Have you ever run across this website design faux pas? You’re at work, taking a few minutes to relax and surf the internet. You click on a page that looks interesting….and all of a sudden, your monitor explodes into a cacophony of flashing lights and blaring music.

It’s clear that someone wanted their web design to get noticed. It got noticed all right–almost at the expense of you job. What are the odds that you’ll point your browser back to that site anytime soon?

Whether you’re planning a website design to post family information or to advertise your small business, a professional designer can help you steer clear of design taboos and put together a site that is both attractive and informative.

Web Design Advice from the Experts

There are some secrets experts know that can help you create a better website design:

1) Create pages that will load quickly. Visitors may get tired of waiting for a complicated landing page to load and will surf away without ever viewing your content.

2) Make sure your graphics are relevant to the content. If you have a professional site about food preparation, for instance, don’t use it to post pictures of your children and pets.

3) Use audio sparingly and always give the viewer a chance to opt out.

4) Select a standard page layout–make it clean and easy to navigate.

5) Limit the number of fonts you use and avoid unusual fonts that may be difficult to read.

6) Post useful content that educates and entertains the reader.

A professional website designer can save you time. quickly putting together pages that you might have had to struggle over for days or even weeks.

Call us and let us take this burden off your shoulders. We’ll make you look good!

Follow these simple tips to help prospective clients with the online buying process:

Review your Online Sales Process

As you put together the information to display on your website, sit down with your best sales people or hire a marketing expert. Walk through the steps from first interaction to making the sale. Make sure that your website highlights strong selling points for your product or service. Tell a story that answers questions about your approach and what your organization represents. Provide the answers to questions that affect the decision process without an emphasis on making the sale. In other words be the expert, help the potential client see why he should hire or buy from you.

View the Site from your Client’s Perspective

Ask a friend to approach your site as if they were shopping for your solution. Ask them to be completely objective and imagine that you are unfamiliar with your industry. Do a Google search for your site rather than going directly to the address – Can you find your company among the competition? If not, it might be time to consider looking into SEO (search engine optimization) methods to increase your online visibility.

Organize your Information

When reviewing your website, is it easy to understand what issues your company offers solutions for? Have you ever gone to a website and left it without a clue as to what they do? Make sure that your site is organized so visitors can easily navigate through each topic. If you provide solutions to different types of customers, speak clearly to each audience. Site visitors go through a website the same way they read a book; from left to right. Do you have a navigation bar across the top of your site that holds all the major topics a client would be looking for?

Show – Don’t Tell

Walk your visitors through your website to show them how you set yourself apart from the competition. Use photos so site visitors can visualize how your business can help solve their problem. Create short videos to provide a tour of the latest product or new service you offer. Keep your visitors informed on what you have been up to and how you stay ahead of the crowd with a frequently updated blog.

Build Trust

Are site visitors able to get a sense of how your business handles a project? You can establish credibility by providing testimonials to give clients an idea of how they can expect to be treated.  Add case studies to show how you worked through previous projects, how you handled any challenges that came up, and showcase the successful results.

While some companies might be concerned about overloading their clients with too much information, it’s important to answer the all of their vital questions. For example, if you don’t display pricing online, try offering a Request for Quote form, or clearly outlining how to contact your sales team for that information. You don’t want clients to leave your site frustrated from not being able to find the information they need. Having a clearly laid out plan to tell your story online will move the sales process forward and create more business for your organization.

Website maintenance may seem like drudgework, the housework of websites, but the importance of regular maintenance for your website cannot be emphasized enough.  As your business’s online presence, your website speaks for you, getting your message out to prospective customers.  Keeping your site running smoothly can mean more sales, which means increased profits for you.

The mistake that most people make when approaching a business website is believing that putting it together and getting it up and running is all that’s necessary.  In reality, this is only the first step.  Just as you need to continually turn over inventory and adjust prices in a storefront, the same is true of your website.  You need to keep the content fresh and your prices competitive in order to be successful.

That’s where regular website maintenance comes in.  Updating the content of the site, changing the products you offer and implementing special online pricing or other deals is all a part of maintaining a thriving business.  There are thousands of sites out there and in order to ensure that yours can compete, you need to keep ahead of the trends and on target with your image.

Search engine optimization is what drives customers to your site and part of regular maintenance is making sure that your site is set up to make the best use of current SEO strategies to give you a leg up in the marketplace.  You also need to maintain an open line of communication with your customers, which means having a place for customer feedback, reading that feedback and acting on it on a regular basis.

Of course, all of the extra effort involved in website maintenance can be time consuming.  That’s why so many companies tend to neglect it, choosing instead to focus their efforts on other areas.  But there is no reason for you to let your website suffer even if you don’t personally have the time or manpower to dedicate to maintaining it.

There are many companies out there whose sole focus is on providing quality, expert maintenance for business websites.  These are trained professionals who are up on the latest technological trends and can put them to work for you quickly and easily.  They can do everything from updating content to changing your website design to maximizing SEO positioning.

And with a website maintenance company working to keep your site looking its best, you can be free to spend your time growing your business in other ways.  It’s a convenient and cost effective solution that can reap tremendous financial rewards for you in the long run.  There’s really no down side to considering a maintenance company for your site.

Your website is a living entity and you need to make sure that you are doing everything you can to cultivate it properly so that it will grow and thrive.  Whether you handle maintenance in house or hire an outside firm, don’t skimp on the details; they can be your business’s key to success.

An internet marketing guru used to say that the formula for profitable website design is “eyeballs + heart = money.”

He meant that your website has to capture someone’s attention (eyeballs) and win their interest (heart) in order to get them to buy from you or take action (money).

Winning eyeballs means having a site that is visually appealing. It uses a nice color scheme, the elements on a page are easy to spot, and when someone is looking for a particular kind of information, that information is easy to find.

Winning hearts means having great content that exactly meets the visitor’s needs. How do you know what they need? You’ll do the research in your industry to know what kinds of challenges they have and solutions they’re looking for. Then you’ll do keyword research to find the search terms someone would use to find those solutions. Then you’ll salt your site with those keywords. You’ll also provide excellent content that relates to their challenges and positions you or your company as an expert.

Winning money can mean buying something from your site. It can also mean getting someone to take an action, like click a “like” button, input his or her email address, or call you.

How Do You Know What’s Working or Not?

Great website design isn’t just measured by how well it gets people to take action. After all, if a website doesn’t win money and that’s your only measure of success, how will you know what to fix? It might be one small detail that’s causing the failure, or it could be a whole mess of things. If you’re only measuring one variable (money), you’ll be changing things at random trying to correct the problem.

A Better Way to Figure Out What Works

Measuring your website design involves using site analytics and studies in website interaction.  Through something like Google Analytics, you can know how long someone spends on your page, where they came from and where they go to next, what pages most interest them, what keywords they used to get there, and so on.

Your website hosting account should give you easy access to the “back end” of your website. That will allow you to do “split tests” and change variables in color, placement of elements, and offers. If a blue banner doesn’t work, maybe a red one will.

Finally, great website design does you no good if your hosting company isn’t reliable. Website hosting companies can vary. You want to use one that has a high (99%+) up time, plus large or unlimited disk space and bandwidth. Many hosting companies also offer add-on features that can make your life easier, such as WordPress hosting, apps, and user-friendly site management features.

With a great design and a reliable host, you’re on your way to internet success!

NCWS 530-477-6293

WordPress web design has taken the idea of building a business website and almost literally given it wings.  Not only does it allow you to reach the glass ceiling, it can help you burst right through and get your message across to thousands of potential clients around the world.  It’s the technological boost that businesses need to succeed in the next generation.

So what exactly is WordPress?  It is a content management system, or CMS, which was originally developed in 2003 as a way of facilitating the growing blogging niche.  As more and more people became interested in creating and maintaining their own blogs, they began looking for a coding system that would make the process quick and easy.  WordPress provided the answer they were looking for. 

With a simple program that can be downloaded on any PC in a matter of minutes, WordPress allows you to take complete control of your blog, giving you the ability to post your content in a clean, easy to read and access format.  And now WordPress web design has extended that technology to provide the same kind of formatting ability for websites.

Of course, you may still be scratching your head when it comes to figuring out the ins and outs of web design or maybe you just can’t afford to take the time away from running your business.  Fortunately, there are options for that too with companies that help facilitate your WordPress web design.  For a minimal fee, you can leave the details up to them and reap the benefits of a fully functional site using WordPress technology.

Because WordPress takes all of your design needs into consideration, you can rest easy knowing your business is in good hands.  Not only will your site be searchable, it will be easy to navigate and allow your customers to interact with you seamlessly.  And having your WordPress based design handled by trained experts means one less hassle for you to deal with.

In order for your business to be successful, you need to have a website that draws customers in and keeps their attention. WordPress web design helps you achieve this goal with a minimal amount of effort.  Everything you need for the best in website design is right there at your fingertips with the most popular blogging and design software on the market today.

Successful business begins with using the right tools.  In today’s technological world, that means a program to help you put together the most professional website possible. Don’t leave your business up to chance; get your message out there loud and clear with WordPress and you’ll marvel at the results. 

Call us for a free no hassle quote 888-271-6355

A lot of people have become rich by unlocking the mysteries and secrets of internet marketing. Who are these people and what are they doing?

• They are people selling online information products, like ebooks, training courses, and online membership programs.
• They are local business owners who’ve unlocked the social media market to attract customers to their business.
• They are companies and individuals who’ve created online stores to sell products and services to people all over the world. 
• They are ordinary folks who join auction sites.
• They are even people who have no products or services themselves, but make use of affiliate programs to sell other people’s products and services.

If you want to be successful at selling through the internet, the good news is that there are now roadmaps to guide you. The roadmaps can be complex, to be sure, but with a serious focus on educating yourself, you can succeed.

The First Step to Marketing on the Internet

No matter what kind of business you have, your internet marketing efforts will probably involve your website, blog or a webpage.  For that reason, it’s important to understand SEO.

Search Engine Optimization used to be something your webmaster handled for you. Now every person who wants to put themselves out on the internet and isn’t using a webmaster needs to understand it. SEO consists of organic ways of improving the visibility of your website or web pages in search engine page results.

To search engine optimize your site, you have to understand keywords (what people are searching for), basic web page structure and how search engines use that structure (meta data), and how the search engines rank pages (frequency and kind of content updates, the quality of incoming links to your website from outside sources). 

Once you’ve optimized your site, the next step is getting people to visit your site and link to you. That’s internet marketing.

What Kinds of Things Can You Do to Marketing Your Website?

You can use these marketing techniques to promote your website online:

• Paid advertising like pay-per-click, context ads, and paid inclusion in high-profile directories.
• Social media marketing through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and hundreds of specialized social media sites. Hint: create a social media plan that updates your information across all your chosen social media platforms automatically, daily.
• Article marketing that demonstrates your expertise and links directly to a free resource.
• Joint ventures with other internet marketers who help you by promoting you to their email list.
• Affiliate marketing, where you get other people to promote your products for a split of the profit. If it’s an ebook or ecourse, you can include your product in an affiliate directory, such as Clickbank.

The key to your success will be finding a roadmap that makes sense for you. You may be tempted to do all of these at once. If you’re new to internet marketing, that could be overwhelming.

The right path is to get your website house in order first by doing Search Engine Optimization. Then pick one of the marketing approaches above and focus for a while. When you’ve had some success you can move on to the next approach

Keep it short

Although you can now register a name with up to 63 characters, you have to keep in mind that people need to be able to remember it, and easily type it into their browser. Try to register the shortest name that your customers and visitors will associate with your Website. The general rule of thumb is, keep it under ten characters if possible. (Not including the suffix.)

Dot com, net, org, etc.

There are many different extensions available right now. For businesses, we recommend a .com. It is the first extension that most people try when searching for a Website.

Register Your Domain ASAP!

Domain names are being snatched up fast. So don’t wait too long or you’ll be saying “oh, that’s the one that got away…”  You do not have to have a Webmaster or a Web design consultant, you don’t even need a Web page! Just register before you lose the opportunity to get the name you really want.

One May Not Be Enough

Sometimes, it isn’t a bad idea to register several similar domain names. If you have “yourname.com”, register “yourname.net” so no one else takes it. You can register your full company name and a shorter, easier to remember version. For instance nevadacountywebsurfer.com is too long so we shortened it to ncws.com and you don’t have to have a webpage for each name, several domains can point to the same Website.

Character Types

Good tip – Domain names can only use letters, numbers, and dashes. Spaces and symbols are not allowed. Also, domain names are not case sensitive, mydomain.com is the same as MyDomain.com

Get a second opinion

When you have settled on several available name choices, see what your friends and clients have to say. A name that may make perfect sense to you may be too hard for other people to remember. Is your domain easy to say? Is it hard to spell? Do you have to explain why you chose the name?

Blogging is the go-to avenue when it comes to online marketing these days.  Used correctly, a blog can be a valuable tool for driving traffic to your site and improving your image and that of your business.  It’s all about getting yourself out there in front of potential customers and making them take an interest in what you have to offer.

In the days of standard marketing, homemade fliers or brochures or professionally designed ads placed in newspapers, magazines and other publications were the only way to go, and they generally got the job done.   But as the business world has rapidly gone cyber, so too has the field of marketing and as a result blog hosting and commenting have taken the place of traditional advertising.

Since your main audience is, for the most part, out there in cyberspace, then doesn’t it make sense to reach out to them the same way?   Blogging gives you a unique way of doing this, as it not only increases awareness of your site but also gives potential customers an idea of how you feel and think so they understand just who it is they’re dealing with.

Of course, this will only work if you approach the use of a blog in the right way.  The key is to get yourself well placed on search engines.  Choosing the right blog service is a big part of that process.  To this end, WordPress is one of the best options out there, as these sites consistently rank well in the major search engines.  A well constructed WordPress blog can increase traffic to your site dramatically.

Choosing a service is only the half the battle when it comes to blog hosting, though.  The rest of the fight lies in content.  Driving traffic isn’t just about getting your name out there in as many places as possible.  If you settle for this route, you run the risk of turning off potential customers by inundating them with basic information.  Instead, you want to draw them in for the right reasons and that means using your blog to send a message.

A blog, at its simplest, is a vehicle for getting your voice heard.  It’s your way of speaking to a widespread audience and you need to make sure that when you do speak, you get people listening.  This means crafting well thought out blog entries on subjects relevant to the service you offer.  You want entries that will make people stop and think and want to know more about you and your business.

Most people can tell the difference between someone who is blowing steam and someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.  Successful blogging means putting yourself squarely in the latter category.  That means taking time to think about what you post and stirring up stimulating conversation, which will then translate into active interest.

If you want people to be interested in what you have to offer, you need to stimulate that interest.  A blog is the perfect way to do that, by reaching out on a personal level and using your own personality and expertise to engage your potential customers.  Approach your blog the right way and you’ll see your site traffic booming in no time! Call NCWS today to get your WordPress Blog set up. 530-477-6293

A content management system, or (CMS), is software that is placed on a server for the purpose of replacing the actual web pages that would otherwise reside there. These pages are, instead, created from a database by the software. One distinct advantage of using a CMS is the ability it provides for the user to edit web content online. Other important features and functions can be added through the use of plugins, thus eliminating the need for a custom-built website.

While normal web page development is based around free-form creation, CMS software uses templates that are designed to make the task of building and maintaining a website easier. This presents another distinct advantage because here, content and page design are separate. Because of this, each is not affected by the other, which means the content of a page can be changed while the layout remains the same. Likewise, design issues can be resolved quickly and with ease.

Another advantage of using a content management system is the sheer number of pages that can be created easily. Because the CMS creates the framework, the content can easily be pasted in with minimal work. This makes it easy to create websites containing many pages and have them up and running in no time.

A content management system is important for many reasons. Altering site content has never been so easy. This gives users the ability to update content on various pages in mere minutes, the effects of which will not be lost on customers who visit the site frequently for the most recent information. This is a very important aspect of website functionality and one reason why utilizing a CMS is highly recommended.

A CMS can also make a website more affordable in terms of maintenance. The content and page layout can be maintained by the user, which eliminates high costs often charged by site development companies. Using a content management system can also give the user more control over the website as a whole. This allows for frequent content and layout updating at any time. 

Some content management systems are as easy as Microsoft Word to use. When this is the case, they are quick, easy and intuitive, affording the owner access to many powerful tools all in one location. By finding a system such as this, it will make it possible for the business owner to make site changes and update on the fly. This is important to look for in a CMS because some systems are complicated to use and aren’t user friendly. Finding one that is will save time and money both now and in the future.

Website design has become an essential part of all business today. The Internet has drastically changed the way in which even the simplest of tasks are completed. If you run a small business, you are probably faced with many important decisions related to your own web presence on a daily basis.

The key to secure business is to attract the attention of customers on a much broader scale than ever before. That is why there are several distinct advantages to seeking the assistance of someone else to custom build your website for you.

There are several benefits to deciding on custom-built pages. One benefit is the great care that will be taken to ensure each element is properly in place. All elements will be integrated in such a way that makes your website easy to navigate. A better design will appeal to anyone viewing the site and will enable customers to find everything they need quickly, thus improving your chances of getting a sale, a sign up, or whatever the desired end result may be.

Another benefit of allowing someone else to build your site is the time it will give you to take care of your business. This means you can do what you do best and someone else can take care of establishing your online presence for you, thus doing what he or she does best.

Website design is comprised of many different aspects, each of which is very important to the success of your site, and ultimately your business. Hiring a professional to take care of it for you will result in a better job all around and will enable you to concentrate on other tasks instead of learning to build a site from the ground up.

When a professional web developer builds your custom site for you, it will be both functional and eye-catching, thus making it very user friendly. When you stop to think of all the potential customers who will click on your site each day, this is an important aspect.

While developing your own website will certainly save you money, it will be to your great advantage to hire someone else to do it for you. Building your own site will also prevent you from being able to scale your efforts so that all of your earnings may be maximized. This is an important aspect to consider, especially if you will require multiple sites

Doing it yourself can also result in all your sites looking very similar. Perspective is good and another person might be able to add that to the mix.

The pros and cons of choosing custom website design versus those of doing it yourself can make for a difficult decision, but there are certainly many advantages of hiring a professional web developer. It is important to first assess your budget so you will know how much money you have to spend. Remember, you are making an investment that will benefit you for many years to come as both your website and small business evolve into the great money-makers you envisioned.