Posts Tagged ‘Websites’

A Good Website starts with a Good Book

Marketing, Websites

I’ve been speaking to a client recently who I think was daunted by their current website, with the knowledge that they knew they had to update it/upgrade it, yet didn’t have any idea where to start. Does this sound familiar?  It can become a little overwhelming.

Never fear, help is at hand.  When it comes to understanding and knowing what information a basic website requires I have the answer.  It’s like a book, you need a Start, a Middle and an End.   Leave the design to the professionals, just concentrate on the content – which is your business.

So let’s start with Your Story…

Always start with a Home page, which can be, if you like, treated as landing page.  This is where your potential customer normally arrives, so make the most of it.   Think then what you want them to do once they arrive there? Do you want them to Call You?  Email You? Search the rest of your site?  Make it easy for them to get to the information they want.

So, after you’ve thought about the Home page, move on to basic products and services.  What products do you offer and what services do you give?  If initially you’re not looking to sell online, then a good image of your products with brief descriptions should suffice (don’t fall into the trap of writing chapter and verse, this is a real turn off on the web).  Short, punchy information is key. I also recommend professional photographs, on the basis that the potential client would like to see what he is getting – make the quality count!  Forget quantity.

So, now lets have a showcase of your good work with maybe a few testimonials from clients, and if you have a number of good images then maybe have some links to a gallery. You can use this to its  real advantage with great images.

And finally, the client needs to know where you are and how to get hold of you.  A good contact us page with postcodes.

Perfect.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.  No so daunting now!  Just a good story.

PS:  Now then, Your Story Part II is having a good map of how to find you (ie in Google), to get to read your story in the first place…

Comments Off 3 months ago, Alison

Useful Plugin for your Wordpress Categories

Wordpress, Wordpress Top Tips

My Category Order

My Category Order

As a fellow Wordpress web designer, I found myself searching for a plugin to help organise certain categories in the sidebar. I didn’t want to exclude or order the categories via the code, as I knew that at some point the customer might want to do this for themselves, so my search began. The plugin which I found is called ‘My Category Order’, I found it extremely easy to use and will definitely use it again on other websites. Please follow the link to download and start using it.

Comments Off 8 months ago, Frankie

Why businesses should address their marketing in a downturn climate?

Marketing

Many could argue in our current economy that businesses need to zip up their wallet, pull tight the purse strings and cut down their overheads. This could, and should be true – but to a point! There is a fine line between cutting back, and reinvesting what is reasonable to get and keep your business on track. In a downturn one of the first areas of cutting back is marketing, but it shouldn’t be. Marketing is one of the most important exercises a business can do. If you don’t shout about getting your name out there, your competitor will! And you can bet what you like he’ll do it bigger and louder, and so when opportunities arise who’s name will be at the forefront of the potential suppliers list? (more…)

2 Comments » 1 year ago, Alison