Category: Marketing and PR

This may be great for businesses like architects or builders who want their website to be ‘brochure like’ and showcase their portfolio of work.

 

It’s OK for these types of businesses to have thin looking websites, but for the rest of us who rely heavily on search engine for new business this is not going to work.

 

Most businesses we come across need to be found on Google and for this one reason alone, they need to have a website that is thick NOT thin on content. Thinly worded website will not rank well and over time shold start sliding in the rankings.

 

So, how can website content be added? The answer is pretty simple. Just add pages. The more pages you add, the deeper your website becomes and the more authoritative it becomes and in turn rankings begin to climb. To paraphrase; bigger is better.

 

It might be hard to think about adding pages, but there are 2 areas that you can look at to start this process. One is by adding a blog to your website and the second is to have 1 individual page for each service or product you have. So for example like us because we are a web design and graphic design studio, we also offer a logo design service. By creating a separate page for our logo design offering we are adding a layer of content to our website and adding to its authority.

 

It is not as easy as it looks. Creating content and writing articles is quite time consuming and remember that this type of content must be logical, well written and sell to your customer base. Thinly disguised content is just as bad if not worse than no content at all. The search engines are so refined that they are able to pick up poor content versus great engaging copy.

 

So if you are going to go down this path and start beefing up your website with copy I suggest that you make a put in a good effort. Try to add to your blog at least once a month an d look at increasing other pages in your website. If this seems all too hard there are companies out there willing to shoulder this burden for you but you will obviously have to pay for this. There are heaps of content marketing companies out there, so the options are available to you are not limited.

 

Like me, if you are into search engine optimisation and are always looking at ways to increase your online visibility, then this type of approach is going to work really well for you. If you are in the satisfied with having a site full of pretty pictures, I still recommend having a blog as this will keep your site current and you can easily add recent work or project you have done.

I always tell my clients to think of a website like a coral reef. It’s always growing, however slowly in different directions BUT always outwards and upwards.

1. The Guarantee: Dealing with Google is NEVER easy. They change the ranking algorithm daily. They are always a step ahead of you and it is impossible to say with certainty that you can guarantee a ranking. If a SEO provider says this then they are not telling you the truth. Only and I will say this again, only work with an SEO team that tells you that whilst they cannot make an absolute guarantee of first page ranking, their techniques have worked in the past ( last 3 months only), and they will give it their best shot. Remember Google is a third party, where you will have absolutely no contact with and they will never tell you whaty they are doing or how they rank a website – hence all ranking guarantees are void!
2. The Lock In Contract: Don’t fall for this. Ever! Companies who want to lock you into their contract will basically do nothing and keep on charging you. If you try to get out of this contract they will make life very difficult for you. Remember, these guys are scammers and they know how to tie you up and scare you into staying with them. They will threaten you legally and this is not what you want. Golden rule here is to stay well way from signing any kind of contract or committing to any lengthy term.
3. They know someone at Google and can pull strings to help your website rank better. This is a beauty and no one knows the algorithm changes expect a very few top people. Falling for this scam is easy to spot. As soon as they mention this, hang up the phone. Plus do you think someone in Google is going to jeopardise their career in one of the best companies in the world just to help a SEO company out. It’s ridiculous!
4. They are ranking on page 1. Really?? Make sure they are not pulling your leg. Google the phrase SEO Sydney and see if in fact they are there organically, or is it a paid ad. Very sneaky tactic so often used by these scammers. Most people glancing at the page will not be able to spot the difference between a top 3 paid ad or a natural listing. Be very careful with this one.
5. They say they will get you to page 1 in 90 days and if they don’t you will not pay anything. Come on, this one is the WORST and falling for it is absolute insanity. Of course they will rank you, BUT IT WILL BE FOR REALY EASY KEYWORDS and NOT the main ONES that you want to rank for, the ones that have the highest amount of traffic. Once you fall into this trap, sign up with them and part with your money, they will use dodgy over spammy techniques that will work for a BAD keyword, but they will never be able to rank your main ones – this I can promise you. It’s exactly like buying a second hand car. Imagine if they said you can drive it for 90 days and if you don’t like it you can return it – WITH A FULL REFUND – NO WAY!!! – what a lie – don’t fall for this kind of sales pitch.
6. We want your business so we ARE PREPARED TO OFFER YOU A VERY GOOD DISCOUNT! The SEO world is full of people wanting any money they can get and they will be happy to take any money you are prepared to part with. Cheap discounted SEO prices combined with too good to be true, well over the top promises, is the pathway to complete online failure. These guys are laughing all the way to the bank with your money.
7. We can do everything online – there is absolutely no point in meeting with us. We work this way all the time with our clients. What a load of lies. These scammers do not want to meet face to face because they are either NOT IN THIS COUNTRY or just a front for some fraudulent sub continent SEO scam machine. If they say they have over 500 clients who are happy to work like this, then please, please hang up the phone! SEO is complicated and needs explaining. Simple back linking doesn’t work anymore and you REALLY NEED to meet with a company that can explain the whole and proper SEO process to you.

 

If you are keen to start an SEO campaign and want to do this properly, why not give me a call, I would say that we are one of the oldest SEO companies in Sydney and I will show you exactly how it is done, what we do and what you can expect. I never over promise, I do not pretend to offer silver bullets or quick solutions, but what I do offer is credible and proven solutions that will give your website the VERY best chance of being successful!

5 REASONS WHY YOUR TRADE UNION NEEDS A NEW WEBSITE DESIGN

 

1) Is the look of your website likely to attract members and encourage them to join up? If not then it is time for an upgrade. Union members are still browsing on the internet and if they do not like what they see and find it difficult to join, then the chances of them exiting your web site are far greater.

2) Are you fed up with a clunky, out dated, un manageable content management system (CMS)? Have you been putting up with your CMS for years and have never bothered to ask your web developers to change it? Is your trade union CMS built on a customised platform that you are tied into? If all this sounds far too familiar then we can design and build you a completely new website on an open source WordPress CMS platform – they are so easy to use and will make web updates and site changes a breeze!

3) Does your website work on a mobile phone? That is, are members ale to easily navigate your site using their iPhone or tablets? If not, again it’s time to ditch the old site and get a new one built specifically for all devices. Known as responsive web design, your web interface can now automatic resize to the screen size.

4) Has your website got all the social media plug ins? Are you blogging and publishing content on a regular basis? Do the words Pinterest, Instagram or Google+ seem foreign ? If so, then your trade union movement is missing out on some very effective marketing platforms that can be integrated into your website. All trade unions should be reaching out to their members and updating them with information on these very handy and accessible platforms. Blogging and posting news to your trade union members has never been easier on one of our WordPress websites.

5) Lastly, are you just fed, bored and fed up with the look of the current site? If nothing has been done to spruce it up in years then it’s really time for a website overhaul, especially with the design elements, user interface & content.

 

WHY SHOULD YOU ENGAGE HOPPING MAD DESIGNS TO WORK ON YOUR TRADE UNIONS WEBSITE?

 

The answer is simple. We feel that we offer a design style that can really elevate your online profile. We have years of experience working with all types and sizes of businesses and organisations throughout Australia, giving us the creative edge your union website needs to be SUCCESSFUL.

Many of the websites that we have built are large and complex, with deep business and customer/member focused integration.

A large portion of websites are business-critical PLUS we provide full support for our clients to keep their websites going and succeeding.

We are FAST to respond to all inquiries, serious in our approach, easy to deal with, extremely customer focused, and LOVE what we do.

Simple as that!

IS YOUR TRADE UNION LOOKING TO ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS?

 

Can your website be found easily on Google?

Can you members type in courses you may offer and the relevant pages come up within your site on the search engines?

If the words SEO mean nothing to you then you really need to speak with us ASAP to turn things around.

Getting found online and promoting your Trade Union is CRITICAL

We have industries best search engine experts working in-house. Our in depth knowledge of the online environment will result massive benefits and increased revenue for your union.

The more potential members that find your site online for a whole range of industry specific keywords – the more likely they are to sign up and join – it’s a no brainer!

SEO is a powerful marketing tool and should be implemented at the beginning of the website design planning phase.

DO YOU WANT MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO JOIN ONLINE?

 

If so, we have the technical know how and expertise ti implement seamlessly a full online shopping cart that will allow members to join up, pay their fees as well as manage monthly or yearly membership renewals. All of this can be automated, totally implemented online and save you heaps of time, money and frustration dealing with this task.

PLUS we are able to capture their information in a database that you can use to send out monthly or quarterly newsletters.

If you are still undecided or have some questions regarding your TRADE UNIONS WEBSITE, call me on 02 9360 8514and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the website.

The internet and especially the latest online applications and technologies are always changing. Things are moving so fast in this online environment that if your website as not up to speed on the latest and greatest then your clients will notice this. Any company or business, no matter the size that is perceived as ‘old school’ will eventually pay the price for this negligence. An old website is a huge turn off! In some cases it might be a quick solution, but like everything you do need to speak to web marketing and design experts.

So following a 5 easy to understand tell tale signs that your website is in need of a massive overhaul. Even if you do not identify with all 5, having just 1 sign is bad enough and should be sufficient motivation for you to get in touch with us here at hopping mad designs. 

 

1. Out dated Flash intros

Go back a decade and flash introductions to your website were all the rage. I remember our clients really going for this and the more flashier the intro the better. Ahh how times have changed. If your website is now sporting a cool flash intro then it’s time to get rid of it.

What was once a favourite eye candy piece for your site, has now become and absolute hated add on. This is because it delays website downloads, most browsers will not support this, it is totally search engine unfriendly and in most cased on the go time poor site visitors on mobile sites cannot see this.

So flash intros are a huge no no. Get onto this asap. Get in touch with who ever created your website and tell them to hit the delete button and do it fast. While you are doing this, it would be a good idea to take a good, hard look at the rest of your site and look at a design and content refresh. Chances are if you have any flash what so ever on your site, then you probably haven’t looked at it in ages.

Tell your web developers, if you are still keen on having that impact that HTML 5 is the way to go. It’s got a massive array of options and possibilities and should be considered as a real alternative to flash.

 

2. Clutter over simplicity

I see some websites that are simply over cluttered.  What has happened in the past is that business owners have decided to cram as much information, images and everything about their business on the home page. Its got moving images, heaps of phone numbers, lots of text, staff profiles, customer testimonials etc etc. Its overkill and customers are fed up with this. Users want to get to a web page, find out the information that they want and then be guided through the site to their final destination.

Lets do this test. Open your home page and look carefully at the top half of the site. If you cannot see exactly what you are offering in less than 3 seconds then something is wrong. Ideally, you should be able to land on any page of your site and be able to find what you are searching for immediately. Site exits and bounce rates are a huge problem. Users need to be converted into buyers once they hit your site. Clutter will only increase the issue and drive potential long term clients to your competition. Advice here is to clean the entire site up. Clean, contemporary design will work wonders for you. Give it a shot and see the difference.

 

3. Brochure style approach

Does your site look like your corporate brochure. Put the two side by side and compare. If this is the case then there are issues. Brochure style sites were great years ago when that was all you really had to do but nowadays sites that read like a brochure, with a focus on heavy text rather than real interesting content is going to drive people away.

Having great content with stylish graphics – even info graphics are more likely to keep people on your site and in turn create the sale or inquiry. Pages of text, useless photos, hard to read paragraphs are a thing of the past. Users demand graphical interfaces that answer questions. Scrolling down pages and reading useless content is an issue.  People scan pages now and there is absolutely no motivation on their behalf to read everything on the page. In fact, if they don’t like what they see by the end of the first paragraph, they will be gone. Your web team will be able to address this and combine a graphical website with well written copy to catch customers attention.

Sites that are over 2-3 years will not have refreshed their copy and this is certainly a great reason for a complete web overhaul.  Point to note here is that the search engines are looking for new content, so if you want to rank on Google, them my advice is to get onto this today.

Websites need to be content-focused instead of text-focused, meaning that having great content and information is key. Text-heavy websites will put off visitors, as they will have absolutely no motivation to comb through your essays of text to find the information that they need. Websites are also meant to be more interactive than brochures; give your visitors control over what they want or don’t want to see through the use of easy navigation and a user-friendly interface, and encourage them to take the next step with clear calls-to-action.

 

4. Lack of a social media

I can bet anything that your old website is devoid of social media. Being part of the online world and being perceived as a modern company now means that you have to be active in the social media space. Yes there are many platforms to choose from but go with the popular ones and start engaging with a new untapped market.

Sharing, liking and communicating in this space is all about Web 2.0 and all new websites are actively participating in these platforms. Personally I love Instagram. It’s fast, easy to use and you can get a following very quickly. Its very fashion able and if you are in this space, your credibility will skyrocket.

Having social media icons on your website is easy and these can all be linked. To what ever platform you like. Again, if you are active in these spaces, even blogging ( as I do), this will have an impact on your SEO and overall online ranking. Dominate your market and industry by setting up a blog and start to publish content. This is part of a social media strategy as people start reading, sharing and liking your topics. Once this begins happening and you start putting more content out their that people like, you will over time see a greater increase in web traffic. This is proven! So if your site doesn’t have a blog then you need to get one.

 

5. Mobile friendly websites

Mobiles sites are here to stay. Get used to this. It’s not a fad or passing trend this is a reality and if your website is not viewable on a hand held device or mobile phone then watch out big time. This will be a serious issue for your business and the sooner you get on board with this the better. It’s a no brainer. If you can see your website on a phone, why are they going to stay and buy. This is magnifies when it comes to eComemrce websites. Give users what they want. Implement a responsive website design so that its viewable on all devices. It is as simple as that. There should be no excuses moving forward.

Make your site responsive now and whilst you are doing this give it a complete overhaul as well.

Your clients love video

# Big Marketing Statistic 1
Video consumption already accounts for 50% of online mobile traffic and this figure has been predicted by Forbes to reach 90% of all internet traffic by 2017.

The consumption of video is driven by the increase in engagement of a visitor to a website with video. Visitors stay, on average, on a website with video for up to six times the amount time spent on text only sites. This means visitors engage longer – putting them closer to doing business with you.

# Big Marketing Statistic 2
Online video marketing has superseded all other marketing methods to become the fastest growing marketing medium in history – and this growth has all occurred in the last five years.

The reasoning behind the phenomenal growth of video marketing is a combination of three driving factors. Firstly, it is clear that customers love to watch video. Smart marketers offer their customers a choice. If you did your own survey you would quickly find that your colleagues, friends or family will all attest to having a preference in the way they absorb information: some will prefer to read, some will prefer to watch, some listen; and most will tell you it’s a combination. If you don’t offer your customers a choice, you are going to alienate those who simply prefer video. It’s clear that the demand for video is there.
 

Meanwhile two other factors have enabled businesses to meet this demand: production costs of video have come down and video download speeds have increased rapidly. Do you remember when a video had to be viewed on a VHS tape? And do you remember when video did finally hit the net, waiting an hour for a few minutes of video to download? Things change quickly in the information era.

# Big Marketing Statistic 3 – Video Sells
52% of consumers say that watching product videos makes them more confident in their online purchase decisions. (Internet Retailer, 2012, USA) Video drives conversion and traffic to your website while reducing returns and service costs

At 1 Minute Media we recently completed an online ad for Harvey Norman. The product sales were split tested in the early stages of the marketing launch – there was a website landing page without our video and there was a website landing page with our video. The above statistic was proven to be conservative in this test. The page with our product video produced a 200% increase in sales.

# Big Marketing Statistic 4 – Video Increases Email Open Rates

In a study produced by “Marketing Sherpa” it was found that just having the word “video” added to the email title caused a double in the rate of email opens. It’s clear that many consumers want to be informed, educated and/or sold to by video. For companies who use email as an integral part of their marketing strategy the advice is simple – add a video.

#Big Marketing Statistic 5 – Australian business investment in video is projected to continue to grow beyond 2014

Online video is projected to outperform all other online advertising such as banner ads, advertorials, sponsorships and e-newsletters. Frost & Sullivan predicts a strong market growth to reach $442 million in 2017. (‘Australian Online Video Market 2012’ report)

The key take-away for businesses is this: if you are not utilizing video in your marketing you are risking letting your competitors reap the benefits. Consumers will stay longer on their sites and make more informed and therefore confident decisions about their products and services.

In 2014 it’s very easy to get started and simplifying the process of professional video production is our specialty at 1 Minute Media.

 

Guest Post by Kathy Moran, Director and Owner of 1 Minute Media

Kathy Moran – Business Journalism and Corporate Video Production

Kathy is a new media entrepreneur and combines a background in sales and marketing with a comprehensive understanding of online media. Kathy’s business objectives are to ensure businesses grow their market share using a unique strategy combining business journalism and corporate video. For video production Sydney contact Kathy and the 1 Minute Media team

There are a few reasons for this but the main one is for search engine optimisation. Publishing content is the fastest and I would say the easiest way to get your web pages ranking on the search engines and in turn drive traffic and visitors to your website.

The second reason you need to be writing content is so your clients or online audience has you front of mind. So when they need a product or service you are offering, you will be the company they go to. The social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are standard, but extend your reach and look for other people and use Instagram. This is an app that is taking off and I strongly urge, all business owners to at least do some research on this.

Publishing content may seem hard at first but I promise you that over time you will get used to it and may even enjoy the odd article, tweet, blog or picture post. You will find that with Instagram, posting pics and somehow relating this to your work is a great way to get followers and start marketing to them.

Content can take many forms and can be what you want it to be. So long as you are active in this pursuit, you will see massive benefits for your business. Give it a go for 6 months, see what happens. You may end up being very surprised.

Back-up your exiting working files

We login to your hosting account and go to the folder wp-content. This is a simple enough process and from there we are able to download all the contents of this folder to your desktop.

Back Up Your current Database

Your settings as well as the content of your WordPress website are always saved to a database. Think of it like a excel spreadsheet, to put this in its simplest terms.
Your database is a matrix of words and numerals that your website code will draw upon. Basically, this is the basis for your website and it is what makes you able to add or delete content as well as making it fully dynamic.
So, if you are adding a new page to your site, it is really adding a new row in this matrix.

To  back up the database you must look at the hosting cPanel.

Once you have accessed this, make sure you view the matrix and see a list of tables. These all have the prefix of wp.
Then hit the export button
A .sql file should then download to your desktop.

You have to then Install WordPress on Your Next Hosting Platform.

You will find that most hosting providers offer applications to install the database through their cPanels.
If your new host will facilitate this then follow their steps to initiate WordPress in your root directory.
Upload Your Files
All you have to do from here is simple upload these files.

Now, Update Your Permalinks

Please remember that, permalinks do set your URL structure of the website and these must be re saved.

 

Why Should I Need to Migrate My WordPress Website?

Sometimes you need to get away from your current web developers who have organised the hosting and built the website. The best way to do this is transfer all the design files over to a WordPress platform and change the hosting.
Many small business website owners are really unhappy with their web designers and are locked into using their content management system ( CMS). Changing the hosting and CMS will solve all these issues and free these businesses up from over priced hosting contracts.
It’s a simple process and one that can be implemented quickly and surprisingly cheaply.

Never be held hostage again by your web people!

Break free, and get us to handle this entire process for you.

 

What this means for businesses is that you have to get it right, or the following 5 years are going to be very tough for your business. This may sound harsh, but the reality it undeniable. The internet is moving so quickly that, it is really a matter of being as dynamic as quick to act as you can.

 Saying that here are my 5 tips that you should really pay attention to in 2014:

1. Offer a Whole Lot of Giveaways.

This will sound hard, but you have to go the extra mile for all your clients. Give things away, offer discounts, give free advice and consultation. It is going to be a collaborative effort between yourself and your clients, if you want both to be successful. Think of it as a win win scenario. Charging for every single service is going to go out of fashion as savvy consumers will simple look elsewhere for a better deal. I say kill em with kindness and you will be rewarded.

2. Your business and website is also a powerful media tool.

I tell all my clients this. You have to use your website as a marketing tool. I don’t care what business you are in; builders, architects, dentists, whatever, you have to be pumping out content if you want to survive in the digital age. This is not simply blogging. This is all your social media. Look at everything thats at your disposal and become very good at this. For example, if you have not heard of Instagram yet, then you are really behind the times. I say, learn it, use it and market your business on this daily. You ave all these great tools at your fingertips, so why not use them?

3.Understand what your should be paying for IT services.

I am amazed that businesses can still be thousands of dollars for an IT service that they can get for half the price. The days of overpriced ad agencies,  search engine optimisation firms, marketing companies and IT providers are over. You need to be looking online and getting the best value that your money can buy, without being ripped off or going with dodgy suppliers. Learn the market, do your home work and them make an informed decision. We get a lot of businesses coming to us at Hopping Mad Designs, who have previously paid over the top prices and have now ‘seen the light’ and are now getting real value for money – I am not just saying this because it is my company – but we really offer value for money. Savvy business owners will know what I am talking about.

4. Understand the power of the mobile phone

Look around you next time you are in a public place and and take note of all the people on their mobile phones. Its absolutely amazing. Now, ask yourself, has my website been optimised for this mobile environment? Is my website responsive and will it work on all mobile platforms and devices? If not, big mistake!. Your next customer or client could find you on their mobile phone after being recommended to you by a friend. So, if your website is not 100% totally mobile friendly, then this is going to present big problems for your business in the future. In 2014, do something about this make sure you have a mobile phone.web design.

5. Get to LOVE SEO

Most people do not know what SEO is, and this is a big issue when it comes to marketing your business online. make this year the year that you really begin to get acquanted with search engine optimisation. make it the time to work with a credible SEO company, someone that really understands how it works and how they can improve your online rankings. There is so much information about this online, so really there is no excuse for entrepreneurs and all businesses, no matter the size to engage with the SEO process.
I would say that this point is the most important one. Far too many businesses are getting ripped off by SEO companies delivering poor results and charging a fortune. It’s time to wake up and in 2014 try using a better SEO service provider. If unclear about this point, I would strongly urge you to give me a call to go over your SEO and internet marketing options.

 

Facebook
In 2014 Facebook will be looking at driving revenue and targeting peoples news feeds and posts with more ads. Certainly the place to be and the place for your business to be active. Think about adding posts, specials, things that will ignite peoples interest. Add some product videos for more impact. Overall, Facebook is the king of social media and any business looking to generate followers and increase their reach should be actively participating and marketing their small business here. Because Facebook is such a popular platform for both desktop and mobile users I would recommend speaking to a social media experts before you do anything. Investing now can pay massive dividends in the future.

Twitter
Expect to see the Twitter social platform become much more popular amongst Australian users. This is great for small businesses wanting to make quick tweets about a product or service. Considering you can only write up to 160 characters this is a simple marketing exercise for your small business. Get as many followers as you possibly can and write quick snappy sales driven posts that will get the phone ringing. The beauty for business is the speed at which you can tweet. Think about it. If you are having a sale or a promotion, why not send out a quick tweet to all your followers.

LinkedIn
Personally I like LinkedIn. It’s a great way to connect with businesses and professional people, but I have to admit that for small business owners, this is NOT the best social media platform. In fact, I really would not waste too much time here unless, you are trying to reach out to professionals. If that is the case, then go for it. Ideally, small businesses need to keep marketing and promoting themselves and LinkedIn is not the best place for this.

Google Plus
Whats Google+. No one knows about it, especially small business owners. They all know Google but they are totally unfamiliar with the social aspect of this giant. Well Google in its efforts to rival Facebook, came up with the social platform Google+. Unfortunately, it has fallen flat and its popularity is not as good as it should be. It’s the new kid on the block in an area completely dominated by the established Facebook. However, because every business wants to have a great SEO ranking on Google, and Google is now placing a high ranking value on social media, small businesses better start getting active on Google+ if they want to improve their overall online position. Yes, it may seem like a hassle, but the reality of Google+ is very clear. Either you get on board or your website rankings will suffer.

Instagram
I absolutely love this platform. Not only is it incredibly easy to use, but it is a combination of Facebook and Twitter. If there is one social media platform that businesses should be on, its Instagram. Post photos quickly with a small statement and watch people start following you. It is an App so users will be getting images from you each time you post one. Keep them interesting and you will see how quickly people start following you. All the big names are on there and there is no reason why you can’t be there as well.

A word of warning….Instagram is highly addictive so just be careful about how much time you spend on it. Try it out and see how you go.

If you need some help or advice about establishing and maintaining your presence on these social media networks, give us a call on 02 9360 8514.