298 Million Web Sites and You

Posted on January 11, 2012 by admin

Well, the number of web sites as of March 2011 is now about 298 million according to royal.pingdom.com and they estimate that’s a conservative number due to the way web sites are counted.

There are 2 billion internet users world wide as of March 2011.

There are 272 million internet users in North America alone as of June 2011.

Whew!

Now that’s a lot of web sites and internet users out there…

In fact, since I started web designing in 1995 it is estimated there are 12,681 times as many web sites now as back then.

Back then if you told your boss you thought the company needed a web site you opened yourself up for some healthy humor.

These days if you don’t have a web site you open yourself up for some healthy humor and more than a few raised eyebrows.

The top internet countries back in 1995 were USA (25m), Japan (2m), Germany (1.5m), Canada (1.2m) and UK (1.1m).

Guess who’s at the top of the list now?

Top internet countries as of March 2011 are China (420m), USA (239m), Japan (99m), India (81m) and Brazil (76m).

Mmmm – some food for thought, no?

And let’s not forget FaceBook.  FaceBook is 15 times larger than the whole Internet was in 1995.

These figures come from our usual sources:  Wikipedia, Netcraft, Internet World Statistics and The World Bank.

And it’s only getting bigger.

So what does this mean to you and your business in the new year?

#1  You’ll probably want to update your web site

#2  If you can sell something on line, definitely do it

#3  A web site alone is not a guarantee of business

Updating a website is the easy part.  Even selling online can be done with relatively few glitches.  It is #3 that one needs to really think about.

Since there are so many websites out there – and yes you do need a web presence -  now you can no longer completely rely on your website to generate all your income without you doing much else but “hanging a shingle” out there.

Social networking is key.  If you don’t have a LinkedIn or FaceBook or Twitter account set one up this year.

But remember to “back up your web site” with face to face time and little extras with your current customers.

Why not ask them for referrals or start a referral program.

Write a blog and get subscribers.

Do a newsletter and mail it to current customers.

It’s all part and parcel of the way the world works now.

The internet is a tool and just like any other tool it has to be used to its best benefit.

Call me today about a web site facelift or eCommerce solutions.  A content management system could save you updating costs in the months ahead.  If you don’t have time to social network – I can do that for you, too.

Remember the time you put into the marketing of your business is part of the cost of doing business.

Anteater Web Design & Marketing

Affordable Web Sites and Marketing Solutions for 2012

JillForbath@AnteaterWebDesign.com

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Landing Pages Make Big Splash

Posted on November 17, 2011 by admin

If you’re a Google AdWords user you know that to get the most out of your investment you need to stay on top of those ads!

Keep them fresh, keep them clean and keep them coming!

Landing pages or pages devoted entirely to that particular ad can really help you out in the long run.

What’s a landing page anyway?

Wikipedia defines them this way:

“In online marketing a landing page, sometimes known as a lead capture page, is the page that appears when a potential customer clicks on an advertisement. The page will usually display sales copy that is a logical extension of the advertisement or link.”

Sure, it takes a little upkeep to keep those landing pages current but then it is only logical that you’ve got to put in the time to get the business, right?  :)

So if your Google AdWords ad is focusing on that special coming up on Thanksgiving why not make a specific htm page that deals with it with all the fun bells and whistles?

Your customers will appreciate the extra step you took to make the information easy-to- get-to; not buried in your regular web site pages.

And you can also enjoy the added benefit of knowing how many potential customers viewed the ad and “clicked through” to your landing page.

All good.

Happy almost Thanksgiving and enjoy that pecan pie!

Contact Anteater Web Design for a free quote and consultation.

Affordable websites and content management systems for you and your business.

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REDESIGN for 2011!

Posted on August 30, 2011 by admin

So you’ve got your website content down, you’ve got your own blog, a company FaceBook and LinkedIn and you even “Twitter”…

But still you look at your site and think -

Mmmm maybe there’s something else I should be doing to stay current?

After all new customers are entering the marketplace at any time and lots of those new customers just might be a bit younger than you are!

So…

Guess what?  It could be time for a website redesign.

OurWeddingDance.com had their site redesigned and the look is fabulous!

With some java script and some good images from iStock you can create some eye-catching artistry that’s sure to draw in the younger and technically savvy crowd that’s entering the marketplace to look at the services that they can get online.

Site Redesign for 2011

Recently I asked a twenty-something what he thought about websites.  This person is not in the website business, he’s a recent UC graduate and works full-time now in the tourist industry.

He gave me a great insight by saying that even though he knows he shouldn’t judge a company based solely on their website, nine times out of ten he will choose to follow-up with a call to a company offering products or services with the nicest website.

Wow!  Just what we do or maybe don’t want to hear; depending on the circumstances.

There it is.

Of course this is just one Millennial’s opinion but I think he represents a large majority.

“Characteristics of this generation vary by region, depending on social and economic conditions. However, it is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies.”  Wikipedia

Next time you’ve got a moment really look at your current website and ask yourself will this attract the new workforce?

Contact Anteater Web Design for a free quote and consultation.

Affordable websites and content management systems for you and your business.

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Modestly Priced Web Sites

Posted on July 21, 2011 by admin

Economy got you in a funk?

Well, even in this “Great Recession”, as it’s being touted in the press, a person has got to market their business or why bother having it in the first place?

And there’s nothing wrong with “market” meaning on a scale that fits your recession pocketbook.

Take for example one of my new clients who teaches ballroom dancing and has done so for over twenty years.

This client, although really strapped for cash right now, rightly recognized that she needed a web site; an internet presence that would get her services out there to her customers 24/7.

She’d advertised in the Yellow Pages for years but that was no longer working for her.

She’d done the “word of mouth” thing but her customer base was definitely shrinking.

She’d offered lessons in a variety of locations…

Junior colleges were cutting back on their “extra” programs and senior centers were no longer as viable an option as they had been in pre-recessionary times.

She decided it was time to have a web site and she knew she needed it to do the following things:

1)  Create a presence on the web for her business available 24/7 on search engines and

2)  Be eye-catching and provide pertinent information for her potential customers to make educated decisions about her services.

Her web site is just a mere two pages but it does the job she needs right now!

My client is going to expand her web site, as she is financially able, to include more information throughout the coming months.

But for now she is at least able to be have web representation and be an available choice to customers amidst her competitors.

Don’t let your business suffer due to the recession.

Even a modest web site can do more for you than putting your marketing dollars in another location or just not marketing at all.

After all, your potential customers need to know they have your services or products as an option!

You can visit my client’s web site here:

The Ballroom Touch

The Ballroom Touch

 

 

 

 

 

 

AnteaterWebDesign.com

Affordable Web Sites with Eye-Catching Design

Email Jill today for a quote on your web project!

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Wishing for a WCMS?

Posted on March 11, 2011 by admin

Let me start by saying…

If I had a nickel over the last 16 years for every time I heard someone say they wished they could make that little change on the xyz page of their website without having to email their web designer, wait until they “got around to it” and then be invoiced for an hour of time even though the change was a one liner – I’d be rich and donating my time giving garden lectures in British Columbia.  ;)

So, what’s a WCMS and do you need one?

According to Wikipedia …

“A Web Content Management System (WCMS) is a software system which provides website authoring, collaboration and administration tools designed to allow users with little knowledge of web programming languages or markup languages to create and manage the site’s content with relative ease.”

Known in web designer speak as simply a “CMS” or Content Management System – this tool has become an excellent addition to the modern company’s marketing toolbox.

A CMS is a wonderful way to be able to basically “update” your own web pages without having to be a “coder”.

You don’t have to  buy any website software, suffer through a learning curve and then pray that you have a good buddy who can help you with the inevitable rough spots.

(I should have worked in quality control – I can break, bend and destroy just about any software program labeled “simple to use” out there!  And if I can do it, you certainly can!)

  1. A CMS can help your company’s bottom line since all those “little changes” can be done in-house by someone you’re already paying.
  2. A CMS makes you feel like you’re in charge of your own website and you can do things in “real time” so your website always feels fresh and up-to-date with all your company’s new ideas, products, services, press releases, pictures and blog entries.

Ok, I convinced you – so what does it take to get a CMS?

Basically you need to contact a web design firm, Anteater Web Design & Marketing ;) , and you need to let them know that you would like one.

If you don’t have a website or you would like to do a redesign of your current website, this is an optimal time to be thinking about a CMS.

If you already have a website and don’t want to change it, you can still obtain a CMS but it is a bit harder since the CMS is not going to be made in tandem with a website and it will have to reflect your current site with all its components.

When you are discussing the idea of a CMS think about if you will need anything special like Blog capabilities or a Photo Gallery function.  Maybe you just need the “pages” of your website available to insert pictures and text into on a regular basis.

One thing to keep in mind is that you won’t be able to completely change your website’s look in your CMS.  Some customization is available but you’ll want to be clear about that on the front end.

So if you think you’d like those menu items and color scheme of yours to blush blue and green instead of red and gold incorporate that change before starting the CMS.

I would say at least half of my customers have a CMS for their websites.

Because their CMS operates like a Word doc my customers don’t have much of a learning curve since they find it works like they “think” it should and utilizes a good many of the same little “icons” they already know.

What’s the bottom line or cost?

Usually if you don’t need too many “bells and whistles” for your CMS you’re looking at a one time fee of about $1k.

If you think you’ll probably have a lot of changes every month this could be a real bargain.

Just for a benchmark… my active web customers without CMSs average about $300/month in web designer fees (and I’m inexpensive!) so you see you can make up this cost in about two-three months of web designer invoices.

More and more today we are all really looking at our bottom line and wondering where we can “cut”.  A CMS might be one of your best investments for 2011.

Email me at JillForbath@AnteaterWebDesign.com and find out more today!

AnteaterWebDesign.com

Web sites that are affordable.

Web sites that you can update yourself.

Web sites that stand the test of time.

Posted in Blogging, Content Management Systems, Marketing, Opportunity Cost, Redesigning Your Website | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My FB Twittered your LinkedIn ;-)

Posted on February 15, 2011 by admin

“Social networking”

Hmmm does that apply to your business?

Betsy Brottlund of Resource Nation in a February 2009 article says, “Social networking refers to a multi-media social structure which essentially facilitates communication between groups, individuals, and organizations.”

Should your business have FaceBook?  Should your company “Twitter”?  Should your company be “LinkedIn”?

According to Jon Swartz of USA Today, “Social networking is going corporate. The popular technology used by millions of people to share ideas and photos on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and others is catching on at companies to improve productivity and communication among workers.”

And that was written in October of 2008!

So what about 2011?

Social media sites can be beneficial in a two pronged way:

First, internally they can really clear out that email inbox and give employees a way to connect with each other across geographical boundaries.

Important company connections can be forged on a daily basis with minimal investment of cost and time.

Second, externally they can offer consumers a way to keep up with companies they “like” and companies they are currently doing business with as well.

It’s very attractive financially to be able to post a press release on your social media site or “twitter” some new product or service or award and reach hundreds immediately and effectively.

You can establish yourself in these social media outlets with a minimum of effort and time and with just a bit of upkeep you can have them “work” for you.

By putting links to your company’s social media URLs on the bottom of your web pages or sandwiched into your web site’s menu bar you can add just one more competitive dimension to your company.

And isn’t it all really about “boosting sales”?

If employees are “working happy” – productivity goes up.

If customers are “buying happy” – your bottom line just got that much better.

So, why not invest a little elbow grease in something new and “now”.

According to CBS News in February of 2010 the number of people with cell phones hit 4.6 billion and that number was expected to rise to 5 billion by the end of 2010.

If you calculate that just half of those users have the capability to access the internet from their phone, which I suspect is a low number, you can see the potential for marketing and sales!

Both your employees and your customers can benefit from your company having a “social media presence” on the internet since aren’t we all pretty interconnected now.  :-)

Happy Networking from AnteaterWebDesign.com

Web sites that are affordable.

Web sites that you can update yourself.

Web sites that stand the test of time.

JillForbath@AnteaterWebDesign.com

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To Blog or Not To Blog – that is the question!

Posted on February 7, 2011 by admin

Is your company ready for a blog?

If you’re like a lot of people who own, run and work for companies – time is at a premium these days in the “let’s pull ourselves out of the recession” 2011 financial environment.

Do you really have time to blog?

Would you want to if you had the time?

Is there someone you could assign the blogging to?

Would blogging take them away from more important projects?

All good questions and all reasonable places to start when thinking about adding a blog to your company’s web site.

But the bottom line is…

Can you afford not to be blogging?

Probably not.

Firstly, the reason being that people who search the internet for products and services seem to enjoy a quick glance at the company’s blog.

It lets  them know there’s someone live out there.

Someone is updating the blog on a regular basis; i.e. the company looks more “bonafide”.

Secondly, blogging creates new company content that can then be put to a variety of purposes.

Why not a newsletter?

Why not a press release?

Why not send it to some on line or print publications as a special interest story?

Let’s face it we’ve all got to be a bit more “creative” these days at the workplace to diversify and set ourselves apart from our competitors and blogging fits right into that new model.

Sooo… now, that you’ve decided to take the “blogging plunge” so to speak… what do you possibly write about?

Another great question and believe me I’ve seen some very unusual company blogs!

There’s always the middle road… where you stick to the product or service you’re offering and detail new information or just get information about them and your company “out there”.

Or there’s the “road less traveled”…

I’ve seen company blogs that discuss which employees have what types of dogs.

I’ve seen company blogs that theorize on future ideas and products and services.

I’ve seen company blogs that highlight certain departments, individuals and current awards or accomplishments.

One even talked about the company’s fitness program and how many people lost such and such weight one month!

All very fun and interesting to read blogs.

Rule #1:

Remember if you’re bored writing the blog, your readers may be bored reading it.

So spice it up.

Personalize it.

Make it immediate to the potential or current customer that may be reading it.

Remember a blog isn’t a “thesis” so don’t deal with too much in one blog.  One topic will suffice.  Save all the great ideas you get writing for the next two, or three or four blogs!

Rule #2:

A blog isn’t the place for perfect grammar or perfect English.  Although I would suggest perfect spelling unless you’re trying to make a point.

You can afford to be a little less formal, a bit more casual with the reader – using  colloquialisms and “pop culture speak”.

Let down your proverbial hair a bit and show your “human side”.

Rule #3:

Update the blog at least once a month.  A blog is a blog is a blog and if your blog’s last entry was a year ago it clearly is not serving its intended purpose.

I know, I know… who has time for that?

I combat this time issue by making a list of “possible blog topics” and keeping it by my elbow; adding to it when I get a great idea in the middle of a project I’m supposed to have done yesterday! ;)

Then, when I’m at a blocked moment in one of my regular projects, I quickly write out a short blog on one of my “saved topics” and add it to my blog file.

This way I always have a “ready to go blog” for those months when all h*%$ is breaking loose and I don’t have a moment to think let alone “blog”.

**

Happy Blogging and next time I’ll cover the social media boat and whether it’s a good idea to jump in the water and start rowing with that heavy load!

AnteaterWebDesign.com

Web sites that are affordable.

Web sites that you can update yourself.

Web sites that stand the test of time.

JillForbath@anteaterwebdesign.com

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Is your web site ready for the new decade?

Posted on January 5, 2011 by admin

2011 is here and with it a brand new decade.

So take a look at your web site and have some people that normally don’t look at your web site take a look at your web site.  ;-)

Does your web site say, “Wow, this is 2011 and my product and/or service is a must have now?”

If not, it may be time for you to think about a web site revamp.

Along those lines…

I just completed a wonderful redesign for the International Association of Clinical Hypnotherapists (IACH) based right here in Orange County, California.

Click here to see their fantastic new site.

Their previous web site was dated with old code and old menus and since the site was quite large it was cumbersome to locate everything in it and the pages were long to scroll down.

We decided to step it up a bit for the new year with a brand new crisp, clean look that said, “Visit us – we know what we’re doing and we want to help you!”

The site contains both a public side and a professional side so we kept the look constant but also made the “navigatability” easy for both consumers coming to “Find A Hypnotist” and also professional hypnotherapists interested in becoming listed on their site and taking the certification test the IACH offers.

You’ll see, if you take a look at the site, that there were lots of articles and meeting synopses and listings that needed to be readily available.

Everyone’s needs were addressed from the individual who visits the site to learn more about hypnotherapy to the experienced professional from abroad who wants to learn more about becoming a member.

Remember, your web site should work for you while you’re already working.

Your web site is one of your strongest marketing tools.

It’s still working even while you’re sleeping.

In any time zone.

A great web site can help your current customers reinforce their decision to keep doing business with you and your potential customers to make the leap and start up a business relationship.

Contact AnteaterWebDesign.com today for a free assessment of your current web site.

2011 could be the start of something brand new for you and your business.

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New Tricks 4 Old Dogs

Posted on October 26, 2010 by admin

Is your web site long overdue for a facelift?

Everyone gets to that point when they say to themselves, “Hmm this site looked really good about five or six years ago but everything has changed so much on the web that now it looks outdated.”

But we worry that…

a) it will cost too much to change the site and

b) our customers have gotten used to the site, such as it is, and may not be able or willing to learn to navigate the new site.

***

Well, I believe that you do need to take a look at your website and not just every five or six years but about every year and a half.

Six months to one year on the web is like two to three years in regular marketing terms.

Technology changes that fast!

You don’t want to look “worse” than your competitors and you don’t want to look like no one ever visits your site.

And let’s face it updating your website is good for company morale.

If your website looks fresh and new then everyone feels fresh and new about the company.

It’s going places.

It’s up-to-date.

It’s profitable.

And of course let’s not forget that an updated website is a great excuse to put out those web and print press releases and do a thorough email newsletter blast!

So…

“How much is this going to cost?”

In this economic environment everyone is counting their dollars and making sense of their bottom lines like never before.

I’ve heard of companies going into redesign and it costing more than triple what they thought they were getting into in the first place.

Granted prices have probably gone up since last you had that website done and maybe you’ve opted for some flash this time and some on-line interaction but still…

Remember, get the new proposal in writing and find out if you’re paying by the project or hourly.

And…

As far as your customers or typical web surfer are concerned.

Give them some credit!

The internet has been going strong for over ten years now and people are getting more and more used to coming to websites and utilizing menus and buttons.

Just remember to make it clean, clear and concise and give them the navigation tools they need to get to where they want to be FAST!

Your redesign should keep your informative text (make the copy count!), enhance your company’s image with eye-appealing design and make it easy for people to get to what they wanted in the first place.

***

Below is a good example of a before and after where a redesigned website really made the web site work even more for the company than it had before.  Visit BenefitEquity.com to see more of their redesigned website.  (I am proud to say Anteater Web Design did both their before and after websites!)

No one wants to look like they don’t care about their website.  So think about that redesign today and email me for a quote at JillForbath@AnteaterWebDesign.com

Before

After

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Anteater Web Design Has A Blog

Posted on September 27, 2010 by admin

The wide world of web design has changed a lot since the mid 90s when I decided that this was the niche for me.

Back then web designers were seen as gurus who spoke a foreign language; translators for corporate folk who wanted to get into a cutting edge area for “marketing purposes”.

This new place called the internet, hitherto the purvey of technogeeks and computer whiz-kids, was ripe for the taking.

URLs were cheap and who didn’t want to have their company’s name “protected” and bought as a .com, .net, and just for good measure .us?

***

I remember when you could walk into a room full of people and in a matter of moments you’d invariably be asked, “What do you do?”

When the four words tumbled out, “I’m a web designer” — a hush would fall over the room momentarily as people took this in and then erupt into a cacophony of questions.

“How did you learn to code?”

“What providers are cheapest?”

“Which are the top ten search engines?”

***

These days there are so many “easy” web design apps available to give you templates and tricks of the trade without having to know much about coding.

Providers are cheap.  I can remember when my customers would pay $30-$40/month for hosting services.  Now you can get most all of the bells and whistles for $7-$10/month.

And the top ten search engines, ha.  It’s sort of like the airline industry and deregulation… now there are mega search engines and all the “little guys” have basically been pushed out of the market.

So, the question invariably arises at this point, in the year 2010 -

Why hire a web designer at all?

I’ll be addressing that question and others in this blog.

I’ll cover topics I’ve been asked about from:

“I want a personal web site but I’m afraid someone will steal my identity.”

to…

“We already have a huge company web site but we want to do a revamp but think our customers will get lost and complain that the new site isn’t enough like the old one.”

From time to time guest writers will blog their two cents worth and if you’ve got questions please email me and I’ll address them here.

But let me leave you with this,

Opportunity Cost

Wikipedia defines it as: the cost related to the next-best choice available to someone who has picked between several mutually exclusive choices.  It is a key concept in economics.

It has been described as expressing “the basic relationship between scarcity and choice.” The notion of opportunity cost plays a crucial part in ensuring that scarce resources are used efficiently.

Thus, opportunity costs are not restricted to monetary or financial costs: the real cost of output forgone, lost time, pleasure or any other benefit that provides utility should also be considered opportunity costs.

***

Next time you’re contemplating whether to make your own web site or web site revamp consider the opportunity cost of doing so.

Do you really have the time and inclination to “make it perfect”?

AnteaterWebDesign.com

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