What Can a Good Website Do For Your Business?

What is a website worth to you and what can it do to help you beat the competition? Take a look at the top 9 reasons to have a website - one that is build right!

1. Ensure your content can be seen the way you want it, by everyone on the internet.
2. Expand your business hours to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.
3. Expand your company's brand name awareness locally, nationally and worldwide.
4. Reduce your advertising costs by enough to pay for all of your web site expenses.
5. Reduce mail expense and/or expensive paper catalogs for your company products.
6. Reduce load on your employees while giving you another way to conduct business.
7. Help you to develop a customer email address list to increase your return business. Build a data-base through Opt-ins for online marketing.
8. Get customer feedback and other information using email, online surveys or polls.
9. Provide your customers with information they might need, whenever they want it.

Any business that does not have a properly built website is not really serious about having a thriving, forward moving company. It doesn't matter if you own a brick and mortar business or have a service you provide. With smart phones, I-Pad and all the ways people access the internet these days you will be left behind and you will not be able to compete with your competitors.

If you find you need a website facelift – or just need a professional website built, please give me a call or email me consultations are FREE.

I would love for you to check out my online portfolio and while you are at it see what some of my clients say about my services.

“If you want to own an online business that thrives, if you have a passion for something you want to share, if you have an idea that you want to come to life contact me. My initial consultations are FREE”.

What do I specialize in? Web development, graphic design, project manager, consulting and everything inbetween!

Pamela Jacob 801-910-4825

Artista Design

What is the Difference Between a Blog and a Newsletter? Do I need Both?

I was recently doing some consulting with a client when I was asked about putting together a newsletter – she wanted to know the best way to develop a template and send it to her data-base. She already had a blog and wanted to know the difference between the two. I had never been asked that before but what an excellent question. I am sure a lot of people are a bit confused.

So what is the difference between a blog and a newsletter?

With so many similarities I can see where the confusion comes in. Most people are very familiar with blog’s, but what is the difference between them?

A blog is like a website on steroids something that you continually update with articles, comments, thoughts, and great information. The goal is to promote a website, business and/or share information about a subject close to your heart. Your blog is indexed by search engines and most blogger’s hope that hordes of people will find their blog interesting and informative, so they will sign up for the next update. The goal is to attract people who happen to find your blog through keywords or subject matter and build a following. This could be for different purposes – to show you business expertise, promote a cause that you are involved in, to build a community of like minded individuals.

A newsletter is an email sent to subscribers. It is something that you would develop to send to people who have signed up to get information, updated news about your company and topics of interest pertaining to your business or organization. A newsletter usually goes out on a monthly or quarterly basis and will have the same look and format from month to month. Once upon a time (OK I am showing my age!) newsletters were sent out by snail mail now it is much more likely that it will be distributed through email.

Because those who get your newsletter have signed up you know they want the information – and it is not considered spam. If you just send out your newsletter to hordes of people who have not signed up that is where you get into trouble – no one likes to be spammed – and you could be black listed.

What are the benefits of a blog versus a newsletter?

Both a blog and newsletter keep people informed on various topics. A blog will attract new people to you and/or your business. It is also essential for business to have a blog because search engines love them. The articles and information on a blog are continually being updated so search engines are alerted to the changes. When you combined you website with a blog you are doubling or even tripling the amount of people who you will attract.

A newsletter is a great way to keep in touch with clients and those who want to know the latest news, specials you may be having, people who have signed up for more information are much more open to new ideas or upcoming events. It is targeted because these people have asked you to send them more information. Newsletter's are great for PR and can be helpful in answering questions that may have come up through the month saving time and promoting your business.

Decisions, decisions a newsletter or blog?

I believe, if you are a business on the move and would really like to propel your business to the next level you should have both. Once you get a system down it doesn’t take a lot of time and the time it does take is well worth the rewards you will receive. And of course you will want to make it easy by using an auto responder so you can build your online data-base. Having a sign-up form on your website with an enticing freebie is always a great idea.

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Pamela Jacob is the owner of Artista Design. If you need a website developed or redesigned, project manager, consultant or graphic designer – you have found one. Pamela’s specialty is taking an idea and making it come to fruition. “If you want to own an online business that thrives, if you have a passion for something you want to share, if you have an idea that you want to come to life contact me. My initial consultations are FREE”.

Are visitors leaving your website as fast as they arrive?

So you've optimized your website, spent a lot of time finding good keywords –you have even gone so far as to hire a company that will make sure everything is right.

This cost a small fortune, but you know that traffic is the only way to have a successful business on the web or otherwise.

You have even put Google analytics on your site so you can see the amount of traffic you are getting and where it is coming from YOU ARE SET! You are excited to see all the traffic – you can even find your listing at the top of the search engines, but then you realize people are coming to your site, but they are not staying!

What is wrong, why are the visitors leaving and not converting into customers?

Why are you not getting any inquires into your services?

Guess what: Your website may be visible – but you may not be connecting with your visitor. Having worked so hard to get traffic to your website, you don't want to lose them by failing to give them what they are looking for.

The fact is: most visitors to your site will not make a decision to buy your products or services the first time they visit. You need to make sure you have a site that makes visitors want to come back – you need a means to collect information from people who are interested in what you are trying to sell.

When someone goes to your website you want to provide them with a satisfying experience. You want to connect with your clientele by choosing and designing a website that you know will be enjoyable to look at.

You must make sure that your website is designed for the end user – the people you know will buy your services or products, and it has to look professional!

It is important Visitors understand what services or goods you are providing. Equally, as important is that your website has navigation that is clear and concise.

You also want to offer them something of value. This gives your business credibility – builds customer loyalty and helps you collect information that you can use to market to potential customers.

An example of a free item may be: Let’s say you own a dog grooming place, and you want to get visitors to return to your site, whenever they need your services, you also want to collect information for future marketing opportunities. You may be able to offer them a report on how to travel with your pet, OR you may offer an e-book on keeping your pet happy and healthy…

Make sure visitors leave a name and email. You will need to have a system set into place so that the name and email will be put into a data-base, and a thank you email will then be sent to the recipient of the report. Make sure you have a good auto responder program.

There are all types of on-line auto responder programs that are very inexpensive. With these programs, you can have an online data-base and build individual campaigns based on what your business goals are.

Nine Ways to keep visitors coming back….

1. Does your website load fast?
2. Does you website look professional and inviting?
3. Is the design something that will attract your target market?
4. Do you keep your content updated and fresh?
5. Do you have a opt-in box with a give away on your site (above the fold)
6. Is the text on your home page clear and concise? What make you different from you competition?
7. Is the text on your home page short and to the point. People tend to scan a website before they decide to delve in and read it.
8. Is your navigation easy to understand and links clearly marked?
9. Is all the information on your website clear – contact details easy to find – phone numbers and emails easily accessed?
10. Do you have a blog? This is in addition to your standard website. You must have a blog to become the trusted authority…

Pamela Jacob is the owner of Artista Design. If you need a website developed or redesigned, project manager, consultant or graphic designer - you have found one. Pamela's specialty is taking an idea and making it come to fruition.

“If you want to own an online business that thrives, if you have a passion for something you want to share, if you have an idea that you want to come to life contact me. My initial consultations are FREE”.