Does Your Website Need a Makeover?

How to know when it does

How do you respond to change? Is it a like or dislike? With change, there isn’t usually a middle ground, because most people either love it or hate it.

Interestingly, there are obstacles to both sides of the change spectrum. For instance, if you implement too many changes to your business, consumers will not be able to keep up. On the other hand, if you shy away from change, consumers will think you are out of date.

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Although finding a balance is an important task, today we’re going to focus on businesses that need to implement change. As seen in the above video, there are multiple indicators that businesses need to watch for to see if they should make changes to their website.

The first sign is when your site doesn’t meet its current goals. This issue could be the result of several developers writing bad code on top of bad code over and over again. Instead of trying to correct a mounting problem, businesses are better off just starting from scratch if this occurs.

Secondly, if your website was built with tables, then it is time for an update. This format is both hard to read and hard for search engines to break down.

A third sign that your website is “behind the times” is if visitors are welcomed with a Flash intro. Experts always disapprove of this practice since it causes slow load times and compatibility issues, among other problems.

Another indication that your website needs a makeover is if you are not involved with social media. Now, some people will quickly object and say that social media doesn’t play a role in their industry. However, consumers are talking about everything from plumbing to retail on social media networks. Consumers like the connection and personalization that Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms give them.

Fifthly, if your website is not mobile-ready, then it could quickly cause your business to fall behind. Consumers want the ability to access everything from their mobile devices. Websites that do not offer this capability could lose business.

Also, if you need a web designer to make even the slightest change to your website, you probably need to make some adjustments. Experts highly recommend content management systems for convenience and usability.

Lastly, when the call to action is not clear or effective, changes need to be made. Visitors need a simplistic process that doesn’t require them to create an account or to search for something. If it’s not easy, it reduces the visitor’s chances of taking action.

So, are ready to take these signs seriously and make some changes?

Social Media Boosts Small Business Marketing Efforts

Social media increasing investments in websites

Only 37 percent of small businesses say they are highly successful at coming up with new ideas to grow their business compared to 47 percent last year, according to a new report from Network Solutions.

“Creative thinking and the determination to push the limits on innovation are the hallmark characteristics of entrepreneurs,” says Tim Kelly, CEO, Network Solutions, an advocate of small business success.

“Having a strong presence on the Web gives business owners a great launch pad to showcase their innovative spirit and build brand awareness for the products and services they offer.”

Small business owners who are highly successful at marketing and innovation differ from the majority:

*39% consider Internet technology to be important to their business

*26% use online advertising, more than other businesses (18%)

*72% expect to make a profit from using social media

“The ongoing recession has certainly pushed our limits on marketing and innovative thinking. It’s difficult to stay inspired and optimistic when the economy remains stagnant,” says Heidi Kallett, owner of The Dandelion Patch, a stationary and gift retail business.

“Technology is a huge ally for small businesses. I stay ahead of the curve by leveraging the Internet and social media to stay connected with my customer base and also maintain an online presence for Dandelion Patch. The internet has no doubt helped me to form personal relationships with my customers.”

More than two-thirds (67%) of small businesses have or are likely to have a website in two years. Instead of replacing website investments, social media is increasing them. Among small businesses that use social media, 30 percent are likely to increase their investment in their website because of social media, and another 60 percent do not plan to change their website investment in the next year.

While six months ago small businesses were focused on the goal of attracting leads with social media (71% vs. 73% in Dec 2009), they now look to social media simply to build awareness of their organizations (77% vs. 56% Dec 2009). They are also more likely to use social media to stay in touch with their current customers (62%) than six months ago (46%).

The number of companies conducting business globally has dropped from 19% to 14% since December 2009, but companies buying supplies from outside the country has seen an increase from 11% to 18% since December 2009. Also there is a positive correlation between small businesses using social media and the income they generate from multiple countries.

“Small business owners who hit roadblocks on marketing and innovation should turn to social media,” said Janet Wagner, director of the Center for Excellence in Service at the Smith School, at the University of Maryland.“

“Tools such as Twitter and Facebook have made it faster, cheaper, and easier for even the smallest business to communicate with its customers and get ideas for new products and services.  Technology-savvy small business owners who leverage the Internet will be in a strong position to compete going forward.”

Social Media Boosts Small Business Marketing Efforts

Social media increasing investments in websites

Only 37 percent of small businesses say they are highly successful at coming up with new ideas to grow their business compared to 47 percent last year, according to a new report from Network Solutions.

“Creative thinking and the determination to push the limits on innovation are the hallmark characteristics of entrepreneurs,” says Tim Kelly, CEO, Network Solutions, an advocate of small business success.

“Having a strong presence on the Web gives business owners a great launch pad to showcase their innovative spirit and build brand awareness for the products and services they offer.”

Small business owners who are highly successful at marketing and innovation differ from the majority:

*39% consider Internet technology to be important to their business

*26% use online advertising, more than other businesses (18%)

*72% expect to make a profit from using social media

“The ongoing recession has certainly pushed our limits on marketing and innovative thinking. It’s difficult to stay inspired and optimistic when the economy remains stagnant,” says Heidi Kallett, owner of The Dandelion Patch, a stationary and gift retail business.

“Technology is a huge ally for small businesses. I stay ahead of the curve by leveraging the Internet and social media to stay connected with my customer base and also maintain an online presence for Dandelion Patch. The internet has no doubt helped me to form personal relationships with my customers.”

More than two-thirds (67%) of small businesses have or are likely to have a website in two years. Instead of replacing website investments, social media is increasing them. Among small businesses that use social media, 30 percent are likely to increase their investment in their website because of social media, and another 60 percent do not plan to change their website investment in the next year.

While six months ago small businesses were focused on the goal of attracting leads with social media (71% vs. 73% in Dec 2009), they now look to social media simply to build awareness of their organizations (77% vs. 56% Dec 2009). They are also more likely to use social media to stay in touch with their current customers (62%) than six months ago (46%).

The number of companies conducting business globally has dropped from 19% to 14% since December 2009, but companies buying supplies from outside the country has seen an increase from 11% to 18% since December 2009. Also there is a positive correlation between small businesses using social media and the income they generate from multiple countries.

“Small business owners who hit roadblocks on marketing and innovation should turn to social media,” said Janet Wagner, director of the Center for Excellence in Service at the Smith School, at the University of Maryland.“

“Tools such as Twitter and Facebook have made it faster, cheaper, and easier for even the smallest business to communicate with its customers and get ideas for new products and services.  Technology-savvy small business owners who leverage the Internet will be in a strong position to compete going forward.” 

Social Media Strategies in Affiliate Marketing presentation from Affiliate Summit West 2008, which took place February 24-26, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV.

• Sam Harrelson, VP of Business Development, OnCard Marketing (Moderator)
• Stephanie Agresta, Partner, The Conversation Group
• Justine Ezarik, iJustine
• Tris Hussey, Training Manager, b5media
• Deborah Schultz, Principal/Chief Strategist, DeborahSchultz.com

With almost 50% of Internet users now creating and sharing their own
content, this new medium is changing how markets operate and how
companies communicate with consumers.

Note: the companies and positions listed above were current as of the
time of the conference. Some of this information may have changed since
then.

Video: Social Media Strategies in Affiliate Marketing

Article source: http://affiliatetip.com/news/article003460.php

Take Advantage of Advertising Right Now!

Low-cost opportunities for small businesses

Advertising is expensive, especially for small businesses. However, advertising is at one of its most affordable points right now, thanks to the economic downturn. Both advertising and media companies have been forced to reduce their prices, which have opened many doors for small businesses.

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For this reason, these companies are now more willing to work with smaller businesses. As pointed out in the above video, the best part is that small businesses pay less for services. Many of these services include advertising opportunities that most small businesses could only dream of in the past.

For instance, most small businesses do not have budgets for televisions spots. Due to price decreases, it is a possibility. Before the recession, a 30-second television spot could run as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fortunately today, this same ad could cost be as low as $500, according to TelevisionAdvertising.com.

Small businesses can also take advantage of billboards. This form of advertising is also seeing difficulty and has lowered its rates as well.

Fortunately, these low-cost opportunities exist online too. Advances in technology have helped businesses obtain more information regarding user demographics, habits, interests, and more. As a result, businesses can offer more customized ads, which helps them reach their target market.

Google AdWords and Facebook ad campaigns are both viable online opportunities. Each of these platforms allows users to set up their campaigns based on their budget. In addition, users can make adjustments on an as-needed basis.

Mobile advertising is another affordable area for small businesses. The Kelsey Group projects that the mobile advertising market will expand up to $3.1 billion dollars by 2013. With platforms such as Google’s AdMob and Apple’s iAd, it seems likely that this prediction will come true.

Lastly, social media provides many advertising opportunities for small businesses. Sites such as Twitter are giving some businesses better results than traditional platforms are. Foursquare and the newly introduced Facebook Places are also allow businesses reach their target through special discounts and giveaways. These location-based services have experiences tremendous growth over the last year.

So, it’s not so hopeless after all, is it? Can you think of any other areas of advertising that small businesses can take advantage of right now?