anoadmin - Old City Web Services

Make more money with eCommerce Solutions

January 31, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Sell products online safely and securely with our eCommerce integration.

Do you have high-end art or crafts that you would like to sell from your home? Or is your clientele located across the country or around the world? Build your business and make more sales by using our new web-based eCommerce program.

From inventory management to shipping quotes, there are so many features available with this system you'll feel like you have an entire staff at your fingertips. You can add an unlimited number of products and categories, manage orders, create wholesale accounts, manually or automatically process credit cards, print shipping labels and more. The best news of all? This system can be integrated into your current content management system so you won't have to change the look or feel of your site.

Call us today to expand your business on the world-wide web!

If you would like more information on our eCommerce systems, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation.

Re-branding that works!

January 23, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Your brand is more than your name, logo or slogan - it's the entire experience your customers have with your company, product or service. It's your promise, what you stand for and your overall persona.

Re-branding your company is typically required when you fall behind on new market trends in your industry, identify too closely with your competitors, to bypass negative publicity or as a means to jump-start your new business.

Research, research, research!

We cannot emphasis this enough- when it comes to developing a new brand, you must consider both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. A few key research tactics include: website usability, ad tracking and R.O.I. metrics and segmentation studies.

Kid Tested, Mother Approved

Your brand must be both relatable and defendable - for example 'Volvo and Safety' or Kix cereal and their slogan, "Kid Tested, Mother Approved." Both of these brands conducted extensive preliminary research to determine their target audience and what unique message they wanted to communicate based on their products, services and values.

Launching your new brand

Before you roll out your re-branding efforts and introduce it to the world, it's important to make a plan and remember that consistency is key in making this a seamless process. You'll also want to make sure that you include your re-branding efforts in each of your various marketing channels.

Here's a list of tactics you may want to consider as part of your re-branding strategy:

New Logos and Corporate Identity
E-Mail Campaigns
Online Advertising
Print Ads (i.e. brochures, business cards and rack cards)
Sales Material and Collateral
Signage

Old City Web Services offers countless re-branding services including logo and print design, e-mail marketing campaigns, online advertising on OldCity.com, print advertising, signage, etc. We work with our clients on an individual basis in order to give them a strong band that will work across multiple platforms.

If you are interested in re-branding your company or need assistance building a brand for your new business, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or e-mail us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

The Importance of SEO Maintenance

January 16, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Your website is an important component of your business and it's crucial for you to be found on search engines. SEO is not a one-time service, rather an ongoing process that businesses must monitor & maintain. Think of it as an investment, the more you put into your SEO rankings, the more traffic & visibility your website will gain! Here's a brief list of why SEO should be maintained by a professional:

Search engines are constantly changing their search algorithms... A perfect example of this is the Google Panda Update when "Google took action against content farms that were gaining top listings with 'shallow' or 'low-quality' content" effecting approximately 12% of search results in the US alone.

Search engines tweak the Search Engine Results Page (SERP)... In 2007, Google announced their Universal Search which blended users' search results with images, videos, blogs, books, news etc., ultimately pushing websites further down the page.

Competitors try to and WILL outrank you... If you rank above your key competition, they will take notice and they will take measures to outrank you, most likely by hiring an SEO specialist to improve their content and back-links.

Many companies don't actively or effectively use Analytics on their own... Many business owners have the stats at their fingertips, however it's knowing (& finding the time!) how to analyze them to prove & improve R.O.I. Companies that invest in ongoing SEO consulting are putting themselves way ahead of the competition by allowing the company to focus on its core skills and relying on the SEO professional to do what they do best.

Old City Web Services offers a plethora of SEO and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) services including four different plan levels. We work with our clients on an individual basis to recommend which level will work best for their business, based on their needs and the competition in their industry.

If you are interested in improving your search rankings, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or e-mail us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

What is your website lacking?

January 9, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Is your company website fully-optimized, user-friendly and easy to update on your own? Many business owners choose to develop a website for one sole purpose--to establish that online presence, however the key to any good website is that it's never a finished product. A successful website requires constant SEO, frequent updates, added features and a fresh new design never hurts!

Keeping up-to-date with your site is essential in attracting new customers and keeping the loyal ones coming back. If you're thinking of transforming your current website into an easy to manage, content management system (CMS), you've found the people who can help!

From content management to hundreds of useful plug-in tools and features, our CMS has become the web's leader in Internet programming. Old City Web Services will use this program to re-structure your entire site, giving you the ability to modify almost all static text and images on your website from your computer, any time you want!

Its user interface tool is password protected and can be accessed through any browser with internet access. It's as easy to use as any word processing tool. It also includes a number of plug-ins that can be installed including a Twitter widget, photo gallery, contact forms, a calendar function and our favorite--a mobile plug-in! The image to the right is an example of a custom mobile site we designed for our friends at American Personal Storage.

Old City Web Services will give you a brief tutorial before the site goes live and provide you with a user manual for future development. Additionally, we are always available for questions after your site goes live.

If your company website is in dire need of revamping, Old City Web Services can help!

If you are interested in re-designing your website, call us: 904.829.2772 or e-mail us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com and we can schedule a free initial consultation meeting.

Calling all small businesses!

December 26, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Ten years ago, just having a website put a business on the cutting edge of technology. Recently, more and more businesses have discovered that to have a leg up on the competition, they have to go beyond that initial leap into the web. Quality design and complimentary marketing materials are key to staying afloat in the online business world.

Ring in 2013 with a new website!

Whether it's a face-lift for your website, an eCommerce system, logo design or SEO, Old City Web Services has a lengthy list of Services we provide that will boost business and solve your web & design needs.

» WEB DEVELOPMENT: Make your website pop with an eye-catching design and user-friendly layout.

Process: We start with a custom design tailored to fit your business, and then we help you figure out the best way to organize information on your site so that your customers can easily find what they need. Every design is also developed to work properly in all the major browser systems.

Cost: Our design and development fees are estimated on a per client basis, determined by number of pages and site functionality. Call us (904.829.2772) to set up your free consultation.

» eCOMMERCE SOLUTIONS: Extend the reach of your business by selling your products and managing your inventory online with one our custom eCommerce systems.

Process: Based on our meetings with each individual client, we customize our eCommerce system to fit your business with a unique design and specific features. Our system includes the ability to create a secure log-in for wholesale clients, add/remove/edit products with a password protected admin tool, manage your inventory, assess shipping costs and so much more.

Cost: All of our eCommerce solutions are priced based on each client's individual needs. For more information, call us (904.829.2772) to set up your free consultation.

» LOGO DESIGN: Give yourself a good branding foundation with a custom logo and mark to represent your business.

Process: Our designers will create four separate logos for you to choose from. Every logo is custom designed for your unique business and strong enough to represent your company. All of our designs use Pantone Colors so that your logo will be printed with the right colors every time. Once your logo is completed, we provide it to you in an .EPS format so that it can be re-sized from a postage stamp to a billboard without distortion.

Cost: Our logo fees are assessed on a per client basis with a 50% deposit and 50% due upon completion. Call us (904.829.2772) to set up your free consultation.

» SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION: Bring relevant search engine traffic to your website's doorstep with our SEO services.

Process: Our experienced SEO specialist conducts advanced research to determine the most relevant key words and phrases with high search volume and low competition that can bring traffic to your site. These keywords and phrases are then incorporated into the content of your website.

Call us (904.829.2772) to set up your free consultation.

If your business is in need of rescue, let our team spring into action.

If you are interested in any of our services mentioned above, call us (904.829.2772) or e-mail us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com and we can throw you a life preserver with a free initial consultation meeting.

5 ways to improve your company blog

December 20, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

"The only difference between an audience and a community is how you face the chairs."

-Chris Brogan, CEO of Human Business Works

We are all well aware that a company blog will help improve your SEO & overall web presence, but additionally, blogs allow you to instantly interact with your customers and help create a unique voice for your company.

1.) Q&A

Your customers will always have questions and you, as the expert, are expected to provide the answers. In doing so, you'll improve your credibility and appear more personable. If you notice a trend in the questions people are asking, create individual posts to address the most common inquiries.

2.) Incentives

Posting offers and highlighting certain products or services will keep customers coming back for more. Share specials, new products or tips on how to get the best deals. Showcase upcoming events and ways your company is involved in the community. Here's a few examples of post titles:

Our Top 3 Best Sellers
10 Reasons Why Customers love_____.
Why you love what you do

3.) Keyword Tools

One of the best (semi-kept) secrets in the world of small business bloggers is the ability to see what keywords your potential customers are using. Free tools such as Google AdWords & Wordtracker will give you tons of new blogging ideas and will tell you the best words to plug-into your posts.

4.) Today I...

Over and over again we hear: "But I don't have anything to talk about." That's not true! Your customers want to know who you are and what you're trying to accomplish with your business. This is a cornerstone for trust-building, plus --it works. Sometimes the "little things in life" truly are the most remarkable and your customers want to hear about them. Write about an act of kindness you received from a stranger or how you resolved a conflict. Even sharing a photo of your lunch from a neat new place you found will get people excited.

5.) Comment & Follow Others

Commenting and following other resourceful blogs will not only increase your following and traffic, but it will show others that you have the go-to blog for customers to find useful information. Your goal is keep your following coming back for more and in order to do so, you must contribute to others conversations.

If you have not yet joined the blogosphere, hopefully these tips will convince you to jump on in and join the conversation!

Here's a few questions to get you started:

Who are you?
Where are you from?
Why did you choose your specific business location?
What are you most passionate about?
What struggles have you gone through to get where you're at today?

Need help setting-up or linking your blog to your website? Old City Web Services can help!

Give us a call or send us an e-mail for more info:

904-867-4112

letusmarketyou@oldcity.com

How to Monitor your Organic Traffic

December 14, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Measuring organic website traffic is a crucial role for any SEO or SEM specialist. Google Analytic's is one of the web's most popular tools for measuring & analyzing website traffic. What's its best feature...? It's free!

Google Analytics shows you the keywords people searched for that led them to your site via the organic search results--the traffic that comes from Google or Bing that you've not paid for. Hint: To check your traffic, click "Traffic Sources," "Sources," "Search," then select "Organic."

Why is this information helpful to you? It tells you how many people are searching for you by name and what stage of the buying cycle they're in when they get to your site. If people are searching more general terms of products or services (i.e. "Places to stay in St. Augustine"), this tells you the customer is still shopping around and most likely looking at your competitors sites also! Hint: This is why it's key to have a professional looking website that is organically optimized by an SEO/SEM specialist! You'll also notice that these searches are constantly changing over time.

The "Queries" section of Google Analytics will tell you the reaction people have to your site within their search results. Queries will tell you the number of people that saw your site pop up and the percentage that actually clicked on your link--this is called the click-through rate. Hint: Take in mind that these stats are estimations...not exact numbers.

Lastly, take notice of the specific pages people arrive at when they go to your site your site (i.e. contact, blog, photo gallery). Hint: These are called "landing pages" for that reason! Google Analytics allows you to monitor the rankings of each landing page therefore the higher the ranking for your landing pages=more traffic to your site.

Need help monitoring your organic traffic or worried your site is not keeping potential customers engaged? We can help! Let Old City Web Services track your organic traffic and help improve your overall rankings!

Be Smart: Mobile Friendly Sites & Apps

December 5, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

By 2014, it is projected that more users will access the internet from their phone than from a computer! Creating a mobile site does not have to be fancy or expensive...in fact it's typically a more simplified version of your actual site. The most important part in developing your mobile site is identifying the key actions you want your users to take.

Here is a list of things to keep in mind when designing your mobile site:

Keep forms simple--Name & Email are sufficient enough!
Minimize the content...just keep the important stuff--who, what, where, when & why.
Limit the size of the files--whether its 3G, 4G or 10G, phones are going to take a lot longer to load files that are too big.
Always include 'click to talk' phone numbers, allowing users to simply click "Call Us" and be connected with you in seconds.
Smart phones have GPS--make sure that your location is set-up for users to get directions to your business wherever they may be.

Let Old City Web Services help you reach your customers at their fingertips at any time of the day! We can design & program a custom mobile friendly site for your business in a timely & professional manner.

Local Online Advertising…That Works!

November 28, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Quick! Let's Google It...

Do us a favor and open up Google and search: St. Augustine, FL -- what website results pop up?

How about Things to Do in St. Augustine, FL, St. Augustine Events & Where to stay in St. Augustine?

You should start to see a common denominator among these popular search terms -- it's OldCity.com!

We are consistently in the top three for every one of the above terms plus many more. That's why thousands of visitors come to our site every day looking for information about our beloved town--St. Augustine.

Imagine how many people will be searching for information about St. Augustine now that the holiday season is here - the snow birds have arrived and the infamous "Nights of Lights" takes place through the end of January. When visitors flock to the Oldest City for our great weather and many festive holiday events, OldCity.com is their go-to for information.

During our peak times, OldCity.com services nearly 70,000 visitors in just one month's time. Don't you want them to find your business, too?

Advertise with us and our traffic will become your traffic. Visitors will click on a link placed in your ad that will take them straight to your website for reservations, specials, menus and so much more.

The best news of all? We have extended our 50% off special until the end of the year, but hurry - spots are going fast!

Just another way OldCity.com is opening the doors to St. Augustine.

The 411 on E-Mail Marketing

November 21, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

E-mail marketing allows you to reach a mass number of people quickly & efficiently (plus it's affordable)! There are many free or cost-effective e-mail marketing websites available, however it's how you're utilizing these programs that's most important.

Quality over Quantity

E-mail marketing is the key to delivering content to your prospective customers. It is essential to conduct research prior to sending out these messages. You must segment your contact lists based on the needs of your clients and the purchasing stage they are in. Ask yourself-- what do these prospects already know about my products and services & how likely are they to purchase? Develop buyer profiles and personas to determine what key messages need to be delivered to each segmented audience. Hint: It's important to realize when you first begin to utilize e-mail marketing that the quality of your prospects greatly outweighs the quantity.

Call to Action

Any successful e-mail marketing campaign has a clear Call to Action. You may develop a beautifully designed and easy-to-read message, but without a visible and prominent Call to Action, your prospects will not know where to click, what to follow, or how to buy. Step #1 is to set a single goal - what is the purpose of your message? Are you trying to gain traffic to your site or blog or are you trying to bring prospects to a specific products' landing page? Make sure that your Call to Action is unique to each of your segments. Hint: Email marketers have seen a steady rise in mobile subscribers. Treat this group as a new segment to increase relevance and response.

Practice makes Perfect

There are hundred of variables that you can test out to determine what's working and what to cut. You should test out design variables: layout, colors & fonts and user-interface such as buttons and links. Analyze your test results and make changes accordingly. Hint: Don't forget to test the time in which you send or schedule your messages. This is crucial in guaranteeing your audience is receiving your messages & will be determinant on what stage of the buying process their in.

Let Old City Web Services help your business with your e-mail marketing needs!