Tag: website

Tips to Using WordPress to Create a Website

Your website a key piece to your communications strategy
Your website a key piece to your communications strategy

Your website a key piece to your communications strategy.  Designing your website, getting it setup and then managing updates all need to be considered when planning how to create and manage this key piece to your communications strategy.

You can use WordPress to create your website.

Here are a few tips to do this:

  1. First – plan your website.  What is the outline of main sections that you need?
  2. Select a THEME that includes MENUS.  The Twenty Ten / 11 / 12
  3. Use PAGES for content that is relatively static.  For example your ABOUT page, Contact page, services.
  4. Use POSTS for sections that you want to have as blog posts.  Assign a category to similar posts and you can select to show those posts on a menu item
  5. Add widgets to add functionality to the structure
  6. Research, select and register your domain name  e.g. www.yourdomain.com
  7. Register your blog/website with Google webmaster, Bing, Networked Blogs and other search engines
  8. Add tags, categories and SEO meta tags to increase your search engine visibility.

Advantages of using a blog for your website:

  • Flexibility – you can add new pages, rearrange your menu, create sub pages to build sections, use posts for updates.
  • Blogs are search engine friendly
  • Add photos and videos for interest
  • Create links and resources for your readers
  • Build an audience and add subscribers
  • Build and manage content on your website

More information

Have you created a website using WordPress or other blogging platforms?  What pros and cons do you see?

 

If I Have a Facebook Page Do I Need a Website?

 

The WEB of website + Social Media

No doubt there are many people using Facebook – as of October 2011 Facebook reported 800 million users with over 50% logging in daily.

With Facebook having a Business Page is an excellent idea – it gives a method to update fans and those who have “Liked” your page quick updates.  Also if your Facebook fans comment or share your postings – this gets multiplied out to their friends.

However a business does require one central location to have their basic product and service information.  This might be your product catalog for a business, menus for a restaurant, and services offered by a consultant.   These should be readily available to anyone who is searching on the Internet by using search optimized web pages.   In addition on a regular basis in Facebook you should have your POSTS link back to your website for more information.  This helps to build your website traffic and integrate your Facebook page activity with your website.

Pros and Cons

Comparison Facebook Business Page Website
Pros

Lots of people using it

Easy to make postings

Can link back to your website

Can setup individual pages – but people don’t often browse the additional tabs

Easy to setup

Can create a branded professional look

Can create organized and easy to use navigation

More control on layout and how the message is presented

Can integrate your FaceBook page
Cons

Need to build up your fan base

Information on your wall shows most recent posts – but people may not scroll down to see previous posts

No obvious hierarchy and way to organize your information

Need to post regularly

May require technical expertise to update your information (depends on type of website)

May have to pay for hosting and domain name

May take time to build the website

Need to check that pages are found on search engines

Conclusion

There are advantages to having a Facebook Business Page – but to really benefit from having a presence on the Internet a business should still have a well designed website.

 

Newsletters and Social Media Mix

Constant Contact Email marketing + social media
Email marketing + social media

There has been some discussion online about whether you can or should replace your email newsletter with Facebook messaging.  I think the answer is NO — there is place for both in your marketing mix.  In your target audiences some people are more comfortable with email and others are more tuned in to Facebook and other social media.

Constant Contact, an online service for managing your email newsletters and announcements, has added a very useful feature that marries the two worlds so you can reach both arenas with no more work than a click on a check box when you send your email.   Add the social media links to your email and this enables your recipients to easily share it with their Facebook friends, tweet it, add it to LinkedIN or other social networks.  On your control panel you as administrator can also share and tweet the email.

Your internet presence is increasingly a web of interactions.  Ideally you should be driving traffic to your “Call to Action” and tracking conversion of traffic to the relationships you are developing and sales.

Links:

Denise Davies is an Internet and media consultant.  She works with nonprofit organizations and small businesses to maximize their effective use of the Internet to build their organization and achieve their objectives.  If you have questions or would like to learn more contact through the contact form