Month: July 2013

Mobile websites just make it so much easier for people using hand held and all mobile devised to browse a website and make a purchase. Mobile users are now so savvy about their brands, that they have come to expect that their favourite product will be available for them to buy through a website that has been converted to a mobile platform.

Businesses should be aware that having a website only in desktop format, is going to harm potential sales as more of their consumer base gravitates to this mobile environment. All you need to do is look around you and you will see the massive uptake of these mobile phones. Basically, everyone is using them and they seem to be browsing the internet all the time. From school kids, right through to the teenage market and even seniors, the mobile phone has completely changed the way we look and buy products online.

Even the business to business market should be aware of this mobile craze. Businesses are also guilty of using the mobile phone to conduct their searches and are becoming more reliant on being able to search for business services on mobiles.

What is the Need for Mobile Website Design?

Mobile website design is becoming a major factor in businesses online digital strategy. Mobile web solutions are fast becoming the ‘must need’ web accessory and the following reasons point out why.

1. If you look at the uptake and overall demographics of mobile sites, businesses can see that it has gone totally viral. Without exception it has creeped into our daily lives and we have become dependant on them.
2. Because mobile sites are easier to design and develop the cost component involved with their implementation is fairly cheap, hence the need outweighs the cost./
3. If a user on a hand held cannot find what they want within a few seconds, they are history. I mean a ghost. They will exit your site as fast as they can and go elsewhere. The need to pander to their needs and satisfy this need for online speed, means that a mobile version of your website is now a mandatory. If the user has to pinch the screen to enlarge the content, consider this a sign that your business is in grave need of a mobile overhaul. The youth especially teenagers want their information at warp speed, packaged nicely for them to buy. Careful consideration and cautious behaviour are a thing of the past when access to their favourit brands and products are a click away. It is almost an unfair advantage for businesses looking to get into this market. Why not I say. If they have the cash and are prepared to buy, then give them what they want. But make it as easy as possible for them. The way that your mobile website is designed will have a huge bearing on consumer behaviour and brand loyalty, so make it as streamlined, visual and enticing as you can. Youth on their phones on the go, will buy your goods en masse if what they see is appealing.

Ways to Find the Best Mobile Website Design Companies.

Finding a company that can implement your mobile web strategy is not so easy. Following are some handy hints in helping you find that diamond in the rough. That web design company who can design, build and offer marketing solutions for your mobile website.

• look for companies that have a previous history in mobile website design and marketing. Check out their portfolio and see who they have worked for in the past.
• If you have fond them on Google, chances are they are good at their SEO. Pop in and meet with them to see who your designer will be. Remember, this is your business and you really don’t want to take unnecessary risks or chances by doing everything online. This is a recipe for disaster and I have personally seen the consequences on bad decisions that have been made by businesses who never meet with their web developers.
• If they offer cheap mobile solutions, then you should be asking yourself what corners will they be cutting to get your project over the line. As in all things you buy, you get what you pay. Your business deserves the best and working with a reputable company will reap your rewards later on. You have to trust me on this. I have been in this web industry for over 18 years and I have seen some monumental disasters, from businesses that have gone down the cheap route.
• Google the keywords ‘ mobile web design’ in your capital city ( Sydney) for us and take your pick. Be warned! Choose wisely has the choice you make now could end up costing you more than money.

Following are a few tips to consider when looking at your website user interface if your site is geared towards seniors.

Make the Navigation Easy.

Seniors are more inclined to look at the page they are on rather than explore the site. To make site navigation as easy as possible, ideally keep major ‘buy buttons’ and ‘push points’ easy to locate. Tricky, minimal design, reserved for some architectural style sites can be off putting and will result in seniors exiting the site.

Seniors Read Content

If you think that you can publish content for the sake of it, Be Warned! Seniors are great readers of web page content, so what ever you write make certain the content is correct and not over spammy ( which can be the case when people are writing for search engines).

Mouse skills are not what they used to be.

Little explanation is needed for this. Needless to say, try to keep a good spacing between your main navigation buttons and avoid over complicated menu systems.

A Home button is vital so is a search function.

Getting lost on some sites can be an issue so make it very easy to get back to the home page by having the logo as the home page button. Having a search function on the site will help seniors get to where they want to go. Look at sites like Domain and other major travel sites. Note how easy they are to get around and find information. One extremely nifty option is to have a site map at the bottom footer of the site.

Keeps Colours Neutral.

Avoid bright, over the top colours. Neutrals are better on the eye. Also, make sure that font size is a minimum 12pt. Use of italics and some fonts can be hard to read. Hence lost senior customers. The benchmark here is to keep everything simple, uncluttered and fairly static.

Avoid Unnecessary Account Creation Forms

Seniors want to get into the website and make a purchase. If they are forced to fill out lengthy account creation forms in order to buy, this may put them off. If you want to capture their information, do so, only after they have bought and make it entirely optional. Once you have this information keep the spam newsletters and daily emails down to a minimum and allow them to opt out easily.

Basic Recommendations for Designing Websites for Seniors

• Make important points on the site that must be clicked on stand out. This is not a game. Make the senior user experience as delightful as you can.
• Keep online instructions simple and if they need to download these, make the PDF button clear and big. 
• Make sales buttons larger than normal information buttons. 
• Make sure that there is contrast in the colours and what ever you do never have white text on a black or coloured background. Black text on white is the best solution for legibility.

I look at my folks who are forever on the computer and realise the issues that they have. I can almost hear the sighs and oops when mistakes are made and pages are missed.  Web companies must bear in mind that the older generation are becoming more web savvy but do need help in the way they get around sites they develop. This audience cannot be ignored by businesses or companies looking to tap into this market.

A beginners guide to SEO.

Search engine optimisation is some what of a mystery to many small business owners and even veteran marketing people. There is a hell of a lot of Chinese whispers and rumours when it comes to SEO, but overall it is not fully understood by many people. I have clients that I meet who say they have heard this and that and you have to do this to get your website ranked, but in reality SEO is not an exact science so there is no 100% solution.

Every business no matter the size, needs to have their website ranking. Since the demise of the Yellow Pages, Google has become the main advertising arm of businesses Australia wide. Simple put, if your website is not within the first couple of pages of this search engine then you are basically lost in the online wilderness. Unless you have a shop front with heaps of passing foot traffic, SEO will be your only ally in getting online traffic through to your website.

If you are a novice to the web world and are just starting out in business, or if you currently have a site and business has been a bit slow lately, then the mantra that should be ticking over in your head is the words: SEO. Basically, it is the only way possible at this stage to drive online inquiries and in turn, grow your business.

Who Are The Main Players For Search?

There are really 3 main search engines; Google, Yahoo and Bing. Online search is favoured in some countries by some search engines, but in Australia, by far the most popular engine is Google. In all my years as director of Hopping Mad Designs, I have never ever been asked to rank a site on Yahoo or Bing. Everyone, and I do mean every person we do SEO for want’s, actually insists, that they rank on Google.

Why is Search Engine Optimisation Necessary?

Many people that we design and build sites for become quite relaxed, even carefree about having their site ranking. They feel that they have been in business for so many years, without any SEO work, that they can grow their business with just a new website. This is not the case. Having a new website and not implementing a SEO campaign is like getting a complete set of new company brochures designed and printed and then putting them in storage. Unless, you brand name is so well known that people will  search for your website by name, SEO is the only avenue available to draw attention to your site.

How Much Does SEO Cost?

This really depends on the competitive nature of your keywords and industry that you want to rank in. For example, it is going to be a lot easier to rank a company for say ‘ web design in Darwin’ than it will be for ‘ web design in Sydney’. Reason being, the Sydney market is much more sought after than the Northern Territory market, which means more resources are needed to rank the site. Hence the higher cost. A good rule of thumb is, the more competitive the keyword or phrase, the more the SEO cost.

Is SEO a Long Term Strategy?

In short the answer is Yes. It is not a good idea to turn SEO on and off like water. You need to be continually working on your SEO in order to maintain your ranking. Think of it like this. Imagine you are at the top of page 1 for your main keyword and you stop your SEO. Over time what will happen is that your competitors who are doing their SEO will eventually take your place. Obtaining and maintain your prime spot is what SEO is all about and this is why it is advisable to keep it going.

Who Can Do My SEO?

Most web design companies when building your site will be able to do your SEO. Once the site has been built talk to them about their abilities to do SEO for you on an on going basis. A word of WARNING here!! Many people say they can do SEO, but not everyone can. People will exaggerate their abilities to get your business, but the reality is that only a handful of really good web companies can actually do a professional SEO job. Hint; check the web design companies SEO ranking and if they are on page 1 or 2, for their own keywords then they should be able to rank your site.

What are Keywords?

When people are searching online they use Google. And what they type in the search box on the front page of Google to look for a product, service or bit of information is termed keyword. So for example, if I am looking for landscape designers in Sydney, my keywords would be landscape  designers  Sydney.

What are some Common SEO Mistakes and Misconceptions?

1) You can do SEO yourself. This is the main misconception, and is due in part by people listening to friends or relatives. They have heard you only have to do x, y and z to get ranked, but it is a much more complicated and involved process.

2) All I have to do is stuff as many keywords as I can think of on my site and it will rank. This used to be the case but over stuffing of your main keywords is of little use nowadays and will just make your site look ridiculous.

3) I can pay $200 per month and expect great results. This is insane. SEO companies that discount excessively to get your work will not do a proper job. Ask yourself this question, if your business needs to rank to drive sales, what is the point of choosing the cheapest company, knowing that they will not be able to perform. If you are serious about an online digital campaign, then you must pay for this service accordingly. Cutting corners, hassling over price and bargaining is not a good marketing start.

4) Offshoring your SEO to save money is a good idea. Wrong. Why on earth would you trust your business to someone in a foreign country that you have never met.

5) Companies should be able to guarantee their SEO service. The search algorithm is forever changing, therefore nothing can be guaranteed. You can do your best, but at the end of the day, working with Google is in some cases guess work.

6) All you need to do is be active on social media and this will drive my web rankings. True in part, but this is only one contributing component to the whole jigsaw.