Allographics & Design

Top Reasons Your Website and Business Should Blog: Search Engine Optimization SEO

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:07:10 +0000

Those of us in the web industry hear about it every day…your website can greatly benefit from regular blogging. But what does this mean to our client’s websites and businesses? How does blogging benefit their business and why should they consider integrating a blog into their website? Here at Allographics & Design, we have 5 top reason’s your business and websites should be blogging directly from your website.

Reason #1: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

All businesses want to optimize their websites the best they can, and rich fresh content is one of the best ways to keep your website searched. Blogging allows for regular updated material and relevant content to be added consistently for the bots and spiders to crawl your website and ultimately increase search traffic. SEO involves creating rich relevent keyword rich content that search engines love and blogging content is just what the engines are looking for!

Hubspot recently conducted a study that shows that active blogs bring 6.9 times more organic search traffic to websites and 1.12 times more referral traffic than sites that do not blog. Overall the more blogs you post, the more your site traffic increases. A previous study indicated that small businesses can increase website traffic by up to 55% more! Check out Hubspots charts and statistics:

Active Business Blogs Draw 6.9 Times More Organic Search Traffic Than Non-Bloggers

Your blogs should be content rich, keyword-optimized and relevant to your services and visitors interests. Your blogs should also encourage and increase online followers and those that like to respond to your posts, which is why interest and relevance is important to your post’s topics. Blogging also provides inbound links with trackbacks, which also increases traffic to your site.

Ultimately, posts responses, trackbacks, and rich keyword content bring search engines to your blog and website and help increase traffic. Increased traffic to your website means an increase in potential revenue. Start blogging today!

Web Design/Development & Social Media

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:48:18 +0000

Would you like to update your own website? Integrate a blog directly into your website and stop sending visitor away from your website? Are you ready to combine your website with other social networks like Facebook and Twitter? A web designer and developer is a perfect resource to help you jump start your online branding and marketing so you are in control of your business.

Both web design and social media have evolved over the years and now, they both go hand in hand with your online branding and marketing. It only makes sense to seek out the expertise of a designer and developer to build your tools together. New web technologies now allow for smooth integration of your website with many social platforms, and more and more those same platforms are allowing for customization that requires code knowledge your designer/developer is already trained in.

Web designers know how to create call to action Fan Pages, SEO your Fan Page, SEO your website, integrate code into your website to stream your updates and tweets, brand your sites with appealing and brand effective graphics, educate you on how to use and manage your social networks to build traffic and revenue.

Working directly with a web designer avoids miss communications and will also save you time, money and frustration in the long run since you will work directly with the designer instead of being outsourced through a middle person if you are using a virtual assistant unfamiliar with the latest technology.

So when considering who to turn to when you are ready for a website upgrade and integrating social media into your branding and marketing strategy, contact a web designer and developer that specialized in social media and its technology.

Building Your Brand, Building Your Business: Social Media

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:12:46 +0000

Part 6 Social Media

According to the World Internet Usage Statistic, over 77% of the U.S. population uses the internet. The Nielsen Company reports that nearly 60% of internet users maintain a profile on some type of social networking site, and 70% read blogs and tweet out. Your business should go where your clients and audience are using these social platforms and start building and growing online relationships.

No matter how small or large your business, Social Media is now an important element to your Branding and nearly every business owner should be analyzing how they can use this technology to grow brand awareness. Not only do these platforms bring attention to your business, they bring you closer to your customers in ways we could not have imagined 15 years ago.

You can step into social media slowly by creating a blog, preferably as part of your website so people do not have to leave your site, and then search out other platforms that fit your networking needs. Use a variety of utilities like YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Get involved by either using your own website as a forum or start frequenting other forums and become an expert in answering questions that bring people to your own website for more information. Start a radio show, conduct a webinar, create a tutorial or video and post all of these technologies on all of your online marketing sites, including the social media utilities mentioned.

And above all…make sure your branding is consistent on all of those sites. Have a web and graphic designer customize your accounts both visually and with rich content to help the search engines index your multi sites and grow your businesses name out on the internet.

Building Your Brand, Building Your Business: Personal Branding Online

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:03:52 +0000

Part 4 Personal Branding Online

Personal Branding is a great marketing avenue for artists, speakers, teachers, trainers, community activists, and independent agents working under a larger industry like real estate, insurance, and independent sales reps. Often times a larger company, like an MLM will allow their reps to build their personal branding in order to grow their units and down line.

Many speakers and artists rely on branding their image and name to bring customer loyalty to their products and services. Personally branding their image with a custom website and built in blog allows business owners to reach their customers, fans and followers where traditional marketing cannot.

Linda Israel, a Multi-Media artist has taken every opportunity available to her to market herself and her business online. Linda uses both her blogging website to inform her customers and followers of her latest projects, workshops, and events while also posting regular tutorials on her YouTube site, Linda Israel YouTube.

Linda has been featured on New9 and HGTV for her innovative creative art and you can contact her to visit her next trade show event or attend one of her creative workshops.

Carey Sue Vega – Etiquette 101, reminds all of us of the importance of manners and business etiquette. As a former Cruise Director, Carey Sue has been teaching our young the importance of manners and is Oklahoma City’s Director for the National Jr. Cotillion and she also educates companies on proper business etiquette.

Carey Sue also brands herself and her business by using a blog website and YouTube to better inform the community. She is a regular Facebook and Twitter user and always available to give helpful advice. Carey Sue has been featured on many radio and television shows and you can contact her to learn when her next business etiquette class will be held.

Personal branding, or self branding, online has increased greatly over the past 10 years with the rise of social technologies. This new direction in branding is not restricted to Hollywood celebrities any longer and now local public figures can market themselves successfully and build their brand in more creative ways. In order to brand yourself, you must market and promote yourself, and the combination of a website and/or blog and the use of a variety of social media platforms will help bring you closer to your followers and customers.

Building Your Brand, Building Your Business: Web Design

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:38:33 +0000

Part 4 Web Design

When the web was first introduced to the mainstream, websites were simple yet very clunky in their design setup and navigation. Many lacked layout organization and visual appeal based mostly on limited experience with this new platform and also the limitations of the old coding. Most sites were were text link rich with very little visual appeal nor interest.

As the old cliche says, a picture speaks a 1000 words and this is why graphic design and proper layout is crucial to an efficient web design. Website layouts have evolved with clearer navigation, pinned and organized sections, appealing graphics and a balance of content to space and graphics.

A customized website that has been designed based off of your marketing strategies will reward your business over time. Avoid rushing into designing a website with the idea that you have to be out on the Internet ASAP without studying the different website options available to businesses.

Some helpful elements and guidelines to an efficient web design:

1. Functionality

Clear navigation
Loads quickly
Clean code

2. Design

Balance between artistic appeal and content layout
Professional appearance
Balance of space and content/design

3. Content

Rich quality content
Relevant information
Reason to return to site

4. Originality

Clear use of technology
Customized to company image
Forward thinking

5. Professional & Effective

Ease of reading and navigating content
Clear business information
Value for return customers

Building Your Brand, Building Your Business: Graphic Design

admin — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 15:08:31 +0000

Part 3 Graphic Design

A designer is an invaluable segment of Business Branding. He or she will take information that the client has developed for their business and build a visual product that speaks of their company’s message and image. The designer will analysis concepts and ideas and meld them into a simple and straight forward visual message, combining all the elements mentioned in the Branding Chart earlier. The designer is your multi-level problem solver

Once you begin working with a graphic designer, he or she can develop your logo, determine business colors, integrate your concepts, ideas and image to create a branding platform that will help you communicate your message and reach your target audience through marketing.

Creating your logo is only the beginning. Once your logo is designed, you will base a vast majority of your branding and designs on your logo. You will want to include your logo in all your print and online marketing platforms. A business card, .like a logo, is another basic part of your Branding. You will want well designed business cards and print material to hand out when networking for referrals and potential clients.

The next important investment to your Branding and marketing will be a well designed website. In this new online informational age, a business must have a website to remain competitive. Your online branding and marketing begins with a website, however, avoid the syndrome that if you build it they will come. Your website design and planning should be well thought out and not rushed to just get your name out on the net. Avoid quick free DIY wizard products with limiting design creativity and always consult with a designer to understand these frameworks before signing a lengthy hosting agreement.

Building Your Brand, Building Your Business: Strategies

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:06:03 +0000

Part 2 Strategies

When beginning to create your Visual Branding Plan it is important to have your Business and Marketing strategies in place. Without your business and marketing strategies in place, you can spend more money and time in the long run as you end up redoing a logo, changing a trade name, creating an ineffective website or even market to the wrong audience if you do not have a clear understanding of your strategies.

Once you have completed your Business and Marketing strategies I recommend following up with a Marketing Professional to establish your game plan for how to market your brand. It is very important to determine your audience and where your market is located and then how you will create the Visual Elements of Branding. It is at this stage that you will want to consult with a Web, Graphic and Social Media Designer.

Building Your Brand, Building Your Business

admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 20:30:58 +0000

Part 1

When you build your brand, you build your business…and then if you are building your business you are building your brand [Thank you James for expanding on this! ]. Your brand is be more than your trade name, logo or website. A company’s brand touches all aspects of a business, from marketing awareness to reputation and referral potential.

The Branding chart provides a breakdown of the key elements involved in branding. Building your brand is your Visual Plan. Building your business is your marketing and Action Plan. Neither Plan can exist without the other, nor can your Brand and business exist on only one element of each plan.

As mentioned, your Brand includes more than your business name, logo, and look and feel. It includes your Visibility, Reputation, and Influence to attract satisfied clients that are happy to give you Referrals. Unlike the linear Visual Plan, you action plan elements are multiplied to reach higher results.

Note the red stars. Online branding includes a website, social media, blogging, forums, video, photo and radio sharing. These are fairly new elements in branding and are quickly becoming a marketing standard as print material has been for years. Influence now plays a role in your action planning since your use of websites, blogs, social media and new media allow for customer interaction.

Branding has become more complex and involved and does not stop at your trade name or logo. Keep this in mind so one does not fall into the “…if you build it, they will come” syndrome of doing nothing once your site it up an running. Continuous updating and content posting and customer interaction will help build your visibility, reputation and influence.

How Does Visual Marketing Help Your Business?

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 19:10:25 +0000

Visual Marketing spans into nearly every portion of your business’ communication and advertising and is the front runner to your strategy and plan to branding your business image. In order for your company to be heard, it must also be seen…and seen a lot as well as remembered. As visual creatures, we are attracted to images that help us remember information and therefore the branding of your company’s public image is crucial to building awareness of your service and product. Your visual marketing may include your logo, website, blog, online advertisement, banner ads, print material, magazine or newsprint ads, TV, webinars, and online short videos…nearly any medium your customers can see whether online or traditional.

A business should approach their Visual Marketing with a design plan and strategy. Often times this includes understanding your business’ own target audience and demographics so that the visual design work meets your audience’s interests. If your target audience is 13-18 year olds , the visual graphics, and even choice of lettering (fonts) may want to be hip, cool and fresh compared to a traditional feel of an older demographic. Once you have established your target audience, a plan must also be in place to determine where you will market and how you will want to use the different mediums available. Your visual message may need to be adjusted depending on the marketing realm you would like to focus on. Online marketing like a website or the use of Social Media outlets may require a new approach compared to traditional print ads.

Full Circle Design and Marketing is an approach to maintain consistency in your image across all marketing mediums. Older established businesses that opened prior to the computer age and Internet, may wish to make an adjustment to the new online mediums requiring a slight change in their traditional look. Although it is not recommended to change a logo, sometimes just the colors, or the graphics surrounding a logo can be updated for a newer fresher look if a business is transitioning to an online medium. Working directly with a graphic designer or visual marketer can help your business have a clearer plan to a marketing strategy and consistency in your visual marketing on a variety of mediums.

Ultimately a business wants to use appealing visual graphics to keep their message in the public eye and stand out from their competition. Visual marketing helps to bring the business’ image and look together as well as help improve traffic to a website or other marketing mediums including your store front and business location.

What is Graphic Design and Online Marketing?

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:58:27 +0000

Graphic design is a collaborative process between a client and a designer — in conjunction with producers of form (i.e., printers, programmers, signmakers, etc.)— to convey a specific message to a targeted audience. The term “graphic design” can also refer to a number of artistic and professional disciplines that focus on visual communication and presentation. The field is also often referred to as Visual Communication or Communication Design. Various methods are used to create and combine words, symbols, and images to create a visual representation of ideas and messages. A graphic designer may use typography, visual arts and page layout techniques to produce the final result.

Graphic design often refers to both the process (designing) by which the communication is created and the products (designs) which are generated. Common uses of graphic design include identity (logos and branding), web sites, [online] publications (magazines, newspapers, and books), [online] advertisements and product packaging. For example, a product package might include a logo or other artwork, organized text and pure design elements such as shapes and color which unify the piece. Composition is one of the most important features of graphic design, especially when using pre-existing materials or diverse elements.

History

While Graphic Design as a discipline has a relatively recent history, with the name ‘graphic design” first coined by William Addison Dwiggins in 1922 ^[2], graphic design-like activities span the history of humankind: from the caves of Lascaux, to Rome’s Trajan’s Column to the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, to the dazzling neons of Ginza. In both this lengthy history and in the relatively recent explosion of visual communication in the 20th and 21st centuries, there is sometimes a blurring distinction and over-lapping of advertising art, graphic design and fine art. After all, they share many of the same elements, theories, principles, practices and languages, and sometimes the same benefactor or client. In advertising art the ultimate objective is the sale of goods and services. In graphic design, “the essence is to give order to information, form to ideas, expression and feeling to artifacts that document human experience.”^[3]

Internet marketing, also referred to as i-marketing, web-marketing, online-marketing, Search Engine Marketing/[Optimization (SEO)] (SEM) or e-Marketing, is the marketing of products or services over the Internet.

The Internet has brought media to a global audience. The interactive nature of Internet marketing in terms of providing instant response and eliciting responses, is a unique quality of the medium. Internet marketing is sometimes considered to have a broader scope because it not only refers to the Internet, e-mail, and wireless media, but it includes management of digital customer data and electronic customer relationship management (ECRM) systems.

Internet [Online] Marketing ties together creative and technical aspects of the Internet, including: design, development, advertising, and sales.

Internet marketing also refers to the placement of media along many different stages of the customer engagement cycle through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on specific websites, e-mail marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies. In 2008 The New York Times, working with comScore, published an initial estimate to quantify the user data collected by large Internet-based companies. Counting four types of interactions with company websites in addition to the hits from advertisements served from advertising networks, the authors found the potential for collecting data upward of 2,500 times on average per user per month.^[1]

^{Wikipedia Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.}