Is your website still working hard for you?

Recently I was channel surfing and stumbled upon an infomercial for a rotisserie style chicken cooker just in time to hear the audience cheerfully shouting out the catchy tag line – “Just set it and forget it."

It reminded me that while that approach might work for chickens, not so much for websites!

I am often surprised by how many small businesses shortchange their marketing efforts by taking a “set it and forget it” attitude when it comes to their very own “innovative, time saving” marketing device--their very own website.

These days a corporate website is a fairly standard item in your marketing toolbox and for many it is at the core of their company’s online  presence.

With that in mind why would anyone be surprised to learn that, unlike rotisserie ovens, you can’t simply build it and ‘forget it’.

Building a company website is a costly process, it usually takes a lot of time and manpower. This means your corporate website is much more than just a great marketing tool, it is also a significant financial investment and needs to be treated as such!

Regular maintenance, upgrades and content reviews are critical to ensure that your website continues to work hard for your company.

Here are a few suggestions to help you check in on your company website and ensure it is still working at peak capacity for your business.

• Is your website more than 2-3 years old? If it is it is then it probably contains some outdated html or other outdated code. That needs to be updated or revised.

• Is it Flash Based? Sure it looks cool but if your current site uses flash - .fla or .swf file that means that no Apple devices can read your site and given the crazy popularity of the iPhone and iPad, your site may be ignoring a significant chunk of your audience. 

• Is your site trying to hard? Websites are no longer expected to provide every piece of information about your company, your business, your product and your people. Today your site should be focused on key business goals, and provide information accordingly. Ask yourself, why does our company have a website? What is the single most important thing it should do? Now take a look at your site and see if it does that, if not it is time to rethink things!

• Does your site have spelling mistakes and broken links? Your website is an extension of you and your company and credibility is crucial even the best-designed site in the world won’t sell if your customers don’t believe in your professionalism and expertise. How can you turn visitors into customers if your site is full of errors and links to nowhere?

• Does your website still match your corporate brand? Your website is one of the most public examples of your brand and brand consistency is extremely important in the online environment. You are building your company’s brand so don’t confuse your consumers with inconsistent font styles, colors or old logos. Your website should reflect your most recent style guide and branding and logo development. 

• Does anybody hear you? Has anyone engaged with your site in the last month? In the last 6-months? Has anyone left a comment or filled out a form? Is there a simple way for website viewers to connect with you? If the answer is no it is time to revisit your website. Interaction is critical online, your site should be user friendly allowing easy sharing of your web content through some of the most popular Social Media Platforms? Have you built in quick, simple to find links to your own SM sites and are you using SM to drive traffic back to your website?

• Is your site mobile friendly? How does your website look and operate on an smart phone, on a tablet? Mobile use is on the rise and if your site is not optimized to be responsive to mobile devices it is only doing half the job, half of the time.  Does your website use GPS coordinates to allow mobile users access to directions and maps to locate your business? 

Give your website new life with a redesign by Francomedia. We create functional inviting websites that support your business and engage your customers. If you would like to review your current site or talk to us about a the development of a new site - you can reach us online at www.francomedia.com or connect via email

Locked In and Locked Down

When you finally make the decision to start a web site, there is so much to consider, choices to make, paths to take. Usually people rely on experts and companies that specialize in web development hoping to limit their frustrations, gain better insights and save time. Options exist for making a site yourself and for some that's a task they're willing to take on and tackle, but most business owners are busy. Not only busy, but skilled in something other than programming, even marketing, and probably something other than graphic design. That's where the experts come in.

Now I'm a big fan of working with experts, gaining insight, utilizing skill sets of others that I may not have, but I have a big problem with companies, and people that claim to be experts and are not.

So many people know and understand the value of a website, however they have no idea how to build one.
...

My car just had to be serviced, which is fine, but something struck me. I made the decision to buy this car understanding a few basic facts: it is not North American, it has a good reputation for reliability, many dealerships can service it, it's economical on gas, and it was in good shape when I bought it.

So based on my knowledge, I can make a few assumptions:

• Fuel - won't cost me as much as a big tank to run since I commute
• Service - most repair shops will be able to service my vehicle, so I can shop around if needed
• Parts - although not North American, it's not a terribly unique brand or model, so parts may be a little more, but no extreme difference

In other words it's not a DeLorean...

A website is not much different. You need to know how you are going to use it, who can service it, and what any parts and repairs might cost.

I can't count on my fingers and toes how many business owners and companies have to come to me in a bad situation. They unknowingly bought a DeLorean. A customized full-featured high end expensive website, that only certain people (those who built it) can work on.

So a few tips, as you embark on a new website:

• If you decide not continue the relationship with your current developer, can someone come in and work on the site?
• Is it a platform you've heard about?
• Can you call your hosting company and speak to a person, or get a response within an hour?
• Is your hosting costing more than a few starbucks coffees a month?
• Are you able to update and add content to your site (without purchasing a new computer)?

Have a good look at the solutions being presented to you and ensure that you ask around, not just to friends who only surf on Facebook, but other business owners who may have been in the same situation. Go to sites you think are great, see who did them (usually in the bottom lines) and contact them directly - chances are if they can do it really well for someone, they should be able to do it well for you too.

Web Expansion

Over the last year, Francomedia has expanded it's web team and devoted hundreds of hours and resources into expanding our teams knowledge and understanding of web 2.0, content management systems and back end functionality.

What this means is that Francomedia can pretty much tackle any web based project... not that it stopped us before, it's just now we're prepared and well versed in virtually every aspect of web-based development allowing us to compete with anyone on the planet... not that it ever stopped us before.

Our web team consists of experienced graphic designers with a keen insight into usability and web developers that are motivated by challenges and pushing the envelope. Did I mention award winning? Yeah, they're that too.

Some of the sites that we are working on currently are using 'smart' technologies in the way that content is being presented to the user. For instance, if you are shopping for product A, the page will also display products or information that are relevant to product A. This may sound simple and from a user standpoint it had better be, but from a development standpoint it takes a real understanding of the customers products and offerings to pull it off so that it works well. If done right, it should aid in the sales process of any site - whether selling services, products or ideas.

So, if you are thinking of developing a new web site, especially if it's complicated and involved... we're your team.

This self-serving, promotional plug was brought to you by your friends at Francomedia.com!