On Websites…
Don’t see a framework here that you already use or are interested in using? Tell me about it. I’m likely up for the challenge!
Adding good quality photos on your website is important. They boost your website’s overall user experience and, if used correctly, can make a big impact on your search engine optimization. There are a few options when it comes to acquiring this imagery:
- Hire a professional photographer. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking that sounds expensive. But I happen to have some contacts in the biz who are amazing at what they do and provide affordable packages specifically for this purpose. Contact me so that I can put you in touch.
- Take pictures yourself. If you decide to go this route, it’s important to make sure that you are still producing high quality photos that reflect the high standard of your business. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you need an expensive camera as you are likely already carrying one around in your pocket – hello smartphone! Make sure you use natural/bright light, invest in a tripod to keep your phone steady and check that your subject is in focus.
- Use stock photos. Stock photography is appealing to the eye, easy to obtain and a great workaround if the options above just simply aren’t in the cards. I’ve put together a list of websites where you can source high-quality photography of almost any subject! Do keep in mind though, that they won’t do as good of a job helping your visitors form that personal connection with your company as having your own photos of your business location, staff and products.
- Be Credible – It’s the 21st century. Customers expect businesses to have a website and if they don’t, they’re left wondering whether they want to work with a business who is stuck in the Dark Ages, is not interested in finding new customers or is possibly even closed.
- Get Discovered – People browse the Internet to discover business they want to do work with. If you don’t have a website, you won’t show up in search engine results and your potential customers may not be able to find or connect with you.
- Grow Your Business – Unlike most businesses which don’t communicate with customers after hours, your website stays open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that even when your staff is not available to interact with potential leads, your website is. It’s easily accessible to provide helpful information, serve as a point of contact or even allow customers to make purchases or submit orders.
- Stay Competitive – Your competitors probably have a website. If you want to stay relevant and competitive within your field, it’s important that your business exists online.
Websites can also save you time, help you stay in control of your brand and in most cases, they’re not as hard or as expensive to create as you think. So…what are you still waiting for?
The answers for this question may vary depending on who you talk to but generally a redesign or revamp should be done every 3 to 4 years to keep up with changes in design trends, technology and search engine algorithms.
Here are a few scenarios that might push you towards considering an overhaul:
- Your branding has evolved or you’ve undergone a complete rebrand.
- Your clients have needs that your website isn’t meeting.
- You’re not keeping up with your competitors.
- You require new or clearer messaging.
- You’re looking into new content mediums.
- You’re finding it difficult to update your content.
- You want more website traffic.
- You have room in your budget.
- You have the time to dedicate to a refresh.
Absolutely! I’m a BIG fan of DIY’ing myself so I can completely understand what would have sparked your interest in starting this journey solo. Having said that, I ALSO understand the pain of your new website being procrastinated more and more when things get a little more complicated than you originally thought. I offer a VIP Day Exclusive Booking which is perfect way to get things wrapped up and launched so that you can move on with your life and all of the other fun things that growing your business entails. I’m your number one fan – so whether you are looking for an audit, could use some training and advice to get it past the finish line or just need someone to take full control, I’m flexible and can jump in wherever needed!
Websites aren’t set-it and forget-it and it’s a good idea to run regular maintenance so that your site is always functioning at it’s best. Here are some tips to help you keep your site running smoothly.
- Regular Back Ups – Remember that time you worked for hours on a document, forgot to hit save, your computer shut down and you lost EVERYTHING. From then on, you took certain precautions to make sure you wouldn’t lose your work again. The same thing goes for your website. Fixing a problem is much easier if you have a backup available to restore.
- Update Software – Keep your platform, themes, and plugins up to date. Hackers are real and they don’t discriminate because you’re a small business. Anything that is out of date leaves your website vulnerable to security breaches.
- Fix Broken Links – Content you have linked to in the past may change either on your end or externally. Dead links make your business look bad, mess up the user experience and are not good for search engine optimization. They’re not completely unavoidable but ideally, they don’t exist on your website for too long.
- Form Testing – Fill out and submit the forms on your website. Check the customer form submission alerts. Make sure emails are being sent to the correct place and are being received. If anything isn’t working correctly, you could be missing out on valuable leads.
- eCommerce Testing – Make test purchases of products. Go through your checkout process as if you were a customer. Take a look at the notification emails the user receives. Do this on different devices and in different browsers so you can figure out if your customers are coming across any snags.
If this seems overwhelming with everything else you have going on in your busy life, ask me about a maintenance plan. We can implement one of my existing monthly plans or customize something to fit the needs of your business.
On $$$…
Having a developer tell you how much your website will cost without hearing about your project is pretty much the same as having a contractor tell you how much your house will cost to build without seeing your blueprints…aka not accurate. Working with many small businesses and being one myself, I can understand that a website can be a major expense and that having a ballpark estimate may be the deciding factor of whether you move forward. But I can do you one better. Book a consult today and I will provide you with transparent pricing for a high, mid, and base level package option so you feel empowered to choose the service that best suits the time commitment you can make, your budget and any other needs you may have!
Payment can be made via cheque, e-mail money transfer, Paypal, or credit card by request (additional 3% surcharge).
Hourly work is billed monthly for tasks completed in the month prior. For example, if you have work completed on the 2nd and 14th of September, you can expect to see an invoice in your inbox at some point during the beginning of October. If you also have a task which was completed on the 2nd of October, you will receive an additional invoice during the beginning of November.
Quoted Work is billed in phases:
- Phase 1: 50% deposit required before work begins.
- Phase 2: 50% due on launch date OR 40% due on launch date milestone if launch is delayed by client.
- Phase 3 (if required): 10% due on delayed launch date.
