Make Your Website Stand Out

There was a time when just having a website was enough. But now, with millions of websites out there, how do you make yours stand out from the crowd?

Use colour, graphics and photos

Nothing is less appealing than a wall of text. And while colour and images will bring your website to life, you need to be cautious. Too much colour or too many images can make your website look amateurish. But used correctly, colour and graphics can evoke a specific emotion or sense of professionalism, as well make the site more visually appealing.

Beware the fold

‘The fold’ is the point on the web page where readers have to start scrolling to see the rest of the content. Everything that can be seen without scrolling is considered to be ‘above the fold.’ Admittedly, this isn’t as important as it used to be. Once upon a time, web designers would never dream of putting information below the fold. But now, with the prevalence of smartphones, people are used to scrolling. Still, it’s a good idea to keep the most important and visually appealing content above the fold, where it will instantly attract the user’s eye.

Add Social Media

People are so used to seeing tweet and share buttons that you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t include them. They’re easy to have and will go a long way towards helping word of your website spread across the Internet.

Use video, but go easy

There’s a reason YouTube is the third most popular website (after Google and Facebook). People love videos. But go easy. Not everyone has a high-speed connection, so also include text for those who many not want to watch or may not be able to watch. Keep your videos under five minutes long and keep them relevant to your business. That cat video might be cute, but unless you’re a pet store owner or veterinarian, it’s probably best to forget it.

Social media: It’s not just about you

You finally have your business’s Facebook page up and running, but how are you going to use it? Most small businesses use it strictly for sending out information about the company – the latest sale, new products and features and other announcements. Unfortunately, that’s all they do and then are left wondering why no one follows them or why they aren’t increasing sales.

True, an important aspect of social media is keeping your customers up-to-date on your business. They will want to know about your products and services, but that’s only half of it. Social media is not just a one-way street.

Social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are great places to have conversations with your customers. But you need to engage them, not just bombard them with information. Social media is just like any in-person relationship and requires some give and take. Listening to what your customers have to say can help you improve your business.

Here are five tips for engaging with your clients and customers on social media:

1. Start by simply asking questions. Go with general questions that people can answer without feeling like they are being put on the spot.
2. Stay away from controversial or overly trendy topics, such as politics, religion and Justin Bieber’s hair.
3. It takes time to get people involved, so be patient.
4. Keep it light and fun and don’t get upset if you don’t like the answer someone gives you.
5. Respond to every friend or follower who takes the time to reply to your question. Nothing will lose followers faster than feeling like their comments don’t matter.

Above all else, use social media as a tool to listen. You may be surprised by what you hear.

Social media marketing tips

Social media is here to stay, so if you haven’t yet joined the revolution, now’s the time to get started. To guide you through the digital jungle, here are some tips for successful social media marketing.

Have a plan. Decide what you want from social media – increased sales, more followers, connections with clients and potential clients, etc. Having a plan prevents you from spinning your wheels or wasting time on social media – and we all know how quickly time can disappear when on social media!

Fill in as much information as possible. Include links to your website and other social platforms. Make good use of keywords, so that when someone is searching for your business, they have a better chance of finding you. The more information you provide, the more potential customers you will attract.

Tell people you are on social media. Your customers can’t read minds, so let them know you’re on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or whichever Social Media your choose. A good place to put this information is on business cards, on flyers and in your store. Not everyone who does business with you will use them, but those who do will look you up.

Be informal but professional. Let your followers know what is new, how things are going and be open to conversation, but keep the personal information to a minimum. Not everyone wants to hear what you ate for breakfast or how you slept.

Showcase your talents. Maybe you own a restaurant and you took part in a cooking contest. Let your followers know why you’re the best at what you do. Or give your followers helpful tips; it will help you stand out from the competition.

Social Media is meant to complement your current marketing plans and website, not replace them. It may take some effort to get in a rhythm of updating your profiles, but it will be well worth the effort.