5 Things to do Regularly to Support Your Small Business Website

Each time I receive a call from a prospect to help them with their website, I see mostly the same issues again and again. They range from a poorly done DIY site all the way up to a professionally built site that isn't producing results. No matter what the initial build was, the upkeep is usually the culprit. By this I mean:

1. Keep the content updated - Search engines love content. The way to make your way to the top & stay there is to add relevant information to your site as your business grows, your industry changes, your client list expands. Usually this is done via a blog linked to/from your site. But it can also be done by adding new services/products, creating downloadable pages, link new press releases, add new employees, etc. I often hear people say that their website is their online brochure – yes, but even better in that it can be updated frequently at little to no cost. Your site is not a static document, rather it is a living, breathing critical part of your business.

2. Look at it with fresh eyes - Every once in a while log on to your own site. You'd be surprised how this simple act can help you view your information as others do. If it's been a while since you've done this, do it right now to see what I mean. You may notice things that need adjusting, updating, rewriting or even deleting of old information.

3. Update your footer - The other day I got a call from a small business owner whose site was stale, including the footer which still had a copyright date of 2007. Oh my. This is so bad for your image as it makes you seem disconnected from your own business. As you plan your New Years' celebrations each year, put 'update website footer' on your to do list.

4. Do a logic check - A prospect who worked from home had Google maps on her site because she said someone told her it was good for SEO. Well, yes - but the map was to her business mailing address at the PO. She then admitted that over the years a couple people told her they tried to go to her office only to find out it was postal mailing address. That's bad. Imagine how many people didn't tell her? When I questioned her, she said she didn't want her home address used because she had babies at home. Perfectly understandable - just remove the tool if it isn't serving your business well.

5. Prioritize your site - Treat your website as an employee who needs to be nurtured & taken care of in order to perform well. Everyone once in a while it needs to be given direction to keep up with your business, or it may need upgrading once in a while to be the best it can be.

In a nutshell, if you treat your website well it will pay you back. It is after all your digital salesperson so give it an upgrade now & then - it's cheaper than a raise.

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What is the Purpose of your Website?

I receive a lot of calls regarding websites. It's confusing to most people and unless you're entrenched in this media it's likely you find it all frustrating and so you put it off, filing it in the 'too hard' pile.

Common questions I get are:

Can you get me on page 1 of Google? Sure, but depending on your business it could cost you many thousands of dollars each month to stay there. This is a big misconception about websites, what's far more profitable for your business is to speak to your target audience and show them why they should choose to do business with you.

I have a website, but it's looking tired. Can you help? Absolutely! But I need to know the goal of your site and the part it plays in your business before we can get started, and even before I can get you a quote. If your site looks like it was built in 1999, then it likely needs to be refreshed. If the content is still good and it's ranking, then perhaps change up images, font (so many more are now readable by the search engines), tie in all your social media, etc. First impressions are everything. And please (I beg you) remove the counter at the bottom of your site. That's a dead giveaway your site should be put out to pasture.

I used a canned solution for my site and it's not performing. Any suggestions? Depending on the solution you're currently using, you may have to start from scratch. I won't mention names here, but there are some that simply won't work because they cannot be read by the search engines. Thankfully, WordPress has made it a lot less expensive than it used to be get a new site, so for under $75 (and sometimes even under $50) purchasing a template that can be customized is a great solution.

Not all websites are created equal. For example, if you're an artist or designer, you may want to use your site as a digital portfolio to showcase your work. If this is the case, then fewer words and more visuals are the way to go. I wouldn't recommend spending on SEO or related items. I'd just make sure the images are the highest quality they can be (but, please...protect yourself by using watermarks and/or copyrights on your original works.)

Or, if you're selling product you'll likely want a fully-optimized site picking up all the keywords that people search on so they can find your site. [Quick note here: just because it's found doesn't mean they'll purchase from you. That takes a lot more strategy and includes many other moving parts.]

What if you're a service provider (like my business is)? Then you want testimonials, lots of content highlighting you're expertise, perhaps case studies or white papers too. SEO is important here so that you incorporate the phrases needed so people can find you.

Websites are critical to your business success, but each business must tailor their site accordingly. Using the right blend of images, words, content, great strategy, calls to action, and more all with a great marketing spin is the key to success.

Once your site is done, the real marketing begins. You can't stop there. Your site is just one marketing tool of many to build a sustainable marketing presence in your targeted audience.

©2015. All Rights Reserved. This blog uses copyscape.com to protect against plagiarism.

Cool down your marketing expenses this summer - try these no- and low-cost tools

Take the heat off your summer budget & check out some of these great no- and low-cost marketing tools:

1. Aptimize - Did you know that slow-loading sites are penalized by search engines? To test your site's speed, go to www.aptimize.com/website-speed-test.

2. BroadTexter - This is a no cost text messaging service that allows users to create lists to send text messages. Try it at www.broadtexter.com.

3. CamStudio - Helps you create free videos directly from your computer. See for yourself at www.camstudio.org.

4. DomainTools - Great way to find out your site's SEO score. Visit www.whois.sc.

5. EventBrite - If you're holding a no fee event, sign up for their service that lets you plan & market it. Go to www.eventbrite.com.

6. HyperAlerts - Sends you a report each time someone makes a comment on your Facebook page. Sign up at www.hyperalerts.no.

7. Hyperspin - A tool that let's you check that your website is up. They have free and paid plans. See for yourself at www.hyperspin.com.

8. IceRocket - Amazing tool lets you type in a search term & in seconds, find out what the public thinks of your product or service. Search at www.IceRocket.com.

9. Inspectlet - See how people use your website, including video recordings. They do have a limited free plan. Go to www.inspectlet.com.

10. Klout - See if you have any. Find out at www.klout.com.

11. Pic Monkey - A free tool to edit photos online without using an expensive tool like Photoshop. Make it pretty at www.picmonkey.com.

8. Ping-o-Matic - Let search engines know you've updated your blog. Sign up at www.pingomatic.com.

9. RankChecker - How does your site rank? See for yourself at www.rankchecker.com.

10. SlideShare - Great tool that allows you to share presentations online. It's built into LinkedIn too. Easy to use. Try it at www.slideshare.net.

11. SpringTrax - Monitors websites for 404 errors and helps fix those errors. Not free, but the entry level is $19.99/month. Find out more at www.springtrax.com.

12. Tiny URL maker - If you're active on twitter you know how hard it can be to stay within 140 characters, so here's a nifty tool I use all the time to shorten URL links. Go get small at www.tinyurl.com.

13. vFlyer - Create up to 2 flyers or virtual ads at a time & share them in online marketplaces. Go to www.vflyer.com.

14. woorank.com - Get a free review of your site's backend analytics, complete with suggestions for fixes. Get ranked at www.woorank.com

15. Yext - Online directory service that lets you see how your business appears online & you can add/fix listings to help you get found. go to www.yext.com.

16. ZaBox - Get free advice & online tutorials for all things digital at www.zabox.net.

Use these tools to keep your marketing going even during the summer!

Happy Marketing!

Randye Spina

Reminds me of an old adage...

So, today it happened again & I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes. Red Adair said, "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."

What happened, you ask? Yet another example of "I can pick your brains & then do it myself for free."

I just visited the new website of someone I know. He has a small business & had needed a website. After spending time speaking w/ him, giving him advice & then sending a proposal to which I never received a response (nor the courtesy of a call/email as to why) I just found out he did it himself using some pre-packaged DIY website program.

Well, to say it is worthless is putting it mildly. He left most of the pre-filled brackets untouched (you know "List your products and services here") so it is very obvious he didn't finish yet let the site go live anyway. The website program company is located in California. How do I know? Their own address is pre-filled in the brackets in which the business owner is supposed to insert their information.

The funniest of all is the testimonials page...they're all greeked out with John Doe in a made up CA company - yes, ALL of them!

In his feeble attempt to try his hand at programming, turns out you cannot get from one page to another without going back to the home page. I ran the stats & the site gets a "D". I also Googled his company name - up to page 6 in the rankings all I got was another company with the same name located in the Midwest.

His copy is filled with sayings such as "quality work" and the like in several places. Sadly, no one will take him seriously.

I should have guessed this would happen. He had all the signs. Too bad he completely ignored all of my advice because had he applied at least some of it, it may have been at least somewhat useful to him. Now it's simply an embarrasment.

While I have nothing against DIY folks, after all I just redid several rooms in my house myself, I did hire an electrician to do the dangerous work (Ms. Sparky, anyone?); an interior designer to create a plan for me to follow; and a plumber - and I PAID them.

Someone once told me they won't pay for ideas...but the best companies/products/services all began with an idea. They're worth paying for. Unless of course, you WANT to fail.

Website lessons for small business owners

Recently I have worked with several clients to redo their websites and I have found there seems to be some recurring issues with small business owners & their relationship (or lack thereof) to their own website. There are some lessons that we can all benefit from to make the most of your site itself & your relationship with your writer, desiger, & hosting company.

They are:

1. Not owning your own URL - this is a TERRIBLE mistake. While it may seem convenient for your web designer to do it for you if you are busy, it takes less than 10 minutes to register it yourself. NEVER let anyone hold your URL hostage (especially if it is the name - or a derivation thereof - of your company). All domain registration companies allow for you to set up an administrator (the web designer) which allows them access to create it, but YOU own it. Once the site is finished, you can change the passwords so no one else but you has access to your site.

2. Not looking at your stats - this is another TERRIBLE mistake. Be sure you have access to the statistics of your own site. Don't depend on others to get them for you (they're always too busy once you've paid them). Ideally, you should check them once a week. Even if at first you don't understand what they mean, call your hosting company & they can explain it to you. Over time you should see pattern & be able to adjust the content of your site accordingly. The basics that you want to look for are # visitors per day (you can look for patterns in your daily visits), most popular viewed pages (see where you may be falling short on content), referrals (where the hits are coming from such as another site where you might have a reciprocal link, google, etc.), main entry & exit pages.

3. Not testing your contact form - if a period of time goes by & you have not received any requests for information, be sure to go in & test it yourself by filling it out & sending it. Sometimes hosting companies have issues, or sometimes it is the form itself. By demanding too many required fields (& having the form bounce back blank for leaving these blank) you may be unintentionally turning people away from the form, & therefore from your business.

Lastly, remember that simply having a website does NOT mean that people will visit it. A website is really just an electronic brochure that has interactivity. You still have to market it - don't spend money on a site, sit back & think that's all you have to do. You will find this is a big mistake & you will be wasting valuable time & resources. Be sure to back it up with a solid marketing plan to drive visitors to your site.

Happy Marketing!

Randye

visit www.myaffordablemarketing.com for more information & solutions to your small business marketing issues.