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  #1  
Old April 4, 2015, 07:15 PM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

Okay - yesterday I decided to try a different twist that Don posted - with the idea of maybe making a few bucks with the upcoming Google mobile search changes that will be taking effect on April 21st.

So I created a new website called GoogleMobileTestingServices.com

I then built a main page - but cloned it and customized it for each client that is a prospect.

I created a short "generic" video that is on each "customized" page for the potential client to watch.

I then just searched for potential clients by searching for a niche/city.

My first one was:
cedar city plumber

I then took the websites that were listed - and one by one tested them in the Google Mobile Tester.

Those that failed - I did a screen shot and uploaded it to my customized webpage.

I then created a pre-written email and plugged the customized webpage into it.

Notice that the link in the email has THEIR NAME IN IT.

Notice the TIMER at the top of the page.

Here's the email for my first one that I just sent out:

============================

Just wanted to update you about the upcoming changes needed by April 21, 2015 with regards to your website.

Here's your link with all the information.

http://googlemobiletestingservices.com/jackson-plumbing

John Palma
435-572-4400

Or email me at:
[email protected]/

============================

Now - I'm just sitting here cranking them out.

The great thing is I don't have to go into a local business - I can do this in ANYTOWN USA!

Will let y'all know how it goes.

P.S. I know there's probably an easier way to do it - but I am who I am - and this is the "Palma" version :-)
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  #2  
Old April 4, 2015, 07:50 PM
TommyBoy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

Great way to take action, John. You might want to provide a link to Google's announcement about the mobile-friendly sites. Otherwise they'll think it's a scammer of some sort

Are non-mobile friendly sites actually delisted?
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  #3  
Old April 4, 2015, 09:26 PM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

Thank you for the "de-listing" phrase.

In my mind it meant losing rank, but it might be inaccurate - as you pointed out.

I changed it to reflect a more accurate phrase.

I appreciate the thought.

As far as the Google "statement" - I'll probably pass on that one - as my feelings are that I could always add something here and something there to try and cover all the bases - but too much "page clutter" may be more damaging than helpful.

But - that's just my opinion - and at this point - that's all I've got :-)

John Palma
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  #4  
Old April 5, 2015, 06:08 AM
teamplayer
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

I checked out the links, this is a great setup, very well done.
I would be very interested to see what kind of client response you get.
There are many opportunities in this area. For example, sites that don't have
an appropriate privacy policy posted can not only be penalized by google but
also can get into hot water legally. So there is much that can be done.
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  #5  
Old April 5, 2015, 02:51 PM
woof
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

Interesting idea John.
What are you using for your email subject line?
Are you trying more than one version? (split test)
Have you considered doing a mockup of some kind, "this is what your site could look like?" in the email. Might increase conversions if they can see what the site might look like instead of trying to imagine what it is you're talking about when you say "mobile friendly".
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  #6  
Old April 5, 2015, 06:14 PM
Don Alm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

When DudaMobile first came out I LOVED it. I could do what John just mentioned; Go to Duda, bring up a website and have it ......
1) Show what the site looks like NOW
and
2) What it can look like on a mobile device

The MAIN thing I didn't like about "Mobilizing" the websites I did was....."trying to SATISFY" my clients.

The TIME it took to ....."can you change this" or "change that" or myriads of other "details"! Drove me half-nutso SO....I decided to create a "Mobile Directory" where twas ME.....who chose the colors and how the Listings looked with NO "changes" from participants.

However....this "April 21" deadline can be a good "motivator" for some site owners....others probably won't care so....."go for the Low-Hanging Fruit" while the fire's hot! One of my sayings is; "Toss enough stuff at a wall and some of it's gonna stick!"

Don Alm
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  #7  
Old April 5, 2015, 08:05 PM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

Regarding the subject line:

I've only sent out a few after the "marathon" of getting it all set up, video recorded, etc over 2 days - Thursday and Friday.

I had planned to start cranking the emails out, but took the weekend off - so I'll be targeting 25 emails per day starting tomorrow - Monday the 6th.

Anyway, what I did send out didn't require subject lines - as I used the submit forms on their websites - so I haven't even crafted an email subject line as of yet.

Regarding split testing:

My hope for this project is really small - so I have no intention of trying to maximize the results - thus no split testing.

I plan to send out 25 emails a day - with the hopes on landing 1 (one) site per month - maybe for 4 to 6 months.

After the 21st, I'll be changing the emails to a "I've tested your website, and you may not be aware of it, but on April 21st, Google made a major change to the search engine result criteria, and your website does NOT meet the NEW Google standards - blah - blah - blah"

I am NOT after a huge successful result.

I'm just looking to capitalize on the "hotness" of the next few months and take advantage of the timing and only do a few sites.

Using Don's wording - I'm after the low hanging fruit, and if you throw enough stuff on the wall and some of it will stick :-)

Regarding "sample" sites.

Since I am only after a SMALL number of interested clients, I don't see the need to try and do "sample" sites.

IF someone responds, my thoughts are to just tell them that I will "match" as closely as possible their existing site with a new WordPress responsive site.

I'm just finishing up one now that I had already been doing before Don's post - as I knew the owner of a business here in Cedar City - so I plan to follow the same pattern.

My clients existing website is http://rustysranchhouse.com.

It is a Joomla based website.

I rebuilt it by purchasing a domain name for this project - so that the exisiting site could stay in place while I re-created a WordPress mobile friendly version.

The NEW WordPress version is currently located at http://restaurant-test-site-2.com/

That's where I built the NEW version. I am about to move it on to the existing site - overwriting and replacing the non-mobile friendly Joomla version.

I will then be adding some new features to it and doing some SEO as well for the client over the next few months.

Hope that makes sense.
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  #8  
Old April 5, 2015, 11:46 PM
Don Alm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Hey John.....2 things

Re: "Subject" Lines

"Subject" lines are really KEY to getting prospects to OPEN your emails!

So.....when I began doing "Mobile" stuff for website owners....I was hunting for a way to reach Owners. I tried email BUT couldn't come up with the "Grabber" Subject Lines to get them to open my emails.

THEN....a buddy told me about a way he uses to reach Biz Owners... especially Restaurant Owners.

FACEBOOK!!

What I did was go to a Restaurant's FaceBook Page and....on the Bar going across the top of the Page was the word "MESSAGES"! I found that MOST Restaurant Owners (and other biz owners, Dentists, Doctors, Chiros etc).... PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to their FaceBook "Messages".

So....I'd go see if a restaurant was on FaceBook. I'd then send a "Message" to them......telling them I had "made a Video" of their restaurant and, if they're interested in seeing what it looks like to....phone or email me.

IF they responded to my "Message"....I would THEN go to their site and make a Video of the Photos there (Using PhotoStory3) Even though my first "Message" was a "White-Lie".....it sure saved me OODLES OF TIME making videos for biz owners who had NOT shown interest.

And.....I then did the same thing to sell restaurants on having me "Mobilize" their websites (with Existing Video clients I just phoned them)

Here's a Video I did for a restaurant;

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...eburg&start=10 (I haven't done anything with this Video since last August so it's on Page 2 so....I'll have to do some Video SEO.)

So.....when I looked at "Rusty's Ranch House" I noticed 2 things;
1) A number of GREAT Photos
and
2) No FaceBook Page

So....I'd have to try and make contact via email or phone or...even In-Person.

So....hope I gave you some info you can use.

Don Alm
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  #9  
Old April 6, 2015, 01:03 PM
palmanator
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

Don - Rusty's specifically said they DO NOT want to deal with Facebook, so they asked me to just leave that alone.

Also, regarding videos, I created a video for them a while back at:

https://youtu.be/Y8ynyX-B0eY

I plan to put it on their site when I move the new site over.

The guy that owns Rusty's also owns another steakhouse in town called Milt's.

I will be doing a new WP site for it as well over the next 2 weeks.

Thanks for the input :-)

John Palma
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  #10  
Old April 6, 2015, 10:14 AM
woof
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: Decided To Try The Idea Don Brought Up - But In A Different Way

The responsive wp site looks good. A couple things.
Making a Joomla site responsive is pretty easy, but I suspect you prefer wp so that's why you built new.
Second, the phone number should be visible at the top of the page without doing anything especially on mobile. Not having to look for the number will always increase conversions.
Last you have an image slider at the top of the page. Images with a CTA are better than just pictures for conversions.
Just my thoughts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by palmanator View Post
Regarding the subject line:

I've only sent out a few after the "marathon" of getting it all set up, video recorded, etc over 2 days - Thursday and Friday.

I had planned to start cranking the emails out, but took the weekend off - so I'll be targeting 25 emails per day starting tomorrow - Monday the 6th.

Anyway, what I did send out didn't require subject lines - as I used the submit forms on their websites - so I haven't even crafted an email subject line as of yet.

Regarding split testing:

My hope for this project is really small - so I have no intention of trying to maximize the results - thus no split testing.

I plan to send out 25 emails a day - with the hopes on landing 1 (one) site per month - maybe for 4 to 6 months.

After the 21st, I'll be changing the emails to a "I've tested your website, and you may not be aware of it, but on April 21st, Google made a major change to the search engine result criteria, and your website does NOT meet the NEW Google standards - blah - blah - blah"

I am NOT after a huge successful result.

I'm just looking to capitalize on the "hotness" of the next few months and take advantage of the timing and only do a few sites.

Using Don's wording - I'm after the low hanging fruit, and if you throw enough stuff on the wall and some of it will stick :-)

Regarding "sample" sites.

Since I am only after a SMALL number of interested clients, I don't see the need to try and do "sample" sites.

IF someone responds, my thoughts are to just tell them that I will "match" as closely as possible their existing site with a new WordPress responsive site.

I'm just finishing up one now that I had already been doing before Don's post - as I knew the owner of a business here in Cedar City - so I plan to follow the same pattern.

My clients existing website is http://rustysranchhouse.com.

It is a Joomla based website.

I rebuilt it by purchasing a domain name for this project - so that the exisiting site could stay in place while I re-created a WordPress mobile friendly version.

The NEW WordPress version is currently located at http://restaurant-test-site-2.com/

That's where I built the NEW version. I am about to move it on to the existing site - overwriting and replacing the non-mobile friendly Joomla version.

I will then be adding some new features to it and doing some SEO as well for the client over the next few months.

Hope that makes sense.
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