Web Marketing Blog - BEssential, LLC - Local Business in Arizona

The Essential Blog Every Website Must Have

     luck-o-the-tucson-website-designer - Illustration by Grant Cochrane

Read this blog for your chance at luck this St. Patrick's Day.


"LUCKY IN LOVE WITH WEBSITES." - How ironic! When it comes to Tucson website design, there actually is no luck. We do not rely on luck nor do we expect luck. Whether it’s working with the ideal client or earning the next biggest project. We say this because we were taught that “L.U.C.K.” is simply “Labor. Under. Controlled. Knowledge.” Our outcomes as entrepreneurs, as many of our clients are often familiar with, are consequences of our actions. A cause and effect, if you will. We control our own destiny, as destiny is ripe in our hands ready for us to take a bite out of this amazing life.


At least one of us is actually Irish. Well, Irish French-Canadian. And we still don’t consider ourselves lucky. We consider ourselves appreciative. Appreciative of our clients, business partnerships, fellow business colleagues, family and friends, one dog, and two cats. While just shy of seven days before our official two years in business as an LLC, we have learned hard and we have learned fast. Despite being in the Tucson web design business for a short amount of time, our prior six years in business as a mobile computer repair company helped us build a strong foundation that we know and love today.


However, this St. Patrick’s Day weekend, you are lucky. And we truly mean it. What you do, how you do it, and why you do it speaks volumes. Forget the shamrocks and green beer. You’re lucky because you deserve it all. As challenging as it is to be in business for yourself, you deserve abundance. It’s all right here in front of you. All you have to do is reach out and grab it. You might as well grab that green beer while you’re at it, too. Disclaimer: we’re not responsible for the effects of green food coloring in your system.


In fact, you’re even luckier! Why? Because we’re celebrating our two years in business this March, we’re giving away one (1) green web hosting plan for the first six months to the first person who qualifies* by responding to us with “I’m Lucky!” by 12pm on Sunday, March 18, 2013. Post, call, e-mail, or text--it’s your choice. You lucky dog, you!


*Please inquire for qualification details.


     To find out how we can help you with a new website or website redesign, don't be shy--give us a ring. We love educating those who are curious. And we love serving those who are ready to be served. Also find out one of the number one ways we start your Web Presence Optimization (WPO) off right from the start before we even develop your website--with what's called a Keyword Analysis Report (KAR): (520) 270-7033.

    

Tucson Website Design & Hosting - BEssential, LLC. High expectations beyond web design.

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     tucson-website-designers-bessential - Illustration by Kromkrathog

Knowledge is... power. Researching about your Tucson website
designer is... essential. Not doing so is... one of the biggest
mistakes you could make.

    

"AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW. WORD." - We hear it time and time again how many of our clients had a previous website designer who didn't deliver what was promised, skipped town, or had very poor customer service and communication skills. Whether you're looking for a new Tucson website designer or replacing your current one, we believe taking the time to research who they are is essential to your success and well worth the time investment before throwing away thousands of dollars while finding yourself huddled in the corner, whimpering like a cold, scared alley cat. Okay, maybe not that extreme... but you get the idea.  Follow our advice, you won't regret it.

TOP 10 THINGS YOU MUST DO:

     1.) Find out WHO the website designer is. Especially when it comes to many solopreneurs or freelancers who work individually in their spare time. Can you ask for them by name or identify them in a photo--on their own website? Are they visible in their local community? Know who you're dealing with.

    

     2.) Find out WHAT their background is. Is website design a new hobby of theirs or do they have relevant and professional experience? Know what they're about.

    

     3.) Find out WHERE they are located. If you want local support, be sure they're actually available to you when needed--but we don't mean at 2:00 a.m.! It's expected that they won't be available to you 24/7. Most website designers have office hours just like you do--because they need rest, too, so they can perform well for you. Make sure you have many ways to access them such as e-mail, social media, mailing address, and a physical address--if they have one.

    

     4.) Find out if you will own your own website. You have the right to! Be sure to ask if they provide you with account access to your site. Beware of the “once-you-stop-paying-the-monthly-charge-your website-will-cease-to-exist” usually with cheap and restricted website builders like Go Daddy's Website Tonight or Yahoo!'s Site Builder.

    

     5.) Look at their website design portfolio. Does their style fit your personality or professional image? What do you like best?

    

     6.) Look through a few of their clients' website examples. If their website designer is also their current webmaster, make sure they're not filled with incomplete links or misspellings. However, keep in mind that sometimes it's a challenge to figure out if their website designer is their current webmaster. For example, the website designer may have been hired to design the site, but it doesn't mean they were hired to continue website maintenance. Sometimes the business owner will take over and end up making many costly mistakes themselves--and the original website designer is not to blame.

    

     7.) Find someone who's worked with the website designer. Start with someone who wrote a testimonial or review for them. Connect with them on Facebook or LinkedIn perhaps and ask them what's their honest feedback about working with that particular website designer?

    

     8.) Since social media is essential to your online marketing strategy--a piece of what's called, "Web Presence Optimization" (WPO)--which increases your SEO, follow the website designer online to see how they act and how well-received they are. Start with Facebook. If you're really ambitious, Google them by name and city to see what you can find out about them before deciding to hire them.

    

     9.) Also, since branding awareness is important to your overall marketing strategy, is your website designer familiar with branding consistency and what it means to be without it? Do you understand your own brand marketing? Find one who gets it. You'll know by looking at their marketing materials--in print and online--like their website, social media platforms, advertising, etc.

    

     10.) Finally, meet with your Tucson website designer face-to-face. Do you feel comfortable inviting them into your own home? Not that you will, but remember that you're counting on your website team and you need them to be honest, reliable, and trustworthy. Integrity is most valued, don't you think?

    

     BONUS: Ask all website designers if they know what the 10-70-150 On-Site SEO Rule is. If they look at you like a deer in headlights, it's time to look elsewhere. If they don't tell you the following, you shouldn't trust them to build your site with some proper, effective Search Engine Optimization to increase your web presence of being found through search engines. [Their answer should be: 10 maximum keywords per page--in priority order, 70 or less characters in all Page Titles, and 150 or less characters in all Page Descriptions.]

    

     To find out how we can help you with a new website or website redesign, don't be shy--give us a ring. We love educating those who are curious. And we love serving those who are ready to be served. Also find out one of the number one ways we start your Web Presence Optimization (WPO) off right from the start before we even develop your website--with what's called a Keyword Analysis Report (KAR): (520) 270-7033.

    

Tucson Website Design & Hosting - BEssential, LLC. High expectations beyond web design.

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     review-your-google-analytics-with-bessential-tucson-website-design-and-hosting

     Do you know how many of your potential consumers/clients are
viewing your website on their mobile device? You should!

    

"ANALYZE ME, BABY. BUT DON'T HURT ME." - When was the last time you reviewed your own website's Google Analytics? Do you know how many people are viewing your site on their mobile device? Got 5 minutes? Here's how to do it quickly and painlessly:

5 EASY STEPS:
1) After signing into your Google Analytics account, it will either take you to a screen where you need to click on your website domain, or automatically to your "Audience Overview."

2) On the left vertical menu, click on "Audience" and a submenu will drop-down. Go ahead and select "Mobile" and then "Overview" to see your stats.

3) Before reviewing the graph, in the upper right-hand corner, you'll see a time frame of usually the past month as the default setting. We recommend you at least look at your stats within the last year, so you should at least change it to "Feb. 7, 2012 - Feb. 7, 2013" and then select "Apply" so you can see any patterns of usage during that time frame.

4) Below the graph, you'll see some basic stats such as "Yes" or "No" as to the number of people visiting your site with their mobile device. It will show you how many visits, how many pages they visit, and the average time they visit, etc.

5) After reviewing these stats, go back to the left vertical menu, click on "Devices" under the "Mobile - Overview" section. This is interesting to see how many people are visiting your site through different mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad, and which type of other smartphones, etc.

     Depending on the industry and type of demand, a low number may still qualify reason for a mobile site. If you are a restaurant or a retail store, you'd definitely need a mobile site--despite the number of people reviewing your site on a mobile device.

     Services industries such as Tucson website design, can probably still get away with not having a mobile site for now. However, considerations for sites that are compatible with mobile devices called "responsive website design" is ideal--but not perfect--vs. having a separate mobile site like it's essential for restaurants or retail shops to have.

     There you have it! Your results may help you decide how appropriate it is to have a mobile site. And believe us, it's not IF, but WHEN you will have a mobile website.


    
To learn more, read this great blog article about mobile website marketing from Tucson's very own, IdeaMagic visionary marketing. You won't be disappointed.

     To find out how we can help you with a mobile website, don't be shy--give us a ring. We love educating those who are curious. And we love serving those who are ready to be served. Also find out one of the number one ways we start your Web Presence Optimization (WPO) off right from the start before we even develop your website--with what's called a Keyword Analysis Report (KAR): (520) 270-7033.

    

Tucson Website Design & Web Hosting - BEssential, LLC. High expectations beyond web design.

Read More from Our Blog...

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