Author Archives: admin

Why a Professional Website?

I often get asked, Why do I need a Professional Website?  I am often amazed as in todays age a website is most likely the most important marketing tool your small business has.  All your other marketing materials point to it and most likely it is the #1 way that people find your products or services.  Today’s generation is all about Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

Advantages of a Professional Website:

  • the #1 reason – Create new customers and bring in more calls and leads to improve your bottom line
  • crisp, clean images to portray your companies quality products and services  – if your competition has a poor website and you have a website that shines 9 times out of 10 you will get the client
  • assist with your daily routines as in having customers fill out forms online , download forms, etc.
  • provide a central location for your web presence including videos, Facebook groups, podcasts, customer testimonials, and case studies
  • get listed on Google, Yahoo, and Bing

As with any goal of a small business, the number one reason is to increase sales.  Period.

Ask yourself, have you even decided to purchase from a company over another based off their website?  I have and so do most people.

Internet surfers spend an average of 7 seconds on a web page and they make several judgments and decisions during that quick time span. If they’re looking for a professional or a business, during the 7 seconds they spend on the web page, they will decide whether to go off the site and look for something better… or they will be suitably impressed and look for the phone number to call. A beautiful website with relevant content engages user interest and they stay on your website longer and ultimately make a purchase!

Of course the number one answer is to make more sales. Professionals and businesses that have beautiful websites make a better impression on prospects and clients. That leads to more sales and higher margins. Professionals frequently realize having a beautiful office can help their business, just like nice clothes, a nice briefcase, a classic watch.  A website is no different and is just as important or perhaps even more important!

EZ Twist Balloons

We recently got done with the www.eztwistballoons.com.  This website was made for EZ Twist Ballons in order to sell their patented EZ Twist Balloon Tool.  With this tool you can create twisty balloons for your next party or event!

EZ Twist Balloons

The website includes a fully function shopping cart, embedded Youtube video’s, a integrated newsletter, and much more!  It is also a CMS website so the customer can easily change the website and update it as needed.  It has a shopping cart that fully integrates with UPS Shipping rates and so the rates are automatically calculated based on the location of the order.

As usual we installed Google Analytics on it and the traffic for their website has been increasing ever since its launch.

Utah Energy Conservation Coalition

We just finished up a CMS website for the Utah Energy Conservation Coalition.   They are a non-profit organization that helps you make your house energy efficient and saves you money on your monthly utility bills!

The main goals they had were to get a website that they could easily update themselves.  We implemented a CMS website for them and showed them just how easy it is to update their content.

We will be adding a Newsletter program to their Online Presence in which people can sign up for in order to get the latest tips and news about making their home as energy efficient as possible!

Webnovate vs Competition

During our FREE consultations, I quite frequently meet clients that are looking to replace their current web design company.  Typically the complaints are about poor service, how long it takes to get anything done, or that the web design firm is simply not listening to the clients wishes or desires in regard to their website.   Quite frankly I don’t get how someone can be in business and forget that these are YOUR clients and not the other way around.

A few weeks ago, I went into a FREE consultation and I was totally shocked at the level of service this particular client was getting from a different firm (I will leave the name out).  I asked them why and they were not happy and they pointed out that they were horrible at service, took forever to do anything, and they did a CMS website for them but they didn’t take the time to show them how it worked.

I asked the client to login to the CMS and so we could take a look around and see what they were doing.  They were using WordPress and at first it appeared the company that did this knew a decent amount of what they were doing as they at the least had some good plugins, did the Permalink change, had Google Analyitics installed etc.  The website was not that bad looking, but the only thing they forgot to do is SHOW THE CLIENT HOW TO USE IT!

He continued to show me how he was editing a page.  He went to the Pages tab and opened up a page and it was simply all HTML.  Plain and simple, he was using the HTML tab instead of the Visual Tab in WordPress.  With any change he was going to someone else’s website and copy and pasting the code and tweaking it to his site.  Basically he was learning the basics of HTML.  So when he said they didn’t really show them how to use WordPress, he was right.  The biggest reason to use WordPress, is so you can easily update your web pages yourself and not have to pay a Web programmer to make the changes for you.  If you sell a WordPress website, this is the FIRST thing you should show the client as that is the whole reason they bought the product!  So in about 5 seconds I showed him how to fix that problem by using the Visual button and I even showed him all the other additional Toolbar shortcuts and what they did.

I went to this Free Consultation with the idea of selling another website, but I told the client if you like the look of your current website, then you could keep it and now that you know how to use it, you might be fine.  Of course, I would rather have them do a new website as we make more money, but the truth is that they have a decent website and the only thing that this other company was lacking was CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Our clients are amazed at our customer service!  We offer prompt, fast, and friendly service as that is just the way we are.   If we sale you a CMS website, we will actually show you how to use it and if you have any questions in the future on anything, one quick email and we will have an answer for you typically that same day.

Blogger vs WordPress

I am constantly asked, Blogger or WordPress?  This is a NO BRAINER!!

W-O-R-D-P-R-E-S-S

If you are considering setting up a business blog, you shouldn’t even consider blogger or also knows as blogspot.    For personal blogs it is fine, even though I still lean on WordPress, but here are some reasons why:

A) If you host with us, we will set up WordPress for you for NO Charge! (Just mention this post)

B) With Blogger , you do not own your blog, Google does.  You will have a blog as in joesmoe.blogspot.com.   Notice that the domain is blogspot.com, which is owned by Google.    If you setup in WordPress (.org), then you own your blog and domain name and everything.

C) You get the entire WordPress community for free or little charge.  You get to use many plugins and themes and most of them are Free or relatively inexpensive.   With blogger, you simply get what Google gives you.

D) All the top bloggers, use WordPress.  Thats right, even Google’s own, and one of the leaders in SEO is Matt Cutts.  If he uses WordPress that should tell you something.  Look at the Source Code for any top blog and most of them are using WordPress.

In a nutshell, for personal blogs www.blogger.com is fine, but if you are considering blogging for your business, always choose WordPress.  If you would like more information on customizing your blog then contact us.

Difference of WordPress.org and WordPress.com

What is the difference of WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

In a nutshell:

WordPress.com is a FREE service that is hosted by and at WordPress.com.  It is similar to Blogger, which many people refer to as blogspot.com.  You have NO hosting fees, but you are tied down more and cannot install custom themes and custom plugins etc.

WordPress.org is the main domain for the WordPress Community.  With WordPress.org you are basically downloading the latest version of WordPress and installing with your hosting account.  The software is FREE, but you have to host it yourself at some hosting company that supports hosting WordPress, as in Webnovate.

Hosting is rather cheap and you have a ton of options with WordPress.org and you have support from the entire WordPress.org family.  Wordpress is growing and growing and there seems to be more and more plugins and themes, information, and support.

WordPress is rather easy to install.  There are a few things you want to do from scratch to help your SEO out as in changing the permalinks.  If you are a non-techy person and want us to install it for you, just give us a shout and we would love to help you out.  If you host with us, then we will set it up for you for FREE.

Silver Creek Flash Website

We just got done with the new Silver Creek  website at www.silvercreekllc.com.  This website turned out really well as it emphasize the high quality custom homes that they build.  The website was completely done with Flash and includes a Blog for better Search Engine Optimization (SEO).   Other features of the website include:

  • Homepage – this page includes a brief intro as well as an embedded slideshow that includes some of the Masterpieces that they have built in the past few years.  It also includes an option to fill out a form to receive a complimentary spotlight DVD that showcases their finest work.

Silver Creek Construction Group

  • Theater Room Page –  which includes a custom HD video that Webnovate also made to embed on their website.   We also created these DVD’s in order for Silver Creek to hand out as promotional DVD’s.  Prospective customers can request a free DVD on their website at http://silvercreekllc.com.  (Click on the picture below to see the live page)

Watch this Video to find out more about Silver Creek Construction Group

  • Visionary Page – one of the main components of the Silver Creek philosophy, is Visionary.  If you can envision it in your dream home, they can build it.  Their homes are equipped with things as in theaters, indoor golf simulators, amazing pools, and much more!   This book is a online brochure of the quality homes they build and the core values that Silver Creek encompasses when building custom dream homes.  (Click on the picture below to see the live page)

Visionary

  • New Stand Page – This highlights the various awards that Silver Creek has won and it shows what a solid and and reputable company they are.  They have been featured in many magazine articles and TV shows.  (Click on the picture below to see the live page)

News Highlights

  • Masterpieces Page – This page is a slideshow of the custom homes they gave built and shows off the beautiful masterpieces that thier customers now call home.  (Click on the picture below to see the live page)

Masterpieces of Silver Creek

  • Contact Page – this page gives prospective customers the ability to easily request contact information, a free complimentary DVD, or more information about their company.  (Click on the picture below to see the live page)
  • Contact Silver Creek

Webnovate really enjoyed building this website for Silver Creek!  They are very innovative and have excellent taste!  If you are looking for a custom home in Utah, California, Arizona, or Hawaii then we would highly suggest you contact Silver Creek to build your next dream home!

Utah Web Design 2010

We are excited to bring in the New Year and make 2010 even better than 2009!  Webnovate has been doing Utah Web Design for over 10 years and each year is constantly changing.  We are excited to see what 2010 brings as in Web Development, it is a constantly changing industry and 1 year is quite some time for the latest trends and technologies.

In 2009 we saw a rush in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and it actually became a buzz word.  I would say that it started to become more of a buzz word a few years ago, but in 2009 it was much more common when discussing website needs and it has been adopted into mainstream language.  Many of our customers are realizing the importance of SEO and SEM campaigns and how you can have the best looking site out there, but it doesn’t mean much unless you are getting found in Search engines.  The Yellow pages are slowly dying and Google, Yahoo, Bing, MSN, and others are the main way that people will find your company.

I would also say that some of the other more popular request were for Content Management Systems (CMS). Webnovate did a lot of work with CMS websites and helped many clients in getting their CMS websites up and running.   Our Customers are amazed at how easy it is to update their own websites and how good they can look.  Our latest was for a non-profit that is rather large in Utah and is for a great cause, www.friendsforsight.org.

Perhaps the biggest change in 2009, was the explosion of Social Networking.  Social Networking  increased dramatically with the popularity of Facebook and Twitter.  While they have been around for a few years, it seems that 2009 was a huge year for these 2 in particular.  It is not uncommon to hear celebrities talking about what they “tweeted” about or their “facebook page”. They can utilized as great tools for any business in many ways, including keeping their friends and customers up-to-date on their services and offers.

So here is to 2010, Webnovate is excited and ready to play around with the latest trends and technologies as that is what keeps our job so entertaining and enjoyable!

Friends for Sight – New CMS Website

Friends for Sight launched their new website at www.friendsforsight.com.  Friends for Sight is a non-profit organization that helps prevent blindness in Utah.  They provide vision screening for children for Amblyopia (Lazy-Eye Blindness) and preserve sight.   Since 1955, over 521,024 children – that’s over “A Million eyes” – have been screened. In addition, over 374,022 adults have been screened for Glaucoma, the sneak thief of sight.   Since they established the high school drivers training vision screening program in March of 2001, 100,416 students have been screened in schools throughout the state.

Webnovate developed the website below with a full editable Content Management System (CMS) and embedded their Youtube Video on the website.   We also setup an online donation page using Authorize.net in order for prospective donors to contribute to their great cause.   If you would like to dontate to thier cause, please visit their online donation form at http://www.friendsforsight.org/donations/donate/.

Friends for Sight

Friends for Sight

Don’t forget to donate $2 when you renew your Utah Drivers License and License Plate Tag.

Friends for Sight - Check the Box

Friends for Sight - Check the Box