You working with the right web developer?

How do you know whether you are working with the right web developer? Do you look at their previous work, testimonials, experience or something else? Well probably all of that and more. That is a good approach before making an educated decision but may lack a fine detail that will make your return on investment that much better.

For instance when you meet with a web developer you need to hear them ask you the following key questions:

• Who is your target market?
• What industries are you having most success with?
• What is the age group that you are dealing with?
• What is your goal for your business?
• Are you thinking of targeting a new market?
• What problems are you having right now?
• What is your past experience with a web developer?

As you may have noticed not one question is about what functions you want your website to have, and that is for a specific reason. A web developer needs to know as much as he can about your business before he builds a website for you. This is a vital detail that should be the basis when making a decision between web developers. Why you may ask? Well because 50% of internet users are between 35-64 years old, and a little over 70% of that age group are dissatisfied with internet experience because they feel that it is mainly targeted for younger viewers. These numbers are the precise reflection of what this blog is all about. If your web developer does not understand what your business is all about, who you are trying to target, and who is your market they will build a website that reflects their personal idea of what your business is all about resulting in a website that is not a good investment from a ROI stand point. That is the very reason why we see those statistics.

Binary Web Design makes sure that when we meet with you we ask those questions and so much more. Our idea of a great website is when your business identity is reflected by your website instead of other way around. It should not look like your competitors, and it should not be a carbon copy of every website that is out there.

-Eugene Y

Economic Effect

This week I would like to talk about economic effect on small business sector. As you watch the news and listen to congressional leaders you can’t help but to notice all the doom and gloom rhetoric that is backed up by the stock market that lost over 40% of its value just in the matter of months. You might say “don’t scare me more” but the facts on the Wall Street are what they are. Yet if you look around, people are still shopping, in fact Mall of America had a 5% increase in sales, people are still going out, people are still going to sport games etc. So why is there such paradox? The reality is that only one sector of the market is responsible for the conditions that we face and the government as well as the world is putting out the fire before it spreads to us. Will the taxpayer pay for this congressional mishandle? Of course, how much? Nobody knows but we will eventually find out. So what does all this have to do with websites and your business?

During times of uncertainty it is easier to get scared, hide in the bunker and just wait for this mess to go by. This is a safe alternative but may cost you a lot of opportunity that may actually give your business a boost over your competitors. Think about it, during time of uncertainty people still need services that they used before the housing collapse, it is just now they will shop wiser by shopping around. That is why during this time you should look at over your business and your goals. Then draw out and highlight why people should chose you over your competitors. This may require you to come up with unique products and new marketing plan. Then update your website with these features, or if you need help seek a good web developer who will work with you and offer his or her opinion. Also if you do not optimize your website, this is a great time to do that; outshine your competitors that might be hiding in the bunker because of the economy that is perceived to be so bad.

How much can a website really help me? This is a question that I find myself having to answer very often. So I got some statistics to answer that. For instance, if you are a florist you can generate 26% of your business using internet. If you sell supplies for cars, printers, computers you can average 23% of revenue using internet. If you are offering interior design services you can generate 15% of revenue on line. The list goes on and on. The bottom line, if you have a good web developer you can expect to generate or increase your revenue anywhere from 10% to 50% depending on your business. How nice is that? And this is all attainable if you just take action.

-Eugene Y

SEO

To SEO or not to SEO that is the question. Or is it? To start out, let’s talk about SEO otherwise known as search engine optimization. What is it? Simply put, it is a technique by which one accomplishes high ranking results on Google search engine. This does not just happen by accident or a random wheel method where one day your company’s website is on the first page, the next it is on the last page. There are specific reasons for that outcome, and major companies spend time and money to make sure that their company will be listed on top.

I have had clients ask me whether or not to have their website SEO’d and I always tell them yes. Not because it is one of our services that we provide, but because of its importance. In fact I go even further; I tell them “why even have a website if it will not appear on the first two pages,” seriously. The whole goal of a website as I wrote in my first blog is for it to work hard for you, to generate leads, to help your bottom line. Your website can only do that if it has legs, and SEO gives your website legs.

Now that we have that squared away, how does Google decide where your website belongs? To answer that question I would have to write 5 pages and I know you as a reader have only tolerance for one, as well as using language that would require a professional geek to translate. But if you are like me who wants to just hear the answer I will keep it simple. Google uses a process by which it recognizes most relevant information for a specific search entry. That is all it cares about, not the price of your service or product, not your selling points, but how relevant that subject matter is to a potential consumer and how your service or product can help others. Google also cares about how often you update your website with relevant information, using tools like a blog, discussion forum, news updates etc. This means that your website should always be updated to inform your customers, keep them coming back and with success they will tell others. Sound like a lot of work, but really it is not. First contact couple SEO professionals, ask them about their experience and success, and chose the one who you can afford. Let me warn you; having your website optimized is pricy, but you do get what you pay for and it is well worth it, that is why SEO is growing rapidly throughout business community.

By the way let me remind you that this is just the scent not the whole meal about this topic. Another hint for you guys, if anyone and I mean anyone guarantees you that they will get your website on the first page with in hours or even couple of days, they are not being honest with you, it is a working process that requires one to three months before you start seeing results that will put a smile on your face.

-Eugene Y

Writing Copy

Today I would like to discuss the importance of properly copy-written website. I would like to discuss this topic because of the amount of websites that I look at during website consultation with different clients and see how poorly their websites are written. It is not their fault, I am sure they thought it was written how it is suppose to be written, which is written the way they have been taught in High School and in College. If you are saying to yourself “that is how I wrote my website” right now, this short article is for you.

Writing copy for your website is way different in its style and structure then any other media that you write or read. The reason for this difference is because people who go on the web have a very short attention span, which is why a poorly written copy will have a potential client click onto another website instead of staying on your website. I don’t have to tell you that though, think to yourself last time you went shopping for something online and clicked on number of website before choosing one that you liked. What made you choose that one website over the others? Number of factors I am sure, but one of them is how a well written copy described the benefits of a product.

Here is another reason how a professionally copy-written website will benefit your business. A professional copy writer will write a copy that will include: cliffhanger principle, embedded command, presupposition, linguistic binds, reframing, involvement devices etc… If you are saying to yourself right now “what are those?” This is a clear sign your website is not properly copy-written and you are missing business as a result; scary. To keep it short and simple the list above are different techniques that are implemented in a copy to help a reader stay on your website longer, and actually interact, which will result in more business for you.

Another sign of a poorly written copy is when you are selling your product right out of the shoot, instead of talking about how your service or product will benefit the reader, on top of that using language that no one uses in a real conversation that you would have with your friends.

The point that I am trying to get across here is that properly written copy for your website may have seemed something unnecessary when you originally had your website build, but would you say that now, knowing some of many details and reasons that are behind a professional copy written website? -Eugene

What separates a great website from the rest?

Today I will discuss what separates a great website from the rest, essentially what are the goals of a website, and what each of those goals trying to accomplish.

The first goal of a great website is it gives your company a “face”. Let me ask you this, how many times have you looked for a service or a product on internet and clicked on number of websites before you landed on one that you liked? Now think what made you choose that one website over the others? I am sure it was number of things, but one of them is the first impression. That is what I mean by a “face”. A first impression is very important, we experience it every-time we meet our new clients, and same principle applies to a website. A great website will address this issue by having a proper layout, design and color use, the simplicity of it, and how the website captures your initial interest. All of these basic principles if structured properly will make your website stand out from the rest.

The second goal that a great website aims to accomplish is to relay relative information to your potential client using a properly written dialect. So many times I come across a website that seems to grab my attention but then I start reading a product or service description and I am lost, bored, resulting in me going to another website and doing business with someone else. I would have to say this is a number one mistake that many businesses make who have their own website that were done by an amateur. Every medium whether it is a book, newspaper, magazine, or web for that matter has their own style. They have those styles for a specific reason, to grab your attention, keep your interest, and in some cases persuade you. It is outmost importance that a website be copy written by a professional. A good copy written website will have relative information that is tailored to your target client, grabs attention from a potential client, make them stay on your website longer, and ultimately persuade them.

The third and last goal that a great website will accomplish is to properly communicate between you and your client. All website should obviously have a contact page with proper phone numbers, e-mail addresses, fax etc. That is good, but it is just the beginning. A great website will have “events” page that relays relevant information, it will have a blog page that will be updated weekly, and it will have an option for clients to sign up for news letters. This is important because it will remind clients about your services as well as provide relevant information, which will encourage potential clients to come to your website when they need their problems solved.

If your website accomplishes all of these three goals you will be well on your way to having a great website that does more then just sits in the vastness of internet among million other pages, it will start to generate additional revenue for you. - Eugene