Saratoga.com logo
Saratoga.com logo
  • Places to Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Businesses
  • Travel Guides
Saratoga Business Journal
  • Home
  • New Businesses
  • Business News
  • Business Reports
  • Business Briefs
  • Business Registrations
  • Personnel Briefs
  • Contact Us
Home  »  Office/ Technology/ E-Commerce  »  For Successful E-Commerce, Companies Need To Respond To Customer Reviews, Comments
Office/ Technology/ E-Commerce

For Successful E-Commerce, Companies Need To Respond To Customer Reviews, Comments

Posted onOctober 6, 2017October 9, 2017
Scott Fultz, seated, and James Curley cofounded Mountain Media in Saratoga Springs. Curley says its important for companies to make websites ‘search-engine friendly.’
©2017 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill Nagy

Companies that want search engines to notice their website should be sure it is included in local business listings, using the same language every time, advised Frank Davis, owner of Media Pillars, an e-commerce service provider in Saratoga Springs.

“I live inside Google,” he said, but admitted that the selection algorithm is not a secret.

James Curley of Mountain Media in Saratoga Springs emphasized the need to make websites “search-engine friendly.” He said compliance with security standards. One of the services Mountain Media provides is hosting websites that are compliant with the security standards of major credit card companies.

The compliant website hosting appears to have been successful. His company has been hosting websites for 20 years and they currently have about 200 clients. So far, no one has been hacked, he said. Security is not a concern looking forward, he said. But innovation and changing devices are the big issues.

Once a website is contacted, it is important to have a live person ready to follow up, Liza Viana, CEO of CMK Marketing in Clifton Park, said. The website can be “a living, breathing sales-generation tool,” she said. One way to keep it living and breathing, she advised, is to constantly update it.

“You have to add fresh content in order to attract Google, Bing and the others,” she said.

Viana said a website should be only one tool in a company’s online marketing strategy. Social media is at least equally important. She particularly recommended advertising on Facebook as an effective and relatively low-cost option. Social media allows a company to “hone in on who may be the warmest audience for your product.”

If this sounds like a lot of time and work for someone trying to run a business, it is, but any of these companies can do it or teach a business how to do it effectively. “A lot of people who do it themselves, don’t do it well,” Viana said. But her company can train the company’s employees, and “set them up for success on their own.” 

E-commerce service providers perform a variety of services. Mountain Media, for example, builds websites, provides a platform to host them, and provides custom graphic design. They also provide what Curley calls “responsive web design,” a design that adapts to the different sizes and shapes of different devices.

Google prefers one address for a given page and content that adapts to mobile devices, tablets, desktops or other platforms. The company also provides web payment software similar to PayPal but at half the cost, Curley said.

Davis advises different strategies for brick-and-mortar stores, trying to attract local traffic and companies that sell online and seek a national clientele.  For a local business, he said local business listings, “the more the better,” are critical. Old strategies of opening a store, placing an ad in the local newspaper, and then waiting for customers to arrive are now “null and void.”

His approach is typical. First, someone from Media Pillars will take some time to evaluate the current status of a business. Then, they can advise them of the “building blocks of what they have to do.” Generally, the first step is to develop a website. Then, they develop a campaign using social media. What clients do themselves and what they hire the service provider to do for them depends largely on the size of their budget.

Once things are up and running, Davis said it is critical to check the various outlets and respond to reviews and comments. “A lot of companies spend a ton of money on a website and social media and then don’t look at or answer their reviews,” he noted.

Viana said it is important to be responsive to people who come to a website or media listing. It can be time-consuming, she admitted, until the ads are set up and the target audience is identified. After that, “it can run on autopilot,” but it is still important to check on things from time to time.

Previous Article Business Report: The Right Time To Invest In Data Security
Next Article PrimeLink Creates State-Of-The-Art Network Operations Center At Its Space In Plattsburgh
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
View the Latest Virtual Edition

Categories

  • 50-Plus
  • Banking
  • Banking / Asset Managment
  • Building Trades
  • Business Briefs
  • Business News
  • Business Registrations
  • Business Reports
  • Commercial / Residential Real Estate
  • Community Services
  • Construction
  • Construction Planning
  • Corporate Tax / Business Planning
  • Cyber / Tech
  • Dining Guide
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Outlook 2016
  • Economic Outlook 2017
  • Economic Outlook 2018
  • Economic Outlook 2019
  • Economic Outlook 2020
  • Education/ Training/ Personal Development
  • Entrepreneurial Women
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environment / Development
  • Financial Planning / Investments
  • Fitness / Nutrition
  • Health / Community Services
  • Health & Fitness
  • Health & Wellness
  • Healthcare
  • Holiday Guide
  • Holiday Shopping
  • Home / Energy
  • Home / Insurance
  • Home & Real Esate
  • Insurance / Employee Benefits
  • Insurance / Medical Services
  • Legal / Accounting
  • Meet The Chef
  • New Businesses
  • Non-Profit
  • Office / Computer / New Media
  • Office / HR / Employment
  • Office/ Technology/ E-Commerce
  • Outlook 2021
  • Personnel Briefs
  • Retirement Planning
  • Senior Living / Retirement
  • Summer Construction
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness
  • Women In Business
  • Workplace / Security / Legal
  • Year-End Tax Planning

Archives

  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
Connect With Us

Follow, like and subscribe to Saratoga.com on social media

Account Sign In Submit An Event
Saratoga.com logo
  • Home
  • Places To Stay
  • Things To Do
  • Food & Drink
  • Events
  • Real Estate
  • Businesses
  • Guides
  • Contact Us
  • Blogs
  • Sweepstakes
  • Advertising
Visit Saratoga.com For Everything Saratoga
Full-Service Internet Marketing: Search Engine Optimization, Website Design and Development by Mannix Marketing, Inc.
Mannix Marketing, Inc. is headquartered near Saratoga Springs in Glens Falls, New York
Saratoga.com All Rights Reserved © 2021
Disclaimer & Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Copyright Policies

We strive to insure accuracy on Saratoga.com however accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Information is subject to change.
Please alert us if there is any inaccurate information here.

Having trouble using this site? Accessibility is our goal, please contact or email us with site improvements.