Starting a website can be a challenging task for anyone, especially if you want to create an online presence that generates business.

In this blog post, we will outline five important points to keep in mind when designing a website for your small business. Regardless of whether you’re starting from scratch or revamping an existing site, the five tips below will help you create a website that is easy to use, visually appealing, and optimized for search engines.

Use the K.I.S.S. principles

Your website should be easy to navigate and understand. Visitors should be able to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. Avoid clutter and too many graphics or colors that can be overwhelming. Make sure your website is easy to read, with clear and concise information about your products or services.

Mobile-ize Your Website

More and more people are using their mobile devices to browse the internet, so it’s important to make sure your website is optimized for mobile use. Your website should be responsive, meaning it adapts to different screen sizes and orientations. This will make your website accessible to a wider audience and improve your search engine rankings.

Be a “show off”!

Use high-quality photos and videos to showcase your products or services. Visitors want to see what they’re getting before they make a purchase. Include detailed descriptions and pricing information to help customers make informed decisions. You can also include customer reviews or testimonials to build trust and credibility.

Get your visitors click-happy…

Encourage visitors to take action on your website by including calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout your site. CTAs can be buttons or links that prompt visitors to contact you, make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, or follow you on social media. Make sure your CTAs stand out and are placed strategically on your website.

Get Your SEO Groove On

Finally, make sure your website is optimized for search engines like Google. This will help potential customers find your website when they search for keywords related to your business. Include relevant keywords throughout your website, particularly in your page titles, headers, and content. Use meta descriptions to provide a summary of your content that will appear in search engine results.

Creating a small business website that generates business can be a challenge, but by keeping these five points in mind, you can create a website that is user-friendly, visually appealing, and optimized for search engines. Remember, your website is often the first impression potential customers will have of your business, so make it count!

Are you a website owner who loves to add cool new features to your site using plugins?

If so, you’ll definitely want to read on. While plugins can make your site more functional and fun to use, they can also cause problems if they’re not updated regularly. In this blog, we’ll discuss why updating your plugins is so important, and how Wordfence, a security plugin for WordPress, can help keep your site safe from hackers and other threats.

We’ll also touch on the importance of using strong passwords and avoiding generic usernames to protect your personal information. So, grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in!

Update your plugins

Plugins are like little apps that add features to your website or software . But, they can also cause problems if they’re not updated regularly. Plugin developers often release updates to fix bugs, make improvements, and protect against detected security risks. If you don’t update your plugins, you could be leaving yourself vulnerable to hackers and other bad guys. An added bonus – updating your plugins makes your website work better and can give you new features to play with. To keep everything running smoothly and securely, check your site at least once a week.

Use WordFence

If you’re running a WordPress website, having Wordfence installed is a smart move. It’s a security plugin that helps protect your site from all sorts of bad stuff, like viruses, hackers, and brute-force attacks. Basically, Wordfence keeps a watchful eye on your site, looking out for any suspicious activity and stopping it in its tracks. It also has some other cool features, like a firewall to keep the bad guys out, and tools that help you keep track of who’s logging in and when. To keep your site safe and secure, Wordfence is definitely worth checking out.

Use strong passwords and weak usernames

It’s really important to use strong passwords and avoid using generic usernames such as “admin” for your login. Hackers can easily guess weak passwords or target accounts with generic usernames, making it easy for them to steal your personal information. Make sure you create strong, unique passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and avoid using personal info for your username. By doing this, you can significantly reduce the risk of your account being hacked and your sensitive information being stolen.

Remember, updating your plugins, using Wordfence, and creating strong passwords and unique usernames are all important steps in protecting your online presence. By taking a few extra minutes each week to check on your website’s security, you can help prevent cyber-attacks and keep your valuable information safe.

If you’re a small business owner, you know that having a strong online presence is key to attracting new customers and growing your brand.

But with so many options out there, it can be tough to know where to start. Don’t worry though – we’ve got you covered! Here are five easy ways to enhance your online presence and reach more customers, whether you’re just starting out or looking to take things to the next level.

So let’s dive in and see what we can do to help your business shine online!

Optimise your website for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

By optimizing your website for search engines, you can improve your website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), making it easier for potential customers to find you online. To improve your website’s SEO, focus on creating high-quality content, using relevant keywords, and ensuring your website is mobile-friendly.

Leverage Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can be a powerful tool for reaching new customers and promoting your business online. By creating engaging content, running targeted ads, and interacting with your audience, you can build a loyal following and drive traffic to your website.

When using social media, it’s important to choose the platforms that are most relevant to your target audience and to maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels.

Invest in Email Marketing

Email marketing is another effective way to reach your target audience and promote your business online. By building an email list and sending regular newsletters, promotions, and updates, you can keep your customers engaged and informed about your products and services. To make the most of email marketing, focus on creating personalized and relevant content, using eye-catching visuals, and testing different subject lines and calls-to-action.

Create and Share Valuable Content

Creating and sharing valuable content is a great way to attract and retain customers online. By publishing blog posts, videos, infographics, and other types of content that are relevant and useful to your target audience, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry and build a loyal following. To create valuable content, focus on addressing your customers’ pain points and providing solutions or insights that they can use.

Focus on Local SEO

If you have a brick-and-mortar business or serve customers in a specific geographic area, focusing on local SEO can be an effective way to attract new customers and increase your online visibility. Local SEO involves optimizing your website and online listings for local search terms, such as “coffee shops near me” or “plumbers in Townsville.”

By focusing on local SEO, you can increase your chances of appearing in local search results and attracting customers in your area.

By giving these five strategies a go, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing your online presence and attracting more customers to your small business. Why not give them a try and see what a difference they can make? Your online presence will be shining in no time!

You have a website – and the statistics look good.

At first glance.

As you delve into the pile of numbers that are part and parcel of any website’s statistics, you may find that although people are coming to your site, they are not staying very long – at all.

If this is the case, your site has a bounce rate problem.

For the novice, the bounce rate is the number (usually a percentage) of your site visitors that leave your site immediately after arriving. Now, there could be any number of reasons for this however none of them are good for your business. The aim of any good website is to retain visitors and make them into loyal customers – they should want to stay on your site but when they do leave, you know that they will come back.

Below are five (fairly) quick fixes to help you get that bounce rate down.

Fix #1 – Reduce the amount of time it takes to load your site.

If your site is heavily loaded with content, it can take some time to load on a visitor’s computer/mobile. Add to that all the bangs and whistles that make a site look “pretty” and you risk losing them before they even see the content! A general rule of thumb is that most of the information on your webpage should be loaded within five seconds (this used to be ten in the “old” days”).

Fix #2 – Make your Navigation Menu user friendly.

Websites with only a few pages have this one already sorted – their menus are generally uncluttered, and users can find what they want easily. But what if your site has dozens of pages to sift through? Website visitors can easily be put off by a menu system that has too many options.

The solution is quite simple – group your pages into common categories and create a base menu using these. Then, with the help of a pop-out menu, you can then add all the other pages underneath.

If your site does have a lot of pages, be sure to include a site map in your footer because some visitors may head straight for this.

Fix #3 – Ensure that your Call to Action is highly visible.

Your Call to Action (CTA) is all important to your website. If the site doesn’t have a clear CTA, why is it online in the first place? Your visitors need to be able to find this with no trouble at all – if anything, it should be one of the most predominant items on any page – as easy to find as your logo!

If a site visitor can’t find a way to interact with or purchase from you, they’ll go somewhere else and up goes your Bounce Rate!

Fix #4 – Check that your site is mobile responsive.

If your site is over five years old, chances are that it may not be mobile responsive. This means that your website appears the same on a mobile or tablet as it does on a full-sized computer. In turn, this makes your content too hard to see without zooming in – something that mobile users hate to do when browsing the web.

Never fear, this doesn’t always mean that an entire site rebuild is required. There are a number of options available in most cases – just contact your website developer for more information (or Tropical Coast Web Design).

Fix #5 – Tidy up that old, messy website.

Whenever I start a new design for a client, I always take the time and cruise the internet looking at other websites in the same industry – just to see what is out there. Sometimes, I am astounded by the mediocre quality presented as professional websites. Some sites look like they have been there since the 90’s!

If your website does not convey your business brand as professional and “can do,” then it is unlikely to grab any potential customers, just on its appearance. Upgrade your site design and watch for the difference in response. If you look like you know what you are doing, you are halfway to getting that client on-board.

Finally, according to statistics, you only have fifty milliseconds (that’s five hundredths of a second) to make a good impression with your website. And as everyone knows, a good first impression can last a lifetime.

Take look at your site with fresh eyes (better yet – get someone else with fresh eyes) and have a look at the repairs suggested above.

Does your bounce rate need a bit of a fixer-upper?

With the continued growth and expansion of mobile internet, it is imperative that in 2023, all small businesses must have a mobile presence.

According to online statistics, 60.67% of website traffic comes from mobile devices and a staggering 92.3% of internet users access the internet using a mobile phone.

However this doesn’t mean that everyone is accessing mobile websites – there is another choice. Customised apps are continuing to be prevalent in the marketplace and it is important to distinguish between mobile apps and mobile websites in order for you to make the correct choice for your business on the internet.

What’s the difference?

Both work on handheld devices such as smart phones, iPads and tablets but their functions can be completely different.

A mobile website is exactly that – a regular website that converts for viewing on a mobile device.  Normally, the navigation will change so that buttons can be touched with a finger, text will enlarge to a point where it can be easily read and some components of the standard site may be removed to optimise the mobile viewing. The function remains the same as the regular site. The mobile website will deliver information, allow contact via various means and the user will be able to purchase goods online if it is an e-commerce website.

A mobile app is a software application that must be downloaded to be used. This means you will need to visit the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android) and download the app directly to your device.

Most smart phone and tablet users are using mobile apps already. A perfect example is the Domino’s Pizza app. Through your phone, you can choose a pizza to order and pay for it online. The app utilises your phone’s GPS and automatically chooses your nearest Domino’s store.

An app is an ideal fit for a larger style organisation that has many store fronts or outlets. Accommodation booking providers such as Trivago and AirBnB have mobile apps to download –allowing customers that frequently need accommodation to book their rooms with very little hassle.

Should my small business have a mobile site or a mobile app?

Whilst convenient to larger organisations, mobile apps are used in very specific circumstances where an “operation” such as ordering pizza or booking accommodation is done frequently. If a visitor to your site needs only to “pop in and out” of your site occasionally for your services then they are unlikely to download an app to do so.

Due to this specific nature, mobile apps are also quite expensive to develop as no one app will be the same.

Regardless of your business, it’s still vitally important that small businesses have a mobile responsive website – this acts as the main point of contact with your customers and will do the job of promoting and selling your small business online.  Whether your business could be further complimented by the addition of a mobile app depends entirely up to the type and scale of the business that you operate operating in.

As proved by 43% of all websites on the internet, the WordPress CMS is an amazing framework to build upon when creating any site.

Not only is it simple to use and update, WordPress has a huge community of developers around it, consistently creating new plugins for use in the CMS. The base framework of WordPress itself is so popular, it is estimated to be used by over 810 million websites worldwide!

It’s so simple to use WordPress to add fresh content, plugins and imagery that sites can easily get slowed down by the shear workload imposed on them by images, plugins, videos and general content. This can create a big issue as modern site visitors expect a site to load its content in under three seconds! Any longer, and they will start leaving in droves.

Fortunately, there are five simple actions that you (or your web developer) can put into place to ensure that your site speed is up there with the best.

#1 Optimise all Images

All website owners and operators need to ensure that images have been optimised before they are uploaded to a website. This means that PNG files should be run through an optimizer like TinyPNG to reduce them and JPG images files must be reduced to at most 80% quality.

The new web standard for images is the WEBP format, which reduces images at a much higher level than PNG or JPG without sacrificing too much in the way of image quality. Most photo editors support WEBP and it should be used in preference to older image formats to ensure higher loading speeds.

#2 Minimise Website Code

Most websites are made of complex programming code, generating everything that you can see on the browser screen. This code is not usually contained in one single file, meaning that your site is “pulling” information from several places as it loads, slowly down the load time.

Adding a plugin to your site such as JCH Optimize helps to automatically compress and tidy up some of the code (specifically CSS, JavaScript and HTML) into one file on the server. This singular file is then accessed by your site visitors, effectively speeding up the load time on their browsers.

#3 Reduce call-outs to external sites

Whilst grabbing web fonts from Google and displaying Social Media on your site may be appealing and give you loads of instant content, they are responsible for a majority of site drag. When accessing information from external sites, your poor website not only has to load itself but it also needs to load content from these other sites.

To prevent this, use common fonts or fonts that can be stored on your own server and minimise your Social Media display – at least on the home page.

#4 Optimise your site’s database

Over time, site updates and usage takes a toll on the database which stores all the information for your site. Keep this data inline and optimised with the WP-Optimize plugin – it will automatically tidy the stored information on a set schedule and keep the background of your site neat and tidy for quick access.

#5 Use Online Tools to determine blockages

If you have tried all the tips above and still need to squeeze out a few seconds of load time, head over to GTMetrix and type in your website address. This online tool analyses your site speed using Google PageSpeed and provides a concise list of how your site is performing and where improvements can be made. Some areas may be too technical and need the assistance of a web developer however quite a few can be “fixed” by a novice user with a few spare minutes.

It’s important to note that not only is site speed essential to your visitors, it’s also important to your Google ranking too. Page speed is an important part of the Google Algorithm – slow loading sites will be penalised with low ranking in search results.

Need help getting your site “Up to Speed”? Tropical Coast Web Design are specialists in developing WordPress sites and we can tweak your small business site until it is purring like a kitten. Get in touch with us and we’ll check it out on GTMetrix for you (free-of-charge) and we’ll let you know exactly what we can do to help!

One of the first questions I am asked when a business approves a quote for their new website is “What happens next?”

And fair enough – most small business operators have had next to no experience in building a website and the whole process can be a bit daunting.

The process itself is fairly straight forward. In this blog, we’ll discuss the very beginning of the site development and work through each of the steps involved to produce a fully functional website that kicks goals for your business.

Step 1: Set your goals and make clear your intentions.

This step often comes after a client says, “I want you to build me a website”. Wrong – you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve online BEFORE you contact a web developer. How else will you be able to describe (in detail) what you want?

Step 2: Choose a developer who can best help you achieve #1

Search Google for web designers or developers in your region (don’t forget to “go Local, grow Local” if you can) and have a look at their online portfolios. If you see any work that “connects” with you or is similar to what you want, get in touch with them and request a free quote. They may ask a few basic questions to personalise the quote but nothing too in-depth at this stage.

Step 3: Create a Design Proposal

Once you have found a developer who you believe can fulfill your online goals, they will start to develop ideas for a possible site. Ideally, they will ask you more questions about your proposed site or send you a detailed questionnaire.

It is at this stage (and all consequent stages) that you need to remember that this is YOUR site, not the developers. If you have concerns during the process, you need to voice them immediately at any time. The design proposal may go through several iterations, but each is very important – you (and your developer) must get it right.

Step 4: Build the Framework and fill with content.

After approval of the design proposal, your web developer will start to code/assemble a framework. This is a “live” version of the site, based on the proposal, that you will be able to view and test before it is launched into the world.

At this stage, ensure your site will have the following components upon completion:

Content Management System (CMS) – Built-in tools for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – Site Security (SPAM, SSL Certificate, Security Blocks) – Clear Call-To-Actions (CTA) on every page. – The ability to track statistics on site visitors (i.e. Google Analytics)

You will also use this stage to develop the content that will appear on the site. Make sure each page is clear, concise and purposeful – no “fluff”.

Step 5: Testing Phase

Due to the wide variety of devices that are used to access webpages, it is vitally important that you check your new site on as many devices/screens as you can. Look and test the site on desktop computers, tablets and smart phones to make sure that your developer has covered all the bases.

Further to this, ask your friends and colleagues to road test the site and give you appropriate feedback that you can pass on to your developer for final tweaking before launch.

Step 6: Launch the Website

Release your site into the World Wide Web and monitor it daily, taking note of any feedback that may help adjust the site for your target audience.

Some may think that the launch of a new website is the end of the process – you can now sit back and watch it bring in all that new business. But, the truth is… launching a site is only the beginning!

Email can be both a blessing and a curse on modern business.

The evolution of electronic mail (yes – that’s where email comes from) has made instant communication and document sharing possible without involving Australia Post. However, email is also responsible for “eating up” valuable time each day as Inboxes are filled to the brim each time we look.

To stay on top of this, I became an Inbox Ninja. Before you ask, let me explain that this doesn’t involve any kind of Martial Arts. It simply means that I have a methodology in place to ensure that I can reduce my Inbox to zero – every single day.

Impossible you say? Well, you too can become an Inbox Ninja by following a few simple rules.

#1 Unsubscribe from Email Lists

Never use your business email to sign up for online newsletters and downloads. Instead, create a Gmail account and use that for any non-essential email sign-ups.

In addition, look at all the junk emails that you receive and unsubscribe from any that you don’t need. Most of the time we don’t read them anyway, so you won’t miss them in the future.

With the emails that you can’t unsubscribe from, use your email program to create a rule that will send them directly to the trash.

#2 Sort / Delete EVERY DAY

To avoid answering emails throughout the day, which can be a huge distraction, set aside time at the beginning and end of each day to do the following:

Sort – Create an email archive folder with relevant subfolders and, after adding required tasks into your schedule*, move emails into those folders – only if they need to be kept.

* I use the project manager app called Flow to keep everything organised (see #5 below).

Delete – Any superfluous emails that don’t need to be answered, tasked or archived should be deleted immediately to clear the Inbox.

#3 Answer emails straight away

Take care of emails that can be answered directly (or with a two-minute task) straight away. Once this done, archive or delete those emails.

#4 Go Old Fashioned

Don’t forget that email is not the only choice of communication. Can you walk over to your colleague to discuss those price changes? Or can you call the distributors to sort out the dispatch issues?

If you can sort things with a quick conversation, don’t send an email – do it in person.

#5 Remove your tasks from your Inbox

As a web developer, I receive most of my work-related tasks via email from my clients. To stay organised in my work, I use Post-It notes to write down each task, archive the email (see #2) and then stick the Post-It to the edge of my computer monitor. Once a day, I add these notes into my project manager, Flow. With this simple procedure, I ensure that my Inbox get emptied and my tasks are always booked.

Obviously, day one of becoming an Inbox Ninja is not going to be fun, especially if you have a large backlog of unanswered or unsorted emails. Bite the bullet, clear yourself some time in your schedule and get to work on that Inbox. In a few short days, just by following the five simple rules above, you will be reaping the benefits with more time to spend on other important tasks within your business.

Do you want to be an Inbox Ninja with a professional email account for your small business? Get in touch with us at Tropical Coast Web Design for a free quote today.

If you’ve recently launched a new website, getting it noticed by Google is critical to driving traffic and growing your online presence.

Google is the most popular search engine, and ranking well in its search results can make a significant impact on your website’s success.

Here are five tips to help you get your new site noticed by Google.

#1 – Create a site map

In short, a site map makes your website more accessible for the GoogleBots that “crawl” the web. A small file that sits on your server, the map informs search engines which pages are available for crawling and provides them with a simple “roadmap” of how the pages are structured.

To make a site map for your WordPress site, download and install the Google XML Sitemap plugin. Once installed, the plugin will automatically create a site map that is readily available to any bots from any search engine – with no more input required from you.

#2 – Use an SEO* plugin

Another tip for those website owners using the WordPress framework is to download and install either the All-in-One SEO or Yoast SEO plugins. These plugins are designed specifically to set up your website for search engines.

They allow you to tweak the keywords, titles and content of your site and, most importantly, the plugins will let you know where your site needs attention in regard to SEO. They also help with linkages between your site and your social media presences (Facebook, etc.)

* Search Engine Optimisation

#3 – Sign up with Google Search Console

Having your site registered with Google Search Console is a must. Not only do the SEO plugins above insist on it, registration is also the fastest way to get Google to notice your site!

The Console helps website owners monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot their site’s presence in Google Search results. With the provided tools, a site owner can also request the re-indexing of new or updated content as the site grows – keeping their Google listing fresh and up to date!

#4 – Create inbound and outbound links

One of the simplest ways to win favour with Google is to have your website address shared and displayed on established websites. These older sites are already listed with Google and as the GoogleBots regularly visit them, they will pick up the new site address when they next sweep through. This prompts Google to “check out” the new site.

In return, the new site should link back to the established website. This is known as a reciprocal link.

#5 – Set up Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a free online service offered by Google that gives you insights into how site visitors find and use your website. It allows you to track many important statistics and, being from the search giant themselves, it can help pinpoint where your site is successful in terms of search rankings and where it isn’t.

Using the data provided from Google Analytics, you will be able to target your site visitors with what they want, evaluate the traffic flowing through your website and identify which content is most popular with visitors. You will also be able to view the bounce rate of your site to see if what you are offering is keeping your site visitors interested.

This is all valuable that you can use to make adjustments and climb the all-important search rankings.

Ultimately, it is Google that determines when and where your site will appear in search results. The five tips above will give you back some of the control and allow you to “tinker” with the SEO options for your site. With time, patience and many minor adjustments, you should gradually start to see improvements in your rankings as your site starts “clawing” its way onto page one of search results – which is the ultimate goal.

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business or individual.

Your website is often the first point of contact between you and your potential customers, making it an essential tool for building brand awareness, establishing credibility, and driving revenue. While there are numerous online platforms that enable you to build a website yourself, it’s always advisable to use the services of a professional website developer.

Here’s the top five reasons for using a professional website developer:

Expertise and Experience:

Professional web developers have the expertise and experience to create a high-quality website. They have the technical knowledge and skills necessary to design, develop, and maintain a website that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. They stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices, ensuring that your website is optimized for search engines, user-friendly, and visually appealing.

Customization:

One of the significant benefits of using a professional web developer is the ability to customize your website to suit your specific needs. Unlike pre-built website templates that offer limited customization options, a professional web developer can build a website that reflects your brand identity and offers unique features and functionality tailored to your business requirements.

Time and Cost-Efficient:

While building a website yourself may seem like a cost-effective option, it can often end up being more expensive in the long run. Professional web developers can deliver a high-quality website within a reasonable timeframe, saving you time and allowing you to focus on other areas of your business. They also have the tools and resources to identify and fix any issues that may arise during the development process, ensuring that your website is optimized for performance and functionality.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance:

Your website requires ongoing support and maintenance to ensure it remains up-to-date and relevant. Professional web developers provide ongoing support and maintenance services, ensuring that your website is secure, optimized, and running smoothly. They can also make necessary updates and changes to your website to keep up with the latest trends and best practices.

Improved User Experience:

A professional website developer can design a website that offers a great user experience. They can ensure that your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and provides relevant and engaging content that meets the needs of your audience. A well-designed website can improve engagement, increase customer satisfaction, and drive conversions.

Using a professional website developer is a wise investment for any business or individual looking to establish a strong online presence. They provide the expertise, customization, time and cost-efficiency, ongoing support and maintenance, and improved user experience necessary to create a high-quality website that drives revenue, builds brand awareness, and establishes credibility.