Marketing Tips

Why Do Architects Develop Flash Websites?
Sites built in Flash can have the “Wow” factor and an upscale look and feel many designers crave. But it comes at a substantial price: higher development and ongoing maintenance costs, and problems with usability and Search Engine optimization.

Ten Tips for a Better Contact Page
We're focusing on improving your contact page because for most service businesses, it's the most important page on your site (after your home page).

Is Your Website Losing Customers?
Every site can perform better. Every effective website is a work in progress. That’s why a regular evaluation is so important. Think of it as an annual check-up to make sure your site is easy-to-use and up-to-date.

Your Web Strategy for Success
A successful web strategy is both an art and a science. To simplify the process, we break it down into five steps: Attract the right visitors to your site, engage their interest, build their trust, lead them to take action and measure the results.

Good Copy, Bad Copy
It's a fact: People don’t want to read. All the more reason to choose your words carefully. Great copy is essential for a compelling customer experience. Here are two samples that plunge from the sublime to the ridiculous.

How to Waste Money and Annoy Potential Customers
Why do some companies bid on keywords for products they don’t even sell? Or fail to provide the basic information people need to make the decision to buy? Here’s a cautionary tale, with a happy ending.

Conversion Counts: Improving Web Conversion Rates
Everyone’s looking for better Search Engine rankings. If you have the right keywords, a high ranking can attract targeted traffic to your site. But how many of these visitors become customers and clients? Conversion — not ranking — pays the rent.

Portfolio Pitfalls (and how you can avoid them)
Your portfolio is your most important tool for acquiring new clients. And since more and more people (including referrals) are turning to the web to find a designer, your online portfolio plays an increasingly vital role.

Using the Right Keywords
Want higher rankings and more targeted traffic from the Search Engines? Try thinking the way your visitors do when they search for your product or service. Find the right keywords!

The Truth About Pay-Per-Click Marketing
The key to effective Pay-Per-Click ads is driving the "right" traffic to your site. You pay for every click, so you want only visitors who are interested in your product or service. When they land at your site, be sure they can find what they're looking for.

The Value of Landing Pages
Do visitors know what to do when they arrive at your site? Landing pages orient them better than your home page because they're relevant to the specific Search term used. They're also better at converting visitors into customers.

Web Credibility Quiz
Do visitors trust your website? Building trust online is essential if your web marketing efforts are going to pay off. Attracting visitors is great, but to convert them to customers, you have to firmly establish your credibility.

If Your Site Could Talk
If your website could talk it might say more about your company than you realize. The words you use help to establish, or undermine your credibility. They can persuade visitors to take action — other than clicking to your competition.

A Quick Website Makeover Quiz
How do you know when it's time to update your site? We've come up with this five minute website makeover quiz to help you determine the answer. Score each question from 0 to 3, add up the total — then see our recommendations at the end.

Do It Yourself: Quizzes, Tools and Downloads

Free Web Evaluation Tools
Quick Website Makeover Quiz
Web Credibility Quiz