A website is undoubtedly a key business essential. The main reason why you need a website is it provides customers a chance to discover and learn about your products and or services.  Because the web is the number one place potential customers go to research and compare businesses, it is quite easy to see that your company needs to have a presence on the web.  It’s likely your business will not fail just because you are not on the web, however, if your customers are unable to quickly find detailed information about your product or services on the web, it can negatively impact your bottom line.

It is important to remember that being on the web is not just about selling more. A presence on the web allows you to retain current customers, and as any marketing expert will tell you; retaining current customers is significantly less expensive than obtaining new ones.

You may feel you have all the customers you need, or that your business niche is too small to require a presence on the web. Remember that the largest lead generator for your business is word of mouth. Utilizing social media applications ads an almost real time online ability to leverage that word of mouth from your satisfied customer base.

Many small business believe they can’t afford a professional website and turn to turn key websites from directory services like GoDaddy, Intuit, or Yellowbook. These bundled packages do have a certain draw to them as some business owners believe ‘ the less we spend on marketing the better our books look’.

Unfortunately, like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Do these template out-of-the-box websites provide a viable ROI for the limited investment?  No.  Does your web presence have to be expensive? No.

A customized, professionally designed website built to meet the exact needs of your business is the best investment you can buy.  Yes, you will have to spend some money, but it is one of the best investments you will ever make. You will have to budget for a one-time web design fee and then a monthly or annual web-hosting fee.  In return you will get a permanent yet flexible marketing tool that is available and working for you 24/7. Compare your web costs to what you would pay for a few radio spots (and who knows if anyone will hear it or had enough time to write down your phone number!) or a once-off newspaper ad (once it’s gone, it’s gone!) and even if you use newspaper advertising wisely, repetitive advertising will cost a lot more than your website.

For a more qualitative measurement, let’s weigh the pros and cons of why you need a website, starting with the benefits

• A website defies geography. No matter where your clients are, they can reach you.
• It is tireless and works like a dog – 24/7, 365 days of the year.
• It lets your customers in: A presence on the web can used your website to ask customers for their opinions, while you can blog about your latest and greatest product.
• It respects your pocket. It is cheaper and far more flexible than other advertising mediums, and changing its looks doesn’t involve a long-winded production process.
• It saves trees. Although it is always a good idea to augment a good website with other marketing tools, it does cut down the need for more traditional marketing like printing large volumes of literature.
• It is everyone’s friend. People can shop and compare without having to find parking at five different stores while trying to keep the kids to stay calm!

As for the disadvantages of why you need a website: Apparently there are none really. Let me know if you can think of any!

But there is an important stipulation: When it comes to your presence on the web, less isn’t more and just any old website will not do. Your site IS your business. It reflects your image and your brand and tells your customers who you are, what you do, and what you sell. It must look good, grab attention and entice people. If it is badly designed and hard to navigate, if the writing is bad or the colors clash, it is not going to do you any favors. Remember, you are on the web to charm and disarm not to disturb and perturb!

It should be clear now as to why you need a website.  Once you have decided to invest in a website, follow up this wise business decision with a commitment to hire a professional (contacting Patty from Web Advances.net is the best place to start!). You want your presence on the web to be a true reflection of the passion and pride you feel for you business. Nothing less will do.

Technology now provides software which can track actions on a given web page, including eye movements of visitors. Web page features even allow the ability to get visitors on a web page to do what we want them to do. Does this sound manipulative? Maybe so. But, it is no more manipulative than a department store placing mannequins in a window or a hotel leaving a mint on your pillow before bedtime. They do this to garner your business.

Regardless, web page features can be built to get visitors to do something when they get there, and the more visitors, the better.  A good web site design is not just about using a cool widget or a neat Flash presentation. Instead, is about the psychology of buying which again is the trick on how to make a website work.

In addition, a good site design must also take into account the world of search engines. Your website needs to be designed in such a way that it can be found by someone who is searching for whatever product, service, or information that you provide there.

If you are looking for Internet marketing web site design tips, here are 5 web page features that will explain how to make a website work:

1. Clearly label your site

The first rule of good design is this: make sure that you make it abundantly clear to your site’s first-time visitors what your site is about and to whom it is targeted. The simplest way to do this is to place a clear label or description of your site across the top of every page.

2. Optimize each page of site for a different target keyword

Each page of your site should be content-optimized for at least one target keyword. Of course, this keyword might be the so-called long tail keyword consisting of multiple words. Keywords you choose for each page of your site should be very well-represented on the page.

3. Make sure the meta title matches each page’s target keyword

Another optimization related-tip: make sure that the meta title tag on each page is specifically optimized for that same keyword.

4. Make it clear to visitors what they should do

Once you have a visitor on your site and they know what to do, what’s next? You need to immediately get them moving toward your ultimate objective. If that objective is to sell them something, then of course direct them to your sales page. If on the other hand your objective is to get them to download your latest white paper, direct them there. This may sound obvious, but countless websites are so cluttered with buttons and links that it is almost impossible for a visitor to tell where they should go next. This will kill your sales.

5. Minimize number of steps from landing to sale

Finally, think of every step and action that a site visitor takes from the moment they land on your home page to the moment they taking that desired action (such as making a purchase) as a link in a chain. The longer the chain, the better the chance they believe your site without ever taking that action. Keep the chain – the number of steps – as short as possible.

Adding these web page features is how to make a website work.  Use these to your advantage and enjoy the rewards!

Custom websites offer more unique design.

Template websites force developers to work within a pre-determined layout and design features. Aside from the ability to change background color and perhaps text, template websites offer little room for developers to customize the website’s look, content placement and navigation. Websites custom built from code, on the other hand, offer a limitless range of design capabilities, and can be tailored to any look. Think of the difference between plugging one’s business logo and contact information into a business card template, and having a business card designed just for that business. Like business cards, websites are a key visual representation of a company brand, and website templates tend to look like just that – templates. While there are many different website templates available, many of them tend to offer the same design features and functionality, and web-savvy users can spot a website template easily. Custom websites allow businesses to avoid that “cookie cutter” look with a one-of-a-kind unique design. 

Custom coded websites offer more robust capabilities.

While template websites are confined to the navigation, structure and widget applications laid out in the template, custom developed websites’ functions are limited only by the developer’s imagination and skill. The reality is that most businesses don’t simply need a website; they need a website with custom applications capable of managing, analyzing and displaying data and/or content. For large scale business owners, template websites will never offer the functionality necessary to run the kind of custom-built applications that will help their websites – and businesses – run most efficiently. Website templates are only as flexible as the simple widgets which come with them.

Custom websites can offer more value at the same cost of template designs.

While custom developed websites may, overall, average higher in costs than template website design, not all custom websites cost more than template websites. Many WordPress designers who work from pre-purchased web templates charge just as much – if not more – than competitively priced freelance web developers. The truth is that website developers – whether custom programmers or template designers – range quite widely in how they price their services. If price is an important factor for your website, it’s best to shop around to see which developer offers the best price and quality. You might be surprised to find that custom web developers offer just as much – if not more – as their template designing counterparts, often at the same price or lower.

Here are ten ideas to get increased traffic on your blogs which is definitely needed for blog success.

1. Fresh Content – no one wants to visit a blog everyday and read the same posts. Update your blog content at least twice a week. Write several posts ahead of time and upload them at the appropriate intervals.

2. Article Marketing – the niche you’ve chosen for your blog is one that interests you. If it is interesting you will spend more time doing it. Create content not only for your blog but also to be submitted to article directories. Use the resource box to advertise your blog so people can find you.

3. Social Networking – these sites are very popular and found everywhere. Join Facebook, MySpace, Squidoo, Twitter or a dozen others and make valuable connections. You can join groups of likeminded people who also share your passion which in turn increases traffic on blogs.

4. Viral Marketing – this is where you spread the word about your blog. Word of mouth is a great form of advertising. Talk to friends, family and even strangers and give out business cards with your blog address on them.

5. Use RSS Feeds – RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” Readers can subscribe to your feed and get email updates when new content is posted. It is an easy way for them to keep up with your blog without spending all day online. Post interesting content to gain more subscribers which equals blog success!

6. Submit Blog to Search Engines – doing this allows your blog to be ranked. Google and Yahoo! are two of the most popular search engines you want to crawl your blog pages. It doesn’t guarantee top ranking, though. You’ll have to do a little more work for that.

7. Joining Forums – as a blogger you are a budding entrepreneur. You will be marketing yourself to gain traffic on your blog which will turn into profit. Become a member of business forums, work at home forums and others to meet new people and share ideas. You can add a link to your blog in the signature line so others can find you.

8. Visit other blogs – show your appreciation to those who visit you by also posting comments on their blogs. It is a kindness that shows others you are not just out to advertise your blog alone. Add links to your blog in your comments.

9. SEO Marketing – whatever you write, use relevant keywords. Keyword density between three and ten percent is good for getting higher page rankings in search engines. Base your keywords on a research you do to find the most popular words used in search engines for your niche and increase your blogs success.

10. Social Bookmarking – submitting posts to social bookmarking sites allows others who are members of those sites to track you back to your blog.

Using any of these ideas will increase traffic on blogs and increase blog success. It takes time but it’s worth the wait and the work you put into it.

Some people hear the word “blog” and think of them as a place to talk about personal issues or family recipes.  With this in mind, I understand how a new business would have a hard time understanding how a personal type blog would correlate to a business.

If you fit into this category, read on!

Following are 3 steps to help you decide if your business should be blogging:

1. The first place to start is Google, the largest Search Engine. Perform a Google search for your company name. What do you see on the first page of results? A few listings for your website? Some local directory listings you never signed up for? Anything else? Anything on the second page?

2. Now perform a Google search for each of your top 2-3 competitors. What do you see on the first page of results? On the second? On the third?  A competitor with a online business blog will have a greater amount of pages of content that will show up in search engine listings.

3. Next, think about this scenario: A coveted potential client has been referred to your company and has also been referred to two of your competitors. You have no idea this client is in buying mode (in spite of the fact that you have reached out numerous times). The client immediately goes to Google to research your company and each of your competitors. He or she is going to see pretty much exactly what you just saw in your Google search.

Does that make you happy?

Today’s business-to-business buyers have the ability to find out a lot about your company before you even know that they are looking! Their first stop might very well be your website (and your website must do a great job of conveying your company’s value proposition within 7 seconds. But what is most important is that they are going to be looking for more than just your website to help them decide if you are the right choice.

A blog will help your company convey value to potential clients in a way that you control. Moreover, you can easily achieve a much more impressive presence on the Web than you have right now. And, when combined with other Social Media efforts, you have a very powerful mix – one that your competitors may already be stirring!

Contact us at web advances.net to discuss what a new online business blog can do for your company.

Freelance web developers are more cost effective.

Let’s face it: web development agencies can be costly! While many agencies do turn out a great product, they also face many overhead fees, such as employee salaries, benefits, 401K plans, office space, travel compensation, et cetera. Freelance web designers and programmers often work from home or a very small office and typically have very few overhead expenses, allowing them to charge rates much lower than those offered by agencies.

Many freelance designers and programmers have a diverse skill set.

To be sure, there are all different types of freelancers, and subcontractors’ experience levels can range from having decades of experience to being eager to do their first website. Experienced freelancers, however, are likely to have a diverse background which may include agency experience and knowledge of many different kinds of platforms. Subcontractors tend to diversify their skill sets in order to widen their client base, and a freelancer who has been developing websites for years is likely to have expertise in different code languages and platforms, such as PHP, CSS, WordPress and ecommerce-style websites. This provides their employers with flexible options for development and website capabilities.

Subcontractors often have access to a wide network of other freelancers.

If a freelance web developer has established him or herself as a successful subcontractor, it’s more than likely that they have developed relationships with other subcontractors whose specialties compliment their own. These partnerships allow freelancers to expand their capabilities to specialties outside their own by bringing other freelance team members on, if necessary. For example, a developer may specialize in programming but be able to offer graphic design through one of his or her partners. In this way, a small business may be able to get a full menu of graphic design, site design, search engine optimization and web development without having to go through an agency.

Tips for finding a great freelance web developer.

For every talented, experienced freelance developer “out there”, there are an equal number of inexperienced and unprofessional subcontractors. Telling the difference between these two types of subcontractors isn’t impossible, however, if you know what to look for. First, gather a wide pool of applicants from which to choose, and examine their resumes carefully. Be sure to ask to look at each subcontractor’s portfolio of completed projects; this is often the best way to tell what their capabilities and scope of experience truly are. Next, ask for references – and make contact with each one. Ask not only about the references’ completed projects, but how they felt about the subcontractor’s professionalism, billing and timely project completion.

Patty Molloy is the owner of WebAdvances.net, a freelance web development company based in East Michigan. Having worked as a freelance web developer for over ten years, Patty specializes in PHP programming and site design, and has worked with a wide range of small business and ecommerce web development projects. In addition to web development, WebAdvances.net offers SEO, website hosting and custom database development. Visit webadvances.net for more information.

In order to create dynamic web pages, a professional in the trade can lend helping hand. A professional PHP programmer is the ideal person who can make your website interactive and alive. Always hire a professional PHP programmer who can create an attractive website designed at affordable rates. Look for the best website development company, from where you can recruit the best programmer for your site. Make your website eye-catching, rich in content and reach the maximum traffic in the search engines.

As PHP freelancers and web designers, most of our work comes from small to medium sized companies, marketing companies and individuals that do not have knowledge and experience with PHP.

Web Advances.net has built many custom PHP/mySQL applications for real estate, health care, and custom applications specific for a particular business function. We also work with open source applications such as WordPress, online shopping cart websites like Zen Cart and OS Commerce and can develop custom content management systems to manage your content. See examples of custom PHP programming by viewing our portfolio.

Outsourcing professional php programming for your business only makes sense. We are Michigan based and have the skills and experience to build the special application to help your business thrive. Experienced, reliable and professional, we work on your project until it is completed to your specifications and are always available for ongoing support after a project is finished. You can count on us to get your project completed.

Contact us through our Contact Us form, providing as much detail as possible about your PHP programming needs for your business.  We look forward to working with you!

Because of this, the string “web_developer”  will not show up in a search for ‘web developer’, but the string “web-developer” will show up in that search.

The end result is that hyphens are much better, from an SEO perspective, than underscores. This rule seems to hold true for use in text, in file names, and in domain names. 

However, URL’s without hyphens do look more professional. Hyphens are typically fine in certain contexts but when you start stringing them out with more than three words or three phrases it can get cumbersome. Hyphenated domain names work with targeted key word campaigns and search engine spiders. If that is the purpose of the site or domain, then the hyphens are fine. If your marketing intention are to create a brand or a remembered domain, then hyphenless domains work best.

Most websites give little attention to their ‘Thank You’ pages, missing out on some key online relationship-building opportunities that only a ‘Thank You’ page can provide. 

How can you bring your ‘Thank You’ pages from good to great?  Follow the tips provided from hubspot.com.

Tell Your Contacts What Will Happen Next

First, make sure that your visitor is really clear about what it is they just signed up for. Use the ‘Thank You’ page to spell out exactly what they should expect to happen next, and when.

They should know if the next thing that happens will be:

• A email appearing in their inbox today
• A phone call from a representative within three days
• A monthly newsletter appearing on the first of the month

Restate The Value Of The Offer

Remind them why they should be really excited about that thing that is about to happen next. What benefits did you promise them on your landing page? Now is a great time to remind them of those benefits, and to reiterate what it is they signed up for — in a larger sense.

Are they now:

• On their way to completing a short online course that will make them noticeably better at something?
• A part of a larger community of like-minded people, all of whom receive your email newsletter?
• One step closer to saving a great deal of money, time, or effort?

Sometimes people experience a little “buyer’s remorse” after they provide contact information on an online form and click submit. Remind them why clicking that submit button on your landing page was such an absolutely brilliant idea — the best idea they had all day.

Give Your Contact More Value

‘Thank You’ pages are a great place to add value to your relationship. What else can you give them at this point to surprise and delight your visitor? Something valuable and unexpected can go a long way towards giving your contacts a warm, happy glow, the memory of which might make it just a little bit more likely they’ll open that next email from you, click through on your special offer, or pick up the phone to talk to a salesperson.

Give them a link to one of your most popular blog articles. Or give them a link to an extra download that complements the download they just signed up for. Even if it’s something small, a little something extra that they weren’t expecting can go a long, long way.

At the very least, you can offer them the opportunity to follow you on Twitter and Facebook. If you do this, though, make sure you tell them why they should — in their terms. What will your prospect get out of following you?  Daily deals?  Industry insight?  Be specific about why this is a good idea for them, not just you.