Website persons can be an intimidating subject for most people. Bring keywords into the mix and the conversation can become utterly scary for some. I like to take the scariness out of website design and SEO, so I recently performed a training webinar that used Winnie the Pooh and his friends to talk through the process of mapping website personas to keywords. If you'd like to watch the full sixty-minute webinar, it is available below. If you don't have time for that much education, feel free ... Read More
Website Personas
Continuing Education Opportunities for Your SEO Journey
SEO is a journey and not a destination. I truly believe this is the case and I try very hard to do my part in providing ongoing training opportunities for website owners, marketers, and developers. Last year I produced a lot of SEO education opportunities and I would like to do the same this year. While I don't think I can keep the same pace, I do have lots of great continuing education scheduled for 2018. I'd love you to join me for one of these great training events. Upcoming SEO ... Read More
The Value of Content Before Website Design
I’m a strong believer in preparing website content before initiating graphic design and this applies to both websites and blogs. Some will argue with me, but I’ll fight this battle and dig in because I know content before website design is the right approach. I believe: Strong website design extends past colors, fonts, and layout boxes. Strong design focuses on the user. Website design should be crafted around the user, their needs, and the desired outcome of a website visit. It should be ... Read More
Create an Exceptional Customer Journey With Your Website
Each and every day we take journeys. We embark on customer journeys in both the physical and digital worlds. Years ago our journeys were limited to store fronts and physical goods. Today we live in a multimedia world of websites, social media, chat sessions, newsletters, email, and call centers. These digital journeys have changed the way we interact with companies and products. Last week I decided I was going to try shopping at a new grocery store. I was on my way home from the ortho ... Read More
Professional Website Design is Alive and Well
Contrary to what you’ve read recently, professional website design is not dead. In fact, the professional website designer is alive and well and business is thriving. While popular media outlets like Mashable.com report that artificial intelligence and low cost WordPress templates are killing the occupation of professional website design, these are headlines geared towards driving traffic and discussion. The claims are based on promotion and not on actual facts. Do you wonder how I can be ... Read More
Creating the Ideal Home Page
You’ve got the perfect idea. I mean a good one. One you’ve been waiting your whole life to come up with. It’s good and you are going to be a superstar. You know this ever so perfect idea needs a killer website to make it come to life. Not just any website, but a good one that will quickly and beautifully illustrate your concept and why the world must embrace it. You pop on over to ThemeForest.net or Template Monster or any other website that offers thousands of WordPress themes. Somehow ... Read More
The Puzzle of Home Page Design
Home page design isn’t just about headers, content, and footers. It is about asking the right questions and making sure those questions apply to your website visitors. It’s about finding solutions to problems and bringing it together within a cohesive design. Have You Ever Wondered? How do I make my website memorable? How do I make sure people stick when they hit my home page? How do I make sure website visitors dig into my content and explore my product or service offering? How do I ... Read More
WordPress: The Perfect Solution for Building a Corporate Microsite
Your company is launching a new product this summer. As a marketer, you want to make a huge splash and not just a toe-dipping announcement. You’re killing yourself brainstorming ways to garnish the attention you need so that this launch is a success and your product is well received by the media, bloggers, and potential buyers.Social media, blogger outreach, and online advertising are all great ideas, but every idea you come up with always sends web traffic back to your boring corporate website. ... Read More
Rocking the Music World with WordPress Websites
The music industry was once a place of creativity and expression. This world of pitch, rhythm, and sound has morphed into a world of independence where artists can produce music without labels and where marketing and self-promotion is within the reach of every artist. Artists are now free to boycott major brands, interact with fans via Twitter, and promote their gigs via Facebook. The negative side of this new found independence is the old misperception of “what you don’t know can’t hurt you”. ... Read More
Sticks and Stones Break My Bones, Wireframes Excite Me
Over the years I’ve matured in my web design process. I now have a graphic artist who creates really great design comps and a few WordPress gurus who whip these creations into the Genesis framework from StudioPress. I truly believe I have some of the best people around and I am a lucky girl. Yes I realize that sounds like fluff, but in my geeky WordPress world all that makes me happy. It means I get to focus on clients, strategy, SEO, and I get to create wireframes. Website wireframes are ... Read More
Converting Visitors is About Connecting the Website Dots
If you’ve been following my blog and you're a regular reader of my posts, you may have noticed in many recent posts we’ve been walking through my website design process. It has over 90 lines of to do items for my team and my clients. Yep I said 90 with a nine and a zero. That’s a lot, but there is a reason for it. I’m methodical in nature and my web design process is too. There are a lot of dots to connect and things to worry about when you launch a new website. That doesn't mean it has to ... Read More
If You Connect With Website Visitors They Will Convert
The Problem With Most Websites A lot of small business owners launch their website with the simple goal of using the site as an information portal and a mechanism to talk about their company. It is basic human nature to be egocentric. The problem with this methodology is that it generic. Simply talking about yourself isn’t a differentiator for your website, product, or service offering. It doesn’t compel your website visitor to take action. No matter what the search criteria is, a typical ... Read More
A Box for Every Website Visitor
I tend to compartmentalize things and people. I mentally place people in boxes and segment them out into groups like my nuclear family (husband and kids), my extended family, my neighbors, my best friend and so on. I’ve often referred to these groups as my “boxes” and I do not like them to intermingle or randomly change. These boxes structure my communication and they dictate how I interact with one individual versus another. For example, I know I can pretty much tell my best friend anything ... Read More
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