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Once upon a time in a galaxy far far away, business owners could just design a static brochure-like site and call it good. Many would then leave their site alone for years at a time, with no updates or fresh content. However, the search engines have kicked into gear with standards that just do not allow this any longer. Today’s business websites must be kept current, creative and dynamic. Remember, […Read More]
Author: Advice Local
Images Are Everything
Show Your Prospective Customers You Mean Business Use Images that Demonstrate Your Talents and Value We all know that a great business-to-consumer website starts with a smart site plan. This plan puts together all the important pieces used in Internet marketing in order to tell the most effective story of your company’s products and/or services. You want to use carefully selected keywords, systematic geo targeting, logical URLs, and just the […Read More]
SEO Trends at the Halfway Point in 2012
We Were Just Here, What Was the Point of That? In Jerry Seinfeld’s stand-up routine about horse racing, he discusses what the horses must think when they get to the end of their race and realize they’ve come full circle and are back where they started. To quote the horse (CD audio version), “That was the longest possible route you could take to get where you wanted to be!” I […Read More]
Is Your Contact Form Giving Bad Leads? Here’s One We Might Use
In any kind of service industry you will always be sifting through less-than great leads, it’s inevitable. Whether it’s people wanting something for nothing, unreasonable prospects, or just plain ol’ time wasters, we’ve all had these experiences. One of the things that can make all the difference in the world is a great form. It’s by far the easiest way to size a visitor up before ever speaking to them. For […Read More]
Getting Caught With Your Pants Down
Client: I don’t know anything about SEO, but I know I need it. Can you help me? Shady SEO Consultant: Sure! I’ll submit your website to all the search engines, add your site to 500 directories, and do keyword research for you-all for $200. Client: Wow, I don’t know what any of that means, but it sounds like a great deal. When can you start? Shady SEO Consultant: Right away. […Read More]
The Anatomy of a Horrible Web Design Client
Have you ever had a client lead with, “I’m not a graphic designer but…”? I feel web designers across the globe shaking their heads in a knowing nod, smiling briefly, and now shedding a small tear because inevitably, the client got what they wanted despite the brilliance and purpose you poured into their initial design. It’s OK bro, I feel ya. Just the other day, I heard the phrase, “It […Read More]
Why Businesses Should Own Their Logo Artwork: Raster Art vs. Vector Art
I help to set up online properties for a lot of local clients in the service industry, as well as national clients that carry a high level of brand recognition. In working with these two different types of clients, I often have to work through some graphic design obstacles when it comes to visual branding. I find the main difference between local and national clients is the access to and/or […Read More]
A Must-Read Before Purchasing A Website
I’ve spent the majority of my working career helping small to mid-size businesses with their online presence. I’m a programmer by trade, and I’m comfortable with code, but my clients almost universally are not. They just want it to “work.” I feel the same way about my car. I don’t know how it works, and I don’t really care either. I just need it to get me from point A […Read More]
HTML5: What should I be using right now?
With all of the hype around HTML5, you may be wondering what (if anything) you and your team can start implementing into your workflow. With new tags available and a plethora of features aimed at browser application development, the HTML5 feature set looks rich and inviting. Disclaimer: Before I go further, I want to point out that my department at Advice specializes in web marketing. Many of our clients are […Read More]
Research Proves Itself To Be A Grammatical Bully
Many content writers find themselves padding content with adjectives. This isn’t always to bulk it up (despite the seemingly infinite space a content box provides), but rather to liven up copy which may otherwise seem…unspicy. With the magical touch of a professional writer, “garden hose” becomes “chartreuse, snaking, garden hose which breezily sprays crystalline water droplets”. And while, as a writer, you may sit back in your chair and smile […Read More]