CMS Web Solutions

In a very short time, websites have become the “window to a business”. People now do most of their research online. Everyone, including prospective customers and potential employees, now judge a company by their website. But business owners are still just scratching the surface of this incredible communications tool. With strategic thinking, their website can be designed to capture specific niches in the marketplace, accelerate the sales process, and reduce operating costs. Sales and service people can reduce their road time. Videos can be inserted for product demonstrations. Websites can be used to measure effectiveness of marketing programs. They can measure what people are actually interested about on the website and adjust their offline marketing. And you know the really eye opening fact? Business websites are still in their infancy. Get ready. You haven’t seen anything yet!

The thing I love most about computers is that people communicate one-to-one through them no matter where they are in the world. What an incredible opportunity for having someone’s undivided attention! But the internet also makes us speed up. So we need to communicate information faster. Our brains process visuals quicker than words.With most having high speed, video is a wonderful and emerging tool that businesses need to take advantage of. Sounds obvious doesn’t it? So why aren’t more businesses doing it?

No matter how good a web design is, your website will fail unless you heed this advice. The key to a good website is providing great information that visitors are looking for, in ways they want to see/hear it, and having an honest and friendly tone that builds a relationship. Sounds simple doesn’t it?

A study of 40 million emails revealed that the emails that got opened more frequently were in fact ones that simply described in the subject line what was inside the email. Sales type headlines simply didn’t get opened. Ensure when people agree to receive your emails/newsletter that they are clear what they will expect to receive. Then just use the subject line to tell them what’s inside.

Being a website designer in Durham is …interesting. Because we get to visit many different businesses around Durham, we see how they are actually using their websites. It’s amazing how only a few businesses really “get” how important the website is to their business. Those that have understood have benefited a great deal. In fact, they are now asking us what else they can do and “what’s next?”. The short answer is to find other niches, build a website, optimize and capture other business.

According to usability expert Jacob Nielson “on the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.”
So, visitors just aren’t reading your content like you think they are. Remeber to write the most important information at the top…think inverted pyramid. Also, studies are showing that hyperlinks win in the “most frequently clicked” column (buttons #2, back button #3). Think of hyperlinks as eye “bumpers”. Set them up strategically to flow visitors where you want them. Set up Goal conversions in Google to measure. There is a reason our industry calls it “web design”.

Many business owners I meet with are still not using their websites to measure the effectiveness of their off line advertising. It’s simple to do and will save/make you hundreds, even thousands of dollars. How? First, design a page on your website specifically for tracking purposes. In your offline advertising design an ad that directs people to that specific page, say to an online coupon. You can then measure if people are actually visiting that page. Move your marketing dollars over to those ads that are actually working. You’ll not only stop wasting money, your extra focused marketing dollars will increase your revenue even more.

What goes delete, delete, delete, delete? If you said “you” first thing in the morning, it may be time to get a more robust SPAM filter. We recommend getting one that screens and stops SPAM before it comes into your computer taking up valuable band width and hard drive space. The SPAM filter we discovered and liked so much that we now offer the service to clients, fights the ongoing SPAM battle for us. For $3 per month or .10 per day it’s a no brainer. How much time do you spend deleting?

Google AdWords (paid ads) now allows you to target specific geographic markets as well as test a few ad variations. Use the tools to refine what works/doesn’t work. Then, based on the results, update and fine tune your website for better organic (non paid) results.

It’s been found that Tuesday is better than Monday or Wednesday and 9:00am is better than 12:00 or 4:00. Seems people come to work, check their email and visit websites before launching into their day.