PajMon Information Blog

Posts Tagged ‘web design’

So you’ve put together an amazing website, and you’re ready to go live on the Internet and start making money. Take a step back first. There are a few essential elements that every website needs to include in order to be successful.

1. Privacy Policy/Disclaimer:

Be advised, Im not a Lawyer and I dont profess to be one, but the “Privacy Policy” and “Disclaimer/Terms of Use” are two documents that are essential for every website you develop. People are entitled to know just how youre going to use their personal information. That’s what a privacy policy tells them.

You should also include a disclaimer, or terms of use page. This document protects you and informs your visitors what theyre agreeing to if they use your website. Don’t worry if you dont know where to start in writing these documents, there is plenty of help online. Here are a few:

* DMA Privacy Policy Generator http://www.dmaresponsibility.org/PPG/ * OECD Privacy Statement Generator http://tinyurl.com/5plgpc * Google Adsense & other Ad Networks Privacy Policy Generator http://www.serprank.com/privacy-policy-generator/index.php * Privacy Policy Generator http://www.freeprivacypolicy.com/ * Free Site Disclaimer http://www.easyriver.com/free_disclaimer.htm

This is not legal advice, so if you need help or feel your website has special legal needs, consult with an attorney familiar with Internet law.

2. Contact Us Information:

Would you want to do business with a website that does not include any contact information? Although you may not be able to include a phone number, you should at least have an email address or a contact us form. Your visitors will feel much more comfortable doing business with you knowing theres a way to contact if they need to do so.

Need a form and dont know how to create your own? Try one of these free online services.

* Bravenet: http://www.bravenet.com/webtools/emailfwd/ * Freedback: http://freedback.com/ * Email Me: http://www.emailmeform.com/

3. Search Box/Site Map:

If your site includes many pages, you should also include a way to search the site, or at minimum have a site map. There are many ways to add a search function to your site, the easiest method is to use Googles free service at- http://www.google.com/sitesearch/

or try PicoSearch: http://www.picosearch.com/

A site map sounds technically daunting, however, its just one page that contains links to every page of your site, usually broken down by sections or categories. Another resource for site maps- FreeFind: http://www.freefind.com/

4. Google Analytics/Statistical System:

After you launch your site, you will want to start watching your traffic. Who are your visitors and how many hit your site each day, what pages are the most popular, from where is the traffic coming? All of these questions and more can be answered by using a good statistical program.

Some hosting servers provide free statistical packages such as Webalizer or AWSTATS. If not, the easiest way to track your traffic (and it is free) is Google Analytics http://www.google.com/analytics/ Just register there, and you may add as many sites as you like all under one user ID and password. Youll be given some code to copy and paste on your pages. Simple, easy, and youre done.

5. Newsletter Sign Up:

People generally don’t buy from you the very first time they come to your website, so you need to find a way to stay in touch with them to bring them back again and again. One good way to stay in touch with your prospective customers is by offering a newsletter, or ezine. When they sign up for the ezine, youll be building a list of the email addresses of possible prospects which is invaluable to any site owner.

Youll find many free and low cost newsletter services online. Its your choice, depending on your needs and what you can afford. If you dont want to pay anything, some great free services are:

FreeAutoBot: http://www.FreeAutoBot.com Yahoo Groups: http://www.yahoo.com/groups

You may offer an RSS feed for your newsletter, or updates to your blog or site. RSS feeds make it easy for users to keep up with your most recent posts. The best service for this is FeedBurner: http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home

6. Logical Navigation:

While it sounds like a simple thing, getting the menus right is important to any site. No matter what type of menus you select, just make sure it is consistent on all the pages of your site.

The menus guide your visitors through your website, making sure they always know where they are and how to get to where they need to go.

For more go to:

* Eye on Web: http://tinyurl.com/dyh9fm * Web Page Mistakes: http://www.webpagemistakes.ca/website-navigation/

7. Search Engine Optimized Content:

Many web developers do not think this is so important, but trust me it is. You want your pages to rank well in the search engines and there are a few steps you can take to ensure this happens.

Each page of your website should be optimized for no more than 2, or at the most 3 keywords/phrases. Use your keywords in your titles and in the body of each page. You can also use them in your image titles, alt tags, and in the names you give your pages. Look at each and every page individually and decide what its about, then optimize accordingly.

For help see:

* MarketLeap: http://tinyurl.com/ce8ffd * CopyBlogger: http://www.copyblogger.com/seo-copywriting/

8. Social Media Share Button:

Social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, are becoming more important everyday in marketing your website. Be sure to include an easy way for your content to be shared with others.

Most of the social media sites offer a way to add a share button to your site. In addition, youll find several free services that will give you the code you need to instantly add a share button to your web pages so that users can instantly share them with their friends.

To generate social media buttons go to:

* AddThis: http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php * TwitThis: http://www.TwitThis.com

9. Meta Tags:

Some web developers will tell you that meta tags are dead - no longer useful. Dont listen. Unique meta tags should be included in your HTML code at the top of every page of your website. Many of the top search engines read those tags to pull a title and description to include in their search results. (This includes Google)

Once again, each and every web page should be optimized separately and have a unique title, keywords, and description meta tags.

For more see:

* Submit Express: http://www.submitexpress.com/metatag.html * Submit Corner: http://www.submitcorner.com/Tools/Meta/

Webmasters have access to free tools such as Google’s Analytics that will provide them with detailed information on the number of website visitors, what pages have been accessed and the length of time visitors have spent accessing the website.

However, despite the considerable data available what is missing is anything to tell the webmaster what the visitor was thinking. Did they dislike the site? Was the layout clear or confusing? Was the website easy to use and did they find the information they wanted?

A website may be generating sales but why are some people that visit the website not buying anything? Was the reason because they didn’t like what was being offered, or was it that they couldn’t find what they wanted even though it was there?

Using web based surveys webmasters have a simple and accurate method of answering these types of questions. Direct feedback from the website visitor is straight from the horse’s mouth, no longer is there the need to guess, simply ask each visitor how they found the site and if they were able to find what they were looking for.

With an online survey webmasters can find out:-

• How often do people visit the website?
• How did they reach the website?
• Is their interest in the website for reasons of business or pleasure?
• Did they find the information they were looking for?
• How easy did they find navigating the website?
• Would they recommend the website to others?

A good website survey will be short and to the point and gather good intelligence that once analysed will help improve the website.

An alternative to a traditional survey would be to embed one or two survey questions within the website after specific procedures. For example at the end of the registration process the visitor can be asked if they found the procedure quick and easy; after ordering an item they could be asked if they found the ordering procedure and payment methods to their liking. To avoid regular visitors from being asked every time they visit, the website can be configured so that they are only asked once.

Website surveys take the mystery out of working out what visitors think of a website and using Online Survey Software they are quick and easy to design and once implemented will really become the webmaster’s assistant.

To see a sample website survey please follow the link: Sample Website Survey

Webmasters have access to free tools such as Google’s Analytics that will provide them with detailed information on the number of website visitors, what pages have been accessed and the length of time visitors have spent accessing the website.

However, despite the vast amount of detailed information that can be collected what will always be missing is information that will tell the webmaster what the visitor was thinking. Did they like the website? Was the layout clear or confusing? Was the website easy to use and did they find the information they wanted?

A website may be generating sales but why are there some people that are visiting the website and not buying anything? Was the reason because they didn’t like what was being offered, or was it that they couldn’t find what they wanted even though it was there?

Using online surveys webmasters have a simple and accurate method of answering these types of questions. Direct feedback from the website visitors means that there is no longer the need to guess, just ask the visitors how they found the site and if they found what they were looking for.

With an online survey webmasters can find out:-

• How often do people visit the website?
• How did they discover the website?
• Are they interested in the website for business or pleasure reasons?
• Did they find the information they were looking for?
• How easy did they find navigating the website?
• Would they recommend the website?

A good website survey will be concise and will collate information that once analyzed will provide valuable information to help improve the website.

An alternative to a more traditional customer survey would be to ask just one or two questions at strategic points. For example at the end of the registration process the visitor can be asked if they found the procedure quick and easy; after ordering an item they could be asked if they found the ordering procedure and payment methods to their liking. To ensure that the questions don’t become annoying to regular visitors the website can be programmed so that the questions are only asked once per registered user.

Website surveys take the mystery out of working out what visitors think of a website and using Online Survey Software they are quick and easy to design and once implemented will really become the webmaster’s assistant.

To see a sample website survey please follow the link: Sample Website Survey

With so many companies these days relying on the internet as an electronic storefront for selling their wares, web page design has become a fast-growing occupation. However, there is still a lot of argument as to the best approach to designing a web page; with those having a background in graphic arts opting for a website that has visually appeal and those with a more technical background preferring web page design to incorporate elements that are appealing to internet search engines. These two approaches will often be at odds regarding the site’s structure, but the common goal is surely to drive more traffic to the website in question.

These two different angles, if combined, can very often deliver the best of both worlds and not only help visitors to the site find the information they are looking for, but also make it easy for users to find the site. Design-oriented web developers may be forced to rely on advertising, such as Google Adwords, to bring visitors to their site. Developers who are more technically aware may not create sites with a strong visual appeal. However, they may end up attracting more search engine traffic.

Regardless of the approach, the important aspects of a website will always be the same: content, usability and design are the three most important elements to web page design and pages that are strong in all these three areas have a better chance of attracting an audience and being successful.

While some attractive websites may have an initial aesthetic appeal, if they are laden down with graphics, audio, Flash or video files, they may be slow to load. This can frustrate potential visitors and can lead to less traffic than would otherwise be the case. Each page in a website should take just a few seconds to download.

Content is also immensely important. Both search engines and humans are attracted to good content. If your site has original content which is not available elsewhere on the web, it stands to reason it will get visitors. If users visit a site and it does not contain the information they want, they will simply leave in search of better information.

When planning and designing your website, a useful exercise is to try to place yourself in your visitors’ shoes. What are they looking for? How much of it can you offer them? How can you make your version of it more attractive than what’s on offer from your competitors?

A business without a web presence is a business that is under achieving. The internet is more than just an arena to seek information. It doesn’t matter if your business is base offline, a website will create a web presence for your business that is unparalleled.

There are many companies currently enjoying large amounts of sales from marketing online. The internet is responsible for the majority of business brought in for some offline businesses. The ability for consumers to complete sales from the comforts of their home is increasing sales for many companies.

A good website creation gives your potential customers the ability to preview your product before making a purchase. Your website content delivers your sales pitch without you being present. It is like having a salesman that works 24/7 without without pay. That same salesman can speak with thousands at one time.

The best designed websites will promote your business online to everyone from your point of view. A good website will also highlight the reasons a customer should choose you over your competitors. You can also announce sales and build a newsletter mailing list of your loyal customers.

The internet is also a good way to find new innovative ways to market your company. Browsing other websites can give you new ideas on how to promote by spying on other similar businesses. The knowledge gained from sizing up your competition will help in tweaking your own promotions.

A web presence can be just as lucrative for a offline business as well. Some business owners with a successful store front company may not feel the need for a website; They are missing out on potential customers. The fastest way people people find businesses is through the search engines, so if your business is not listed, you will lose that customer.

All businesses are created for the same reasons, whether the business is online or offline, the objective is to make money. A business back by a website opens its doors to the world which can help in creating more revenues.

The vastness of the internet provides an arena that cannot be ignored when it comes to marketing your business. The ability to market to millions worldwide is a reality that can easily be achieve by creating a website presence on the internet.

Having content available on your website can help you steadily and consistently build traffic. Content increases your chances of free traffic from search engines, it also provides consistent value to a visitor which means theyre more likely to visit often. More website traffic and loyal website visitors can, in short, mean more sales.

Content management systems or CMS not only save you tons of time, they simplify the process of creating content and automate your site submissions to the search engines thus improving your website traffic and ultimately your profits. Because content is essential to the success of any online business, many entrepreneurs turn to a CMS.

What is a Content Management System?

A content management system is defined quite simply as a system used to manage the content of a Web site. It displays the content, creates linking and provides a uniform design for the site.

CMS Functions

1. It enables the user to manage the creation, modification, and removal of content from a Web site without needing the expertise of a Webmaster. This means you dont need to know any programming language to use your website.

2. Secondly, CMS handles the delivery of your content to your website. Once youve made any updates to the content on your site, your CMS takes care of delivering it to your site ” no need for a third party webmaster to handle the job.

CMS User Benefits

There are innumerable benefits to using CMS. Consider the possibilities of a system which makes writing, uploading, and storing all of your content, potentially thousands of articles simple ” no HTML required.

- CMS also makes it easy for website owners to have multiple authors contributing content. Content providers can be given limited permissions to prevent them from editing content which they are not authorized to change and make it possible for them to write, upload and manage their own content.

Create professionally designed pages. CMS offers a function called WYSIWYG, which stands for What You See is What You Get. This is a web page editor that allows for copy and paste formatting and it works quite well for those who dont have the time nor the inclination to learn HTML. You can format your content as you see fit including bold formatting, varying fonts, and embedded text links.

Unlimited access. CMS is a web based system which means you can access your content from any computer with an internet connection.

Better SEO. Consistent and relevant content boosts search engine rankings. As your rankings improve so too will your website traffic and ultimately your profits. When the content management process is this simple, SEO rankings are sure to improve

- User friendly and secure. Most CMS providers have very user friendly interfaces and offer built in security functions. This makes it easy for users to control who is able to see what content and when. Content can be secured with passwords, which makes a CMS a great system for businesses which offer products or information on a limited basis.

This can be helpful if you want to distribute a report on a limited basis to a few subscribers. Simply email them the URL and provide the access password.

A good content management system makes being an internet entrepreneur a much simpler and more profitable experience. Not all CMS systems are created equal. If youre looking to utilize a content management system into your business website, make sure youre getting a user friendly, secure product which offers good customer support and all the features you need to continue growing your business.

The main objective of just about every business on the internet is to make a profit. If you are going to make a profit online, you need to know proper marketing techniques and that is why you need a good Dallas SEO company. Dallas Web Design can assist you with marketing techniques such as video blogging, mastering social networking sites, effective email campaigns, and a great deal more.

A Dallas SEO Company will teach you how important marketing is for your Internet business. Marketing is essential for any brick and mortar company and an Internet business is just as important. The importance when working with Dallas Web Design is to get the word out about your company. If you are selling candles online you need people to know you are the place to go. Learning the many different ways to get the word out online is extremely vital.

Internet marketing can be a complex and difficult thing to manage on your own and that is why hiring a Dallas SEO company is a great idea. Really, finding a good Dallas Web Design company is half the battle and will get you off to a great start.

An email marketing campaign is one way that a Dallas web design company can help you gain more sales. The Dallas SEO experts can help you with an auto responder system that does all of the email work for you. It is also important for your website and content to be search engine optimized, which is why hiring professionals for your internet marketing needs is so important to your online success.

If you want your website to bring in money, you have to drive traffic there first. The more visitors that the techniques of your Dallas SEO Company attract to your site, the more money you will make. A good Dallas Web Design company will make launching an effective internet marketing campaign for your site their main objective and will do whatever it takes to make your site attractive to search engines and visitors alike.

Video blogging and social networking are additional methods you can drive traffic to your online site. A Dallas SEO Company can show you how this allows users to interact and play a part on your site. They will be able to post their own comments and talk about your products and things that are important to them. Dallas Web Design will set up a video interactive so you can take advantage of using keywords in your video optimized for your rank with a search engine. They can also send out advertisements through hundreds of social networking sites.

There are numerous ways a Dallas SEO company can help you to make money online with your internet website. The main objective of your Dallas Web Design company will be to increase the amount of traffic to your website so you can make more money.

You should also go to a greater length and optimize every image on your site to make sure it loads in the least time possible. What I really mean is to use image editing software to remove unnecessary information on your images, and thereby effectively reducing the file size of your image without affecting its appearance.

Ways To Improve Sales Through Your Website:Anyone who has been marketing online knows that the lifeblood of a business is the traffic of a site. More visitors equal more sales. However, here are some ways that you can tweak your sites with to improve sales without the need to get more visitors.

Another route you can take is to design your website yourself. Think about it, if you only need 5 simple pages to present some simple information, why waste hundreds of dollars for it? Just spend a little time to sit down and do it yourself. You’ll be able to design your own sites even if you do not know a single line of HTML code with the help of WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) programs such as Microsoft Frontpage, Macromedia Dreamweaver and so on.

Imagine if you are running an offline company. Would you allow your salespersons to be dressed in shabby or casual clothes when they are dealing with your customers? By making your staff wear professionally, you are telling your customers that you do care about quality. This works simply because first impressions matter.

1) Start a forum, chatroom or shoutbox:When you start a forum, chatroom or shoutbox, you are providing your visitors a place to voice their opinions and interact with their peers — all of them are visitors of your site. As conversations build up, a sense of community will also follow and your visitors will come back to your site almost religiously every day.

Make it easy for visitors to find content that they want on your site. If you have thousands of articles on your site and a certain visitor wants to find one single article from that pile, you have to provide a feasible means to enable visitors to do that without hassle. Be it an SQL-driven database search engine or just a glossary or index of articles that you have, providing such a