There are a number of ways you can keep up to date with issues with your site.  I’ve added a list of some easy and cheap methods:

Track your error pages

Google Analytics is a free option, great for small businesses.  If you modify your code on your error pages, you can check regularly for broken links and problem pages (these may even be broken links from other sites or links typed in by users).

With this knowledge, you can fix issues with your site, request that other sites linking to you update their links, or create some custom content that people seem to want to find.

Here’s a link to the instructions, Keemo has written up.

Check out your goal funnel

Here you can identify issues (not necessarily just errors), with your conversion path. This may uncover a particular problem page, which puts users off buying or signing up.

If you’re using Google Analytics, you can set this up quite easily by changing the settings and adding each url used for a purchase process.  Other Analytics packages allow you to do this also.

Now, about that 10 page checkout process…

Monitor your server status

If you’ve got an advertising campaign on the go, it’s important to check for server outages.  Sign up to something like Monatastic, which will send you an email every time you need to pause your advertising and kick the server.

Ask your users

You can install a couple of feedback tools which can ask your users about their experience of the site, or view what they do. Use ClickTale for videoing your users path, Google Talk Chatback to let them ask questions or talk to you, and 4Q to ask them how their experience was once they have finished.

More fantastic tips on fixing usability issues with your website here: Conversion Rate Experts.

Fresh eyes

Get someone else to look at it.  Ask them to complete a set of tasks, and talk to them while they’re doing it. When you’ve designed a process, it’s obviously logical to you, but is it logical to everyone else?

Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing

I’m very happy to say that our Search Marketing Consultant, Sam passed the Google AdWords Professional Exam on Friday.

We’re very proud that he’s completed it, and with an impressive score too!

Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing

You can see the viral below and find out more about AHD168 on the AHD Imaging site:

Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing

This works with Outlook 2007, and the tracking we are using is Google Analytics

If you don’t have access to amend your website

1. Use the following url to generate your tracking link: Google Analytics Link Tracker
2. Using the details in the following format:
3. Click on the Create URL button, and copy this long url
4. Create a new email message
5. Go to the Insert menu
6. Select Signatures
7. Select your default signature
8. Insert your tracking urls, and remember to amend the display text to a short pretty url or some anchor text
9. Save it and test it works by creating a new email message, inserting your signature (if this isn’t done by default), and checking your links look good and work in Rich Text, HTML and Plain Text.

If you do have access to change your website

Option 1

Ben suggests an alternative method if you have access to your website code.

1. Use the following url to generate your tracking link: Google Analytics Link Tracker
2. Create your tracking url described above.
3. Creating an index page, and use a server side redirect using the following code:(or the ASP equivalent) stick that right at the top before the html tag and it will seamlessly redirect.  Your ‘Location’ is the tracking url that you created.
4. Create a short directory, eg http://www.pushon.co.uk/kg
5. Put the index page in there and use the link in your signature http://www.pushon.co.uk/kg.

Option 2

Alternatively, use a client side redirect:

1. Use the following url to generate your tracking link: Google Analytics Link Tracker
2. Create your tracking url described above.
3. Set up a redirect by creating an index page with this code** in it:
4. Create a short directory, eg http://www.pushon.co.uk/kg
5. Put the index page in there and use the link in your signature http://www.pushon.co.uk/kg.

The benefit of this is that it works with plain text as well as RTF and HTML.

*Gathered moss along the way

**Code is nicked from Google as Ben’s code was stripped from his comment by our security features.

Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing

Simon will be talking about the SEO Principles at Manchester Central Library at 5.30pm for Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA), and I’ll be talking to small business owners about Pay Per Click (PPC) marketing at 5.30pm at St Peters High, Levenshulme for Blue Orchid training.

I’ve added the presentation slides for both training courses for those who attend.

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Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing

There was a questions and answer sessions with Josh, Heaven Spa’s hairdressing expert. Massage and moisturising treatment for tired hands (perfect for this winter weather); there was plenty of food and drink, and we all received a discount for beauty products on the website.

I had a skin analysis, and was advised on some lovely Pevonia cleanser, toner and moisturiser… But as I can’t see myself keeping up the cleanse, tone, moisturise routine every morning and night, I used my discount on some lazy girl beauty products… in the form of Fake Bake Gold fake tan.

Roy had a hand massage (you can see the fear on his face below), and decided to get a beauty gift set.

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Final score 2-1 to Phil.

Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing

We’re looking forward to the Pro Evolution Soccer rematch tomorrow between our Online Marketing expert Mark and our Accountant Phil.

Last time, poor Mark lost 2-1, but he’s adamant he’s going to bring Phil down this time.

However, Phil sent an email with the subject line “RE: Stuff we’ll need doing tomorrow - apart from slaughtering Mark on Pro Evo”

And was quoted as saying “Im sure I can squeeze a victory on Pro evo in before lunch too”

Exciting times at the PushON office…

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For more information please check out:

http://blog.heaven-spa.co.uk/

Heaven Spa
Heaven Spa have two of Manchester’s most reputable spa salon’s and a leading online beauty retail site.

Contact Details:
Cath Murphy
Heaven Spa
cath@heaven-spa.co.uk
T: +44 (0)161 870 1789
http://www.heavenspa.co.uk

Post from: PushON - Search Engine Marketing