There was the Search Insider Summit in Captiva, Fla., which Gord Hotchkiss hosted a panel/ clinic on eye-tracking analysis of Web sites.  His focus was on post-click optimization.

Gord Hotchkiss

The importance does not need to be underscored:  marketers are looking for ways to show a higher return on investment for spending in SEO, PPC and other online channels.

If there was one single takeaway, it was this: enable this type of testing early in the discovery and design process of Web site and landing page development, testing multiple creative comps, architecture, and messaging on groups that represent targeted users, in addition to testing the pages with a paid search campaign.

• Paid Search: Most effective types of pages were specifically targeted landing pages
• Using Own Page Sites is common when: many brand and DR marketers use their site pages as landing pages for very large spends, even though many of these sites were developed without the search user experience and conversion process in mind. Generic approach for multipurpose use.
• Paid Landing Page: Difficult to scale from an enterprise level standpoint; additionally tough to tweak down the road.

Takeaways from the overall discussion regarding development:

• Set up a testing lab, or hire someone to do it for you.
• Get media stakeholders involved early in the development process.
• Test multiple creative comps, architecture, and messaging with your target group, for both direct navigation experience, and also effectiveness in paid search.
• Use prior performance knowledge to inform redesign or landing pages.
• Build in the ability to test and change.

You can find the article in it’s entirety over at MediaPost

A few highlights that I found particularly powerful:

“Botanists teach us about the importance of turgor – that normal fullness that comes from the tension produced by fluid flowing through veins of plants.  Lack of proper tension makes plants droop.  We are no different.  Without a healthy degree of stress and tension, we wilt.

Certainly we must control stress, but we must not eliminate it.  One of the finest ways to control it is by learning to appreciate it, rather than fearing it.  If you didn’t have tension, you wouldn’t have enough ambition to become successful.”

“The same thing is true in life.  We either face problems as challenges or withdraw into the shell of inertia.  We can choose to see obstacles or opportunities.

This week think carefully about: 1) How am I using stress to my advantage? 2) Where am I causing stress for others? 3) What is my biggest current challenge and am I running forward or backward?

Words of Wisdom: “We either face problems as challenges or withdraw into the shell of inertia.”

I love the analogy of plants and turgor.  The necessity to have a healthy tension that perpetually propels us to succeed is essential to personal sustainability.  Often I, as well as loved ones around me, continually gripe of the tumultuous battles with stress.  I find enlightenment in the fact that stress has a healthy, pull you forward degree as well.  As an opportunist, I’ve always imagined problems as challenges with an opportunity lying on the other side.  However, tying such opportunism to the inherent nature of stress is, well, stress relieving.  I will reflect on the “this week think carefully” points and urge you to do the same.  Our greatest successes often emerge from victory over such challenges.

-E

Below is the article in it’s entirety as it has yet to be posted on the Breakfast with Fred Website:

”

Successful leaders have learned to appreciate tension.  I am convinced that positive stress is a wonderful thing.  Where else would we get the energy to carry out our responsibilities?

Botanists teach us about the importance of turgor – that normal fullness that comes from the tension produced by fluid flowing through veins of plants.  Lack of proper tension makes plants droop.  We are no different.  Without a healthy degree of stress and tension, we wilt.

Certainly we must control stress, but we must not eliminate it.  One of the finest ways to control it is by learning to appreciate it, rather than fearing it.  If you didn’t have tension, you wouldn’t have enough ambition to become successful.

We had a young man who, when asked the question, “How long have you been working for the company?” responded, “Ever since the boss threatened to fire me!”  This young man didn’t have the eye of the tiger, nor the fire in the belly that true leaders need.  Successful men and women have an intense rhythm and energetic pace.

I sometimes hear wives complain about how tired their husbands are at night.  I think this is part of the price of being a leader.  You can’t have the placidity of a mule and the winnings of a racehorse!

A psychiatrist friend of mine was sent to Guadalcanal following the bloody battles with the Japanese in 1942  to talk with both the cowards and the heroes to see why each reacted as he did.  My friend told me that both were motivated by the same great fear, but the heroes ran forward and the cowards ran backward.

The same thing is true in life.  We either face problems as challenges or withdraw into the shell of inertia.  We can choose to see obstacles or opportunities.

This week think carefully about: 1) How am I using stress to my advantage? 2) Where am I causing stress for others? 3) What is my biggest current challenge and am I running forward or backward?

Words of Wisdom: “We either face problems as challenges or withdraw into the shell of inertia.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong.” (I Corinthians 16:13 NET Bible)

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To read more writings of Fred Smith go to www.breakfastwithfred.com”

Will the Future of the Web Be More Like the Present?