Search Engine Optimization, Website FAQ's
Imagine going to a website and the latest post is April 2013, does this make the company look relevant? Does it enhance the perception of the company?
No, In fact it hurts the company brand.
We often hear people say they don’t have time to blog and that’s true, people are busy, especially small business owners. Here’s a hint, blog while you’re driving. How you ask ? Download a speech-to-text app on your phone using your Bluetooth dictate your blog. When you’re finished driving read over your blog post correct any spelling mistakes, source a photo and upload to your WordPress website.
Once you get started with this method you will find you can complete several blog articles on a longer drive or commute.
Here are the top reasons to blog:
- Add more industry-related content for your website
- Enhances SEO and can help increase website search position
- Adds original and timely content to the site to engage viewer
- Positions your business as an expert in your industry
- Informs and educates potential customers of news, products or services
- Helps increase frequency of search engine reindexing
The process of blogging adds fresh content to your website. Search engines like Google look for new original content on a consistent basis. This new content indicates that the website is up to date, fresh and relevant.
In a WordPress website the blog component allows you to add virtually unlimited posts that are categorized and can be displayed in interesting ways. The data is searchable and yields a search engine friendly permalink for each post which can be used in Social Media.
Blogging on a regular basis provides a forum to answer customer questions, discuss advantages of products, display case studies and show expertise in your industry.
There are many creative ways to use the blog function in WordPress. Often the blog will be used as a new section and your web designer can pull posts into your front page to give greater visibility. Corresponding photographs make the post interesting and chunked text makes it readable. Use of proper headlines containing key phrases increases SEO on each page.
Plugins like Yoast SEO can be used on individual blog posts to target keyword phrases your website more visibility on the search engines.
By categorizing your posts they are easy to find.
Blogging on a regular basis key to having search engines revisit your site and index new articles. Whether you blog weekly bi-weekly or monthly it’s important to be consistent.
Many people ask what to blog about. The answer varies depending what industry you’re in. Oftentimes think of the most common questions that clients /contacts have and answer them in your blog articles. Don’t be afraid to have a personality in your blog, people don’t like reading things that are dry, so inject some humor.
The best thing is that original content does not go away, it helps organic SEO and gives your website staying power on the web.
Website FAQ's
A website is a marketing tool that works in conjunction with your other marketing. It is not just a pretty picture on the web. A website needs to be functional to work. Show the viewer you are a vibrant, growing business.
A professional web designer/ developer will help you by:
Making your website Search Engine friendly – Implementing SEO best practices while building the website. Technical SEO can be done as the site is built, suggestions are made on content to optimize titles, url’s, alt tags and more
Increase conversion rates– Including contact forms, lead magnets and call to action are essential to creating conversions.
Saving you time – Hiring a professional gives you the benefit of hiring an expert who knows successful, efficient ways to create a web site quickly. We can suggest new interesting ways to display information.
Cross device testing– A professional will test a site on different devices, run speed test and make sure the site works on multiple platforms.
Professional Graphics– Adding a custom graphics, colours and images that fit the project are a great addition to making a custom website.
Customization and enhancement– A professional will be able to add custom functionality to a website and customize themes with css and plugins as required.
Technical Know How – Whether it is purchasing a domain, setting nameservers, specific DNS settings like ; A records or MX records, we have the know how. Security and back up redundancy advice and implementation are key considerations.
You may think you are creating a pretty website yourself but there are many shortcomings to some do it yourself platforms.
Website FAQ's
A content management system (CMS) is a software application or set of related programs that are used to create and manage digital content. We use WordPress as the CMS for your website.
This means the website owner can add and change content on the website. We build the structure that will be technically sound, esthetically pleasing and give you instruction to add and change content to reflect what is happening in your business.
The biggest thing to remember is that a website should be a real representation of your business, not one that is 3 years old. A CMS system allows you to keep your website up to date with what is happening in your business, successes, innovations, photos and news. More current and up to date information represents a vibrant business. Gone are the days where a website is put online and then left for 5 years.
Google, as the major search engine looks at content and post frequency to help determine the validity of a website for a specific search term.
A CMS system is not meant to allow you to change the look, feel and organization of your website. We can do that if a redesign is required.
News, Website FAQ's
Who to hire and what are they good at?
As a small business owner it can be confusing to know who to hire to help market you business. There are people jumping up right and left saying they do “marketing” but what does that mean? What do they actually do? Business coaches are acting as marketing experts when they don’t have any hands on experience. Making the wrong decision can be very costly. If at all possible, hire the company that does the work in house.
Please choose wisely!
There are may disciplines to marketing : research, concepts and planning, Outbound ( print, radio, TV, PPC, Adwords ) Inbound ( e- newsletters, social, video, web, blogs). The list goes on and it can get really confusing. It is doubtful one person can be an expert in all these disciplines. Don’t hire the web person for Radio ads and don’t hire the business coach for web design. Hire good professionals in the proper disciplines.
First isolate your demographics:
- Who buys what you do?
- Ideal client
- age
- gender
- location
- industry
Then research, research, research.
Come up with a marketing strategy or hire someone to help you. A website is usually a part of this marketing strategy. It is a tool that can be used as the hub of your marketing that will help convert the viewer to a potential client. The website will house all the information about your business and contain interactive elements to help call the viewer into action.
A website is by no means the only marketing tool to use.
An experienced website professional can help with digital marketing strategy, online marketing research, design and branding concepts, website development and maintenance , technical experience and website promotion: SEO , inbound marketing, newsletters, and social media strategy.
Stay away from the people claiming I will get you to the top of Google. There is no quick and easy, but there is professional knowledge and experience to build a website properly and an online strategy with longevity and quality.
Always ask for an outline of experience and portfolio of work.
Here is a outline of what we do.
How To's, Website FAQ's
We often hear from clients that they tried to create a website themselves which is great for startups and companies on a strict budget. Here are some mistakes people often make when trying to create their own website in WordPress. These are just some of the standard best practices that are used when you purchase a professional website.
1. Not Changing Default Username For Admin– Admin used to be the standard username with each new WordPress install, this is a huge security compromise. Usernames and passwords must be complex.
2. Forgetting Optimization For Images – you must add descriptive alt text for each image
3. Mistaking A Self-Hosted WordPress With a Free One – A self hosted WordPress website will use the platform available at wordpress.org.
4. Forgetting to Create Backups – this is essential to set up automated backups- be familiar with back up retrieval
5. Not Being Careful When Downloading Free WordPress Themes – You must use a reputable, supported theme provider with proper coding. Check for ratings and support history. Make sure coding is current ie. don’t use a theme coded with PHP 5.2 or 5.3 which is deprecated. Choosing a pretty theme is not the way to decide to use it.
6. Not Installing a Plugin For Caching – Caching will help speed up the site for the viewer
7. Avoiding Comment Moderation– moderation allows you approve the comments that are posted on your website, without it you will find loads of spam posts and junk links.
8. Leaving Out a Contact Form – A contact form ensures the email gets to you from any device. Check functionality on a monthly basis with a test message.
9. Not Paying Attention to Security – Security is important for the longevity of the site. Enable: Brute Force Protection, Strong Password Enforcement, 404 Detectionm Malware scanning and more
10. Ignoring Updates From WordPress – Regular maintenance is essential to keep the functionality of your website. Like a car, you need to change the oil. Same with your website, you need to do the updates so your website will last.
News, Website FAQ's
Is it time for a “tune up?” Websites are a lot like cars; they require regularly scheduled maintenance to help keep you on the road to success! When you’re driving, the last thing you need is a flat tire and having a static website can have the same effect on your business as having a flat tire would on your car. Everything grinds to a halt. So think of this time of year as the ideal time to complete a Spring maintenance package on your website, guaranteeing you and your business ideal “driving” conditions all summer long.
Many website designers, myself included will use and recommend WordPress. That’s because it’s fairly user friendly. It’s kind of like buying a good, reliable, family friendly sedan. You can add a few “bells and whistles” but the base car is sound. The industry recognizes WordPress as by far the most used CMS (Content Management System) prompting the former head of Google’s Webspam team to say this: “sites built with WordPress are capable of ranking higher in search results.” WordPress is SEO friendly. Statistics show that better than 27% of the sites you find on the web are fuelled by WordPress, whether it’s a simple hobby blog or one owned by one of the biggest news sites online. That’s because WordPress is so versatile and easy to use – just like a car. Like a car however, WordPress is only as good as the fuel, oil and care you put into it and that’s why regularly scheduled maintenance for your website is SO important.
Your designer can build you something beautiful with WordPress but browser versions, security protocols and device software all change at lightening speed and you, as the owner, need to make sure your website accurately represents your business online at all times – so you need to stay on top of these changes to ensure your website isn’t static. Continually adding new and engaging content, blogging and adding pictures are part of what will help ensure your website stays fresh and top of mind. Think of your web designer as the mechanic who can help guide you when it comes to regularly scheduled maintenance, but, like a car, it’s your responsibility to get it to the mechanic in the first place or learn how to do “the basics” so you can perform the maintenance yourself. . *A word of cautionary advice here: Remember, if you are undertaking some of your own “do it yourself” repairs or maintenance you must always make a back-up first! Also check for plugin compatibility issues and for server resources (ie: php version) before you begin any updating! (1)
For example, just recently WordPress came out with 2 new security releases. Think of these like a “Recall Notice.” You are being warned that there could be a problem with your website. If you log in to your website you will find a message, in red, on your dashboard, just like the warning light to “check engine soon” might show up on your car dashboard. The message will guide you on how to take appropriate action and if you need help, your website designer (like any good mechanic) can help you address the issue. Likely there will be a fee involved. That’s the nature of business and whether you are buying a new car (website) or repairing an old one (updating your site) these things do cost money. Engaging in regularly scheduled maintenance however, helps to ensure your website not only lasts for many years but is also effective when it comes to driving your business in the right direction.
As one of the best Content Management Systems out there WordPress might put you on the road to success but maintenance is what keeps you there. Spring and Fall are both an ideal time for an overhaul. Ask your web designer for help. As for the rest of the year, log in, take a look around your site, see what’s new or needs repair and change things up a bit. WordPress is pretty user friendly and there’s really no reason you can’t pop in once in awhile, add content, blog or perform other small updates on your own. Your website designer will put you in the driver’s seat – it’s up to you to now take care of the regularly scheduled maintenance! (*see 1 above)
Written by Liz Skorski,
President, Skorski Web Design Inc.
