Blog Me Happy I don't want to be a newbie any longer.

There are many tools available to a webmaster to analyse website traffic, some free like Google’s Analytics that will allow them to monitor the number of visitors, see what pages have been accessed and the length of time visitors have spent accessing the website and a whole lot more.

However, despite the vast amount of detailed information that is available what is missing is anything to tell the webmaster what the visitor was thinking. Did they like the website? Was the layout easy to understand or just plain confusing? Was navigating the website easy and did they find the information they wanted?

A website may be generating sales but why are some people that visit the website not buying anything? Was it because they didn’t like what was being offered or they couldn’t find what they wanted?

Using online surveys webmasters have a simple and accurate method of answering these types of questions. Direct feedback from the website visitors means that there is no longer the need to guess, just ask the visitors how they found the site and if they found what they were looking for.

With an online survey webmasters can find out:-

• How often do people visit the website?
• How did they find the website?
• Is it for business or pleasure that they are interested in the website?
• Were they able to find the information they were looking for?
• How easy was it for them to navigate the website?
• Would they recommend the website to their friends and/or colleagues?

A good website survey will be brief and will gather information that once analysed will provide valuable information to help improve the website.

An alternative to a more traditional customer survey would be to ask just one or two questions at strategic points. One example would be to ask visitors at the end of the registration process if they found the procedure quick and easy; another example would be after ordering an item the customer could be asked if they found the ordering procedure and payment methods to their liking. To avoid regular visitors from being asked every time they visit, the website can be configured so that they are only asked once.

Website surveys take the mystery out of working out what visitors think of a website and using Online Survey Software they are quick and easy to design and once implemented will really become the webmaster’s assistant.

To see a sample website survey please follow the link: Sample Website Survey

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Technorati Tags: customer survey, feedback, market research, marketing, Online surveys, visitors, web design, web performance, webmaster

Posted under Linking.

There are ample tools available to a webmaster to enable them to analyse website traffic and monitor the number of visitors, see what web pages have been accessed and even the length of time visitors spend accessing the website.

However, despite the vast amount of detailed information that can be collected what will always be missing is information that will tell the webmaster what the visitor was thinking. Did they like the site? Was the layout easy to understand or confusing? Did they find it easy to navigate and maybe the most important thing, did they find the information they wanted?

A website may be generating sales but why are there some people that are visiting the website and not buying anything? Was the reason because they didn’t like what was being offered, or was it that they couldn’t find what they wanted even though it was there?

Online surveys provide webmasters with an accurate method of answering these types of questions. Direct feedback from the website visitors cuts to the chase, there is no longer any need to guess, just ask the visitors directly how they arrived at the site and if they were able to find what they were looking for.

With an online survey webmasters can find out:-

• How often do people visit the website?
• How did they arrive at the website?
• Are they interested in the website for business or pleasure?
• Did they find the information they were looking for?
• How easy was it for them to navigate the website?
• Would they recommend the website to their friends and/or colleagues?

A good website survey will be concise and will collate information that once analyzed will provide valuable information to help improve the website.

An alternative to a more traditional customer survey would be to ask just one or two questions at strategic points. For example, ask visitors at the end of the registration process if they found the procedure quick and easy; or after ordering an item ask if they found the ordering procedure and payment methods straightforward. To make sure that the questions do not become repetitive to regular visitors the website can be programmed so that the questions are only asked once per registered user.

Website surveys take the mystery out of working out what visitors think of a website and using Online Survey Software they are quick and easy to design and once implemented will really become the webmaster’s assistant.

To see a sample website survey please follow the link: Sample Website Survey

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: customer survey, feedback, market research, marketing, Online surveys, visitors, web design, web performance, webmaster

Posted under Emails

Calling all publishers, editors, writers and freelance journalists. It is the time to breathe more life into your copy. Turn your articles into living pieces that spark measurable debate, get closer to your readers and engage their mind and soul – we’re talking revolution.

As it was in the beginning

Publishers have for many years relied on letters to get feedback from their readers and although email has opened up this method of communication it is still time consuming and difficult to monitor and process, and for the more popular articles, it is either a case of only a fraction of the received correspondence ever being used, or where online comments have been allowed, well written and good comments can be buried under poorly written and abusive comments.

As well as being an overhead for the publisher, to most people it is an unrewarding medium in terms of the amount of effort required and response received, just consider the number of letters that go unpublished and unread.

As it is now

With the Internet traditional methods of communications can be challenged and replaced or complemented with new methods of doing things. The Internet is now a mature technology, no longer the preserve of technical geeks but a technology that has been embraced by a global population, young and old allowing us now to re-evaluate the way things are done. There is now the opportunity for newspapers, trade journals, magazines and ezines to change the mental process.

Readers of any article often would like to comment, traditionally this has required them to feel strongly enough to write a letter, or now, with the convenience of the Internet, send an email or write a comment. Emails make communication easier but they still take time to craft and time for the majority, is what they haven’t got.

Although interesting a letters page or a list of comments are at best a snapshot of views or an endless unmanaged list of comments; a well crafted and well written letter on any given subject may hold the view of the minority, or the majority but due to the free text form it is difficult, or near impossible, to measure.

As it should be

Now consider the advantages of linking articles to online surveys where as a publisher you will have the ability to obtain valuable readership feedback in a form that can be properly measured. Just as important as you communicating with your readers is providing your readers with a channel to communicate with you; a method where they know it will count.

Do you want to deliver a snapshot of opinion? Did they like that article? Did the sentiments expressed in the article have the support of the audience or do the readers have a different view?

Now it’s easy

Historically surveys would have taken considerable effort to design and publish and altogether was a process too long winded and often reserved only for the niche and bigger topics.

However, using sites like www.surveygalaxy.com surveys and questionnaires can be created and published via the Internet by anyone who has a pulse. Professional looking questionnaires and surveys created in minutes make the perfect complement to articles that prompt opinion and debate.

The advantage over letters, e-mails and comments are that all the feedback gathered through a survey is managed and measured and sites like Survey Galaxy will provide you with a real time poll and charts that you can either keep to yourself or share with your readers.

It can even be complementary to sending an email

Linking articles to online surveys will not only extend the life of the article but will involve your readers in the discussion and in a way where that they know that their opinion will be counted.

You think people will still want to send an email? – no problem – include the facility within the survey and get the best of both worlds.

It’s quick, low cost, and easy to do; it will empower and engage the reader, provide first class feedback and having established a communication channel you then have the opportunity to promote other related articles.

Try it for yourself and record your view of this article here:- Readership Feedback Survey

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Technorati Tags: Articles., feedback, Online surveys, publishing, readers, writing

Posted under Blogs

Calling all publishers, journalists, editors and freelance writers. It is time to breathe more life into your copy. Turn your articles into living pieces that spark measurable debate, get closer to your readers and engage their mind and soul – we’re talking revolution.

As it was in the beginning

Publishers have for many years relied on letters to get feedback from their readers and although email has opened up this method of communication it is still time consuming and difficult to monitor and process, and for the more popular articles, it is either a case of only a fraction of the received correspondence ever being used, or where online comments have been allowed, well written and good comments can be buried under poorly written and abusive comments.

As well as being an overhead for the publisher, it can also be an unrewarding medium in terms of the amount of effort required and response that is received, just consider the number of letters that go unread and unpublished.

As it is now

New channels of communication have been created by the Internet and this in turn has created opportunities that allow us to challenge traditional methods. The Internet is now a mature technology, no longer the preserve of technical geeks but a technology that has been embraced by a global population, young and old allowing us now to re-evaluate the way things are done. Newspapers, trade journals, magazines and ezines now have the opportunity to change the mental process.

When people read an article that provokes thought they now expect the opportunity to comment either by writing a comment, sending an email or writing a letter. Emails make the process of communication easier but it still takes time to compose an email and time for the majority, is what they haven’t got.

Although interesting a letters page or a list of comments are at best a sample of views or an endless unmanaged list of comments; a letter may be well crafted and well written letter but due to the free text form it is difficult, or near impossible, to measure.

As it should be

Now consider the advantages of linking articles to online surveys where as a publisher you will have the ability to obtain valuable readership feedback in a form that can be easily measured. Just as important as you communicating with the readership is providing the readership with an effective channel to communicate with you; one where they know it will count.

Want a snapshot of opinion? How much did they like the article? Did the readership agree with what was said or do they have a different view?

Now it is easy

Historically surveys would have taken considerable effort to design and publish and altogether was a process too long winded and often reserved only for the niche and bigger topics.

However, using sites like www.surveygalaxy.com surveys and questionnaires can be created and published via the Internet by anyone who has a pulse. Professional looking surveys and questionnaires created in minutes that make the perfect complement to articles that prompt opinion and debate.

The advantage over letters, e-mails and comments are that all the feedback gathered through a survey is managed and measured and sites like Survey Galaxy will provide you with a real time poll and charts that you can either keep to yourself or share with your readers.

It can even be complementary to sending an email

By linking each article to an online survey it will not only extend the life of the article, as people have a channel to express their views, but it will involve your readers in the discussion and in a way where they know their opinion will be counted.

You think they would rather send an email? – no problem – include the facility within the survey and get the best of both worlds.

It’s quick, low cost, and easy to do; it will empower and engage the reader, provide first class feedback and having established a communication channel you then have the opportunity to promote other related articles.

Join the revolution and have your say about this article here:- Readership Feedback Survey

 Mail this post

Technorati Tags: Articles., feedback, Online surveys, publishing, readers, writing

Posted under Blogs