The Power of Images - Why Infographics Are So Popular

First, let’s begin by defining what an infographic is.
 

Image courtesy of Hot Butter Studio

An infographic is a visual representation of data or knowledge that presents complex information quickly and clearly. Infographics can include pie charts, bar charts, wave diagrams and symbols—any sort of visual representation of information. 

However, the best and most effective infographics are designed to include a variety of elements, such as images, colour and text, in order to make them appealing and to grab our attention. 

Why use an infographic? 

As the internet continues its exponential growth, it brings us more and more information to read and try to understand, and there is only so much we can absorb. In today’s world, when most of us are time poor, who has the time to sift through pages and pages of plain text? 

That’s where the infographic steps in.

Studies show that the human brain can process entire images that the eye sees for as little as 13 milliseconds. Images are also easily stored in our brain, making them more likely to be retained in our long-term memory. 

This means you are able to convey key messages more quickly and effectively if there is some visual component. This is important to remember when you are creating web pages, writing blogs, or posting on social media. 

Who Has the Time to be Across Every Platform?

It seems that new social media tools, channels and platforms are being launched every few months. There are now so many that, realistically, we can't expect to be across them all, all of the time. 

This means that in an extremely crowded market place, you need to be able to make an impact, and to convey a message in the shortest time possible but yet in a way that nevertheless impacts upon the viewer. 

Infographics therefore represent a sound investment of your time.

More Appealing, Easy To Share

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is definitely the case with infographics. People also love sharing content that has captured their attention. Which would you rather read—a detailed two thousand word report with multiple footnotes and tables, or a colourful, easily-accessible infographic that summarises all of that same data in fraction of the time?

Start creating your own infographics 

It’s simple. There are plenty of free tools that you can use, such as Infogr.am or Piktochart which provide templates, icons, and readymade designs. Or you can leave it to the experts and ask a graphic designer to create one for you. 

In either case, start to think visually about your blog and your social media posts—use the power of the image to hep you say what you want to say more quickly, efficiently ad effectively.

Make your website mobile friendly

The digital marketing landscape in Australia is changing rapidly and small business needs to be proactive about keeping up with the pace. I can hear some of you saying, “But I’m not good with technology,” or “I’m not a computer geek.” However, you don’t need to be proficient in computer lingo, or to keep up with all of the latest apps, devices and social media sites, but you do need to have some awareness of what’s available and to take some interest in new developments, for the sake of your business. 

The number of Australian consumers who are now accessing the internet via a mobile phone, tablet or i-Pad is increasing rapidly. According to the Official Australian Google Blog, Australia has the second highest smartphone penetration in the world—ahead of the US, UK, and Japan. And as more and more people come out of existing phone contracts, those who haven’t already done so will no doubt upgrade their phone to a smart phone, which will in turn see even greater mobile penetration across the country.

So a very important question that you need to ask yourself is, “Does my website have a mobile responsive design?”

 

If you’re not sure what a ‘mobile responsive design’ is, you’re not alone, as there are plenty of other business owners who don’t what it means either But on the other hand, why be part of the pack when you can get an edge on your competitors?

A mobile responsive website design is a website that automatically adjusts to fit the screen size of the desktop computer, tablet or smartphone browser on which it is being viewed. On a non-responsive design, what you see on your smartphone will be exactly the same as what you would see on a desktop computer. However, because there is no difference, when you attempt to view such a site on a mobile device, you constantly need to zoom in. and then scroll around frequently so as to be able to read the usually very small text, or click on any of the buttons. In contrast, a mobile responsive design adjusts the layout so that the text fits the screen exactly and so becomes very clear and easy to read, while the buttons are in a format that is large enough for even the biggest fingers and thumbs to use. As you can imagine, all of this combines to make for a much more positive user experience.

Not sure if this applies to your website?

If you are using an analytics tool such as Google Analytics on your website, you can see for yourself how many visitors to your site are using a mobile device. Simply go to Audience > Mobile > Overview and you will see a pie chart showing the percentage of visitors coming to your site using a mobile device. If this number is very low, or there is a very high bounce rate, this would suggest that your site is not especially easy to read or use for viewers using a mobile device. 

Ultimately, if you are not providing a mobile-friendly experience for your customers they are very likely to leave your website and go to a competitor whose site is easier to use. Can that really be good for your business?

Written by +Denise Angus

Looking for ways to promote your small business in Adelaide?

So you’ve made the decision to start up your own business. Congratulations! However, there are probably a hundred different things running through your mind. There is so much to consider and organise, such as your business name and ABN, what your logo is going to be, how you’re going to do your record keeping and what accounting systems you’re going to use, writing a business plan—the list goes on and on.

In general you will also find yourself constantly putting your hand in your pocket to pay for all of this. This means you probably need to get some customers—fast! For the small business owner cash flow is critical to keeping your new business ticking over. Therefore you need to spread the word that you are open and looking to do business.

Fortunately there are some simple, cost-effective methods that the new small business owner can us to promote your business.

1.    Make the most of your documents
Use every piece of paper that leaves your business, such as order forms, invoices and all other business stationery, as well as your electronic documents, as a way to showcase your contact details, including your business name, address, phone number, mobile, fax and website address. Don’t forget to make the most of your email signature as well. There are many times that I have used someone’s email signature as a way of finding out their phone number to call them.

2.    Build a positive online presence with well-written articles
Think of articles as the electronic version of word-of-mouth advertising. If you are a real estate agent, for example, you could write an article on preparing your home for open inspection. This would ideally include some helpful tips on what to do and what not to do to get the best possible sale price. This kind of free advice is not only useful to potential customers, but it can also set you apart from your competition, particularly if you are giving advice on a niche topic.

3.    Share good news with electronic press releases
There are plenty of free press release sites to choose from. A press release contains newsworthy information that is engaging. Has your business recently expanded? Do you have a new product? Have you or your company won an award? All of these are examples of what your press release may be about.

4.    Become active on social media
We are spoilt for choice when it comes to the kinds of social media platforms available today, some of which we covered in a previous post. Each platform has its own benefits and features, so it can be worthwhile trying a few out to see which one suits your business best depending on who you want to reach and what you want to say. The great news is that it's free to set up social media accounts.

5.    Give out some freebies
Everyone loves to get something for free, and I’m not talking big, expensive items. There are some very affordable online options available which allow you to print your logo on just about anything, including magnets, pens, USB flash drives, mousepads, keyrings and more. Small items such as these can go a long way in creating goodwill and building a positive impression of you and your business.

6.    Share your thoughts by writing a blog
A blog is basically an online journal that is available on the web. It is a great place for people to get to know you and what your business is about. Just like this one!

7.    Start creating videos
Sharing your knowledge with ‘How To…’ videos can be incredibly helpful to others. You can start your own YouTube channel to post your videos as well as share those of other users that are relevant to your target audience. You don’t need to have a slick production team, all you need is a smartphone.

8.    List your business with free online directory sites
Local business directories such as Google Plus Local, Bing Places for Business and Yahoo Local are all important ways of helping your business get found online. Make sure that you include a good description of your business and a link to your website.

9.    Reward returning customers
A loyalty reward card encourages customers to keep coming back to your business. Do you go to the same coffee shop because your tenth cup of coffee is free? If you do, then you already understand the power of a loyalty card for repeat business.

10. Run a competition
Running a competition is good way to entice new customers. It’s also a great way to get people talking about your brand. Social media sites can be great for promoting your competition and can also attract new followers for your business.

Today’s online options are incredibly affordable when compared to traditional advertising such as newspaper, radio or television ads. When you start a new business, you’re full of passion and enthusiasm—harness that energy and make the most of every opportunity to promote your business.

Written by +Denise Angus

Is your website at its optimum health?

Quite often, the day-to-day running of a small business can be all-consuming, what with keeping up with paperwork, handling enquiries, filling orders, etc.  So if you’ve had your website for a while, you may want to take stock of how it’s performing before we get too far into 2014. Now is the perfect time to give your website a health check.

Here are a couple of things for you to consider.

Is your design letting you down?
Does the design of your site need to be reviewed, to give it a more up-to-date look? If you don’t believe the look of your site matters, you’re wrong. We live in a visually-driven world and first impressions count. If your website looks old and dated, potential new customers may get the same impression of your business. Is this how you want customers to perceive you?

Are you losing customers because your contact details are hard to find?
These are vital to your business. Can your phone number, fax number or email address be found quickly and easily? Have you moved to new premises and not updated the address on your Contact Us page? It can be easy to overlook these details, so make sure this important information is up to date on your website.

Are you showcasing your best work?
Images are particularly important if they relate to the goods and services that you offer. If you’re a builder, for example, it might be worth including some photographs of recent projects to showcase the quality of your work.

Are you getting social?
Have you created a Facebook page for your business? Are you part of the Twitter community? Are you set up on Google+ and LinkedIn? Social media platforms allow you to connect easily with people far beyond your immediate customers, community, and location. If you believe that word-of-mouth advertising works for your business, then you will love social media as it takes that approach to a whole new level. Social media is the equivalent of word-of-mouth in the digital age. To read more about social media platforms click here.

Does your website showcase all of your products and services?
Product ranges and the services that businesses offer change frequently, so f you're selling something new or introduced new services, then you’ll need to update your website and make sure it reflects all that you can offer. At the same time, if you no longer stock or sell a particular product, you’ll need to remove it from your site so that you can make sure it reflects you and your business accurately.

Have you got video content?
Video content is one of the fastest growing sectors on the internet and one of the most valuable elements you can add to your website. If you want to help your visitors and customers see your products in the best light, or help them to choose the right model, then a short video is a great way to do this. 

Is your website mobile responsive?
Mobile responsive design means that the design of your website is adaptable so that it can easily viewed on all types of devices, from large desktops, to tablets, to smartphones. With more and more people searching online using smartphones, you need to make sure that your website offers them a positive user experience.

Is your content working for you?
Is your content still relevant to your business? Your website needs to convey clearly who you are and what you do. If writing doesn’t come easily to you, seek the services of a professional copywriter to produce your website content. It can also be a worthwhile experience to have a fresh pair of eyes read your existing content. For instance, have you ever re-readsomething that you’ve written several times and not noticed a spelling error, yet someone else found it immediately? Typos and grammatical errors give a poor impression of your site, but are easily fixed. it never hurts to get some assistance to ensure that your website content is as clear and effective as possible.

Is the copyright year in your footer current?
This may seem like a small and somewhat insignificant point to mention, but if your copyright date says 2007 then you are quite obviously saying that your site is old! The date being current on your website tells readers that your content is current too. 

What are your competitors doing? It doesn’t do any harm to keep an eye on what your competitors are doing with their websites. If everyone else in the industry is upgrading their sites then you need to pay attention. Technology is evolving, design trends are moving on, and the way businesses are using their websites are changing, so it’s important to have a handle on new developments. Social media too is having a big effect on how websites look and function and so this is another reason why you need to keep up to date. While you may not need a complete redesign of your website, it’s important to keep your online presence up to date—don’t let it and your business get left behind.
Written by +Denise Angus

What is a Domain Name?

Simply put, your domain name is your website address e.g. www.example.com.au. In today’s world it is a valuable part of your business identity—no two organisations can have the same domain name—and as such is an important marketing tool for helping internet users to reach you easily.

Domain Names must:

• be at least 2 characters long;
• contain only letters (a-z), numbers (0-9) and hyphens (-), or a combination of these;
• start and end with a number or a letter, not a hyphen; and
• not contain hyphens in the third and fourth position (eg. www.ab--cd.com.au).

How do I choose a suitable domain name?

It is important when choosing your domain name to remember that users must be able to associate it with your organisation, such as your business name e.g.www.mikesplumbing.com.au or a generic name that defines your business type e.g.www.adelaideplumber.com.au

Domain names are often referred to simply as domains and domain name registrants are frequently referred to as domain owners, although domain name registration does not confer any legal ownership of the domain name, only an exclusive right of use.

A Domain Name is Not the Same as URL

To be technically correct, a domain name is commonly part of a larger Internet address called a URL. A URL goes into more detail than a domain name, providing much more information, including the specific page address, folder name, machine name, and protocol language.

• Domain names are organised right to left, with general descriptors to the right, and specific descriptors to the left. It is like family surnames to the right, specific person names to the left.
• The top level domains (TLD, or parent domain) is to the far right of a domain name. Mid level domains (children and grandchildren) are in the middle. The machine name, often "www", is to the far left.
• Levels of domains are separated by periods ("dots").

Domains and email

Email also relies on domain names to work. Once you have a domain name you are able to create your own email address of yourname@yourdomain.com.au. This has many advantages for branding and professional communications rather than a generic email address such as Hotmail or Gmail. 

Don't let your Domain Name expire

It is vital to renew your domain name on time, otherwise you will find both your website and email will be down. Renewal period is 2 years for .com.au domains and every 12 months for .com domain names.

Written by +Denise Angus

What is Indexing?

You have a brand new website, but you’re asking yourself, “Why can’t I find it?” Before your website can rank, search engines need to know that your website exists. For the purpose of this blog, when talking about search engines I’m going to say Google because it is the most widely used search engine.

The web is growing at a rapid rate. In fact www.worldwidewebsize.com claims that today on Tuesday 1 October 2013 when this blog was written, the indexed web contains at least 4.32 billion pages. Pretty amazing, really, when you think that you can enter a search request and within the blink of an eye you are presented with the most relevant web pages.

Therefore, you have to let Google know that you’re there. This process is called getting indexed. So what does this involve? 

Google uses software which is typically referred to as a spider, crawler or bot. These spiders crawl through your website and store a list of keywords found. Google is then able to build an internal index. It’s important to note that Google wants to index and rank everything, therefore it ranks web pages not websites.

With this in mind you need to ensure that you have quality content throughout your website, not just your home page. You need to make each page count. As spiders are crawling through your website, they are also looking for page titles, meta tags, headings and internal links. (On-page search engine optimisation is a topic we covered in an earlier blog.)

Like everything else in life, your page rank must be earned. Take the time to invest in producing quality, relevant content.  Another important factor to consider is that as Google is constantly looking for new content, it’s worth keeping your website up to date. Add new pages often, and if you have a blog or social media pages, keep these up to date too and make sure that they link back to your website as well.

Having a website built is an essential item on your business checklist but, once it’s built, don’t forget about it. Think of your website as a living thing. Do you have some exciting news, such as an award or industry recognition? Are you selling a new product, or have perhaps stopped stocking another? Does your business have a newsletter, and are you updating it on your site regularly?

Your business doesn’t stop growing and neither should your website. Don’t make the mistake of creating a website and then forgetting about it.

Written by +Denise Angus