Website Design Archives | Upstate Synergy

Does Modern Design Destroy Your Content Flow?

Keith Koons — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 00:39:55 +0000

When a person visits a website, they are almost always searching for a very specific piece of information.

As writers and domain owners,we are always quick to assume that we know what that one thing is- people are here because they want to buy our products and services. However, that’s rarely the case…at least not initially.

For instance, you stumbled across this blog post while navigating the Upstate Synergy website. Does that mean you have your checkbook in hand ready to become one of our clients?

Of course not. You want to see who we are as a brand first, how well we know the digital marketing realm and what solutions we offer. And even then, that doesn’t mean you’re here to buy anything.

Again- you’re looking for some type of specific information.

So in order for us to have any kind of chance at turning you into a paying customer, our first and foremost goal is to figure out what kind of information you’re really looking for. The truth of the matter is that it could be almost anything- the possibilities are virtually endless.

That tells us that in order to have great website content, we need to foresee just about every possible need our customers could have when they visit us. We try to do that by-

– Closely watching our website’s metrics and seeing how visitors travel through the site

– Posting contact forms on almost every page to make it easy to get fast answers

– Using FAQ sheets and other compact layouts to get lots of information in small spaces

– Studying feedback in email and surveys to see what info visitors can’t find easily

– Straight-out asking for direct feedback from our current clients

And guess what? We still have large bounce rates at times. That’s because you can’t account for every possible scenario that would cause someone to visit your website. The best you can do is to keep asking questions and study your visitors to have a more complete picture of their needs.

Discovering Roadblocks in the Buyer's Journey

Now, you may be wondering why we go to such lengths- don’t we know our own business and our customers?

Of course we do. That’s not the real problem here.

The real problem is that we know our business too good. And you have the exact same problem. You’re so close to the everyday operations that you can’t fully see the buyer’s journey from start to finish.

Let’s work through a practical example-

A visitor arrives at your homepage. This person falls into your ideal demographic, they can afford your product and they actually need it. They’re an ideal customer in every sense of the word.

Yet, this person doesn’t enter your site on a product or information page- they happen to catch a link in search to your homepage. So they’re looking at your header image, links to different categories and some type of headline. Maybe there’s a few other pictures worked in there or a call to action as well.

The reason this ideal customer came to your site, however, was to see if they can make an online purchase/deposit with a credit card and then receive one of your products/services through a non-standard way. Maybe they want to have a co-worker come by to talk to you about the purchase before making a final selection or set a delivery date sometime in the future.

They look on your homepage for that info. It’s not there. Then they visit your products page. The info isn’t there either. Next they try your FAQ, your contact page and a few more areas- the information they want is nowhere to be found.

So what does this ideal customer do?

While we’d love to think that they’d just call us and ask, modern consumers usually find their backspace key instead. They’re off to another website with the same question.

Spotting the Content Dilemna

You may have noticed these days that major brands are actually using a lot less content on their main pages. This is actually for two reasons-

1) Short, bold statements really stand out to the average consumer.

2) Modern search Optimization focuses heavily on visitor actions.

However, if you look at some of our pages closely, you may be surprised at how much content we packed in there while still keeping a minimal look. For instance, our Lunch w/ Friends page has almost 800 words of content, but most of it is hidden in the accordian section. We achieved similar results on the homepage with sliders, multi-layer text areas and other formats.

Now, you may think, “Nobody ever reads that stuff.”

That’s not true though- almost nobody ever reads that stuff. And we’re fine with that, as long as the one unique person with a specific question can find their answer quickly…or spot our contact form on each page that talks about legendary fast response times.

Along those same lines of thinking, every single page of your website should have a “Learn More” button included in each section. While you or I may get excited over the small summary paragraph, we don’t want to alienate those who need more information and aren’t ready to reach out yet.

That means your website’s sitemap should look like a pyramid where every main page starts with a major category and then branches out for every specific need/problem. Every time you introduce something new, then you should also provide 2-3 additional pages to talk about the different aspects of it.

The Modern Content Layout

Do you see that sexy hunk of modern muscle car above? It pained us to put a sub-header over it because it is so darn beautiful. That’s the new 2017 Mazda RX7.

Let’s knock out a quick examle for using Mazda USA and an example-

The home page would has some great hero images with snappy text. We’d also see our standard product pages, an about us (Why Mazda), a dealer page, shopping tools and a link to some testimonials.

We already know that the average buyer is going to be looking for things like fuel efficincy, overall horsepower, available colors, etc. So they did well by working all of that information in on the homepage or the first landing page for each vehicle. That’s essentially where the pyramid starts- going from the homepage to the eight different models that Mazda sells.

Each major category page also has content that’s light any airy. We love the negative space to make each photo the star, plus they have some handy tools to learn about the specifics. The layout of each vehicle page matches the exact process a salesman would present the car inside a dealership- so that’s perfect for the buyer’s journey.

However, you can’t forget about the car fanatics of the world either. They want real information.

For instance, what’s the rear differential on the Mazda 3 sedan? What’s the recommended mileage for changing the transmission fluid? Does it require premium unleaded?

One the Mazda USA site, this problem is loosely handled by providing product brochures, spec sheets and numberous other resources at the bottom of the homepage. But is that the best way to ensure that the customer sees it?

Definitely not. It personally took me over eleven minutes to find answers those three basic questions.

So while Mazda did well with “read more” and “learn more” buttons for each section, the information shared is simply too generic to meet all customer types. We hit four different dead ends trying to answer basic questions and had to completely start our search over in other areas of the site.

Don’t forget, we’re talking about a specific car from a specific company that we’re already in love with. If this was an example for printer paper or life insurance, we would have given up after 10-15 seconds of looking.

Nobody earns 11 minutes of patience in cyberspace- not even Mazda. After all, he new 2017 Ford Viper is even more gorgeous.

What’s the moral of the story here?

While your website may be beautiful, it’s probably not optimized for customers anywhere near as well as you think. That’s a huge problem that can’t be fixed through design, navigation or different layouts- it takes real content that gives specific answers to questions that we may not have even thought about yet.

If you take one thing away from this article, it’s to find new ways to listen to your customers about what’s really important to them. Then find logical ways to complete the buyer’s journey from homepage to contact, and remember that each of us will likely want to take a different path during that process.

Websites are not meant to be “one size fits all.” That’s called a sales pitch, not a brand experience.

Be sure to let us know if we can help.

The post Does Modern Design Destroy Your Content Flow? appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Twenty-Seven Reasons to Never Hire a Website Designer

Keith Koons — Sun, 22 May 2016 08:15:45 +0000

Never hire a website designer? What kind of idiot would actually say that out loud? Before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at your screen, just hear me out…

After all, if you want a great cup of coffee, then you would visit the best coffee shop in your town. If you need a new suit, then you go to the premiere tailor around. So why wouldn’t you hire a website designer to help you build a great website?

To put it simply, a freelance website designer is good for only one thing- coding HTML into websites. And for the sake of argument, let’s say that you do need a website built. Should you hire one then?

No. Heck no. Don’t even think about it. That’s a big mistake Mister. Do not hire a website designer and expect random miracles.

Why? The initial coding elements of your website are a minor part of the overall picture compared to things like design, branding, marketing, search optimization and customer engagement. The vast majority of web designers don’t know about any of those things, so they’re definitely not the one you want leading your online face lift for the masses to see. Choose a creative design firm instead.

If that’s not enough to sway you to never hire a website designer, then here are 27 more things to consider-

Do You Know Content Marketing?

1) Can you speak in HTML, PHP or Klingon?

Let’s start with what websites designers are actually good at; programming in languages like PHP and HTML, plus brushing up on their Star Trek lingo for this summer’s Comic-Con. Since you don’t speak these languages though, then you’re going to have no idea how to make any adjustments.

2) Do you care about customer service at all?

Besides, have you ever asked a website developer for help understanding something? That’s like asking Gollum from Lord of the Rings for fashion advice…there’s simply no answer to the equation.

3) Are you a genuine WordPress expert?

Let’s say that you do hire a website designer and they deliver you a site as promised. Now what? Do you know your way around WordPress enough to actually turn an empty domain into a place that potential customers would want to visit?

A website designer is a person who takes instructions and works with code to make your idea come to life. But well over 90% of them now very little about how to attract customers or make a website become popular.

4) Do you enjoy overpaying for imaginary services?!?

Besides, most of today’s web developers still work on an old-school monthly-rate plan, which means that you pay for your website up front and then shell out a large chunk of change each month for site maintenance and other imaginary services.

Well, guess what? You don’t need to pay someone to sit idle and collect monthly fees for absolutely nothing. Don’t EVER hire a website designer under these conditions without spelling out exactly what they’ll be doing for you each month

5) Do you enjoy being frequently lied to?

Now, we’re not saying that website designers are liars, because most of them have the best intentions in the world when they say that they can design your new website from top to bottom in a few weeks. But again, they’re thinking about code and the bare minimum of back-end stuff to make something qualify as an actual website. All of your content marketing, lead banners and images in place are a completely different story.

If you hire a website designer with the sole intention of driving sales or attracting new customers, then that’s the very first question you should ask- can you prove that you can do that kind of stuff?

6) Do you follow the latest SEO algorithm trends?

If you do then that’s great, because your web designer almost certainly doesn’t. He has to keep up with new programming languages and the latest apps/tools instead. That means you’ll have to do a lot of reading on Moz and HubSpot for hiring a website designer.

There’s another inherent problem here though- and that’s Google’s inherent love towards innovative online businesses that strive to make customers happy. If you hire a website designer that’s not studying these trends and continually expanding their strategies, then you’ve already lost before your website is even built.

And don’t even get me started on those “specialty website design firms” that essentially sell everyone the exact same website over and over again- the automotive world wastes billions of dollars every year on websites that will never, ever draw customers because of poor design and horrible SEO.

7) Do words really matter at all?

Most website developers will quickly volunteer to write your website’s content for a nominal fee, and then turn around to do one of two things-

· Hire a writer from India for $2.36/hr., who sub-contracts it to a gal in Pakistan for 1/4th that amount

· Write the content themselves…which makes the Pakistani look like a true poet in comparison

Either way, none of these people are brand experts that can help you drive in conversions. And if pleasing customers and making sales isn’t a priority, then there’s no sense in having a website to begin with.

8) Can you create an effective banner ad?

Since sites like Canva and BeFunky make it easy for almost anyone to get their art on, then maybe you can crank out a decent looking banner all by yourself. But do you know how to upload it and link it to your squeeze page? Can you configure it with your lead generation software?

Probably not…and neither can your web designer. That’s why you never hire a website designer to handle creative aspects of your domain (HINT- which should be the ENTIRE FREAKING WEBSITE!)

Do You Know Web Design?

9) Do you like people who overstate their credentials?

Unfortunately, most website developers earn a bad rap because people have no idea what they’re looking for when hiring a professional. So here’s a little cheat sheet-

Web developers install themes and write code
Programmers create apps, often from scratch
Designers make pretty page layouts & graphics
Copywriters and bloggers handle your site’s content
Marketers focus on traffic and generating leads
Analysts dig deep into the data to find insights

Very rarely will one person have some serious skills in all of these areas since each can take decades to master. That’s why you hire a digital marketing team instead of a web developer.

10) Do you prefer face to face business meetings?

If so, then your boss will either laugh or cry when the “website guru” you hired shows up in the board room wearing cutoff jeans, a tie-died tee shirt, and flip flops. Either way; you’re probably in for an ear-full from the VP of Common Sense after the meeting adjourns.

Not that web designers can get dressed up for a meeting, mind you…that’s not really the point here. You need a firm representing your brand online that understands business, marketing, sales projections, customer loyalty and all that good stuff that really matters.

11) Does your company work late-night?

If so, then hiring a website developer may not be such a bad idea after all. That’s because a large portion of the top web geeks tend to work well into the night and sleep until noon…just because they can.

Between that and Halo tournaments, that’s essentially why it takes three weeks for you to get a simple answer.

On the bright side though, if you hire a foreign web designer then his nights are your days so everything works out perfectly! That is, as long as you have enough time to overcome the language barriers.

12) “It puts the lotion on its skin, or it gets the hose again!”

What, you don’t like random pop culture quotes forwarded to your inbox sixteen times a day? Then let’s hope that you didn’t accept your web developer’s Facebook request…that’s where the real magic happens!

Seriously though, coders are a special breed that don’t always march to the same drum cadence as the rest of society. That doesn’t make them any less dependable, mind you, but most are simply not made for the board room.

13) How important are overall results anyway?

Let’s say your boss is a big AC/DC fan and he wants the song “Highway to Hell” to auto-play on your homepage as soon as new visitors arrive. Sounds like a pretty terrible idea, right?

Well, too bad for you that the web developer you just hired could care less about what may seem like a good or bad idea. Their only job is to build a site and get paid…they could care less about results. And once your boss realizes that heavy metal misses the demographic , guess who gets paid all over again? Cha-ching! Time to hire a web designer all over again.

Go ahead and click play though- you know you want to. Better to get it out of your system now.

14) Hey look, the homepage is giving some random 500 error…

Oh, you actually believed that random web developer when he said that you can call him day or night? Sorry friend, but it’s a Buffy the Vampire marathon weekend and definitely not a good time. Maybe try back next Tuesday when his mom will be there to pick up the phone…

Seriously though, you want to hire a website designer that has a long history of great customer service. At times it will fell like you’re married to your design firm since they play a vital role in practically everything your company does. So focus on your relationship early and makes sure all lines of communication are wide open.

15) Are you looking for results-based quality?

Surely by now you’ve seen a little bit of a pattern forming here…it’s not just in your head. The average web developer knows absolutely zero about actual design, marketing, search optimization or your customers, so they can only deliver a mere fraction of what you’re looking for.

That’s what I’ve been saying all along here; do not hire a website designer if you’re looking for the total package. Such a person doesn’t exist in the modern world unless you’re looking to spend $150/hr for the next 18 months.

Can You Afford a Rockstar Designer?

16) What if I want to work directly with a top-level programmer?

Here’s a little secret for you- the rock star programmers in today’s world are earning comfortably in the six-figure range creating apps and future technologies. The few that do develop websites are often either-

· Making their own custom themes and affiliate sites, or

· Earning a huge paycheck with a top-tier agency/corporation

Either way, there are only a small handful of top-tier website developers out there that still build websites from scratch. The rest use platforms like WordPress or Joomla.

17) Okay, but what if I want a website built from scratch anyway?

Well, that is the way to go if you are a large company with 6+ figure online sales and millions of web views per month. Clean code from a professional will easily pay for itself in no time, plus save you countless headaches. So in this one very specific case, you need to hire a website designer…through a design firm.

Why? Remember how arrogant Tom Cruise and his fellow fighter pilots were in the movie Top Gun? In real life, a superstar coder is likely going to be five times as self-righteous and twice as quick to defend their excellence.

These types of work relationships almost always end badly without that designer being on premesis and working as a part of a team. Think epic proporations bad.

18) Do you take deadlines even halfway seriously?

Was Picasso given timelines when creating a masterpiece? Heck no…and he didn’t even know C+ Basic. So when you’re braving the world of programmers and building something from scratch, there’s no such thing as a timeline for actual launch. You can be given estimates, but definitely not any sort of deadline.

To be fair, you can experience this type of setback with any reputable design firm if communication breaks down or you simply like watching underlings dance in terror. That’s why you never want to hire a website designer without properly vetting them first- grab the phone and call a few of their previous clients directly. Just because their site is pretty doesn’t mean it didn’t finish six months late and $15k over budget.

19) What if I just skipped using a web designer completely?

Oh, you mean like one of those free website builders that allows you to launch a complete website in 15 minutes? That’s a great idea…except that they absolutely, positively suck. Not only do they vastly overcharge you on a monthly plan to move forward, but the “plug and play” coding is also a jumbled mess that the search engines hate.

So if you’re going to be a do-it-yourself type, then buy a premium WordPress theme and find a highly rated foreign WordPress expert on Upwork to install it. This will save you a small fortune if you can serve as your own tech support and figure out the content/marketing elements on your own.

20) Wait- there are cheap AND talented foreign website developers?

Definitely, and you can find some world-class developers from Pakistan, India and similar regions for less than $200 a week for full time work. But be warned; there are many language and cultural barriers that will drive you absolutely nuts if you don’t know what you actually need completed.

These are super-friendly, hardworking people that really aim to please…just be prepared for quite a long trial and error period. If you do hire a website designer from overseas, then it would be a great idea to start with a consultation from a reputable digital marketing firm here in the USA (hint, hint- that’s us!) and have them manage the project with your cheap labor.

21) Are you a true patriot?

Of course you are…so why are we talking about hiring foreign web developers and putting some hard working American college graduate out on the streets? You should be ashamed of yourself for even entertaining the notion!

Then again, what’s more American than saving money on business expenses? There are certainly pros and cons to hiring individuals overseas so I’ll let you decide how to proceed there.

What About Other Online Factors?

22) How versed are you on finding and optimizing keywords?

These days, it is almost impossible to appear on the first page of the search engines for your major keywords by accident. Ranking a website is a process that’s both time consuming and highly technical; plus it takes a creative flair and a solid understand of consumers to execute correctly. So this person with a multitude of talents either needs to be on your staff (likely for six figures), or it can be part of a creative team working on your behalf.

For you to hire a website designer that has all of these skills though, it will be like finding a needle in a haystack. Unfortunately, the only way a designer becomes the total package is by sheer experience working with a number of leading companies and start-ups while wearing a number of different hats. And quite honestly, these types of folks usually get hired by major corporations before you’ll ever find them.

23) What is your actual end goal with web design?

Most people would answer this question by saying, “I want to make more sales or gather more leads.” That’s what we all want from our websites. But the only way to achieve that is by having a fully optimized website that engages your customers and answers their most pressing questions.

Remember that getting the customers to your domain is only half the battle…the rest is convincing them to stick around and actually experience your brand.

24) Who’s going to hold your web developer accountable?

Hopefully you’re not the type that listens to some fast talking salesman and then says, “Sure, let’s run with it!” Since you don’t personally know website design or the many other skills it requires to make a website rank favorably, it will be impossible for you to hold a web developer accountable or even guide them in the right direction.

That means you either need someone on your staff that understands tech or you need to partner with a firm that has earned your trust through delivering actual results. If you just hire a website designer off the streets though because you saw their spammy ad on Facebook, there’s very little chance that they’ll have your best interests at heart. After all, they’ve already proven that they have a quantity over quality mentality.

25) Who’s keeping an eye on your competitors?

Large corporations spend millions of dollars per year analyzing their competitors and creating campaigns to counter their rival’s latest moves. And on a smaller scale, you should be doing the exact same thing with your website and everywhere you keep an online presence.

Is the guy who writes website code the best person for this job though? Not by a longshot…you’d be better off hiring the average 7th grader to take on the job. At least you can keep them focused with a juice box.

26) How do you measure success and failure online?

When a website visitor stumbles on your website, how do you know whether they had a great customer experience? Where’d they even come from? What do they want? Is anyone actually paying attention to this sort of stuff? You need answers to these difficult questions and very few website developers are qualified to be the one interpreting it.

If this is starting to sound like a broken record, that’s because you should never hire a website designer that doesn’t talk about conversion rates, click-through rates, time on site and all the other metrics that mean your customers are actually being engaged.

27) Why are you so negative about website developers anyway?

Like I’ve mentioned several times already, I have nothing against web developers since they are essential for both my business and yours. I just want for it to be crystal clear in your mind that website development is a very small (although important) aspect of your complete online presence. Web developers are generally weak at copywriting, photography, graphic design, search optimization, lead generation and marketing…which are all vital to your success.

So you absolutely, positively need to hire a website designer…but you don’t want that person in charge of your overall campaign. Would you recommend an awesome mechanic to be the next VP of Marketing at Ford or Chrysler? Of course not- the same principle applies to hiring web developers.

Have any good horror stories from hiring a website developer? Did I miss something in my list? Feel free to share away in the comment section below.

The post Twenty-Seven Reasons to Never Hire a Website Designer appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Web Synergy’s “Lunch with Friends” Campaign

Keith Koons — Fri, 20 May 2016 03:49:55 +0000

Do you ever get the feeling that if you could only talk to some of your ideal customers and show them that you’re the real deal; that it could really change things in a dramatic way?

I was thinking about that today when I realized that I have more clients in Los Angeles, Detroit, or Chicago lately than I do in Spartanburg County. Sadly, my local networking has really been lacking in recent years because I stay so busy with larger national clients. At the same time though, I started Web Synergy years ago because I wanted to impact local businesses right here in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Asheville…so it’s time for some serious changes.

I decided to start a new “Lunch with Friends” campaign for Spartanburg County and the surrounding cities, and it basically works like this-

Visit my online calendar and choose a date to sit down for lunch together
When we meet I’ll answer each and every one of your online marketing questions
I’ll help you create an action plan to optimize your website and fix any issues
We will also look at the fastest way for you to start gaining new customers online
I’ll waive 100% of my consulting fees as well…just pick up the check

What am I looking to gain from this?

As I said, I would prefer to have all of my clients locally within the next few years. I would rather help you out today for free and make a new local contact to network with, or possibly even gain your business. But either way, you’ll receive my expertise and we both walk away big winners.

So if you’ve been wondering how to significantly boost your online presence, this is the perfect time to learn about search optimization and online marketing from the top authority in the southeast. I’m looking forward to meeting you soon!

How to Land Almost Any Job on Upwork

by Keith Koons

For the past decade, I have consistently been one of the highest grossing freelance writers on Upwork (formerly Elance and oDesk), the largest freelance job site around. In four of those years, I was the #1 individual in the world for the writing category, and I can...

Use Content to Build Links & Your Brand in 2018

by Keith Koons

Content isn’t just something nice to have – it’s one of your most tangible brand assets. Use content to build effective backlinks that are going to stick, and actually benefit your business and brand. Content-oriented link building is some of the most effective link...

Does Modern Design Destroy Your Content Flow?

by Keith Koons

When a person visits a website, they are almost always searching for a very specific piece of information. As writers and domain owners,we are always quick to assume that we know what that one thing is- people are here because they want to buy our products and...

Twenty-Seven Reasons to Never Hire a Website Designer

by Keith Koons

Never hire a website designer? What kind of idiot would actually say that out loud? Before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at your screen, just hear me out… After all, if you want a great cup of coffee, then you would visit the best coffee shop in your town. If...

Web Synergy’s “Lunch with Friends” Campaign

by Keith Koons

Do you ever get the feeling that if you could only talk to some of your ideal customers and show them that you’re the real deal; that it could really change things in a dramatic way? I was thinking about that today when I realized that I have more clients in Los...

The Death of Keywords in 2018

by Keith Koons

I need to ask you an important question here- and be honest. How much do you really focus on keywords these days? Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, and you have to promise not to tell anyone about this. Not even those self-proclaimed SEO gurus that...

The post Web Synergy’s “Lunch with Friends” Campaign appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Does Online Marketing Work for Restaurants?

Keith Koons — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 18:44:56 +0000

I had an interesting conversation with a local restaurant owner in Costco the other day as he tried to push his enormous cart of mozzarella, spices and tomato base towards the checkout counter. As a former Italian restaurant owner myself, I knew his story without even having to ask- his vendor undoubtedly messed up and good old Costco is always a solid last-minute bail out for our kinds of businesses. I could instantly feel his pain since I was in the exact same position myself dozens of times.

After sharing war stories for a few minutes about incompetent delivery drivers and the perfect blend of cheeses for pizza, the owner asked me if I knew anyone that would be interested in buying his restaurant. He explained that while the business was still profitable, it seemed like his customer base had continually shrunk over the past five years even though he’s remained highly competitive on his pricing and delivered a great product.

Then I told him what every restaurant owner needs to hear- online marketing is essential for every restaurant in the Spartanburg area, regardless of how big or small they are.
Why? Think about this for a moment. How do you order a pizza these days?

For my family, we hop on our smartphones, look at the current specials and then submit our order online…and that’s how over 70% of America does it these days. That means if you’re still handing out flyers, placing newspaper ads and using other forms of traditional marketing these days, only 3 in 10 people are even noticing you.

For example, my family loves Sidestreet Pizza over in Tryon. Besides the long wait times, I honestly couldn’t say a single negative thing about it. The service is great. The food is great. I love the atmosphere. Yet, I haven’t eaten at Sidestreet in at least 4 years. But I’ve ordered from Dominos, Papa Johns and The Pepperoni Express in Inman dozens of times since then, all because they have a solid online presence and I can see their specials quickly.
Are franchises like Pizza Hut better than Sidestreet? I don’t think we even need to dignify that with an answer. But the big chains are making a huge effort to cater to today’s consumer and that simply makes them more relevant. People will literally settle for food from an inferior brand simply because that’s what they see in the search engines.

And as I explained this to this restaurant owner in Costco the other week, he sort of hung his head in defeat since he didn’t know anything about internet marketing. Even if I built him a great website, he said, there was no way possible that he would be able to keep up with updates and things that would make him stand out.

He also mentioned that cost was a major issue…and I realized that he wasn’t just trying to sell his pizza restaurant; he was on the verge of going out of business completely. That’s the only reason why I’m not sharing his name or his location (yet). Stay tuned for updates though, because I am actively working on his search optimization as we speak.

Now, I could completely relate to his situation. When that bad ice storm hit Spartanburg back in 2003 and my restaurant was without water/power for over a month, I had no idea how to get my customers back fast enough for it to really make a difference. I was underwater in debt and the idea of a website would have been laughable for me just like it was for this person. But then again, I didn’t know back then what I know now…and you can’t ignore that 70% of all consumers perform a Google search before heading towards a local restaurant.

Since I definitely don’t want any other local restaurant owners to feel this way, here’s a quick cheat sheet of simple things you can do to drastically increase your online presence on a tight budget-

Build a Facebook and a Google Local business page, and start a campaign for people to like your page. My favorite for restaurants is giving customers a $3 off coupon or a free side item for following you on social media…and you’d be amazed how quickly it will be shared and deliver traffic to your doorstep.
Take the time to register on at least a dozen directory sites like the Yellow Pages, Zomato (formerly Urban Spoon), TripAdvisor, etc. Create complete profiles there and offer a special unique to each website, and be sure to add some photos of your mouthwatering food.
Ask your best customers to leave reviews for you on those directory sites in-house for an instant $1 off their check total per person (per review). If you’re doing this regularly, then you can simply raise your menu prices by $1 and all the reviews are free.
Build a restaurant website using one of the free online tools or contact me to create an affordable website for you. Then add the essentials- great photos, a full menu, daily specials, directions via Google Maps, a food blog, etc.
Use the same tactic to get customers to opt into your email marketing campaigns; just give them a great one-time special to share their email addresses.
Once you’ve completed the social sites, directory sites and your own personal website, start sharing fun facts about Spartanburg, cool photos, daily specials and other information people wouldn’t mind reading.
Likewise, every time you post a blog or a new special, share it straight to your social sites for people to see it. Then send out a weekly email recapping what you’re doing for customers.

Now, you may be thinking that most of those things are far outside your comfort zone, which is exactly what the restaurant owner inside Costco told me as well. But then I asked him- how many times a night do you have to tell your younger employees to get away from their smartphones? Fifty? A hundred? Every one of them is a social media genius- they just don’t realize that their talent for wasting time online can actually become a massive resource from a business standpoint.

And honestly, I do not recommend the free website builders like Weebly since they are hard to customize and rank effectively. But if you have to choose between doing nothing and launching a basic website…go the free route every single time. While it certainly can’t hurt, the help it could deliver is enormous.

So if you can’t afford to hire me right now, then put your youth to work knocking out the above list and improving your online presence. You will be absolutely amazed at how quickly it makes a difference…I’ve seen restaurants go from on the verge of closing to being on track for $50k+ months in a matter of weeks. It just takes a substantiated effort of communicating with your customers and giving them reasons to pay attention to you online.

If you have any questions about how to market your restaurant online or you need a little more guidance on making your location profitable; then feel free to contact me through my online form to set up a consultation. Since restaurant management will always be in my blood and I love having the chance to make a difference here in Spartanburg, the initial consultation will only cost you lunch. Hopefully you know somewhere good to eat. =)

The post Does Online Marketing Work for Restaurants? appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Five Tell-Tale Signs of a Neglected Website

Keith Koons — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 06:33:00 +0000

If you’re like most business owners in the digital age, then you probably measure you’re website’s effectiveness by the number of customers that it delivers to your doorstep. The more daily foot traffic that mentions seeing you online, the more time you invest on creating a great web-based user experience. And that’s great IF your website is creating fresh leads on a regular basis.

On the other hand, the #1 reason why business owners neglect their online presence is because they are not receiving an influx of customers from it, and then they illogically assume that it is because people are not looking online for that type of product/service. We all know that’s inaccurate though since people use their smartphones for everything these days. Just look around you…people are likely visiting your competitor’s websites while they’re inside your store shopping.

If you’re not sure if you’re one of our local Spartanburg faithful that’s neglecting their website presence, then here are five things you should be doing routinely-

Posting Fresh Content

Every time you post new content to your website, it’s like sending a distress beacon to Google that says, “Hey, look at me…I care about my customers.” And in turn, the search engines will begin to visit your website more often to ensure that your readers can always access the most recent content from the search engines. The beautiful thing is that fresh content doesn’t have to be elaborate articles either- it can be new product descriptions or new services/items, video and photographs, or even updates to existing pages.

Changing Your Homepage

Likewise, changing up your homepage even a little bit can have profound effects on your customers. That’s why all the big businesses switch up their homepage graphics frequently; it keeps the site feeling new and fresh without changing the actual navigation. So even if it’s just adding some new photos to your slider or adding a few banners, these changes really do matter in the grand scheme of things.

Social Media Updates

Whenever a consumer visits you on social media, the very first thing they do is look at the last thing posted by your company. And if the date is several months old, then that tells them that you’re not very interested in communicating with them. The crazy part is that you can post anything on social media to keep those engagement levels high- it can be anything from store branding to photographs to news content and local information.

Using Outdated Contact Forms

If a customer has to look at your website for more than three seconds to find your email address, phone number, store location or hours of operation, then you are seriously neglecting your website. In fact, this is the number one reason why consumers leave a website shortly after visiting it for the first time; they simply do not have the patience to hunt down information that you should display on every page. So if you’re guilty of this, fix it immediately.

Offering Very Little Core Content

Likewise, there is absolutely no excuse for not having great descriptions of what your business does, what products/services are available and why consumers should trust in you. This is the core of any great website, yet all of us come across horrible domains every single day that can’t answer even basic questions. Since this type of content also highly influences how well your website ranks, it is absolutely critical for your long term success.

The post Five Tell-Tale Signs of a Neglected Website appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Does Web Design Factor into Search Engine Rankings?

Keith Koons — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 05:40:07 +0000

Let’s pretend for a moment that I am your ideal customer.

And when I say ideal, I’m not talking about someone that wants to speak to your sales staff or register for a product demonstration. I mean that I’m THE customer; the one whale of a client you’ve been hoping to land for years that will change the entire scope of your business and its bottom line.

So I’m your ideal customer…only I don’t know it yet because I haven’t found your website. At this very moment, I am sitting here staring at my Google Search screen and thinking about how to find you. Am I feeling lucky?

Now, you’ve probably read on some of the authority sites like Moz, HubSpot and Search Engine Land that the design elements of your website really don’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things. After all, search optimization is all about things like content, backlinks and social signals, right?

Well, let’s play this out anyway just for fun. Say that I am the Michael Jordan of your industry.
If I find your website, make a purchase and tell the masses about it, then those sweatshops over in third-world countries are going to have to make children work triple-overtime just to keep up with all the frenzied demand (sorry Nike, but you still suck for exploiting kids).

Maybe that was a bad example, but you get where I’m going with this.

So I do my quick little Google Search, stumble across your website and decide to take a look around. Let me ask you a question though; what are the first three things that I’ll see?

And just so you know, it’s not the logo or your tag line.

This was actually a trick question though, so don’t feel bad if you already got it wrong. The first three things I will see are-

How fast your homepage loads. If it loads slowly, I’m hitting the backspace button.
Your main banner image (or lack of one). If it’s ugly, I’m leaving.
A link to what I want to buy. If I don’t see it right away, then I’m gone like the wind.

Now, I probably should have explained our game of pretend just a little bit better. Because when I said that I am your ideal customer, I really didn’t mean me personally.

Instead, I meant that I am pretending to be your ideal customer since I understand their buying process from decades of web design, online marketing and search optimization experience. That lets me know exactly how he or she will react when they’re looking at your website.
And with that knowledge, I can tell you that great web design is everything in the world of online marketing. In fact, it is even one of Google’s biggest signals to your website’s overall quality- it’s called your bounce rate.

Have you ever wondered why your website’s bounce rates are so high? It’s not really a secret- people just don’t have the patience to look around on the Internet anymore.

Take my mom, for example- the woman will drive to eight different grocery stores and call a dozen more if her supermarket stops carrying one of her favorite brands, plus she will ask every single stock person, manager and bag boy she sees. Trust me; it is embarrassing to shop with my mother when Ingles doesn’t have any Pinwheel cookies on the shelves.
If she’s looking for that exact same item on a website; she looks for maybe fifteen seconds maximum…then she gets in her Chrysler to go look in the next town over. And I am afraid that my mom is a pretty average consumer. Your customers do the exact same thing every minute of the day.

So, let me ask you again- does web design really matter for search results? The answer is a resounding yes.

Here are just a few of the factors that make or break your website-

Fast loading times. If I can see the page loading, then it’s too slow
A great top banner photo (or multiple photos if you use a slider)
A crystal clear navigation. Anything I want to know should be 1 click away
A healthy mix of links- some people click text links, others only click photos
If I see a popup, I’m running like mad. People have grown to HATE popups
Numerous trust elements (about us, testimonials, photos, videos, etc.)
A nice layout with enough text for me to know what’s going on
Proper formatting. People really like paragraphs, commas and periods
At least one convincing call to action, and multiple means of contact
An address and phone number to your store. A Google Map gets bonus points

Just to be clear here, most of the things I just named have nothing to do with search engine optimization. Google really doesn’t care if these things are there or not, as long as your visitors are sticking around and visiting multiple pages. So great web design really can’t help you a whole lot- but the opposite is like posting one of those radioactive materials signs on your homepage. People simply will not stick around to see what happens.

So here’s what I need for you to do.

Open a new tab in your browser and pull up your business website. And once it’s loaded, I want you to look back at that list of bullet points one more time and make sure that you’re absolutely nailing every aspect of your core website design elements. Because if even one of them is an issue, then you are literally chasing away potential customers without even realizing it.

Again, please do not confuse web design with search optimization- they are two completely different things. SEO is by far the more important factor for you to achieve solid rankings and gain visibility. But then again, without a good looking website it’s not going to help you.

The post Does Web Design Factor into Search Engine Rankings? appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Ignoring Your Website is Ignoring your Customers

Keith Koons — Fri, 29 May 2015 06:31:36 +0000

Just a few days ago, I found an unbelievable steal on a 2014 Chrysler 300 for my parents. They had been looking for a newer sedan for quite some time now and they absolutely fell in love with the 300’s tough-looking stance and superior luxury. So when I saw that a sexy black 2014 model with 40,000 miles was just reduced to $19,000 in Charlotte, I convinced them to make the hour and a half drive north to claim it as their own.

We did end up buying the vehicle and it is an amazing sporty sedan, but at the same time it also set off a series of events that left me a little puzzled. For example-

The receptionist struggled to email me additional information that the company forgot to post online.

The “Internet Manager” at the dealership had no idea how to add details to the company’s online ads.

The General Manager believed that stock content from the auto manufacturers would rank better in the search engines.

This dealership’s website was not responsive…despite paying over $20k a month for “website optimization.”

The sales representative could not perform a basic Google search to find the vehicle’s factory warranty information.

The dealership printed out 20+ page binders on every used vehicle on the lot…which amounted to more reading material than the average small-town library has.

Now, this was a major dealership in Charlotte that sells 100+ new and used vehicles per month. And while most of their leads originate through their website, it was almost like they were fighting against technology every step of the way. It took every bit of patience I had to refrain from pulling the sales manager aside and asking for a straight commission job on the spot.

So let me get straight to the point.

If you have the mindset like the car dealership I just mentioned, you are literally going out of your way to ignore your customers. Because like it or not, they are searching the internet daily for things to buy and they are only going to wait on you to catch up to modern times for so long. Eventually they will discover a better solution and forget about you entirely- and it makes absolutely no difference how great your products or services are.

And just to be perfectly clear, I’m not just talking about optimizing your website- this is about technology in general. For example-

If you’re not answering emails and social media messages quickly, then you’re telling your customers that they are not important.

If your website does not answer a consumer’s most important questions, then you’re saying that you don’t care if they buy from you or not.

If you have not bothered to focus on your local presence online, then you’re saying that smartphone users should go shop somewhere else.

If your website does not offer a unique value proposition, then you’re telling the world that there is nothing special about you at all.

I could go on and on here…but hopefully you get my point. Your decision to not fully optimize your online presence and embrace technology says a whole lot more about your company than you realize, and your potential customers are definitely taking notice. So stop ignoring the people that you’re working so hard to find in the first place- it’s time to get your priorities straight and make your website stand out.

The post Ignoring Your Website is Ignoring your Customers appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

The Complete SEO Strategy Guide for Small Business

Keith Koons — Sun, 03 May 2015 02:34:53 +0000

It’s no secret that search engine optimization has changed drastically over the years as Google continuously adapts to reward the most helpful websites with coveted first page rankings. And for the average small business owner or entrepreneur that’s on the outside looking in, it can seem like executing the perfect SEO strategy is nearly impossib

What if I told you, however, that everything you need to know about search optimization is summarized in the very first sentence on this page?

Go ahead and look again if you don’t believe me- I’ll sit here and wait while you do it.

The websites that go out of their way to help their customers the most are the ones that SHOULD rank at the tops of the search engines. That was the goal in 1991 and it’s still the goal today. The only thing that’s really changed is that Google and Bing have become much better at detecting unsavory tactics that allow websites to artificially rank, but the goal still remains exactly the same.

So as we work through this guide together, I want you to remember one universal truth that can guarantee your excellent search placement for the next fifty years- the site with the best content should always win.

That means that as long as you’re making serious efforts to bolster your customer’s online experience, you will remain in favor with the search engines and continuously see improved results. It really is that simple.

Since this is an official SEO Strategy Guide, however, then you’ll probably want a little more detail than that to work with. So let’s get down to some key points of interest for your search optimization strategy.

Core Content is Everything in SEO

Old-school search optimization depended largely on stuffing keywords, cranking out tremendous amounts of content and getting any form of backlinks to your website.

The Internet back then was like the Wild West; everything was available for the taking if you didn’t mind being called an outlaw. And that’s why quality was almost an afterthought over the past two decades, the search engines did not have a strong enough algorithm in place to properly identify what we now call spam.

I won’t lie to you- some of those tactics still perform well with the major search engines these days. You can still take a few shortcuts building backlinks and almost any form of traffic is still considered a positive signal, even if it comes from spammy sources that have no interest at all with your brand. These black hat methods are becoming harder and harder to execute properly though, and there’s one crucial thing you have to remember about being an outlaw-

Outlaws eventually end up dead or in jail. So stop trying to be an SEO outlaw, even if think you’re the quickest draw in the West.

DO create informative content to educate your customers
DO update your FAQ and core information pages
DO commit to a weekly blog about your industry
DO share your blogs on social channels to increase engagement
Do focus on a quality over quantity approach
Do update or remove poorly written pages
Do post content that leads to additional actions (read more, call, opt-in, etc.)

So when it comes to content for your website, don’t even think about taking shortcuts in 2016 and beyond. Everything you post should engage your audience and help them learn a little bit more about your brand. That means you should be getting down to the nitty-gritty and sharing precise details about anything and everything your customers have questions about, and it should be written in a way that just makes sense.

Take Mobile Seriously

Let’s talk about backlink building as a search optimization method for a moment…and I’ll start with an obligatory, “Ladies and gentlemen, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their full upright position. We are about to experience some severe turbulence.”

Over the past few years, creating a solid backlink profile has become increasingly difficult. Let’s just look at what Google tells you not to do-

DO NOT guest post on websites with questionable ethics
DO NOT leave random comments with your link in it
DO NOT buy backlinks under any circumstance
DO NOT swap backlinks with other websites
DO NOT associate yourself with any spammy site
DO NOT use the same anchor text across most of your links

That’s where we reach the turbulence part of this journey, because chances are pretty darn good that you’ve violated some or all of those guidelines over the past few years. If that’s the case, then we strongly recommend that you disavow your less-than-reputable backlinks since your website is likely facing penalties because of it.

With that said, link building strategies have not changed much over the past year other than to avoid the ComLuv’s of the world that Google has clearly blacklisted. In fact, you should probably forget about any form of guest blogging where you’re permitted to insert a backlink straight to your website, unless it’s in an author bio. There are still tens of thousands of quality content sites to write for out there as well- just use a little more caution this time around.

Social media is still a powerful way to receive natural backlinks as well, and Google vastly prefers this approach since others are choosing to talk about you on their own sites. Other solid opportunities for gaining backlinks are creating highly-sharable content like infographics or case studies, utilizing directories within your niche, press releases and blogging about authorities within your industry.

One more word on backlinks before we move on. Remember that your profile does not need dozens of backlinks to every possible page in order to achieve solid overall rankings; this is the old-school formula for grey hat SEO and it is completely unnecessary. The search engines would rather see a handful of natural high authority links to your domain over thousands of weaker ones, so make sure your focus remains on quality partnerships.

Build Better Backlnks

Over the past few years, creating a solid backlink profile has become increasingly difficult. Let’s just look at what Google tells you not to do-

DO NOT guest post on websites with questionable ethics
DO NOT leave random comments with your link in it
DO NOT buy backlinks under any circumstance
DO NOT swap backlinks with other websites
DO NOT associate yourself with any spammy site
DO NOT use the same anchor text across most of your links

Local Search is Massive

Here’s a statistic worth remembering- almost 80% of all mobile searches in the United States directly lead to a purchase. Since almost 73% of those purchases occur in local brick and mortar stores, local search optimization (AKA Google Maps) should definitely become one of the most important parts of your overall SEO strategy in 2017 and beyond.

How do you optimize for the local search engines?

Create/verify your listings with all the major search engines
Complete the certification process to show that it’s your business
Complete your profile 100% (photos, categories, descriptions, etc.)
List a local contact phone number in your profile
Repeat this process on major directories (Yellow Pages, Yelp, etc.)
Ask your best customers for honest reviews/ratings
Build backlinks from social and authority sites
Focus on your main website’s core engagement levels

Essentially, Google and Bing want to see you treat your local search profiles exactly like you would your own website, so remember that the little things really do matter in this instance. Also, make sure that each of your local search profiles uses 100% unique content for the spiders to crawl, but all of the other information should be exactly the same. In other words, do not list different addresses, phone numbers and other information that the search engines could see as a conflict, and avoid toll free numbers altogether since they signal that you’re probably not seeking local business clients.

Monetization & Lead Generation

Quick question- why are you worried about your website’s SEO in the first place? And before you answer, let me point you right back to the very first sentence on this page once again. Because the answer you’re looking for should not be, “So I can make lots of money.”

Honestly, Google could care less if you are making income through your website or not.

Their only worry is that your site’s content makes visitors happy, and it is a huge red flag for the search engine giant if they see just a few paragraphs of text and a dozen or more ads. Without even looking at anything else, they know right off the bat what your real intentions are.

DO use appealing calls to action in contact forms
DO ask users to visit your social sites
DO monetize your pages in natural, logical ways
DO offer freebies and giveaways to generate leads
DO NOT lose focus on making great content the top priority

Now, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use ad banners and email captures on your website; just don’t do it in a way that would make people question your motives. Remember, this is not so much about the amount of advertising, but about how much actual content there is to balance it out.

So don’t be that guy who posts 12 flashing ad banners per page- not even John Chow does that anymore…and you’re no John Chow. That is, unless you are actually John Chow and you just happen to be reading my blog. If that’s the case, then I guess this last section doesn’t fully apply to you.

But for everyone that’s not named John Chow, then you may want to reconsider limiting your ad-space and focusing on your actual visitors instead.

Back-End Optimizations

Even though you probably have a web developer that handles the heavy lifting when it comes to the back-end of your website, there are several minor issues that could cause you to lose appeal to the search engines.

I won’t dwell here though, just scan through this list of miscellaneous items that could be harming your search ranking-

Slow loading times/not enough bandwidth
Poor navigational structures
Missing pages that do not properly redirect
Broken inbound and outbound backlinks
Images not properly labeled
Missing H1 (main title) tags
Lack of meta keywords & descriptions
Plugin conflicts that affect functionality
Suspicious redirects (possibly by hackers)

So if you see any of these issues, contact your system administrator and tell him that he stinks at his job. Then call me to fix the issues and we can make fun of that other guy together!

Keyword Research

You may have heard some of the experts mention that keywords are officially dead, and to some degree they are absolutely correct.

You should no longer be focused on things like keyword density or packing in as many combinations of key-phrases as you can in any given page. This is no longer a valid tactic since the search engines have made it abundantly clear that they are more focused on your visitor’s engagement levels.

At the same time, keywords certainly do still matter, so let’s go straight to our bullet points-

DO mention on at least one primary keyword on each page
DO use keyword software to find popular phrases with low competition
DO hyperlink your targeted keyword to other parts of your website
DO hyperlink your targeted keyword to authority sites within your niche
DO include your targeted keyword in the title, meta title, and description
DO NOT repeat keywords just for ranking purposes
DO NOT ever use a keyword unless it fits naturally within the text
DO NOT forget that quality and engagement are the most important factors

To prove that, let’s do a little experiment and talk about our famous SEO Keyword Spatula, which is something that I just completely made up for testing purposes. It does sound like a pretty cool product name though and since I bolded it, the search spiders will likely see it as being important. Notice that we’re not actually keyword stuffing though, since the phrase is only being used twice total.

If you take peek in AdWords, the phrase “SEO keyword spatula” has zero natural competition (as expected) but it is also somewhat related to almost 600,000 similar monthly searches containing both “SEO” and “keyword” within the phrase. And if our little experiment here works, then I should have the #1 ranking not only for the worthless phrase I just made up, but also have the opportunity for getting noticed in dozens of similar search terms that people are actively searching for.

Does that make sense? It’s sort of a backdoor ninja approach to capturing the easy stuff and possibly getting noticed in the ultra-competitive niches as well.

You should be doing the exact same thing with all of those long-tail keywords within your niche that others are not actively targeting. And the long-term benefits of consistently searching for and using new long-tail keyphrases within your website copy can pay serious cumulative rewards.

Video Marketing is Huge

Many people are on the fence about video marketing since Google cannot actively see the content contained within your embedded multimedia players. Hopefully by now you’re not going to make me refer you back to the very first sentence again though; modern SEO is not about what Google sees.

It is about how your visitors react to the core content on your domain. And if a video captures their attention while they’re visiting you, then Google doesn’t have to understand what they’re watching. It helps you anyway.

DO use videos to explain core products and services
DO share videos on social sites
DO share other videos on your site that resonate with viewers
DO keep the majority of your videos under two minutes
DO focus on lighting and sound quality
DO NOT hesitate to shoot simple, first person videos with a smartphone

Here is another incredibly important piece of the puzzle for video though– the most influential video hosting website on the planet is owned by Google. So not only does video marketing get the benefit of its very own search stream for consumers, but Google also prioritizes YouTube videos within both the natural and the video types of searches as well. So you literally get three streams of exposure by posting one video on YouTube and embedding it into your website…and your customers will love you for it.

What does a homeless young Korean man in a singing competition have to do with SEO and video marketing? It’s almost impossible not to be moved by his amazing journey…and that is engagement at its very finest. However, if your videos happen to answer the specific questions that your website’s visitors are contemplating, then it is an extremely powerful sales technique as well.

So while video marketing is not a core SEO factor all by itself, the engagement that it creates certainly matters.

Boosting On-Page Metrics

Throughout this guide so far, we’ve talked about the term “engagement” in almost every single section. It is certainly one of those buzzwords that are tossed around frequently by experts, but it hardly ever seems to get properly defined either. So let’s define it now by search engine standards.

Customer engagement refers to any positive action that is taken by a user on a website.

Any when I say “any positive action”, that’s exactly what I mean. Think about this for a moment- the average smartphone user visits a website and qualifies it in the mind in a mere three seconds. So if you manage to tick over to that four second mark, it’s a positive.

Not a good one, mind you, but still a plus in your favor nonetheless.

And your entire job as a website owner is to create more and more of those positive experiences so the search engines know that people are finding good stuff there. This can include any combination of the following-

Visiting multiple pages
Clicking on a backlink
Filling out a contact form
Leaving a comment
Sharing on social media
Watching a video
Downloading a file/app
Users revisiting to your website
Opting in for email alerts
Giving likes, +1’s or other nods

If you look in your Google Analytics account, the search giant has been tracking these types of metrics for years now, so it only makes sense that you should keep up with these key metrics as well. Every chance you get to create additional engagement helps your website overall, so know that your on-page metrics are as important as ever in the eyes of the search engines.

If you’re wondering how to boost your on-page statistics, just try to make each page as pleasant of an experience as possible for your visitors. Here are just a few techniques to do that-

DO focus on using only top notch writers
DO keep your navigation simple
DO add lots of visual elements to your website
DO incorporate video, charts, and infographs
DO use bullet points and subtitles to break up text
DO use bold and italics to make key points stand out
DO link internally so users have easy access to more content

Focusing on the Consumer

If you haven’t realized it by now, search engine optimization is all about the consumer. The more you go out of your way to provide great information and make your visitors happy, the more Yahoo, Google and Bing will reward you with a boost in natural rankings. And even though some of the things I’ve shared so far may seem super technical and difficult to implement, I’ll tell you one more time to read the first sentence of this article- that’s close to 85% of today’s SEO right there.

As long as you’re putting forth a genuine effort to become more helpful online than all of your competition, then you will eventually outrank them…even if it’s purely by dumb luck.

So let’s recap real fast with the highlights-

Write great content.
Optimize for mobile users.
Focus on quality backlinks.
Use local to your advantage.
Don’t be that guy with too many ads.
Make sure your website loads smoothly.
Continue to focus on keywords.
Post a few videos on your site.
Use smart page layouts to increase engagement.
Always focus on pleasing your consumers.

That’s not so hard, is it?

If you have any questions about modern search optimization or want to point out a tip or two that I missed, please feel free to reach out through my contact form or leave a comment below. I’m here to help.

The post The Complete SEO Strategy Guide for Small Business appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Google Starts Penalizing Non-Responsive Websites on April 21st 2015

Keith Koons — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 04:14:06 +0000

In case you haven’t heard the news yet, Google has recently announced on its Webmaster blog that it is going to start rewarding websites that are designed with HTML5 and responsive layouts to better serve the growing smartphone communities across the globe. Experts are predicting that this will have a serious impact on existing businesses that have not updated to the latest responsive technology and their sites are expected to take huge penalties within the search rankings.

For those who are not hip on responsive technology, check out responsive website guide.

What Impact Will this Have on My Business?

So what does the Google Update mean for local Upstate businesses in Spartanburg and Greenville? Really, it all depends on how you’re currently using your website and where its traffic comes from. If most of its visitors are existing clients that you’ve directed there on your business cards and flyers, then you can probably continue with your website as-is over the near future…as long as you realize that your natural search engine rankings will likely drop quickly.

For newer Upstate businesses, this announcement also serves as a golden opportunity to seize a large portion of market share from others not taking action. Off the top of my head, businesses like local insurance firms, used car dealerships and entertainment venues are going to get hit the hardest since they rely on that natural traffic to generate new leads. Those who act quickly will likely see their search rankings sour in popularity on the 21^st since the competition will essentially become invisible and not indexed for smartphones at all.

What Do I Need to Do?

Honestly, that’s a tough question to answer without seeing your existing website firsthand. In most cases, your site can be converted to a responsive website and keep the exact same layout, appearance and feel. Others may be more interested in launching a simple mobile site, which means that your business will have one destination for desktop users and another one for mobile devices. Since Google can distinguish between the two types, it’s okay to have both at once.

The best move, however, is to take full advantage of this opportunity and have a completely new website designed from scratch with a sleek new look, faster loading times and 100% optimized content to guarantee you the best possible chances of being found. We will be more than happy to discuss how to proceed with you though; simply reach out to us and we will have a look.

When Do I Need to Act?

Google has announced that the latest algorithm update will be taken live on April 21^st, 2015. And almost immediately, the search engines will begin to shift by showing favoritism towards responsive websites. While the ranking adjustments normally take a few days to normalize, the effects will be felt within the first few hours.

So my advice is for you to take action now…right away…and contact us to see how we can get your site responsive ready before April 21^st. We ask customers to reach out via email so we can do a full analysis on your website before considering any type of commitment, because we went to prove to you now and in the future that nobody knows search optimization in Spartanburg like Web Synergy.

If you have any questions then please reach out to us immediately. Time really is of the essence here and we’d hate to see you heavily penalized for not acting fast enough.

The post Google Starts Penalizing Non-Responsive Websites on April 21st 2015 appeared first on Upstate Synergy.

Why Does My Website Get So Little Natural Traffic?

Keith Koons — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 23:02:19 +0000

Just the other day, I was called to a local used car dealership to help them understand why their site wasn’t receiving nearly as much natural traffic as it did a few years ago. And before I even arrived there, the problem was evident…the website was being completely neglected.

Now, don’t think I’m speaking poorly of this client because it really wasn’t his fault. He did what most Upstate businesses do when it comes to maintaining their websites- absolutely nothing. He simply assumed that everything would run on autopilot and customers would continue to show up at his doorstep. Only that’s not how it works.

For example, let’s talk about web design in Spartanburg. For as long as I can remember, a company called Upstate Web help the top ranking because the owner was actively updating his site, guiding customers there and making his domain more visible. Just a few years ago, however, that business closed due to the owner’s health and his website has been in a steady free fall in popularity ever since.

Websites are Just Like Businesses

Why?

Because Google and the other search engines look at your website exactly that same way that you and I look at brick and mortar businesses. If we see a store with lots of people coming and going, for example, then we assume that they must have great prices or awesome service. When we see an empty parking lot in front of a business, however, then we assume that times are not good for that company.

To make your website more popular, it is 100% essential to-

Add new content frequently
Providing great information about your business
Have a steady stream of new and returning visitors
Create reasons for other websites to talk about you
Have visitors leaving comments and clicking on links
Offering a good blend of writing, photos and videos

And if you think about it, you ask your employees to do the exact same kinds of things inside your business. They learn about your products, explain things to customers and happily show people around if they need help. If you’re reputable, then other businesses are likely sending you foot traffic as well…and the search engines work exactly the same way.

How to Boost Your Web Traffic

If you want a natural boost in the search engines, then the easiest way to accomplish that goal is to update your website. Anything from blogs to product pages to a good old FAQ will help potential customers better understand how you conduct business, and it also signals to the search engines that you’re serious about achieving success online.

So every time you post something new that consumers seem to enjoy, it gives a little boost in the rankings for the topic that is discussed. Over time, this has a big cumulative effect that launches you straight to the top of the search engines. And once ideal customers begin to find you and appreciate your efforts, it separates you from the competition and everything changes.

If you need help making your web content stand out or you’d simply like an explanation about why you’re not receiving as much web traffic as in the past, please feel free to contact me for a site evaluation. In the meantime, just start thinking about what kinds of content that your customers would appreciate knowing before they contact you in person…and that will grant you a big head-start towards fixing the problem.

The post Why Does My Website Get So Little Natural Traffic? appeared first on Upstate Synergy.