Social Media: It’s Not About the Tools
Are you spending too much time “doing social media”? Or are the “gurus” telling you that you need to spend even more time on social media? Have you found yourself asking “why???!” It’s easy to get caught up in creating the perfect website, a dazzling Facebook page, Twitter updates, YouTube videos – and the list…
Read MoreHow to Write Website Content That People Will Actually Read
Writing for the web is quite different from writing for print. Not only do people read differently online (in fact, they scan, rather than read), but there are challenges around screen resolution, load time, and website layout that impact what and how you write for the web. While there are some excellent resources that teach new online…
Read MoreThe Lost Art of Listening to Customers
We’re often so busy Tweeting, blogging, updating Facebook, sharing on Google+, and otherwise putting our side of the story out there, that we sometimes forget to listen. I don’t mean just scanning what customers are saying online, but really hearing them, understanding their needs, and letting them know that we get it. Before business grew…
Read MoreTo Scroll or Not to Scroll? A Website Design Debate Answered
My last post (on things to consider when building a website for a smaller, local business) generated some interesting discussion on LinkedIn about whether or not to design a website that requires viewers to scroll, rather than clicking to another page. Based on my experience and the available research, I’d say “go with a website…
Read MoreHow to Build a Small Business Website
If you’re a smaller, local business, maybe a single proprietor, who just needs an online presence to show that you’re a “real company,” then you probably don’t need all the bells and whistles of a top-of-the-line website. All you really need is four or five pages with the critical information visitors are looking for (e.g.,…
Read MoreHow to Succeed With Social Media
Last week I was filming business owners talking about the challenges they face with social media. The top two issues? It doesn’t do anything for the business (no ROI) It wastes a lot of time Which got me thinking about why social media isn’t working for a lot of companies. Mostly, it’s because they set…
Read MoreGuest Bloggers: How to Build Content and Traffic Through Guest Posts
Writing great content week in and week out can be exhausting. And if you let it slip, even just a little, your blog readership can practically vanish overnight. So how do you keep it going? How do you find new and interesting things to say? Where do you find the energy to write awesome posts…
Read More7 Best Reasons to Include Video on Your Website
Have you ever opened a website and been blasted with loud music and a splashy video that immediately starts playing? Yeah, me too – and I hate it. That’s most definitely NOT the kind of video I’m talking about here. Video can be a huge plus when used properly. But, as with any other digital…
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