New data reveals a significant decline in Facebook’s user base, indicating a mass exodus from the once-popular social platform. The findings, initially acknowledged by Facebook’s Chief Financial Officer David Ebersman in October 2013, have now been corroborated by the latest Facebook Demographic Report for the year 2023, compiled by the renowned digital marketing agency, iStrategyLabs.

According to reports, millions of teenagers have left Facebook , opting for more “modern” platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok, and that number continues to grow.

However Facebook does not appear to be too worried about this data and neither should you, as the social media savvy small business owner.

Why?

Let’s face it, previously with so many teenagers on board, Facebook has had an image problem with a large percentage of adults who have chosen to stay away from the platform. This is largely due to bad press that Facebook generates and the media’s influence on the decision-making choices of our adult population.

To be truthful, you rarely hear of the positive side of the Facebook network. Online bullying is rife, teen suicides have been attributed to Facebook attacks and even here, in my home town of Innisfail, there have been huge family feuds/fights all based around what has been written to Facebook.

However, the winds of change are beginning to blow across the Facebook platform and it appears that the demographic is starting to mature. In the same timeframe that saw a mass exodus of teenagers, Facebook has gained 28 million adults in the in the age bracket 25-54.

This can only be good for your business.

These adults represent the majority of any target market for any business. Children and teenagers definitely have influence on purchases in a household, but the most potential for sales in products and services always lies with the adults – the ones with the real money to invest or purchase from your business.

And with so many more adults coming onboard the Facebook juggernaut, it will continue to grow at a phenomenal rate as the word gets around. For any business utilising Facebook, this will mean that they are more likely to hit the demographic that will actually buy their product. Facebook advertising will no longer be hit and miss.

Facebook is already used as a powerful marketing tool for the teen market. Now, with the increase of adult users, it has a chance to become a serious contender in the same way with the “more-mature” side of the purchasing public. Although there is still room for improvement, don’t be mistaken into thinking that Facebook is going to “fade away” any time soon.

We’ve all been there—pouring our hearts and souls into creating a stunning website, only to find out that it’s not translating into the results we hoped for.

But fear not! In this blog post, we’ll dive into the top five website mistakes that could be silently sabotaging your conversion rates. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and get ready to uncover those hidden pitfalls and learn how to turn them into conversion-boosting opportunities.

Here are five website mistakes that might be killing your conversion rates:

Slow website loading time

In this fast-paced world, people don’t have the patience to wait for a website to load. If your website takes too long to load, it’s likely that visitors will leave your site before even seeing what you have to offer. Make sure that your website is optimized for speed by compressing images, minimizing HTTP requests, and using a content delivery network (CDN).

Complicated navigation

Your website’s navigation should be easy to understand and use. Visitors should be able to find what they’re looking for without having to spend too much time searching for it. A complicated navigation structure can be overwhelming and frustrating, leading to a high bounce rate. Make sure that your navigation is intuitive, and use clear and concise labels for each section.

Not Optimised for Mobile

With people using their smartphones to browse the internet more than ever, it’s essential that your website is mobile-responsive. If your website is not optimized for mobile devices, it can be challenging to navigate and read, leading to a poor user experience. Make sure that your website is mobile-friendly by using a responsive design and testing it on different mobile devices.

Lack of clear call-to-actions (CTAs)

Your website’s purpose is to convert visitors into customers. If your website doesn’t have clear CTAs, visitors won’t know what action to take. Make sure that your CTAs are easy to find and understand. Use action-oriented language and make it clear what visitors will get by clicking on the CTA.

Poor Content

The content on your website plays a significant role in converting visitors into customers. Poorly written content can be a major turn-off and lead to a high bounce rate. Make sure that your content is engaging, informative, and relevant to your audience. Use clear and concise language, and make sure that your content is free from errors and typos.

By avoiding these five website mistakes, you can significantly increase your website’s conversion rates and grow your business. Remember, your website is the face of your business online, and it’s essential that it’s designed to provide a positive user experience. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be on your way to creating a website that converts visitors into loyal customers.

Whether it be from service awareness, online bookings or product sales (as examples), a website must be utilised in such a way to help a business generate increased income.

After all, an income is what allows business owners to further development their companies, pay their employees and live the life that they want with their families.

To get you on the right track and start making income through your website* – here’s five simple ways that your website can make money for your business:

* no guarantees here unfortunately….

#1 – An Online Store

If you have any kind of product to sell, the “no-brainer” way to make money is to establish your website as an eCommerce store. An eCommerce store, if set up correctly, basically does all the work for you – with the exception of purchasing stock and sending packages out the door. Your customer select products in the online store, pays online via a multitude of methods and then selects the preferred shipping to their address.

Our current eCommerce solutions feature the excellent WooCommerce plugin for WordPress. WooCommerce is an affordable option for small business that is highly customisable to any individual store’s requirements.

#2 Google AdSense

For the uninitiated, Google AdSense is a system used by website owners to make money by displaying Google ads. Perfect for individuals and service operators, the ads that are displayed on your website usually compliment the services you provide so for example, our company blog could display ads for web server companies such as Digital Pacific.

The system works by crediting your Google account each time a site visitor clicks on an Ad. Once the credit in the account reaches a certain amount. depending on where you are in the world, you receive a payment into your bank account from Google.

#3 Affiliate Links

Affiliate links work in much the same way as Google AdSense however they are generally set-up by individual companies. An advertisement is displayed on an affiliate business’ website and for every sale that is made through that advertisement (i.e. on your website), the business earns a small commission. It can be very effective – Pat Flynn at Smart Passive Income makes the majority of his income through his affiliate links.

#4 Online Courses

Many small business operators have a wealth of knowledge to be shared with their customers. Often this knowledge is given away for free in the form of advice and instructions.

The alternative to giving this information away is to structure it into an online course. The course can be delivered in video, audio, written, interactive or any combination of the four. Through the introduction of a simple payment gateway (monthly or overall course payments), participants can access the course material and use it at their own pace. The added advantage of this is that the information only has to be created / delivered once before being used many times over.

#5 Online Bookings

Perfect for service industries, a website with a booking system allows a business to “fill up” their time schedules without even picking up the phone. This model is used globally by hotels/motels, doctors, chiropractors, electricians and even plumbers. A simple calendar allows potential customers to see what timeslots are available and book their service to suit their own needs.

Some sites even take care of payments at the same time – removing the need for invoicing at a later date.

Note thatall the methods above need one important thing to get started – Site Traffic. Creating a steady flow of Site Traffic is a whole industry in itself but for the site manager, there are three simple keys to get right (and we’ll cover these in more detail in a future post): Effective Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), content that makes your site enticing and worthy of a visit and finally, good reasons for your target audience to return again in the future.

With quality offerings, effective site practices and a target audience wanting to buy, any website can start generating a passive income that can be re-invested into your small business and boost it to the next level.

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!