Cobweb-site Woes? How To Create A Relevant Online Presence

Now-a-days, it’s a widely accepted fact that every business or organization, large or small, should have a website regardless of their engagements. At the very least, customers, prospective employees, vendors, and perhaps even investors need to be able to quickly and easily learn about your business, philosophy, and offerings. It's just part of the cost of doing business.

However, it's NOT enough to just be present. You've gotta be unique AND on-targeted.

“In a crowded market, having a website that simply serves as a brochure is no longer competitive.” — 2016 Small Business Marketing Trends Report

Some sobering stats:

• 94% of a website user’s first impressions are design-related.*
• 75% of users admit to assessing a company’s trustworthiness based on their website. Almost half of these visitors say website design is the #1 criterion for discerning the credibility of a company.*
• 59% of consumers globally would rather engage with content that’s meaningful AND beautifully designed.*
• 85% of B2B consumers search the web before making purchasing decisions.*

Successful websites consist of the following:

Aesthetics

• Professionally designed visual appeal
• Branded content and prospective
• Targeted approaches that resonate with prospects and convey expertise
• Promotes positive user engagement, interactivity, and experience
• Design balance of color, text, and images
• Professional videos

Organization

• A user-friendly, navigational funnel
• A studied hierarchy of information both within the site and on individual pages
• A thoughtful and easy-to-use search function for prospects
• Easy-to-use and find contact forms and information

Content

• Regularly updated information. Creates and uses an editorial content schedule.
• Invests in an easy-to-use CMS (content management system)
• Provides resourceful and helpful content that answers client questions efficiently and effectively
• Uses a blog to demonstrate expertise and to increase visibility
• Includes company’s business ethics, standards, and goals
• Includes a powerful "Call to action"

Availability

• Makes the site responsive (mobile ready and optimized)
• Integrates social media
• Makes the site ADA compliant. (For the visual- and hearing-impaired)
• Makes the site W3C compliant ( World Wide Web Consortium ), the standard bearer for websites with correct and clean markup.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

• SEO Compliant and optimized: Allowing future clients to find them.
• Tests regularly to ensure pages are operating at their maximum level of functionality

In the end, if you don't fight for something special...you'll never look like the champion you really are.

Call us today for a complete website evaluation and plan. Contact: info@hornsbybrandesign.com

* Sources:

https://www.leadpages.net/small-business-marketing

http://www.ironpaper.com/webintel/articles/web-design-statistics-2017/

https://www.clarityqst.com/three-hallmarks-of-effective-web-design/

Digital Marketing: The Plan that Won't Wait

First, there’s no silver bullet to success. Rather, it’s always a combination of tactics that will propel your brand towards new heights. Social media, email marketing, SEO, SEM, content marketing, etc. all work together toward a common goal. First and for most, plan your strategy around boosting your website’s search engine optimization. This will be your gateway into the digital world. If you’re not found on Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc., and if your website doesn’t provide quality information for its users, you won't accomplish your objectives.

Try our 9-step outline:

1. Know your customers and identify what you hope to achieve through your efforts.
2. Set a digital marketing budget.
3. Design elements that accurately reflect your company's identity.
4. Add your business to online listing sites to boost your local search rankings.
5. Set up social media profiles on targeted platforms.
6. Decide if you will be doing your own digital marketing, hiring a marketing employee, or contracting with a digital agency.
7. Build or update your website so that it is mobile-friendly. Remember to use relevant and consistent content that accurately describes your business AND appeals to your target audience.
8. Measure your website’s traffic through Google Analytics or other more sophisticated programs.
9. Monitor how well these methods are working for you, and then decide where and when to spend on paid advertising campaigns.

For help implementing your digital marketing plan, contact us at info@hornsbybrandesign.com.

8 Steps to Winning More Online Customers

Digital marketing is one of the best investments your business can make. Do it right and watch your business grow. Using search engine optimization (SEO-unpaid), search engine marketing (SEM-paid), and social media will help you reach more customers, make more sales, and elevate your brand. The following are eight tactics to help:

1. Content marketing (blogs, newsletters, web content, email nurture campaigns). Posting high-quality, relevant content (articles, photos, videos, etc.) will boost your social following, and keep traffic coming to your company website. Create a posting/media schedule and maintain it. A consistent online presence is key.
2. Business Directories. Make sure all online business directories have your correct and current information. These directories act like a personalized phone book, so listing your business on sites like Google My Business, Manta, YP.com, Yelp and others will help customers find your website and your physical location.
3. Online Reviews. Word of mouth marketing, positive online reviews, and satisfied customer responses will improve your company’s reputation. Inviting customers to leave their reviews on Google, Facebook, or other review sites is the best (and most profitable) marketing you can generate. Identify any questions your customers may have and answer them quickly.
4. Local Searches. Make sure you’re listed in local searches. This will recommend nearby businesses within your potential customers’ current geographic location. Online listings help your company website show up in local search results. This is geolocation-data-driven, so it will act like targeted advertising.
5. Organic Search Engine Optimization. Use proven SEO techniques to improve your website's rankings in search engine results. Successful SEO tactics are designed to organically earn (rather than purchase) a strong search ranking. The first page listings are the most likely to be clicked on. That’s where you want your website to rank—and SEO can help.
6. Search Engine Ads. Use SEM. This is the purchase of on line ads in order to improve your company’s visibility on search engine results pages. By identifying keywords, that your customers are most likely to use when searching for your services, and then paying for a certain number of customer views per ad (known as impressions), you will meet your sales goals faster and sustain your business growth.
7. Social media marketing. This is the purchase of on line, social media ads (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn) in order to build authentic interactions with followers and is often an affordable marketing tactic for small businesses with small marketing budgets.
8. Responsive website. A highly designed, intuitive, responsive website is the minimal effort you should implement to inform the public and communicate your online brand message. In an ever-changing world of mobile devices, this is a must.

For help with implementing your online marketing strategy, send us a note at info@hornsbybrandesign.com.