“Are we there yet?”

This phrase isn’t only well known to parents; those of us who work with search engine optimization hear different versions of it quite a bit. That’s because SEO is like physical exercise – everybody wants to see results today, but few of us have the discipline to work out consistently for months on end.

So, like technological personal trainers, web designers constantly strive to motivate clients to keep up their crunches and push-ups, usually in the form of fresh content and site updates. All the while, though, the question keeps coming at us: why does this have to take so long?

The short answer has to do with software. Simply put, Google and the other search engines use millions of tiny, automated programs that scour the Internet day and night looking for words and phrases that match what searchers type in. So, not only do you have to add new material to your website, but you also have to wait for one of these “spiders” to find and index the new pages before they can have any effect. On top of that, most engines place more weight on older sites and those that regularly update, meaning that there’s always a bit of a lag and that consistency – not just volume – figure in overtime.

For a longer and more complete answer, though, we have to think a bit about what matters to searchers in the first place. What people are looking for isn’t keywords – it’s answers and information that help them solve life’s problems. To build up stock of that information takes time and attention; you can’t simply throw together a few words and expect that readers are going to respond.

Additionally, the specific phrases and ideas that people care about (or that you want to offer) change pretty frequently. What was hot last month isn’t such a big deal today. In order to stay at the front of the search listings, business owners need to anticipate these trends, or at least keep up with them. Otherwise, you can quickly find that traffic to your site falls off a cliff once a new product, idea, or innovation takes hold. It takes a steady stream of fresh content to stay ahead of the pack, and you’d better believe that there are always a handful of new businesses chasing you.

Remember, search engine optimization is a bit like starting a spin class – it’s going to take a little bit of time to get the results you want, but not nearly as long as you’d think. As long as you can stick to a routine of adding fresh, quality content and updates at regular intervals, you’ll stop wondering why SEO takes so long, and start marveling at how it works so well.

At least once a week, a client comes to me looking for the “magic bullet” of search engine optimization. They want to know, once and for all, the secret to getting atop the Google, Yahoo, and Bing listings for their best keywords. Sometimes, they even let me know that price isn’t an issue – they just want to do whatever it takes to make things happen now.

So, after a great amount of personal reflection and internal debate, I have decided to spill the beans. Here, after all these years, is the secret to getting great SEO results quickly: First, you make a sweep of your small business website, being sure to optimize all of the basics like page titles, embedded tags, and other technical details. Then, you generate a lot of high-quality, keyword-rich content and post it to your site and blog regularly. And finally, you work tirelessly to generate dozens, or even hundreds, of inbound links to your site from other reputable, well-known sources.

Once you’ve completed all that, all you have to do is keep doing all of the above until it slowly but surely works.

“Wait,” I can hear you saying, “that doesn’t sound all that fast at all… In fact, it doesn’t even sound like that much of a secret.” Well, you’ve got me there. But unfortunately, those are the steps that you – or any other business owner – has to take if you’re going to be assured of climbing up the search engine rankings. There are no shortcuts, and there is no magic bullet. You can spend a small fortune with dozens of gurus and experts, but it’s always going to come back to time and effort. The best that I or anyone else can do for you is to find the right keywords, keep you on schedule, and do what we can to stop the process from becoming any longer or more tedious than it already is.

Naturally, this advice comes as quite a disappointment to many business owners – especially those who have recently launched online businesses. Some of them refuse to believe it all, which leads them to write very big checks to people with questionable credentials. That’s not to say that there aren’t some great SEO professionals out there, because there certainly are. But for 95% of the small businesses jockeying for position on the major search engines, the best course of action is to get started and keep moving forward. Sooner or later, the rest will take care of itself.

Improved search engine rankings can be a huge boost to your business, bringing you hundreds or thousands of new leads and customers every year. But to enjoy those benefits, you’re going to need some knowledgeable assistance and a healthy amount of patience. There is no search engine magic bullet to speed up the process, but if you take the time to do it the right way, the results are worth the wait.

The failure of DIY websites

We live in a world of knockoffs. For every designer watch, handbag, or electronic gadget you could have your eye on, there are probably three others that look similar from a distance, but turn out to be cheap imitations once you’re holding them in your hands. That’s the same way I feel about small business do-it-yourself website “designs.”

Once the Internet started changing the way small businesses found and worked with customers, it didn’t take long for software and hosting companies to realize they could cash in on the trend. A good designer or creative team doesn’t come cheap, and they sensed eager entrepreneurs might be looking for ways to cut costs while taking their ventures online. And so, one after another, they started mass producing web designs – offering predesigned packages that could supposedly be used to make professional-looking sites within minutes, and at a fraction of the normal cost.

Soon, others started getting in on the act. Do-it-yourself website designs became a standard feature included with dozens of hosting packages and software suites. I’ve seen “ready-made” layouts offered inside productivity bundles, word processors, and even accounting software. The idea remains simple: fill in your information where it’s needed and you can have a custom website in a matter of minutes. It’s hard to find fault with this system, because it seems like everybody wins: the software company puts a few extra dollars on the balance sheet, and the customer saves some hard-earned cash.

And really, it would all be fantastic, if it weren’t for the results.

As you may already know if you’ve tried one, 99.5% of the ready-made, fill-in designs are terrible. I don’t just mean that they’re bad… I mean that they look like third grade computer science projects. From frames that don’t load correctly to colors that haven’t been in vogue since “elephant leg” jeans, they represent the exact opposite of what you want a customer to think about your business.

The biggest drawback to a “fill-in-the-blanks”, though, is that it hasn’t been designed for you. There are always going to be certain features, pages, or details that don’t quite do as much as you need them to, and others that are useless to your business. By attempting to come up with layouts that will work for anyone, in just about any industry, these companies are asking you to miss the forest for the trees. Sure, the do-it-yourself software is going to be easy from some to use – but most things that don’t stand any chance of making you money are.

Do it yourself website designs sound like a good idea in theory, and are kinder to your wallet. But if you’re serious about reaching your business goals, invest in an expert web designer who can create a layout that looks and performs the way it should.

Not since the invention of the business luncheon has there been a more powerful way for entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals to stay in touch with their clients than Facebook and other social media. In fact, I might venture that our digital tools have a leg up on afternoon martinis, given that it’s faster, less expensive, and allows us to reach dozens of people at a time.

To leverage your Facebook page to your advantage, though, you’re going to need to manage it the right way and avoid the most common pitfalls. Here are a few tips for using Facebook and other social networking sites to your advantage:

Act like a professional. Your Facebook page isn’t the place to post a detailed account of your drinking marathon, or rant about something that might offend one of your customers or colleagues. A surprising number of people forget that they’ve “friended” so many of their clients, and that each of their updates or ideas is going out to the men and women they do business with. What’s more, lots of the information on these sites is picked up by search engines, meaning that it could be nearly instantly accessible to someone who hasn’t even bought from you yet.

Be careful with photos and other media. A picture truly is worth a thousand words… or maybe tens of thousands of dollars if your best customer sees you doing something that doesn’t portray you in a good light. You don’t have to run every family vacation snapshot past a PR expert, but be careful about the photos and videos you share.

Keep private things private. In the same way, it’s a bad idea to talk about one of your clients personal or business details online. If you have any doubt whatsoever about whether they would want the information shared, then keep it to yourself.

Let your hair down. That doesn’t mean you have to be all business, though. One of the great things about social networking sites is that they allow you to share your personal side with the people who know you from a business setting. There’s nothing wrong with letting your customers know that you enjoyed a weekend away with your spouse, or that you just got a new puppy – these kind of details can strengthen your relationships with them, but use your better judgment.

Network. Online, it’s pretty easy to see who your clients are affiliated with, and it’s usually as easy as a quick e-mail to get an introduction. Treat Facebook and other social networking sites the same way you would any other professional networking setting – look for connections, but don’t be pushy about it.

Facebook might be a lot of fun, but it’s an also important business tool. That doesn’t mean you have to be thinking about sales and profits every time you log on, but you should probably remember that anything you say or post has the potential to be read by a client or prospect.

If we could narrow the wishes of every web design client in the world down to just two things, I suspect they would come out like this: they wish their website would be finished faster, and that their projects could cost less.

Both of those make perfect sense. Once a manager or business owner has decided to upgrade their site, or start a new one from the ground up, they are usually eager to get it done. And what company doesn’t like to save money? The expense of a new design can have a big effect bottom line – especially in this economy.

But what most clients don’t understand is that, while quality work is always going to take a little longer and require a more serious investment than something that’s poorly done, there are actually several things they can do to cut the time and lower the expense of their new website design. Here are a handful to get you started:

Know what you need. What features or functions will your new site have to have? What kind of look are you aiming for? Who will your visitors be? Knowing the answers to these questions gives you a strong starting point for your website design. In fact, I’d venture that the biggest time-waster in most clients’ projects stems from helping them figure out the basics of what they really need – issues they probably could have considered before we got started.

Supply pictures and content. Having the “raw materials” you’ll need for your website on hand – the photos, company history, logo files, etc. – can save your designer from having to track them down (or worse, re-create them from scratch) later. Naturally, this leads to fewer headaches, not to mention billable hours.

Appoint a contact. Who should your designer call or e-mail if they have a question? Having one person be the internal point of contact on your web design project can prevent dozens of smaller hassles. Ideally, it should be someone who knows where to find answers and information your company, and is in the office regularly. Whether they are in admin, management, or some other department isn’t important; that they can be reached and respond quickly is.

Give clear feedback. When you get a first look at your new design, try to give more insight than a simple thumb up or down. Specific feedback about the colors, tones, layout of the page, etc, if given early in the process, can cut off confusion (and expensive edits) down the road. Don’t be afraid to take a day or two and see how your new layout looks to you after you’ve slept on it. It’s a big decision, and one that costs a lot less time and money if you get it right the first time.

Stick to the plan. In the same way, try not to be too distracted by all of the things you’re new website could do, and focus on all of the things you decided it should do. It’s easy, once you’re in the middle of the process, to decide you want that two-minute video after all, or that your pages should all have rotating images. It’s also expensive and time-consuming. Remember the old proverb about an ounce of planning, and try to make decisions you can commit to at the start.

Hiring a designer or team to build your new website is probably never going to be as quick or inexpensive as you’d like. But keep these tips in mind, and you’ll burn a lot less time and money than most of your colleagues and competitors would.

Every once in a while, I catch a prospective client looking at our website samples the same way some would examine an x-ray, or maybe a piece of abstract art – interested, but without a very good idea of what they’re seeing.

I don’t think that’s hard to understand; unless you put together layouts and code for a living, a lot of the online world can be divided into pages that are pretty, and those that aren’t. To make matters worse, not everyone would agree on which sites fall into the good-looking category. Even so, most business owners and managers know they need to be looking for something in the web design samples they see, they just can’t quite put a finger on what it is.

To make things a little bit easier, and help you find the web designer or company that’s right for you, here are a few things to look for when you check out web design samples:

A variety. When looking over a portfolio, you shouldn’t get the feeling that all the sites have the same look and tone. Yes, every designer has his or her own distinctive style, and these elements are bound to come out in the projects they work on. Still, an eerie similarity between different sites is an indication that the person is unwilling – or unable – to start from scratch on a new project. Unless your business is just like every other one you see in their samples, stay away.

Quality. Taste is a subjective thing, but quality – even if it isn’t in the style you like – will nearly always stand out. There’s a big difference between a painting that’s bad, and one that’s just not for you. Web designs are no different. If what you see looks cheap, disorganized, or lacking in some other way, then take that as a sign that you should probably work with someone else.

Attention to detail. In the same way, what’s just as telling as a portfolio full of shabby-looking web designs is one that has stunning pages that seem just a little bit off. Whether it’s a misspelling here, a graphic that seems a little out of place there, or just the sense that the whole thing lacks a certain polish, missed details are a clue that the designer has trouble paying attention to detail.

A style. Assuming you don’t see any of the red flags I’ve mentioned, what should you be looking for? The best answer is a sense of style that matches your own. That doesn’t mean that you have to be looking at the exact website you would want, just that you agree with the designer’s overall approach to other projects. Clients sometimes forget that commercial design is still art – you might not know what you want, but you’re likely to recognize it, or parts of it, when you see it.

Looking over web design samples, online or in an office, can be a little bit daunting. After a while, it’s not unusual for one thing to start to look like everything else. But pay attention to these tips, look for any indications of future problems, and then find the best stylistic fit for you and your company. It might take a little while to develop a keen eye, but you’ll be glad when you find the perfect designer.

AFTER MaryDesigns Screenshot

I’m excited to tell you all that one of my clients, Brooke Richards, has just launched her new site today at: www.midwestsunkissed.com. Her company, Midwest SunKissed, sells hair and skin care products online. But don’t think this is just another stop for lotions and shampoos – these are all products that Brooke discovered (and started using herself) on her travels throughout Hawaii and the world.

As exciting as it was getting to know Brooke – a beauty products expert who spent years circling the globe as a flight attendant – I had even more fun working on her site. That’s because her company has a fun, retro look combined with a simple mission, and a quality set of products. And besides, how could I not enjoy thinking about the beach?

BEFORE MaryDesigns - Site from previous web designer

It was a great project from a marketing and web design perspective, too. The challenge was to take her existing “unpublished” website, which you could call “second class at best,” (Before Screenshot to left)  and upgrade it into something that would be as much fun to use online as it was to work with off-line. The first step was to rework the logo since her existing designer created one that was a raster image found through Google Images. Tsk Tsk

After that I was able to design a one of a kind unique retro layout to match and then got deep into the code, changing out the old images and tables with a fresh cascading style sheet (CSS) layout. While some of my readers and clients might not care for the ins and outs of the technical details, the important point is that change will allow Brooke’s site to load correctly every time, regardless of what kind of browser or computer system her shoppers are using. It also makes the whole thing much friendlier for search engines.

I can’t say enough good things about Brooke and Midwest SunKissed. I hope you’ll all take a moment to check out her new site, as well as her great products. I also want to thank her for the kind words she had for MaryDesigns:

“We discovered MaryDesigns while surfing the net for a fresh, new web designer. They ended up being the first and last stop in our search. She incorporated everything that we asked for and more. We cannot explain how relieved we became when we finally found a designer that delivered exactly what we were looking for: great communication, detailed information, and follow up.”

Of course, the end of Brooke’s site design – at least for now – means we now have more time to take on a new project. Could your website use a fresh coat of paint, better functionality, or more search engine visibility? Submit to us for a free web quote or give me a call today at 317–489–3783 (toll free 866-298-2879) and let’s talk about what I can do for you.

Press Release at PRWeb

Congratulations to Hoof n Paw Pet Supplies, who launched their website today at: www.hoofnpawpetsupplies.com. Their brand new site will allow them to sell dog products, cat products, or equine products.

Their website features a colorful layout, which makes use of the vibrant colors in their already existing logo. When I saw it, I just knew we had to let our crayons off the leash and allow their personality to jump right off the screen. Like bringing home a new puppy, it was love at first sight!

Don’t think it’s all about the look, though. In addition to well stocked product pages, the new site features our sturdy CMS eCommerce system – ensuring that Hoof n Paw will never have a problem updating their own products, prices, and availability.

We’ve had the opportunity to design and publish several pet-related sites in the past through our sub-site Glitzy Fritzy, but none that have featured equine web design. That made this website good fun, especially since the horse in the banner is the owner’s actual horse.

Let me also take the opportunity to invite you to get in touch with us today and find out what we can do for your business. Is your company doing as well online as it could be? If you suspect that your Internet marketing efforts could be yielding better results, or you’re ready to find out why so many of your competitors are cashing in with improved search engine visibility, an advanced content management system, or just a fresher look, then why not get a free consultation? We didn’t become a popular Indianapolis web design company by accident, and we’d love to show you some customized web solutions.

In design, as in life, there are some relationships that start out well, but ultimately go nowhere. But while the bookstores are practically overflowing with advice on when and how to get rid of that not-so-special someone, deciding to shed your web designer can be a little bit trickier. Who’s to say you can find another professional to take their place? What if you can’t afford someone else, or if it takes them too long to learn about your business?

Here are four solid signs that you should be looking for a new web designer – whether you’re looking at their first proposal, or they have been designing your site for years:

Their own site is terrible. In my mind, this is an enormous red flag. It’s absolutely amazing how many supposedly “professional” web designers and web design companies have sites that look, well… terrible. If they can’t even be troubled enough to do quality work on their own website – which should be their most important sample – then what can you expect them to do for you?

They don’t return your calls or emails. Next to talent and hard work, consistent communication is one of the foundations of a good website. As designers, we can only start with what we think looks good and will work for you; it’s up to the client to let us know if we are on the right track. And yet, it’s not unusual to hear of customers having to place half a dozen phone calls just to find out what’s going on with their project. That should tell you everything you need to know about the working relationship going forward.

Their proposal is vague. If you’ve been working with your designer or team for years, then having the exact wording on an agreement might not be your biggest concern (although it’s still a good idea, since spelling out the terms can prevent confusion and disagreements later.) But if a proposal you receive from a new vendor doesn’t specify exactly what will be done, by when, and for how much, then be sure to ask yourself why that is. At the very least, you should insist that these details be put in writing; but a vague agreement could be a big clue that you’re working with someone who doesn’t have their act together – or doesn’t want to be bound by specific agreement.

They have given you low quality work. While this one should speak for itself, I’ve met too many marketers and business owners who have been persuaded to give a lazy design team “just one more try.” Granted, not every layout or concept is going to be to the client’s taste. But even so, the difference between great work and a bunch of code and images that have been slapped together is usually pretty easy to see. Your time is money, and working with someone who isn’t going to give you their best effort won’t help you reach any of your business goals.

Having a bad designer or team on your company’s payroll is a drag on your productivity – not to mention the bottom line. It might be hard to cut ties with someone who isn’t pulling their weight, but the sooner you do, the more quickly you can get someone who will build a site that looks and works like it should.

Would you like a free web design quote?  MaryDesigns clients are all satisfied with both our creative work and quick response time!

It’s hard to think of any business bigger than a lemonade stand that can’t benefit from a functional, professional-looking website. And so, it’s not such a big surprise when clients come to us saying that they need to establish an online presence for their company. More often than not, however, they have no idea where to begin.

I can understand their confusion. Merely mention that you’re thinking about getting a new website, or updating the one you have, and you’ll soon find that there’s no shortage of advice on what you should do – including plenty of technical-sounding terms for “must-have” features.

Lost in all of this, though, is that websites are rarely built just to sit online; they’re usually designed to sell, inform, or serve some other purpose. And knowing what your site is all about before you hire a designer can save you an enormous amount of time, money, and frustration.

Here are three things to think about before you hire a web designer:

Who your visitors will be. What kind of person will be viewing your web pages? Will they be existing customers or new prospects? Colleagues or competitors? Having an idea about whom you want to draw in – and what you want them to take away from your site – is a critical first step toward building a concept that works. Try to form a specific image of your ideal visitor and then relay that to your designer so they can create something that attracts the right kind of attention.

What you need your site to do. Will you be selling online, or merely providing information? While there are obviously dozens of other things your site could do, this basic question can tell you a lot about the kinds of programming, hosting, and functionality you’re going to need. There’s no point in paying for complicated e-commerce packages if you don’t need them. Likewise, you’re going to be very disappointed if you expect your site to generate orders and it ends up working more like an online brochure.

Your budget and deadline. These might not be your first consideration, but it’s important to set the right expectations with any designer. Some companies can produce a simple website in just a few days; others require a minimum of a month or more. In the same way, costs can be across the board. While it’s a safe bet that quality work is probably going to put a bigger dent in your budget, it’s helpful to start out with a figure or range in mind.

Every Web project is different, and it’s not uncommon for a client’s needs or wants to change throughout the design process. But by having some basic ideas about what you need your site to be and do before you start collecting bids, you greatly increase the odds that you’re going to end up with a finished product that looks exactly like what you want.  Get a free web design quote from  MaryDesigns!