for you, or if you don’t blog at all, a content production schedule is key to improving your organic search placement over time.

Start first by evaluating your important traffic generating keywords
You can typically identify the top keywords for your website by reviewing what generates the most leads for you in Google AdWords or by pouring over your Google Analytics statistics.

Take time to build website or blog content that speaks to these important topics
If you convert on a particular keyword phrase, make sure you are using it in your content or build out new website content to specifically address these phrases.  If you blog, consider using those important keywords in your blog posts.

Monitor your organic placement on your target terms
To see if you are moving up organically on your chosen terms focus for a full 30 days on building 12 blog posts or three website pages over 1,000 words each that speak to the phrase you are evaluating.

Make sure to measure placement before and at the 30 day mark. You may need another 30 to 90 days of hitting those same terms before you will start to see movement.

Plan your content ahead 30 days out
After you have evaluated your placement. Start a spreadsheet and create your page content or blog post titles that are keyword dense and then schedule time or have your writer create interesting informational articles that speak to these topics.

If you need help with a blog writing strategy for your website to boost your organic placement, make sure to visit our website to find out how we can help you with  a content strategy that works.

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The Top Three Errors for Website Placement

Get a roadmap on how to improve your website visibility.
Get a roadmap on how to improve your website placement.

Want to move up in organic (unpaid) website placement? Want to drop your ad spend in AdWords? You can if you stop doing these three things.

Taking no action on website reporting and analytics
It is great to evaluate your website, and every business owner should have an eye on Google Analytics and an organic placement reporting program, but you kill your ability to move up if you don’t take action from the data.

Not regularly blogging or building website content
You cannot move forward and improve your website placement if you are not building keyword effective content. If you are tired of your current placement, think you spend too much on AdWords, it is important to be doing something about the issue and the resolution would be content building.

Not getting the expert or consulting help you need
There is no reason to say, I cannot understand the reports, I cannot improve my organic placement. Paid consultants are expert help to plan a roadmap for your strategy and in many cases can even enact and monitor the plan. Many consultants like myself allow you to decide the hours of time you want to invest in services. If you ask me to help and you have candidly expressed your budget needs or issues, I am happy to create a plan that allows you to focus on things that really help move your site forward first and prioritize what you should do when you have the time or money.

Don’t just gripe or think things cannot change, get busy with a plan and professional help to turn things around and work towards the long term goal of organic placement improvement.

I invite you to visit my website to find out more about the web visibility services we provide at McCord Web Services. I think you will find us easy to work with and extremely knowledgeable.