As a web designer, I always seem to get asked the same questions when consulting with new clients. The concern is usually over web site colors or graphical presentation of the site. Some clients want animation and special effects, while others want more functionality like having a contact form or newsletters. The key to having a great site is balance; period. Most do not realize that by having a ton of animation on their site they are often missing out on important functionality like SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Flash is a great product and fun to look at but doesn’t offer much for having your web site page rank in Google and other popular search engines. Google simply cannot read the text that may be included in your “awesome Flash site.” So spending development time and money on pure effects and animation for your business may not be the best thing for it.

Like most other things in life, development takes time and effort. To design a good looking balanced site that can keep your customers attention should be one of the first priorities. Balanced means that not only is the web site pleasing to the eye, but has an easy to follow navigation system and can be understood immediately without having the customer “hunt” for the information you want and need to display to them. Functionality of the web site is next down the list; having the site totally static without contact forms or newsletters can give the customer the feeling that your company simply does not have that much to offer. That’s where your web developer should help your web site gain functionality to offer the customer and gain that all important sale or lead if the customer decides to leave without purchasing.

Ask yourself these simple questions about your existing web site:

Is it interesting to me? Would it be interesting to my family? or friends?

Why would I return for a second or third visit? What are they offering for free? (information or otherwise)

Is the information on the home page “above the fold?”

Is the information presented in an eye pleasing way? and is there too much information up front?

Does my web page have a clear “call to action?”

Can I find my way around the web site and are there links back to the home page or other important pages? Can I get back to the start easily from any page?

Is there a clearly defined way to contact me or my company?

These basic questions should be your guiding light to start your journey to a better web site design. If the answer to any of the above questions is “no” a re-design should be seriously considered. Good web developers in Tampa can be hard to find in the numerous choices out there. Choose one that you are comfortable with and one that will give you the most direct attention as a client. Be sure to ask any developer about their project management skills and how they plan to make your dream web site a reality. Understand that some large development firms hire sub-contractors who have no vested interest in your site’s success. Be aware that some web portfolios may be impressive in the amount of site and designs present; but how much money and time was spent getting to each clients goals? Where they satisfied? and did they offer additional support when completed?  Read testimonials and decide on the right developer for your business needs.

1. Get a good grasp on where your business currently is.

2. Visualize clearly what your business will look like when it’s extremely successful (decide if a short or long term strategy is best, how large you want your business to grow, what it will look and feel like once you get there, etc…)

3. Decide on the best route to get you from Point #1 to Point #2.

This is an oversimplified strategy, but you should get the point (pun intended).

****No two businesses will have the Exact same marketing strategy, because no two businesses are Exactly the same.****

That being said, here are some a good rules of thumb for Most businesses that are trying to decide whether SEO or PPC is their best option:

• Use some combination of Paid Search Engine Advertising along with Organic SEO.  I know that sounds expensive, but again, you need to have a good grasp of where you currently are or what your industry is like (How much is your average sale?, how many people do you have to speak with or how many need to come to your site in order to make each sale?, how much do you make on each sale?, etc…) Once these numbers are determined and you’re confident that they’re fairly accurate, you can decide whether or not it makes sense to invest in PPC and/or SEO.
• PPC is typically a Short Term approach when you want to be found on the front page of search engines and you want to be found NOW! Your industry and geographic location can have a HUGE impact on how much you pay for PPC (Pay Per Click) or PPV (Pay Per View). There are Lots of choices that will greatly affect your search engine advertising performance such as: what keywords you use, how you use those keywords in your title and description tags, how well does your copy read, are you using buying words, how much do you bid, will your customer find what they’re looking for when they click on your ad, what is your Call To Action, etc…
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on the other hand is usually a better approach for businesses that want long term results. Sure, search engines algorithm changes can affect your sites positioning, but as long as you’re using honest (White Hat) optimization techniques, the majority of sites remain relatively steady through these daily adjustments. And almost forgot – Organic Listings are reported to get somewhere around 7 out of every 10 clicks compared to 25-30% for PPC.

Bottom line, SEO is the best option for some businesses, PPC will bring in more money for others, but most benefit from some combination of the two. If you need help deciding what your best online investment is, schedule your Free Consultation today and get online searchers purchasing from you instead of your competitors.