As I am getting ready for the Social Media Marketing Workshop 101 this Sunday I am concentrating on the details, including some of the details that may seem really obvious but are often overlooked. Yesterday we talked about how we want to keep your important calls to action above the line where more people will see them. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone to a web site looking for the Twitter or Facebook follow link only to find it buried at the bottom of the “Contact Us” page. Who has time to look for that?

In the past I’ve talked about Using a Web Color Tool to find your Social Media Color Scheme but I would hardly consider myself a graphic designer. Now, however, I am going to stick my neck out and get a lot of graphic designers upset. I imagine it will be a few graphic designers considering how often I’ve seen this mistake. I really don’t think it is hugely important what the web design color scheme is for your web site. What I do think is important is to use colors that stand out for those things you want people to find, especially social media follow buttons, donate buttons and pay now buttons. This should be considered when doing a website redesign.

Your Facebook button is not a guerrilla warrior camouflaged to the hilt and waiting in ambush. So for the life of me I cannot understand why someone who wants followers makes their social media buttons the same color as the rest of their web site. Twitter Blue, RSS Orange and Facebook Blue are almost universally recognized by web surfers. Help them find your social media buttons and encourage them to follow you. Don’t hide them. And while we are at it, is there a law for nonprofits that they need to hide their donation page deep within their website? I say put a BIG RED “Donate Now” button on the top of every page. If you hide your important links and buttons tell me below why you do it, I would love to hear.

I realize there are a lot of folks who cannot get up to Seattle on Sunday for our Social Media Marketing Workshop 101. Sindi Lindberg and I will be gearing up to do a webinar in the near future so stay tuned for that. If you would like to know more about how Image Media Partners can help with your online marketing sign up for a free analysis of your website.

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