small business, Self improvement, working at home, mental health, cooking, hobbies, gardening, wellness, health, fitness, motherhood and raising families

Web design tip number one – Use black text on a white background.

Web design that converts visitors into customers must make sure that any sections of text greater than 2 lines uses dark text, preferably black text on a white background.  For blocks of text in your web design you need to forget about fancy font colours and dark backgrounds in your attempt to achieve visual appeal.Not keeping your web design simple so that your message is easy to read is a major mistake made by many designers.

The web design reasons for it include…

In order for you to be able to sell to your potential customers.

1. Your web design needs to make it easy for people to take in your information.
2. A 15% background tint is the maximum you should have behin your text before comprehension levels are negatively impacted.
3. Your web design needs to be all about conversion and less about the branding.

Small business will benefit from the simplicity of selecting a dark text on a white background for main body copy section on their sites. It will be the most effective and least expensive strategy in most situations.

Identify the most popular keywords.

Research of the most commonly searched keyphrases used to find your product or service is a critical step.  Then once you know what they you need to make sure that these keywords occur on your website.

A great web design that never gets seen will not help you grow your business, and the best online way to be seen is to be found in the search engines.

Web design is often a less about the design, and more about the copy, because if the copy does not contain the frequently searched for keywords/phrases, then you are never going to get in front of a customer. So make sure that you know which keywords you should be being found for and place these strategically in your text throughout the site.

Make your web site visually appealing.

Some graphic designers may be worried that black text on a white background is inconsisitent with making your web site visually appealling.

The truth is that your web site needs to be found in the major search engines and for your information to be clearly communicated (i.e. easily read).  But you must also at all times present your information in a professional manner to engender the customer trust required in order to purchase from you for request information from you.

By the following of these three simple rules above in your business, you will benefit from more sales leads, signups and sales conversions from your web design.

Virtual Presenters

The use of video on websites has many positive effects on people who become interactive with the website. Websites that use website video production include, YouTube, Face Book, MySpace, E4, 4od etc. the way in which the video’s connect with the audiences are on many levels as the viewers can have a visual on things that they properly wouldn’t bother to read about.

Information is presented in lots of ways web video, graphics and standard text.

With the internet becoming very popular and people relying on information on the internet, audiences will look for a specific type of information that they will be able to understand and connect with, the most popular source of information is video based.

When people are given the chance to either read or watch something giving out information on the internet, people are more likely to prefer to watch a video presenters. Online video commercials allow us to see what they offer clearer.

Targeted online ads allow businesses to reach certain demographics or niche content.

Another very successful way to advertise a product is to use a presenter to encourage people, this can be evidenced on websites such as homepages to internet services i.e. SKY, MSN etc. on these particular pages I found a detailed advertisement advertising “weight loss products” within this advertisement a woman is shown before and after in a bikini, with her discussing how the product worked for her and giving people details of how to use the product. By being able to see and hear positive feedback about a certain product convinces people to believe in the product.

Audiences need information to be laid out for them in the ways that they will want to watch it, if the information they are looking for is not set out in a specific way (Text, Video’s etc) they will immediately leave the website and look else where.

Certain websites only give out specific ways of presenting information, some are completely text based, video based or they could be a mixture of both.

Keeping your website interesting with video content will ensure visitors are kept more interested and stay on the site longer.

YouTube is a website that offers millions of video’s that can be easily found in the search engine, when logging into You tube it immediately gives you things that you may like to watch on the basis of videos you have already viewed. You tube can work as a data base to store information about you and what videos may interest you. You tube is a very reliable website to find information by video.

The internet overall generates information in many ways. As people rely on the internet for information, it is very important that the popular and not so popular websites keep up to date with how information should be presented to audiences as this will have a huge impact on the views that the website receive.

Have you got a small business that you want to promote with your own website?

You may be asking yourself “How do I start my own website?”.  Well, for starters:  Strategic planning and long term vision will serve you best in your choice of domain names.  One of the best things you can do for your fledgling website is to bestow it with an appropriate, catchy, easy to remember domain name. Hopefully at this stage of the game you already know that Search Engine placement is critical to getting visitors to your website.  Among other factors, the domain name you choose will help you in getting to the “top of the charts”.

What if someone already owns the domain name you covet?  Can you still get it?  The answer is a qualified YES.  It’s possible, but there are conditions.  With some research and hard work you can get the domain name you want even if it is already spoken for.  There are other ways to get the domain name you want:

Hyphenated Names One strategy to consider if the domain name you want is already taken would be to hyphenate it, as in turning ricksantiqueshop.com into ricks-antique-shop.com.  Is hyphenating the best way to go?  Yes and no.  If you are dealing with an already well known name, generally the answer would be no, as most web surfers would usually just enter the non-hyphenated version in, and end up at your competitors’ website instead.  Not the desired result!  Word to the wise: keep the domain name as short as possible.  The longer the name, especially with dashes in between words, the more likely that potential visitors to your site will enter it incorrectly into their browsers, thus foiling the chances of them visiting your website and costing you customers!  So keep it short.  But if the name you have chosen is already taken and there is no chance of getting it from it’s owner, and the owner either has no website or a poorly designed one with little traffic, this can be a good strategy in purchasing a name.  But be careful:  the last thing you want is to cause internet domain name confusion because you have decided on a domain name registration that is so close to a major competitor’s name that you end up losing business to them.

Longer or Shorter?  You can purchase domain names up to 67 characters in length.  You could purchase a domain name like thelongestdomainnameintheworldandthensome
andthensomemoreandmore.com which is 63 characters long, but why would you want to do that?  Who would want to type it into a browser?  My website is www.StartYourWebsiteToday.com    When choosing my domain name I wanted something that in a few words would tell the web surfer what to expect from my website.  Good name selection can be helpful also with search engine ranking.  You will want to definitely keep the name as short and sweet as possible, but at the same time let the visitor know what to expect when he surfs to your website.  Keep it as short as possible.

Brand Name or Generic  Should you give your website a descriptive generic name or do you want to use a brand name?  If your business is known by a brand name, and it is a well known name, of course it is the best possible strategy to try to register that domain name.  For instance, Nike.com is a well known brand name site, although there is nothing in the domain name to suggest that it is a site about shoes.  Still, Nike is such a well known brand name to the public that people automatically know what they will be shopping for when they get there.  If your brand name is well known, definitely try to obtain your brand name as a domain name.  But if your company is Nike or Coca Cola or Budweiser don’t discount the idea of buying the domain name shoes.com or soda.com or beer.com if they are available as well.  People often search the web using generic terms, more so even than brand names.  A person is more likely to search the internet with generic terms like shoes or footwear or sneakers than to search by a single brand name, even one as big as Nike.  Research your domain name as thoroughly as you can, including looking for generic keywords which could be a good fit as a potential domain name.  You can have as many domain names as you want pointing to a single website, so the more generic terms you can acquire that directly describe your business, the better.   A generic name if your business is new or not yet well known can get great results, if you can find a good one.  To start your search for your own unique domain name, here is a link to a domain name search engine.  Bottom line, the beginning phase of how to start your own website is choosing the right domain name.

BEFORE YOU COMMIT to any advertising make sure you know what you are going to advertise. 

Work that out FIRST, then work out how you are going to get the announcement out there. Not the other way around. 

Once you have made the ‘WHAT” decision you can then work out HOW you are going to market and WHO you are going to advertise with.  There are lots of cheap ways to advertise. One of the very best ways to help you with your advertising costs is to LEARN and USE the phrase “I will get back to you”.  Advertising agents hate it, but it will save you being committed to something on the spur of the moment then regretting it.  THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CLIMATE.

This year is going to be a year when anyone in any sort of business at all is going to have to be very marketing savvy. You will learn marketing skills this year that will carry you through the year and from which you will benefit from for many years to come. 

FIRST AND FOREMOST – don’t be suckered into any paid advertising until you are 100% ready.  You are better off to miss ‘a good’ deal than do some irrelevant marketing.  There will be more marketing deals being offered to you this year than ever before, so don’t feel obliged, and most of all -

DON’T FEEL YOU HAVE MISSED THE BOAT. 

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE!

Take time out and plan your marketing for the next 3 months. Normally you should work on a year, but the way the market is at the moment it is best to only make definite plans for no more than 3 months. 

Sure, have a rough guideline for the rest of the year, but define the next 3 months.

IF YOU HAVE AN OUTGOING PERSONALITY THIS COULD BE JUST THE ANSWER FOR YOU

To be success with this type of business you need to be outgoing, very organised and in touch with what is happening in the market place.  This is such a great business for the organised person, especially with a small family.  Because you do your own bookings you can operate the hours that suit your family.  A fantastic WORK AT HOME BUSINESS!!

BUT YOU CAN MAKE A MINT with this type of business.  You can run it for yourself, or you can put on some women selling for you.  Stock control and financial control is essential to make this business pay well. 

Because you do not have lease overheads, you can make your prices very competitive in the market place.  Know your target market, try to find a market that has deep pockets, and go for it.

Even though you may sell predominently by party plan, there is nothing to stop you selling over the internet as well.

For marketing tips look at Marketing Must Do’s For Every Small Business

I found these these blogs on the internet and just had to share them with you.

<a href="http://www.searchengineguide.com/diane-aull/drive-business-without-driving-yourself.php">Drive Business Without Driving Yourself Crazy – SBM Unleashed</a><p>Sooner. More. This is the toughest thing for small businesses. We tend to be concerned about expenses, but the more people you have behind your business, the faster you'll grow. Start with independent contractors if you can't hire …</p>

 <a href="http://www.searchengineguide.com/jackie-baker/email-marketing-sbm-unleashed.php">Email Marketing – SBM Unleashed</a><p>For every hour you spend on an email marketing campaign, the ROI is $45 on average. However, email marketing is a tricky business as there is increased liability, decreased delivery, and  growing alternatives such as social media and RSS …</p>

THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP IS TO WRITE AS IF YOU WERE TALKING TO A FRIEND

After all, that is how we want an article to come across.  Unless you are in one of the more serious businesses, like a doctor, finance broker, or such like, people like to feel they are getting to know the business owner.  The best way to do this is to write the article like you are having a chat.

Don't be concerned if the first few aren't that great.  They will get better with time. 

When writing articles you need to be aware of keyword content.  If you go into Google, you can pick up a lot of information there.

When you understand what your keyword is, you need to use it in your heading, in your first paragraph, and in your last paragraph.  AND, if possible a couple of times throughout the article.

Your keyword should be the best word that describes your business.  For example, not manufacturing handbags, but, manufacturers of unique evening bags.  When we talk keywords, it can mean one word, or it can mean a grouping of words. 

Just click on small business marketing for more information on how to market a small business.

DO YOU WRITE ARTICLES TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR WEBSITE?

Have you heard lots of people who own websites, complain that they never have any contact off them?  I bet you have!

I know that years ago I thought you had a website made, put it on the internet and presto, you got business.  Ha, Ha!

Not so.  If you have gone to the extent of putting a website together, then you have realised the power of the internet.  I just love the fact that you can have customers all over the globe, give them the same service as you do to your face to face customers, and still make money!

But that is just the tip of the iceberg.  You have to do a lot more work before that is likely to happen to any great extent.

Article marketing and writing blogs (smaller articles) is absolutely essential if you are wanting to make money on the web.  AND, why shouldn't you?  Millions of people do!

If you are unsure if you are capable of writing good content for an article you can contract the work out to a company such as Elance.com.  At Elance all you have to do is list your requirements and get your work done for you by a provider.  So simple, not too expensive, and you get out there on the web in the manner that you need to, to win the business.

This is just one way to create more business at relatively low cost.  For more ideas on great marketing you can get Marketing Must Do's For Every Small Business.  In this ebook cheap marketing ideas are discussed, plus it tells you how to make a simple marketing plan.  Just great for the small business owner.