Category Archives: Small Business Website

Help for small business websites.

Custom Website

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You’re thinking about your first website and you feel overwhelmed?

Why a custom website?

Templates are fine if you know enough to fully fill out all the boxes which means you know how to build a website to some extent. There is much behind the scenes, unless you typically view source code you are unaware of and the importance.

Putting your business into a professional’s hand is so important.

There was a time when launching a website was easy enough and you could make mistakes and still do fine through Google. Times are so different. Thus it is no longer a hobby.

So where to begin preparing to create your website?

For the visual design find 3 websites you like – even one element: the color or the layout. This gives your designer an idea of what you envision.

If you have a logo that can dictate the color scheme.

Your website wants to make a large footprint. One client has 237 pages – which would be a huge task to begin your first website. Five pages is so small it is difficult to maximize your content to feed search engines. Ten pages allows for a well rounded entry level.

Begin to think about your pages: Home,  Contact Us, About Us are standard pages, also Testimonials. Your Home page and About Us pages often share content. If you have a mission statement for your business that is valuable.

Think about organizations you belong to (Chamber of Commerce) licensing, BBB.

Photos and more photos. People are visual and truly a picture is worth a thousand words. Digital photos are the best, but old snapshots can be edited, color improved and are quite usable, so don’t shy away if they represent your product or service.

Whether you use a Testimonials page or not – collect these. They can be sprinkled on your other pages if your budget won’t afford a stand alone Testimonials page. Ask your valued customers for a couple lines, or find old cards of thanks for your service.  Read an earlier blog of mine:
https://www.brendasimon.com/blog/?p=119

Now, you’re ready to call your designer!

Google background

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Google

Did you get caught with Google‘s background this week? Yikes. I am pretty easy going, but this was so distracting. I enjoy the white background and simplistic home page for Google. It has everything right where you want it – easy loading page, easy navigating page.  Suddenly on Thursday I landed on Google to find a faded white Google name – and all the navigation buttons white with a drop shadow and difficult to read; and then this slower loading huge image.

Next up how to change it. A handy “change the background” link in the lower left corner. The catalog of choices was few when I was there.  I finally created my own and positioned it to just cover the white Google name.  But, still their choice of white on white with a drop shadow was a bit odd for all the other buttons/links.

Their forums were lit up with unhappy users…and accusations of mimicking Bing flying furiously.  (We DO take our Google seriously.)

Happy to find by Saturday Google abandoned the idea.  Now, you can choose to have an image…or not.  Thank you!  I like a white background.

Website Copyright

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Website Copyright Issues

Each website owner has to own the rights or have permission to use the content on his/her website. In the beginning of the Internet people felt they could use anything “up there”.  Artists and musicians were the first to be hit. ASCAP has gone a long way in protecting digital rights for musical compositions and continues.

Now web users recognizes theft of music and art, but photos are still being grabbed from websites. As a website owner you are liable for the content of your website.

Recently a nonprofit organization had an image donated through a prior connection many years ago. It turned out that “donation” was a reworked art from a museum. A letter was sent to the organization to pay a sizable sum. They have pulled it down and hope this and an apology will be enough. The sender of the letter has deep pockets, they go after people on a regular basis.

With digital cameras and Photoshop mediocre photos can be polished and “pop”. If you need a studio shot iStock photo is an affordable resource. You purchase the RIGHTS to use the photo. Done deal. Read the fine print as ALL rights are NOT included. Most of the time anything you print and resell will NOT be allowed. You can use the purchased image in your print ads, but not to put on a mug and sell. For less than $2 you are headache free.

This also includes written content. You cannot copy and paste from another website. Besides that issue: Google will recognize duplicate content and you lose value with Google.  Websites exist to help write your content.

After you launch your website you don’t want any legal headaches.

Website Testimonials

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Have you ever read customer reviews or testimonials before making your decision to buy products or services? You’re not alone.

Quite an increase in the past 2 years, these reviews are becoming more and more important to online shoppers, or before picking up the phone to call for services. Recently released data tells us 2 out of 3 online consumers spend a minimum of 10 minutes scouring product reviews and testimonials before making a choice to buy, or for those of us selling services – before they pick up the phone. It goes on to further say 1 in 3 consumers spend 30 minutes or more.

There are now website dedicated to authenticating the testimonials on your website to let your web visitors know these were not made up.

Even negative reviews factor in to authenticity. Ever wonder why amazon.com allows reviewers to post pro and cons? Not only does all this activity drive their website, but the absence of negative reviews in this environment can indicate someone is deleting negative feedback. Allowing the negative raises the website’s trustworthiness.

It comes back to an old marketing idea of letting others speak about your business. Get those testimonials!

Pay for YouTube?

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YouTube and another video site, Hulu, are each moving toward paid content. Looks like they will be in the form of premium membership will allow access to some content. Most likely the famous: “What my dog is doing?” videos will still be free to view.

In this new configuration some content developers would be able to charge for their videos.  Sounds like people will get quite creative and competitive to bring out new and useful content!

Add a Video

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Adding video to your website helps drive your website.

Many people search Google for videos. Whatever your product or service add a simple video to convey your message.

How do I create a video?

This video (below)  is not  video at all, but a slide show.  While it is all labeled video on Google – your decision will rest on how much time you have to give to a video project.  Editing consumes so much time. Proofing and tweaking is critical as “timing” matters in  commercials, you can’t skimp on quality.

This piece (below) took  2 hours. It is custom, not automated. That time separates your quality from others.  It is 57 seconds in length. Make sure your viewer has time to read, but not get bored waiting for the next movement.

People value their time in their search. To this end keep your video simple and short. If you aren’t creating a “how to” video get to your point. Make your message represent your service and wrap it up. This is the same formula for any book or script: you need a beginning, middle and end.  It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Look at this one: “Clutter?” with a good visual move onto “what we do well” to help with your problem, more visuals; then all the areas (kitchens, closets, etc.) we can help with clutter and finally: who we are.

This video is hosted on YouTube, but used on my client’s Google Maps profile. Always with the website included: http://www.rylexonline.com/

Something simple without the editing challenge of video.  It’s a simple commercial. Visit my site for more elaborate ideas:

Website Video Ad

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Add a Video to your Website

Everyone is looking to add video to their website. While camcorders are fairly priced you need considerable time to edit  and polish your video. The prep to write the script can be daunting or you chance losing your message and your viewer.

A slide show can be the answer.  Simpler and less costly. If you are considering using a video in your online advertising it might be the answer.

Animated Titles

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Animated graphics add the polish to slide shows.

Videos are a big item now, Great way to drive your website. But it sounds time consuming, and done properly will be, and costly. Considering these videos as short-lived and you will generate new ones periodically using slide shows is a much faster way to create content. Adding moving titles will keep your costs down and step up the end result.