A local client who sells their product around the world has a problem: Terminology in their industry is not consistent around the globe. What's a website to do?

There are a few ways to do get your web site to be friendly to alternate terms. More Important ways to insert key words is to add them to the Title meta tag (the text that appears at the very top of your browser's window) and the Description meta tag. You can also add them to the keyword meta tag, but remember that Google does not index that tag, even if other search engines do. But you may need to sacrifice some text already in there, since search engines will only look at the first 160 characters or so.

A really good strategy is to add a page that specifically addresses the alternative terms. An easy way you could do this through a case study of a non-North American client. In that case, you can write it using the local jargon. This gives you the option of having those alternate terms throughout the page, including the meta tags.

Adding the alternate terms into the image alt title is a good approach, too. But be careful your alt title is still relevant to the image. Maintain the spirit of the alt title, which is intended for people who have audible browsing turned on.

I also think there's no harm in editing your web copy to insert some of the "foreign" terms. Some of those terms used more often in Europe/Britain are probably not unknown in North America. It also allows you to acknowledge your global market. Something as simple as "term x, also known as term Y" judiciously inserted will work.

What do you think? Join the conversation and leave a comment.

While there has been a lot of talk about social media, blogs and twitter, the rising popularity of smart phones with cameras has seen another boom: QR codes.

Invented in Japan in the 90s, QR (as in Quick Response) codes are now making their way into North America. Most recently, they have been adopted by marketers to take advantage of camera phones to engage clients and prospects.

It's simple: capture the QR code with your smart phone and the specialized software reads the data and works with it. They can be used for encoding web addresses, text messaging, contact information, text files, or emails. If your QR code contains a web address, your phone's browser will immediately take you to the web site. The Hamilton Spectator conducted a walking tour in Hamilton. At each destination, you scanned the code, which opened a web page with information about the destination. Want to do a survey? Use a QR code to have someone text their response to you. See the potential?

How does it work? First, your phone has to be equipped with a camera. Next, you need a QR code reader application. Most of them are free. The web site mobile-barcodes.com offers links to several. iPhone or iPad users can search 'QR code' in the iTunes App store. (I use 'Scan'.) The phone also needs to have access to the services it invokes (the internet, messaging, etc.). QR codes themselves are affordable. Some sites on the web will generate them for free for non-commercial use. For commercial use or print reproduction, barcode manufacturers can also make them for a nominal fee.

What do you think? Do you see a use for this in your marketing? Join the conversation.

Everybody is all aflutter over social media these days – blogging, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and a host of other bookmarking and sharing sites. For many, if not most businesses and organizations, it really is an effective way to engage your audience. However, if you are already involved with social media, don't think you can stop reading just yet. No longer is it a case of whether you are involved with social media, but if you do it with style. A consistent visual look to to everything you do is essential, right? We've certainly talked about that before. But does that consistency of your identity extend to you your social media outlets too? Do you still have the standard swirls and bluebird on your Twitter page or does it look like it belongs to your business or organization? Does your Facebook page look like any other Facebook page or YOUR Facebook page? It doesn't matter how you communicate with your audience, make sure they know it's from you. By the way, what do your e-mails look like? I hope people can tell at a glance that the message came from your business or organization. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does need to use appropriate colours. Logos are optional, but there should be some style. Show you care about who you are. What do you think? Share your thoughts and join the conversation.