September Special

We have been busy!  August was non-stop fun around here - cool client project, our own inspired creations... just no time for new thing and so, (as you may have noticed) no August special.

Now we are wrapping up projects and ready to take on new challenges in September - so bring us your ideas!

But what's the September special?  I don't know... I've thought quite a bit about it and I'm just not sure what to offer.  So, this month you choose the special!

You can choose from any special we've offered so far this year OR choose a service that has not had a special associated with it yet this year and get a 25% discount.

If you have an idea for a website, web app or mobile app tell us about it and we will give you a free bid for developing that site/app.  Then you can apply any special to it.  And consultations are always free!

Be sure to visit our site for more about our services, read testimonials, and see our portfolio.

June Special

For June 2016 ALL SERVICES are 25% OFF!  Yes, custom websites, WordPress sites, mobile applications, SEO/Analytics packages - EVERY SERVICE 25% OFF through June!*

How it works:
1) Contact us for a quote.  Tell us what you need - DO NOT tell us that you know about this special.

2) We will send you a quote for your review.

3) If you would like to proceed with your project, give us the promo code JUNE2016 and we will take 25% off the quoted price.  (If you don't remember the code, it's really not a big deal, just tell us where you saw this post).

*Mix and match our services.  You will get 25% off everything.  This offer is not good for current projects, new projects only. 

 

QoftheWeek - Color Effects

Well, I did say in the first QoftheWeek (Question of the Week) post that I probably would not
actually get around to having one question each week...

But, here is the second question in this series: Do you believe the colors in your work space make a difference on how you work? (If so, what is the color of your primary work space)?

I have read many times that the color of your work space (or any space) can effect the way you feel and your productivity.  For example, red is supposed to make you feel more aggressive, blue more calm, orange more social.  I would like to find out how many people really feel the color of their work space actually influences their mood/productivity.

As a reference:

• Red accelerates the heart rate, giving you a jolt of energy. Your eye is instantly drawn to red, and it promotes physical activity and emotion.
• Orange is a social color, encouraging interaction. It works well in meeting rooms or other social spaces, though it might not be the most productivity-inducing shade.
• Yellow stimulates creativity and optimism. If you’re a designer or creative professional, this could be your workspace accent color.
• Green behaves almost as a neutral for the human brain. It is calming, and also causes zero eye strain over long periods of time.
• Blue is the most universally productive color. Calming and stable, it helps most people focus on intensive tasks.
• Purple stimulates problem solving, despite not being a very popular color in workspace decor.
• Rainbows make us happy, creative, energetic, productive unicorns. (Okay, fine, that last one is not backed up by science.)

Please provide your answers in the comments section.

Results from April 20 Question:
Q: "What was the last app you used on your phone or tablet that WAS NOT a social media app?"

Results:
60% of the responses were 'business apps.'  The most common business app was Basecamp.  Other popular apps: TimeTrack (or other time tracking apps), cloud storage apps like Dropbox and Google Drive, and email apps. Skype for business was also mentioned.

32% used their phone / tabled for sports apps with the ESPN app taking the majority share of responses.

The final 8% was a mix of 'utility' apps.  These included the camera and apps to customize pictures, Wi-Fi phone apps and other communication apps like Skype (used for family/friend communication), apps for maps and directions, and apps for watching TV and listening to music.

My Thoughts:
Honestly, I thought the TV / video / music apps would take the number one spot!  And I was surprised that sports apps took a whole 32%!  Finally, where was Slack?  I keep reading about how Slack has taken off.  But it was not mentioned even once (and Skype was).  My only guess there is that people consider Slack a social app and not a business / communications app.

10 Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring... A time for renewal. A time for new flowers, leaves, grass. A time for... yes, cleaning. Not your house or garage - well, maybe they need it too, but I'm talking about your website. Doing some 'Spring cleaning' on your website is not only a good idea, it is critical to search engine optimization and customer retention. Here are 10 tips to help you get started with your website Spring cleaning.

1) Clean up, optimize, and change images. It is important to keep images fresh. New images can rejuvenate a site – make it look new and different. Images grab attention and with new images you can grab the attention of even regular visitors to your site. Also, pictures can become dated – hair styles, cars, and furniture can show the age of an old site. And old images may give the impression of neglect.

Images should also be optimized to reduce load time – something that can really effect how fast your pages load.

While you are reviewing images, you should also work with your developer to review the 'alt' and 'title' tags used with each image. The values used with these tags can effect search engine results.

2) Figure out which pages are performing well and which are not. Using analytics, check to see which pages are getting the most hits per month and which are getting the least. Are those least visited pages necessary? Can they be re-purposed? If they are important, maybe reworking them (images and copy) will help to boost their visits. This can create a better user experience and boost your ratings with search engines.

If pages like your 'contact' page are not getting hits, try adding call-to-action buttons to other pages that encourage visitors to request more information.

3) Check for broken links. Broken links have a big negative effect on your search engine rankings. And they are really annoying to your human visitors. Pages may have been added or deleted from your site. Are you sure that all the navigation and reference links throughout your site were updated?

It's also important to check the links to external web pages. Are the links still good? And if the links do go somewhere, are you sure those pages are still relevant?

4) Have your developer check for old code. In the past few years there have been many changes to code that can speed up website loading and response times. Studies show that users begin to lose interest in about 13 seconds. Ask your developer if any of the code can be “minified.” (He / She should know what that means).

Images can slow down a site dramatically. In most cases, there is no need to have images load below the viewable area in the browser. There are a few new methods that will load the images only as the page is scrolled and they are needed.

5) Refresh the description for products and services. Your products and services may not have changed. But, the words and phrases people use to search for them may have. Review the descriptions you use for your products/services. Make sure they include the most used search words and phrases (those keyword and phrases you're always hearing about).

6) Evaluate your product offerings. Are there products or services that just don't sell online? You may consider removing them from the site to help streamline the website as a whole. Or you may consider reordering things on catalog listing pages, moving your best selling products to the top. Or highlighting the best selling services on your home page.

If these poor performing projects/services are your highest margin offerings and you would really like to push them, can changes to their descriptions and images make them more appealing? Consider special offers and call-to-action buttons on other areas of your site to highlight these products/services.

7) Can you improve navigation. As mentioned before, visitors begin to lose interest in about 13 seconds. If they can't find what they are looking for easily, they will quickly lose interest and leave. Your navigation system should be smartly thought out. Your most important links should be in the main menu (usually at the top of the page). If you have more links than can fit nicely in the main menu, consider a secondary menu in a sidebar or in the footer – both common areas to find larger menus.

Also, if you decide to use drop-down or popup menus off the main menu, pay attention to the number of items and their order. The most visited pages should be listed at the top. Likewise, list your best selling products or services in the most prominent places in your navigation system.

8) Review links to your social media pages. Marketing through social media content is more important than ever. Internet users are much more likely to follow you on social media than to visit your site. Make sure that visitors to your site know you have a presence on their favorite social media site(s). Place social media icons in an easy to find area of each page. Make sure the links are valid. Social media sites often change their APIs. Make sure your “like” and “share” links for those sites work correctly.

9) Review your “About Us,” FAQ, and “Contact Us” pages. Does your “About Us” page include the latest information about your staff and your company? Are all the questions and answers on your FAQ page still relevant? How about the information on your “Contact Us” page?

Making your business more personable is a proven way to impress and win over clients. Put some thought into what you say about your business and your staff on your “About Us” page. Replace 'cold facts and history' with a story-like presentation. Show friendly pictures of your staff at work.

Don't let the FAQ page become bloated. This slows down performance and makes it more difficult for users to find the information they need. Remove all Q and A's that are no longer relevant. If your list is still long, try some different presentation methods and search options to make it easier for the user to find what they are looking for.

Does your “Contact Us” page have the latest information on how to contact you? Are contact forms streamline and do they work? Are all the fields relevant? Visitors are more likely to use your form if it is short and does not ask for too much personal information.

10) Streamline checkout. If your site uses a shopping cart checkout or if you allow clients to pay online, make sure this process is as streamline and simple as possible. For example, if you ask for a fax number, remove it. In 2016, it's just not needed any more. If you have separate areas for billing and shipping addresses, there should be a simple way to auto-fill one after the information is entered in the other. If you already have a button or checkbox for this, make sure it works.

When making a purchase, users expect to have to provide more information. But, this process should be as easy and quick as possible. Your visitors may put things in their shopping cart and intent to purchase. But if your checkout process is frustrating or too long, they are likely to leave. Online users have come to expect 'easy and quick.' If your process is to frustrating and long, they will go to your competitors.

A few small changes, some review time, and some quick checks can revitalize your website and your visitors experience. It's worth a little 'spring cleaning' time!

If you have questions about any of these (or other) items, please feel free to comment here, contact us on Facebook, or visit our website - which might need a little Spring cleaning too!

And if you are looking for a fresh new website this Spring, check out our March WordPress Specials!

Launching a Killer Website

Your website should serve many functions and will probably have many parts. A website can mean so much to your business, it should be a serious undertaking – have a dream, plan, design and develop, and debug. While your website can be and do many things, it should have one primary goal. That goal might be to generate leads, sell products, educate visitors, establish your company as a solid leader in your industry – whatever it is, that goal should be the focus through the design and development of every part of the site. Below are four guiding principles that can assure you have a killer website!

(1) Create Pages that Engage Readers Quickly

According to a study by Entrepreneur.com, the average first-time visitor to your site will judge your website in about two-tenths of a second! Within the next 2.5 seconds they will confirm that judgment. If it's negative, they're gone.

For many potential clients/customers, your website will be their first impression of your business. They should see a clean, organized site. Navigation should be easy to find and follow. And your site should be unique – a reflection of your brand. These strategies will help keep visitors on your site, retaining readers and possibly turning them into clients/customers.

• Grab Attention with Large Images - It's no secret that images grab attention. A large, quality images will grab attention and quickly convey your message and your site's purpose. More companies are using large photographs or even page wide videos as homepage backgrounds.

• Keep Text Short and to the Point - If Entrepreneur.com is right, you have less than three seconds to grab your visitor's attention. Long paragraphs will only discourage them from reading further. Keep your message short and clear. Use bullet points if necessary, but don't have long lists. Have a clear call-to-action link or button - “get the demo,” “buy now,” “request a quote” “get our newsletter.” Your call-to-action will depend on the goal of your site or page. But, there should be one on every page and it should be prominent.

 

• Be Smart with Colors - Color can increase brand recognition. Think about a Coke can. You probably will recognize the red can as Coke even without seeing the logo. And in the store you quickly recognize the difference between Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max just be the color of the cans/bottles. Large companies spend a lot of money on research before changing colors associated with their products. You should put some serious time and thought into your colors – what colors will be complementary and work well together? What colors will appeal to your target audience? Which colors complement the emotion you are trying to associate with your brand?

• Use Flat Design – Specifically Flat Design 2.0 - Even if you don't know what 'flat design' is, you probably know what it looks like. Since the introduction of iOS 7, iPhones and iPads have been using a flat design. And Windows 8 through 10 all use a flat design. It is the absence of drop shadows, textures and gradients. and the use of easy to read fonts. The 2.0 version of flat design uses light shadows, highlights and layers to give elements a little bit of depth. Also, you might find some elements (buttons for example) that will use a slight gradient.

(2) Be Responsive

While I have heard (pretty good) arguments that some business types do not need mobile ready sites, the fact is that mobile use is rising every year. In 2014, mobile internet usage overtook desktop usage. A Yahoo study showed that consumers spent 47% more time on mobile devices in 2015 than in 2014. Facebook reports that more users access their site from mobile devices than from desktops.

 

This all means that potential clients/customers will likely browse your company website from a smartphone or tablet and your site should be ready. Visitors who encounter sites that are not mobile friendly will likely get frustrated and form a negative opinion of your company. When visitors leave your site quickly it can increase what is know as the 'bounce rate.' And this can effect your ranking with search engines.

Fortunately, there is something called Responsive Design which allows your site to adapt to the different screen sizes of different devices. Responsive design means one site can work for the desktop, tablet and smartphone. Make sure your new or revamped site uses responsive design.

(3) Your Website Should be the Center of Attention

It is a good idea to have a business account and page with the major social media sites – Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. But your posts and status updates on these sites are just little pieces of your business – tiny morsels to wet the appetite of your potential clients/customers. Your social media posts should always point visitors to your website. This is where you will make the biggest impression.

Use your website to engage your visitors. Use blogs, photo galleries, videos, and forums to showcase projects, show your knowledge in your field, and provide customer service. Engage in real conversations with your visitors. Encourage clients/customers to share reviews or testimonials – consumers are more likely to shop on sites with personal recommendations.

All of this content and engagement will also improve SEO. Content provided by you and your clients is likely to contain keyword phrases that will help your search engine ranking. And search engines rank visitor-generated content high. Use forums, Q&A sessions, and service conversations to keep visitors on our site longer. Share links to other areas of your site as often as possible to get visitors to explore.

Your website is the most valuable piece of real estate your business has. You have full control over everything about it – use it wisely!

(4) Make It Flow

Easy site navigation was mentioned in (1) above. But, it's important enough to get its own number! If visitors can't find the information they need easily, they will leave your site. And the bad news is, they won't have the patients to look for long. You and your developer should put

serious thought into the flow of your site – which pages should get prime menu space? Which pages should be placed in dropdown or slideout menus? Which pages should be placed in secondary menus in sidebars or in the footer?

When considering how to best set up your site's navigation, consider your business type and your audience. Is there a structure that is standard for your business type – something your visitors will expect? Again, if your first-time visitors cannot find things where they expect, they won't look for long. There are other businesses that have the same products / services. If their sites are easier to navigate, they will likely capture the business. It is always important to remember, even if your site looks great, if the visitor can't find the info they are looking for, you've missed the bulls-eye.

Your website plays a significant role in building your business and your brand. Whether this is your first website or you are re-launching a site, you must spend the time and (yes) money to do it right. If not, you are missing out on the most influential marketing tool you have.

For more information on building great websites and mobile apps, visit our website at freelanceitsolutions.com.  Or contact us here.

2016 Trends in e-Commerce

As each year draws to an end, we look to the New Year for new chances, new opportunities, fresh starts. We hope that the New Year will bring us more then the closing year. And this is no different for business owners and entrepreneurs.

But, to increase your good fortune for the New Year, it's best to make plans. And to make the best, most accurate plans, it's good to know what trends are in store for the upcoming year.

After a little research, I've put together some trends in e-commerce that you should be aware of for 2016.

Start Off Right – Design Trends

A well designed site is essential to ensuring your visitors and customers enjoy shopping on

your site. Sites must:

• be modern and have a look and feel that is attractive – the 'flat design' is very common and even expected today.
• be easy to navigate – studies show visitors leave after only 12 seconds if they can't find what they are looking for!
• be trusted – if you are selling, you should have an SSL certificate or use a secure checkout portal (like PayPal).
• have a common pattern – this may be one reason WordPress sites are so common. While there are many different themes, their layout follows a typical pattern that users have become used to. Using common patterns may make 'all websites look the same.' But, studies show that they also increase customer comfort and comfortable customers are more likely to buy or follow through to requesting information or services. (I'm not saying WordPress is necessary. Any site can be made to follow the flat design that most WordPress themes use).

Pop-Up Ads – What?

Yes, pop-up ads are coming back. The once hated (well, still hated) marketing technique is making a resurgence. But wait, the pop-ups that are getting results are not the usual, annoying ads that are pushing products. Instead they are the offers of information, free downloads, discounts, and even free products when the user agrees to join a membership program or a rewards program, agrees to receive email offers, or agrees to like/share the company's social media pages/posts. Having the email address or membership information of potential buyers is a huge step towards more sales!

Mobile Will Soon be King

About 4.9 billion people worldwide own smartphones. And web browsing on mobile devices has already overtaken browsing on desktop computers. And mobile shopping is not far behind.

Nearly every kind of business-to-consumer company should have a mobile friendly (responsive) website!

Shoppers will continue to move toward the convenience of mobile shopping. Can you afford to miss out on this trend? If your competition has a mobile friendly site and you don't – you are missing out on sales! And if you are the only business in your market with a mobile friendly site, congratulations. You are winning business away from you competition!

Your Audience is Growing

Forrester Research has predicted that online consumers will spend $327 billion in 2016! And the trend for larger order size is also increasing. Trends are showing that December order size is increasing by about 10% each year ('larger order size' means dollars spent per order, not necessarily more products purchased).

Knowing that this trend for online sales is only going to increase, you really do need to make sure you are a part of it. A new, modern website is essential in converting visitors to customers. And a responsive mobile website will add to the conversion rate.

Finally, just a little about the numbers – the analytics. It is important to know how your online presence is working. Analytics can help you understand the trends for YOUR audience. With analytics you can track time spent on your site by visitors, how well your social media campaigns are doing, track the results of other marketing campaigns by tracking hits to special landing pages, and even figure out what time of the day, week or year your marketing is giving you the best ROI.

There are several analytic applications that are free, such as Google Analytics. And most have a pretty good tutorial and documentation. But, if you don't have the time, your web developer, host provider or third-party marketing expert can help you to understand just what all the acronyms and cryptic phrases mean when it comes to analytics. Believe me, it is worth looking into.

Happy New Year!

mCommerce – Why You Should Have a Mobile Site

Click for larger view.

mCommerce – sales that take place over mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, is steadily increasing. In June of this year, 55% of all online sales originated on smartphones and tablets. And 71% of those polled said that their purchases, both online and brick and mortar began on a mobile device; this includes research of products and pricing, research of businesses that sell the products, location searches and on-site product price comparisons. What does all this mean? If you do not have a mobile presence, you are missing out on sales!

There is good news... getting a mobile presence does not have to be expensive and there is still time to get something set up before the holiday season!

Yes, developing a dedicated phone or tablet app can be expensive. But, in a recent survey, responders said that they prefer shopping on mobile websites rather than dedicated apps. And developing a mobile website does not have to be expensive because you have options.

• Redesign your current site using the 'responsive web design' model. The responsive web design model uses techniques that allow you to create one site that works on many screen sizes. In the long term, this is probably the best idea for most businesses. But, it's the most expensive option and requires the most time.
• Create a dedicated site for 'small screens' – those of smartphones, tablets, and phablets. (Phablets? A phablet is a device that has a screen larger than 5 inches but less than 6.9 inches – smaller than this is a smartphone and larger is considered a tablet. A popular example of a phablet is Samsung's Note III smartphone). If you want a site ready for the holiday season, this is your best bet. It is also less expensive than a complete redesign of your website.
• Your final option is to do nothing and hope your site looks good on the plethora of connected mobile devices out there. But, unlike the early days of mobile websites, users are not willing to put up with sites that don't render well on mobile devices. Is this really a good option?

What does all this and the numbers in the accompanying infographic really mean? It means if you have a business that targets public consumers, you need a mobile presence. Mobile devices are getting more and more popular – they are currently outselling both desktop and laptop/notebook computers. Can you afford not to be in front of the customer's eyes when they want your product? The answer to that has always been NO.

Please contact us if you want/need a mobile friendly web presence: http://www.freelanceitsolutions.com

Please see infographic for sources.

Landing Pages - The Successful Formula

You've probably heard the term – 'landing pages.' They're very big among marketers and your web programmer may have referred to them as well. But, what are they?

A landing page is a page on your website that you send visitors directly to for a specific reason / action. You might want them to,

• Sign up for a newsletter.
• Enter a contest.
• Purchase your product or service (usually through some kind of sale or promotion).
• Highlight a product or service.
• Register for some 'free-be.'

The goal of all landing pages is to get the visitor to interact with your business somehow and eventually to make a sale.

Your landing page is your opportunity to showoff your products and services. You should pay very close attention to the design and content of these special pages.

Design First, Content Second and Always Optimize

A professional design MATTERS. In a recent study by Standford University, participants where asked to comment on what made a website credible to them. Nearly half (46%) of participants commented that the design was most important. Following design was information structure (29%), information usefulness (15%), information accuracy (14%) which tied with name recognition (14%), site functionality (9%), and customer service (6%). 

First impressions are important. And what the visitor sees first is the design. If your landing page is poorly designed, you loose half your visitors before you've even had a chance to give them your message. (That goes for your website as well).

So, use/create an outstanding design, then write informative and accurate copy, then optimize it for your audience.

Design and Content Fundamentals

Images – Spend Time and Choose Carefully

A picture is worth a thousand words. Studies have shown that visitors to websites look at pictures before they begin reading – even before they look at page headlines. We gravitate to pictures. Images are the best way to show your product or the results of your service. And although they are very important, they should also be used sparingly. It's not easy – the balancing act is to include enough images to keep your visitor interested without clutter. If you have more than one or two images that you would like to present, consider using an automatic slide show. This will allow the visitor to focus on one image at a time.

For landing pages, make sure you don't clutter up your page with images. Remember, the main reason you're bringing them to this page is to get them active.

Also, images take longer to download than text. The longer it takes for your page to load, the fewer visitors will stick around to see your message. Studies show that after five seconds, you start losing visitors. For every one second after five, you lose 7-10% of your visitors. So, if your page isn't loading material that will keep visitors interested, you're basically losing all your visitors in about 15 seconds!

Example Landing Page

Keep it Clean – The Minimalist Approach

The goal of your landing page is to keep your reader focused on the product/service. So keep the content – copy, links and images focused on the product/service. If it doesn't get the visitor emotionally involved, leave it out.

Most visitors are not going to spend a lot of time reading. So, keep your copy short. If you have a lot of information to convey, try using bullet points. If possible, let a picture 'do the talking.'

Links should only be included if they are absolutely necessary. For example, if you feel the visitor may need more info about the product/service, include a link. If you have a tutorial, include a link. The thing to remember here is that you do not want to give the visitor an 'escape route.'

There really should be only three ways to leave the page – get more info, buy or sign up, click the browser's back button.

Finally, leave plenty of white space. A cluttered landing page is confusing. White space give a sense of freedom... the visitor has time to think, he/she is not being pressured. You want to give them the feeling of comfort and easy. Visually show that your product/service is going to make their life easier.

Be Responsive

In non-work situations, more people now access the Internet with mobile devices, gaming consoles and TV interfaces than with computers. In 2013 about 15% of non-gaming, online sales will be made with mobile devices. Your landing page must be able to display on devices with different screen sizes and still look appealing and professional.

Use a professional web developer who understands and implements Responsive Web Design or you risk losing sales.

Keep it Familiar

If you have a 'standard layout' used with printed material or other online media, keep that layout. If there is an industry standard, try to stick to it. Unless these things horribly violate the standards above, you want to use them and keep things familiar for your visitors. Familiar is comfortable and you want to keep your visitors comfortable.

Call to Action

The call to action is the essential element of a landing page. As important as everything above is to a successful landing page, without a well thought out, attention grabbing call to action, you've wasted the change to gain a customer.

Stand Out

Action buttons like 'buy' or 'enter' should stand out. Studies show that these links and buttons should be of a contrasting color to the rest of the landing page. Also pay attention to the wording of action buttons. 'Enter to Win' will get more responses than simply 'Enter' or 'Submit.' Adding a short phrase to clarify the call to action can help convert visitors to customers as well.

Urgent

Don't let the visitor think this is going to be available forever (even if it is). Add a time limit for the offer and make it stand out. You may want to use a countdown timer that displays the days, hours, and minutes until the offer expires. Or include a calendar image with a big, red “X” over past (missed) days.

The key here is to include something to keep the visitor from thinking, “I'll come back to this later.” Studies have shown that more than 50% of visitors do not come back, even if they've indicated they plan to.

Keep it Simple...

Many times you will want to collect information from/about your visitor. Forms are a necessary part of many landing pages. The rule of thumb here is keep it simple. If your visitors feel it is too difficult or will take too long, they're not going to fill out the form. Collect the essential information you need and nothing more. Remember, even if you are getting minimal info here, you are getting info and can request more later. If they leave now, they're lost.

Your Call to Action

Now it's your turn. You can probably think of a product or service you would like to spotlight. Or perhaps a contest that will draw in potential customers. Jot down your ideas, give some thought to images and copy, contact a professional web developer and create your landing page(s)!

Comments Welcome

Leave comments below – let my blog readers know what's worked for you. Have you had a spectacularly successful landing page? How about a disaster? Share your experience.

Russ Thompson is the owner and lead developer at Freelance I.T. Solutions.

Add a Count-Down Timer to Your 'Call-to-Action' Campaigns

Count down timers are a great way to add urgency to sales campaigns. We've created an application that you can add to your website or used on Facebook to setup and insert a counter.

 

View the demo here. You can purchase the app as-is or we can customize it for your needs.

SEO Tips for Image Optimization

A picture is worth a 1000 words... humans love to see pictures. We prefer pictures over text most of the time (which is why infographs are so popular, even when the don't tell us anything). And now, search engines love pictures as much as we do. Including the right information about pictures and images on your website can help boost your site in search results. Here are some tips to follow to take advantage of this feature.

1 – Use Keywords in File Names
It's pretty common knowledge that keywords are important in meta tags, page copy and URLs. It is less commonly known that search engine 'bots also look at image file names. Give your images descriptive names that are aligned with the copy / subject material on the page. A file name like “logo_75x75.jpg” tells the search engines nothing about your business or page subject. The file name “companyName_logo75x75.jpg” at least includes your company name and is one more thing for search engines to latch on to. It is extremely important that pictures of products have names that describe or match the product.

2 – Title Text
Have you ever noticed that when you leave your mouse over an image, often times a little message will pop up? This message is contained in an attribute called “title.” Search engines read these titles. Image titles should tell us something about the image/picture, but should also be related to the page copy. It's one more thing that 'show' search engines that your page is relevant to the search string being entered by the user.

3 – Alt Text
The 'alt' attribute is similar to the text attribute except that humans never see it unless there is a problem. 'Alt' stands for “alternate” and was set up to be used if an image could not be displayed. Have you seen words show up when an image does not load? What you see is the text in the alt attribute. Search engines use the information in the alt attribute to help determine what the image is about. Put a keyword or phrase in here that explains the image, is aligned with the page copy and is not the same as the title attribute text – it can be similar, but why wast the space on exactly the same text?

4 – Use the Right Images
Finding the right image can add a 'wow' effect to your page. Good images will encourage visitors to share your page and site – causing backlinks. Search engines like to see backlinks to sites. Backlinks mean people are finding what they are looking for on the site. This is very important to search engines because if their users are not finding relevant information through the search results, the users are going to try a different search engine. So, it's safe to say that a good image 'sells' your page.

It is also important to make sure your images are 1) owned by you, or 2) have public or Creative Commons licenses, or 3) are purchased for use on your page. Good places to look for images: Flickr, iStockPhoto, stock.xchng, and clip art catalogs. Or search Google using search terms like 'public license images' or 'Creative Commons images.'

5 – Images Should Match Page Content
The content or copy on the page should align with everything discussed so far – file names and URLs, meta tags, alt text, title text, and link text should all relate to page content.

A final note: do not over do it! Keep you keywords and phrases down to the essentials. Don't cram a lot of words and phrases into the tags and attributes in an attempt to score higher rankings. Too many words and phrases can 'confuse' the search engine bots and drop your ranking. Also, the search engine bots will only pick up so much and then the rest is ignored.

Author: Russ Thompson - Owner and Lead Programmer, Freelance I.T. Solutions

Why Small Businesses Should have a Website

A website is the most cost effective advertising media you can have as a small business owner. There is just no other media which allows you to reach as many people with exactly what you want to say.

Finding an expert to walk you through the process and develop your site is no longer difficult either. There are many individuals and businesses that can develop a professional looking website for you – just search the web for them!

Here are seven reasons you should have a website – no matter what size your business is.

Educate / Inform
One of the main reasons people use the Internet is to learn about products and services before buying. Your site could include a short company history, information about your staff / management, interactive maps to your location, testimonials from satisfied customers, hours of operation, and more. Your site should include a listing and description of your products and services. Websites are unique in the world of advertising media because you can include as much or as little information as you'd like – there are no size limits, circulation limits or image limits.

A well planned, designed and laid-out website will foster trust in your business before your customer calls, visits or purchases.

Your 24/7 Employee
Your website is working even when you are not. It is always available – days, nights, weekends, holidays... always.

A website allows you to provide your customers with the information they want without interacting with a person. With time being such a premium thing these days, this is a benefit to both the customer and you.

Including a frequently-asked-question section on your site is a great way to save everyone time and money!

Customer Communication
As mentioned earlier, there are no limits to what you can present on a website. A professionally designed site can tell your customers you care about them, they are important to your business – even without ever meeting them.

You can keep in contact with customers through newsletters and special offers. Keep track of customers and their purchasing habits with a customer tracking system. Track customer satisfaction with surveys. Using a good balance of these methods shows a customer that you are concerned about their experience – you are concerned about them.

A website also offers a means of consistently keeping your customers informed about sales, new products, changes in services, etc.

Lend Legitimacy to Your Business
A well designed, well functioning, impressive website gives a favorable first impression to your customers. It demonstrates an investment in your business and increases customer confidence, thereby increasing sales.

Well done, professional websites level the playing field – you may not be as big as the other guy, but your products/services, customer care, etc. are, and a professional website can show that.

Research Your Market
With today's analytical tools, you can discover a lot about your market and potential customers based on their web activity. It's possible to track the time of day you have the most visitors to your site, the areas these visitors are from (generally), what pages/products they are visiting on your site, and more.

You can include surveys, questionnaires, and other forms of feedback to discover whether or not your business is meeting the needs of your customers. Using these methods you can also anticipate trends in your industry.

Customers Expect It
People expect a legitimate business to have a website – period! Have you ever been asked (or asked someone else), “what's the web address?” If you (or your current customers) can't give a web address for your business, you just lost business!

It is also very likely that your competitors have a website. If potential customers cannot find a website for your business, it's likely you've just made a sale for one of your competitor.

Most Cost Effective Marketing Available
Many people turn to the web first when searching for a business or service. According to internetworldstats.com more people go on-line to find businesses than turn to the Yellow Pages and newspapers combined! The Internet allows you to reach local, regional, and international markets in a way no other advertising media can.

An Internet presence offers a better return-on-investment than any other media as well. The cost of developing a very professional website and hosting that site for a year is less than a “boxed” Yellow Pages ad, less than a quarter page, one week run in a local newspaper, and less than a 1000 color brochures. And after the initial development, your cost is even less each year. There is just no other advertising media that is as versatile and cost effective as a professional website!

One Exception to the “You Must have a Website” Rule
It's actually better to have no website at all than to have one that makes your business look bad. Your site speaks volumes about your business. It either says, "Hey, look, we take our business so seriously that we have created this wonderful site for our customers!" or it screams, "Hey, look, I let my 10-year-old nephew design my site. Good luck finding anything!"