The government’s goal of creating an unnecessary “Do Not Track” registry for the web is coming closer to fruition.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) called for the implementation of a universal “Do Not Track” option that would allow consumers to opt out of all third-party online tracking and behavioral targeted advertising.

What would this option look like?

The FTC specifically suggests the “Do Not Track” mechanism take the form of an add-on to the browser, similar to a cookie. Consumers would be able to check a box that would transmit their preference to opt out of tracking to websites as they surf the web.

Ultimately, companies that fail to honor the option would be penalized. This is just more regulation that will kill jobs and further slow the economy and lessen consumer confidence. Further, it lessens freedom of commerce, motivation and freedom of speech.

What’s more, it is unnecessary. In October of last year, the Direct Marketing Association introduced a self-regulated program to ensure customer privacy.

When will the regulation madness end?

So what are your thoughts? Contact me at craig@cdmginc.com. I’ll publish your opinion in the next Direct Marketing Update..

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To make it easy for web searchers to find your site, you have to play by the SEO rules. The concept of SEO is designed to separate the spammers from the true content creators. Over the next few issues, we’ll take a look at simple but important tips to help improve your SEO.

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3 Commonly overlooked SEO strategies · Search engine optimization · SEO · web · Web strategy · websites

I’ve written extensively on the potential conversion increase you can get by adding a floater to your website or landing pages. (Read past Direct Marketing Update articles: Little-known ways to double or triple your online leads and Do floaters really work?)

Here’s more proof that the floater increases sign-ups…

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Direct Marketing · floater · Lead generation · online marketing · pop-up · Testing corner · Web strategy · websites

I frequently get emails from readers who feel overwhelmed by all the changes they need to make to improve their e-commerce sites. If you feel that way from time to time, this week’s Web Strategy is for you.

There’s one quick and easy thing you can do to increase sales: Make your “Add to cart” and “Buy now” buttons bigger and bolder.

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landing page · web · Web strategy · websites

Want to generate new leads? Start with your websites and landing pages.

One of the lead-generating tactics I use for my clients is known as a “floater.” True to its name, it’s a separate box that floats on top of your web page. It’s similar to a pop-up, but it can’t be filtered out by pop-up blockers. It appears a few seconds after the reader arrives at your site.

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landing page · web · Web strategy · websites

When is an email-capture page a rapid conversion landing page? The answer is…all the time! We call an email-capture page…or “squeeze page,” a rapid conversion landing page (RCLP).

And what is the RCLP for? Your RCLP is there to capture an email address in exchange for a complimentary gift (like a report or other product).

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html buttons · rapid conversion landing page

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most complex and quickly changing disciplines in direct marketing. There are literally thousands of strategies and techniques to improve your rankings.

It’s why my team and I recommend using video, informational landing pages, multi-linked microsites as well as a list of costly blunders to avoid.

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Direct Mail · Direct Marketing · Direct Response · Search engine optimization · SEO

A consumer credit counseling service was looking to increase the amount of free debt consultation sign-ups without having to augment its regular flow of traffic to their site.

A pop-up was currently in place designed to capture names for the free service. Could small changes make a big improvement to the number of names captured? Take a look…

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Direct Marketing · Direct Response · pop-up · Testing corner

In a previous issue, we talked about increasing conversions by having your phone number and ordering information displayed prominently on your landing page.

But that’s not all.

Studies have shown that conversion rates increase on websites that provide a phone number and an email address on every page. Why? Because making it easy for your prospects to contact you helps solidify your credibility.

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Direct Marketing · landing page · Web strategy

Testing is critical, but it can seem overwhelming to many marketers. It is important to remember that you don’t have to completely overhaul your control piece to create a valuable test.

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Direct Marketing · Testing corner · web · websites