I was researching on-line this morning and looked for a specific website here in the South East that had a “blog” with their news on it. Great idea to have a blog as it informs the public of your company news and events and creates communication between you and your customer in a less formal method than a website, but not as casual as maybe Facbook.

April 2009 News !

This was the last entry on the company news blog and since then it appears that each of the news items on the site have got a great response as their was about 30 to 40 comments on each topic. As I get only a few comments I was jealous and clicked on the links to read the feedback.

Viagra Sales

Each of the comments on the blog were automatic responses that a blog would get to a new post, but unfortunately there has been no spam filter applied and no one has approved the comments on the site. To make matters worse all most all of the comments contained back links to the Viagra and adult websites. Giving them great links to their sites but giving the business poor links away from theirs.

Do Links Matter?

Yes, having good links pointing to your website is very important as links are like sign posts to your business. On good quality website it is important to get linked from , so County Councils or major brands suppliers etc are perfect. So on the other hand having bad links can have a negative effect in search results. It means that the content of that persons blog is mainly about Viagra and Adult material. I am guessing that the search engine Gods would not look favourably on the site and its content any more. And in fact I would image that they would push it down in their listing rather than promote it.

I know this business spends money on advertising their site and its a pity that once you get there the experience is poor, so the moral of the rant/story if you have a website or blog or anything online, look after it and keep it up to date or delete it.

For more tips on building your on-line reputation call myself Dave Jordan on 053 9430748

Sad news today to hear about the Sunday Tribune being appointed a receiver. The news papers have had it hard for many years now since my days working for Advent Publish Systems and we had the contract to supply and maintain publishing houses around Ireland.

The vibe was so different in all the newspapers I was in, the Farmers Journal in Bluebell with its country accents in Dublin 12, the Sunday Business Post was formal and very serious, The Star was younger and written in smaller words, The Sunday Tribune was about heart and to be honest they never had money, it was always about the stories and the people involved around them. The atmosphere was always about breaking news, upcoming stories, clever research, but there was always the staff meetings (that I was excluded from, of course) behind glass partitions that lip reading wasn’t needed as the faces said it all.

Profits were down.

Back in 1995/1996 the Internet really changed the business models for many companies in Ireland and industries were starting to be transformed into Global Media businesses. It was during the late 90′s that we “Advent Publishing” help these business push their content online and over the next 3 to 4 years we had published thousands of old school HTML web pages using the content from the newspapers stories, small ads etc.

The one part of the websites that wasn’t really exported online was the advertising and that’s the money making element of any publication. Back then remember it was all new media and a total unknown for selling online adverts to readers. Even nowadays the newspapers find it hard to sell online adverts for the same price that the “traditional adverts” would sell for, why because they have to convince people that real readers use websites to find news and its worth their while placing an advert to bring the visitor to their own website or offer etc.

Digital World.

16 Years later it appears the the Industry can no longer sustain the overheads of a business such as a newspaper. In the past 2 years I have written about how newspaper after newspaper around the world has closed its doors. The Internet seems to kill every business, or is it just technology moving the jobs to a new arena. Think about Sales Reps, they have been totally replaced by databases automatically re-ordering stock when level < 10.

Journalist have been moving over to the web and getting involved in our industry in greater numbers in the past 4 to 5 years. We’ve seen a huge increase in Copy Writers, Content Creators etc move online and forge a living for themselves online. Life moves on. It not the same salary as a PAYE paying job but that life.

Creating gripping content is always needed no matter what the medium, so I hope they migrate to the web and help the web industry get the prices and fee’s it deserves.

Online Advertising.

This must really show that there is a future in Online Advertising as Google Adwords Revenue can confirm. Companies will not look at what medium is best to place your business. Radio adverts pointing listeners to websites maybe!

I honestly wish the employees in the paper the best of luck in the near future, I miss the buzz of a newspaper, the deadlines and finally the pints across the road on Baggot street!

Best of Luck guys.

It’s great to see a local business in Wexford using all media to promote themselves and their new services and products.

Gravity Forest Park.

This local swimming pool in Courtown had their grand opening this weekend for their latest addition to the centre. A outdoor adventure centre with zipline, climbing wall, fan drop and two high walks and all side by side.

The management organised the opening day with traditional promotion methods including, signage, print, radio and all pushing their website address. Many companies forget to mention their website address and later wonder about poor web hits and even less inquiries.

If you have it, flaunt it!

They have also embraced social media and embarked upon getting envolved with their clients and engaging them in an online conversation and all the while promoting Gravity Forest Park

Well done to Shane and the rest of the crew at Gravity. Now take a leaf out of their book today, for help call Dave Jordan of Cada Media today.

As many people might already know, we at Cada Media Ltd are proud members of the local chapter of BNI, Business Network International. The local Gorey chapter has weekly networking meetings where we help grow each others business by looking out for referrals for each other.

This network model is an americian philosphy that is 25 years old this year. Unlike other networking groups that are the flavour of the month, Bni is proven to grow your turn over and profits by relationship networking.

The relationships are strenghtened by a unique structure in Bni and that is only allowing 1 member per category. This means that we only allow one person per seat/category. By keeping this structure we reduce conflicts and work with each other to grow and understand each of our businesses and therefore be in a position to give real referrals.

What is a referral?

This is simply an indication that you know of someone who is interested in your service or product.

Example: Say we get a new client that is starting a new business and during our process we find see that they have no accountant or business cards printed yet, well we are in a great position to tell that client about our business partners on BNI.

Want to know more?

If you would like to be part of our network and learn how to network professionally then why not come along to an information evening.

When and where?

Tuesday, 27th April, 2010 at 7pm in the Ashdown Park Hotel

The evening will be aimed at explaining how Bni works and that we are looking for new members in specific seats and categories, so if you think you could handle more business at the moment, why not come along.

Call Dave Jordan for more details.
053 9430748

www.bnigorey.com

Interesting to see the effects of snow in Wexford over the past few weeks and how everything was postponed or canceled and so the traditional advertising routes that businesses would take like newspapers and radio were effected. Hearing how newspaper advertising was down and radio the same.

We heard a story today of a sales person selling advertising on a website for the Gorey area for several hundred euro and this sales person neglected to mention that the website isn’t easy to find! In fact, it is a perfect demonstration of how not to create a website, especially a website that will benefit either the reader or the advertiser.

This website, which I am delighted is a new attempt at creating a business directory for Gorey town, but alas they are a little too late, and are just trying to invent a website that is already there and already Top in Google.

GoreyLinks.com

This is the No 1, biggest, largest and longest established business directory for Gorey and was created by ourselves.  Running for the past 4 years Gorey Links is now one of the busiest websites in Gorey, passing on thousands of inquiries each year to the companies listed on it. If you are interest in getting listed on the best business directory for Gorey, Then click on www.GoreyLinks.com today and start driving traffic to your website now.

Tel Cada Media Ltd today to help market and promote your business online.

Tel: 053 9430748

Is traditional advertising dying?

This questions was on the table this week on Sunday’s edition of the new business program on tv3. Part of the program talked to traditional Advertising Agencies in Dublin who would see digital advertising as a small part of their business. Overall it was great to see that Yes in fact traditional advertising as we know it, TV, Radio and Print are taking a hit, but that “Digital Media” is holding it’s own in an Ireland gripped in recession.

I must say that I was smiling all the way through the show as our ideas of how to help business grow in a recession were confirmed. It was also mentioned that companies who are involved in the Advertising Game still think of the Internet as some sort of fad, or something their kids do on their laptops. It’ true it won’t make the Advertising Companies the profits they are used to. I thought they were totally missing the numbers who are on-line via all sorts of methods, including free wifi for laptops, net books, mobile devices and the list goes on. Sit on a bus from Gorey to Dublin and see how many people are on-line. Please try it, you will be amazed.

Only two weeks ago their was a supplement in a Sunday paper telling use how broadband and the Internet will help get Ireland out of a recession. Using every element it offers can help companies reduce costs and indeed expand their target market.

One item that did catch my attention too was the talk about diversifying your online advertising into niche areas and going to where people are on-line. A quick version of this is facebook, a client of ours is using FaceBook to attract and retain clients for their on-line shop, with in weeks they have over 2,000 fans and are updating their facebook page daily with special offers and news. It has been a great success for them.

Advertising needs to be more specific and more targeted. If you advertising in a magazine for sports then find an on-line edition and make sure you are listed on that. If you are looking for get clients in a certain town then advertise on a website for that town.

Overall the program is very good, Ivan Yates is at the helm I would recommend to sky+ it if you get a chance.

We were delighted to see so many of our sites being mentioned in the recent edition of the Irish Times – Special Supplement – Adventure West, Just flicking through the first few pages we see the topic is on mountain biking in ireland and our site www.MountainBiking.ie got first in the list of websites to visit about mountain bike stuff in Ireland!

Then we see that one other site for an outdoor education centre in Limerick called Kilfinane OEC got a good plug as they offer specialist mountain bike courses in their centre. They are also based near to the Ballyhoura Mountain Biking Trail.

Moving upward along the coast we got to Galway and Dive Centres in Galway. Scuba Dive West a long term client of ourselves got promoted for their diving courses and got a plug for www.scubadivewest.com

More More More….

Just to let people know that when you are running advert in a newspaper, please remember to insert your web address. I know many people often forget as they themselves are not web users, but many of your customers might be. If your advert is about a special offer for example also make sure that the special offer in updated on your website too.

I saw a large front page advert this week in a local regional newspaper here in Gorey and I noticed that it was one of our clients. The reason I say this is because later in the year I will be reviewing a website with the client and asking about what traditional marketing methods they used to promote their business online. It’s then they can let me know that they put the website on answering machines, office stationary, vehicle signage etc.

I know, I know, I’m turning into an old Fart!

Have a good Bank Holiday Everyone.