The Best Websites Have Good Foundations
Planning for a new website can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not familiar with the process. However, with a solid plan in place, you can make sure that your website meets all your goals and objectives.
Here are 6 easy steps you should take when planning for a new website:
1. Define your goals and objectives
Before you start planning your website, it’s important to define your goals and objectives. Ask yourself what you want your website to achieve. Do you want to increase sales, generate leads, or build brand awareness? Knowing your goals will help you make the right decisions when it comes to designing and developing your website.
2. Determine your target audience
Knowing your target audience is critical when it comes to planning a website. Understanding who you want to reach will help you create content and design that appeals to them. You should consider some of the following factors when identifying your target audience:
- Age
- Gender
- Location,
- Interests
- Income
3. Choose your platform and hosting
You will need to decide on a platform and hosting provider. There are many options available, including WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify. Each platform has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose one that fits your needs. Hosting is also an important consideration as it affects the performance and security of your website.
4. Develop a sitemap and wireframe
A sitemap is a visual representation of the structure of your website. It outlines all the pages and sections of your website and how they relate to each other. A wireframe is a basic design of each page on your website. It shows the layout, navigation, and content. Developing a sitemap and wireframe will help you visualize your website and make sure that everything is in the right place.
5. Create content and design
Once you have your sitemap and wireframe, it’s time to start creating content and designing your website. Your content should be engaging and informative, and it should speak directly to your target audience. Your design should be visually appealing and easy to navigate. You may want to hire a professional designer and copywriter to help you with this process.
6. Test and launch your website
Before launching your website, it’s important to test it thoroughly. Make sure that all the links work, the pages load quickly, and the content displays correctly. Once you’re confident that everything is working as it should, you can launch your website.
Planning for a new website may seem overwhelming at first, but by following these steps, you can create a website that meets all your goals and objectives and produce a well structured, functional user friendly site.
If you need help with your website or would like further advice then please get in touch here.
Social Media Branding – Important! If so why?
What is the name of this company and what do they do?
I really didn’t need to ask, we all know the logo and what it stands for, and it isn’t a greengrocer! The image doesn’t even relate to computers or mobile technology in any way, it can be any colour or size it doesn’t matter, because Apple have created a visual image that is immediately recognisable and unique to them. As soon as we see it we know what it stands for.
So why is it important to visually market your company?
To be recognised and stand out from the crowd! You may have a good business name but that alone will not make you stand out on a social networking platform such as Twitter.
Your logo will be seen before anyone reads your article or post. Therefore make it noticeable, enabling immediate identification. It ideally should be simple, distinctive and if possible appropriate.
Create consistency -it’s a visual representation of your company, and as with Apple or Twitter it will become synonymous with your brand. Make sure it is on everything you do from business cards, banners your web site, all promotional material and not forgetting your social media platforms.
In the current fast paced world of social media marketing branding becomes even more important, think of your twitter feed, most people will rapidly scan the feed and pick up on one or two items. Clearly their eye is going to pick up on designs that stand out. Too often we see companies who have spent a great deal of time and thought on their branding yet throw something together when it comes to social media. Yet in reality the way you show your brand on social media is arguably even more important than any other area of your business.
Remember each social media platform is different and has its own unique design and look, which means that a banner designed for LinkedIn won’t be the right fit for Facebook, Google+ or Twitter.
These images show how our banners are specifically designed for each individual platform, they are also designed to work on different devices, whether it be for example a mobile phone, computer or tablet.
We would love to know what you think about social media branding have you got your social media branded if not why not?
Comment and let us know what you think, or feel free to contact us direct, we look forward to hearing your thoughts.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][contact-form-7 id=”5550″ title=”Blog Contact Form”]
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Business Productivity and the Cloud
High Speed Broadband is now an integral part of the UK’s push to become a leading knowledge economy, how could your business benefit from the use of high speed broadband and Cloud computing?
So what do we mean by the Cloud?
In the simplest terms, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive. Examples of this may be Google Drive, Microsoft 365 or Apple I Cloud.
In the UK Broadband Study of 2013 improved productivity was one of the areas outlined as one which could help business. How could cloud computing help make your staff more productive? The UK Broadband study found that nationally a 2% reduction in commuting would lead to a reduction of some 2.3 billion kilometers per annum this in turn would make essential journeys quicker and more productive.
Do you need to attend every meeting in person? Using webinar and meeting tools could see a 9% reduction in business travel reducing business mileage by 5.3 billion kms per annum.
Above we have provided you with just a few interesting statistics as to the beneficial effects of using Cloud there are many others, so let’s summarize the main benefits:
Flexibility
You can work from anywhere as long as you have access to the internet , which for example can be through your phone, tablet ,computer or Chrome Book and is what we ‘call off premises IT.’ Telecommuting means that your office can be anywhere you want it to be!
Enables real time information and shared access.
You can work with others on a document at the same time. You can even see what the other person is doing as it happens. There is no longer the need to keep passing information backwards and forwards.
Low cost
There is normally no initial start up cost and the majority are pay as you go. There is also no need to invest in expensive in-house servers and software, all is provided for by the service provider
Suppliers responsible for the infrastructure
Management such as security and updates are provided for at no extra cost by the suppliers who invest heavily in an experienced and knowledgeable workforce, in order to enable them to be key players in what is a growing competitive market. For example if you are using Google Apps everything is provided by Google and hosted on their powerful and secure servers.
Disaster management and protection of data
If in the case for example of a fire, flood or theft, data will not be lost and still accessible. Therefore causing less disruption to business and the peace of mind in knowing that data will be safe. Cloud also eliminates the need to have to back up files or download to a server.
Let us know how Cloud computing has impacted on your business?
In such a complex area it is always good to know an expert we would suggest Phil Oakley at Outserve http://www.outserveweb.co.uk/
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]
Or contact us
[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][contact-form-7 id=”5550″ title=”Blog Contact Form”]
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
7 LinkedIn Tips -to boost sales