When Does a Website Upgrade Result in a "Downgrade"?

 Original Website

A business website should always be thought of as a process, not a project.

For SEO (Search Engine Optimization) reasons and to best benefit the human visitor/prospect (future customer!), it's imperative to keep ALL content on your website relevant and up to date.

The updates might not be weekly or even monthly, but at least once or twice a year it's a good idea to revise and/or add content (images, text, new features, etc).

NOTE: Click Images for Enlarged View

Cole WebMarketing Website

On the left is an example of a professional website overhaul by Cole WebMarketing.

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However, sometimes a website "upgrade" can actually result in a "downgrade".  

New Site - DIY by Customer

Many of us have seen this happen, and it happens for various different reasons.

Sometimes a new marketing or other manager comes on board with a company and is not as skilled as his or her predecessor in the ways of the web and related matters (graphic design, virtual visual merchandising, SEO, website statistics and analysis, etc.) and the new site turns out to be not as good as the old site.

Another reason for a worse new site is an internal connection - somebody knows somebody that knows a "web guy".  Everybody these days it seems knows someone who can design, build and manage websites, but many times these self proclaimed web gurus aren't actually experienced website professionals, but rather wannabes.

Some primary examples of a Website Downgrade include: (not in order of importance)

1. Reduced Visual Appeal - without a good solid design, a website can lack a professional "layout, look and feel" - logical placement of images, proper image selection (relevant to text on page), 



New SIte - DIY by Customer

2. and careful arrangement of all parts of a page are important (avoid "text boxes" that overlap background "placeholders".
3. Excessive Use of Widgets, Add-Ons, Buttons, Etc. - just because you can add a feature to a page or website doesn't mean you should - avoid a site that is too "busy" - visitors prefer clean and simple for most websites (photography website, rock band, night club might be a few exceptions where more bells and whistles may be more acceptable)
4. Unprofessional Graphics/Images - poor quality graphics, the use of "clip art", animated GIF's and/or outdated navigation "buttons", poor quality photographs, backgrounds, etc. can give even a well thought out and developed website an amateurish appearance



New SIte - DIY by Customer





5. Poor Font Selection - using more than a few different fonts and/or using super cool/cute fonts is to be avoided and it's critical to keep all text font colors the same, except for active hyperlinks. In addition, select one main font for most all text on you site - using several font styles just increases the amateur look & feel of a website.
6. Excessive Use of Different Colors - pick a nice color scheme and build your site around it - unless you're targeting children, using more than a few colors on your site is usually not a good idea.  Also, unless your intent and need is to "dazzle the visitor", avoid harsh colors and color combinations - such as bright green or yellow & black
7. De-Optimization: when overhauling a website, it's important to keep in place those components that helped get the website to rank high on Google and other search engine results pages.  Use of target keywords and keyphrases, proper placement of those keywords and a good keyword ratio is important to maximizing a site's listings across the web and also to getting to and staying on page 1 or 2 when past, present or future customers search for your company by the products you make/sell or the services you provide.
8. Mobile Friendly - since many people first view a website on their smartphone or small tablet, it's critical that a website be "mobile friendly" - appear and function well on a variety of different platforms (and browsers).  Comprehensive testing is not an option - it must be done to make sure a website renders appropriately on any device.

THE PROBLEM WITH COOKIE-CUTTER SITES: Many sites these days are created with Wordpress, which was software originally created for use in creating web logs (blogs).  Most Wordpress sites have a very similar layout, look and feel and tend to appear "blogish".

In addition, all of the "free website builder" tools available from companies you see/hear advertised on TV and radio are all "template based", which results in more and more websites looking very much the same.

THE BENEFIT OF CUSTOM SITES: A professional website designer/developer can, and usually will, create a website "from scratch" and therefore YOU have complete control over layout, placement, arrangement, appearance, look & feel, etc.

A company website must serve as an asset; not a liability. The site should reflect the high caliber and professionalism of the business, especially since a website is often the first impression a prospective new customer gets about your business.

So, before you decide to overhaul your website and have it done by "your neighbors nephew for $200 and a case a beer" or using one of the "free" online website builders, consider first contacting a professional website design/development company for an initial consultation.  The money you spend upfront could result in a huge return on investment in the long run, rather than going the super cheap $49.95 a month route for the rest of you life -- for a site that might never make it into the Top 10 on Google or might never make your phone ring/make you money.

For a FREE initial website consultation, please call
Cole WebMarketing at 704-456-9321.

NOTE: All images on RIGHT SIDE do NOT reflect the work of Cole WebMarketing - only the one image on the LEFT SIDE does.

Sharing and/or Posting Online - Flow-Chart about "Where To Post What?"

Since this is a serious & professional business blog about Internet Marketing, rarely do we post content of this type. However, we all here love good harmless sarcasm, and this graphic was amusing enough in our offices to warrant a public share.  Hope you also find it funny!

Click Here to View Full Size

Cole WebMarketing is a Charlotte, NC based web design, development and site management firm. We offer a wide array of internet marketing related services, and have been serving small-medium sized businesses nationwide, since 1999. 

Social Media Marketing Consulting is one of our main areas of expertise & specializtion.  We offer consultations by phone and in person, 1on1 and group presentations, to businesses and organizations.  Client support can be on a one time basis, from time to time (quarterly or annual review/recommendations) or on a monthly retainer basis.

To learn more about our services, please visit www.ColeWebMarketing.com and then call us at 704-456-9321 to discuss your particular needs.

DISCLAIMER: We LOVE Google+, Foursquare, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter - no offense intended and this post clearly states that this is a piece of satire...so please don't sue us!

NO FLASH on my iPad! Not a problem - there is a simple solution:

Although "Apple Portables" (iPod, iPad, iPhone, etc.) are losing market share by the millions to Droid and other "open source" products (example - tablets: Apple had 84% in 2010, 63% in 2012 and projected to be less than 50% in two more years), Cole WebMarketing is often asked: how do I play Flash files, which are used on millions of websites?   There is a simple solution - perhaps the most common is to use a different browser, rather than the default Safari browser that comes with all Apple Portables.

ANSWER: the fact is Flash animations are very widely used, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future and many Apple users are justifiably irritated by its absence. Fortunately there are workarounds and one of the simplest is to use a browser called Puffin, free from the App Store.

source: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-flash-on-your-ipad-2012-10#ixzz2HVyEbKPr

ALTERNATIVES - PART 1 of 2: The iPad Flash battle has intensified due to the fact that Google's Chrome Browser will integrate Adobe Flash Player.

In what could be seen as a dig at Steve Jobs and the iPad, Google made a point of noting that Adobe Flash Player is “the most widely used web browser plug-in”, in its blog post announcing that Google Chrome will come with Flash built in. The first version of the Google Chrome browser with Flash Player is a developer build which is available now.

Google says the Chrome OS will feature Flash Player integration which means Google Chrome OS tablet devices will have one up on the iPad.

Google Chrome and Google Chrome OS will automatically receive the latest version of Flash Player meaning users will not have to remember to install plug-in updates themselves. Google Chrome will also extend the “sandbox” feature which separates individual processes to Flash content to strengthen security.

The reign of Flash as the dominant web video standard could be prolonged if Google Chrome OS tablets like the Asus tablets we heard about this morning take off.
source:  http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/03/31/ipad-flash-battle-continues-google-chrome-os-will-have-flash-built-in/index.html

ALTERNATIVES - PART 2 of 2:
Did you know that your iPad can actually play back Flash-based eLearning courses and presentations? Even though the native support of Flash is not provided on iPads and iPhones, there is more than one way to use either of the devices to share your Flash projects. Check out the workarounds below.

Flash Web Browser for iPad

The "Flash Friendly" browsers below are ranked according to their overall usability and functionality:

Puffin
Puffin browser stands at the top of this group in terms of both usability and affordability. Available free of charge at AppStore, Puffin promptly handles Flash projects including audio, video, interactivity, and quizzes. All QuizMaker question categories are supported, including type-in and drag-and-drop questions. Drag-and-drop is performed with a two-finger tap on a touchpad emulator. The playback of large video and audio files can be rather slow. English is the only supported language for type-in questions.

Appsverse Photon
The Photon browser allows switching between Flash browsing mode and a faster non-Flash mode. This browser provides the smoothest video playback in the group. It also supports interactivity, and fairly supports quizzes and iSpring Kinetics interactions. Drag-and-drop is performed with a finger tap.
Despite smooth video playback, all interactions are performed quite slowly in the browser. Unless you are viewing a large Flash project, switching between two modes can be inconvenient. English is the only supported language for type-in questions as well.

iSwifter
This Flash web browser handles audio and video narrations and project's interactive items as well. It also has the drag-and-drop feature, performed with a finger tap. iSwifter offers a 10-minute free trial session for 7 days and then has to be purchased at AppStore for $4.99.
iSwifter's reaction to your actions is performed with lags. The browser often has issues and errors while displaying the web page. It also doesn't support non-English languages. The browser can only be used on iPads.

Cloud Browse
CloudBrowse has the familiar interface of a desktop browser. Browser's reaction to clicks is quite smooth. It also supports video, audio, interactivity and drag-and-drop. If you purchase the basic CloudBrowse app for $2.99, they provide a free 24-hour trial of their unlimited subscription.
CloudBrowse doesn't adapt a web page to fit the screen of your device. If the web page is too wide to fit the screen, you will have to move it to view the contents. Presentations are played with a low frame rate, which results in slower animations and video playback. Drag-and-drop is performed with a two-finger tap, which may be inconvenient for dragging small items. Small objects can be magnified, but is becomes impossible to drop them beyond the magnified area.

Remote Desktop
The remote desktop applications provide alternative approach to playing Flash on iPads. In this case, the support of Flash is ensured by your computer, which you remotely access from your iPad. This method is especially effective if you are making a live presentation using iPad, as it gives you the full control over your Flash project.

TeamViewer
To access your computer's desktop from your iPad, you need to install TeamViewer on both devices. You can establish the connection between the devices and enjoy presenting with your iPad. Since your Flash project is played by the computer and not your iPad, all effects and functions of the Flash format are perfectly supported. As another advantage, TeamViewer software is available free of charge for non-commercial purposes.

The Remote Desktop presenting method involves access to your personal computer from an iPad. That's why it can only be used if you are presenting in person or share your project with someone you trust. It is neither convenient, nor safe to use TeamViewer for public delivery.

Summary
While none of these approaches provides the perfect support of Flash on iPad, getting your Flash presentation or course work on your iPad or iPhone is really possible. Which way of playing Flash on iPad is better - depends fully on your requirements. If you are giving a live presentation or showing your Flash project to a small number of people, you should probably go for the remote desktop delivery. In the case of making your content available publicly including viewing via iPad, you'd better choose one of the web-browsers. You can use this review to choose the most suitable Flash web browser for iPad, depending on the content you have.

source: http://www.ispringsolutions.com/articles/can-i-play-flash-on-ipad-yes.html

Cole WebMarketing is a Charlotte, NC based corporation, has been helping small-medium sized businesses manage their web presence since 1999.  Primary services include: website design, website developement, website maintenance, social media marketing consulting, website photography, website video shoot & production, and other internet marketing related services. 

To learn more, visit www.ColeWebMarketing.com and then call 704-456-WEB1 (9321).

Beware! Recent Increase in Email Scam > "Your Mailbox Full"

Our offices have recently received a number of fake e-mails that are variations on the subject of ''e-mail account mailbox capacity''. Most of these e-mails are in the form of a warning or alert to say that ''your e-mail account has exceeded its capacity".

EXAMPLE: Dear customer: 
Your e-mail account has exceeded its limit Please verify your account to avoid losing it by "CLICKING HERE" (link in body of email). 

above is screenshot capture of the actual email

It's pretty safe to assume that if we are receiving these e-mails, millions of other people are getting them too. We believe these emails are no doubt what's called a "*phishing scam". 

Charlotte, North Carolina based Cole WebMarketing, which hosts hundreds of websites, and thousands of e-mail accounts, has always advised our clients, that whenever they receive an e-mail that even remotely appears suspicious, to NEVER click on any link that is contained in the e-mail message. 

If, for example, you receive an e-mail that says it's from PayPal, eBay, your bank, your cell phone carrier, etc., and the e-mail warns you of a potentially serious problem and that you need to take immediate action... by clicking on the link provided an e-mail, don't do it! 

Instead, go to your browser address window, type in the URL for the website referenced in the e-mail, such as www.PayPal.com, and then log into your account and check to see if there is some type of authentic problem. To be certain that there is in fact nothing to be concerned about, you can always take a second precautionary step of contacting the company the via e-mail or telephone to inquire about the warning you received in the presumably fake e-mail. They will be able to confirm whether or not the e-mailed alert or warning is genuine.

WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK IT OUT! @ Snopes.com
The website www.Snopes.com is a great resource for checking to see if emails you get are real, fake or partially true or false.  The site has a SEARCH BOX on the home page.  Usually typing in, or copying & pasting, the subject line of the email you received, or part of the body of the email, will bring up details about the email - is it a scam? does it contain a link to a computer virus? is it true, or false or taken out of context, etc.  Snopes.com is also effective to ascertain whether an email "alert or warning" that someone forwarded to you is a false rumor or something true, and something you should know and be concerned about.

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*Phishing scams, according to Wikipedia, are:  Phishing is the act of attempting to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites, auction sites, online payment processors or IT administrators are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting public. Phishing emails may contain links to websites that are infected with malware. 

Phishing often directs users to enter details at a fake website whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one. 

It is believed that the first recorded use of the term "phishing" was made in 1995. The term is a variant of fishing,  alludes to "baits" used in hopes that the potential victim will "bite" by clicking a malicious link or opening a malicious attachment, in which case their financial information and passwords may then be stolen.

Some Tips & Advice on Buying Computers & Software

LOOKING TO BUY HARDWARE & SOFTWARE for your business or organization? 

Here are some TIPS & ADVICE from Cole WebMarketing, a Charlotte, North Carolina based web design and development firm.  We don't usually provide "IT support", since we've been focused almost entirely on web design/development and internet marketing since 1999. However, since we do USE computers ALL the time, we're pretty familiar with a fair amount of hardware and software and consider ourselves qualified to at least offer some "do's & don'ts to our clients.

In a recent email to a client (a non-profit organization, with a very limited "general funds" budget, I replied with: the laptop you are looking at (IBM refurbished Black 14 inch T 60 ThinkPad for $250 sold at a national "big box retailer) seems like it would serve your purposes. It's my opinion, and one shared by many other IT people, that Windows XP was the best operating system that Windows ever had. There are few billion people that will say Apple products far outshine anything Microsoft has ever made (or will ever dream of), but for this particular Blog post, I'm not going anywhere close to that ''debate''.

Having just said that Windows XP is a good choice, you may run into issues with modern software being incompatible with an older operating system such as XP. What followed Windows XP was Windows Vista - and billions of people had millions of problems with that operating system! I was one of them!! 

After Vista came Windows 7, which is what I'm personally using now on my main system in our main office. Windows 7 is a very popular and common Windows operating system. I use Vista on another machine in my office, and we still keep an "old box" running XP in another office here.

Now keep in mind that Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7,  etc. are all hardware ''operating systems''. You'll need some software to really make any machine functional/useful as a ''business computer''. 

 

The most important piece of software in my opinion to get 1st, would be Microsoft "Office". There are several different generations of office, such as 2003, 2007 and 2010. There are also several versions, such as HOME, BUSINESS, etc. I prefer the 2003 Business Gen/Version personally, but 2010 does have some cool features that 2003 lacks.

Also, be sure to get the software that matches your PC.  Computers these days come in 32 bit and 64 bit, single core, dual core, quad core, etc.  To find out "what you have", click on COMPUTER, then right click on the main drive (C), then click PROPERTIES. This screen will provide you with the "SPECS" for your PC.    

When you get MS Office, you get Word (to make all kinds of business documents), you get Excel to make all kinds of business spreadsheets, and you also get Outlook for processing e-mail. Basic nuts and bolts computers will come with a free version of Office Lite (or whatever they call it). With most all PC's, you'll get Office Lite, which includes Outlook Express - please note that OE is far less sophisticated than regular Outlook, and lacks many of the features that most business person want & need.

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This particular client stated they wanted to use the new PC for their newsletters and quarterly Excel reports (and probably many other types of business documents).  Office "Publisher" can quickly and easily create newsletters, letterhead and a variety of other "desktop publishing" documents.

I told them I'm hoping that their new Blog will soon replace their old printed newsletters. You can also make Blog posts that are private, viewable only by those that haven't invited and have the actual URL, so you can share posts "internally" within your business or organization.

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Please keep in mind that there are several good alternatives to MS Office.  I'm talking FREE Web Based solutions!  In 2006, Google offered an alternative to Windows Office that may serve your needs and those of many nonprofit organizations. They're in the process of upgrading (and renaming) ''Google Docs'' to ''Google Drive''. 

The beauty of Google Drive is it is a ''cloud-based'' software system. By that I mean the documents don't live on any one single PC in someones home or office. Rather they live ''up in cyberspace'', somewhere safe considering its a Google product! 

What makes cloud-based computing really valuable, especially for a non-profit organization is that you can create a document, and make it "public" or "private" (send ''invite'' to others). They can have read-only access or they can have edit/admin access the document. This allows others within your organization to edit and tweak documents online, and avoids having to e-mail documents back and forth, and most importantly avoids the issue of ''which version is this file... is it the latest version??"    :-(

There are many other valuable features such as the Online Discussion, where you can post an idea or problem and others within your organization can collaborate online rather than trying to schedule a meeting of several people, which can be difficult or impossible at times.

We've used Google Docs successfully in the past for a few other clients, but it certainly is a case of teaching an old dog new tricks.  However, it's very "user friendly", so once you've used it a few times, it's pretty quick and easy to manage.  And best of all....it's FREE!  We're excited about the "new & improved" version - Google Drive.

You can learn more about Google Drive here - http://bit.ly/OLCB0o - there is an excellent overview video, as well as a few pages that will highlight features and benefits and how to use Google Drive to best serve your needs. The free program includes up to 5 GB of storage space.

Google Drive Overview Video: http://bit.ly/OLCB0o

PS (I wrote to the client) - wouldn't it be nice to have a video overview, a short 60 or 90 seconds where a human being can passionately convey the value and importance of your organization to first time visitors to your site?

Cole WebMarketing can shoot and produce a professional looking videos to add your your website and to your upcoming "YouTube Channel".

Remember, you website is just the "hub" of your "internet presence".

TO LEARN MORE about Charlotte, NC based Cole WebMarketing, please visit CarolinaWebsiteDesign.com and then call us (using our Google Voice phone number!) at 704=456-WEB1 (9321)

Business Blog - Is It Worth The Time & Effort?

Since all Cole WebMarketing clients are businesses, most of them B2B (business to business) companies, I'm often asked by the business owner or Marketing Manager if creating a blog for their business is worth their time and effort to set up and maintain.


Before I answer that frequently asked question, let's first answer...what is a BLOG?


A blog (a contraction of the term "web log" is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.


Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs.


Blogs for business can be used internally to enhance the communication and culture in a corporation or externally for marketing, branding or public relations purposes are called corporate blogs.


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WHY:
A few quick facts should quickly answer the question about "what's the VALUE for having a corporate blog"? A business blog can...


- help win back past customers
- help retain current customers
- help attract future customers
- help create more visibility/exposure for your company
- help create a "community" within your customer base
- make it easier for customers and prospects to connect with your company
- help your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts because blogs are "crawled & indexed" just like "real" websites.
- help keep your content updated on your company website (when your blog is "embedded" into it


SEE EXAMPLE OF BLOG EMBED >> CPSwitchgear.com


WHAT:
I'm almost always asked "What should we (our particular type of business) blog about?"
Most prospects and customers like to read about company news (new products/services, industry news and updates, special promotions, upcoming tradeshows, plus tips & advice, tutorials, how to articles, etc. You can provide some really good customer service before, during and after the sale by "posting" content like this.

SEO:
I mentioned SEO above, and you can really maximize your SEO efforts when adding content to your blog by "optimizing" your blog posts for keywords. Be specific!
Use “long-tail keyword phrases” not just single keywords whenever possible. For example, write "social media marketing tips" rather than just "marketing tips". If your company targets just the local or regional market, add your city or state to the keyword, as in "charlotte social media marketing consultant".


LINKS:
Links INTO your website are important, especially in the eyes of GoogleBot, the search engine spider robot for Google. Make sure you include hyperlinks into your website whenever possible. At the very least, each and every post should include a "call to action" (for more information, to get a quote, to order now, etc.) along with your company name, phone number and website address (link).

INTERACTION:
Encourage readers to FOLLOW your blog. Following allows people to be informed automatically when you post something new. The free Google Reader is the way I manage the blogs I follow. You can learn more about Google Reader here: http://bit.ly/fQdyFN. 

Also encourage visitors to interact with your blog by posting comments & questions.  In order to maintain "control", make sure your blog is set up to "moderate ALL comments prior to public posting". This way, you'll get an email notice telling you that someone has posted a comment and you can approve or deny the comment. Yes, this can involve censorship, but I prefer to call it "protecting your corporate branding".

However, if someone posts a common objection, take advantage of this opportuity to overcome the objection so that you ''nip it in the bud'' for other readers that might have the same or similar concern. If it's a complaint, don't panic and instantly delete it! Consider it instead as an opportunity for you not only to make a wrong right, but to also show customers and prospects that if there is a problem or a mistake has been made on your end, your company will act quickly to satisfactorily resolve the issue. Make sure you respond quickly (within a few days) on your blog to any comment or question posted on your blog.



PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS BLOG:
Once you've set up your blog, customized it, and posted something more than the initial "welcome to our blog, check back soon for yada yada", you need to take an ACTIVE role in promoting your biz blog.

• Use your Facebook Business Page (see my other posts about using Facebook to help build your business) to help drive traffic to your Business Blog.
• Mention your company blog in your company newsletters. You can write a press release about your new business blog (there are many free business press releases services...here's one: PR.com and many paid ones too PRBuzz.com has a nice package for $300 a year)
• Include a link to your business blog in your email signature

TIPS:
Make sure you provide high quality, interesting, and relevant information that's written to target your specific market. Avoid "selling" in your blog. Some soft selling is usually tolerated, but if readers think you're just trying to use your blog to close another deal and you're "pushy" about it, they are very likely to leave and not return. The back button is just a click away!


HOW TO GET STARTED:
If you'd like to start a business blog for your company, call us at 704-503-7069. We can set everything up for you, customize it and embed the blog into your website. For more information about this blog post topic, please visit CarolinaWebsiteDesign.com and then call Cole WebMarketing at 704-503-7069.