Who can use it?

Anyone who works within or provides technical services for your organization* — not only those staff members who are accustomed to dealing with us.

When should it be used?

Use it whenever you require individualized support, such as:

• Requesting an E-mail account be created, modified, or removed
• Addressing questions or issues not covered in our Web site’s published Help topics
• If you encounter problems achieving the necessary outcome when following the instructions published on our site

How does it work?

1. Click on the ‘Request Support’ icon at www.emacreative.ca/help
2. Enter your E-mail address
3. Type your question
4. Wait for a response to appear on-screen

The first time you submit a Support Request, it takes just 30 seconds to create a personal account which will enable your immediate access to the system in the future.

5 ways this saves you time and effort

Here are some of the benefits to you:

As in the past, we personally provide tech support, and so we can respond only during regular business hours. If you have an after-hours request, we will respond as soon as possible the following business day.

Published Help topics are still at your service

Remember that detailed tutorials, troubleshooting, and common questions are already published in the self-serve Help topics on our Web site at www.emacreative.ca/help. So if you have an issue, start by checking if it is covered here. If not, feel free to create an individualized Support Request.

Personalized tech support that’s fast, easy, reliable, secure, and organized — that’s how our new Support Request System can serve your needs. Effective immediately, we will be using this new tool exclusively to provide direct assistance, and so we will no longer be fielding support requests made via E-mail or phone.

We’re excited to hear your feedback! Please leave a comment below or contact us directly.

Recall your reasons for having a business Web site. Perhaps it is to promote your company, to expose the public to your products and services, to reinforce your brand, or a variety of other reasons unique to your situation. The underlying goal in all of this is, of course, to sustain and increase profits.

However, the public doesn’t care about any of your goals. They care about their own.

They are only interested in what your company and your Web site can do for them, especially if you can do it better, cheaper or faster than your competitors. So how successfully your Web site bridges the gap between promotion and revenue is determined by how well your site aids and positively impacts potential customers.

Unlike printed media, a Web site requires that the audience personally interact with what is presented. Considering that no basic training is required to use the Internet, your users will come from a varied background and skill level. People think differently too. Therefore, everyone has varied expectations and abilities that ultimately produce a different online experience.

It is impossible to anticipate every individual’s reaction to and ability to use your Web site. But we also cannot assume that what seems straightforward and appealing to us must also be for others.

Whose opinion counts?

When a user judges the quality of their online experience, what was intended doesn’t matter. Users don’t care how well you like your site or what you paid for it. It doesn’t matter how easily you can find what you are looking for, how clear your call to action may seem to you, or what emotions you have towards a specific photograph or colour choice. If the user feels your Web site is dated, unappealing or difficult to navigate, they are gone in an instant. A single click will take them to any number of other sites hungrily waiting for their business.

It is how your users feel that really counts because it is the public’s opinion that determines revenue.

So what can you do? As always, balance is needed. If a Web-forward crowd is not your target business audience, don’t presume to be overly complex. On the other hand, it is just as unwise to be insultingly over-explanatory or sacrifice your Web site’s functionality just to make it easier for someone who is using the Internet for the very first time. A straightforward site using currently-accepted presentation methods and technology is typically the best solution.

Understanding and accommodating users

The only way to truly know what your users think is to ask them and then listen carefully.

Ask them in person or on the phone. Ask them to comment on your Web site or send you an E-mail. Even ask your employees and business associates, your family and friends. Be alert to any unsolicited comments made in passing.

When creating and expanding a Web site, it is ideal to know who the target user of your Web site is, what appeals to him, what his expectations are, what other sites he is accustomed to using, what his typical level of technical knowledge is, and so on.

Just as importantly, as a site gets used over time, cultivate reasonable expectations and be willing to make adjustments. When you obtain specific input (if it seems reasonable that another user might have a similar experience) adjust your site to amplify the positive aspects and address the issues raised.

We are happy to work with you to create a Web site that really meets your users’ goals. Just get in touch.

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Why you should be concerned

Simply put, information that is input into a form on a Web site, no matter how credible the company, is exposed in transit, unless the page is encrypted using a secure connection. A secure connection is indicated by “https://” in the address bar and by the padlock symbol within the Web browser. It means that information entered at your end remains encrypted until being decrypted by the destination server. (see What is SSL?)

Examples of a secure address
	Internet Explorer 6 (padlock icon located at bottom right of browser window)
	Internet Explorer 7 – features addition of padlock icon beside address
	Internet Explorer 8 – features addition of highlighted “https” for increased clarity

Just as a telephone conversation can be eavesdropped on, with minimal knowledge, online communications not encrypted during transmission can likewise be eavesdropped on. With that in mind, it is strongly recommended that for your own protection you do not fill out confidential information in any form that is not encrypted.

But consider: Your customers are no different than you. They want their information to remain safe too. If they don’t feel their information will be handled securely, you risk the loss of their business.

On the other hand, secure forms will boost your business in the following ways:

• Trust is critical, and with the almost inherent volatility of the Internet, secure forms provide increased customer confidence in your company
• Gain a competitive advantage by showing your customers that you care by taking their security seriously
• Prove to your customers that you are progressive because you understand how to do business online

Of course not every form requires the level of security provided by an encrypted connection. Still, there are some instances where it is a requirement in order to enable specific functionality. For example, this is necessary in some implementations of PayPal.

But how does a form become secure? What else should be considered when protecting your customers’ information?

Securing your forms

First we will assist you in acquiring an SSL Certificate. We then submit the certificate for installation on the server, at which time your Web site is assigned a dedicated IP. To ensure maximum security, we implement code on your Web site that forces a secure connection on any pages that benefit from the additional security. We also implement a graphic to clearly communicate to your customers that the form is secure.

What happens after submission?

Having a secure connection between the end user’s computer and the server is an excellent start, but unfortunately it is only part of the security equation. Once the information arrives at the server it is decrypted and so it is once again susceptible to eavesdropping.

For example, let’s say a customer of yours fills out a secure form on your Web site. After they click the send button their information is formatted as an E-mail and sent over an encrypted connection. Once it arrives at our server it is directed specifically to your E-mail account on the server. The message will reside on the server until you download it. At this point, a person with malicious intent only needs to gain access to your E-mail account and your customer’s information will be exposed. Alternatively, while you are downloading the E-mail to your computer, the information is not necessarily transferred securely and is once again susceptible to eavesdropping. Not to mention, once the message is within your E-mail application all it would take are prying eyes to physically see the information on your screen while you’re away from your computer. How can these vulnerabilities be overcome? The information needs to be stored in an encrypted state.

Secure Storage Solutions

Many secure storage solutions require both the sender and receiver of the information to set up a key to encrypt and decrypt information. While technically excellent, this approach has practical flaws. Fortunately, we provide a solution that is as easy as checking your E-mail from a Web mail interface.

From your perspective you simply receive a regular E-mail that notifies you of a new secure message. You then log-in to a Web mail interface where the message you are viewing is only decrypted locally while you view it on screen. Coupled with a secure form, this provides an end-to-end encrypted solution that protects your customer’s sensitive information.

Definitions

You may wish to fix the meaning of these common terms in your mind for future reference.

What is SSL?

“SSL stands for secure sockets layer. It is a security protocol to enable Web sites to pass sensitive information securely in an encrypted format.” – about.com

What is an SSL Certificate?

“An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a Web site to visiting browsers and encrypts information for the server via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. A certificate serves as an electronic “passport” that establishes an online entity’s credentials when doing business on the Web. When an Internet user attempts to send confidential information to a Web server, the user’s browser will access the server’s digital certificate and establish a secure connection.” – godaddy.com

Conclusion

Securely transmitting and storing information are small but important components to the nearly endless topic of online security. Of course, unbreakable security is impossible. Just as the most sophisticated home security system will not stop a skilled thief that is intent on breaking in, online security can be overcome. However, taking measures to make security a priority will provide you with a safer online experience and your customers with even greater confidence when doing business with you.

Don’t be among the backward businesses that still view secure transfer and storage of information as revolutionary or unnecessary. By your gaining a basic knowledge of the topic and enlisting the help of a serious Web professional, you can address the challenges of online security with confidence.

From time to time, you probably Google some words that relate to your business to see what results you get. Have you ever been surprised, or somewhat disappointed, if your business does not come up like you were expecting?

Before you throw up your hands, take a moment to identify the root issue. Likely, the solution is simpler and less expensive than you’d think!

Identifying the issue

Gearing your site to search engines (“search engine optimization” or SEO) is an in-depth topic, and for our purpose today, we are not going to address ranking – that is, the placement of your site in relation to other sites. This article deals with search relevance only.

Within the scope of relevance, if your site doesn’t appear as a result for a term you think it should, that means the search criteria entered does not relate to your Web site. There are four roadblocks that commonly prevent your site from being included in a seemingly relevant search.

1. Assuming search engines are smarter than they are;
2. sloppy spelling;
3. ignoring the Internet’s global nature; and
4. stale content.

Understanding and addressing these can help your Web site’s presence in search engines.

Roadblock 1: Assuming search engines are smarter than they are

When entering an example search for your company or product, start by noting exactly what you are typing.

A fundamental misunderstanding is that search engines are more intelligent than they really are. Even considering recent advances, the level of intelligence built into search engines is limited. In fact, search engines are quite literal. Having two words appear on the same Web page does not mean that a search engine will connect them as a phrase. For some words, search engines may not know the difference between singular and plural. Beyond their fundamental programming, they certainly can’t interpret the connection between concepts.

Why is that so? Remember that technologies, like the Internet, do not have capacity for human reasoning. They function on literal data. Search engines do not know what words you intended to include on your Web site. They only understand what is actually input. Therefore, if certain wording wasn’t specifically published on your Web site, a search engine is unable to identify your site with those words. This cannot be overstated.

If you want your site to appear as a result for a commonly used pair of words or a specific phrase, quite simply those words have to be present in that exact configuration on your Web site.

‘But I’m sure we’re using those words already,’ you may reason. Do not make the mistake of assuming that a seemingly basic word or phrase actually exists in your Web site’s written content. Check it out yourself. Isn’t it worth it to take a couple of minutes to ensure your content is truly complete, rather than risk losing a customer to insufficient search engine results?

Roadblock 2: Sloppy spelling

Search engines can only search through the exact content you publish. If important words on your site are absent or misspelled, the search engine will not interpret what you meant to say.

So be diligent and detailed when writing your content. Proofread carefully, watching for errors in spelling or grammar (as grammar often influences the selection of spelling variants). If you have been a poor speller since grade three, and you haven’t yet befriended spell check on your computer, then get someone else to help you. This is necessary if you want your Web site’s content to work for you.

Remember, writing skills can be improved over time. But typos will stay typos until you make the effort to correct them.

Roadblock 3: Ignoring the Internet’s global nature

When you open a telephone book, you can be confident you will only see listings that are pertinent to your area. Not so with a search engine. A search engine doesn’t know where the user is searching, or where a given business is, unless it is defined on both ends.

Even when a person enters a local search term, the most popular or authoritative sites containing that term will appear. The results are not sorted based on geographical distance.

For example, sites containing the word “Kitchener” will not resolve for a search performed for “Waterloo” unless the site contains both terms. Likewise, if a user enters a locally understood term, like K-W, it won’t automatically be associated with Kitchener-Waterloo.

How can you improve your local presence? Publishing your proper business address on your site is basic. But mentioning it on one page does not mean that every product or service mentioned elsewhere on your site will be connected to that locale. Ensuring that proper names, short forms, and vernacular variants of your location’s city, region, and province are integrated in your general written content and page titles can help. The goal is to connect the product or service to the area.

In addition to the actual city used in your address, also consider including the names of nearby villages and towns you want to attract. Mentioning these in special promotion text, articles, or blog posts on your site is a good way to get these words out there. You may also wish to discuss with us getting listed in relevant geographically-based Internet directories to further cement your site with local searches.

Roadblock 4: Stale content

When we say that your content needs to be regularly updated, this is the truth. This is not us trying to get you to spend your money; this is us trying to help you stay alive in search engines. Why this need?

Once a site is published, the content naturally begins to age, and search engines view it as less relevant. This decline is further amplified as your competitors continue to update their sites with fresh content, making yours even less relevant – from both a search engine and a human perspective. The effect is that your site draws less visitors and has less presence in search engines.

Striving to maintain your presence in search engines is like physical exercise – it would be great if you could just pay someone to do it for you, or take a magic pill, but it doesn’t work like that. Unless you regularly do the work to maintain your fitness, you naturally lose it.

Google AdWords and similar services may seem to be the magic solution (and they do have merit) but to use them well, these need to be understood for what they are – advertising. They draw attention. But they are not a substitute for high-quality, keyword-rich content.

Realize, too, that as industry terms, product names, and other pertinent information changes, search engines do not realize that the old terms and the new terms are connected. So when a word or phrase has been transitioned, you must be sure it gets changed to its new form on your Web site. Otherwise, your site will not be deemed relevant when the up-to-date term is searched for.

So periodically take time to review and refresh your content. Start by talking to us to find out what aspects of your site content could be improved with search engines in mind. Also consider how you could make room for features, such as news, a blog, articles, or even weekly specials, that might be frequently refreshed with pertinent wording and topics.

The Conclusion: “Content is King”

One key phrase is used constantly in the Internet community: “content is king.” This is the broken record coming from all levels of Google. If you want to retain your presence or become more relevant in search engines, write suitable, accurate, high-quality content and keep it fresh. That’s the single best – and perhaps the most affordable – thing you can do for your business.

Addressing these simple roadblocks need not cost much or occupy a lot of time. But properly directing your efforts toward maintaining and improving your online investment will cumulatively reap long term benefits in maintaining and improving your site’s relevance in search engines.

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Especially when comparing dealerships that sell the same brands and offer similar services, prospective buyers often see price as the only compelling reason to choose one dealer over another.

To meet the challenges of a tougher-than-ever economy, discerning automotive dealers realize that an identifiable company image and a loyal clientele are critical to their survival in the community. Dealers recognize they can no longer rely on the traditional branding and marketing inherent to their manufacturer. Decisively, they take control of their fate by making differentiation from their competitors a high-level priority.

How can your Web site be used as a strategic tool for distinguishing your dealership? Here are two ways we can help you make your mark.

Don’t miss your market

As you strive to keep abreast with current online marketing techniques in the industry, you have likely become acquainted with the innumerable list of dealer-oriented Web design and marketing companies available to service the market.

Most of these offer turnkey re-brandings of pre-made sites that require little more than a monetary investment to get up and running. Marketed as “custom” and aggressively plugging convenience, flexibility, and built-in management tools, these sites present an alluring package.  Understandably, overworked or overwhelmed dealers may see these Web solutions as convenient and error proof — and many dealers seem happy enough with the product. But consider:

• Is that the sort of online representation that really makes your dealership stand out from the rest?
• Can it truly help the customer to understand your dealership’s unique offerings?
• Will it inspire trust in the local community and cement the relationship between you and your customers?

Hardly.

Worse yet, many dealerships who have taken this approach inevitably end up conveying a very similar presence on-line, inadvertently contributing to the inaccurate idea that dealers really are all the same.

What will help you rise above the crowd?

Dealers who do understand the value of differentiation may feel they have little alternative to the everyday when it comes to developing their Web site.

E Media Architects offers a refreshingly different approach to online dealership presentation. We won’t force your company to conform to pre-made Web solutions. We never re-brand, tailor or custom-ize template designs. In fact, the complete opposite is true. Not a single part of your site — from the design to the functionality — gets made before we discern your needs and, most importantly, the needs of your customers. We literally build each site by hand each and every time to obtain the best product possible, and all for less cost than the big Web companies charge.

How does this approach uniquely benefit your dealership?

Turnkey… or distinctively different?

If you recognize the value of accurately representing yourself in your community and using the Internet to strengthen your relationships with current and potential customers, let us assist you.

Because of our totally individualized approach to Web site creation, we’ll help you reach out to your customers in a way no one else can. With us, we’ll never rebrand a pre-made site; your dealership Web site is entirely custom-built to meet needs of your staff and reach out to your customers.

Our attentive, personal service is second to none. We are a husband and wife team, known for personally helping our clients each step of the way — answering your questions, listening to your needs, and offering honest suggestions about how to create the most effective online presence.

Our all-original Web site designs are clean, modern, and very user-friendly. Most importantly, they accurately represent your dealership’s distinct personality in a tasteful manner.

With attention to detail, we hand-craft your Web site; yet our prices are surprisingly affordable.

Explore our Web site to get to know us, tour a showcase of our selected work, and learn what we can do for your business.

What’s next?

No matter the state of the economy, discerning dealers are proving they’re here to stay — not because of the brand they sell, but because of the overall value they offer. Make your mark with a high-quality Web site from E Media Architects.

For more information on harnessing the power of your dealership Web site, check out our Special Series for Canadian Auto Dealers.

Considering hiring us? Get started with answers to your questions, a step-by-step outline of our design process, and our project request form.

What are your thoughts on how dealers can better differentiate themselves on-line?  Express yourself by leaving a comment.