Last Thursday’s keynote speaker at Search Engine Strategies proved to be another valuable voice of the conference. Tim Ash, current CEO of SiteTuners.com, is an expert site optimizer with several years of experience in the industry, as well as author of the bestselling book Landing Page Optimization.
Tim began his presentation by melting away the perception that a landing page full of information is a good page. The science behind SEO and attracting users to your site is one that involves breaking down the uber complicated algorithm of Google among numerous other factors. Then there is the bigger question of what users will do once they arrive at your site. Well, Ash showed that building an effective site is really quite simple – it’s not about technology, it’s about humans.
In the ever evolving world of the web, it can be difficult to manage all of the necessary components of your site, but Ash shared a reassuring message – humans are predominately very similar and there are fundamental parts of our being that seldom change. One such part is the idea of trust. Ash explained that building instant trust online is key, and that web site owners only have one-twentieth of a second to gain that trust among users. This trust not only needs to be built quickly, but anonymously—you are lucky if a site visitor takes the time to navigate several pages and figure out exactly what your business does. Chances are if they don’t trust your site at first glance, they are already gone.
The brunt of Tim’s presentation focused on the “four pillars of truth” as they apply to gaining trust on web sites, emphasizing the underlying message of simplicity. The following points break down four important areas to keep in mind when building trust with your web users, along with a few pointers to keep in mind when sizing up your site.
• Appearance – Leave the creative at the door, less is definitely more when it comes to your site
- Professionalism of design
- Sparseness and neatness
- Organization and clarity
• Transactional assurances – Don’t buy trust symbols such as VISA to only put them below the fold
- Forms of payment and delivery
- Data security and privacy
- Policies and guarantees
• Authority – Place important logos on your site and put them before your call to action button
- Reviews and awards
- Marquee clients
- Media mentions
- Trade associations
• Consensus of peers – Build that “social proof” on your site so users know you’re legit
- Objective large numbers
- Likeness
Tim urged the crowd to take off our rose colored glasses and get real about our sites. Is it simple? Do people know that you are credible? Can a major credit card be used as a form of payment? These are all important questions that users need answered upon visiting your site, and they can make all the difference to your bottom line.
Our goal at L&S is to make clients stand out from the crowd. Shoppers at the Empire Mall can’t help but notice the new University Center wall graphics near Caribou Coffee. Check out the install process and take a closer look at University Center.
Without fail, the back to school season seems to creep up every year. And year after year, the same routine of scrambling to get things ready ensues. It is a rather stressful, but exciting time.
As moms and dads breathe a sigh of relief of not having to entertain the children all day, kids are eager to be reunited with their friends, show off their new duds and share the happenings of the summer.
The funny thing is, regardless to whether or not you have children headed to school, the same feeling hits us every late August/early September. It is the official end of summer. We realize it is time to start putting our noses to the grindstone and make things happen.
Summer is productive – don’t get me wrong – but when riddled with family vacations, half-days and sunshine, it feels as though we all had somewhat of a childhood summer.
Our summer here at L&S was a great one, with lots of excitement and progress. New faces, exciting projects and lunchtime grill-outs were just a few of the summer happenings at the agency. Just last week, we had an enjoyable summer picnic at Riverdale Park, complete with a sand volleyball tournament and iPad giveaway. Check out some photos on the L&S Facebook page.
Summer may be slipping away, but the fun of a quick getaway is not out of reach. If you need a last minute vacation, be sure to visit the TravelSD website for some ideas on quick trips you can take throughout the state.
The excitement of a fresh start also comes with a new school year. Kids armed with new notebooks and backpacks are ready to learn. To be honest, I still enjoy picking out a new notebook and pen for work every fall. Stop by Lewis to pick up a few last minute school or office supplies and check out their great weekly deals or upcoming tent sale.
The back to school air circulating throughout L&S is hard to ignore. We are all excited for upcoming months. We are ready for the great ideas to come, the challenges ahead and the lessons we will learn working with new and longtime clients. Be sure to keep your eyes and ears open to the latest news from the team here at Lawrence & Schiller.
I’ve never made anyone cry. Well, that’s not totally true. I’ve never been a part of an ad campaign that made someone cry (or at least admit to it). However, an ad we just completed seems to have struck a chord—with hunters of all people.
One gentleman emailed saying, “My heart was so torn up last night as I was reading Pheasants Forever, that I could hardly re- read the ad to my wife.”
Another hunter commented that the ad captured the best part of upland bird hunting and owning a dog.
“As a hunter, a dedicated outdoorsman, conservationist and dog owner/trainer, I can only say that your ad should be marked as the finest, most powerful ad I have ever seen! I have never in my life been brought to tears by an ad.”
So what moved these avid outdoorsmen? An insight. Hunters love their dogs. They take pride in their four-legged hunting partners and can’t resist those “puppy dog” eyes.
Great creative is more than pretty words and beautiful pictures. Greatness comes from knowing your audience and what moves them.
The Vermillion Chamber & Development Company (VCDC) works to foster and promote the retail, manufacturing, civic, agricultural and economic development interest of Vermillion and the surrounding area. In late June, they chose Lawrence & Schiller to help them boost economic development and recruit businesses to their community.
We’re excited to get the word out about the business growth opportunities in Vermillion, and we needed a strong company to help us,” says Dan Kenton, Board President of the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company. “Lawrence & Schiller was the natural choice because of their work with the State of South Dakota and their staff expertise in economic development.”
We are equally excited about working with the VCDC. Many of us here at L&S have lived in Vermillion and are passionate about all it has to offer. We are thrilled to expand our relationships in the city and promote this great community.
We will assist the VCDC in diversifying and complementing Vermillion’s industry mix through a targeted lead generation and reputation-building program.
Our years of experience with economic development organizations, such as Dakota Dunes, Northwest Iowa Development Coalition and Forward Sioux Falls, uniquely position us to partner with the VCDC to foster economic development. L&S is also acutely aware of the unique factors that attract people to the community of Vermillion through our work with the University of South Dakota.
Lawrence & Schiller honors an employee each business quarter who has done an exceptional job of carrying out our mission—to build market leaders in a passionate, relentless and impactful manner. A person who clearly fits this description is awarded the MAP (Marketing and Advertising Professional) Award. The winner is selected from a long list of deserving nominees.
The second quarter MAP recipient is Kevin Perlic, a broadcast producer. Perlic worked in some capacity on every broadcast project over the past few months. He worked nights, weekends and even at home to get projects with tight deadlines completed.
Working on the Office of Highway Safety’s texting and driving spot was the most enjoyable and technical project for Perlic. He did all the green screen work on the spot. He comments that using green screen was a leap of faith, but he is very happy with how well the team pulled off the project. He also enjoyed collaborating with all the team members to produce a high-quality spot. Watch the shocking texting and driving PSA.
Perlic also worked on several ads for the Dennis Daugaard campaign, including a 90-second spot entitled, Meet Dennis Daugaard. Kevin says, “It has been fun to work with someone who could be our next governor and I also enjoy the shoots because Dennis is just so easy to work with.”
Producing an internal video for Sanford was another project Perlic enjoyed. The piece used stop motion to create the illusion of movement using only stills.
Perlic will celebrate his one year anniversary with Lawrence & Schiller on July 20th. Thanks for your hard work Kevin and congratulations on your award.
It came and went so fast, it almost has a “did-I-just-say-that-out-loud?” feeling to it.
Eight days ago I didn’t know an official “Social Media Day” existed. Today the Sioux Falls observance of Mashable‘s global celebration is in the rear view mirror. Now it’s time to reflect.
The mention of “social media” generally sparks either enthusiasm or scorn. It’s like Glee. You either love it or hate it. In this digital Blitzkrieg, Switzerland is more the size of Liechtenstein.
“If they had a major in Social Media, that is what I would want to do.”
“How can I use this?”
“I use Twitter. I’ve got a handle on it. What’s this FourSquare thing?”
These are just a few of the comments overheard during the Sioux Falls celebration of Social Media Day on June 30, 2010. Launched globally by Mashable and hosted locally by Lawrence & Schiller, Social Media Day was designed to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social.
At the Sioux Falls meetup, we wanted to not only celebrate but also share and learn. Nearly 60 people took us up on the offer. We’re happy with the turnout, especially when compared to other, larger, metro areas. Using online registrations as a guide, Sioux Falls was on par with Kansas City, Orlando and even Singapore.
Here are some observations from the L&S’ers who lead conversations on Facebook, Twitter, Fourquare, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr and What’s Next:
“My impression of the event was that is was really fun,” says Eric Ellefson, who was manning the FourSquare table. “The audience was quite diverse and most of them were astute on the general presence of Social media.”
Courtney Lotzer overheard the following at the Facebook table. “The world is moving so fast. I thought about my kids when we were talking today. I realized I shouldn’t be talking to them about being a doctor or lawyer someday. Talking specifics just puts them in a box. Their profession probably hasn’t even been invented yet.”
“The general feeling I got, and it might be imagined, was that people were past Twitter,” observes Miles Rausch, leader of the Twitter discussion. “From overhearing other conversations, Twitter had been a gateway for people, and they felt they had it figured out. It’s simple and ubiquitous; no one wants to discuss drinking water. It almost felt like, “I use Twitter. I’ve got a handle on it. What’s this FourSquare thing?” ”
“There were conversations for a broad range of people – from one guy who knew nothing about Twitter who was taking notes, to the group of college students who shared stories of how they use foursquare at school,” notes organizer Michelle Adrian. “I also learned how foursquare can be more than just a challenge game between friends, how it can be used in customer loyalty strengthening, especially retail.”
To better serve clients, the Lawrence & Schiller media team recently added another member.
Shawn Peterson - June 2010
Media Coordinator – Team Fuse
Shawn grew up in McCook Lake, SD, which is near Sioux City, before attending USD. He graduated with a degree in sociology and a minor in business. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends. Shawn also enjoys playing basketball.
May 31st was the official “Quit Facebook Day” according to quitfacebookday.com. Facebook has been under some intense scrutiny regarding its privacy policies in the last month. According to the site, there were about 35,000 people committed to quitting, but with more than 400 million active users, Facebook had nothing to worry about with the Memorial Day attempt.
Quitfacebookday.com also says “Having peer support helps, but the way to quit Facebook is not to start a group on Facebook about leaving Facebook.” Good point. With that said, I of course went on to check Facebook and there actually is a Facebook page named “May 31: Quit Facebook Day” with over 7,000 members who “like” it. After reading the posts on it is apparent people are following this page just to monitor the movement and have no interest in cancelling their Facebook account.
The media (and several lawmakers) would like Facebook to be more transparent in their privacy practices. We surveyed participants in the L&S Research Panel to see what those locally thought of this hot topic. We found that generally people are not aware of what Facebook is actually doing with their information, and they are not concerned about it right now. It appears the lack of concern can be attributed to users feeling they are in control of what is being shared with others. Not one participant was concerned with their information being shared with marketers, which is the main criticism privacy advocates have had with Facebook. So, users are either unaware of what Facebook has been accused of sharing or are indifferent.
We found that:
70% of those surveyed do not feel any differently about Facebook despite increased scrutiny of its privacy policies.
Only one person on the L&S Research Panel has actually committed to quitting Facebook.
Participants were also asked to describe their Facebook usage. Here are some of my favorite comments…
“I use it to stay in touch with friends. I like that I have myself completely hidden from those that I don’t want to share information with. I don’t like that I have to keep checking my privacy settings.”
“I am a little obsessed with it (Facebook), admitting it is good, right? ”
“(Facebook helps me) Stay connected to friends and family. I control who sees what information.”
“(Facebook is an) easy way to communicate and receive communication in mass. I do not like a couple of technical details and I think they need to be very careful with change. (Changing Fan to Like was not a good move IMO.)”
“It’s the surest way to reach many people because they check their Facebook account more often than email. I don’t like all the extra games and apps”
“I use Facebook to connect with friends and family that I don’t necessarily get to see that often. I love the fact that we can connect, but don’t like all of the gaming updates and I am concerned that my information (about me and my family) could get out there for anyone to see. If that is the case, I would delete my page.”
Anti-Facebook groups will continue to surface, but for now average users seem content with the privacy policies and continue to enjoy the company’s services.
Lawrence & Schiller’s newest extra-miler arrived this week.
Alex Wollman – June 2010
Web Intern- Team Webworks
Alex grew up in Huron, SD. He will graduate next year from Dakota State University with a degree in computer science and math. Alex enjoys traveling and recently returned from a two-week art tour of Europe. His favorite stop on the trip was Assisi, Italy, a small village near Florence.
Some new faces are gracing the halls of Lawrence & Schiller. Several new hires and interns have joined the 5280 team recently. Two media coordinators, a financial specialist and a public relations coordinator are the newest full-time employees.
New Hires
Ryan Gardner – March 2010
Financial Specialist – Team Synergy
Ryan grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from Augustana College. He enjoys playing golf and tennis and spending time with his fiancée, Laura Walton.VIDEO: Hear Ryan’s introduction.
Lindsey Haskins- May 2010
Public Relations Coordinator – Public Relations Team
Lindsey is from Pierre, SD, and attended Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. She graduated a few weeks ago with a degree in public relations and business administration. Spending time with her fiancé, TJ Philips, and being outside are activities Lindsey enjoys in her free time.VIDEO:Learn more about Lindsey.
Krista Kayser - May 2010
Media coordinator – Team Synergy
Krista crossed the border from her hometown of Mankato, MN to become an Augustana College graduate. Motorcycling with her husband and playing with their ten-week-old son, Joseph, are some of her favorite things to do.VIDEO:Meet Krista.
Maggie Saugstad - May 2010
Media coordinator – Team Synergy
Maggie, originally from Madison, SD, spent one year at Dakota State University before completing her degree in business administration and marketing at Colorado Tech. She enjoys going outdoors to do yard work, camp or play kickball with her seven-year-old daughter, Savannah.VIDEO:Hear Maggie’s story.
Interns
Les Cotton - April 2010
Production Artist Intern – Team Fuse
Les is originally from Volga, SD, and graduated from SDSU with a degree in graphic design and fine art. Outside of work he likes to draw and do anything creative.VIDEO:Listen to Les’ introduction.
April Gregory – January 2010
Multimedia Intern – Deadwood Office
April grew up in Lodge Grass, MT and graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in photojournalism and art history. In her spare time, April enjoys outdoor activities such as fly-fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing and camping. She is excited to be photographing for L&S and is enjoying learning more about marketing.VIDEO:Learn more about April.
Katie Kuyper - April 2010
Media intern – Team Zen Wizards
A Sioux Falls native, Katie graduated last May from Augustana College. She is an avid movie fan and couldn’t live without her DVR.VIDEO: Meet Katie.
Elizabeth Spaans - May 2010 Account Service and Copywriting Intern – Team Fuse
Elizabeth grew up in Stickney, SD, which, for those who are rusty on their South Dakota geography, is a small town near Mitchell. She recently graduated from Augustana College with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. After work she enjoys reading and photography.VIDEO: Hear Elizabeth’s introduction.
Tracy Hamann - May 2010
Account Service and Copywriting Intern – Team Synergy
Tracy is originally from Sioux Falls and graduated just a
few weeks ago from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. One of her favorite activities is shopping.VIDEO:Get to know Tracy.
Keeping 400 million people happy is no easy feat. Mark Zuckerberg, the mastermind behind Facebook, can certainly attest to that. Zuckerberg has to brace himself for a great deal of heat after each and every little tweak made to the site.
Facebook is an ever-evolving social platform that has an unbelievably strong and widespread user base. However, each time something is added, changed or moved around, an almost inevitable - and usually ridiculous - outcry immediately ensues.
This go around, the issues are regarding privacy. I have personally observed several status updates in regards to deleting accounts or being upset over these issues. But, in all actuality and rational mindedness, we need to take a step back and look at what we opted in to and have been putting out there.
Facebook is a FREE social networking utility, one where you post information to be shared with your peers and connections. Users need to be aware that what they post is certainly not private, nor should they have posted it if they intended it to be.
A large portion of the privacy issues relate to businesses marketing to users based on their conversations, interests and discussions. I feel this is brilliant and love having this personalized messaging based on what I do and say. It really is no different than Amazon suggesting books related to past purchases.
Technology, including social media, is all about evolution and change. Being a part of it involves embracing and yearning for new offerings and services. The progression I have seen on Facebook in my five or so years with the service has been smart, strategic, innovative and user-focused.
I eagerly anticipate what is to come with the platform and hope that at least a few more of the over 400 million users do as well.
10 years later, the memory is still clear. Interviewing intern candidate after intern candidate. One in particular stood out… a nervous kid with a great portfolio. Offering her an internship was a no-brainer. The question was where would she go: Art or Web. Thankfully, the brand new Web department was able to claim April Christensen Johnston first!
Lawrence & Schiller is pleased to announce that Sarah Pitts has been promoted to Designer. Over the past three years, she has been key in producing great work for clients including Midcontinent Communcations, Sioux Valley/Sanford, The Green Project, Lewis Drug, WTC and many others.
Sarah has also been deeply involved in the Bridge Team (web design training) and has been integral in website design, banner ads, email marketing, SMS (Site Management System - L&S’s proprietary content management system) maintenance and online game design for Team Fuse clients and other projects.
In just one month, the South Dakota Office of Tourism’s online sales increased 257 percent. The triple-digit increase in February can be attributed to the Office’s newest Web-based program, Digital Revolution.
Gov. Mike Rounds unveiled plans last year for the Digital Revolution – a new travel Web site with opportunities for everyone in the visitor industry, both large and small, to control their own content and gain valuable exposure on the home page of South Dakota’s official tourism Web site.
“Photos, videos and an online booking mechanism help to make our online visitors’ experiences even better,” says Gov. Rounds. “This is cutting edge. There’s nothing else like it. No other state in the union is doing what we have done this past year.”
February 2010 was the first full month of operation for Digital Revolution. Compared with the same time period in 2009, the new TravelSD.com has seen dramatic increases in online sales and visitor engagement.
Every city, attraction, activity, lodging, dining, shopping and traveler service can become a Digital Revolution partner. By paying a one-time fee of $250, businesses can add and edit their own descriptions (hours, features, contact information, etc.) and upload photos and videos. Related destinations, activities, vacation packages, events and news stories are automatically connected to businesses and displayed on their Web pages. For an additional $250, a partner can add a booking widget, which allows visitors to book their vacation directly from TravelSD.com.
“There are nearly 300 partners signed up to be a part of the program, but there’s always room for more,” the Governor says. “Our vision is to have every destination, hotel, motel, hunting lodge, campground, restaurant, gift shop and attraction be a part of Digital Revolution.”
Visitors to the Web site can add items to a personalized Trip Planner or click to book online. Other opportunities for engagement include requesting vacation guides, signing up for monthly e-mails targeted to individual interests, and uploading travel photos.
Five thousand two hundred and eighty is the number of feet in a mile. It also represents the commitment Lawrence & Schiller makes to go the extra mile for its clients.
Each quarter L&S honors an employee who embodies the spirit of 5280. Someone who has gone above and beyond to deliver significant results for a client. Not just someone who has put in long hours, but someone who has been strategic, insightful and relentless. To this person the Marketing and Advertising (MAP) Award is presented.
Keeping with its tradition of promoting from within, Lawrence & Schiller has announced the promotion of seven employees. According to L&S President and CEO Scott Lawrence, “These moves are all designed to improve the level of service we can deliver to its clients.”
Dave Haan has been named the new Director of Public Relations and Digital Development at Lawrence & Schiller. Dave will oversee all traditional and digital PR projects – working closely with all of the agency’s clients and teams. Dave’s nine years of experience as a news reporter at KELOLAND TV and 12 years as a web producer and interactive team manager position him well to maximize future PR and social media opportunities.
Dave will continue to act as a key resource for the Lawrence & Schiller’s Web team. However, many of Dave’s day-to-day duties as Director of Digital Technology will be assigned to Eric Ellefson, who has been named Senior Interactive Producer, and Eric Cross, Senior Interactive Programmer. In his new role, Eric E. will act as the primary entry point for all digital development projects and be the primary scheduler of projects and personnel. Eric Cross will supervise the agency’s team of programmers, focusing on the development of new interactive products and technologies.
What’s the ideal training ground for an ad agency president? If you answered, “being a marching band instructor”, you’re either a master of unconventional thinking, or you’ve spent some time with Scott Lawrence, the President and CEO of Lawrence and Schiller.
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