Website Design & SEO

Information can be confusing when it comes to sorting through the different aspects of internet marketing.  Here are a few things you should look for:

#1 Is the SEO provider legitimate and able to provide recent examples of work?

Any company or individual claiming to do SEO better have work readily available to show.  This can be with a real time search of the desired keyword for another client, or with screen shots of previous successes.  You will also want to ask some questions about how quickly they were able to get their previous clients to the top of search engines and what the total cost was.

#2 Are they willing to guarantee something?

It is not standard practice for a company to guarantee a top position on a search engine.  There are way too many variables going into the rankings to guarantee this.  There is no way to tell what your competitors are dumping into their search engine marketing.  However, it is a whole different story when it comes to guaranteeing traffic on your site.  If your SEO provider isn’t willing to guarantee some amount of increased traffic on your website, it should be a no go!  I typically guarantee my SEO clients that I can double their traffic within three months.  This is always done after some research of course, and may very by client.  Being #1 on Google for a desired keyword is great, but having double or triple the hits to your website is also great.  An increase in traffic to your website is great because it typically comes from other sites around the internet that will continue to send users to your site even after you stop paying for SEO.  This consistent and residual traffic will in turn raise your rank on search engines.  There is no reason a SEO company wouldn’t guarantee an increase in traffic, or continue working without pay until they have.

#3 Is the company outsourcing SEO or blog writing over seas?

Aside from hurting the U.S. economy, outsourcing SEO can be very detrimental.  If SEO isn’t done correctly, it can actually harm your websites rankings.  The best way to ensure proper SEO is to hire someone who has a good reputation and does the work themselves.

#4 What services are included in the SEO program?

All SEO programs should have a series of four steps. First should be in depth research of keywords and the amount of people searching for them in comparison to the competition fighting for a top ranking spot.  Second should be a series of on-site optimizations that include copy writing for SEO, sitemaps, meta data, optimized images, etc.  Third, your SEO program should include a series of social media services including blogging, facebook, twitter, and bookmarking.  Finally, you need feedback.  Every SEO program should provide you with monthly reports that are easy to understand and show improvements.

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There are many different types of website design.  Some companies offer do-it-yourself options while others take total control over the project from start to finish.  It’s important to know the options and have the knowledge to choose what’s right for your business.  For the purposes of this blog post, I will focus on template design, custom design package, and a fully customized website.

If you’re just starting out and need a website, a template might be a good option. This will get your information online quickly and without costing you a premium.  Make sure to check the monthly or yearly hosting costs and ensure you’re not signing up for a long-term contract.  Template designs are basically like a brochure online.  They are often difficult to improve when your business grows, so you want to ensure that you can move on at any point.  You will most likely be responsible for providing and placing all copy and photos into the site yourself.  You should always look through samples of other sites made by the same company or software.  Its important to be realistic about how your site will turn out based on the other sample sites. Finally, ensure that changes can be made to content easily and quickly if needed, and that resources are available to help you if you have problems.

Many companies have packages to choose from for website designs.  These packages usually have specific requirements such as copy writing or photography to be supplied by the client.  This is usually more costly up front than a template, but if the site is made correctly it should be able to grow with your business.  It’s important to allow proper planning time to ensure the site will fit your needs.  It is also extremely important to look through the company’s portfolio to see what other sites they have created look like.  Most likely, your site will be similar to the sites already created by the same company. You will want to ensure the quote includes revisions to the sites design and content, along with some SEO done upfront. Another thing to ask about is the turn around time and the things you need to provide for the project to run smoothly.  Most website designers or companies will require you to provide all the copy, photos, and pages to be included in the site up front.  This means that you will need to write about your business in a way that speaks to your customers productively.  Lastly, you want to ensure the hosting cost is reasonable and you will have access to the site files if needed.

If you choose to let the experts learn about your business and completely take over the job of creating your website, you will want a fully customized design.  With this type of service, the company will do everything from research up front to fully completing your site without much help or requirements from you.  If you want a website that will be profitable and more professional than your competitors, you will most likely want to ensure the company knows how to market and advertise your business online.  To have a profitable website, it needs to be creative, energetic, and dynamic.  This means you will want to choose a company that has a background in advertising and will help you develop your site around your clients needs.  You will want a company that will help write your content and choose professional photos.  The difference between a website made with an advertising background should be noticeable.  It will persuade customers to contact you and purchase your product or services. The site will actively communicate your competitive advantage and clearly tell customers what to do next. A site designed by a company that does these things will be the most competitive and profitable website.  This process will also be less stressful for you because you will not be required to provide all the content for your site.

Overall, you will want to work with a design company that is helpful and has a teacher’s heart.  You will want a company that takes the time to educate you to make the best decision without pushing a certain solution.  In the end, you know your business needs better than anyone, and you should have the knowledge to determine what is best for your website.  Always remember that the company’s portfolio is the best way to determine their talent when it comes to designing websites.

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MCMultimediaDesign.com

As an exhibitor at the 2009 Wisconsin Realtor Association Annual Convention, MC Multimedia enjoyed great company, entertainment, and opportunity.  The event was hosted by the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells, and provided continuing education to Wisconsin Realtors.  Upon arrival, it was clear that convenience and comfort were of utmost importance.  The event started with an evening of excitement with a 70’s theme.  There were two hours of exhibition followed by an astounding party featuring a great band and dancers dressed in disco outfits.  There were also dance and costume contests for those attending the party.  After a fun night of free food, beverages, and dancing, all had a great time and were looking forward to the upcoming days.

With continuing education classes that seemed to revolve around the importance of the internet, MC Multimedia felt right at home.  Everyone was talking about blogging, twitter, facebook, and how to use them effectively for their business.  We enjoyed talking with those who visited our booth about how to use search engine optimization to fully capitalize on their social media efforts.  We stressed the importance of up front research, and having a website designed using many keywords.

Throughout the week, we heard many stories about realtors being unhappy with their current website solutions.  Many had been working with template designs, or just had a company put together a simple website that they could no longer make changes to.  Having a custom designed website is essential for future flexibility.

We look forward to following up with all those whom we met and connected with at the event.  We are also looking forward to working with the realtors and other vendors to improve their websites and online marketing.

View our portfolio online at www.mcmultimediadesign.com