This is the first part of a three-part series that explains what you can do to promote your business on the Internet. The three parts of this series include website development, search engines, and online advertising.
Website Development
- Use the Services of a Professional Web Designer/Developer. You may have heard about the many website development tools endorsing the possibility that “anyone can create a website” with their software. Relatives, friends, volunteers, and current employees might be able to do this for your business. However, there are many other tasks that professional web designers and developers do to make your website truly effective. These include ease in navigation, effective placement of content, color and font usage, graphic options, and handheld device considerations.
- Use Standards Compliant Code. My clients’ websites are coded using “hard-coded” HTML. What this means is that I do all the coding without using website building software (e.g., FrontPage, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office). This gives your website a greater chance of working in all the web browsers even when they change their code. These browsers include Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Chrome.
- Keep Your Layout Simple. In most cases, your website has only seconds to keep the attention of an Internet user. It needs to represent your business identity, be attractive, contain simple content, and be easy to navigate.
The above information can be helpful to your business. If I can be of assistance, please contact me.
March 3rd, 2011
We are all trying to cut costs. So, when it comes to doing a website we might have a relative, friend, or co-worker who knows how to make websites and they might tell you, “It’s easy. I can do it for you.”
They might then proceed to use a “website building tool” that is available to anyone who knows how to use the Internet. However, there are many disadvantages to doing this, especially in the long-term consequences of marketing your business online.
Below, are just some of the many reasons to contract with PML Web Creations.
All websites created by PML Web Creations are custom designed. The website templates and website builders that are available from other companies did not meet the needs of my current clients.
Businesses have created websites from templates, but still needed modifications. Most templates and website builders are limited in the amount of changes that are allowed. In most cases, a web developer is needed to make any desired changes or additions.
Some considerations needed to develop a website are not always included in a template. For example, search engine optimization tags are not always included in templates and website builders, and even if they are, guidelines need to be followed so that the tags are effective.
Templates and website builders often include code that is not search-engine friendly. Often, there is extra code included in the web pages that could possibly cause a website to loose ranking in a search engine’s resulting list.
And, your website can be unique!
February 26th, 2011
One more way to market your business online!
There are many reasons to get a Facebook page for the benefit of your business. Here’s just one: The major search engines (Google, Yahoo, and MSN) index and list your Facebook business’ page in their search results.
This increases the chances of your business showing up when Internet users do searches pertaining to your business.
If you need assistance setting this up, or need help with your current business Facebook page, please contact me.
February 22nd, 2011
Make sure your business is listed in Google and Yahoo!
One way that the major search engines locate a website is based on algorithms that test the legitimacy of a business or organization. How do they do this? The search engines look to see if, and how many, directories your website is listed in and if these directories are related to your business or organization.
These directories include online phone directories (e.g., AnyWho, dexknows, yellowpages) and business-related directories (e.g., “All the Food” and “Local Restaurant Direct” for restaurants).
The first step, though, is to ensure that your business is listed in these two major directories: The business directories of the Google and Yahoo search engines. They are called Google Places and Yahoo! Local and can be accessed at the following links (click on the highlighted words below):
Yahoo! Local
Google Places
Check to see if you are listed. If you need assistance, please feel free to contact me.
February 19th, 2011
We’ve heard this before in various quotes from famous philosophers and others. In the world of the Internet, things change constantly and at a fast rate.
One recent, and seemingly fast, change involves the types of computer monitors utilized by Internet end-users. Without getting into too much detail, these changes have affected two major things:
- the size of monitors and
- the monitor’s resolution (ppi or pixels per inch)
So, the monitors are bigger and can get more information in a certain amount of space. Because of this, websites are being designed differently; the layout is changing.
Just a couple of years ago, websites were designed to try and get a web page to appear on a computer monitor so that the end-user would not have to scroll up or across. Now, websites are being layed out to get more information on a page even if the end-user needs to scroll down.
I recently redesigned my own business website with the above considerations in mind. You can view it by clicking on the image on the left.
What might this mean to you? If you already have a website, you might want to consider getting it redesigned. This DOES NOT mean that you have to do this, only that you might want to start thinking about a redesign in the future.
I can do this for you. Feel free to contact me, if you would like your website redesigned to accommodate these changes. If you do not have a website, I can develop one for you to fit these needs.
November 23rd, 2010
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