Introduction-
In the interest of trying to better help our clients old and new, and to simplify the process of educating new Coalition team members who may not have comprehensive online marketing experience, we’re writing a short series of articles called the ‘Anatomy of an Online Business- Websites, SEM, and Social Media’.
This is not intended to be a full scale, completely comprehensive reading, as there are around four or five different books necessary for just a precursory understanding of each of our company’s major skill areas. There is no way that we could fully address website design, HTML and XTHML coding, PHP, Javascript, search engines, SEO, Pay Per Click (Adwords), and social media promotion all within a short span of time. Maybe some day it will be, but for the moment, read with that grain of salt.
Just like traditional business models, web businesses are derived and built from multiple component parts and would struggle to survive without any single element properly functioning in support of the rest of the business. You can see why the comparison to anatomy is so apt. As the human body needs its major systems to work in a fluid integration, an online business is equally in need of diverse operations interacting and supporting one another to help drive success.
Of course, this does not stop many businesses from making the attempt to move online without fully addressing each major system necessary for sustained growth and health. Often the guilty party is their technical team or the a company that is too attentive to only one necessary function and forgets about the rest. In our industry, we see three major emphasis areas that generally can be examined to determine the overall health and well being of a business on the web. We’ve identified Web Design, Search Engine Marketing (SEO and PPC), and Social Media as the three major systems that need to operate cohesively, and at a high level, for a web business to succeed.
Each of these major systems are supported by a myriad of companies offering services, advice, guidance, and software to help guide a business towards a golden age of global reach, increased ROI, and major brand recognition. These different industries often are built around an insular core of ‘specialists’ who believe they know best, and frown on other industries or specialists that might not agree. As a result, many companies employ teams of web designers, search engine optimization techs, and social media strategists on a rotating basis, as the news publicizes one effort or methodology over another. In the end, the business, looking to find help and a pathway to success, becomes disillusioned, bankrupted, and discouraged.
Like the doctors of our modern era, Coalition Technologies has chosen to adopt a holistic approach that understands that each major system must be properly accounted for, cared for, and grown for sustainable success to occur. Ignoring high level web design is ignoring the skeletal framework necessary to support growth. Only operating low level search engine marketing and SEO campaigns is detrimental like allowing yourself to neglect your cardio and pulmonary systems. Pretending like social media and social networks are not relevant, is like saying that you don’t need your skin or your ability to communicate.
In the coming days, we’ll be adding to these posts and hope that you find some insights that are worth carrying home, or inquiring about.
