Time Wasters

It can be like falling down the rabbit hole; one second you’re checking your profile on Facebook for any comments from clients and suddenly it’s two hours later, time gone without any real accounting of where it went. Click one link and invariably there’s another – and another. It’s the other, time-wasting side of social media. Getting caught up in new information is an easy trap to fall... [Read more of this post]

Tips To Improve Your Google Rank

We all want to be #1 on Google.  Hopefully you’re blogging, that’s half the battle.  The other half is making sure people see your site or blog.  Here are some great tips to get your blog noticed: Back Links-Google’s algorithm loves back links and back links that are relevant to your topic are especially important.  So if a site has excellent ranking on the search... [Read more of this post]

Website Design: Template or Custom (Part II)?

Last week’s post discussed the pros and cons of using a template for your website design.  Let’s now review the pros and cons of a custom website design. Custom Web Design Pros Custom layout Search engine friendly Built for your needs Scalability Custom Web Design Cons Takes longer to design Higher Costs With a custom website coding and page design is done from scratch. Therefore it takes... [Read more of this post]

Website Design: Template or Custom (Part I)?

I recently sent out a proposal for branding the company of a small business owner. For illustrative purposes we will call the client Joan. Joan was on a very tight budget as all start-ups are.  I mentioned to Joan that instead of a custom website we could cut cost and time considerably if we customize a template for her. I told Joan a website is like building a house from the ground up or purchasing... [Read more of this post]

Using Social Networking to Promote Your Business

Obviously, taking your business to “where things are moving” starts with some kind of company site.  The question is—How do you use this site?  Or, even more pressing, How do you leverage the vastness of the web to bring people back to your valuable little corner? Whist there are a myriad of different strategies and this topic has been discussed on numerous blogs in much depth, let’s close... [Read more of this post]

6 Tips To Using Stock Photography

Are you a new business that is looking to create a website, brochure, or produce other forms of marketing materials? If you’re not, you should be and one important thing you will need is photos. Here are some tips. Endless Choices and Professional Quality Amateur photos never look as nice as the professional ones. Consider red eyes on your models or problems with inconsistent focus. These are small... [Read more of this post]

Small Business Internet Strategies (Part II)

We continue the discussion of ways to increase conversions once someone has visited your website. The Second Step To catching a lot of fish is to think like them. Get in the mind of your clients and try to figure out what they look for, what’s important to them, and what other sites they compare you to. Does your site’s unique selling proposition (USP) stand out from your competition? Can they... [Read more of this post]

Small Business Internet Strategies (Part I)

Are you attracting a lot of “fish” to your small business website but not catching them? Think of your website as a fishing rod and online marketing (Search Engine Optimization, Pay Per Click, online advertising, etc) as your bait. Online marketing attracts fish to bite your bait. But what reels them in? Leave that to page optimization or website conversion techniques. Conversion rates vary in... [Read more of this post]

Building a Website? See Top 6 Questions to Ask Yourself

If you are ready to get a decent website, start creating a list of what you want your website to do, which will play a critical role in choosing the right vendor for you. Here are some questions to ask yourself when analyzing what you want your website to do for you: Do you need someone to write the content for you, or can you write it yourself? (If you’re busy, and have the money, hire someone... [Read more of this post]

Most Effective Source of Website Traffic

I wanted to get your input. After you vote, you’ll be able to see results and analysis of how different types of professionals answered the question. What is your most effective source of website traffic? Is it White Papers, Blog, Online Ads, Direct Mailer/E-mail Campaign or Social Media? Update—Results are in: 1. Social Media (50%) 2. Blog (0%) 3. White Papers (0%) 4. Online Ads (16%) 5.... [Read more of this post]