Marketing TipsIs Your Website A Top Business Priority?

Over 85% of all searches for a product or service now begin with the Internet. And most people form an impression of a company, based entirely upon the appearance of their website. The world has changed… challenging market conditions have forced businesses to react quickly. Economic factors that didn't even exist a few years ago have challenged the way we do business, and have altered the effect the Internet can have on a business. Is your website up to the task?

Have You Put Off Improving Your Website?

From our contact with small business owners, we've heard lots of reasons why companies either don't have a website, or have a website that is out-of-date:

  • It's not a priority.
  • We don't have a budget for a new website.
  • Our customers don't use the Internet.
  • The website is only there for reference. It isn't meant to sell anything.

Such comments show a lack of understanding of the importance of an effective website. Tough times require new ideas. Smart companies use the Internet to their advantage.

Make Your Website More Professional

Do you have a website, just for the sake of having a website? You're not alone. In the race to get on the Internet, many companies built their own websites. In tough economic times, a website redesign can help any business. A website is a reflection of your company. If your business is professional, you will want your website to be professional.

Organization Can Make All The Difference

A compelling reason for a website redesign is to improve the access to important information. Ask yourself, "Is information about my business scattered throughout my website, without any rhyme or reason?" If this is the case, then visitors to your site may not be able to find the information they need to make a decision about doing business with your company. A website redesign can make a huge difference in the success of your website.

Update Your Website!The Power Of Words and Pictures.

Does the information on your website ring true? The way your website is worded can make a big difference to someone who is browsing through it. Always make sure that it sounds appealing.

What Good Graphics Can Do

People expect to see good graphics when they visit a website. Effective graphic design makes your website visually appealing to visitors. Smart graphic design can also make your site visually engaging, which encourages visitors to spend more time on your site, getting to know you.

Make Sure That Your Website is Easy to Use

People hate websites that are not easy to use. When a website has confusing navigation, people get frustrated. A website redesign can improve the overall success of your business, by making it easier for people to find what they're looking for.

Promote Your Website

Don't underestimate the power of website promotion. It's a key component for the success of any website. There are several ways to increase your website visibility, including search engine optimization, email campaigns, and links to (and from) other websites.

Optimize Your Website

You may have already listed your website in search engine databases. Search engines rank and list websites according to how well keywords within each website match up to what a person is searching for. To improve the search engine optimization for your website, a website redesign may be necessary. The best keywords will be chosen, to make your website more effective.

Beat Your Competitors

Competitive advantages are constantly changing. If your website is old, chances are that it is out of date. Prospects for your products or services will compare this "dated information" to the information on your competitor's websites. In order to beat your competitors, you should have a website that is at least as good as your toughest competitor's website.

We've heard these reasons before!

Why do businesses put off improving their websites?

  • It's not a priority.
  • We don't have a budget for a new website.
  • Our customers don't use the Internet.
  • The website is only there for reference. It isn't meant to sell anything.

Such comments show a lack of understanding of the importance of an effective website. Tough times require new ideas. Smart companies use the Internet to their advantage. Take action, and use your website to address the real challenges your business faces!

Social NetworksDesigned for Business Owners.

Did you know that social networking is also used for businesses? In fact, that was originally how social networking got started. If you are a small business owner, especially one that operates an online business, be sure to use social networking sites to your advantage.

Although social networking websites are traditionally focused on individuals who would like to make online friends or develop online relationships, there are networking sites that are designed for business owners.  These websites allow you to share your business information with other business owners, and develop close relationships with those who share an interest that is similar to yours.

Social networking websites with a focus on businesses are a great way to promote your business. If you are looking to join an online professional community, you'll need to create your own profile or profile page, using a social netowrk like Facebook for Business.  If you are planning on joining a traditional social networking website, to gain access to millions of potential new customers, be careful when creating your online webpage or profile.  Internet users hate being solicited for business.

This does not mean that you cannot use social networking to your advantage; it just means that you need to be careful with how you do it. Instead of creating a Facebook page for your business, instead utilize the power of Facebook for Business, where you can include information on your business.

Join a social networking website (especially one like Facebook, that is popular and has a large number of members), and you will be amazed at how easy it is to generate interest in the products or services that you sell. The interest generated often turna into sales, thus making your social networking experience more than worth it.

Using Social Networks for BusinessA Great Way To Promote Your Website.

Are you wondering whether you should use a social networking website to promote your business? You're not alone. A fairly large percentage of small business owners aren't even sure what social networking sites are, or how they work. Social networks are like online communities. They give Internet users an easy and fairly safe way to come together.

A fairly large number of social networking websites, including MySpace and Facebook, have tens of millions of users. There is a good chance that by participating in one (or more) of these social networks, you can make new friends and colleagues, and find Internet users who would be interested in visiting your website.

Social networking websites can benefit all website owners, and especially those who are looking to make a profit with their websites.  This can be done in one of two ways: by selling something, or by relying on revenue from advertising.  If you have a website that sells products or services, you may find it easier to use social networking to your advantage.  Just create a product or service spotlight -- each day, each week, or each month -- and showcase one of the products or services that your company sells. 

If you use your website to generate additional revenue, through advertising programs such as Google Adsense, you may need to approach social networking in a slightly different matter. Since you don't necessarily have a particular product or service to focus on, you'll need to approach these websites differently, as if they were personal websites. Social networking websites should help to increase the number of page views your website receives, and in most cases, more page views mean more clicks, which means money for you.

To learn more, see Facebook for Business.