Top Website Design Trends for 2012

Ahhhh…a new year!

Filled with opportunities, fresh starts and high energy! Makes for a great time to review your current marketing, especially your website design. If your website is more than 3-4 years old, maybe it’s time for a facelift. Here are some of the trends we’re anticipating going forward for website designs. Inspired 2 Design would love to speak with you about your business’ current site, or new website design ideas and how to make your website work harder for your business in 2012.

User Experience
Web users are looking for simplicity, easy navigation and usability – so this is a good time to review your current site map, menu navigation, and link structure. It’s also a great time to take a look at your site on multiple devices, from your desktop PC, to your MacBook, iPad (or Android tablet), and mobile phone to see how it loads, and what it takes to get around…

Design Elements
With the coming of Web 2.0, simplicity came forth in a big way through design. Use of more negative space and larger font sizes helped website designs achieve that goal. Rest for the eye, while incorporating the important information and call to action are still critical today. White space may be overrated however, so be on the lookout for whites turning to natural tones and use of more textures, watercolors and hand-sketched design elements, and even the use of custom 3D elements (like I2D did for Little River Animal Hospital). Minimalistic design is important to gaining, and keeping, a visitor interested and moving forward on your website. While animation still serves a purpose though HTML5, not Flash, use it intentionally. Avoid cutesy and unnecessary objects, buttons, etc and make sure everything on the page has a specific purpose that moves the visitor toward your call to action.

Chose Content Carefully
By minimalizing copy and photos to create clean design, your site will not only be more to the point (provided you choose well), it will load faster – a critical element of the mobile web. Worried less type = less impact with search engines? Ask I2D about how to make the most of the copy you have and keep through on-site SEO (search engine optimization), off-site SEM (search engine marketing) and local search. Less may be more when it comes to use of large, carefully selected single images, rather than several smaller photos. And here’s something we designers have been praying for – browsers are opening themselves up to display a wider selection of fonts, so look for more opportunities for creative use of fonts on newer website designs.

Wider Page Designs
While we have to considering mobility (see more below), the desktop PC user is looking for you to utilize their bigger screen real estate with an updated wider website. If your site was designed before 2010, it may have a boxy look, and be at risk of alienating certain target markets… let I2D help you determine if your site needs a space makeover! Also in 2012 headers and footers will gain more real estate as no one is afraid to scroll anymore! The fold has really ceased to exist folks!! Let your logo shine in a deep header that includes contact info, links and more. Keep your foot firmly in the door with a footer that includes your copyright, text links, address etc. and be bold about it!

Mobile Mania
With more than 2.4 billion mobile phone users and a thousand more every minute – it’s no wonder you have to think about fitting a small screen as well as a large! More than 700 million people surf the web on their phone. In fact, mobile browsing is on track to become the major platform for Internet use. A website that’s optimized for mobile use is becoming a must-have for businesses online, not to mention the location-based benefits and Google search benefits associated with a mobile site. Wanna be really cool? Consider a mobile app for your business as a new and exciting tool to gain customer loyalty and to spread the word.

The Social Butterfly
It’s a small world after all, and it’s indeed getting smaller if you look at the social media explosion over the past few years. You must have a business page on Facebook, you need to seriously consider Twitter and a Blog (like this one). Inexpensive marketing tools that really just require an investment of time – mainly through research, planning and implementation. Share buttons and other linking/updating will continue to grow and become one of the most often used elements in a new or redesigned website. Making your website "get along well with others" socially, will continue as a trend and become more important as the year progresses. Ask I2D about Facebook for business training, social media graphic design and implementation, and blogs. We can install a blog on just about any website, teach you how to use it and how to incorporate it into your overall marketing plan.

A Higher Bar
Look in 2012 for a marketing and website design partner who provides exceptional customer service, after all, it’s your money and your business we’re talking about. A fast, accurate and reliable source for your graphic and web design, your hosting and your other marketing needs is critical for you to meet you goals for the new year. Remember too that value is not always found in the lowest price.

Design, content, and branding all deserve equal time and have to work cohesively. Your brand strategy is key to the successful growth of your business in 2012…so what are you waiting for!? Let’s get started!

Just the Facts – about Marketing for Entrepreneurs

When you decided to make the move and open your own business, you likely considered the specialized skill set and experience you had in a particular field (accounting, cooking, automotive repair, painting, retail, etc). You probably also considered that being your own boss carried with it certain benefits like making your own hours, setting the tone and culture for your company, flexibility and freedom when it comes to vacations, benefits, procedures and processes. What you may not have considered is that working for yourself also includes a particular level of commitment that you didn’t have until you were self-employed. You must be committed to doing what it takes to make sure you have enough business to pay the bills, and enough in savings to last until you can also pay yourself. You may have found as well that your budget didn’t allow for outside contractors to help you with things like Quickbooks, tax preparation, legal help, HR, and yes, marketing. As an entrepreneur you are probably wearing those hats as well as your specific skill hat in order to make your business function within its means. As your business grows, you’ll find yo have less time for those "contractable" tasks, and you’ll need to rely on the skills of other business owners in your network to help you. To get there, you’ll need some marketing advice, and that’s what we can help with here in this blog post…. for free.

Let’s start by looking at some real hard facts about marketing a small business…

Marketing is a Necessity

Especially for start-up companies and new businesses and furthermore, if you’re just getting started, you’ll need to spend more time marketing than an established company. Why? Because no one really knows about you yet. Your marketing is what Gets the Word Out about your business. Your competition is already out there, and you need to 1. Establish your Unique Selling Proposition (what sets you apart), and 2. Communicate that message to the RIGHT audience.
 

It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know that’s Important in Marketing

A well-developed network of family, friends, business associates, vendors, and networking partners is a valuable asset. Being well-connected in the community, in your industry and in related industries will aid your marketing efforts. How? A good network is key for gaining referrals, collaborations, product and service testing, testimonials building and more. You’ll want to always make sure your first customers are WELL-SATISFIED, so that they in turn will help spread the word and give you a basis for showing how well you please clients.

You should be spending a reasonable amount of time engaged in networking activities to build your contact list, and to feed your pipeline. It’s not unreasonable to consider being a member of one closed networking group, one civic group, one local charity, your child’s PTA, and of course, your local Chamber of Commerce. Set up a coffee or lunch with at least one new person a month. Preferably someone who can connect you to future prospects. And remember, it’s not enough to just JOIN. You have to ATTEND, PARTICIPATE and VOLUNTEER. Why? well, because…

Word-of-Mouth is MORE EFFECTIVE than Ever Before

Social Media is just that…social. And there’s nothing more powerful that a nod of the head in your direction when it comes to a satisfied customer or client. Gaining referrals and testimonials is the best way to promote future business via word of mouth, as is mentions on Facebook, Four Square, LinkedIn and Twitter. A referral from a trusted friend, family member or business association is so much more effective than an ad in the paper or other marketing. You have to be sure you’re consistently outperforming your competition when it comes to service to make referrals happen for your business. Of course, if you’re spending too much time fussing over your financial statements to provide top-notch service, you’re missing the boat on this opportunity.

A few more thoughts on Social Media Marketing

The best way to take advantage of social media is to do so in moderation. Take a good class on Facebook Marketing for Businesses (next class coming in January), and learn how to market through social media effectively without getting lost in it. If you plan your overall company marketing strategy and include your Facebook fan page, Twitter and even blogging, you’ll be much more efficient with the time you spend on these websites. It’s easy to flounder around and find the clock ticked away on other effective forms of marketing your company. Keep in mind that social media marketing is still a form of networking. So you just don’t go out there and self promote shamelessly! You wouldn’t do that in a referral group meeting or Rotary Club?! Be smart and offer people what they’re looking for – information, offers, new ideas, opportunities to voice opinions, and other useful content.

As with word-of-mouth, social media marketing takes time to work. You have to have a plan for offering useful, timely and unique content that builds confidence in your fans, then learn to interact with them in a way that makes others want to connect with you.  Planned correctly you’ll find that social media will be a very successful and cost effective tool for your marketing arsenal.

A Good Website is Still Viable and Necessary

Social media has NOT taken the place of a well-designed, fast-loading, easy to navigate website that represents your company, its products, services, satisfied customers, completed work, and call to action. A website is really a 24 hour salesperson for your business. Visitors to your website will judge you by your website’s look and feel, how it works and how quickly they get what they need. You’re definitely going to want to invest in a professional website to showcase your business online, and you may want to include marketing tools for it like SEO (search engine optimization), a product or service gallery, or online sales and maybe even a blog…

To Blog or Not to Blog?

Is that a question? Studies show that sites with blogs get up to 55% more traffic than those without blogs. Google LOVES fresh content and what better way than to offer it in blog post format, where you can write as little or as much as you like, as little or as often as you wish, while using keywords like marketing, website design, graphic design, social media marketing, etc  As a learning tool, blogging can’t be beat. Bloggers learn self-discipline, writing skills, editing skills and can even learn how to use a computer more efficiently. As with social media, blogging has to be a part of your bigger marketing plan. Use it in conjunction with your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn posts by discovering on social media the topics to write about in your blog. Encourage comments and use them to engage in conversation with potential clients and existing customers.

Traditional Marketing is Still Important!

When starting your business, the most critical element to have PROFESSIONALLY done for you is a logo. Talk in person with a designer who you feel grasps the concept, culture and personality of you and your business. Discuss colors, feels, and the message  your logo will  communicate and be sure your contract includes multiple options, revisions and final files (.eps, .png and an RGB .jpg). Save these files on a CD off your drive.

After that, you’re ready for business cards (critical for networking), maybe a brochure, flyer or postcard. Maybe it’s pens, magnets, coffee mugs… whatever collateral your company can use to Get The Word Out, that’s what you use, nothing more, nothing less. You’ll also want to look at event marketing, publication ads, sponsorships, and eeek… considering direct mail.

Building a Client List Serves You in Many Ways

Your current or past clients are often your best clients, so stay in touch through emails, phone calls, mailings and other touches. Build your list in store or online so that you can utilize Email Marketng and Direct Mail Marketing to their fullest. Adding a quarterly newsletter of USEFUL information, mailings about specials, events and new products/services is great fodder for these pieces. So is a thank you card, birthday or holiday card! Stay in Touch!!! In this economy it’s super critical to let your customers know your doors are still open!

Excellent Customer Service STARTS with a Response

I can’t stress this enough – ALWAYS respond as soon as possible to anyone who contacts your business – including and especially referrals!! The sad truth is many business owners are slow to respond to inquiries, so showing eagerness by rapidly responding gives you a better chance at making a sale, and sets the tone for the entire business relationship – you’re basing it on Customer Service! It’s what sets the best companies apart from the mediocre!

Time Spent Marketing is Time Not Spent Working IN your Business

Yes, marketing is a necessary part of running your own business and you’ll spend a lot of time getting it done and getting it done right. Of course, I recommend starting with professional help, because you need to focus on your skills (after all that was your focus when you considered self-employment). At Inspired 2 Design, our goal is to minimize the amount of time you spend on marketing, and make our professional design services so affordable, so fast, and so effective, that you can’t possibly find it cost-effective to do it yourself.

Most business owners don’t want to spend the time it takes to make their marketing work effectively, or they just simply don’t have the skills to build an effective website (no matter how fast and easy they make it look on TV). Whether it’s us or someone else, get help in this area.

In the meantime, put yourself out there, get involved in the community, make connections and find those clients and customers. Some of these marketing techniques take more time and skill than others, but they’re all critical for your company’s success. Consider the trade-off between doing it yourself and paying a contractor to do it for you, what marketing can you handle or should you handle alone? Do what you can, and call us for the rest. Then spend your time doing what you enjoy and what you’re trained to do, and together we’ll grow your business!

13 Ways to Get Your Social Media Marketing Noticed

Your blog is not a field of dreams. Neither is your Facebook business page, your Twitter feed, or your LinkedIn profile. In fact, if you build it, there’s no guarantee anyone will come. But IF you do three things, you can get that horse to the water, and make him drink.

1. Plan
2. Create
3. Promote

Plan your marketing using a calendar that includes EVERYTHING you will do to promote your business. Then create good content to fulfill that calendar (good content is easier when your planning ahead). Finally, promote your social media presence, that’s where this post comes in:

1. Utilize your Website as the promotion tool it was meant to be
Not only should you be promoting your blog on your main company website. Your blog should be hosted with your website on the same URL to capture the most SEO benefit. Market your social media links and feeds right from your home page, and add some Social Plugins to new articles and features.

2. Sign your Emails
Every outgoing and reply Email becomes a marketing opportunity when you add a link to your blog and social media profiles in your email signature.

3. Get it in Print
Put your blog and social media link addresses on your business cards, print advertising, customer correspondence (including invoices) and any snail mail you do.

4. High Self Esteem is Important
Remember to “Like” your own Facebook fan page, and ask employees and other business contacts to fan, friend and follow you online. Ask them to Share links to your blog posts and social media postings

5. Cross Multiply
Share your blog posts on Facebook, your Twitter updates on LinkedIn and your Facebook posts on Twitter… not everyone is everywhere, so be sure to use that great content to its fullest!

6. Post Regularly
This is especially important with blogging – the more you post, the more opportunity you have to be found. With social media, consistency is key. Don’t disappear and go silent for long periods of time – outta sight, outta mind still applies.

7. Expand Your Offerings
Ever consider creating an eNewsletter using your really great blog and Facebook posts as the content? Lots of people may not have time to subscribe, visit or read updates as they happen, but would appreciate the best information being submitted to them via an opt-in email they can read at their convenience.

8. Mention Social Media
Are you in a networking group? Chamber of Commerce? Teach or speak to an audience? What a great time to mention your blog, your Facebook, Twitter and/or LinkedIn pages.

9. Remember Google
Use keywords in your blog, Facebook and Twitter updates – ones that correspond to your content and what people are looking for.

10. Be Active in the Online Community
Post your blog on social bookmarking sites like Digg, Reddit and Sphinn, comment on other posts with valuable feedback and information (not fluff). Join a forum where your knowledge is helpful and your customers might be lurking. Add links to other blogs and Facebook posts.

11. Make it Easy for People
To make comments, to subscribe (via RSS), to post/share links (via Social Media and bookmarking), to post photos and videos. It’s all a community of sharing. Be a part and don’t frustrate your users by making it difficult.

12. Connect the Dots!
Link to your other posts within your current post, and go back to older posts and add new links to current posts.

13. Content is Still KING
Focus on information customers really need and want. Valuable, relevant, current and original information will be noticed, and shared.

Along the lines of this post on how to promote your website, this 13 Step Social Media Marketing Checklist will help you be successful in getting out the word about your social media profiles, pages and blog with some surprisingly easy steps. What are you waiting for? Contact Us and Get moving!

How to Get Positive Customer Ratings and Reviews

Getting customers to review your business online is a great way to boost your search engine rankings and help prospects make a decision to buy from you.  Positive customer reviews and testimonials are one of the best marketing tools a business can ask for. And ask for them you should!

Don’t be afraid or feel it’s out of place to ask a satisfied customer to share their experience online via one of the many available review sites. Of course, written reviews are a plus for your website as well, and look for future post on video testimonials. For now let’s get some basic information settled on the what, who, where and how to get customers to write good reviews for you.

Definitions
Review – A positive or negative recount of an experience with your company on an independent 3rd party source that
is usually accompanied by a rating system

Testimonial – A positive endorsement or recommendation of your company based on experience with your
product/service. Typically comes in written form (letter, email), or can be in video format

How To’s
Ask –
- Verbally ask each customer at the close of the transaction (good time to get video testimonials)
- Email customers after each transaction (provide links to the review sites)
- Snail Mail a review or testimonial request (provide links if a review, provide return envelope if testimonial)
- Provide a customer review card with the receipt (see snail mail above)
- Put signage at your location
- Mention at business meetings, networking events
- Post links on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn (which has a great endorsement feature as well)

Make it EASY –
- Offer links from your website, blog, social media, and emails to 3rd party review sites
- Offer postage paid reply cards for snail mail
- Set up a testimonial form on your website or social media page (custom Facebook tab)
- Include a QR code on mail outs, signage and other marketing that links right to a 3rd party review site

Offer an Incentive –
- Be CAREFUL with this, many sites frown upon it
- “Bring a copy of your review next trip in and receive _________________”
- Mail out coupons to be used with a copy of your review

Consistency & Constantly –
- A steady and consistent flow of reviews is more credible and better for SEO
- Continue the process with EVERY customer

Review Sites
City Search & Insider Pages –
- Syndicated sites
- Create a profile OR log in with your Facebook login

Yahoo Local & Google Maps –
- Yahoo is syndicated
- Google #1 button (new one click option) – http://www.google.com/+1/button/
- Log in with your Yahoo Mail or Gmail account

Vertical Sites –
- Specialty sites like Urban Spoon for restaurants and TripAdvisor for travel

So ask, facilitate and enjoy the results your business receives from positive customer ratings and reviews!
 

So what part of free Social Marketing is really free?

What’s the value of a fan or follower?

As more and more businesses put more and more stock into social marketing on popular websites like Facebook, questions arise about what local stores, restaurants, brands, products and service companies owe the people that "like" them. There seems to be a movement to spend time and money on getting people to "become a fan", but what’s likely more important is placing real value on each and every like your page receives and to put forth real effort into getting those that "like" you to "love" you.

So how do you build a loyal fan base?

Engagement can be challenging, but an engaged fan is a loyal fan. In this "what’s in it for me, right now?" culture where TMI runs wild and where social media users expect social media to be just that… social, marketers have to walk a tightrope, at a quickened pace, while wearing many hats, and balancing several plates, in order to fuel engagement and build a loyal fan base. The solution is in the flexible planning of strategic yet creative social media content that is useful enough, clever enough, entertaining enough, unique enough, viral enough and/or enraging enough to get 1% or more of your fan base to either click ‘like’ or comment on each post.

Is that all?

Gone are the days of "if you build it, they will come" or "fix it and forget it". Social media demands ongoing, interesting content that people feel good enough about or angry enough about to take time out of their busy lives to share. It’s definitely an achievable goal, if you have a clear picture of your business and your brand.

For starters:
- KNOW who your customer is
- KNOW what your customer wants
- KNOW how your product or service fulfills your customer’s wants and needs
- KNOW how to consistently delivery your brand message to your customers
- KNOW how to use the tools – Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.
- MAKE a commitment to finish what you start with Social Marketing
- MAKE a plan, create a calendar
- MAKE someone on your team responsible for fulfillment
- MAKE sure you review the results, adjust as needed and keep moving forward

Sound tough?

It is. What, did you think that FREE advertising was going to be easy too?? Remember your fans are only as valuable as the effort you put into managing your Social Marketing. To move from awareness to action, you need to start with Knowledge (attend Facebook: Upgrade to Business Class), add Ideas (what content types fit your customer and your brand), and work out a Plan (create a calendar). These steps lead to the tasks that put your business on its way to getting all the free out of free Social Marketing, and the investment you make now, if nurtured, will reap rewards for your company.