Is your website one of the 32% on the internet that are built using WordPress? If so, then you need to prepare for the release of WordPress 5.0. The current release date is scheduled for December 6, 2018. According to the WordPress community this is the BIGGEST change to WordPress EVER! Everything will change. It affects every aspect of WordPress, from how users interact with the editor and create content, to how developers code plugins and themes.

If you have ignored prior updates, they are usually minor and do not overly affect your website. However, WordPress 5.0 is different. The key difference in a word is “Gutenberg”. That is the name for the new editor for WordPress 5.0. The Gutenberg editor completely overhauls the Classic Editor in the CMS (content management system).

Is your website ready for WordPress 5.0?

It’s impossible to say what to expect from this upgrade, because every website has its own unique combination of themes, plugins and customizations. But in general here are some of the changes you can expect:

1. The Classic editor will be replaced with Gutenberg. This means it is possible for ALL of your current site pages to lose formatting. Columns might be off, images out of place, links broken, etc.
2. Content will transition from containers to multiple movable “blocks”. This means you’ll have to learn an entirely new editor. How to create/edit/add pages is going to be different.
3. Many themes and plugins may not be compatible. Many customizations may be wiped out. Forms, image galleries, button styles, etc.. will all need to be reviewed. Some plugins may no longer function at all.
4. Responsive column support may no longer function. If your website uses columns for placing content those may need redone. According to the reviews, the Gutenberg editor is problematic in handling existing columns.

How to Prepare for WordPess 5.0 Upgrade

1 – Backup your site & database as a precaution prior to the update.

2 – If your website is set for automatic updates, turn them OFF! This will prevent the update from taking place and give you a chance to review/experiment with the new changes before implementing live on your site.

3 – WooCommerce released an official statement: If you’re running WooCommerce, make sure to update to WooCommerce 3.5.1+ before updating to WordPress 5.0 to avoid breaking changes.

4 – Update all themes and plugins prior to updating the core WordPress database to version 5.0

5 – Use a staging or test environment to see how your site will be affected before updating your live site.

6 – After updating, conduct a thorough website audit to ensure that every page and feature is functioning properly.

Do I have to upgrade?

NO. You can continue to use the Classic Editor and not upgrade to WordPress 5.0. However, the WordPress team says the Classic Editor plugin will only be officially supported until December 31, 2021. While that may be a long while off, there are other issues if you do not upgrade to WordPress 5.0, including your site will not receive critical updates that include fixing security and performance bugs. That is why we highly recommend upgrading sooner than later.

Of course the biggest advantage of upgrading to the new Gutenberg editor is the huge improvements in content creation. Gutenberg is a block-based editor that is a huge leap forward in the ability to create significantly more complex designs than you can within the current WordPress editor.

Helpful reference links for more info 

WordPress 5.0 Beta News – https://make.wordpress.org/core/2018/12/04/new-5-0-target-date/

WordPress Gutenberg Handbook – https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/handbook/

WordPress 5.0 Changes Everything (What’s New)

SUMMARY: This update is a big deal for WordPress website owners. Considering the release date is around the holidays, the last thing anyone wants is their site to have problems or even go down. That’s why we recommend developing your WordPress 5.0 Update Action Plan as soon as you can or at the very least turn off all automatic website updates until you are ready.

To make the most of this update we encourage every website owner to consider it an opportunity to review your entire website strategy for potential enhancements that could help increase your sales, decrease your cost of doing business and expand your brand reputation in 2019. If you are not absolutely confident that your website is doing all it can to attract and convert potential customers, then take advantage of our complimentary Internet Marketing Reality Check. More info

Amazeinc Internet Solutions is a Google Partner with over 17 years experience helping businesses succeed online. For more info visit: https://amazeinc.com/

Comments or questions? Contact Lisa Frost at 760-754-8012 or email: lf@amazeinc.com

While Google is constantly updating their search ranking factors, these upcoming changes will have a much greater affect and require pro-active attention in order to avoid some fairly drastic outcomes.

What are these BIG Google changes?

• Google HTTPS Security Deadline
• Google Mobile-First Index
• Google Maps Platform
• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Below is an overview of each of the coming changes, plus suggestions for what you should do about it. 

Google deadline for HTTPS Security – Is your site ready?

Starting in July, Google plans to mark all HTTP sites as non-secure! That’s because Google wants all websites to use the HTTPS protocol instead of HTTP. That ‘S’ on the end stands for secure. The HTTPS protocol helps protect your website from hackers trying to cause harm or divert traffic, plus it helps protect visitors to your website.

Google is actively working to get websites to adopt the HTTPS protocol. Websites that do not comply will be penalized with a BIG WARNING when people attempt to visit any non-HTTPS websites. Can you imagine having your website flagged by Google with a big “NOT SECURE” warning?
Here is more info directly from Google: https://security.googleblog.com/2018/02/a-secure-web-is-here-to-stay.html

What should you do? The good news is that it requires minimal time and cost to implement the HTTPS change. Plus there are other benefits, from boosting Search Engine Rankings to making visitors feel safer on your website and more importantly when providing their information. The easiest fix is to call your website hosting company, purchase an SSL certificate and ask them to install it. (Cost will vary depending on your host, but typical cost is $99 a year.)  

The clock is ticking… July 2018 is the deadline for when prominent warnings will begin to show to Chrome users. Don’t delay!

PRO TIP: After upgrading to HTTPS remember to TEST every page on your site to ensure the upgrade did not affect the layout or content. Also, set-up a redirect from the HTTP version and update every online profile and primary links with the new URL. It’s also a great time to refresh and update profiles, add photos, test new ads and keywords, etc.

If you would like assistance to ensure a smooth HTTPS upgrade process, we can help you develop an upgrade plan or handle the entire process for you. Contact us

Mobile Responsive – Is your site ready for Google’s Mobile-First index?

Google has been moving towards mobile-first indexing for over a year. Not surprising, since mobile now outpaces desktop for web searches. Any website that does not perform as well on a mobile device as it does on desktop is already at a huge disadvantage. But Google’s official announcement that mobile-first indexing is underway makes it of vital importance that your website is mobile-first focused.

What is mobile-first indexing?

Previously, when Google crawled the pages of your website to determine your ranking, it did so from a desktop perspective. Mobile-first indexing simply means Google will now crawl using a mobile perspective. If your website is mobile-friendly and has mobile-optimized content (images, links, forms, etc) then you are set. Just make sure that what you think is “mobile friendly” is the same as Google!

What should you do?

Even if Google had not started the shift towards mobile-first indexing, any site that is not mobile optimized has a huge disadvantage against the competition. The most important thing is not to delay. Today’s websites need to be mobile optimized for many reasons, but Google’s mobile-first indexing is among the highest priority. You can learn more about the Google mobile first rollout here: https://searchengineland.com/google-begins-rolling-out-mobile-first-indexing-to-more-sites-295095

PRO TIP: If you are not sure your website is mobile-friendly, the first step is to test your site using Google’s free mobile-friendly testing tool: https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly. Make sure to check the VIEW DETAILS link on the test results page or you could miss important details. If you do need to update your website for mobile, consider a design refresh at the same time. Also make sure to update any themes, plugins or scripts used on your website as these cause security risks if outdated. Lastly, make sure to TEST your site on multiple mobile browsers for speed, look and user experience.

If you need help with your mobile first strategy to ensure maximum results, we can help you develop a mobile plan or handle the entire process for you. Contact us

Google Maps Platform – Does your site use Google Maps?

Beginning June 11th, Google is changing their Google Maps platform and launching a new pricing plan. You’ll need to enable billing with a credit card and have a valid API key for all projects using any of these three products: Maps, Routes, and Places. This applies to your website if you are using Google Maps or any type of Google phone app. Since most businesses with a public location use Google Maps, this likely applies to most websites.

What should you do?

While this change is not nearly as important as the HTTPS and Mobile changes, it still affects any website owner that uses any of the Google Maps Platform products or services. Here is a guide for more info and to check if your website is affected: https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/user-guide/

Since Google is offering a $200 monthly credit for any Maps account, it is unlikely that most websites will ever incur a cost. In fact Google estimates only 2% of accounts will exceed their monthly credit limit. While you do not have to create an account, it will limit your usage of Google Maps products if you do not.

PRO TIP: By creating an account for the Google Maps Platform you are issued a valid API Key. API keys are the preferred authentication method for accessing Google Maps Platform APIs. Having a valid API key not only provides more customization options for your map, but it serves as a Google security credential for your map location. In this era of such concern over security, being authenticated by Google has many value-added benefits.

If you need help with your Google Maps Platform, we can help assess your needs and recommend an action plan or manage the entire process for you. Contact us

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) – Do you have any European customers or subscribers?

 Effective May 25, 2018, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect. This regulation does two main things:

It requires all international companies to treat the data of European citizens in the same manner European companies have been required to (and expands upon them); It unifies all individual European country data protection laws into one single platform. For example, some of the GDPR requirements include:
Allow an EU citizen to request that personal data be removed from a site

Requires consent from a user before collecting any of their data

Many major providers (like Salesforce, Oracle, Google, and others) are prepared for the coming GDPR change and if you’re a customer of those platforms, they can provide support. For custom applications, companies may need to make changes to their data collection and retention policies. Here is an articles for more info: http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/guide-gdpr-compliance-marketers-what-is-gdpr-how-avoid-fines

What should you do?

This change will not affect most website owners and it is not an official Google change, but it is being supported and enforced by companies like Google. Do you have a large email list, customer list or other database list that MAY include European citizens? Then you should probably look into it.

PRO TIP: Even if you do not currently have any EU contacts on any lists, if you do ANY data collection on your website (i.e. email sign-up, contact form, purchase form, etc) you should consider updating you Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

If you need help assessing your GDPR compliance or updating your website policies, we can help recommend an action plan or handle the entire process for you. Contact us

IN SUMMARY: As you can see Google has big changes planned! To stay ahead of the game we encourage every website owner to consider how each change may impact your business. Consider it an opportunity to review your entire internet marketing strategy for potential enhancements that could help increase your sales, decrease your cost of doing business and expand your brand reputation.

If you are not absolutely confident that your website is doing all it can to attract and convert potential customers, then take advantage of our complimentary Internet Marketing Reality Check. More info

Amazeinc Internet Solutions is a Google Partner with over 17 years experience helping businesses succeed online.
For more info visit: http://amazeinc.com/

Comments or questions? Contact Lisa Frost at 760-754-8012 or email: lf@amazeinc.com

Read the entire SD VOYAGER article online

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Frost.

Lisa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My partner, Eric Vasiliades, and I left Silicon Valley in 1999 and moved to Oceanside to escape the corporate “rat race” world. Our goal was to launch a Web Development & Internet Marketing Consulting business that helped people promote their businesses online. Since the internet was just starting to take off, we were fortunate to connect with some awesome clients and 18 years later we’re still helping small business owners, non-profits and entrepreneurs succeed online.

Along the way we’ve had the opportunity to be involved with some fascinating projects from making a movie (To Save A Life), to launching innovative products (WaterMiser, TushCush), to organizing recycling programs (Recycle & Restore), to promoting an X games champion lifestyle brand (Laced by Jake Brown). We even got married on the beach as a fundraiser for StandUP for Kids. Our journey has enabled us to enjoy a lot of success, with only a few lesson-learning failures, that just motivated us to do better

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like all entrepreneurs, we had our share of speed bumps over the years, but overall we’ve had a great time and a mostly steady path. Our proudest accomplishment is that we no longer have to pursue business, as all our new clients came as a result of referrals from existing clients. We know what an honor it is to be referred and understand there is no higher form of the complement than to have a client refer their friends, family and associates to us.

I firmly believe that our focus on helping our clients succeed has ironically been the key to our success, as well. The biggest lesson I learned from my years working in the hi-tech world is that corporations are long on promises of customer service, but short on delivery, mostly because their focus is primarily on profits. It is this unbalanced focus on profits over people that I believe is at the heart of the world’s problem. Or to be more blunt, the corporate world has a lack of heart problem and we wanted to demonstrate through Amazeinc, that you can make a living while serving others.

Please tell us about Amazeinc Internet Solutions.
Amazeinc Internet Solutions began as a Web Development and Internet Marketing firm in 2000. Over the years, we have evolved into a full-service Marketing Agency that offers the expertise and creativity of a large agency with affordable, cost-effective boutique pricing. Amazeinc provides a complete suite of Marketing services enabling clients to select as many services as they want or just very specific services to reduce costs. Our experience and length of time in business has allowed us to develop a local network of super-effective and affordable specialists, but ALL clients are closely managed and guided by the company principles, Lisa Frost (Marketing Specialist) and Eric Vasiliades (Technical/Design Specialist).

We achieve results for our clients by developing Internet Focused Marketing Plans tailored to each client’s unique target market. The key difference in working with Amazeinc is that we excel at achieving results by partnering the client’s in-depth industry experience with our prolific marketing expertise. This creates the ultimate win-win success scenario.

Who uses Amazeinc? Primarily small to medium-sized businesses and non-profits organizations interested in achieving greater results at lower cost. Most smaller organizations are unable to get the broad range of marketing services needed to develop a successful Branding strategy. Many end up relying on independent consultants that typically cannot provide the full range of needed services, resulting in GAPS in their overall marketing efforts. Or hiring multiple consultants usually results in a fractured and/or overlapping marketing plan.

Since 2001, we’ve utilized the latest website technologies and marketing trends to achieve significant results for over 100 clients from all over the globe. Our comprehensive solutions include Web Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Marketing (SMM), Public Relations, Event Management, Business Analysis, Marketing Strategy Planning and more. Registered Google Partner and BING Agency account manager. For more info visit: http://amazeinc.com/

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Volunteering with my mom. My brother was mentally challenged and my mother was head of the local ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens) and every year we helped organize the local Special Olympics. When my brother won 1st place for long distance running it was one of the happiest and enriching experiences of our lives. It also instilled in me a passion for serving in the local community, which we have carried into our business.

There are so many great community organizations in the San Diego area, but virtually all of them struggle to find the resources they need to not just survive but thrive. One of the greatest rewards of owning your own business is being able to give back to the community. We encourage everyone to find ways to get involved with one or more of the many great organizations in our area like the Boys & Girls Clubs, Bread of Life Rescue Mission, Solutions for Change, StandUp For Kids, Mama’s Kitchen, Pacific Safety Center and so many more.

Pricing:

• Our rates are $50 an hour for basic website design, maintenance and marketing services, up to $75 an hour for custom programming and express service for rush projects.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2044 Canyon Drive, Oceanside, CA 92054
• Website: http://amazeinc.com
• Phone: 760-754-8012
• Email: info@amazeinc.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmazeincISP
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Amazeinc
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amazeinc/

Need help with you website strategy?

Need marketing advise?

Could really use some SEO tips?

Follow us on Google+

First Published November 2016

First Published October 2016

First let’s look at WHY you might want to redesign your website. The most important reasons to redesign are:

• Your website design is outdated and not mobile responsive.
• Your website content is incorrect, changed or missing important information.
• Your website does not have a competitive advantage in your marketplace.
• Your website performance is sub-par, produces errors and/or is not effective at converting prospects.

Case Study:

Boys & Girls Clubs of Oceanside (BGCO) – http://bgcoceanside.org/

CASE STUDY NOTE: When the BGCO first contacted us their website suffered from all of the above. Below are BEFORE and AFTER screen shots of the BGCO website, followed by BEFORE and AFTER Website analysis Reports.

BGCO Website BEFORE Redesign:

BGCO Website AFTER Redesign:

BEFORE: Website Analysis Score of 43, the LOWEST compared to any other Boys & Girls Clubs in the region:

AFTER: Website Analysis Score of 54, the HIGHEST compared to any other Boys & Girls Clubs in the region:

The 5 Keys For a Successful Website Redesign 

After determining why you want to redesign, it’s time for these five KEY Planning, Design and Marketing principles:

KEY #1: Effective Development Team.

All great redesigns start with combining the client’s in-depth knowledge of their industry and USP with internet marketing expert knowledge in online best practices, a creative content developer (graphics, video, etc) and an organizer/coordinator to keep everyone on the team updated, accountable and on track. A project that does not have all of these team resources will likely suffer with less than effective results. While some team members can be responsible for multiple tasks, not all tasks can be handled by one person. At least not very well.

CASE STUDY NOTE: Our BGCO Team included the in-house Project Lead, Alexa Morr, Marketing/Public Relations for BGCO, as well as other key staff and leaders at BGCO, who provided valuable input on the goals and priorities for their website. Our consultant team was comprised of technical, design and marketing experts selected for their particular area of specialization. While it would have been difficult and costly for BGCO to recruit and build their own internal website team, by partnering with Amazeinc, we were able to provide the full spectrum of expertise on an as needed basis only. Thereby reducing the cost, time and frustration for the BGCO.

KEY #2: Determine Website Goals.

Clearly defined objectives with realistic expectations is crucial. Most websites fail because they don’t have clear or realistic goals. If you can’t compete against other huge players, then don’t try! Find a smaller, niche market where you can effectively compete and plan to dominate that market and then you can expand your market based on past successes, rather than wishful thinking. Goals should also be measurable and supported with the necessary resources (time, budget, decision-making). If you are unsure or unwilling to contribute the resources needed for the project, or are unable to completely delegate to another person, it would be better to postpone the project until it can be fully supported.

CASE STUDY NOTE: BGCO had very realistic goals and priorities for their website. As a non-profit they worked with us to establish the most cost-effective plan, including a willingness to be flexible about what could be accomplished in the short term versus long term goals. This made it easier for the development team to focus on the priorities rather than a list of desired bells and whistles based upon random personal preferences. Unfortunately many website projects end up failing when clear goals are not established and followed from the start. The focus on core goals was definitely KEY to the effective completion of the BGCO website revamp.

KEY #3: Research: Competitive Analysis, Keyword and Marketplace.

Typically you will learn more from this step than any other to position and target your website. Research helps define Keyword Priority, Calls to Action, SEO benchmarking, etc. Study your competition, not to simply copy them, but to gather ideas with the intent to adapt and improve upon what they are doing. Be smarter than your competition by learning everything you can about them. Benchmark your Current Status. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to document where you are now as a baseline for measuring how much ROI your new website produces. Determine target audience. Learn from major players – large, established websites have invested in usability studies to understand what works, rather than just following whatever design is trendy. Learn from their examples and adopt tactics for your own site.

CASE STUDY NOTE: BGCO assisted in the review of all facets of research and provided insightful feedback that enabled us to laser-focus the website content to their Target Market. As a RESULT, within 60 days of launching their revamped website their Google Organic Search Rankings increased 53%, the number of Search Keywords increased from 201 to 626 and the overall site engagement (page views) increased 24%. Compared to the other BG Clubs we benchmarked during this same time period, who had little to no increase in their results, the BGCO now has among the HIGHEST SEO scores, which increased by 17 points from 65 to 82.

KEY # 4. Develop Targeted Content Strategy.

Remember your redesign is not the end and ALWAYS target your audience. The primary goal of most websites is to convert visitors into customers. By demonstrating why your site provides the best solution for targeting your audience’s needs, it will prompt visitors to take action as soon as possible. Your website is not about you. It’s about your Target Audience. To succeed online, keep WIFM in mind! WIFM = What’s in it for ME? That is the question every website visitor wants answered and you have about 8 seconds to EFFECTIVELY answer it. How well does your current website accomplish that goal? The first step is to PLAN UPDATES. Create a content plan and calendar and then work that plan, so your new site stays fresh and yields increasingly better results over time.

CASE STUDY NOTE: BGCO eagerly agreed to a content plan focused on their Target Audience. Then based on our review of their budget and time frames we established a content plan strategy that addressed their immediate needs, while including the long term content growth into the new design structure. Thereby saving them the cost of developing all desired content within the initial re-launch, while ensuring an easy to expand navigational format for the long term content.

KEY # 5. Plan for Long Term Growth.

Most important KEY! Budget for website marketing and ongoing optimization. Do not simply set it and forget it! A website without a long term marketing plan is usually a very lonely place. Make sure you are the POPULAR website that everyone wants to visit! Sadly many website owners do not promote their online presence because they either don’t know how or had a bad experience and are now convinced that internet marketing “does not work for us”. The FACT is, website marketing is THE most cost-effective type of marketing and if it is not yours, then don’t give up, because it CAN be the best investment any business makes in their growth strategy.

CASE STUDY NOTE: The initial continuous improvement plan established for BGCO includes a range of long term growth tactics including; Content expansion for the website, Ad Campaign optimization, enhanced Social media marketing integration and targeted Landing pages for special events, news, etc. Since launching the revamped website at the end of August, we focused on testing and measuring results during September and now in October we have begun reviewing and modifying the initial plan and Action Items based on actual results.

SUMMARY: Deciding to redo your website requires an investment in both time and money. Follow these 5 Keys to reduce confusion and frustration while maximizing your return on investment. Keep in mind, there are many important factors in creating an effective internet presence. Make sure you take the time, make the plan, and invest the resources to ensure yours is a success!

FYI: Here’s a few other QUICK TIPS to a successful website design:

1. KISS principle – Keep It Simple, Stupid! A website Home page should be clean, uncluttered, no flashing/blinking/busy content with well organized snippets of visually appealing content and more white space.
2. Calls To Action (CTA) on every page – TEST CTA response by placing them in varying positions on the page. Prompt visitors to Sign-up, Download, Schedule, View (use ACTION verbs).
3. Offer Multiple Media Content formats – By presenting content in different formats (Text, Images, Videos) you cater to people of all information styles and maximize potential visitor interaction.
4. Test everything! The website, marketing plan, advertising campaigns, social media channels, etc. Test it, Track it, Measure it, Adjust it… Repeat to Infinity!
5. Solid Technology Structure. Have your site built on a well-supported CMS like WordPress (no proprietary systems) and a choose a reliable hosting provider based on service, not price.

For more information, comments, questions, or to schedule a No Charge Website Analysis, visit our website at: http://amazeinc.com/. Or contact me through any of the channels below:

Lisa Frost
lf@amazeinc.com
760-754-8012

On May 21, 2014 the Oceanside Chamber was one of the locations for the very first Google Partners Live Chromecast Event. The event was organized by Google and hosted by Lisa Frost of AMAZEINC Internet Solutions as part of the Google Partners Small Business series.

Here’s a recap of the key ideas, tools, and resources to grow your business presented by Frederick Vallaeys, Google Adwords Evangelist.

KEY point: The importance of optimizing your Business online.  While most businesses already have some website or internet presence the real question is, “are you targeting the audience that you want to reach?”  There are over 100 Billion Google searches per month. To get found in any of these requires using the proper keywords to target your audience.  Google calls this “the moment of relevance”.  Once you have found your keywords, the initial instinct is to overload that keyword content on your website.  Do NOT overstuff your content with just those keywords.  Write content that will also ENGAGE your visitors and keep them on your website. 

KEY point: Resources to get higher search results in Google. Get listed in directories and get reviews.  90% of customers say buying decisions are influenced by seeing positive online testimonials; however, 55% of small businesses don’t have any reviews online. That is a major disconnect. When asking for reviews from your customers, direct them to the site that you use most – like the Google+ Profile specific to your business!  Be consistent with your address and phone number.  Use a local phone number to engage locally.  Engage frequently and DO NOT copy reviews from Google+ to your own site.  If Google recognizes that the review has been duplicated, it may remove it from the G+ profile. 

KEY point: SEO is very important but greatly misunderstood. Google indexes over 60 Trillion pages and uses over 200 factors to rank results.  Most important points; keep your content fresh and engaging, avoid outdated content like copyright from 2009, keep your content relevant and benefit focused.  Take advantage of all the new features on the Search Results Pages (SERPs) https://serps.com/tools/.  Consider doing some Shopping Ads through AdWords.  It used to be that only your website could rank organically now Google SERPs show much more than just website results so include social media, videos, photos, and other content in your mix.

KEY point: Make sure you have a mobile friendly website.  3 of 4 smartphone users have contacted a business they found on their phone.  Keep menus short, let users purchase as guests, design efficient forms, and let users click to call or find you. Offer downloadable coupons or use QR codes.

KEY point:  Get More Customers Through AdWords. Google AdWords is the most effective way to reach people looking for what you offer.  Statistics show that 97% of consumers research products online before buying locally.  AdWords also generates interest in your company, products, and services.  Local marketing with AdWords is equally important.  Statistics show that 72% of consumers who searched for local information on a smartphone visited a store within 5 miles.  Remarketing is a recent new tactic to target potential customers.  Ever go on a website to look for something and then leave, but then you start to see ads for that very same site?  That is called “remarketing”.  It is proven that remarketing can more than double the conversion rates. Bottom line is AdWords is affordable for small businesses IF managed effectively.  

KEY point: YouTube.  Did you know that there is an average of 63 hours watched on YouTube per month?  Now you can also advertise on YouTube through TrueView, where you only pay for interested users.  Visit http://www.google.com/ads/innovations/trueview.html for more details. Google owns YouTube and includes videos in their search results if they are indexed correctly.

KEY point: Maximize your social presence.  27% of time online is spent on social media in the United States.  Be where your audience is such as G+, Facebook, Twitter, etc and be interesting.  Maintain a consistent tone. Post a mix of interesting content and promotional offers.

KEY point: Grow With Smarter Insights.  Google offers many helpful tools that can help you measure your results like Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools. Google Insights, Trends and Alerts can help you track trends and how to adapt to changes happening online and within your industry. You can even track competitor websites, create custom dimensions and metrics to collect accurate data that’s unique to your business. You can then use this data to create new, relevant and engaging content that will appeal to your target market.

KEY point: Keeping up on the rapidly evolving Online Marketing landscape. Since many small business owners have limited resources the inclination is to try and manage your own online presence to save money. The irony is most business owners are too busy running their business to become internet marketing experts. This is why Google developed the Google Partners program. Working with an experienced Google Partner agency like AMAZEINC Internet Solutions can actually help you save time, money and frustration.  All Google Partner agencies are committed to staying on top of the industry and can be a key player in turning these tips and tools into successful strategies for your business.

It was a pleasure to be able to share this information and as your local Google Partner we are here to help you grow your small business.  If you would like to view the entire Chromecast, here is the link:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEnm0e-cZSw&feature=share&list=UUc688n0naRh68-n5LSiVNFA

If you would like to schedule a FREE Consultation to discuss your internet success plan in more detail, please visit us at www.amazeinc.com or call (760) 754-8012. 

Author:

Sarah Candelaria
Social Media Specialist
Amazeinc Internet Solutions

According to a recent Inc. magazine article on How to Position Your Business for Success, One of the top three recommendations is: Increase and improve your online presence 

Did you know? 95% of Websites NEVER even pay for the cost to develop them. WHY?

The simple answer is…NOT fully utilizing the Internet – NOT understanding the purpose of a website – LOSING out on opportunities that your competition is getting, right now.

Ask yourself if your site is guilty of one of these common website mistakes:

Mistake 1:  No Internet Strategy. Unclear goals, Unrealistic expectations, No plan, Not researching competitors BEFORE building your website. Not identifying the benefits of your products or services.

People want to know how your products and services will help them. Sell the SIZZLE not the STEAK! The first step is to establish your objectives and identify your target audience. Remember: Your site needs to reflect your unique style and message.

Mistake 2: Putting form before function. Don’t allow the bells and whistles to get in the way of the actual purpose of the site. Don’t sacrifice functionality for cuteness. Flash intros usually do nothing but annoy visitors. Unnecessary music played on the home page, annoying pop-up ads, etc. Remember users don’t care about technology they just want quality in the basics.

Better marketing will contribute more to your website’s business goals than any new technology.

Anytime you feel tempted to add a new feature or advanced technology to your site, first consider whether you would get a higher ROI by spending the resources on promoting what you already have.

Mistake 3: Having features that don’t work properly. If you are going to add features make sure you, rather than your customers, periodically test them.

Common annoying features include: typos, slow downloading, broken links, under construction signs, visible counters, outdated information, overuse of colors and fonts, confusing navigation, information hidden away and difficult to find.

Mistake 4: Not identifying who you are and what you do. A website should quickly convey the type of business you are in and the products and services you offer. Sounds like a no-brainer? Many small business websites leave you looking while pondering, “What do these guys do?”
Always include phone numbers and email. Having a physical mailing address on the site is mandatory if you are selling on your site. A company with no address is not one you want to give money to.

Your Home page should include a Keyword Relevant title that answers the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How questions about your business. It is a good idea to emphasize what you do with a photo or graphic that makes it clear.

Mistake 5:  Ineffective content. Writing for the Internet means content should first and foremost answer users’ questions. Web content should be SHORT, SCANNABLE, TO THE POINT (rather than full of fluffy marketing slogans). If content leaves users unclear of what to do, or if there’s too much of it, or it’s full of jargon, or it’s difficult to find what they want, they’ll move on!

Emphasize how your site offers VALUE to visitors and how your services DIFFER from those of key competitors. If you cannot define your Unique Selling Proposition in 30 seconds or less, then you cannot effectively communicate it on your website.

Remember: when users are searching, they only scan a site for 8 seconds on average to determine if the site is worth their time.

Content Tips:

– Avoid Passive verbs. Use active verbs that are powerful and lend energy to your site.

– Avoid Long sentences. Better keep it short and simple so it can easily be retained.

– Avoid Lengthy pages. Internet users tend to scan, so adjust to their attention span. If you have a lot to say, create a series of pages with good navigation to explain your topics.

– Include a Call To Action. Do not neglect asking visitors to do something. Include a space designated to tell your visitors what you want them to do next. Sign up for my newsletter. Order now.

Mistake 6: Not marketing your website. Also called the “if you build it, they will .com” delusion. A common small business mistake is to assume that customers will start flocking to your site without promoting it. That’s like printing a brochure and then not distributing it!

Building your website is the FIRST step, not the only step in a successful Internet Marketing Plan.

Website Marketing Tips:

– Optimize for effective Search Engine listings. Include Meta Tags and focus on keyword searchable content. Websites that are done primarily in graphics are difficult for search engines to index.

– Integrate your website with other marketing activities, tell customers and the community about it
– Offer incentives to visit the site. Free information or discounts. Put the offer on your business card.

– Encourage and reward other businesses for sending you online customers.

– Start building your email database. Consider an e-newsletter to keep you in front of your prospects on a regular basis.

Mistake 7: Inadequately measuring RESULTS. Many sites overlook the bottom-line impact when calculating their websites’ ROI. You can’t improve your results if you aren’t sure what they are.

A key advantage of a website is the amount of visitor statistical information it can provide you about your customers and prospect’s actions, behavior and response to your web site. It can also help you to track search engine rankings and even the effectiveness of your Print, TV and Radio advertisements.

The simple Internet success formula is:

RESEARCH – TEST – MEASURE – ADJUST – RETEST – REPEAT TO INFINITY 

For more information or to request a FREE Website Analysis

Contact the Internet Marketing Experts: 

Amazeinc Internet Solution Providers

760-754-8012 – info@amazeinc.com – www.amazeinc.com