Author Archive
Is A Blog Important To Your Website?
- Published on Friday, 22 March 2013 10:56
- Holly Petherbridge
- 1 Comment
Your web development and design team mentioned putting a blog on your webpage. Now, what do you do? You’ve heard of blogs, you may even know people who have their own blogs, but how does a blog help your business? Direct these questions to the team and find out why websites with blogs attract leads which enhances the growth of a business.
Before we look into why a blog is a good idea, let’s get a basic idea about blogs in general.
Blogs are looked upon as informative pages. They may contain pertinent information about a business or service. Every post written has the power to inform, describe, persuade or even entertain. It is an informal way to communicate a message to the reader. The pages are built into your website; but without time and effort, it will not be productive. It takes both to upkeep a successful blog. When managed effectively, it has the power to plant seeds throughout the Internet which will in turn help grow your business.
What does it take to maintain a blog?
Blogs! Each post is another page of your website with opportunity to land in search engine results. The more posts written strengthens the possibility that the business will attract new visitors and in turn increase business. When the content is something in which a reader finds interesting; you have prompted the visitor to return to read more, explore your website and better yet, tell a friend! It does require time, something which can often be neglected when businesses get busy.Continuous posts are necessary to keep it alive within the search engines. It takes a dedicated amount of time each week to write and post in order to boost a website’s results.
Now ask yourself, should you blog?
If you want your website to grow and flourish, then the answer is YES!
- It is the most cost effective way to add pages to your website.
- Promote search engine results for your business or service using keywords embedded in the content.
- Other bloggers may re-post your work on their website, increasing traffic.
- Good content get visitors to return wanting more.
- Communicate to your customers or potential customers, share with them the latest news or events.
- It is never ending. The more you post, the better.
There is a reason why the development team asked if you wanted a blog. The success of your business is what matters. Maintaining a blog with new posts each week is one of the best ways to promote your website. Search engines will pick up every blog post as if it was one more page on the site. It is a great way to climb above your competitors. Use each post to attract a reader’s return. They get results.
Blogs promote a reader to want to:
- find out more
- explore your website further
- do business with your company
- go out and spread the word
Carve out the time from your busy schedule and talk to current and future customers. If you build it, they will come.
Holly Petherbridge
As an elementary teacher, I had always encouraged my students to write more. I find myself falling back on my own teaching techniques to share what I know about building and rebuilding personal finances.
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What Is All The Fuss About SEO and Web Analytics?
- Published on Monday, 31 December 2012 19:58
- Holly Petherbridge
- 0 Comments
SEO management offers the best “behind the scenes” look at what a website’s visitors are doing on the pages. Tracking this information gives continuous insight to the site’s activity and promotes productive management to make improvements. In order to comb through all this information, the data collected must be presented in a way to easily analyze the ebb and flow of traffic and focus in on what information on the site attracts visitors.
What would you do for your site if SEO told you:
- What time of the day is your site visited most often?
- Are there favorable pages?
- Do visitors browse more than one page?
- What is the average time a visitor stays on your website?
- How did your visitor find your site?
- Are there certain pages which continue to be “exit pages”? These pages disengaged the reader and left your site for one reason or another.
- Where do your pages link to?
- Are the links being clicked on?
You can get all of this information through SEO and web analytics.
You can develop a plan of action to improve your website according to these findings. If viewers are landing on pages within your website that you never deemed important, you can take the time to improve both information and links found on that page. Knowing and improving upon pages which are commonly known for being exit pages will potentially keep your viewers on the site longer. Create new links of interest or update the content to interest a reader further. A visitor is searching for something; you want your page to give them their answers. Changes are an important factor in keeping a website up-to-date. It is not a one-time fix, but a continual progression through time. Utilize your SEO findings to best manage the inter-activeness with visitors. The connection between you and the viewer is why you initially invested in a website. Use the SEO data to make the connections stick: make a plan and follow through with the necessary changes.
Keep track of the effectiveness of:
- Social Media – How is this campaign positively effecting website traffic?
- Marketing Strategies – Was there a noticeable change in traffic after the marketing campaign went into effect? Did it effectively send visitors in the direction you wanted?
- Email Campaigns – After an email campaign went out, was there an increase in traffic to the desired link or homepage of your site?
- Linking – Are the links drawing traffic to certain pages working? Is traffic following these links?
- Keyword Management – Are the keywords on your pages matching up to what visitors are looking for? Do you need to make changes to optimize a search engine result connecting to the content on your page?
Make a plan to optimize your website according to SEO findings.
Do you know that change is reoccurring? SEO management is a commitment to your website. Ask your web development team if web analytics is offered. You want to work with a team who can not only obtain the information, but synthesize the information with a clear cut plan for your website. SEO optimization will keep viewers coming to the site’s pages and staying there. It supports the bridge which connects you to the world.
Holly Petherbridge
As an elementary teacher, I had always encouraged my students to write more. I find myself falling back on my own teaching techniques to share what I know about building and rebuilding personal finances.
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What Do You Look For In A Web Design Company?
- Published on Monday, 31 December 2012 18:13
- Holly Petherbridge
- 0 Comments
Are you looking for a web design company to update an existing website or build a new one? Trying to find a web designer can be overwhelming, especially for those who have never worked with one before. It’s no longer a service offered by only a few. The vast amount of available designers can make the selection process overwhelming, especially if you have no recommendations to go by. What do you look for in a web design company?
Are experienced web designers better?
In many cases, experienced workers do a much better job. Web design is an area where this should not be the only factor in determining which designer will be chosen for the job. Yes, having experience gives a reputation to fall back on, but it does not promise the latest in design. For those of us who know a bit about technology, then you should know that changes and updates keep the computer programming and design world continuously advancing. A company which has been around for many years may not have designers who have kept up with all of these advancements. If you are looking for a website which will compete with the “here and now” don’t use experience as the only factor in determining which web design company you will choose.
Companies which employ young designers may bring some of the latest cutting edge knowledge into your website design. Often, the young designers have finished school or have taken classes to build up their resume. While having the latest in education may offer a new approach, it alone is not a deciding factor. Look for a blend of both experience and fresh practices; but most importantly, check out their accomplished works.
A good web designer will have portfolio of accomplished work.
Like any other builder, looking at accomplished projects will be a great help in deciding which company to go with. Their portfolio should consist of live sites that work. Look through their works. Are the sites diversified? Do you see a range of work which speaks to the company designer’s capabilities? Is the vision you have for your website reflected in any of what you see? Does the designer have their own personal website?
A designer’s own website is a great point of reference.
How better to measure a designer’s work than by looking at the website they designed for themselves? Ask questions and expect answers. Any good web design company will answer your questions. The client’s perspective is the focal point in the initial design. Talk about the design process, what it entails and how much your opinion matters.
Does the company offer someone experienced in HTML, CSS and/or Javascript? These are all skilled areas you should expect a great web design team to have under their belt. There are additional skilled areas to look for as well.
- Is there someone who knows PHP, Flash or Ajax?
- Are the designers well-versed in SEO?
- Do they have access to quality content writing?
- Is there someone with experience in graphics creation?
Be aware that your web design company may not offer one person to do it all. They may have a team of professionals performing tasks in their areas of expertise. Sub-contractor may be brought in to give the client the best in a particular area. It is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of good business practice.
Holly Petherbridge
As an elementary teacher, I had always encouraged my students to write more. I find myself falling back on my own teaching techniques to share what I know about building and rebuilding personal finances.
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Web Development Team Entwines Professionalism and Creativity with TLC
- Published on Friday, 28 December 2012 16:21
- Holly Petherbridge
- 1 Comment
It’s super exciting to be a part of the Spotya! Media web development team. Not only are there graphic designers, programmers, and developers but we also have in-house writers and social media directors to manage websites effectively. The creative web development process which drives the Spotya! Media team encompasses a variety of job descriptions.
Web development is filled with complex intricate parts.
Programmers – Talk about speaking another language. Our programmers are proficient at scripting or coding computer programs. Within their daily routine, these workers ill often design and write programs, test old and new ones, debug problem areas and efficiently manage it all within a language spoken by a small percentage of people. Within their work, a computer will receive instructions for certain operations or perform desired behaviors. It’s a logical world in which a programmer lives.
Developers and designers – A one man band or a conductor? It depends on the job. If the task is small, it may just take someone who can do a vast array of interdisciplinary tasks all on their own. When the job is larger, the Spotya! Media team steps up and divides the web development work up according to strengths. From technology to framework, graphic design and scripts, to managing web servers and database systems; these team players are critical in the efficiency of web design and development. The teamwork defining Spotya! Media spotlights talented developers and designers.
Web development includes well written content.
Content Writers – Their job is to create original content for web pages and blogs. The developers use science behind their creations and a content writer needs to understand the goals and objectives of each page to formulate text accordingly. Often times, blogs are maintained to optimize site search engine results. Coordinating descriptive text to analytic linking page management, the blogger will create a well written piece to accommodate it all. It is a creative approach to writing while juggling definitive yet separate purposes; to inform, persuade, and generate business; to share a concept, product, service or idea.
Social Media reaches out through the web to attract additional traffic. By linking your website to social media platforms creating a “buzz” about the company, a business’ “reach” will explode across the screens of computer, tablet and smartphone users around the world. Create a personal approach to business by interacting with the millions who use social media platforms each day. Turn fans of your company to advocates of your brand; consider it a cost effective advertising soap box.
Spotya! Media takes pride in the web development and design process.
It’s truly a family affair at Spotya! Media. It’s more than just teamwork and hard work. Each team member supports another creating the love for the job. We serve the client with our own pride in the finished product. Throughout the process, the client will have numerous opportunities to review the work and meet with team leaders. Client satisfaction is the bulls-eye of of success.
Give Spotya! Media a call. Look though our finished works and see for your self how we do more for every dollar earned than our competition. Phone calls are answered, meetings are informative, ideas and suggestions are used and your website, both front end and back end are set free as your company’s mission and brand is launched to the world.
Holly Petherbridge
As an elementary teacher, I had always encouraged my students to write more. I find myself falling back on my own teaching techniques to share what I know about building and rebuilding personal finances.
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