General Aviation Business Journal

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Aviation web developers can get free weather for thier web sites at:

www.weather4webs.com

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Free Aviation Web Site

I had a prospective customer call me today at my software company (MyFBO.com).  Speaking with a prospect is a normal task for me and usually would not be something to write about.  However, this prospect made a statement I have not heard in at least 5 years.  He said “I have been in business for years and I am maybe interested in this whole Internet thing”.

I never thought in year 2006 I would have to debate the value of having a web site with a prospect.  When I told him that if he just wanted a web site I could set him up for as little as $99 and $10 per month, his reaction was “that sounds expensive” and “what about all these free web sites I hear advertised?”

I started to think this was a prank call.  It wasn’t, he gave me his real name and phone number.  Although he’ll probably never read this post, I’ll call him Mr. X just in case he ever gets “interested in this whole Internet thing”.

Anyway, I started to think what if there are more Mr. X’s out there?  Are there really people who think they don’t need a web site?  If you are one of those people here are some stats:

205,326,680 - Number of Internet Users in US*
68.6 % - Percentage of US Population that Are Internet Users*
115.3 % - Internet Annual Growth Percentage in the US*
64% - Percentage of US Households with Internet Connection**
45.15% - Percentage of US Household with Broadband Connection***
62.4% - Percent of Internet Users with At Least Some College****
47% - Percent of Internet Users that Earn More Than $50,000****
69.7% - Percentage of Internet Users that use the Internet to Search for Specific Information****

The stats go on and on.  As you can read there is no debate; you should have a web site.  If you need help getting started I will be happy to help.

Finally, for you Mr. X’s out there, here is a free aviation web site (http://gabizjournal.com/biz/free.zip), but remember you get what you pay for.

Sources:

*www.internetworldstats.com
**www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3587496
***www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0403/
****http://www-static.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys/survey-1998-10/

Aviation Software as a Service

"Software as a Service" is the latest buzz phrase for web based software.  Web based software providers, also known in the computer industry as Application Service Providers (ASPs) are software companies that rent their software, usually via the Internet.

Why would anyone want to rent software?  Well for performing certain tasks, specially in a fluid industry like general aviation, the software as a service model offers several advantages which are listed later in this post.  Although the ASP business model has been around forever, the invent of the Internet has become an excellent way of selling and distributing software.

An example of an non-software ASP business model is an airplane rental company. Individual pilots rent airplanes all the time. They rent airplanes because it is much cheaper and more convenient that owning their own airplane. For pilots that fly occasionally the cost and stress of ownership far outweigh any benefits.

The airplane rental company acts as the service provider. They take care of all the maintenance,
insurance, parking, and scheduling. The airplane is fueled and ready to go when the customer arrives.  The renter pilot saves thousands of dollars and still gets to experience all of the joys of flying.

Software ASPs work in the same way. Software ASPs do all of the updates, maintenance, and technical support. The user only needs a computer with an Internet connection. This model saves the users thousands of dollars every year yet they still receive all the benefits of highly specialized and customizable software.

ASPs offer several advantages including:

• Low cost of entry.
• Short start up time.
• Pay-as-you-go.
• No need for expensive computers, servers, and other complex systems.
• No CD’s to install.
• IT personnel not required.
• Access systems from anywhere.
• Highly specialized software at low cost.

This all sounds great, right?  Software as a service is great option for many companies.  However there are some things to watch out for.  Common pitfalls include data ownership, poor customer service and support, and lack of integration and customization. The best way to avoid the pitfalls is to ask questions.

First you need to be sure that the ASP can meet your operational needs. How to customers access the system?  How are duplicate reservations avoided?  How will employees use the system in day-to-day operations? These are just some sample questions you may want to ask. Although I can’t give you a complete list of operations questions because only you know your operation. However, I have provided the technical questions you should ask a prospective ASP.

Questions you Should Ask

1. How are service and support issues resolved? If you have any problems, how quickly are they resolved.

2. Who owns the data? It would seem obvious that you own your data but this is not always the case and an important question to ask.

3. Is my data intermingled with any other operators? It is very important that your data does not get mixed up with any other operators. Ideally your data will be stored in a completely independent database.

4. How secure is my data?  What are the ASP’s security policies? How is your data protected at the ASP and at your operation?  What technical safeguards are in place (firewalls, SSL, etc.). How are redundancy and backups handled? What is the ASPs worst case scenario backup plan? For example, if a tornado levels the building where the systems are housed, how long will the system be offline?

5. What level of integration does the ASP offer? A key aspect of an ASP is what level of integration are offered. An advantage to ASPs is the modular or pay-as-you-go model. For example you may want to start off with a simple online scheduling program, but as you company grows, will the ASP handle dispatch, accounting, etc? How easy is it to upgrade? Does the ASP offer other services to save time and money. For example an online scheduling provider may offer web site design and hosting at a very low cost since they are hosting your database anyway.

6. Can data be exported from the ASPs Software? For example you may have a in-house accounting program or you may want to export data into a spreadsheet to make financial charts. Does the ASP offer data exports? In what formats?

7. Can I get access to my database? What if a couple of years down the road you choose a new ASP. Will you be able to get a complete data set from the ASP?

8. How is the system branded? Good ASPs allow branding of their online systems. This is accomplished by allowing your logo or colors or a frames page. You want your customers to access your system from your web site. Furthermore, when they log in and then out you want it to appear seamless.

In conclusion, if the ASP can answer your well, then they are probably a good choice.

5 Key Attributes of a Successful Aviation Web Site

Whether you have a do-it-yourself web site or a high-end site costing thousands of dollars, you expect a return on your investment of time and money. A good web site will help to build your business or organization. An aviation web site does not have to be perfect or even expensive to be good. Successful sites are focused, findable, viewable, clear, and consistent. 

1. Focused. Before reading on, please take a moment to jot down the reason for your organization's existence, its unique characteristics, and the products and services that you offer. The most important of these are key messages to the viewers of your web site.

Now take a look at your home page. That page should include your key messages -- the important things you want site viewers to know and remember. Most organizations will have two to five key messages. Too many messages will confuse your viewers. If the content of your home page and your key messages do not agree, you and your webmaster have work to do to give your site the correct focus.

Next look at the links or buttons that take viewers from the home page to other pages on your site -- your menu system or navigation links. All of these should be related to your key messages as well. (Exceptions: news flashes, directions to your location, request for information forms, and contact information.) Browse to the pages linked from your home page. Each of those pages should have more detail about one of your key messages. Consider deleting or revising pages that are not focused on one of those messages.

2. Findable. A web site that no one reaches cannot be successful. Unless you will be advertising your web address through some other media, your site needs to be listed in aviation directories and indexed by the major search engines -- Google™, Yahoo®, and MSN® search.

You can test whether your site has been indexed by searching for the name of your organization in each of the major engines. In addition to a link to your home page, you should see links to your listings in the aviation directories in the first 20 or 30 results. (New sites are not listed immediately and should submit the address of their site to the search engines.)

A second test is to search for your product or service in your geographic area. For example, a New York school might search for "Albany flight training." Again, you should see your link in the first few results.

If your site is not appearing or is poorly ranked, there are many steps you and your webmaster can take -- enough for several more articles. Importantly, listing your site in online aviation directories helps in two ways. You will gain viewers directly as a result of those listings, and some search engines will improve your rank based on the number of links to your site. (Need a link to a list of directories here.)

A word of caution. Attempting to fool the search engines can hurt your ranking or even result in your site being banned. If you decide to use a service that promises to improve your search engine ranking, choose with care. Even the most reputable services do very little that you can't do yourself in a couple of hours.

3. Viewable. To be viewable, a site must be compatible with varying screen sizes, connection speeds, and browser software.

The fortunate among us have large-screen monitors and high speed connections to the Internet. However, about one third of your site's viewers have a screen size of 800 x 600 pixels and very few have sizes above 1024 x 768. Three quarters of home Internet connection are still via dial-up lines.

Test your site for smaller screen sizes by browsing to your home page and then entering "javascript:resizeTo(800,600)" in your browser's address window. If your key messages are not visible in this smaller window without scrolling down or to the right, consider a change in your home page design.

Even if you have a dial-up connection, you may not know how long it takes for your home page to load for a first time viewer. Browsers cache a page's images so that they load more quickly on a second visit. However, there are many free services on the web that will test your pages and report the download time at various connection speeds. As a rule of thumb, viewers click away if a page is not visible in 20 to 30 seconds (less for broadband-connected users).

While Microsoft's Internet Explorer remains the dominant browser, the market share for Mozilla's Firefox has grown to about 20 percent of all viewers in just three months since its release. Download a copy and test that your site looks the same in Firefox as it does in Explorer. (You may even decide to use Firefox as your browser.)

4. Clear. At a clear web site, it is easy for viewers to navigate between pages and to find information. Except on the home page, only one key message is emphasized per page. Pages display intended and needed content, and are up to date. Graphics are used to help convey page content and make the site more interesting. (Graphics should not be distracting or overwhelming.) Contact information is readily available. A call to action is present where appropriate.

For users of online aviation management systems, appropriate use is made of the features of that system. Links to event calendars, news items, and mailing list subscriptions should be readily available.

In general, a clear site is easy to use and understand, and gets the results that you want. For example, a prospective flight school customer should find detailed information about flight training easy to locate and not more than one click away from the home page. In addition, that page should encourage the prospective customer to take action right away -- "reserve your discovery flight now." On a flying club site, the easy-to-locate page with benefits, requirements, and costs of membership should also include "apply for membership now."

5. Consistent sites have a constant theme throughout, pages at the same navigation level have similar weight, and the overall look and feel of the site is pleasing to the eye. Consistent sites should welcome users. Web sites with to many different themes, dizzying animations, graphics that are confusing turn users away.

You can check the consistency of your sites theme by reviewing the pages in your site. Do all the same pages have the same header, menu, footer, and colors? If not, your site is not consistent.

Undoubtedly, you have found that your web site is not perfect. None are. However, applying the five attributes will make your aviation web site more successful. If you site does not have the five key attributes, work with your webmaster to plan enhancements or (shameless sales pitch) contact my company, MyFBO.com for help.

5 Free Ways to Get More Visitors to Your Web Site

I oversee web site development at my company MyFBO.com.  Customers ask me all the time how they can get more visitors to their web sites and how they can increase their site's ranking in the search engines.  There is no easy answer on how to increase web site traffic.  However, there are some simple ways to get more visitors to your web site without spending money.

1. Aviation Directories and Indexes.  Browse the Internet and make sure your business is listed and linked from as many Aviation Directories as you can find.  For example flight schools should be listed on justflightschools.com, beapilot.com, and flighttrainingmag.com, just to name a few.
   
   You will get more visitors to your web site from aviation directories than you will ever get from any of the major search engines.  Most aviation directories offer free links.  Some simply require that you reciprocate by linking to them from your web site.
    
2. Local Directories and Sites.  Be sure to get your web site linked in local yellow page sites and local directories.  Be sure to be listed on your local Chamber of Commerce site and other organizations to which you may belong.
    
3. The Obvious.  Make sure that you and your employees tell people about your site.  Also, ensure that your web site address is listed on every spec of paper at your office.  For example, business cards, I.D. cards, dispatch sheets, and receipts should all contain your web site address.
    
4. Content.  Content.  Content.  Your web site's content is critically important for your site's search engine ranking and keeping visitors.  Keep your web site's content up-to-date. Give people reasons to keep returning to your site.  For example, my company offers all its Subscribers online scheduling, news pages, and time and distance and weight and balance calculators to run on their web sites for visitors.
    
5. Major Search Engines.  Search engine ranking is important.  Your ranking in the search engines depends upon a couple of things.  The first is your sites popularity.  The more web sites that link to your web site, the higher your web site's popularity and therefore the higher your search engine ranking.  To increase your site's popularity, see 1 through 4 above.
   
   The other way that the search engines rank your site is your web site's Meta tags -vs.- content.  Meta tags are invisible descriptions and keywords that should be on your web pages.  Meta tags are how search engine read your web site.  Many search engines read your page content as well and compare it to your invisible keywords.  The more your keywords match your content, the higher a search engine will rank your web site.  Ask your Webmaster if you have Meta tags on your web site.

In conclusion, increasing web site traffic is not an exact science and does not happen overnight. It requires a lot of follow up and patience. (Now for the pitch…) If you need help, you can always contact MyFBO.com.