anoadmin - Old City Web Services

Storytelling Online

October 16, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Since we now know that storytelling is a primal and powerful form of communicating to others, we are going to focus on the parallels of storytelling since much of what needs to be considered when creating a story is the same as what's needed for creating a website or mobile app. Today we will explain three ways to integrate storytelling into your website.

1.) Keep it Visual

Visuals should not only "illuminate" your story, but further tell your story. The Pictorial Superiority Effect (PSE) means that sighted users absorb 75% more information from pictures than any other type of sensory input. In other words, people have a better memory for pictures than words. Using visuals and photos to tell a story online can be done through design choices such as use of white space, typography, proportion and hierarchy.

2.) Less is more

It's important to still include web copy on your website..useful and well-written copy that is. Just keep in mind that sometimes less is more. A story should be relevant, clear and easily understood. Text will add to your story and it's a important factor when having your site optimized for search engines. Text provides users with descriptive details, factual statistics and contact information. Break your text up with different design elements and tools that will engage the user. For example: instead of listing directions with text, an embedded Google map will be more engaging and functional, allowing people to easily get directions to you from anywhere in the world.

3.) Socialize your story

Once your website's story is complete, it's time to expose it to your audience. By inner-linking your story to social media networks, you open it to feedback, reviews and consumer engagement. Online storytelling is the best way to get your message out in the most cost-effective and timely manner.

Want to learn more about the world of digital storytelling ? Are you ready to make your unique story known to locals and visitors? Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com today.

Creative use of video online

September 25, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Video has maintained a powerful reputation of being one of the most efficient tools of visual communication. A creative and engaging video is a terrific way to present a product, service or brand and transform the user-experience to a much more interactive level. Because of this, professional, eye-catching videos are becoming increasingly popular in Web design today.

Below are three ways to incorporate video into your existing or new company or eCommerce website:

Video as Eye Candy

Using video as a visual enhancement will give your website that wow factor it may be lacking. It will not only attract visitors, but keep them on your site longer. People are much more inclined to watch a virtual tour of your establishment or a content-driven video explanation of your products than read a drawn-out, monotonous page of text. Placing a professional video on your Home page will gain customer's attention and push them to look further into your site.

Demonstrative Video

How-to videos are one of the most popular types for online usage. What better way to showcase your products or services than to educate your customers in a fun, creative manner. If you sell computer software, demonstrate how-to install the program, what special features it has and why it's beneficial to the potential buyer. If you sell produce or homemade preservatives, you may want to include videos on how-to cook different recipes using your products. This way, people will be more likely to come back to your site and tell their peers to check out your videos.

Use Video to Drive Traffic

Search engines love video. With proper video SEO, you have the potential to drive lots and lots of traffic to your site. By creating a YouTube or Vimeo Channel, you can organize your videos in one virtual location. Users can provide helpful feedback, connect with you and share your videos across multiple social media platforms. Once you embed one YouTube video on your website, your other videos from that Channel will be advertised as thumbnail links after the video has finished. Who knows...your videos may even become viral across the world-wide web, making you the next big YouTube sensation!

Want more advice on how to integrate video into your site or how to optimize your videos for search engines? Contact Us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com for more information.

The Future of Advertising: Online & Local

September 18, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

The future of advertising is somewhat unpredictable, but today we are going to give you the inside scoop on two consistent factors to always remember. Staff Writer for Entrepreneur.com, Kristin Edelhauser, writes: "The advertising of the future is going online--and going local. This hot trend is growing rapidly and shows no signs of letting up."

When it comes to selecting where to advertise online, it's important to choose websites that will give you the most exposure to your target audience(s). Make sure you do your homework and find sites that will advertise your business with a clear and concise message. Avoid ad's that are too flashy as they come across as obnoxious. The purpose is to attract the viewer discretely and motivate them to make a move--whether it's to direct them to your website or pick up a phone and call you. Online advertising is shifting toward contextual advertising or "Advertising on a website that is targeted to the specific individual who is visiting the site." Because these ads are more targeted, they're more likely to be clicked on, therefore generating more exposure to the company.

In order to get the targeted, content-driven ad you need, it is important to find the top local websites that generate similar content to your industry. For example, OldCity.com has 35+ pages, each targeted towards specific community and world-wide interests such as the Where to Stay page for those planning a trip to St. Augustine or The Community page, a place for area businesses, real estate, etc. to list their businesses. The plethora of content OldCity.com offers opens the doors to residents and visitors around the world, deeming it the go-to site for finding everything related to the our nation's oldest city. It's informative, popular and constantly updated.

Better your business and start advertising the right way today. Visit us at OldCity.com, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Responsive Web Design- what it is & why you need it

September 4, 2013 by anoadmin

Responsive Web Design is a web design approach targeted at crafting sites to provide an optimal viewing experience-- easy reading and navigation with minimum resizing, panning and scrolling across a wide range of devices (from mobile phones to desktop computer monitors).

When developing a new website for your business or redesigning your outdated existing site, it is crucial to make sure it has a responsive design. Drew Thomas, Chief Creative Officer and co-owner of Brolik, a global digital agency, reinforces this argument in an article titled, Why Responsive Web Design Has To Win Out. Thomas says, "The most important metric is how functional the website is for the user. . . Mobile and desktop websites should be easily found, easily shared, fast loading, easy to maintain and easy to build on."

Old City Web Services specializes in responsive web design and we provide the highest level of responsiveness to our clients, insuring that each design will work well on multiple digital platforms. We guarantee web designs that fall in line with the responsive web design standards. Test your website by bringing it up on various mobile devices, desktops, laptops and web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox and Google Chrome). Does it appear user-friendly and remain consistent throughout?

Need help determining whether or not your website has a responsive web design? Concerned that visitors are not getting the best experience while on your site?

Contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: werespond@oldcity.com to schedule a free consultation.

Image fundamentals for your site

August 28, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

A picture is worth a thousand words. Okay, maybe that sounds a bit cliche, but it's true, especially when it comes to your website. So what does this phrase truly mean? It means that a single image has the potential to tell a story just as well as a large amount of descriptive text. Jakob Nielsen, User Advocate and principal of the Nielsen Norman Group, says: "Users pay close attention to photos and other images that contain relevant information, but ignore fluffy pictures used to 'jazz up' Web pages." Photos are important, yes, but what's more important is deciding what photos to use and what photos are useless. Shuffling through hundreds of old photos can be time consuming and aggravating, especially if you aren't sure what you're looking for. Below are some things to consider when deciding what images to use on your site:

1.) Image Fundamentals- size, composition, quality and exposure are four important things to look for in a good image. Make sure your photos are unique, high resolution and most importantly- you own them.

2.) Effectiveness- Each image on your website should create excitement or interest for your viewers. When determining the effectiveness of a photo, consider its emotional and rational appeal:

Emotional appeal- does the product in the picture look good and make the user want it?

Rational appeal- does the image show the benefits of the product?

3.) Transmitted Message- Each image should send a message that sticks. Make sure the message is in-line with your brand and it's strong enough to simulate an action from the customer.

Keep in mind that the human brain subconsciously ignores purely decorative or filler images on the web while pictures and images of real people or real products are automatically categorized as important and are often studied in detail.

Need help determining whether or not your photos are worth putting on your website? Is your site in need of an entirely new look and feel that incorporates the right images? Let Old City Web Services effectively showcase your business online. We can help you accomplish all of the above plus more! Just remember, visual content drives engagement.

For more information, contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Google Devalues Link-building Tactics

August 21, 2013 by anoadmin

For years, SEO professionals have emphasized the importance of increasing the number of external in-bound links to a site in an effort to build authority and trust, hence boosting organic search rankings. One by one, Google has been devaluing these tactics. What does this mean for your website? These changes will remove value that your site previously enjoyed by means Google classifies as unnatural. Below, we've included three devalued link building tactics from Google's latest link scheme guidelines:

Large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links.
Advertorials or advertising where payment is received for articles that include links that pass PageRank.
Links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites.

Feeling overwhelmed or possibly scared that your company's website may be affected by Google's ever-changing algorithms? Are you 100% certain your site is optimized organically? Don't fret! Let the professionals that specialize in organic SEO and SEM maintain and monitor your website's rankings so that it won't be devalued because of new policies. For more information, contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Expand your reach via email marketing

August 7, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Want to know one of the best ways to stay in touch with your customers? Email marketing is an easy way to produce a message and get it to your audience within seconds. It's cost effective and, if done properly, can help build brand awareness and loyalty. This form of marketing can cost as little as a few cents per message and generally speaking, the response rates remain strong when it comes to opens and clicks. Because email is alive and kicking, email marketing is still a central channel for most businesses. With this being said, it has become increasingly important for small businesses to utilize email marketing properly. Below are 3 tactics to increasing your email marketing reach.

1. List Management

Collect, manage and send messages to segmented groups of customers by creating customized contact lists. Let a professional help you organize and manage your contacts in one place. Old City Web Services helps clients by quickly exporting contacts into an email marketing system, then grouping them accordingly (i.e. general interest, repeat guests, brides, etc). We will keep your lists current and manage both new subscribers and those who wish to unsubscribe.

2. Social Share

Not only are you reaching hundreds or thousands of customers via email, but you can increase the volume of people exposed to your messages by sharing your email campaigns with the company's social media followers. This creates potential to spread your message through the viral channels of social media.

3. Tracking

How many people opened your email? Of those people, how many forwarded your message to others? Did you gain or lose subscribers? All of these questions should be asked and analyzed to determine what's working and what's not in order to maximize the Return on Investment (ROI).

Let the professionals help! Old City Web Services offers email marketing campaigns catered to small businesses. Expand your reach today and start targeting your customers by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Rise of the Solopreneur – How to brand yourself

July 31, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Strong branding is crucial in our ad-cultured world. It is important to ensure that you're the first person in your field that enters customers' minds. This can be a somewhat daunting task when it's just you-the entrepreneur who works solo. You may ask yourself: How can I stand out and become memorable in the minds of others? Simple- professional branding. Below are two things to remember when branding or re-branding yourself as a one-man or one-woman business:

1. Simplicity

When it comes to branding yourself, clarity of expression, or simplicity, is key. Having a logo that is too busy or filled with trivial detail can come across as confusing or even pretentious in some cases. A consumer will generally just take a brief glimpse at a logo and in those few seconds, you must grab their attention. It's no coincidence that the most memorable logos are also the most simple in appearance. Although larger corporations such as Cocoa Cola, Target and Nike may first come to mind, it's important to remember that even Solopreneurs and small businesses choose simplicity over complexity when choosing their logo.

Individuals that utilize simplicity (click on the names below to view logo)

2. Consistency

Once you have come up with your branding, don't shy away from it. Use it everywhere...and I mean everywhere! I'm talking new business and rack cards, advertising, stationary and of course, your website and social media networks. With this being said, take the time to generate a plan for exposing your new brand to the public and the media, but be confident in your new brand. If you don't believe in yourself, nobody else will.

Need a professional and skilled graphic design team to assist in your branding efforts? Old City Web Services specializes in providing small businesses, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs with everything from logo design and development to complete re-branding campaigns.

Here's a look at some of our recent logo development work for local clients (click on the name below to view logo)

For more information, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com! You can also view some of our branding work on our website - just Click Here!

Square-up your business!

July 24, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

According to Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, "Square is the shape of things to come." The Square has built-up its reputation on a small credit card reader that plugs into the headphone jack of an iPhone or iPad and allows any user to accept credit card payments using an app. This new technology has taken off and is used by thousands of merchants across the world. From taxi cab drivers to lawn care, the Square is one of the most valuable devices for small businesses. Of course, with any new product, there are pros and cons for the Square. It may be your perfect solution or you may want to choose a similar product, but either way it is something to consider. Below are three arguments why the Square is the product of choice for many small businesses:

1. Efficiency

The Square is small, compact and easy to use. This tiny device allows for a smooth transaction process that makes accepting credit cards a breeze for you and your customers.

2. Convenience

Let's face it- how often do you not carry your phone with you? This handy Square connects right to your phone and can go anywhere with you. Avoid the hassle of cashing a check or depositing cash with the Square. The buyer is happy because of the convenience of emailed receipts and an expedited process. Besides, the Square makes you look professional and up-to-date with the newest technology trends!

3. Cost Effective

The Square integrates with your existing merchant account and doesn't have any costly start-up fees, therefore it is cheaper than some iPhone credit card processing services that are costly and require a flat monthly fee. Square provides an option for users to choose whether they want a monthly rate or a percentage deducted per swipe. The per swipe fee is 2.75%, however when a card is not present, the percentage is increased--something to consider before choosing the Square. Hint: Take a look at your customers buying history and determine what type of payments they are most likely to make. If you handle large transactions in person where the card is present, this may be your most cost effective solution.

Want to know more about the Square card reader for iPhone or learn about other innovative technology trends? Old City Web Services can help! Begin minimizing your stress and maximizing your profits today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com for more information.

Why use PayPal?

July 17, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

If you're thinking about selling products or services online, you may want to consider PayPal as your method for securing online transactions. PayPal is great for integrating into Content Management Systems and makes it easy to place a link directly on your site. PayPal also works well with many handy plugins. Below are four reasons PayPal makes it easy for small businesses to sell merchandise online:

1. Set-up made easy!

The first step is to sign-up for a free PayPal account. There are various types of PayPal accounts. If you are just starting out and don't plan on selling very high-ticket items, you may want to choose the personal account for the first couple of months. You can always upgrade to the Premier or Business account anytime you want.

2. Notifications

Once a customer submits their online payment through your PayPal account, you will receive an email notification sent to the primary email address on your account. Even if a buyer pays with an e-check, PayPal will let you know the transaction is pending approval. This makes for easy bookkeeping and organization of your online transactions.

3. Shipping Capabilities

PayPal will handle all of your shipping needs using standard shipping rates depending on the service you choose. PayPal allows you to print invoices quickly and easily. Hint: For larger items or customers that choose expedited shipping, compare shipping rates between USPS, UPS and Fed Ex to guarantee the best rate.

4. Reporting Tools

PayPal's Reporting Tools provide you with the information you need to effectively measure and manage your small business. These tools are important in tracking transactions, comparing customer trends and will make you more profitable. With PayPal's Reporting Tools, you can:

Analyze your revenue sources to better understand your customers' buying behavior
Automate time-consuming bookkeeping tasks
Accurately settle and reconcile transactions

Want to know more about PayPal for your business? Old City Web Services can help! From determining the best type of account for your business needs to integrating PayPal into your existing or new website. We'll minimize your stress and get you on your way to online payment success. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com for more information.