A Web Site is Your Doorway..

A Web Site is Your Doorway..
A thought struck me the other day. As I was looking at a particular house listing website I suddenly realized that this is the future of Real Estate Listing, and there is No turning back now.. With a few clicks of the mouse I was able to navigate into the neighborhoods I was Interested in, filter in my Price range, look at pictures of the homes available, get a feel for the curb appeal, and compare this homes features with others.  Convenient doesn’t even begin to describe it.

A website that addresses the who, what, where, when and why is the solution to this particular Vision.. This IS the New Marketing of the Future. There are several websites that have built platforms around a particular need. Amazon for Shop at Home and Price advantages, Facebook for interacting and communicating, Zillow for Real Estate sales, etc.. While we can’t all be this industrious, it is comforting to know that we all have access to the same tools and thereby we all can potentially take advantage of our own Visions…

On Line Selling..

PayPal is a very popular online payment option that allows small business owners to accept online payments without having a traditional merchant account.

Through PayPal business services, you can accept credit cards online or by phone. You can also generate and track invoices through your PayPal account so you can get paid faster. Visit: http://paypal.com for more information.

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SEO  ‘helping it to make sense’

Google ranks pages, not entire websites. In order to get visits from search engines, you need to optimize each page for a primary keyword (e.g. cool red cars). Additionally, secondary relevant keywords can be also added to help rank for variants (e.g. red automobiles with white stripes). Before Publishing any content you should do some keyword research with Google’s Keyword Planner and decide what your primary keyword will be. Typically, you look at the search  volumes for the potential keywords and the intensity of the competition. Sound confusing?  Don’t be..
Check this video out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=845&v=GquYgCT8jSQ

A Web Site levels the Playing Field..

A Web Site levels the Playing Field..

Clearly there are numerous reasons why even the smallest of businesses can benefit from a Web presence, but here are five key considerations:

1. Visibility:With more and more consumers logging onto the Web to research products and services, if they are going to find your business, your business needs to be on the Web.
2. Reach:With a Web site, you are no longer limited to a customer base that is in physical proximity to your shop. Your place of
   business may be in Boston, but your customers can be in Bangkok.
3. Customer service:When customers can log onto your Web site and easily find the information they want-when they want it-their satisfaction increases.
4. Competition:A professional looking Web site can level the playing field for smaller companies trying to compete against larger enterprises. It’s also a way to stay in the game; even if people can’t find you on the Web chances are they can find your competitors.
5. Credibility:When you can point customers, partners, even potential employees or investors to a Web site, it tells them you are a serious business.

Thinking of OnLine Selling.. ?

Abante Cart is a free PHP based eCommerce solution for merchants providing the ability to create an online business and sell products online quickly and efficiently. This application is built and supported by experienced enthusiasts that are passionate about their work and contribution to rapidly evolving eCommerce industry.  AbanteCart is more than just a shopping cart, it is a rapidly growing eCommerce platform with many benefits. This is just 1 of 39 different FREE eCommerce tools available to customers who Host their website with Pier-point Web Services. Ask us about these FREE tools included in our Hosting packages..

 Abante Cart is released under: Open Software License.

SEO  ‘helping it to make sense’

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your online content so that a search engine likes to show it as a result for searches of a certain keyword. When it comes to SEO, there’s you, the search engine, and the searcher. If you have an article about how to make vegan lasagna, you want the search engine (which, in 90% of all cases, is Google) to show it as a top result to anyone who searches for the phrase “vegan lasagna.”

SEO is the magic you have to work into your article in order to make Google very likely to include your post as one of the top results whenever someone searches for that keyword.

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A Web Site is Your Best Friend

A Web Site is Your Best Friend..

The internet has caused a total shift in the way many Americans shop and search for the information they need. According to Statista, consumers spent more than $289 billion in online sales. In addition, Envesp has claimed that more than 80 percent of the people who use the internet have made at least one online purchase in their lifetime. With this much consumer power, it is vital for any size business to have an online presence to stay competitive within its industry.  Maintaining a good web design is one of the best ways to promote a business online.    (Thank You: BlackBearDesign.com)

It can be reasonably said that a quality website will enhance your business future like no other single asset in this age..

Need to Accept Payments..?

PayPal is a very popular online payment option that allows small business owners to accept online payments without having a traditional merchant account.

Through PayPal business services, you can accept credit cards online or by phone. You can also generate and track invoices through your PayPal account so you can get paid faster. Visit: http://paypal.com for more information.

SEO  ‘helping it to make sense’

• Show up with your Business Profile on Google when people look for you on Search & Maps. Attract new customers with your free BusinessProfile. It’s easy to

  create & update. Get your business online. Manage your business. Help customers find you. For all businesses. Engage with customers.

• Go to: https://support.google.com/business/answer/6337431?hl=en

       Sign up: Get on Google My Business, then make sure that the information that Google users see is accurate and up-to-date.

• Verify your business:Look reputable and manage the information that potential

  customers see when they search for your

  business.

  ---

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A Web Site is Always Accessible

Unlike your ‘Bricks-and-morter’ location,   

which is only open a few hours a day, a website is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can provide both regular and prospective customers the convenience of reviewing your products and services when your store or office is closed.

Not only that, with so many interactive features and add-ons available, visitors to your website can contact you, sign up for your courses, schedule appointments and even purchase directly through your website even when when you’re away from your desk or after closing .
With today’s busy lifestyles, this is a great selling point when making a purchase decision.

Peachy…

Thank You:  kazdesignworks.com

More Royalty Free picture info.

Visit: https://unsplash.com

All photos published on Unsplash can be used for free. You can use them for commercial and noncommercial purposes. You do not need to ask permission from or provide credit to the photographer or Unsplash,
although it is appreciated when possible.

More precisely, Unsplash grants you an irrevocable, nonexclusive, worldwide copyright license to
download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for
commercial purposes, without permission from or attributing the photographer or Unsplash. This license does not include the right to compile photos from Unsplash to replicate a similar or competing service.

SEO:  ‘helping it to make sense’

One of the most important elements to building an online marketing strategy around SEO is empathy for your audience. Once you grasp what your target market is looking for, you can more effectively reach and keep those users.

• “Do”Transactional Queries: I want to do something, such as buy a plane ticket or

  listen to a song.

• “Know”Informational Queries: I need

  information, such as the name of a band or the best restaurant in New York City.

• “Go”Navigation Queries: I want to go to a

  particular place on the Internet, such as Facebook or the homepage of the NFL.

Courtesy: MOZ.com

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A Brochure will enhance your Web Site

Ever wonder what a Good Website and a Hand
Brochure have in common..?

1/ They both  have the ability to Convey a Thought in a limited amount of time.

2/ They  use Images to help you Conceptualize.

3/  They are  Portable.

4/  They can be Reviewed at a later time.

5 They are extremely Cost Efficient.

Add these together and  you have a team that can be used to sell your Product, Service or Message in a Powerful way that  is both Effective and Economical.      It’s a fact..

More Royalty Free pictures.

1. Enter ‘’royalty free pictures’ in Google.

2. Search the links that are returned. (Some sites you have to sign up for, or join)

3. Read the terms and make notes for your file.

It’s probably a good idea to then
double-check that the image you’ve chosen is genuinely free to use. You can use a  reverse image search like TinEye.com to check any further usage rights.

SEO  ‘helping it to make sense’

• Google led the U.S. core search market with 65.4 percent of the searches conducted, followed by Yahoo! with 17.2 percent, and Microsoft with 13.4 percent. (Microsoft
  powers Yahoo Search.

• Americans alone conducted a staggering 20.3 billion searches in one month. Google accounted for 13.4 billion searches, followed by Yahoo! (3.3 billion), Microsoft (2.7 billion), Ask Network (518 million), and AOL LLC (277 million).

Total search powered by Google equaled 67.7 %  of all search queries, followed by Bing at 26.7 % .

Courtesy: Moz.com

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Newsletters

 NEWSLETTERS         

Newsletters are  an effective way to communicate with your Customers or Membership. Done correctly they can keep
the Readers informed of  changes in Policy,  Products, Services, and ‘any’ Current event that you find relevant to
the Organization. These are a tool. A means to stay in touch with the Core of your Business and they are NOT that hard to implement.

1/ Take an inventory of what it is you want to say or Present.
2/ Consider what you want the layout to look like.  Templates are a good start..
3/  Find a tool you are comfortable with to assemble it in.   (Word or Publisher work fine)
4/  Schedule a Monthly date to Publish it to Your Website, and email it out to your Members.
5/  Start with a 1 page Newsletter and go forward from there.
Don’t forget to use a few Pictures to bring it to life..

Do You Want to create a Blog..?

Blogs are content driven, expandable commentary on a specific subject and can best be thought of as  paragraphs of a chapter. They don’t have to be specific to a fault but should have an underlying theme that drives a thought. An example might be: Recipes, Ingredients, and Kitchen Utensils but might steer clear of Restaurants or Food processing.     There are blogs for everything..

WordPress offers a Blog format that can be used within a website setting and is convenient to use.

SEO  ‘when it makes sense’

Sometimes, it helps to remember that a website is not Advertising, it is Informational .  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be used to help a site better appear in web searches, although this feature has been dominated by the big search engines like Google and Bing. Yes, there are plenty of Companies that can be contacted for help with this, but this service comes at a price .

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Website Navigation

CLEAR WEBSITE NAVIGATION

Navigation is about how easy it is for people to take action and move around your website.
You can have the most beautiful website ever, but if your customers won’t be able to find the information they are looking for or get confused while encountering obstacles in the purchase process, your website won’t be appreciated.

Create a logical page hierarchy with clickable buttons and categories. Also, remember about the “three click rule” of clear navigation. This rule means that users should be able to find the information they are looking for within three clicks.

There is also a rule called the F-shaped pattern. Most of what people see is in the top and left side of the screen. We should put our most important information there.     The right side of the screen is rarely explored.

Adding a Favicon to your site..

Favicons are small 16×16 icon files that display
next to the URL of your site in a browser’s address bar. Additionally they’re often displayed next to the name of your site in a user’s list of open tabs and bookmark listings making it easier for the user to quickly identify amongst other sites.
Go to:  https://www.favicon-generator.org for a FREE Favicon Generation tool with instructions on how to install one in your website.

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What Does Your Website Do

WHAT DOES YOUR WEBSITE DO FOR YOU?

Its the first place potential customers, employees or investors will go to learn about you, your company and what you represent. In a few short seconds visitors to your website size-up your image, make a judgment call, and either engage or move on.  Search engines and potential customers look for impact from your website in two major areas: Relevance and Trust.  Building both can drive your credibility and your business forward. Begin by asking yourself a few key questions:

     – Why do we have a website?

     – What purpose is it supposed to serve?

     – Do people immediately “get” what our business is all about, what we value,     and how we’re going to solve their problem?

Your website is a strategic part of your business.

Even when you’re not at work, your website should be helping your business grow. Ask yourself what your website is doing for you and whether it’s aligned with your business needs and objectives.

Reprinted from: GC Infotech

Do You Need to Accept Payments..?

PayPal is a very popular online payment option that allows small business owners to accept online payments without
having a traditional merchant account.

Through PayPal business services, you can accept credit cards online or by phone. You can also generate and track invoices through your PayPal account so you get paid faster. Visit http://paypal.com for more information.

TIP:  Make your home page a to-the-point summary. Since your home page is the most common entrance to your website, it should describe how customers will gain or benefit from your content, products, or services. If visitors can’t quickly figure out what’s in it for them, they’ll click that back button. Poof, they’re gone!

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First Impressions Count

A Web Site is often your Initial Contact.

First Impressions Count   
Let’s face it – we live in a world where people Google before they shop, visit online review sites like Yelp before they buy and “check-in” via Facebook as they go about their days. Because of this, you want your first impression to be the best it can be. Beginning with your website, consumers are passing judgement and making decisions about whether or not they will even visit your store, restaurant or office. They’re likely to dismiss you entirely, as well, should they believe your website doesn’t reflect the kind of experience your business,  or a business like yours – should offer.

TIP:    Keep your Home page Organized and Fresh. Feature your Best selling Services and keep the Colors Warm and Inviting. All of your supporting advertising such as Business cards, Vehicle lettering, Invoices, Yellow Pages, etc., should Drive your customers to your Website for ‘More Information’..

Do you Have a Newsletter.. ?

If your Organization publishes a Newsletter then you should  post it on your Website.  Members can come to the Website at their convenience to view a Calendar of Events, read the Newsletter, and obtain Information on the organization that may be difficult to achieve by other means.  The fact that this is available 24 hours a day can not be overstated with today’s busy lifestyles. Consider it a service to your membership.

Registry Clean up = Faster Machine

Windows keeps track of ‘everything’ you Download, Save, Modify, or Install in a hidden place called the Registry. To Clean up and Reorganize this file you need a tool called a Registry Cleaner.  A good FREE one is the ‘Wise Registry Cleaner’ which can be downloaded at:
http://www.wiisecleaaner.com

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A Web Site is Inexpensive

A Web Site is Inexpensive and Almost Risk Free       Of all the benefits of having a website for your business or organization, the greatest is the cost. The days of Internet exposure being expensive are behind us and you can now have a very respectable presence on line for very little money. Not long ago this would have been very costly and out of reach for the average small business owner. However, while every other advertising medium has increased in price over the past decade, website development and hosting has decreased significantly. For just a few dollars a year, you can get all the benefits of website exposure. There is virtually “no risk” in website marketing. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars and wonder if you should have bought a bigger ad (an ad that can’t be changed easily). You can customize your website and easily make changes at your convenience. You can do as much or as little as your goals demand.

TIP:  Change your Home page frequently and feature what is currently your best seller. All your Advertising, Business Cards, Invoices etc., should drive your customers to your Website for ‘More Information’..

Accessing your Control Panel..        To visit your website Control Panel, bring up your home page url (www.mysite.net) and put ‘/cpanel’ right behind it (www.mysite.net/cpanel) . You will then have to put in your Hosting username and password to proceed. You will be  sitting at the main control panel for your Hosting account where you can create email addresses, do back-ups, explore Softaculous software, etc. It’s a good idea to be aware of this cPanel since much of your website is controlled from here..

Cloud Storage on the cheap..     Cloud File Storage is getting to be the ‘Best’ way to safely backup important files offsite. Two FREE Cloud Storage sites that are readily available and highly customizable are Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. You can search either one of these two services and download their software for free. The amount of time you spend learning their system will be offset by the convenience of being able to reach your files from ‘anywhere’ as well as a secure backup site….

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