4 Must Haves for a Successful Website
The world of web is becoming increasingly more competitive. You have less than 30 seconds to make a good impression and to then turn a visitor into a customer. I’ve prepared a quick list if 4 must haves if you are looking to have a successful web site.
1) Make it EASY to contact you.
Seems simple enough, but I see a lot of sites that make it difficult to connect. I recommend having a link to your contact page on EVERY page. For some businesses it also makes sense to have your phone number on EVERY page.
2) Deliver value.
It is good to tell people you are good at what you do, but it is even better to demonstrate that you are an expert. You can share your knowledge (with out giving up the farm) on your site.
Some examples of value can be Frequently Asked Questions, informative articles (like this one) or possibly free downloads. You don’t necessarily have to be the author. Find or create some value and add it to your site.
3) BLOG
First off, what is a BLOG? A website blog is the news section. New content is added, old is archived.
It is a beautiful thing.
If created and optimized properly the content give you amazing results in the search engines. A smart blog can also be a great launching pad for your social media. (Be sure to contact me to learn about integrating your website with Facebook and other social sites.)
4) Share your successes.
It is easy and powerful to share testimonials on your website (all of your marketing for that manner). Nothing gives you better credibility than the words of others. If you have great reviews from customer you must have them on your site. If you don’t have any then go get some.
I wish you a prosperous 2013. If treat your website to the above “must haves” you’ll be off to a great start!
~:-)
Website Rebuild – Glazy Dayz Pottery Studio
We had the great opportunity to redesign the existing website for Glazydayz.com.
Jill needed a more professional and easy to manage web site. In updating her website, we built it in a format where the content can be easily managed and changed as needed. We integrated her new website with her Facebook page and Pinterest account and provided a BLOG section. By following their BLOG you can read about the various events happening at Glazy Dayz.
Glazy Dayz is a Pottery Studio in Kelso, WA. We invite you to look at the before and after pictures closely, do you see something on the after picture that you would like to have on your website?
Give us a call for a free consultation 360.575.9839.
omOriginals Marketing! offers refreshingly different marketing solutions from Longview/Kelso and beyond.
Is your password secure?
We laugh — but her I.D is safe.
During a recent password audit by a company, it was found that an employee was using the following password:
“MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofyOlympia”
When asked why she had such a long password, she rolled her eyes and said, “Hello! It has to be at least 8 characters and include at least one capital.”
Be sure to read our previous Blog which contains important instructions on how to change your password and keep your account safe.
~:-)
Answers to your Website Questions
Hello Geeks! This months focus is on a topic very near and dear to my heart…. Websites. I’ve compiled 7 questions about websites and the marketing questions that I’m often asked (or at least I should be).
1) How much does a web site cost?
The quick answer is we offer a free initial consultation to find out the right web site for your goals. An expanded answer is …There are 4 costs involved in a web site.
a) Domain Name: Such as YourCompany.com – this costs about $15 per year.
b) Development of the site: As you might guess this depends on a few factors including if we use a per-designed template or custom design site as well as how many pages the site has. Professional sites start @ about $1,000.00
c) Hosting: Quality hosting (with good support) ranges $30-$85/month) Hosting is essential renting space on web servers (computers) that ensure your site is up 99% of the time. This often includes eMails accounts such as you@YourCompany.com. OM hosting also includes friendly support and an annual marketing consultation with a geek.
d) Maintenance: A successful web site needs ongoing maintenance and adding of new content. At omOriginals we train all of our clients on how to do their own maintenance, so most of our clients pay $0 for maintenance.
Note: We are more than happy to perform maintenance as needed for any websites for $55/hour.
2) Should I BLOG?
What is blogging? Yes, most businesses will benefit from BLOG. A blog is a place on your site where you post news and updates. This info is helpful for people (& press) wanting to learn about your company and for the search engines. With a properly configured BLOG search engines assume that you are an expert about what you write about. When we build sites we include SEO training to get great search results.
3) Can you add a web site counter to my site?
Yes, but we recommend not using a traditional counter. They are often inaccurate and they share your stats with the world. Instead we offer web site stats (included with our hosting) that allow you to track the visitors to your site. The stats can tell you how many people visit your site, how many pages they view and so much more. These are available 24-7 for your review, but only you can see them.
4) What is the best domain name?
The best domain names often include:
a) company name
b) name of product or service
c) easy to remember & to spell.
For most businesses a .com is preferred over the other extensions for such as .net, .biz, .us. info, .etc. For non-for-profit organizations .org is more appropriate. During our initial consultation we can generally find a great name.
5) How should I select a web site developer?
When considering a few companies to work with, I recommend you look at the developers site and at least 4 live sites that they created. If you are impressed with their work, then schedule a meeting. Be sure that they can speak Geek, Marketing & English.
6) Can you create flash animations for my site?
FLASH is a powerful animation and programing tool for web sites, but it doesn’t work well on mobile devices. iPhone & iPads don’t support Flash. We can achieve similar functionality that works on mobiles, but we advise against flash.
7) Can you make my web site and Facebook work together?
Yes, and if done properly they can work and play very nicely together. This relation can work both ways, we like to add Facebook functionality to web sites and to drive traffic from Facebook to your site. I could write a whole article on this, or even teach a workshop. Oh wait…we do.
Bonus question:
8. How can I get found on Google?
Google (and the other search engines) is interested in good content. If you write about what you do and add new content you are well on your way to good rankings. Get a Google places account and it will get you on the map.
WOW…out of space already for my column. I told you I like web sites. ~:-)
Both online and off. Call us for a complimentary consult: 360.575.9839
REMINDER: COUPON UPDATES DUE 7.20.2010
Greetings!
Happy July to all of our valued clients!
This message is going out to all clients that have purchased Web Site Maintenance and eMail Marketing Campaigns.
Please let us know if you are needing eClub sign up forms or return envelopes.
eMail Marketing!
Why should your customer come to see you this month?
Summer is here, kids are out of school and everyone wants to dance in the sunshine!
What do your clients need that you can provide? Let’s tell them about it. Let’s scream it from their eMail boxes:
- We offer great value!
- We have what you need!
- We want to help you create something better!
- We appreciate you!
Have you been offering the same thing for a long time? Let’s shake it up a bit….What’s new?
Web Sites!
Your web site is a vital part of your marketing plan. It is your office online. The virtual office that is open 24-7. Considering the cost of employees, it is a pretty inexpensive way to communicate to your clients, and your future clients, who happen to be surfing the web, looking for something they need, needing a service or product that you would like to help them with.
Have you looked at your site recently?
Is your site up-to-date?
Have you made it a resource so that your client is educated about the products they already have? New clients will appreciate knowing that when you are closed, you have thought about the answers they might have. A blog is a great way to do this.
By putting a short article on your blog every month you have benefitted yourself in at least 3 ways:
- You are updating your site regularly. This tells the search engines that you are committed to keeping your site fresh and they in turn like your site even more.
- You are taking care of the needs of your present and future clients by helping them with their questions.
- You are offering the cyber-world more keyword phrases and ideas and possibly gaining a greater audience because you have the answer they were looking for.
If you have an eMail Marketing Campaign we can even take the article from your blog and make that one of your monthly emails with links back to your site. When it comes to your web site, it is all about getting traffic to your site.
Don’t have a blog? Give us a call!
360.575.9839 or toll free 877.378.4345
If you have any questions we are hear to answer them. Remember, we are here to help! ~:-)
Have a Refreshingly Different Day!
Ten Reasons Why Your Business/Organization Needs a Web Site
Thanks for tuning in for the latest version of geek speak. This month is dedicated to those businesses who have been putting off the improvement or creation of a Web Site. If your business is still sitting on the fence, do I have an article for you!
Ten Reasons Why Your Businesses / Organization needs a web site.
Today, small and medium sized businesses need to proactively promote their business. Any single reason below should be a catalyst for having an effective web site. The following are the The Top 10 Reasons Your Business Needs A Website TODAY! I think you will find that some if not all of these can apply to your company.
1. Relatively Inexpensive.
Opening a second location can increase your exposure to potential customers. For a small fraction of the cost to open a new locale you can setup a custom web site from a professional company.
2. Genuine Resource.
If you invest in your web site by adding useful information you can make your site a valuable resource. For example, “how to articles” or answers to “frequently asked questions” can be a great service to visitors and as a bonus show your to be an expert in your field.
3. Up-to Date.
Those shiny new post cards and brochures look great and can be a powerful tool. But, wait! You’ve made a change in your offering and now it is out of date. With a good CMS (Content Management System) running your web site, you can quickly and easily update your site whenever info about your product/ services changes.
4. Tell A Friend.
What is a the biggest compliment that a customer can give you? Words are nice but telling a friend is by far the biggest way to say well done and thank you. But, chances are they still don’t have your brochure or business card. They can give someone your number to call, but sending them to your web site allows the potential client to learn so much more and in your own words.
5. Consumer Habits have Changed.
I recently read that 70% of consumers pre-qualify businesses online before making contact. The modern sales process has dramatically changed. Consumers are making decisions based on what they see online. Today’s consumers are much more informed before they ever make contact. Is your business giving the right info? Is it giving any at all?
6. Have an Online Presence (Existence).
If you don’t have a web site or have a web site that cannot be found, you essentially don’t exist to your potential customers. Your business may be just down the street from someone looking for your service, but when they do a web search and only see two of your competitors – you don’t exist.
7. Collect Valuable Information.
Visitors can interact with you in a non-confrontational way. When they fill our your feedback form or comment on your blog they can give you crucial business feedback. All of this feedback is documented digitally. Additionally, with the use of web site statistics you can review the viewing habits of your visitors as they come into your site, as they check our your business and where they go when first leave and how often they return to your site. Note: their personal info is not tracked simply by them clicking.
8. The Death of Yellow Pages.
Yellow pages used to be THE primary source to find business info. Now before people can find the book they they can “google” “Longview, WA Company Name” or “Longview, WA Product/Service.” A popular tool for the local area is CowlitzToday.com – with detailed info about each business. With the increasing popularity of smart phones many visitors now have the phone book of the future in their pocket.
9. Now Open 24-7, 365 Days a Year.
Consider the additional cost to staff your business 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Your web site will likely be open 99.9% percent of the time and rarely call in sick. Your web site can have all of the right answers to FAQs (frequently asked questions) and to questions that you’d like for them to ask. Consumers are increasingly becoming busier and busier every day and by providing information and services online you are able to attract the people who are simply just too busy to handle all their needs during their 9-5 workday while working around your 8-6 office hours.
10. Put your best foot forward.
A well-planned web site is a great well to instill confidence in prospective clients. Your web site gives you the opportunity to present the best and most complete image of your company. You are in control to set the tone of your company. Careful preparation of your “first impression” is essential.
Do it TODAY!
Whether you decide to hire a professional web development company like omOriginals to design and build your business or organizations website, or have the time and desire to build your own, your business shouldn’t go any longer without one!
It is time to catch up ensure your success. omOriginals offers free consultations, and can help you outline your web goals and needs efficiently. Call (360)575-9839 today to get started.
~ Oscar not only wrote this article, he also read it. Imagine that! This has inspired him and his company to begin a major 2 phase upgrade to their own web site found at omOriginals.com Stay tuned.