When a new business contacts for a website quote, one of the initial questions they often ask is, “What happens next?”

It’s completely understandable because building a website can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you don’t have much experience with it. But don’t worry, I’m here to guide you through the process and make it as straightforward as possible. So, let’s dive in and explore the steps involved in creating a fantastic website that will help your business thrive!

Step 1: Set your goals and share your vision

Before reaching out to a web developer, take a moment to think about what you want to achieve with your website. Having a clear idea in mind will help them bring your vision to life. So, discuss your objectives and make sure that you will be on the same page.

Step 2: Find the perfect developer for you

Now it’s time to find the right web developer who can help bring your online goals to fruition. A quick Google search for web designers or developers in your local area is a great place to start. Remember, supporting local talent can be a fantastic way to contribute to your community! Take a look at their portfolios and see if any of their previous work resonates with you. If you find someone who feels like a good fit, reach out and request a free quote. Don’t worry, things don’t get too technical at this stage.

Step 3: Craft a design proposal together

Once you’ve found the perfect developer, they will start working on a design proposal. This is where they will need to delve deeper into your website’s details. You’ll be asked some questions or provided with a questionnaire to better understand your needs. Remember, this is your website, so feel free to voice any concerns or ideas you have. You will go through a few iterations until they get it just right!

Step 4: Building the framework and adding content

Once the design proposal gets the green light from you, the developer will start building the framework of your website. This is an exciting phase because you’ll get to see a live version of your site taking shape. You’ll also have the opportunity to provide input along the way. It’s important to ensure that your website includes key components like a user-friendly Content Management System, tools for SEO, robust site security, clear Call-To-Actions, and visitor tracking capabilities. Simultaneously, you will need to work together to create compelling content that captures the essence of your business.

Step 5: Let’s put it to the test

With the framework and content in place, it’s time to put your website through its paces. It should be tested it on various devices and screen sizes to ensure that it looks and functions flawlessly. It’s also a good idea to involve your friends and colleagues to get their feedback. Their fresh perspective will help fine-tune the website before it’s officially launched.

Step 6: Ready, set, go live!

Now comes the exciting part—launching your website to the world! Once it’s out there, a good developer will keep a close eye on its performance and gather feedback from your target audience. Remember, the launch is just the beginning. You should continue to work together to make any necessary adjustments and improvements to ensure your website brings in the business you deserve.

Rest assured, as a developer, I am here to make the website creation process a breeze for you. Together, we’ll can build a fantastic online presence that showcases your business in the best light possible.

One of the most common mistakes new website owners make is assuming that launching their site is the end of the hard work.

While having an online presence is a great start, it’s important to understand that further attention and effort are required to reap the full benefits of being online.

Here are a few tasks you should undertake to ensure your website gets the attention it deserves:

Task 1: Grab Google’s Attention

It’s no secret that Google doesn’t automatically add websites to its search results. You need to let them know that your site exists before they send their “Googlebot” to check it out. Here are some ways to make this happen smoothly:

• Add your site to your “Google My Business” account. This is a great way to get noticed quickly.
• Optimize your site for search engines using plugins like YOAST or All-In-One. These tools will guide you through the SEO setup process, ensuring that search engine “crawlers” find what they need.
• Share your new website link with established businesses and organizations online. Make sure to link back to them as well, as Google loves inbound and outbound links.
• Remember that Google controls this process, not you. They constantly tweak their search algorithm, so what worked for SEO last week might not work this week.

Task 2: Track Your Site Statistics

Measuring and monitoring your website’s statistics is crucial. By keeping an eye on visitor numbers, popular pages, bounce rates, and keywords that perform well, you can make adjustments to achieve the results you want. Here’s what you can do:

• Sign up for Google Analytics and integrate it with your website’s dashboard.
• Regularly monitor your search results. If your search ranking starts to decline or you have a high bounce rate, the statistics will alert you to take action.

Task 3: Keep Your Content Fresh

Having fresh content on your website is not only impressive to visitors but also great for your site’s performance. Google’s search ranking algorithm favors sites with updated and relevant content, pushing them higher in search results. Consider the following:

• Publish new blog articles every couple of weeks.
• Create a client gallery or showcase testimonials from your customers. These are easy additions that can make Google happier with your website.

Task 4: Prioritize Site Security

As Benjamin Franklin wisely said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This holds true for websites as well. Here are some crucial security measures you should implement:

• Obtain a security (SSL) certificate for your site. This certificate creates a secure link between your website and visitors’ browsers, confirming your site’s legitimacy and encrypting data.
• Use Google’s ReCaptcha protocol to guard your online forms against spam. It’s invisible and highly effective.
• Regularly update your plugins to prevent hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities. An outdated plugin or WordPress version can be the weak link they’re looking for.
• Keep the PHP version on your server up to date for security reasons.
• Install WordFence on your WordPress site to protect against hacking attempts and receive notifications when action is needed.

Remember that these tasks need your ongoing attention! Make sure to adjust your SEO triggers, regularly check your statistics, add fresh content, and enforce security measures to keep your site running smoothly. It may seem like a lot of work, but by incorporating them into your weekly schedule, just like any other task, you’ll be giving your site the best chance to succeed.

Did you know that not having a website can cause you to lose 48% of potential customers?

While social media platforms can be useful, customers who are well-versed in online interactions seek more information about the businesses they deal with and how those businesses can meet their needs.

To create an effective and successful small business website, certain key components must be in place. Here is a checklist of these components:

Website has clear goals to achieve

Although not visible in the final design, setting goals for your website is crucial for achieving desired outcomes. Without a clear roadmap, you may deviate from what you want to achieve and what your customers are seeking. Start by considering the five W’s to define your goals: Who are your customers? What are they looking for? When are your services available? Where are your customers based? Why do they need your products and services? How can you help solve their problems?

Navigation is easy to use

Clear navigation on your website not only helps visitors find what they are looking for, but it also assists search engines in properly indexing your site. Ensure that no page is more than two mouse clicks away from the front page, as pages that are difficult to access may lead to visitor abandonment. Additionally, all pages on the site should have links back to the home page.

Design is appropriate for your target market

When designing your business website, consider the expectations of your target audience. For example, a nightclub website should have a design that aligns with its audience, rather than resembling a website more suited for an aged-care facility. Furthermore, avoid overwhelming visuals that distract from the user experience and slow down the site’s loading time.

Mobile Friendly

According to a recent report from https://www2.deloitte.com, an estimated 91% of Australians own and regularly use smartphones to access the internet. This means a significant portion of your website’s traffic will come from mobile devices. Develop your site to be mobile-friendly from the ground up, ensuring it automatically adapts to different screen sizes rather than having separate versions for desktop and mobile users.

Content is “on point”

High-quality content is indispensable when it comes to selling your products and services. Engaging visitors is crucial for increasing their time spent on your site and reducing bounce rates. Make sure your content is clear, concise, and relevant to the reader. Regularly update the content to keep it fresh, benefiting both your site visitors and search engine algorithms that favor fresh content.

Clear and visible “Call To Actions” (CTAs):

To guide your customers in taking action on your website, make your CTAs stand out. CTAs should clearly state what customers should do and provide motivation to do so. Here are some examples of effective CTAs: “Get My Offer,” “Redeem My Prize,” “Book My Demo,” “Subscribe,” “Buy Now,” “Call Us Today,” “Reserve Your Place,” and “Book an Appointment.”

Contact Details are simple to find

Enable quick customer contact by providing clear and easily accessible contact details. At a minimum, include your business address (if applicable), phone number, and professional email address with your own domain name. Free email services may create an unprofessional image. Consider including a contact or enquiry form on your site if you want customers to reach out directly from the website.

Site analytics tracking

Tracking visitor behavior on your website is essential for measuring the effectiveness of your site and achieving your goals. Implement tracking mechanisms such as website server analytics or plugins, with Google Analytics being a well-known and comprehensive option.

In all small business, it is enormously important to make sure that your target audience is aware of your services and products whenever they need them.

Ideally, they will think of your business automatically when the need arises. This is achievable when a lead generation process is used in conjunction with a strategic sale funnel.

The moment where a customer becomes aware of your business and what it has to offer, the lead generation process begins to take place. All leads created here are vitally important as they “pull” the customer into your system for nurturing further down your sales funnel.

To kick things off and make your prospective customers aware of what you have, here’s ten effective “tools” that you can use:

1. Facebook Ads

Advertising on the #1 social media platform, Facebook, is great for targeting the exact audience you want as you can use the Facebook Ad tool to select the personal traits and interests of potential customers. With a budgeting level that you specify, it is also cost effective for any growing business.

2. Networking

Build trust and awareness of your business by joining your local Chamber of Commerce, offering your services to non-profit organisations and participating in community groups such as Rotary and Lions. Get your name out there!

3. Traditional Advertising – Radio and Print

If your target audience is likely to read your local newspapers and listen to local radio, don’t hesitate to use these traditional methods to promote your brand. Be sure to track any results (from marketing point to customer) to ensure that your marketing budget is not being wasted.

4. Social Media

Be visible on at least two social media platforms to cast a broad net over your target audience online. As a guide, Facebook is great for “business to consumer” promotions, LinkedIn works for “Business To Business” awareness and Instagram (owned by Facebook) is emerging as a powerful tool for all audience levels.

5. Content Marketing

The most authoritative way to establish trust and industry leadership is through the creation of powerful content for your website. Blog posts, videos, podcasts and demonstrations can quickly prove that you know your industry and what your clientele needs from you.

6. Direct Mail

If you can determine a specific market that is screaming out for your services or products, why not physically contact them with a direct mail campaign, specifically designed for that market alone.

7. Good SEO on Website

Make your potential customers aware of your business through the application of good SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) practices on your website. Ensure that you are “loved” by Google through using effective key words and descriptions on your site along with fresh content and quality inbound links.

8. Google AdWords

Along with effective SEO practices, you can also engage Google with a paid, structured AdWords campaign designed to target your specific customer demographic.

9. Partnerships

Partnership programs work with businesses that complement each other and can be done in a very subtle, effective way. For example, a mechanic, upon the completion of a routine service, could leave a small promotion flyer on the dashboard from the local Car Detailer. The detailer could do the exact same in return.

10. Referral Programs

Join with other local businesses to create a referral program where businesses refer their client base onto the services of others in return for discounts or other reciprocal arrangements.

In addition to these ten tips, there are literally dozens of different tools that you can use to make your target audience aware of your business and its products/services. The trick is to determine which methods are going to be the most effective in gaining the attention of your ideal client and utilising them to your advantage on a consistent basis.

Your homepage is the virtual handshake that welcomes visitors to your website and entices them to explore it further.

However, in today’s digital era, where attention spans are fleeting, it has become increasingly challenging to make a lasting impression. Luckily, armed with some proven strategies, you can help to ensure that your website immediately captures visitors’ attention and ultimately transforms them into loyal customers.

So, buckle up and get ready to discover the secrets of crafting a homepage that leaves a lasting impact!

1. Grab Attention with a Clear Value Proposition

Welcome visitors with a captivating headline that clearly communicates what sets your website apart. Show off the unique benefits or solutions you offer in a concise and exciting way. Remember, you only have a few seconds to make a great first impression!

2. Make Navigation a Breeze

Help your visitors find their way around by simplifying your website’s menu. Use clear labels and organize your pages logically. Too many options can be overwhelming, so keep it simple and guide your visitors to the most important sections of your site.

3. Add Some Visual Flair

Spruce up your homepage with visually appealing elements like stunning images, engaging videos, or interactive content. Visuals can captivate attention, showcase your brand’s personality, and highlight your products or services. But don’t forget to optimize them for fast loading so visitors won’t get frustrated waiting.

4. Encourage Action with Compelling Call-to-Action

Give your visitors a nudge in the right direction by placing a prominent and persuasive call-to-action on your homepage. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, exploring a product demo, or making a purchase, make sure your CTA stands out and clearly conveys the benefits visitors will gain.

5. Serve up Valuable Content

Offer engaging and relevant content right on your homepage to keep visitors interested and encourage them to explore further. Craft concise and impactful headlines, share informative snippets, or provide a brief overview of your most popular or recent content. Remember to make it easy to skim for those who prefer a quick scan.

Remember to keep an eye on your website’s analytics and conduct A/B testing to fine-tune these tricks according to your audience’s preferences. The key is to create a friendly, user-focused homepage that makes visitors feel welcome and excited to explore more of what your website has to offer!

It’s not uncommon for business owners to experience a loss of motivation from time to time.

Maintaining enthusiasm and drive constantly can be challenging. At times, we may find ourselves going through the motions without a real sense of purpose. If this resonates with you, perhaps it’s time to give your Business Mojo a much-needed reboot.

Here are five quick tips that have personally helped me regain inspiration and get back on track.

1. Embrace Physical Activity

While it may seem unconventional in a business and marketing context, engaging in morning exercise can significantly sharpen your focus for the day. A simple 30-minute walk or jog can work wonders. The best part is that you can multitask by exercising while listening to informative podcasts or audiobooks.

2. Tune in to Podcasts

With an extensive variety of podcasts available, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re an Apple enthusiast exploring iTunes or an Android user browsing BeyondPod, you’re sure to find a podcast that aligns with your interests. Podcasts offer a gateway to new perspectives and success stories. By listening to others’ experiences, you may discover the missing spark that reignites your own passion.

3. Dive into Inspirational Reading

If you seek external motivation from industry leaders, there is no shortage of outstanding books to fuel your inspiration. Here are a few recommendations that have personally resonated with me:

• “Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time” by Howard Schultz
• “Shut Up and Listen!” by Tilmann Fertitta
• “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber
• “Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion” by Gary Vaynerchuk

I confess that I’ve revisited some of these books multiple times, extracting every possible gem from their pages. These authors have created their own remarkable success stories, reminding me that I too can achieve greatness.

4. Connect with Like-Minded Entrepreneurs

Engaging with other business owners who share your passion can be an incredibly powerful experience. To establish a network, consider joining your local Chamber of Commerce, forming a networking group, or reaching out to friends in similar or even diverse industries. If you’re feeling isolated and unsure of where to start, online forums can provide a supportive and informative community.

5. Take Time to Reflect

In the hustle and bustle of daily business operations, it’s easy to lose sight of your accomplishments and how far you’ve come. Pause and reflect on why you started your business and what goals you initially set. Celebrate your past achievements and the progress you’ve made. Personally, I enjoy revisiting websites I created a decade ago and comparing them to my current work. The significant advancements remind me of the journey I’ve taken. By looking back, you’ll gain a clearer perspective on the way forward and uncover the motivation that has been hiding in plain sight. It’s not lost—it’s just waiting to be rediscovered.

Remember, every business owner encounters moments of waning motivation. By implementing these tips and nurturing your passion, you’ll reignite your business mojo and pave the way for continued success.

Compared to traditional marketing methods, a small business website is relatively inexpensive and easy to kick into action.

And, if you want you can pass it all over to someone else to build and maintain it for you. Yet more than 1 in 4 Australian small businesses still don’t have a website. With statistics revealing that 8.5 billion searches are made each day on Google, there are a lot of small businesses that are missing out on potential customers.

Small business owners who don’t have sites generally believe that a website won’t do anything for them, they think it will cost them too much or claim that they just don’t have the time for one. However those who have moved their businesses online can easily show naysayers that by including websites in their marketing plans, they have improved their bottom line, saved on marketing costs and, importantly, exposed their business to a wider audience.

Take a look at the three examples below. These are not your traditional online types but each can still take advantage of a customised online presence:

Office Supplies

A small stationery supplier in a regional town can still grab a chunk of the online market away from the big boys – without breaking the bank. Now, they may not be able to compete with stores such as Officeworks on price, due to the sheer bulk purchasing of the chain stores, however they can exploit and utilise one huge advantage – simple convenience.

Imagine that you require stationery supplies delivered to your door and – you want them now! There is no way you will receive next day delivery of any of these supplies in a small town – even if you pay for the premium postage. What if you could log into your local store’s website, make and pay for an online order and the goods were delivered within the hour (free of charge) to your business door?

That would certainly level the playing field in the local store’s favour. Cost vs convenience – I know which one I choose when I need something fast.

Bed and Breakfasts

A small B&B in regional Queensland has one small cabin for bookings, overlooking the beautiful Goldsborough Valley. With only one cabin on offer, traditional advertising makes it very hard for potential guests to call up and find available dates. With a website however, all bookings can be moved online.

Site visitors can view a calendar integrated into the site that displays available dates, potentially booked dates (that have not been confirmed) and dates that are booked-out. The site owner can easily keep track of upcoming bookings and contact new bookings for confirmation.

Plus, these bookings can be made 24/7 – no need to answer a phone.

Example: http://cairnsgwaybb.com/

Agricultural Services

Up here in beautiful North Queensland, we have a multitude farms with all varieties of produce year round – tomatoes, bananas, coffee, pawpaw and, of course, sugar cane to name just a few. Whilst most of these farms can benefit from getting online, like Liverpool River Bananas and Madella Coffee have, it’s the support agencies that work alongside these farmers that could really improve their services with an digital presence.

Growers Associations such as HCPSL supply their members with the latest information, weather and crop reports as well as industry news via a well-maintained website. No more group emails, phone calls, costly printed reports or newspaper articles – the association can update their sites daily at no cost (other than employee time) to ensure that their members are completely up-to-date with their industries information. For even more interaction, Association sites could incorporate forums and blogs allowing its members to converse and share their own information.

https://www.hcpsl.com

Regardless of the type of small business, more consumers than ever before are searching for services and products online using smart phones, tablets and computers. This upward trend in usage is increasing each day and small businesses without a site may be missing out on their own slice of the online pie. Even those who have a site may be missing out if their current setup is not utilising all the various options available to it.

Is your small business taking full advantage of online possibilities?

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.