The road to owning or running a Successful Website

By Nigel Harding

BBF member to member workshop12 September 2013

About me

Nigel Harding Owner of a web design business (4 years) Web designer Web developer Web consultant

• Helping the business• SEO/internet marketing

Previous life

− Project management, pre-sales consultancy (software), software application training

Agenda Your website, your shop

window Understanding your target

audience Responsive websites Driving traffic to your

website.

1. Your shop window

Check list: Establish/re-enforce corporate ID Use consistent, complimentary colours Use good quality images & photography

− Good lighting, relaxed professional look, no holiday snaps

Importance of clarity & usability

− Different form factors (smartphones, tablets)

The good, the bad & the ugly

What defines whether a website is good, bad, ugly, successful or otherwise?

Design quality How well does the website relate to the visitor? Too much content, too little content, just right? Easy navigability, clarity of messages, importance of

usability Support the business objectives Does it generate enquiries/sales?

Colour wheel

Choice of palette/colour psychology

Red: passion, danger

Blue: corporate

Green: soothing, natural, environmental

Purple: spiritual, caring

Grey: safe, trustworthy

Strong, bold colours: male

Softer, pastel colours: female

Case study: Collyers

Collyers new website

Quality: images & photography

Collyers: benefits

New website, improved credibility

New brochure created, marketing campaign

New customers

Which would you choose?

Usability: Responsive Web Design

Some Facts & Figures There are more mobile phones in the UK than people The number of smartphone searchers doubles every two

months In 2010, Google became a ‘mobile-first’ company (this

means they develop their sites and tools on mobiles first) Smartphone sales overtook PC sales last year (two years

earlier than expected) In three years time, tablet sales will be bigger than PC sales Smartphone sales will continue to grow – will be 3 times the

sales of PCs 52% of UK mobile phone users have a smartphone

2. Your target audience

Check list Understand who you are trying to reach

− Demographics (age, sex, niches)− Suitable colours & style that appeal− Personas

Tell your audience what you want them to do− i.e. “Call to action”, telephone, complete a form, click on a “buy”

button

Vending machine industry persona

Vending machine operator company Facilities Management for SMEs/corporates Target audience, think about...

Male? – most likely Age? - 28-45? Role? - CEO/COO/MD? Disposition? - quite analytical

Size matters

Primary & secondary CTA

3. Driving traffic to your website

Check list: Is it important that visitors find your website? Internet marketing, interactive marketing Search Engine Optimisation Blogs & Social Media

3. Driving traffic to your website

Build it and they will come?

Quick history of search 1990s

– Altavista, Excite, Yahoo (1994)

– Google enters the fray (1996) 2000s

Google becomes the King of Search Bing launched - MSN Live rebrand (2009)

2010s

– Google at the height of its powers

– Real-time search results

UK search engine popularity

Internet Marketing

SEO/PPC Social Media

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Email Marketing Directories & Listings Online Advertising

What is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)?

Organic Make your website content naturally relevant to Google

searches Involves analysis, editing web content, adding new

content, constantly reviewing results and tweaking Pay per click

Google shows free ads (impressions) You pay for each click through to your site You can set a budget

The organic SEO triangle

Google updates

Google Panda

Targets over-optimisation of anchor text.

If an unnatural percentage of the links pointing to your site are all one keyword that you are trying to rank for, you will be penalized.

http://www.wordtracker.com/academy/google-panda-farmer

Google Penguin 2

Targets unnatural, manipulative, inbound link profiles

– Coming from poor quality sites– On sites that aren't topically relevant to your niche or business

– Paid links– Keyword rich links– Links where the anchor text is overly optimized (i.e., exact-match anchor text)

http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2279845/Googles-Penguin-2.0-Algorithm-The-Definitive-Guide

Case study: Metal Supplies

Metal Supplies

Logo design

Website design

Monthly SEO

– Visitors quadrupled

– Enquiries increased

Blogging

Social Media

Modern Marketing

Marketing used to be “broadcast marketing” until 6 or 7 years ago

The new wave of marketing involves the audience

Social Media can be used for broadcasting

Social Media & blogging facilitate conversation

– It's power lies in conversation, feedback, involving people.

– You can have conversations with your exact target audience

Blogging Example

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-the-u-s-army-is-using-bloggers/

What is a Blog?

WebLog

A discussion or information site published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete entries ("posts") typically displayed in reverse chronological order so the most recent post appears first. (Wikipedia).

Why do people blog?

To “add value” to visitors.

– Additional insightful information, IFA comments on Budget

To show off competence &expertise

To interact with target audience

The main reason...

– To add changing, relevant content to the website which will positively affect Search Engine Optimisation

Summary

Importance of quality for branding, logo & website

Is the website clear, is it easy to use? Will mobile phone users enjoy a good experience? Does the website reflect your business objectives? Does the website appeal to the target audience? What are your website traffic objectives? Do you blog? If not you probably should!

Questions?

Email: nigel@amodeowebdesign.co.uk

Contact DetailsAmodeo Web Design

Branding/logo design

Web design

Web development

Ecommerce

Internet marketing

SEO

Social media management

Nigel HardingT 01494 446296

M 07505 248501

E nigel@amodeowebdesign.co.uk

W www.amodeowebdesign.co.uk

http://lnkd.in/ysbS69