Why Hire an Internet Consultant in 2012

On every street corner there are 10 social media experts. Toss a dart into any local bar crowd and you are likely to find a 23 year old IT consultant. They all talk a great game of techno babble. But, how do you sort through this mirage of hooey? Start by asking yourself why you need an internet consultant.

Here are 10 reasons why you need to hire an internet consultant.

1.Web trends and topics change every day. There is no way you can keep up and run your own business. So, set up a monthly tech call with your internet consultant to keep up with the tools and trends.

2.A Facebook page is not a social media strategy. Perhaps your kid is a Facebook genius. Great for you. But, true social media strategies that bring in new customers are most often 5-10 tiered systems for success. Most business owners need help. An internet consultant can help.

3.A good internet consultant is like an apple tree. Pick and eat what you want. Let the rest fall to ground. You do not have to act on every idea. If that ticks them off, find a new internet consultant.

4.What plan do you have in place to retain your current customers using your website? If the answer is none, you need an internet consultant to help you devise a plan for success.

5.Tablet use is taking over the world. It is expected that every white collar household will have at least one tablet device by 2015. An internet consultant will help you plan and take advantage of this trend.

6.Your old website needs help. There are more than 25 things an internet consultant should be able to help you identify on your website that are wrong. If you think you site is great...Think again.

7.Each month you should be reviewing your SEO ranking. Great, so your SEO company is doing this for you? Watch out. Your SEO company will always paint you a pretty picture. Hire a third party internet consultant to give you a second opinion.  

8.What plan do you have in place to draw in new customers using your website? If the answer is none, you need an internet consultant to help you devise a plan for success.

9.What did you do today on your Twitter account to draw recognition to your company or point people to your website? Did it work? If not, an internet consultant can help you better use hash tags and user grouping to draw in a bigger and better crowd.  

10.Return on Investment. What measure do you place on the ROI of your total internet strategy? An internet consultant will help you monitor your success online each month.

Make a list of four things from above where you feel you are weak. Don’t just focus on social media. Then, set out to find a quality internet consultant with a deep client base. Choosing an internet consultant is actually very easy. Ask them for 10 examples of happy clients. Ask for permission to email those clients. Then, ask them to prove to you how long they have been an internet consultant. Proof. Recent college grads are not qualified to be an internet consultant. Don’t be fooled.

Ryan Dohrn has been an internet consultant since 1996. He has worked for three major media companies in marketing and online promotions and now runs one of the premier internet consulting firms in the USA. His work as an internet consultant has expanded to Australia, Spain and Holland as well. He can be reached at ryan@ryandohrn.com or www.ryandohrn.com

Google’s Chrome Browser, Catching Publishers Off Guard?

Many publishers are just now realizing that Google’s web browser, Chrome, has nearly taken over the marketplace. Many are just now discovering this because their readers are switching to Chrome and portions of the their websites are not working in Chrome. With Chrome usage at an all time high, your web readers might be missing out on features of your website or they might not be seeing portions of your site at all.

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Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google and was first released as a beta version for Microsoft Windows in late  2008. The name is derived from the graphical user interface frame, or "chrome", of web browsers. According to StatCounter, as of November 2011, Chrome is the second most widely used browser with 25.69% worldwide usage share of web browsers.

In nearly all tested cases, websites work just fine with Chrome, but there are some exceptions. If you utilize a custom template system or a custom built content management system, you need to check each page of your website in Chrome. If you run Joomla or Drupal you need to check all your third party plug-ins for compatibility. In addition, you need to triple-check how your meta data and other widgets operate from your website in the Chrome browser.

All in all, usability studies need to be an important part of your Internet strategy for 2012. Online reader retention must be placed at a much higher priority as we all begin to shift the focus of our business offerings. It is always interesting to hear publishers say that that they have an Internet strategy in place and then they proceed to talk about their Facebook page. 2005 is calling and they want you back.

Publishers that are raking in profits form the web have a five-tier web plan for success. Not sure what five points are the most critical? Reach out to this author for more information.

Ryan Dohrn has been consulting on Internet issues since 1996. As an internet consultant he has a passion and focus on niche magazines. Ryan is also a business speaker that services clients around the globe. Your first call with Ryan is always free. Call 803-867-3769 or email Ryan@RyanDohrn.com.