by Nick Throlson | May 17, 2017 | Business, Marketing
It's easier than you might think for a business to find themselves stuck in a rut. They might have been going for a good few years, but failed to keep up with the times. It's easy for a family business or small company to fall behind, especially when what they have been doing might have worked for them for several decades. But if things are starting to stagnate, it's important to do something about it. One option is to relaunch the business, which could help you to get some more attention and remind people of your company. Your relaunch could involve rebranding or even a new name. But how do you make it a success?Analyzing Your MarketplaceBefore you relaunch your business, you might need to take a good look at your target market. If you've let the progress of your business slide recently, you could find that you're out of touch with what your customers want. Things change all the time, and people start to expect new things, while other elements of business fall out of favor. Maybe now your customers want to communicate with you online and not over the phone. Perhaps they want to be able to make an appointment or booking using their phone, without having to talk to anyone to confirm it. You need to know what your potential customers are looking for.What Does Relaunching Entail?If you've decided to relaunch your business, you should have a think about what that means. A business relaunch could entail one of several things, so don't assume that it will always be a total rebrand. Relaunching your business could simply mean getting in touch with your existing customer base to give them a little more attention. It could be sending out an email with a special offer or making a few phone calls to some potential new clients. However, you could also go further and completely transform your business to help you find a new customer base.
RebrandingSome business owners who decide on a relaunch choose to rebrand their whole business. While this can be a big and sometimes expensive move, it's often a good choice if your business is in desperate need of an update. You can find the right firm to do your website design and branding so you can give your business a new look. But your rebrand should be about more than just image. You also need to think about things like customer service and the tone of voice you want to use in official communications.New Name?Renaming your business is a possibility, but deciding if it's the right choice can be tough. You might have existing or past customers who know you by one name and could be confused or put off by a new name. However, if you feel like your brand has fallen into obscurity, a new name could be what it needs to refresh it.If you think relaunching your business is the right choice, you need a plan of action. You might make some big moves or choose a softer approach.
by Nick Throlson | Apr 26, 2017 | Business, Marketing
Every good company needs to market themselves. But what if you?re on a tight budget and can?t afford to hire a marketing company to take care of your needs? Fortunately, there are lots of simple tricks largely using the internet that can allow you to market your business effectively for next to nothing.
Photo Credit: image from HTSABO
Build up your reputation with online reviewsOnline reviews have more power than ever before and are becoming increasingly harder to avoid. Stop hiding from them and start embracing them. Get all your satisfied past clients to leave reviews on Google or Trip Advisor (you can even get your friends and family to leave a few positive reviews ? no-one will know). You can also collect positive testimonials and put them on your website. Occasionally you may get negative reviews ? respond to these politely or report them if you genuinely believe they are spam.Outsource on a budgetYou may be able to outsource some tasks without shelling out thousands on a marketing campaign. Sites such as Fiverr are full of freelancers offering their services for cheap. These services could involve SEO, product reviews, Facebook banner building, Press release writing and even advanced analytics. Check that freelancers have a website or testimonials to back up what they say they can do so that you know you?re getting a reliable service.
by Nick Throlson | Feb 23, 2017 | Business, Web Design
Making a site popular is a combination of loads of different areas. First, of course, your site has to look good. If your site looks bad; people won?t want to use it. Then, you need to make sure that it?s filled with relevant content. Without it, people wouldn?t have a reason to visit. And, you need to work on SEO. Or, your customers will never be able to reach your site. SEO mostly involves changes to the website in question. But, there?s work you can do outside of it towards the effort. Often, this can be the only thing stopping you from getting to the top. To help you out, this post will be going through some ways to improve your SEO off of your own site.
Social media is a great way to improve your SEO. Certain social media sites have millions of active users. This means that, when you use them, you have the chance to reach out to loads of people. And, when people see your posts, they will be directed to your website. This is a great way to make sure that you are catching people?s eyes without having to do much more. When it comes to SEO, social media does a lot of work. Because the sites are so popular, having more than one instance of a link to your site on them can be a great benefit. You just need to make sure you?re popular. To get the ball rolling, it can be worth buying some likes and followers. To find out about this, visit SocialProof for more information, or find another company.There are loads of blogs online. In fact, you can find a blog for most areas of interest. These sites are usually run as side projects that people do for fun. But, they?re always looking to improve their content. This makes them a great candidate for a post written by you. This sort of activity is called guest posting. You, as a business, benefit from having links to your site on someone else's blog. And, the blogger benefits because they get some free content. In some cases, popular bloggers will ask for money for this service. But, it can be worth it. Having backlinks on other people?s sites is a great way to make sure that your SEO is up to snuff.It seems simple and obvious, but a lot of companies neglect traditional advertising to bring people to their sites. Advertising on other people?s websites is nice and easy. You just have to make sure that you have a small budget for it. Companies like Google offer their own advertising services. They have their own pool of websites which are advertised on. And, they also handle the people who want to be advertising. Their systems are very complex and powerful. They?re able to keep your adverts to just people who are interested in them. So, this is a great way to make sure that people are seeing your site.Hopefully, this will help you in the quest to get more people viewing your site. It can be hard to improve your presence online. But, once you?ve started working, you?ll see the improvement very quickly. Any money that you have to spend at this stage can be seen as an investment into your business.
by Nick Throlson | Feb 14, 2017 | Business, WordPress
Do you need to create a website for your small business? In this article, you'll learn why WordPress?is used to create?27% of content?on the Internet.WordPress is the industry leader and is likely?the best tool for your website.This article details?the 10 major reasons people love using WordPress to design their own website for blogging, e-commerce or?for other content management system (CMS) purposes quality backlinks service1. Affordability
One reason why WordPress attracts so many users is its affordability.Its features are inexpensive, and many services are completely free. WordPress has open source content, meaning that the source code?is freely available to use or modify according to your business needs.2. Visibility
Regardless of how affordable your website is, if it doesn't pop up on the Google results page, you're out of luck.It simply will not generate the traffic and revenue you want.Luckily, WordPress has in-built search engine optimization (SEO) functionalities. This means that people are more likely to find your website when they need it.Plugins are another reason why WordPress sites rise to the top of the list. They enhance SEO to attract?the customer you want with every search.3. Ease of Use
WordPress is highly user-friendly and accessible.Even if you have no experience in website development, you can find forums about everything from how to install WordPress to how to troubleshoot any problems you may encounter.The best part is, you don't need to know HTML or any other programming languages to get started. You just need a little time and a general notion of what you want your site to look and feel like.It's also easy to add multimedia elements to your webpage, including:
If you want to customize the template of your choice, you can change anything from the color scheme to the layout of text and images.If you know a lot about programming, you can also edit the code manually.Or?if you want to learn to program, using WordPress is an excellent way to get started. Since it is an open source product, you can scour the code in your free time. See it as an opportunity to learn without paying for a textbook.4. Support
Another?reason why WordPress is such a good choice for building a website is its community of millions of users and developers.When website technologies are first emerging or have a limited number of customers, technical support can be lacking. There may not be a lot of experts to ask, and there may not be a lot of other people asking the same questions.Thankfully, if you have a question about a certain feature of WordPress, you can almost guarantee that someone has already answered it. WordPress forums are comprehensive?and don't cost you a thing.Since WordPress is a hub for developers to create new features or improve existing ones. The competition benefits users by providing a wider selection?of options.If you're not up to building your website from scratch, you can easily find an expert who can do it for you.Since WordPress is open source, web developers can easily modify WordPress features to suit your needs. They can design a page tailored to your business that your customers will love.5. Blogging
If you look back to why WordPress was created, it started as a blogging platform?in 2003 and has since then grown into a multi-purpose website service.You can easily create a blog for your company using WordPress. In accord with its original purpose, certain blogging features have been fully integrated into WordPress from the?beginning.6. RSS
One such feature explains why WordPress has become so popular: their Really Simple Syndication (RSS) service.RSS sends out messages to customers who sign up. These messages let your customers know when you add new posts or products to your site.Instead of having to bookmark your website and check periodically for new products or content, RSS notifies your customers of updates right away. This fosters customer loyalty and keeps your brand fresh in their minds.7. Comments
WordPress also allows your customers to leave comments on your pages.This greatly benefits both you and your customers.Their comments on blog posts also provide you with valuable feedback on what they like and don't like.?Their feedback also offers clues into how you can improve your product or service.Plus, their comments can?give you ideas on topics for future blog posts. Posting?content they find useful and important will build trust in your brand.Your customers also feel appreciated when you respond to their questions and comments online. Comments are just another reason why WordPress excels in the industry.8. Design
Want to know another reason why WordPress has gained so much favor?in its users' eyes?Take a look at the variety of beautiful themes, and you'll see why.WordPress offers thousands of unique website templates to choose from. Clean layouts, engaging?photography and carefully overlaid text?will ensure a professional and enjoyable customer experience.Do you need an elegant and flirty motif?for your prom dress boutique? Or do you need a classic, simple design for selling medical supplies?Create a lasting impression in seconds with the click of a button and let their expertise do the work.9. Security
If you're considering using?WordPress to create a website for your small business, you may be asking questions about security:- How can I protect?my website from cyberattacks?
- How can I keep my customers safe?
These questions are particularly important for businesses that engage in e-commerce.You can rest assured knowing that CNN, UPS and Samsung Camera all trust WordPress for their blogging websites.In addition, many successful clothing brands,?including VanHeusen and IZOD, trust?WordPress for their e-commerce needs.Additionally,?WordPress has millions of users. Its popularity ensures that updates of WordPress, its themes and its plugins, are constantly being developed.So if there's a bug in the code, chances are that someone has already noticed it and created a fix. It's up to the user to stay up-to-date by implementing the updates regularly.WordPress also offers numerous plugins that can safeguard your webpage. You'll find multiple plugins that prevent common, brute-force attacks.Some plugins?can identify suspicious activity on your site and notify you immediately. Other plugins can?bar unauthorized use of your site?based on the?user's IP address.The security of your website also depends on your password. Choosing long, complex passwords helps safeguard your site.Hefty strings of digits, symbols, and letters form the basis of a strong password.All of your registered users also need to create passwords that are difficult to guess.10. Constantly Evolving
In this age of information, content on the Internet seems to change every day.Technology is continually improving, and the possibilities for change?are almost limitless.That is the?last reason why WordPress is such a great tool. Just like our society, WordPress is constantly evolving. Every day someone adds new and innovative content to make?it better.Just as one great idea can spark another, so one person's creativity sparks another. We will probably look back 5 years from now and marvel at how much has changed.Why WordPress?
WordPress is the content management system (CMS) industry leader for a reason.It is affordable, easy to use and secure. It can increase your SEO visibility, provides access to great customer support and is easy on the eyes.Its blogging capabilities, such as RSS and leaving comments make it ideal for most users.Still, creating a website is a big project, and not everyone has the time or motivation to do it themselves.If you would like professional assistance with your website from a trusted expert in WordPress, contact Nick Throlson today for a quote.
by Nick Throlson | Jan 19, 2017 | Business, Web Design, WordPress
Beautiful images. Bold color schemes. A sleek design.These are all important elements of a great website design. After all, they are the first things a new visitor notices and judge you by. Your website acts as a virtual front door to your business. If people don?t like what they see inside, they hit the back button and leave without converting. But, here?s the deal: although the design is one of the most important factors in deciding the credibility of a company, functionality plays a more important role. Think about it that way: would you spend time on a site that looks good but works poorly? Probably not.Let?s take a look at all the important elements that, together with the design, make your website a force of nature.
The number one trick to follow is to build your website so as to provide comfort to your customers. You want everything to be as easy and flowing as possible. That said, if any design feature interferes with your site?s functionality, then you should disable it. Try to identify what would provide users with a seamless onsite experience and implement those instead.Last but not least, make it easy for potential prospects to contact you. Include a search bar, preferably on the top of your blog. Fast, easy access to desired information is essential.- Responsive Website Design
One the same note, you want to make your website responsive for mobile use. A wide majority of the time spent online is on mobile devices. You want your web design to be easily translatable into various screen sizes. To make sure your website runs smoothly via smartphones and tablets, test it with Google?s Mobile-Friendly Test. - Make It Relevant and Specific
While you do want to have enough content and features to cover up a wide spectrum, relevance is still important. In other words, you need to cut the fluff and stick to what matters to your audience. Sure, everyone might be talking about the latest trend in tech, but that doesn?t mean you should jump on the bandwagon if the topic doesn?t fit your business profile.
This might sound obvious, but your website?s design and functionality must fit your customer?s needs like a glove. Know your target audience well enough to translate their needs into your web design. Think about what they might want when they land on your page and try to put that information in front of them. Make navigation simple and intuitive and don?t make them think too much about how to find their ways around your site.If you don?t know where to start from, try asking yourself this: Why would anyone want to visit my website?Do a thorough research ? there are plenty valuable resources out there on what user-centric design is and how to apply it.
Last but so not least, don?t forget that a well-designed website can help with your SEO efforts. Google prefers websites that have a clean structure with friendly navigation, solid backlinks, and descriptive image file names. ?Building a good website that looks great and works properly is no easy task. By paying attention to these elements, you can rest assured that your website won?t be just another pretty face on the internet.
by Nick Throlson | Jan 6, 2017 | Business, Marketing, Web Design
The most successful web designers will all tell you one thing: keep it simple. Forget the fancy effects and Flash-based menus and systems that take forever to load and don?t work on mobile devices. The key to running a successful website is to use the right tools, keep it basic and don?t overload your humble site with too much useless junk.You want your users to focus on the content, not the fact that you have a sparkling trail following the mouse or a viewer count that spins every time your user loads your website. Get rid of the fancy widgets that make your website look like it hasn?t been updated since the 1990s and take control. Here are some tips on how to market your products and services on your website with ease.Picking the Right HostCreating a beautiful website is a time-consuming job if you?re not keen on designing. To remedy that, you can always pick a host such as Squarespace or WordPress. These two services have hundreds of different templates that you can pick and edit yourself. They?ll give you a good base to start your website and all you need to worry about is putting your content out there.Pricing is also a concern. You don?t want to spend too much money for a web host if it?s not going to make you money. There?s no reason to pay a web designer a tonne of money just to edit or change your website when you can do it yourself for cheap using hosting services, and there?s no need to pay for more storage space if your website is mainly text and pictures. Some web hosts offer easy integration for online storefronts too. You?ll have to pay a little extra, but it means you can easily sell your products on the internet and the only thing you need to worry about is printing shipping labels and packaging items to send.You also want to consider customer service. Look up reviews for the host that you plan to use and make sure they offer a 24/7 customer support service. If your website goes down, then you need to contact your host to get it back up again or ask them what issues there are. A web host that constantly fails will make it hard for your business to thrive, so ensure that uptime and customer service are top-notch before committing.Designing a LogoLogo design is expensive if you are hiring a freelancer with a lot of experience. You can make huge savings by using programs such as Photoshop or GIMP to create your own logos and designs?all it takes is a bit of reading and dedication. For example, these photoshop text effects tutorials are a great introduction to stylized logos that are easy to create and look great. You?ll be able to create some excellent art in a short amount of time and you can use it as a temporary logo until you upgrade your business.However, it might also be worth hiring a junior freelance designer that?s looking to expand their portfolio. Many freelancers that are just starting out are willing to work for cheaper rates or even for free. However, make sure that you speak to them directly and tell them what you want. It?s a gamble and you might get an expertly crafted piece of work for free, or you might just end up with something unusable due to their inexperience.How to Keep it SimpleWhether you?re creating a freelancing portfolio or you want to set up a web store to sell handcrafted memorabilia, you don?t want to overload your customers and visitors with an abundance of useless information they don?t care about. Even if you offer a very technical service, you don?t want to drown people in your technical jargon because chances are, they know they need your services, but they don?t know a thing about how it works and nor do they care. It?s also a good idea to keep your website simple enough to run smoothly and cleanly on mobile devices.Let?s say you want to focus on building custom computers for gaming enthusiasts. There?s no point listing information such as maximum temperatures or fan speeds right off the bat. They?re gamers that may or may not have an idea about the exact specs or why they?re important. Show them useful information such as how fast smoothly their games will run or the maximum graphics settings the computer is capable of. If they want to know more, simply add a ?technical specifications? link that shows all the details.
It's easier than you might think for a business to find themselves stuck in a rut. They might have been going for a good few years, but failed to keep up with the times. It's easy for a family business or small company to fall behind, especially when what they have been doing might have worked for them for several decades. But if things are starting to stagnate, it's important to do something about it. One option is to relaunch the business, which could help you to get some more attention and remind people of your company. Your relaunch could involve rebranding or even a new name. But how do you make it a success?Analyzing Your MarketplaceBefore you relaunch your business, you might need to take a good look at your target market. If you've let the progress of your business slide recently, you could find that you're out of touch with what your customers want. Things change all the time, and people start to expect new things, while other elements of business fall out of favor. Maybe now your customers want to communicate with you online and not over the phone. Perhaps they want to be able to make an appointment or booking using their phone, without having to talk to anyone to confirm it. You need to know what your potential customers are looking for.What Does Relaunching Entail?If you've decided to relaunch your business, you should have a think about what that means. A business relaunch could entail one of several things, so don't assume that it will always be a total rebrand. Relaunching your business could simply mean getting in touch with your existing customer base to give them a little more attention. It could be sending out an email with a special offer or making a few phone calls to some potential new clients. However, you could also go further and completely transform your business to help you find a new customer base.
RebrandingSome business owners who decide on a relaunch choose to rebrand their whole business. While this can be a big and sometimes expensive move, it's often a good choice if your business is in desperate need of an update. You can find the right firm to do your website design and branding so you can give your business a new look. But your rebrand should be about more than just image. You also need to think about things like customer service and the tone of voice you want to use in official communications.New Name?Renaming your business is a possibility, but deciding if it's the right choice can be tough. You might have existing or past customers who know you by one name and could be confused or put off by a new name. However, if you feel like your brand has fallen into obscurity, a new name could be what it needs to refresh it.If you think relaunching your business is the right choice, you need a plan of action. You might make some big moves or choose a softer approach.
Build up your reputation with online reviews
