Create a high converting homepage that works

Did you know you only have around 0-8 seconds to engage site visitors before they bounce?

No pressure right?! Your homepage has the power to attract or deter your site visitors and it all depends on your strategy.

You can breathe easy though as I have provided the following guide based on my years of building strategy-driven websites. It has simple-to-follow steps that you can start implementing today.

At the end of this article, you will also find a handy checklist that covers the most important elements that we’ll explore below.

Here are the 7 top tips that we will cover:

1. Header – Where your logo and navigation (main menu) live
2. Hero Area
3. The problem & your solution
4. Social Proof
5. Introduce Yourself
6. Main CTA (Call To Action)
7. Don’t forget Your Footer

1. Header – Where your logo and navigation (main menu) lives

This is where users will start their journey so it’s vital that it is attractive and works. Check off each of the following to optimise your website header:

Your Logo

• Make sure your logo links to your home page. Most sites do it, so users will expect it.
• Ensure your logo is not too big or too small… it has to be just right. Too big and it can be a distraction. Conversely, if it’s too small, people may have to squint when looking at it. Ensure your logo and all text within it are easily readable.

If you have a logo that is vertically large, consider having an “inline version” of it created. For example, the CCA logo shown here is the original design which is quite “square” in its layout.

So, a horizontal “inline” version was created specifically for usage in narrow areas like the website header.

Main Menu

• Keep menu options to a maximum of 7 with a font size that is easy on the eyes
• Only use sub-menus if absolutely necessary (too much choice can be overwhelming)
• Don’t have your social media links in your header. This used to be common practice but has since shown that it encourages people to leave your site which is counterproductive!

You want them to stay on your site as long as possible (to improve your bounce rate). They can always visit your social pages after they have consumed your more important website content.

• Avoid using clever titles for pages, for example, “journal, or content” instead of familiar names like “blog or resources”.
• The link to your contact page should always be the last link in your main menu and called “contact or contact us”.
• If you have a sticky header (one that remains at the top of the screen when the user scrolls down) make sure it only takes up as much space as necessary. Large headers that take up too much screen space are annoying and can distract from more important content.
• Keep things familiar: There is a reason most successful websites share some universal traits (known as web design standards), such as putting the contact link last. It’s just what we’re used to.

So, when a site visitor is ready to take action, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. It’s ok to be creative in other areas, but when it comes to helping people navigate your site, don’t make them think any longer than they have to!

2. Hero Area

The top of the page (hero area) is the first thing people see when they land on your site. It needs to instantly engage users so they stay, and consume more content. If what you offer and why they should care isn’t obvious, they will leave. It’s that simple.

Here’s a simple formula you can use to get started:

We {do what} {for whom} {with this benefit}

Pro Tips:

? To make sure that your headline is clear, ask yourself if you would use the same words to explain your business to a stranger in 1-2 sentences. Will they understand it right away?

? It’s better to be clear than clever – Your goal here is to communicate effectively and stop people from bouncing off your website. There’s no need to overcomplicate things with puns or witty jokes.

Just use straightforward language that sets clear expectations for the rest of your site.

? The image (or video) that you use in this area is also very important. I strongly recommend using an image of yourself or your team. You ARE your business, so putting yourself out there goes a long way in the process of building trust and likability.

It’s also a great opportunity to show off your personality which will help attract your ideal customers. If you can, get a pro to take the photos for you, the difference in quality will be worth it.

1. The problem and your solution

This is where you start talking about the services you offer. Now that you’ve got their attention with your engaging hero area, this section is all about drawing them in further, displaying empathy and showing how you can help your audience.

It’s important to show your site visitors that you really understand their problems. That you know what they want to move away from because it creates frustration & pain for them. Then, highlight how you solve these problems and what they will gain as a result of working with you.

Pro Tip: Try not to include too many services here. Focus on your signature service, or at most, 3 to 4 of your primary services.

4. Social Proof

Without social proof, your site will lack the evidence required to trigger the psychology needed for your clients to feel comfortable buying. In short, having social proof is a key ingredient for a high converting homepage.

Social proof can be achieved in a number of ways. Here are the most common:

Testimonials / Reviews

Seeing how other people have benefited from your services is a great way to support the promises & claims you have made. Here’s how to optimise your testimonials:

? For customers to see them as genuine, they should be embedded from a reliable source (Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews, etc.)

? If you only have written reviews; include the author’s name, a picture if possible, their role and ideally a website link

? If you don’t have any yet, I strongly advise that you start collecting them now. Here’s a handy guide that includes email templates to help get you started

Key Point: “Research shows that 91 percent of people regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and 84 percent trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.” – INC.com

Client & partner logos or press mentions

• A list of clients/brands you’ve worked with and their logos
• Endorsements from celebrities, influencers or people of authority within your niche
• “As Featured In” or “As Seen In” articles or features

Pro Tips:

? When using logos from other media sources, for obvious reasons it is ideal if you can use recognisable brands.

? If you don’t have many recognisable brands yet, they are still worth including. Even if the visitor isn’t familiar with all of the brands, it still offers visual evidence of legitimacy to help build your credibility and authority.

? When adding logos, be sure to link to the original source. Not only does this add credibility to the source, but having outbound links on your website is also good for SEO.

? If you’re building an “As Featured In” or “As Seen In” section on your site, feel free to include our logo! You can enhance this section on your website and we get a backlink. Win-Win. ?

Achievements & Certifications

Have you managed to reach any milestones or achievements? If so, show them off! Showcasing any achievements you’ve had is another effective way to set your business apart. You could include:

• Any certifications or qualifications you have (this doesn’t always have an obvious impact, but prospects see it as an indication of how knowledgeable you are in your industry)
• Courses you have completed
• Professional Memberships
• Business nominations or awards

Statistics & Numbers

These are another great option and there is a heap of different ways you can do it depending on your niche. Here are some ideas:

• Years in business – obviously if you’ve been around a while you must know what you’re doing!
• Number of happy customers – similar to the above if you’ve worked with a substantial number of people that also demonstrates your authority
• Case studies – These allow you to provide quantifiable evidence that your product or service works
• How many hours or $$ you’ve saved your clients
• ROI: What numbers have your clients achieved that you can show off? % increase in profits, dollars earned, etc.

Pro Tip: The logistic, detail-oriented client, in particular, will absolutely love this kind of information! If they are your ideal customer, adding this data is definitely worth your time.

Final tips for building social proof:

? If possible, add your social proof near the claim it supports

? People connect with people so use imagery as much as you can. If your clients are ok with it, include their picture with their testimonial or case study

? When using logos, try to ensure the resolution and quality is good. I also recommend making them black & white so as not to distract from your branding too much

? If you don’t have a lot of logos to include just yet, that’s ok! Even 3-4 is better than none. You can always come back and update it later!

5. Introduce Yourself

This is your opportunity to tell your audience who you are, and what qualifies you to help them.

Pro Tips:

? Even though this is an “about” section, it’s actually not about you! So don’t just list your history and credentials or why you’re so great. Talk about how you can serve your customers.

? Keep it brief. Your homepage is a “taster” for the rest of the site. You can go into more detail within your dedicated about page.

? Include a photo of yourself or your team. Remember, you ARE your business, so showing yourself goes a long way in the process of building trust and likability.

6. Main CTA (Call To Action)

People are extremely unlikely to buy from you after the first visit to your homepage. More time is needed to nurture your leads through the sales journey. Your homepage is one of many steps in this process.

So, at this early stage, what else can you offer them to build on the relationship? What action would you like them to take next?

Most commonly, your main CTA will be for people to opt-in to your lead magnet and for good reason. Lead magnets are not just about building a subscriber list. Yes, that’s one of the primary purposes (because it allows you to market your offerings further), but they have so much more to offer:

? They allow customers to experience how you can help them without any risk because what you’re offering is completely free.

? If you give them a quick win, this will start your relationship on a positive note. Plus, it will also help make them more interested in your paid offers… If your free offer is great, imagine what they can get from your paid ones!

? You start to build relationships: people aren’t usually ready to buy from you straight away. A lead magnet is a means of beginning the process of nurturing prospects through the sales journey so by the time they speak to you, they’re a red hot lead.

? You can showcase your expertise by being able to provide a valuable resource. This will help establish you as an expert and position your business as the go-to resource.

? They qualify leads: If your offer is specific enough to a particular audience it can help you to focus on building relationships specifically with your ideal customers.

? It’s one method of building Know, Like & Trust which represents the journey a person takes when getting to know your business. They first have to know you. Then they can start to like you and finally begin to trust you. All essential elements in converting leads into customers.

If you don’t have a lead magnet, here are a few other suggestions for your homepage CTA:

• Showcase your most popular blog posts
• Encourage them to visit a specific page (i.e. services or work with me)
• Ask them to sign up for your newsletter (include a compelling reason why)
• Link to your social media pages or groups to continue the conversation there

7. Don’t forget Your Footer

Being at the very bottom of the page, the poor footer section is often overlooked. The thing is though if people are given a reason to scroll, they will! So your footer deserves just as much attention as the elements above it.

I should note, that some elements (such as your copyright notice) should also be included in your footer. As this article’s focus is conversions though, I’ve stuck to those elements:

Links to social media

Your social media pages are another great avenue for building know, like and trust, as well as credibility and authority. As discussed above you don’t want them anywhere near the top of your page.

The point is to keep people on your website as long as possible. So the footer is a much better location.

Pro Tip: Set your social links to open in a new window rather than the same one, so they still have your website open in a tab and can come back to it easily.

Newsletter Opt-in

Either in or just above your footer is a great place to have your Newsletter opt-in. 

Pro Tip: Back in the day when getting emails was exciting and our inboxes weren’t filled with spam, capturing leads was easy. Today though, people are less willing to part with their details. They have to feel confident that there’s something of great value in it for them.

So, instead of just having a newsletter opt-in to “stay up to date with your latest news” – try to offer more incentives. Exclusive information, upcoming promotions, or a prime example would be in exchange for your lead magnet.

One final CTA

Every page on your website should have a CTA and I trust you have already covered your main CTA for the homepage, but you can pop another one in your footer too. This is particularly handy as it is accessible on every page of your site.

For example, you can remind them of and link to your main CTA. Or, link to your contact page or booking form.

Final Tips for Creating a High Converting Homepage

Know your audience:

Your website is a tool that represents your business online and connects you with your audience. So who are you hoping to reach? Who are your ideal customers?

If you don’t have complete clarity on who your ideal customers are, you’ll never know what they really need, let alone how to write compelling content that resonates and inspires them to buy.

So, before writing any copy for your homepage, I strongly encourage you to get crystal clear on your ideal customers. It literally forms the foundation of ALL your marketing efforts (website copy, content marketing, lead magnets, social media advertising, you name it!).

So, if it’s not on point, you’re really limiting your potential for everything else that follows it. I’ve already written an article about this which will help get you started. Check it out here ? Successful marketing: It starts with your ideal customer

Keep the content brief:

The homepage is an overview of your business – the primary purpose generally being to draw people in, not overwhelm them with too much information. It should be a “taste” of each of the other internal pages and act as the proxy for checking out the rest of the website.

Tech stuff:

We’re dealing with websites so some tech stuff is unavoidable. Essentially, you need to make sure your website’s usability is good. There’s nothing more frustrating than a website that has broken elements, is difficult to navigate, or is snail-paced slow.

People have very little patience with this. So, be sure to cover these elements as best you can:

• Mobile Responsiveness – this is a MUST
• Site speed
• Easy navigation
• Interactive elements all working (i.e. contact or booking forms)
• No broken links
• Simplicity: focus on what’s important, don’t distract people with unnecessary bells & whistles. For example, revolving slideshows or carousels used to be super-slick but no more! Plus, they can hide really valuable content.

Purpose-driven copy:

Combined with nailing the other features of your site (design, SEO etc.), having compelling website copy will give you the best shot at achieving your ultimate goal – converting visitors into customers.

If you can invest in a copywriter to help, great! If not, you don’t have to be a professional writer to create compelling content. You just have to follow some simple guidelines. Here are some quick tips:

? Get clear on your objectives upfront. Determining what outcomes you want before writing a single word, will help guide the content you create. As Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People said; “Begin with the end in mind.”

? Know Your Audience: As discussed above, if you have clarity on who your ideal customers are, it will be easier to write compelling content that resonates and inspires them to take action.

? Use powerful headlines: Most people scan written content, so your headlines need to be attention-grabbing and on point.

? Write in a way that is clear, concise and ideally reaches people on an emotional level.

? Avoid jargon and lengthy sentences. Break up text with images, headings, lists and graphics. Keep the language simple and easy to digest – If a 5th grader can read it, great!

? Don’t just talk about the features of your service, focus on the benefits and outcomes – that’s what people buy.

Images:

The images you use on your homepage (and the entire website) can greatly impact the perception you give to your site visitors. If they are pixelated and of low quality, that can have a negative influence. If your site looks low quality, that can translate to the quality of your service too. ?

On the flip side, if you use high-quality images that showcase your personality, that can leave a positive impact. ?

Finally, using stock images (quality ones) is sometimes unavoidable but whenever you can use your own images. They are far more personal.

Include videos if you can:

Current trends have shown a consistent increase in video consumption over the last few years and the value they provide can be tremendous. It’s a great way to deliver lots of information quickly, your site visitors can get to know you easier, and it’s a great way to stand out from your competition.

Be realistic:

If you can’t check everything off in this guide, thank’s ok! For example, perhaps you’re just starting out and only have 1 or 2 reviews, or maybe none at all. Don’t stress. We all have to start somewhere, but at least you can make a start!

Also, get your head around the concept that your homepage and site as a whole will NEVER be done. Websites are not meant to be static, they need to be constantly evolving. Factor in some regular time in your schedule to work on it.

Be yourself:

I’ve already said above that you ARE your business so don’t be shy, let your personality shine! Allow your audience to get to know you. It’s the best way to discover if you’re a good fit for them from the get-go, and if you’re not, that’s ok! You only want to attract your ideal customers.

If you’re a nerd like me, geek out! If you’re full of energy, be bubbly. If you’re serious and systematic, be so… Whatever you do, just be yourself.

High Converting Homepage Checklist

I know this was a long read so if you made it this far, you’re awesome!

Now, as promised, here’s a handy checklist that covers most of the elements discussed above. Check all of these and your homepage will be in great shape!

? Pretend you’re a client – have a quick glance at your homepage. Do you immediately know who you are, what you offer and why it matters?

? Is your copy easy to understand, jargon-free and clear? Can a 5th grader understand it?

? Have you demonstrated social proof and why people should trust you?

? Are there strong CTAs (calls to action) telling your site visitors what to do next? And are those next steps easy to find/use?

? Do you offer something juicy that encourages people to sign up for your newsletter or get in touch with you?

? Have you included pictures of yourself or your team and given visitors a taste of your personality?

? How does your website look on your phone?

? Is it easy to navigate, loads quickly and everything works properly?

And that’s a wrap!

Again congrats on getting this far. I know there’s a lot of information, but don’t be overwhelmed. Just chip away one task at a time. Like anything worth doing, the effort will be worth it!

And remember…

I hope you’ve gained plenty of takeaways that you can start implementing straight away and see your conversions skyrocket!

And if you would like help with creating a client-converting website, I would love to hear from you. Take a look at what I do here: Coaching websites that work.

All the best,
Libby ?
Coaching Website Specialist
Rivmedia Web Design

The post High Converting Homepage Guide: 7 top tips for more leads appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

If you build it, they will come

After investing time and money into a website, there’s nothing more frustrating than low website traffic. In this article, we list the main factors that can affect site visits & what you can do to increase them.

So many times I see people who mistakenly think that just because they launch a website, site visitors will automatically come. Truth is, this is not Field of Dreams and just because you build it does not mean customers will magically appear, no matter how good your website is.

Think of it this way, if you held a party but didn’t send anyone an invite, how many people would even know about it, let alone turn up?

Beyond that, even if you are promoting your website gaining those clicks is getting harder and harder. It’s mandatory for practically all businesses to have a website now so the internet is heavily saturated with competition making it difficult to rank well and stand out from the crowd.

Factors that can affect website traffic & what you can do

Brand New?

If your website is brand new it won’t just appear in search engine results immediately. First, your site has to be submitted to search engines and then they need time to crawl your site and index it. Be patient and make sure everything is done on your end (site submission, sitemaps etc.) to help this process.

Hopefully, your web designer has already done this for you, but if not, here’s a great article to help you out: How to Submit Your Website to Search Engines.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

It goes without saying that having a quality website to begin with is an important factor but not just in how it looks, but in how it performs too. A lot of the factors covered below can be held under the umbrella of SEO and if you manage them all: Good SEO = better ranking = increased website traffic.

Your website has to be optimised to help get people to it in the first place. This is where in-site SEO comes in,  such as appropriate use of keywords, proper use of titles and meta descriptions, quality code, optimised images and so on.

This is such a large field it’s impossible to cover everything, so my advice on this point is to either ensure you find yourself a web developer that is proficient with it or be willing to invest a good deal of time in educating yourself about it.

Use social media

The impact of social media on website traffic is two-fold. Firstly, if you have reasonable engagement and social shares, these can help your Google ranking as well as expose you to a wider audience. Secondly, the posts themselves can drive traffic to your site via page links, blog posts etc.

Best of all, you can take advantage of all of this for free! Of course, you can use the paid facilities to boost things further, but if you’re sharing quality content you might not need to spend a cent.

If the thought of posting regularly on social media makes you cringe, there are a few options to consider. Firstly, there’s a huge market for social media managers out there, so if you have the budget, outsource it!

However, if you need to manage it yourself and posting regularly is too hard, aim for at least once a week or even once a fortnight… anything is better than nothing. There’s a range of scheduling tools that are available to help make this easier; Facebook, for example, has its own in-built scheduling tool and one of my personal favourite all-rounders is Later.

Don’t forget why you’re reading this article;
you want more website traffic and social media is an effective way of getting it.

Finally, choose your platforms wisely; you don’t have to be on all of them. For example, LinkedIn is effective for B2B companies, whereas creative businesses tend to have better engagement on Instagram & Pinterest.

Find out which ones are best for your industry and stick to them. Setting up a page isn’t enough, you need to be active on your accounts. So if time, motivation and/or budget are a problem, I suggest choosing 2 and doing those well.

Are you blogging?

Blogging can be time-consuming and at times tricky to come up with new content, but it’s a worthwhile exercise. By creating regular new content you can achieve the following;

• Provide helpful and/or engaging content that your readers will appreciate (which hopefully results in a share or purchase)
• It shows Google that your website (and business) is active and fresh thus helping your ranking (Google doesn’t favour stale websites)
• If you blog quality content, it too will rank well and drive more traffic to your site
• It also provides additional content you can share on social media.

Google Analytics

If you’re not utilising Google Analytics, you should be! It’s a great tool for understanding your site visitors and how they engage with your website. It provides insights into what you are doing well and what you can improve.

What works is always changing so this is an ongoing process and one you should get used to checking in on. It takes a while to build up enough data to start analysing it, but once your site has been up for at least a few months you can start experimenting and tweaking.

Poorly performing website

If a website takes too long to load, is difficult to navigate, confusing, unattractive, or just plain boring people can be pretty brutal and leave very quickly. This can affect what is called your “bounce rate.” A high bounce rate (where people leave your site quickly) can be interpreted by Google that your site is obviously of little value, which can lower your rankings.

If you have google analytics installed you can check a number of statistics including bounce rates to help you determine what changes you need to make to improve things.

Mobile-friendly & secure websites

With a huge number of website traffic coming from mobile phones, a responsive website is no longer optional but a must. If people can’t easily view and use your site on mobile, this too can affect your bounce rate which = lower ranking and less traffic.

Furthermore, the responsiveness of your site is a contributing factor to how Google ranks your site and you will be pushed lower than your competitor’s sites if you’re not meeting best practice guidelines. The same goes for sites that don’t have an SSL certificate (security for your website).

Here are a couple of related articles that explain the above in more detail:

Website not secure? – Here’s how to fix it
Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?

Keyword-focused content

Keywords are the terms and phrases that people enter into a search engine to find you online. So when writing your content you need to put yourself in your customer’s shoes, determine what they will search for and write your content accordingly. Doing this well will give you a better chance of your content showing up among the results.

At the same time, this has to be done the right way and if you go too far with it (this is called keyword stuffing) it can actually work against you and lower your rankings. A good rule of thumb is to keep keywords and SEO in mind, but write for your audience first and Google second.

Backlinks

No website was meant to be an island, but rather a part of a much larger interconnected “web” (www = world wide web). The number of backlinks your site has is an indication of its popularity and importance so to google these act as a thumbs-up so to speak because your content is obviously valuable if people are happy to link to it.

As with keywords, there are certain do’s and don’ts to avoid being penalised.

Do:

• Create great content that people want to link to
• Share on social media
• Comment on other websites/blogs with relevant content – but don’t spam!
• Guest post
• Ensure your backlinks are quality links
• Ask clients to link to your content

Don’t:

• Pay for backlinking schemes
• Send spammy emails asking for backlinks
• Inject links into other websites

Final Thoughts

As you can see there are a number of factors that affect the amount of website traffic your site can receive. A lot of these factors may require professional assistance such as SEO (both in-site and external), content creation, social media management and so on. However, with a little time and education, there’s a lot you can do yourself with little financial investment.

It’s also prudent to remember that this is an ongoing process that you have to be consistent with.

The post Why is my website traffic so low? (and what to do about it) appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

Website platform comparisons

With so many options how do you choose the best website platform for your business? We compare the most popular ones to help you decide.

Glossary:

Before we dive in, here’s a quick glossary of terms that pop up from time to time:

CMS – Content management system: the software used to manage your website content and allow you to create, edit, and publish.
SEO – Search engine optimisation: how you get found on search engines (i.e. Google)
eCommerce – Adding the functionality of people being able to make purchases through your website
Design – how the website looks
Functionality – the features used on the website (online forms, sliders, etc.)
Apps & plugins – software that extends the functionality of the platform, e.g. a plugin to create contact forms
Website maintenance – all CMS platforms require ongoing maintenance, just like you would for a car to keep them running well. Maintenance is taken care of as part of the price of some platforms, others you have to manage it yourself (by doing it yourself, or outsourcing to someone who can)

As a business owner, you know that a website is one of your most important marketing tools. 75% of consumers admit to making a judgement on a company’s credibility based on their website design. As such, careful consideration needs to be made to ensure it is created to best suit your needs and appeal to your audience.

With so many website platforms to choose from though how do you decide which one is right for your business?

In this two-part article, I’ll provide an overview of the most popular platforms to help you determine which one is right for you covering Customisability, Cost, Site Speed, Security, Support, SEO, and Ease of Use.

Based on usage statistics and current trends, I’ll be comparing the following website platforms:

• WordPress
• Joomla
• Drupal
• Squarespace
• Shopify
• Wix

To begin with, we’ll start with the most popular CMS (Content Management System) platforms; WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.

WordPress

WordPress is the most popular website platform powering 40% of all websites on the internet and holds a massive 64% of the known CMS market. It’s popularity and continual growth can be attributed to a number of factors. Most notably; the vast amount of design and functionality options and its usability.

1. Customisability – There are around 5,000+ free themes and 54,000+ free plugins available from the WordPress.org directories, plus thousands of premium themes & plugins across various sites, all of which can be customised. WordPress can be molded into any type of website you want and provide pretty much any functionality you can think of.
2. Cost  – Depending on the complexity of your site, the majority of people will need to hire a developer to build your website for you. Afterward, it will require regular ongoing maintenance and updates which (with education) you can do yourself or outsource to a professional if you prefer. Other costs (hosting, paid plugins) are very affordable to run for the majority of websites. Some bigger, more complicated sites may require larger hosting plans to accommodate as WordPress tends to be resource-heavy.
3. Site Speed – Performance is often cited as a weak spot of WordPress but with the right tools in place and regular maintenance, it can be manageable.
4. Security – Due to its popularity WordPress is a bigger target for hackers. However, more often than not it is the user that creates vulnerabilities. As long as best practices are met, security is not a major issue. Furthermore, with automatic security updates to WordPress’ core, risks are minimised.
5. Support – Some on-going support (depending on your skill level) is usually required from time to time but can be obtained for free via the large online WordPress communities available. When necessary there is also an abundance of developers proficient with WordPress who are also available.
6. SEO – Search engine optimisation is pretty good out of the box and can be extended further with plugins like Yoast SEO.
7. Ease of Use – Writing blog posts and making minor content changes is fairly simple for most but there is still a learning curve. Page builders are available and have been designed with being “user-friendly” in mind. For more complex changes, a designer is often required.

Types of websites you can build with WordPress:

Any! Originally created as a blogging platform it does this best, but over the years has expanded to offer functionalities to run any type of website; a blog, information website, directory, online shop, membership site, a combination of all of the above, you name it. There really isn’t any limit to the kind of site you can build with WordPress and it will suit the majority of businesses. The only exception where it might not be ideal (being resource-heavy) is large scale websites (1000’s of pages + very heavy traffic).

Final Thoughts

WordPress offers users a lot of choices right from the beginning which might be confusing at first but is very flexible in the long run. It’s a platform that you can constantly build on as your business grows which makes it continually adaptable. If you are looking for full customisation, easy access to support, an abundance of features, and unrestricted growth potential, WordPress is a great choice.  Initial investment is required to develop your site and you will need to invest either your time or money to continue running it, but it is still a very affordable platform.

Joomla

Joomla is the second most popular CMS on the web with a 6.7%% market share. The technology behind Joomla is similar to that of WordPress

1. Customisability – Joomla has around 8,000 extensions listed at the official Joomla library. As there’s no official template library though numbers are hard to come by. As a guide, there are just under 1000 premium themes available on one of the most popular theme websites: Theme Forest. Customisation of both is possible but can be a little more complicated compared to other platforms.
2. Cost  – Since Joomla is a little more complex than WordPress, the likelihood that you will need professional help with regard to both building the site and its ongoing maintenance is higher. Other costs (hosting, paid plugins) are very affordable to run.
3. Site Speed – Joomla has a good reputation concerning performance, primarily as it has performance-boosting functionality already built-in.
4. Security – Much of the responsibility on keeping your site secure falls on the user and with best practices met, security isn’t a major issue. However, there are no automatic updates which do increase vulnerability a little so you have to remain vigilant with your updates.
5. Support – As the second-largest open source CMS on the web, Joomla also has a good free support community in place and developers are usually easy to come by
6. SEO – Joomla has some standard features out of the box but further extension is a bit complicated to implement.
7. Ease of Use – In terms of complexity, Joomla is somewhere between WordPress and Drupal so if you’re reasonably tech-savvy you should be able to get a handle on it but beginners might find it too complicated unless they have sufficient time to learn. Joomla offers page builders also to help users with design and content.

Types of websites you can build with Joomla:

Similar to WordPress, Joomla is very adaptable with the types of websites you can create with it, from simple information websites to complex e-commerce sites. If anything its a little more flexible than WordPress in that you can make a lot of customisations without relying on as many extensions/plugins. However it’s worth noting that, Joomla’s market share is declining due to factors including ease of use, price, availability of developers/support, and so on.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a middle ground between out-of-the-box power and user-friendliness or a good option for social networking and e-commerce, Joomla might be the one for you. It has a steeper learning curve, a smaller ecosystem (of templates, extensions, and support) and is less SEO friendly. It’s still a very solid option though used by big brands.

Drupal

Drupal has been around longer than the above platforms but has slowly been declining in popularity due to various reasons; it currently has a market share of around 2.2%. It too has similar technology to WordPress and Joomla but of the three is the most technically advanced CMS.

1. Customisability – Drupal is all about building custom websites and there is very little that you can not customise with it. The admin area offers a lot of customisation options from the get-go giving you much control over your site. It is part of a healthy ecosystem offering 40,000+ modules and more than 2,600 themes to add functionality and design options to your site. Due to enforced coding standards, they are also basically guaranteed to work together.
2. Cost  – Drupal was made with fast performance a key component. Consequently, it is less resource-heavy than its competitors which is good news for hosting costs. On the other hand, being a very complicated CMS all but guarantees you will need a competent developer to both build and maintain it, and being more complicated usually requires a larger investment.
3. Site Speed – Drupal is known for producing the fastest-loading websites being less resource-intensive. Keep in mind though that just like the other CMS, it can be slowed down if best practices aren’t met.
4. Security – Security is one of Drupal’s strong suits and the CMS is very safe out of the box. Should a vulnerability be discovered, you will hear about it on the official website.
5. Support – If you have technical difficulties or questions, you can rely on the free community support that is available. Developers are less abundant than other platforms but still readily available.
6. SEO – SEO best practices are also very much built into Drupal. For example, there is a built-in caching for fast page loading times (search engines care about that) and meta tags. The platform also has extensions to further improve your SEO.
7. Ease of Use – Drupal is the most technically advanced CMS. As such, a working knowledge of PHP, HTML, and other programming languages to make any meaningful changes is required; this includes updating your site. Consequently, Drupal comes with a steep learning curve and requires the most knowledge.

Types of websites you can build with Drupal:

Drupal can be used for any type of website and is incredibly versatile. If you’re planning on building a huge site with extensive features it would be an ideal choice. However, for most businesses (who don’t require large scale sites), a simpler CMS is more than sufficient and wins out on factors such as budget and ease of use.

Final Thoughts

Drupal is great for technically complex and large scale websites as it can handle thousands of pages and high volume traffic. Being more complicated than other website platforms to set-up it tends to be more expensive but does also come with unlimited customisation options. It offers a lot out of the box, is built for speed and performance, and has great security and SEO features. At the same time, it is absolutely not suitable for beginners and requires a developer both for the build and ongoing work.

Continue reading Part Two where I will discuss Squarespace, Shopify, and Wix and provide an overall conclusion.

The post Which website platform is best for my business? (Part 1) appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

Website platform comparisons

With so many options how do you choose the best website platform for your business? We compare the most popular ones to help you decide.

In part 1 of this topic, we compared WordPress, Joomla and Drupal and now will discuss Squarespace, Shopify and Wix. 

Squarespace

The concept behind Squarespace is simple: it’s a website publishing platform that lets you build a sleek looking site without necessarily resorting to coding. It doesn’t have as large a market share as the previous 3 CMS platforms we discussed, but its popularity over the last few years has been on the rise.

1. Customisability – The number of templates available is dwarfed compared to other platforms but there is a decent range available. They are editable but unless you know how to write custom CSS you are limited to the options available in the customiser which is usually just basic things like colours and fonts. It doesn’t come with a great number of extension options either but the lack of choice makes it simple to use and appealing to beginners who want to get something up quickly and take care of ongoing management themselves.
2. Cost  – Squarespace is a fully hosted platform so you won’t have to buy web hosting. You also won’t have to invest time or money in ongoing maintenance, updates, and storing back-ups as this is all-inclusive. As for their plans, these range in price from $16 to $52 per month dependant on your needs, and being simpler to set-up, development costs to initially create a site for you should be more affordable. If you plan on selling via the site, its worth noting that payment gateways are limited and they charge a 3% transaction fee if you’re on a non-commerce plan.
3. Site Speed – Reviews demonstrate that overall, site speed is somewhat of a weak point for Squarespace. There are built-in functions but fine-tuning is not available. For most users, this isn’t a massive issue but if you’re in a competitive niche it could be a factor worth considering.
4. Security – Security on the other hand is great and is all taken care of for you by the platform. You also get an SSL certificate (adds extra security and encrypts data) included which is great for user peace of mind and is beneficial from an SEO perspective also.
5. Support – They have a support team dedicated to its own website builder as well as a library of support articles, videos, live chat, email support, and a community forum to help you build your website. Professional support beyond this is also readily available.
6. SEO – The platform has built-in SEO tools to boost your website but online reviews indicate this is both limited and not user friendly, with some sections not even using the correct terminology which can be confusing, especially for novices.
7. Ease of Use – Adding and editing content is very user friendly and requires only a small learning curve. Some (especially beginners) will most likely require professional help to initially create the site and provide some education, but most users can take care of on-going management themselves with little effort and cost, which makes it very appealing.

Types of websites you can build with Squarespace:

Squarespace is very versatile in that you can create a wide variety of sites ranging from simple one-page portfolios to fully integrated e-commerce sites. There really isn’t any limit as to what kind of site you can create, but there are limitations as to how far you can customise and add certain functionalities to it. Depending on the type of site you’re creating this will either be a non-issue or a hindrance.

Final Thoughts

Squarespace has a lot of advantages in that its very affordable to get started and a lot of the ongoing work is all taken care of for you. Additionally, its aimed at people who lack expert tech skills so has been created to be user friendly enough that you can manage it yourself. Developers love it because when they hand over the site to their client they can be confident they will have an excellent user experience. Its limited features might not be ideal for all business owners but for simpler websites and in terms of ease of use for absolute beginners Squarespace is a great choice.

Shopify

Shopify is an all-inclusive platform created specifically for e-commerce websites. At the forefront of its development is convenience, ease of use, and great support.

1. Customisability – There are hundreds of website templates to choose from which do allow for some basic customisations within the theme options itself, but further alterations to code can also be made with the help of a developer. You can also extend the functionality of the template and functions with hundreds of available free and paid apps.
2. Cost  – Shopify is a fully hosted platform so you won’t have to set-up or buy web hosting. Their plans range from $29 to $299 per month (more for large scale websites). The standard set-up is usually suitable for most small businesses but if you require paid apps to extend the functionality of your store the ongoing costs can quickly add up. On paper, the cost for Shopify can appear expensive compared to other platforms but the appeal is that most people can manage the site themselves and not have to worry about any maintenance. Depending on how far you want to customise the theme, initial development is usually very affordable not being as complicated as other platforms to set-up.
3. Site Speed – Performance is mostly taken care of for you already and generally site speed for Shopify sites is very good. Users can improve things even further by other factors such as choosing a quality theme, limiting apps, and optimising images.
4. Security –This too is completely taken care of by the platform. All sites get an SSL certificate (adds extra security and encrypts data) included which is great for user peace of mind and is beneficial from an SEO perspective also. Shopify is known for always keeping their security systems up to date with best practice.
5. Support – This is another great feature of Shopify as they provide 24/7 support via live chat, phone, email, and Twitter. For users who want to fix things on their own, Shopify offers extensive documentation, how-to guides, knowledgebase, video tutorials, and forums. There’s also an abundance of developers available when you need professional assistance.
6. SEO – Being an e-commerce specific platform, Shopify structures its SEO around ranking for products, which makes it terrific for that purpose. The built-in SEO functionality is strong and can be extended further if necessary with apps. A big part of how Shopify lets you arrange sites is with categories which is not only great for your users but search engines love it too.
7. Ease of Use – An easy to use drag and drop interface makes it ideal for those who are looking for something that is quick and easy to learn and manage themselves. Managing your products, sales, and inventory inside Shopify is also user friendly, and being an all-in-one solution makes it very convenient. Most people will need a developer to build their site and some initial education is required to learn its ongoing management, but even non-techy people can quickly get started with this platform.

Types of websites you can build with Shopify:

Shopify is a website platform designed specifically for online stores and can cater for small businesses right up to enterprise-level sites with thousands of products. It’s completely scalable so you can adjust your plan accordingly as your business grows. If e-commerce is your primary focus, Shopify is a great choice.

Final Thoughts

As a dedicated e-commerce platform, Shopify comes with a range of integrated store management tools; inventory management, statistics, marketing solutions, and more. It also handles all the technical parts of your store which means you don’t ever have to worry about maintenance. It’s completely scalable and can grow as your business does. Like anything, there is a learning curve involved but it is very user friendly (even for complete beginners) and Shopify support is excellent. One disadvantage is you don’t have full control over everything and additional costs for apps can quickly add up which can make it expensive for start-ups.

Wix

Wix hosts a whopping 110 million websites; its popularity attributed to providing a website builder that is all-inclusive and is quick and affordable to set-up.

1. Customisability – There are hundreds of templates to choose from but there isn’t much control over advanced features. You can access the code behind your site for greater customisation but this will require the help of a developer. Building tools including a drag-and-drop editor make it easy for beginners to design pages and there are also hundreds of third-party apps to extend the functionality of your site. One downside is that you can’t switch templates after your site has been published and if you do switch you’ll lose your content and have to start over.
2. Cost  – Wix has a free plan, but only if you use a Wix subdomain (e.g., yourwebsite.wix.com) and this also comes with limited functionality and display ads that you have no control over. The paid plans (to remove the above) range from $11 – $35 per month; the higher your plan, the more features you unlock. As a fully hosted platform, you won’t have to set-up or buy web hosting or worry about ongoing maintenance. Wix is also appealing to some as you can usually build the site yourself without the help of a developer at all, saving on initial set-up costs.
3. Site Speed – Being fully hosted the servers are optimised specifically for Wix websites which is an advantage. However, Wix sites run off lots of Javascript so their speed tests are a bit different than others. The sites respond quickly initially, but can sometimes be a little sluggish to load in full.
4. Security –  This too is also managed by the platform and all websites come with an SSL certificate (adds extra security and encrypts data) included in all their plans which is great for user peace of mind and is beneficial from an SEO perspective also.
5. Support – Wix provides free help by phone and email, plus hundreds of articles and videos are available to help you build your site. If you get stuck, you can also submit your question to the forum. Answers are usually prompt but sometimes a bit of email back and forth can occur until the issue is solved. Wix isn’t very popular with developers so finding professional help might not be as easy, but usually, you can solve any issues via the aforementioned avenues anyway.
6. SEO – Wix has a lot of SEO features built-in and there are apps available if you need guidance or keyword support but it is limited. If most of your leads come from word of mouth, referrals, social media, etc. then people should be able to find you when they google your business specifically, but if you rely on non-branded organic searches you will have a serious disadvantage.
7. Ease of Use – Wix is generally known to be easy to use for everyone with a quick learning curve. Most people can manage both the build and ongoing management of a Wix site so that and the associated savings are what makes Wix particularly appealing to those on a small budget.

Types of websites you can build with Wix:

Wix is suitable for anything from personal online portfolios to small business and e-commerce websites. It doesn’t accommodate larger more complex sites though and customisation and functionality options are limited so it usually appeals to small businesses and start-ups with a limited budget and who are happy to go with something fairly simple.

Final Thoughts

Because you can build a site with Wix cheaply, its a great platform to at least get you online if you have a very limited budget. It’s also handy that all the tech side of things is taken care of and you can manage ongoing changes and updates yourself. Should your business expand in the future though you might outgrow it and end up spending more anyway on a re-design. Like all things, you get what you pay for.

How to choose the best website platform for your business

Now that we’ve covered 6 of the most popular platforms, which one is the best?

All have pros and cons and which one is best is dependant on a number of factors such as your needs, budget, time, and skills. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help narrow down the list:

• What is the primary goal of your website?
• Do you want full control over the design and/or functionalities or are you willing to have some restrictions?
• Budget: how much can you invest in the build and ongoing maintenance?
• Are you tech-savvy enough to use this platform, or willing to pay someone else to manage it for you?
• How much time are you willing to invest in education if you want to manage the site yourself?
• Growth: Is the platform adaptable should your business grow and expand?

What’s our favourite platform?

Of all 6 platforms discussed, WordPress, Squarespace, and Shopify stand out for me as favourites.

If you’re looking for a versatile, fully customisable, adaptable and professional website within a reasonable budget you really can’t go passed WordPress; there’s a reason that it powers almost 1 in 3 websites across the globe… Nuff said

For those who have smaller budgets and a simpler website is sufficient, then Squarespace is a great alternative. With everything all-inclusive, no maintenance, and the ability to take care of ongoing management yourself, its no wonder its popularity over the last few years has continued to rise.

Finally, if you’re building an e-commerce site specifically and want an all-inclusive solution that you can manage yourself and not worry about maintenance, then Shopify is a great choice. Yes, the costs to run it can add up depending on how far you push it, but what you get in return is really great value for money.

We hope this article helps you to choose the best website platform for your project and of course if this is something we can help you with, feel free to get in touch!

The post Which website platform is best for my business? (Part 2) appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

How often should you redesign your website?

I realise the bias in a web developer writing this article but how often you should redesign your website is a question I get asked a lot, more so in the last few years. With design & technology trends evolving so quickly it doesn’t take long for even the best designs to start looking dated.

Gone are the days of set & forget websites where you could launch and consider a revamp a few years later. In order to stay current, our websites need to as well.

We all know how important first impressions are and your website is often the first place people will go to check out your business before making contact. When it comes to websites, people do judge a book by its cover.

So, an outdated website can often come off as unprofessional and influence how a customer perceives your business.

Personally, I can’t help but wonder that if you are neglecting such a vital asset to your business, what else are you neglecting??

I know I’ve completely written off businesses before based on their website and I’m obviously not the only one…

Check out these stats:

1. It takes about 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion about your website
2. 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive
3. 75% of consumers admit to making judgements on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design.

Don’t stress, keeping your website up to date doesn’t mean that you need to invest thousands in re-developing it every few years. There are plenty of smaller things you can do to keep your website fresh and get the most out of your original investment.

If it’s already beyond that, yes a full redesign may be on the cards (which I’ll go through further down). But first I’ll discuss some smaller things you can do to postpone that for as long as possible.

How to keep your website working well & looking great:

• As often as time allows, flick through your website and make sure you’re happy with the content. Perhaps update images with some newer ones and tweak some of the writing.
• Ensure all your products and services are up to date. Remove any you’re no longer offering and add in any new ones.
• The same goes for your portfolio, case studies etc. If these are outdated it could leave people wondering if your offerings are outdated too.
• Try to add in new testimonials/reviews when possible, they provide social proof and demonstrate that your service is still top-notch. If you don’t have any, ask for them! Not many people will just leave you a review of f their own bat, you need to ask for one.
• If you have a FAQ section, keep it updated! Not only is it very helpful but it can actually save you time as well if you’ve already answered a customer’s question before they even contact you. It also demonstrates that you care about their questions and concerns.
• SEO Optimisation is constantly evolving. Have a look through your SEO settings from time to time and make sure they’re in line with current best practices.
• If you have a blog, use it! It’s great for content marketing and can also be very helpful to your customers. More importantly, one of the things that can affect your organic google ranking is how often your website is updated. A website that is regularly updated with fresh content will have better results than one that has been left neglected. This article from reliablesoft.net explains this really well along with the many other benefits of keeping your website’s content fresh.

Arrggh, but I’m too busy to do all that!

Too busy working in your business to work on your business? I get it and am totally guilty of doing this myself; I’m sure all business owners are from time to time.

Truth is though you’re really doing yourself a disservice by neglecting it and probably missing out on opportunities to improve. You need to find a way to make it a priority. Pick a day each week, fortnight or at the very least month, that you can reserve for working on your website. The amount of time you should invest will vary depending on your industry and niche.

Not your strong suit or you just don’t have time to learn?

Fair enough; but then it’s time to delegate or outsource.

While at first, it might seem as though you’re spending more dollars (and eating into your profits), delegating can actually save or even generate money. The work is getting done, (and probably quicker and better) whilst your time is better invested in doing what you do best. Stay in your zone of genius, and let someone else take care of the areas that aren’t.

You can outsource virtually everything these days including:

• Copywriting & content marketing (writing blog articles, newsletters and the like)
• Social media management
• Graphic design for use on your website and other advertising mediums
• Website Maintenance & Updates – A service we happen to offer; check out the details here. Yep, totally a blatant shameless plug

So how often should you completely redesign your website?

There isn’t a fixed time frame as it really depends on your industry. So instead, here is a list of questions to help determine if a re-development should be in the pipeline:

1. Is my website mobile-friendly? This is a big one. For many industries, over half of your website traffic is coming from mobile phones. So if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, don’t even bother reading the rest of these questions. You need to get your website redesigned ASAP!
2. Is my website better or at least on par with my competitor’s websites?
3. Has the number of people visiting my website increased, or at least remained constant?
4. Am I proud to share my website?
5. Do my customers compliment my website?
6. Does my website align with my branding, methodology, and business goals?
7. Is my website attracting my ideal clients?
8. Does my website still meet the needs of my business?

As you’ve probably surmised if you answered “yes” to most or all of these questions, your site is in great shape. If you answered “no” then you should seriously consider a redesign.

Shameless plug #2

At Rivmedia Web Design, we don’t just create websites that only you will love, but that your customers will love too!

So if you’re considering a redesign, why not check out our web design service and see if we’re a good fit for you and your business.

The post How often should you redesign your website? appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

Mobile-friendly website:
How does yours measure up?

You may already be aware that your website should… no must be mobile-friendly these days.

Not only will Google penalise your site in their search results if it isn’t, but in the fast-paced, impatient society we live in, visitors to your site might punish you too.

When a website isn’t mobile responsive you’re forced to have to try and zoom in to be able to read small text, links are a pain to click on and sometimes content isn’t even viewable on the screen.

As a result, most users get frustrated, give up, and leave.

So not only are these websites losing customers but this can also affect what’s called “bounce rate.” Basically this is a percentage that is calculated based on how much time a visitor stays on your site. The longer they stay, the better the bounce rate which is another factor that contributes to how your website shows up in search engine results.

If people are abandoning your site quickly, google will see that as a sign that your website isn’t very useful and your rankings can drop even further.

The solution is straightforward; your website simply has to be mobile-friendly, or be prepared to suffer the consequences.

Some developers are able to convert a website to a mobile-friendly one, but often it’s just easier to start again and a fresh look never hurts anyway.

Yes, it does mean you have to spend more money, but what will it cost you if you don’t?

More Helpful Links

Here are some related articles you might find useful:

• Mobile-Friendly Test – This test will analyze a URL and report if the page has a mobile-friendly design.
• Google Webmaster Central Blog – Helping users find mobile-friendly pages

Need help ensuring you have a mobile-friendly website?

Rivmedia Web Design specialises in creating and maintaining high-quality, purpose-driven websites that convert visitors into customers. Get in touch with us today and let’s chat about how you can get the most out of your website.

The post Do you have a mobile-friendly website? appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

New website. Now what?

So you’ve got yourself a brand new website, or perhaps you’ve had one for a while now but not much is happening?

The Internet is one of the easiest methods of connecting with your target group of customers and is the method through which many of your potential and future customers will do their research on you. However, a website is not a magic wand that will instantly create business and sales. You have to work at it, build onto it, promote it, and work to increase its ranking in the Google search system.

Having a well-designed website (both in appearance and functionality) used to be enough on its own to get top ranking websites but over the years google algorithms have changed, become more sophisticated and a lot more demanding. So be prepared to be patient, especially if you have lots of competition as climbing up the google ranks can take time, from weeks to months, even longer depending on your niche.

Here are some steps to help you climb the google ladder:

1. Build Your SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the way in which online search engines such as Google decide what sites to show people when they search for something on the Internet. As your website is already complete I won’t discuss on-page SEO but there are things you can do to help improve your website’s online presence.

Backlinks – You must add relevant links back to your page throughout the web; these are called “backlinks.”

“www” stands for World Wide Web – Web being the operative word. No website was meant to be an island, but rather a part of a much larger interconnected “web” which is why google favours sites that advocate this. Plus, the number of backlinks your site has is an indication of its popularity and importance. Think about it, if another website links to you they obviously see your site as valuable and relevant, so google will recognise that also. Keep in mind, that backlinks need to be quality backlinks, that is, they are relevant and from reputable websites themselves. So don’t fall for shoddy backlink campaigns or link exchange scams! – Poor quality backlinks can actually do more harm than good, so be selective!

Where can you get backlinks from?

• Guest posts – A common method for getting backlinks is by writing guests posts on other reputable websites in your niche. This method has been quite abused of late but done correctly can give your site a boost, as well as make you an authority in your niche and hopefully get targeted referral traffic too. Here’s a fantastic article on writing guests posts to help guide you – The Definitive Guide to Guest Blogging by Brian Dean
• Directories – There are heaps that are available that have both free and paid options but these are to be used with caution; like backlinks from poorly ranked sites, directory listings can sometimes be harmful too so try to stick to those that are well known with good page ranks. You also need to check if these links from directories (and all websites) are actually counted too as some add what is called a no-follow link which means google doesn’t even count it as a backlink. If you can find locally based directories obviously that’s a big bonus too. You could also consider local business chambers, council business directories, and so on.
• Provide Testimonials – All businesses love displaying testimonials on their website and will often include a link to the provider’s website to prove that it is genuine, so take the time to write some. In doing so they will probably write a testimonial for you in return also which has extra valuable benefits in itself!
• Blog Reviews – Find quality blogs within your niche and contact them about what product or service you provide. Offer them a freebie product or service in exchange for a mention on their blog or better still, perhaps even writing a review about it. Don’t just straight out ask for a link though as that’s spammy and could violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
• Google My Business Profile – You’ll need a Google My Business profile to set up your Google My Business business page (I will discuss further down) so it’s worth setting one up. Within the about section of your profile you can write about yourself and what you do… and guess what, include links to your website!

There are a lot more methods you can use to get backlinks but personally I find the above the quickest and simplest, so get on it!

2. Get your Social Media Sorted

Social media activity can be used as an indicator to search engines for a website’s credibility and popularity, as well as help determine which sites are relevant based on the given keyword search. That combined with the popularity of social media sites these days highlights the importance of having a social media presence. Which platforms (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) you use will depend on your business type, but Google My Business is one I would strongly recommend.

Google My Business may not be as popular as other social media platforms, however having a Google My Business page will help your google ranking and is a lot more important than most people realise. I have another article which discusses Google My Business and it’s importance here, but in the meantime here are some quick steps to get you started:

If you don’t have a physical location (i.e. you work from home or just operate online) you can still claim a page and simply select “I deliver goods and services to my customers at their location.” You will still need to fill in your address, but only your suburb will be displayed to the public. Do this as soon as you can as Google will actually send you a validation code via snail mail to verify your business and this can take a couple of weeks.

Click here to Claim Your Google My Business Business Page

3. Ask for Reviews

An online review is equally important as a personal recommendation these days and when people are looking for information about your business, finding reviews can not only be a great marketing tool but it can help boost your SEO as well. The more online content that is written about your business, the more relevant it will appear to search engines, so don’t be shy about asking for reviews!

4. Google Adwords

AdWords is the name of Google’s advertising platform. In general, most people will click on the organic results over paid results, and running an AdWords campaign won’t boost your online rankings.

However, if you have room in your budget, AdWords can be a helpful option to use, particularly in the early stages of your website’s launch. Firstly, it can help drive traffic to your site that you might not have had if your page isn’t ranking well yet. And second, it helps build your brand because even if someone doesn’t click on an Ad, they may see it and remember you next time they search for your particular product or service.

You can also completely control your budget with Adwords, by setting a limit to your daily spend and then adjusting as you go.

When Can You Begin to See Results?

Again, be patient. Climbing up the google ladder takes time. Follow the above steps, build your presence on social media and keep an eye on how people interact with your website, and make changes as necessary.

Good luck!

Helpful Links

Here are some related articles you might find useful:

• Backlinko – The Definitive Guide to Guest Blogging by Brian Dean
• Smart Passive Income – Your Website Is Up—Now What? 5 Things You Can Do To Market and Promote Your Website
• Search Engine Watch – 30 Free Ways To Market Your Small Business Site
• Forbes – 10 Proven Ways To Market Your Website

Still need help with your new website?

Rivmedia Web Design specialises in creating and maintaining high-quality, purpose-driven websites that convert visitors into customers. Get in touch with us today and let’s chat about how you can get the most out of your website.

The post New Website Now What? appeared first on Rivmedia Web Design.

Free DIY Website Builders – Pros and Cons

When creating a website for your business, the first important decision you will make is what platform you will choose (CMS, HTML, etc.) and if you’re going to try to build it yourself or hire a professional.

When it comes to the platform, check out the following article on how to choose which one is best for your business:

Which website platform is best for my business? (Part 1)

“Limited Budget” is often synonymous with new businesses, so free DIY website builders can be understandably quite appealing. There are many pros and cons to using a free website builder, which we will discuss in this post.

Pros

• It’s free, obviously. Every new business or start-up is carefully counting their dollars, so a free website can leave what money you do have available to invest in other things.
• DIY website builders usually don’t require any coding and are designed for people who might only have basic computer and word processing skills. Depending on your skill level you may need to educate yourself through some online articles/forums, but generally, this should be minimal.
• They are often built to be customisable by the user, and depending on the platform can sometimes be optimised for mobile devices.
• Some offer third party widgets or apps to be applied to your site, making it easier to run and add extra functionality.

Cons

• Most free websites are free because they offer low-quality materials and functionality and/or include their own URLs and branding. Furthermore, they often have a limited amount of templates for free accounts so many websites can often start looking very similar. This can greatly affect the first impressions that people will get from your business.
• If you want to remove the platform’s branding or have your own URL in the majority of cases you have to pay for that privilege so they don’t end up being free anyway.
• If you have absolutely no experience in making a website, or anything related to computers, then even the easiest to use templates and interfaces could be very time consuming and tedious to learn how to use.
• The point of every website is not just to look great but be functional. With free website builders, you may be sacrificing functionality for price and your customers may get frustrated and look to your competition instead.
• Just because the free DIY website builders don’t cost you anything does not mean that it is a good value for money. The above-listed cons could seriously damage your credibility and ability to turn clicks into purchases.
• Switching hosts and moving your website is a massive pain in the butt, so if you plan on using a free website just for now and upgrading later when you’re making more money, you’ll probably regret it.

Conclusion

If you have read to this point you will hopefully agree that free DIY websites aren’t the best option for your business; at the end of the day, you get what you pay for and consider this; if something can be given away for free, what is it worth?

However, perhaps you’re still saying, “but that doesn’t change the fact that I have a very tight budget and can’t afford a professional designer. I have no choice right now.”

Not true!

I’ve been in your shoes so believe me I understand, my first website was actually one of those free Yahoo Geocities static websites (years and years ago!!) I think it may have even had a flashing star background; it makes me cringe just thinking about it… But at the time I had no money and no other option!

It’s actually one of the reasons that I get the most satisfaction with working with new and small businesses. These days, you have to have an online presence, but I genuinely appreciate that not everyone can easily budget for a quality website, particularly when you’re just starting out which is precisely why I offer flexible payment options to help you get the website you want without having to compromise because of financial restraints.

Ready to get a professional website?

Great! Welcome to the big leagues!

Rivmedia Web Design specialises in creating high-quality, purpose-driven websites that convert visitors into customers. Get in touch with us today and let’s chat about getting your dream website up and running.

Helpful Links

Here are some related articles you might find useful:

• Start Digital – Why you shouldn't use a DIY website builder
• Web Savvy Marketing – Why DIY Websites Are Many Times a Horrible Mistake
• Flying Solo – The REAL Reason Why Free Website Builders Suck…

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Does Your Business Need a Website?

So it goes without saying that as a web designer I’m obviously biased when it comes to this topic. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that there are numerous points here that all businesses cannot afford not to consider.

If you are a new business owner, you are trying to navigate the treacherous waters of marketing and advertising, branding, and creating an image that people learn to trust and believe in.

In the world of the Internet and technology, a website is one of the first things that you should create. It may be a significant investment at first, but without a website, your business is going to be seriously lagging behind the competition. A website can be your single most important tool in expanding your business.

If you’re not online, you don’t exist

We all remember how vital mediums such as the Yellow Pages used to be for business – remember the not happy Jan commercials? lol.

Then came the internet and a massive disruption to the status quo. the vast majority of consumers will go online now to find local businesses, but more than that, they will also use your online presence as a source of information to “suss you out” before getting in touch. If you can’t be found online, you may as well not exist and your potential customers will go to your competition instead.

Lends credibility to Your business

Today, when your potential customers are looking for a product, they first go to Google. If you do not have an online presence, not only will you lose potential customers, but your customers will think that you are outdated and out of touch with their needs.

A website will give your business credibility in the modern consumer’s mind and an attractive, strategically designed website will of course draw in even more credibility.

It can actually save you time and money

Many people have the misconception that a website is a marketing tool alone, which is far from true! In addition to being an effective marketing tool and another avenue of income should you sell through it, your website can actually save you time and money. It can provide your customers with all the information they are looking for and at the same time, pre-qualify them before they get in touch with you.

Just think how much time you would save in emails and calls if the information customers seek is readily available to them online? And at the same time, if the products and services you provide aren’t quite right for them they won’t waste your time in getting in touch with you to begin with!

Keeps customers informed

Your website is really the first thing that people will see and gives the first sense of what your company does and sells. Customers will rarely come into your office, or call you for information nowadays. Rather, they look for your website. They can find most of the information that they want and need from you.

With email newsletters customers can sign up for, you can keep your customers up to date with the latest information from your brand, whether you want that to be weekly, monthly, or any other period of time. You can keep your customers involved and informed on the goings of your business without having to take too much time out of your schedule.

Showcase Your individuality

A website is how you will make yourself stand out from the crowd, and show what makes you a better option than your competition. This is vitally important in the world of Google searches, where hundreds of thousands of businesses will all be vying for the attention of your customers.

If you merely do what is expected of you, and blend in with the rest of the crowd, your business will flop. You must be able to show why customers should spend their money and time on you, rather than the other businesses in the market. Your website is the strongest way to do this.

Targets a wider market

A website will be able to spread all over the Internet, and all over the world. There are no borders to the Internet. This means that your market is instantly broadened by having a website. You have the possibility of meeting with customers from every continent, and being able to easily communicate with them. You are no longer limited to your country, but your market is the international market.

Without a website, you are limited to your local area, with only traditional methods of marketing available to you and your business.

Helpful Links

Here are some related articles you might find useful:

• Do You REALLY Need A Business Website? For the vast majority of businesses, the answer is yes! Your website is important as the hub of your online presence for your business. But just having a website won’t cut it anymore…
• 6 Reasons Why a Website is Important for your Business If you have a business and don’t have a website, you are losing out on great opportunities for your business…

Decided you need a website?

Great! Welcome to the big leagues!

Rivmedia Web Design specialises in creating high-quality, purpose-driven websites that convert visitors into customers. Get in touch with us today and let’s chat about getting your dream website up and running.

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