• Credibility. The search result is seen as credible immediately because you can click to learn more about the author (more on that later). Connecting a photo with a search result also shows that the author is proud of that entry, which illustrates even more credibility.
• Engaging. Photos pop on a SERP. They draw attention much more than your typical result, so people are going to be more inclined to click.
• Related Articles. Google Authorship entries give users a way to find more articles by that author, which helps open up new outlets and improve search experience.

If you still haven’t gotten started with authorship yet, don’t sweat it. As advanced as it may seem, it’s actually incredibly easy to get started.

What Is Google+ Authorship and Why Does It Matter?

Below is a screenshot of a Google result that uses authorship and then one that doesn’t use authorship. It’s quite obvious that one is more inviting than the other, but some of the other features that authorship offers aren’t quite so obvious. They are marked below:

As you can see, there are three things different about the above result: First, you can see my picture; second, you can click on my name, and third, you can click on my Google+ circles to see my profile. All of these things help a Google user gain more information about the author (in this example, me). By clicking my name you can see more Google results written by me, and by clicking my circles you can visit my Google+ profile to see the types of things I’m posting and the type of people I’m connected with in the industry.

How Your Company Can Get Started with Google+ Authorship

In order to get your photo on the articles that you write, there are a few steps you have to take:

Step #1: Verify your email address connected with Google+.
It’s incredibly important that you have a Google+ profile number one (and make sure you fill it out for your own visibility!). Once your profile is set to go, you will want to verify the email address you have connected with your Google+ account. You simply just visit your profile and scroll down to your “contact information” section and edit your address and then hit “verify.” Below is a screenshot of how it works. You will see in this example that my home email address has been verified, but my work email address has not:

Step #2: Utilize the authorship markup tag.
Whenever you contribute an article to a site where you do not have an email address associated with the domain (usually all guest posting you do), you will want to use the Google authorship tag in your author bio on that site. The tag looks like this:

<ahref=”[profile_url]?rel=author”>Google</a>

You will of course want to insert your profile URL into the section that says “[profile_url].’

Step #3: Fill in your Contributor To section on your Google+ profile.
Wherever you contribute, you’re going to want to add that site in your “contributor to” section on your Google+ profile. You can find this on your profile under the “links” section. Just click “edit” and add in the URL of your article (adding in the URL of an author page would be even better!). Below is an example:

Have you recently started using Google+ authorship? What has been your experience? Do you find that it has helped improve your search traffic? Let us know your thoughts and your story in the comments below.

The post Google+ Authorship 101: How to Make It Work for You appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

Now, as much as I would like to say that all hosting companies are created equal, and many do have similar capabilities, the one thing many of these companies lag behind in is customer support. I’ve worked with some hosting company representatives(who shall remain nameless!) who sigh in frustration and make sarcastic remarks; one even hung up on me because the representative couldn’t answer my questions!

So I was very surprised when I recently had to interact with a WPEngine sales consultant.

The Dilemma

One of our clients was in the middle of a technology audit, and anyone who is familiar with requirements such as HIPPA compliancy knows that this can be a very technical and involved process. My client didn’t need HIPPAA compliancy, but it was in the same ballpark of requirements.

I was sent the hosting requirements from my client that he received from the auditor, and they were pretty intense. I’ll spare all the technical details, but he required a number of certifications from the data center such a sas 70 and sae 16 audits. Oh my! His current host could not provide these details. After all, the client was just a shared-hosting client; the $10 per month he paid didn’t make him important enough. Oh, and not to mention that he was also required to have a content management system that could be updated easily every quarter.

Research

Since my client’s current host was not going to be any help with the hosting requirements, I had to start calling around to see what my options were. One company after the next was of no help.The standard response was, “Oh, you need HIPPA hosting. We don’t provide that,” or, “We have HIPPA-compliant hosting, but it’ll be $1,000/month.” Not one company understood that I didn’t need HIPPA compliancy; I just needed certain certifications from their data center. I found out quickly that my research was leading nowhere.

A Call to WPEngine

A couple of years back, I remember that Jason Cohen started a new company called WPEngine. At the time, we were mainly an ExpressionEngine shop, so I didn’t pay it any attention. Fast forward a couple of years—a friend of mine started telling me more about WPEngine, “Oh man, my WordPress site crashed, and their technical support had it back up within 30 minutes. They’re awesome!” And that was just one of the things he told me about his experience.

I figured that as my client’s new site was going to be built in WordPress, I should give them a call to see if they had any enterprise solutions that my client could utilize and get the certifications he was looking for.

The WPEngine Sales Consultant

I connected with a WPEngine sales consultant and emailed him all the requirements my client needed. “No problem,” he said.“I’ll look into that for you and get back to you.”  Now because the requirements were very technical, the standard options they provided didn’t have the requirements my client needed. After more than 15 emails, the WPEngine sales consultant was on the right track. During this entire conversation, not even one single time did he sound frustrated or upset.

The consultant came back to me with some options for my client.Unfortunately, at this time, my client had made a mistake on some of the certifications and didn’t need the initial information I had asked the consultant for. Again, after another five emails, the consultant was unfazed, I was still getting “Not a problem!” emails from him. Already, I was extremely impressed.

The consultant came back to me again with the requirements my client had asked for, and again, the requirements the client had requested weren’t correct. This time, I was positive the WPEngine consultant was going to say he couldn’t help us—and wouldn’t you know—after 40 total emails, he delivered! He found us a solution. It wasn’t as expensive as the HIPPAA-compliant solutions, so this was good. I was ready to send the good news to my client.

Bad News

Unfortunately, this story doesn’t end with WPEngine landing the sale. There were some changes in the situation, and my client didn’t need the solution after all. Which is OK. Misunderstandings happen, especially with technology!

I let the WPEngine sales consultant know that the client wasn’t going to move forward, and this was his response.

“These things happen. I just appreciate the transparency and how straightforward you’ve been throughout the entire process.  If you have anyone that is interested in signing up, please feel free to send them my contact details and ask them to get a hold of me directly so that I can walk them through the process.

I’m happy to speak to any of your clients to ensure they are getting the attention that they deserve. So again, feel free to send them my way if they need absolutely any assistance.”

WOW! I was amazed at how forward-thinking this response was. Now, I don’t know anything about the company culture over at WPEngine, but they obviously understand that sales are about building relationships, and even though a sale wasn’t made, WPEngine earned a loyal customer!

The Result

All of this happened about three months ago, and since then, I have referred three of my clients to WPEngine. I have been extremely pleased with them! Support is top-notch, security is extremely important to them, and you already know what I think about their customer service!

Please feel free to share your experience with WPEngine in the comments below!

The post How WPEngine really treats their customers: My experience with a WPEngine sales consultant appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

This morning when I logged in to Google Analytics I was pleased to see traffic coming from the International Space Station! We always knew our content was out of this world!

And it seems there are 41 Astronauts reading our “April Fools Day” page.  41 meaning 4/1 or April Fools!

The post Google Analytics International Space Station April Fools Joke appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

In the first post I wrote here on the Muze Development blog I covered the basics of link building for small businesses. Today I’d like to cover another aspect of Search Engine Optimization that I believe is, if not more important, at least equally important. That thing is called Local Search.

Local Search is exactly what it sounds like; Online searches for local information. It’s how you find the hours for that store across town, movie times, menu items, directions, phone numbers for local businesses, etc. If you’re a business owner then it’s important to understand that local search is probably the most common way in which those around you find out about your business. And yet many small business owners (or those helping to run and manage small businesses) are woefully unaware of how local search works and how to get the most out of it.

That’s where GetListed.org comes in.

GetListed.org is a fantastic free tool that any business can use to make sure they’re getting the most out of local search results. By going to GetListed.org and typing in your business name and zip code you can instantly see which local search engines have listings for your business already and which ones need to be updated.

Local Directories Used by GetListed.org

While everyone is familiar with the big search engines like Google and Bing, it may come as a surprise that there are actually quite a few local directories people in your area may be using almost exclusively. Which means that if you’re listed on just one or two then you could be missing out on a lot of potential customers!

When you plug your information into GetListed.org they will run a quick search on the following local directories and make it easy for you to update any listings your business may be lacking.

Google – Easily the world’s most used search engine.

Bing – While nowhere near the ubiquitous juggernaut that is Google, Bing is still used by an enormous amount of people every day as the world’s second most used search engine.

Expressupdate – Express Update by InfoGroup helps to ensure that your listings are accurate across search engines, leading navigation systems, and local online directories. All you have to do is claim your listing!

Neustar Localeze – Localeze helps make sure you’re getting the most out of your data by reinforcing the information you’ve already sent to major search engines and often boosts your search rankings.

Yelp – For years Yelp has been one of the most popular ways to discover local businesses and find out what others are saying about them. Having an accurate listing with a good reputation on Yelp can drive a lot of customers to your door.

Foursquare – This social service has become one of the most popular ways in which mobile users interact with the people and businesses around them. Sharing their location, activity, and often reviews with those who follow their profile. Having an up-to-date listing with Foursquare is like empowering your customers to market your business for you.

Yahoo! – While nowhere near the popularity it enjoyed in the 90′s and even early 2000′s, Yahoo! is nevertheless still a huge online destination with a lot of tools and resources for visitors to use. Many of which are geared toward helping those users find what they’re looking for locally.

Superpages.com – By claiming your free listing with Superpages by Super Media they will automatically help ensure the accuracy of your listing on all of the websites and directories that most consumers use to search.

YellowPages.com – As the online version of one of the most used local directories ever, getting listed with YellowPages.com will ensure that information about your business is easily accessible to their large and loyal user base.

Citysearch – CityGrid by CitySearch can help your business get more calls, website visits, and customers. By getting listed with CityGrid you’ll be able to promote your business across their network of hundreds of local search sites and mobile apps.

HotFrog – HotFrog is where you separate yourself from the pack. This service helps to make sure that customers searching for you or businesses like you in your area know exactly what makes you different. It helps you define and communicate your business’s unique approach and personality.

Best of the Web – Best of the Web Local provides internet users with information on more than 16 million businesses in the US. When local users look for information they are offered relevant results for all businesses in their area.

Nokia – When your business is on HERE Maps, a part of the Nokia PrimePlaces service, millions worldwide can search for and quickly locate you.

Even More Local Listings

While the list above covers all of the big local directories, GetListed.org can also help you get listed with these slightly less known (but still useful) local directories.

Insiderpages.com

Kudzu

nsphere.com / DirectoryM

Dexknows.com

Local.com

Mojopages.com

Manta.com

MacRAEsBlueBook.com

What Else Can GetListed Do For You?

In addition to the listings above, GetListed.org also has a Resource Center that provides Local SEO tips and advice, educational material to help you understand the important business listing attributes, and other advice on where to get citations for your local business listings as well as tips on choosing the proper categories for your business. Not to mention a blog with regular updates.

In other words: they’ve got all kinds of amazing free resources just waiting for you to use.

The Important Takeaway

If you own a small business or if you help to run one, you might be thinking that GetListed.org and all of these local listings are a bit of an overkill. But the reality is that all of these directories are used by people in your area and if you want to reach them then getting listed is the first and most logical step. This doesn’t require any marketing experience or even an ultra savvy approach to the internet. It’s so easy! Basically, it’s just filling out some online forms.

So don’t hesitate to give GetListed.org a shot and get yourself connected to some potential customers in your area today. And please, by all means, if you have any questions just drop us a line in the comments below and we’ll do our best to help point you in the right direction.

The post How To Use GetListed.org To Maximize Local Search and Acquire New Customers appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

Before diving into today’s post topic of basic link building for small businesses, I’d just like to take a quick second and introduce myself to the Muze readership as I’ll be contributing regularly here from now on. My name is Nathan B Weller, I’m a full time blogger who loves WordPress, specializes in blogging best practices, and who loves to help small businesses dominate the web.

I’ve been practicing and writing about this stuff for about three years now and while I realize no one ever really stops being a beginner in a field that develops as rapidly as marketing and the web, I’ve learned a ton over the last three years that I know for sure will help those just getting started. And as a bonus, I’m not so far removed from “noob status” that I can’t appreciate your perspective and frame my posts in a way that’s easy for beginners to understand.

So lets get into this!

Today I’ll be writing about a search engine optimization practice called link building; explaining what it is, why you need to know about it/do it and make sure you’re aware of the current best practices.

The Current Link Building Landscape

If you’re a small business owner attempting to build a powerful online presence, chances are you’ve come across one source or another that swears the key to online traffic and success is a practice called link building. While I would have agreed with that statement in years gone by the reality is that the current landscape of online marketing and particularly that of search engine optimization (SEO) has changed. Link building is no longer the central practice but rather just one part of what should be a holistic approach to SEO.

If that sounds like nonsense to you then let me quickly unpack it in plainer terms:

Search engine optimization or SEO is a process of affecting how search engines rank your content – whether that content be a website, web page, or specific post. The goal of course is to get on the first page (especially the number one spot) of a search engine’s results for specific terms or keywords associated with your business.

For example, if you’re a plumber in Kansas City then it would certainly help your business to be the top search result (or at least on the first page of search results) when someone Googles “kansas city plumbers” or “plumbers in kansas city”.

You could of course pay Google or Bing a lot of money to rank highly for those terms/keywords, but a smart and thorough approach to SEO can get you there for free. Which brings us to link building. Link building is an important part of SEO and is therefore important to understand (at least on a basic level) for anyone looking to promote their business online.

So what is link building?

Well, to understand what link building is today we need to recall why it came to be in the first place. See back in the 90′s when search engines were still fairly new, their method for ranking the popularity and relevance of content online was to tally up how many links it had going back to it from other places around the web.

This of course led to online marketers blanketing the web with spammy links and causing search engines to refine their ranking methods so as to bring searchers only the most relevant and highest quality search results. In fact, this has become a constant struggle of sorts between search engines like Google or Bing and online marketers and search engine optimizers. On the one hand the search engines want to give their users the best possible search results and on the other hand marketers want to get eyeballs on their products/services and so they hope to “game the system” into giving them free traffic.

As of late 2012, it appears Google at least is finally winning this struggle by harshly penalizing spammy behavior. Such as aggressively linking back to yourself all across the web, particularly when your link is not relevant to the location it is being posted. If you don’t know what I’m talking about just take a few minutes and visit the comments section of just about any youtube video and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

This of course begs the question: if link building is so closely associated with spam, should I be doing it at all?

I would say yes. Some would say no. The fact of the matter is that while search engines are indeed cracking down on spammy practices, links back to your website are still a key metric by which they rank content. They’re just better than ever at knowing whether or not those links are suspicious or if they indicate true relevance. So if you want to play it safe you could avoid link building all together…but the smarter thing to do would simply be to NOT SPAM.

I’ll close this post with a tip or two on how to keep everything relevant and on the up and up, but for now lets take a look at the nuts and bolts of link building.

3 Types of Links

Before setting out to execute a link building campaign (a specific action plan for acquiring new links) it’s important to take note of the types of links you’re looking to acquire.

Also, as a general rule, it’s a good idea to make sure your links are as varied as possible. This means concentrating on all three link types as opposed to just one or two.

Anything that looks “rigged” or forced runs the risk of being discounted by search engine algorithms as irrelevant spam. Which is literally the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish with a successful link building campaign. But we’ve already been over that.

The three link types are…

1. Natural Links – These are links that happen without intentional effort on your part to obtain or “plant” a link. These links are generated via blog posts, comment (by other people), resource page lists, etc. by people who value the content you’ve created and want to point others to it.

2. Outreach Links – These are links that you request, pay for, “trade”, or in any way acquire through some sort of transaction. Some examples might include convincing a popular site/blog to put a link to your product/site/service on their resources page. Or sending a free sample of your product to a blogger to review and link back to you.

3. Self-Created Links – As the name would suggest, these are links that you create in various places across the web. Whether that be in a comment, user profile, forum signature, or anything like that. This is probably the most common link type people abuse, so moderation is highly recommended.

5 Link Building Strategies

Ok, so now that you know exactly what it is you’re trying to accomplish, lets look at some methods of obtaining those links.

1. Ask Customers to Link to You – How you accomplish this will depend on your business and the nature of your relationships with your customers. A few popular ways to do this are by offering an affiliate program and/or a loyalty badge or graphic that customers can put on their own sites to promote you.

2. Create a Company Blog – Zero in on information your customers find useful, interesting, and helpful. Create posts that they appreciate and they will show the love by linking back to your content.

3. Create Linkbait – Linkbait is any form of content that by its very nature inspires viral sharing. A common form of linkbait is a well designed and informative infographic.

4. Do Something Noteworthy – Get the attention of the press. Be unique, be creative, be extraordinary and people will write/talk about you in a positive light.

5. Get Listed – Find blogs or websites that list useful resources or regularly publish list posts and roundups. Reach out to them and ask to be included.

When Link Building Remember These Guidelines

So there you have it, the basics of link building for small businesses. The five strategies above are fairly easy to execute and I don’t think you should have any issues getting the job done.

As you do though, keep these guidelines in mind:

• Whatever you create, it must be useful. No, scratch that – INSANELY useful. It’s not enough to produce something so-so whether that be your product, service, blog post, free tool, ebook or whatever. You need to blow people away with value if you want your links to a) be widely shared and b) be seen as relevant by search engines.
• Don’t spend so much time promoting yourself that you forget to be genuine and helpful.
• Do not create links to yourself where the information is irrelevant. Such as a link to a web design company on a blog about knitting tutorials. Stay on topic and be a real part of a meaningful conversation – then drop your link.

If you still do not feel equipped to get started, I recommend checking out this very in-depth post over at SEOmoz called Link Building 101 – The Almost Complete Link Guide (Updated for Post-Penguin). Or this post – The Death of Link Building and the Rebirth of Link Earning – which discusses the issue I brought up at the beginning of the post about how the practice of link building right now is changing in a fundamental way.

Ok, now it’s your turn to give link building a shot. I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below as well as any tips or questions you might have. Also, it would be really helpful if you commented with some suggestions on what topics you’d like me to explore in the future. Should I expand on SEO or are their other areas of blogging and online marketing for small businesses you’d like me to cover? I’m open to anything!

Feature image photo credit Matt Connor

The post Basic Link Building for Small Businesses appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

The funniest part of the whole thing, aside from a walrus doing situps, is that NONE of the videos have anyone doing the actual Harlem Shake! Which I believe makes it so random and hilarious. I mean since when does the internet follow a script?

So I thought it would be awesome to create an infographic that showcases the Harlem Shake, because why not?

Feel free to share or embed on your blog with attribution!

The post How to Harlem Shake [Infographic] appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

In part 3 of How to Build a Successful Small Business Website, we are going to focus on what matters most: the way you pay the bills and keep the doors open—your products and/or services!

I like to keep this section of the website simple, and it can easily be broken down into two parts:

1. The main products and services overview page

This page acts as a table of contents for your products and services. I like starting out with a main paragraph that welcomes the visitor and briefly states how you can help them, followed by a list of all your products and services. The key to this page is to keep the content brief, with an introduction of only a sentence of two for each product or service as well as a small thumbnail. Below are some ways you can lay this page out.

One-column overview page

Two-column overview page

Whether you have one or two columns is a personal preference. If you have a lot of products and/or services, the two-column layout is optimal and either way, as long as the content is nicely formatted and laid out, your customers shouldn’t have a problem glancing down the page to find what they’re looking for.

Below you’ll see an example of the 1 and 2 column product listings from the overview page. Its good practice to link the title, the thumbnail image and include a “learn more” or “read more” link.

2. The products/services detail pages

After users have clicked on one of the products/services on the overview page, it will take them to a details page giving them a more in-depth description of your product/service with a clear call to action if they are interested in purchasing it. It’s always a good idea to include a picture of some kind on a product/service details page (even if you’re selling a service, put a related image on the page somewhere).

Here are some features that will help you lay out the detail page of your product/service:

1. Large header graphic
2. Specifications
3. Product brochures
4. Accordions
5. Images
6. Video

Below you can see an example layout for each of the items above:

Any or all of these items are perfect for describing your product/service and the better you can educate your customers the more comfortable you’ll make them.

Remember, this is the part of your website where you can make your products and services shine so be creative!

The post How to optimize and layout your products and services page appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

Let’s take a look at some things your company’s” about us” page should have.

Company History

You should start the “about us” page with your company’s story: When did it start? How long have you been in business? Customers want to know your history because it helps them connect with your business and also gives some insight on your reputation. This page will also let them know where your company has been and where it is going.  If customers are going to spend money with you, they want to make sure you’re planning to stick around.

Mission Statement

Simply put, a mission statement should state what your company’s core purpose is, who you serve, who you want to help, and how you will help them. This doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out novel. It should be clear, concise, and to the point so that customers can understand immediately what your company is about. Here is iDaptable’s mission statement:

“To build powerful and effective websites for small business owners who are too busy to deal with the hassles of creating a website. Our goal is to help their business adapt to the ever changing world of online marketing with cutting edge technology and expertise”

This broadly describes our company’s focus. With these two sentences of information, our potential customers know exactly what our core focus is and whether or not it aligns with what they are looking for.

Our Team

Let’s face it, most people are visual; they want to put a face to a promise. Sure, if you include the two sections above, it will give the customer a good understanding of what your company is about. But go the next step and tie them together with pictures and a small paragraph about yourself and your staff.  You then leave nothing to the imagination and give your potential customer everything they need in order to make a decision about doing business with your company. It also makes your face familiar so when you do meet your customers, they will already feel like they know you.

Awards, certifications, why your company is awesome!

There’s no better way to instill trust in a potential customer than letting them know how awesome your company is. Did you win an award for excellent customer service? Are you certified to work on X Y Z? Are you one of the only companies in the Southwest region that is able to do A, B, and C? Don’t hold back here;  if there ever was a time to brag about yourself, this is it! This paints a picture in a potential customer’s head that says, “If they are known for doing ______, they’ll do it for me, too.” Stating your accolades is even better than a guarantee, because this lets people know you are able to walk the walk.

That’s pretty much it.  It shouldn’t be too hard to come up with the items mentioned above. Everything has a beginning, everyone has a story, get creative, be persuasive.  There isn’t a wrong way of letting people know more about your company and why it is awesome! Just make sure you are being completely honest and sincere, and you can’t go wrong!

The post How to effectively tell the story of your small business and gain trust with an “About Us” page appeared first on Houston Web Design, WordPress, and ExpressionEngine Development.

The homepage of your website is obviously the most important page.  Keep in mind that the homepage should pretty much be a table of contents for what’s important on your site. Achieving this hierarchy is easier once you have the site planned out.

So let’s outline the important elements your website’s homepage should have. This doesn’t mean every website should or will follow this exact structure, but from experience, the layout we will describe below is optimal.

 1. Header

• At the very top left, we display your company name or logo; this should always be linked to the homepage.
• The top right of the header is a good place for a couple of elements:
  • Phone Number – You want your customers to be able to easily pick up the phone and talk to someone. Your website will have all or most of the information they need, but it’s always best to have a phone number in case the customer needs more information or wants to schedule an appointment.
  • Address – An address is important for several reasons.  It is given so your customers can find your business location, but it’s also great for search engines to be able to “tie” your company to a particular location.
  • Search bar – Having a search bar at the top of the page isn’t necessarily a requirement.  But if your site will have a search bar, it’s best to put it in the top right hand side of the page and every other page on the website thereafter. This makes it easier for your customers to search for what they’re looking for without having to browse the site. Search bars are optimal for larger sites without a lot of products and/or services. For well planned smaller website,  the search bar isn’t a necessity.

   

2. Navigation

This is one of the most important parts of the homepage.  This is how your customers will find what they’re looking for.

• The first option should always be HOME.
• Second navigation item should be your About Us section.
• Third navigation item should be your Products and/or Services section.
• Fourth navigation item should be about your customers: testimonials, case studies, customer logos page, etc.
• Fifth and last part of your navigation bar should be a link to your Contact page.

3. Main Banner

This should be the biggest section of your homepage. It should draw attention immediately and advertise either your company tagline/message or display your most popular product. You can do this in one banner or with the use of multiple banners. A good rule of thumb is to reserve this for your most popular products or services (no more than 5).

4. Contact form or Opt-in form

As a small business owner, you may be familiar with the A-B-C’s of sales… “Always be closing”. That’s exactly what a contact form does on the homepage. This form should rest in the very top part of the sidebar on the homepage as well as the rest of the pages on your site. This assures that there is always a way for your customers to contact you.

5. Intro paragraph

This will be a brief paragraph welcoming your customer to the site. You can simply put a welcome message here or you can list what your company does and start linking to some of the inner pages of your site. To keep it simple, you can typically link the “read more” link of this section to your company’s “About Us” page.

6. The buckets

Buckets are good for advertising other sections of your site that might not be as important as what’s in the main banners, but you still want customers to know about.  This could be a secondary product or service or even another link to your “Contact Us” page.

7. Sidebar

This section is as important as the buckets and should be more dynamic in nature.

• Display your latest news or press releases – Not only does this keep your customers informed on the latest happenings of your company, but it also lets search engines know your website is staying up to date and fresh.
• Display a set of customer testimonials – This section will give customers a brief look at how you’ve helped other people as well as an option to read more testimonials. Nothing boosts the sales process more than seeing all the customers your business made happy.

8. Footer

The footer is also a very important part of a small business website.  It has pretty much the same information as the top of the website, but can also be an area to have other information as well.

• Left side – Company address and other contact information like phone, email, fax, etc. This side should also have all necessary Copyright information as well as any links to privacy policies or terms of use statements.
• Middle – Other ways to connect with the business as well as any social media buttons or links.
• Right side - Site links – this will usually be the main navigation from the top as well as a link to your sitemap.

If you follow the structure above, your website will have all the necessary information it needs to effectively sell your products and services to potential online customers. Of course, there are many ways to design and structure a website; we just find this to be the most effective.

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• full – 1600×1200
• full – 1280×1024
• tablets – 1024×1024
• mobile  – 640×960(portrait)
• netbooks – 1024×614
• widescreen – 2560×1600
• wider – 2560×1440

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