anoadmin - Old City Web Services

Make Your Business an “App”solute Success in 2012

January 4, 2012 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

New in 2012: Custom Mobile Applications

We are so excited to kick off the new year with a new service available to all of our clients. Through our partnership with App Smart, a Jacksonville based development company, we can now offer custom created mobile apps tailored to your industry.

Some of the features that can be added to custom applications (made for both Apple and Droid products) include:

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube integration.
Ability to add short term specials, coupons and discounts.
Push notifications and other new opportunities to reach customers through GPS technology.
QR Codes for quick downloads.
Calculators and other relevant resources.
Built-in contact forms.
Restaurant reservations.

Tracking statistics are also available with apps, giving you the ability to track your downloads and client usage.

For more information on the features and benefits of a mobile app, visit the App Smart website or give us a call for pricing and other details.

Later in the month we’ll go over mobile devices and the differences between mobile apps and mobile websites!

To read more about each of the topics above you can review all of our weekly tips, tools and tricks on our blog or just give us a call at 904-867-4112!

2011 In Review: Part 2

December 14, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

A recap of the knowledge we’ve shared this year.

It’s been a great year! We hope you have enjoyed our Customer Education Program and have learned some valuable tips and tools to promote your business.

Just in case you missed some of our articles, we’re doing a quick recap on what we’ve learned. You can also visit our blog to catch up on all of our tips from this year.

Here are some of the topics we discussed in 2011:

Business Marketing
We’ve spent some time this year talking about some important points to promoting your business including:

• Using online and offline strategies together.
• Keeping your message consistent across all types of marketing materials (brochures, business cards, website, etc.)
• Driving traffic to your website via marketing tools like printed handouts, advertising and more.

Social Media
In 2011, Social Media has become an even more popular avenue for reaching your customers. Our tips on using Social Media this year included:

• Adding Facebook and Twitter links to your website.
• Keeping your Facebook and Twitter feeds updated with a minimum of one post or tweet a week.
• Interacting with clients to get more followers.
• Using Social Media to get valuable feedback from your customer base.

Print Design
This year we talked about several different types of print design you can have created at Old City Web Services to help promote your business including business cards, brochures, rack cards, banners and signs.

Search Engine Optimization
Some of our tips in 2011 focused on our e-mail and hosting services including:

• Understanding how hosting and domain registration are different but equally important.
• Using email addresses at your domain to make your business look more professional.
• Protecting your computer from security threats with important safety tips.

To read more about each of the topics above you can review all of our weekly tips, tools and tricks on our blog or just give us a call at 904-867-4112!

2011 In Review: Part 1

December 7, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

A recap of the knowledge we’ve shared this year.

It’s been a great year! We hope you have enjoyed our Customer Education Program and have learned some valuable tips and tools to promote your business.

Just in case you missed some of our articles, we’re going to do a quick recap this week and next week. You can also visit our blog to catch up on all of our tips from this year.

Here are some of the topics we discussed in 2011:

Website Development
This year we’ve shared some pointers on all the major parts that make up a great website including:

• Writing excellent, action oriented content
• Organizing your website navigation in a way that is simple and user-friendly.
• Creating a purpose-driven website for your business.
• Incorporating all the elements of a great design into a professional, clean look.

Content Management Systems
We’ve also discussed the value of a content management system and what all it can do for you including:

• Giving you the ability to make changes to your website with any computer connected to the Internet.
• Expanding your website with additional plug-ins like slideshows, picture galleries, blogs and calendars.

Mobile Websites
Another advantage of Content Management Systems is the ability to add a mobile plug-in that will automatically convert your website into a mobile friendly format for your visitors.

Search Engine Optimization
This year we spent some time talking about the importance of using search engine optimization to drive traffic to your website. We went over some of the important keys to SEO including:

• Understanding how Google works.
• Using keyword rich content on your website.
• Targeting specific, relevant keywords and phrases.

To read more about each of the topics above you can review all of our weekly tips, tools and tricks on our blog or just give us a call at 904-867-4112!

5 Things You Need to Know About Websites

November 30, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

1. Every website MUST have a specific purpose.

Why do you have a website? That’s the first question you have to answer before you even begin to think about design or anything else. What do you want someone to do when they visit your website? Do you want them to purchase one of your products online? Encourage them to contact you by phone to schedule an appointment? Get them to come visit your physical business location? Your website is built around what you need it to do.

2. Websites do not generate traffic on their own.

If you opened a new storefront somewhere, you might get a little traffic from people who pass buy, but you won’t be able to sustain your business unless you tell everyone where to find you and what you offer. Advertising, search engine optimization and word of mouth will all generate traffic for your website and the more traffic, the better your business will be.

3. Content is the key to solving #1 and #2.

Driving people to do what you want them to do on your website starts with content. Text and photos have to tell people what your services/products are and what they need to do to purchase them. Content will also help you attract search engines to generate more traffic for your website.

4. Flash animation can only do so much to benefit your website.

Websites with flashy intros and other moving graphics might impress first time visitors, but they don’t do much else to benefit your website or your business. Search engines can’t read graphics, so there’s no benefit there for your rankings. The best way to use an animated image is to have a professional slideshow system (like SlideShowPro) with text captions that the search engines can read, giving you a benefit in both areas.

5. Update. Update. Update. Update.

When you live in the same house for a while, you start to realize things are looking a little dated and worn. Eventually, you might have to spend a little money to update your kitchen or your bathroom, but it adds to the overall value of your house. The same goes for websites. As times and technology change they get a little out of date and you have to make some updates to improve the value of your website and business.

OCWS News & Holiday Hours

November 16, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Old City Web Services Thanksgiving Hours.

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is next week! We hope you will enjoy the holiday with your families as we will be enjoying it with ours. Old City Web Services will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24th and 25th for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen for business at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 28th. If you have an emergency over the holiday break, you can call our main number 904-867-4112, follow the instructions to leave a message on our emergency line and someone will get back to you.

Other news & notes from OCWS.

We are ready to march forward after Facebook Marketing Bootcamp.

Facebook recently offered a three week webinar series with tips on marketing and advertising effectively on Facebook. We learned a lot from the six sessions and are ready to use those tips to help you promote your business. Soon we hope to begin conducting seminars in house to help pass along our knowledge of Facebook and other marketing essentials to you. If you would be interested in taking one of the courses, email shannon@oldcity.com with your contact information and we will keep you posted on future development.

OCWS launches a new site for New World Realty.

Marcus Wally and his team at New World Realty have a new home on the web. NewWorldRealty.com features a built-in content management system, professional slideshow and a special plug-in that allows visitors to search through the MLS real estate listings without leaving the website. Old City Web Services was excited to work with Marcus and we wish him and his team the best with their new internet home!

New OldCity.com is just around the corner!

If you’re a current advertiser on OldCity.com, you should have received a link to a sneak peek at the new OldCity.com in your hit report message for this month. Just in case you missed it, you can visit OldCityWebServices.com to check out a screenshot of the new site design and read about some of the new features that will benefit your business. Soon we will have a link to share with our advertisers so they can be the first to explore the new site!

E-Mail: 5 Tips You Need to Know

November 9, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

1. Customers prefer an email address at your domain.

You may have had your Yahoo, Hotmail or Bellsouth account for years, but when it comes to doing business online in 2011, customers prefer the professional touch of an email address at your domain. For example, if your website is bobswidgets.com, your professional email address should be something like owner@bobswidgets.com or talktous@bobswidgets.com.

2. You can still have your email forwarded to your old address.

As an Old City Web Services customer, you have the option to choose whether you check a separate inbox for your website email online or have it forwarded to another email account. If you’d prefer to save time and only have to check one inbox, let us know and we will forward your business email (like owner@bobswidgets.com) to your personal email account (bob@bellsouth.net). You can also have up to 10 business email addresses with each domain you host with OCWS.

3. When selecting an email account, don’t be afraid to get creative!

It’s common to see email addresses on the web like contact@bobswidgets.com or info@bobswidgets.com, but common isn’t always good. Those email addresses tend to get spammed more than others, so we advise injecting a little creativity into your email address. It will also make your address more memorable for your customers.

4. Send photos as attachments instead of pasting them into your email.

If you’re sharing pictures with someone over email, they will receive a higher quality image if you attach the file to your email instead of pasting the picture itself into the body of the email. In

WorldClient, it’s as easy as clicking on the paperclip button, choosing your file, and clicking the “Add as attachment” button! In Microsoft Outlook you can click the paperclip, select the file and press “Insert.”

5. Don’t forget about your junk mail!

While the filters on your email might catch a lot of spam and add it to your junk folder, it can also catch a few emails that are not junk. Make sure you check your junk mail folder once a week to see if there’s anything that was put in there by accident.

5 Tips for Protecting Yourself with Passwords

November 2, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

1. Don’t save passwords in smart phones and laptops.

Sure, it’s more convenient to save your passwords for certain websites on your mobile device so you don’t have to enter it every time. But imagine how easily you could lose your phone or laptop, either by accident or at the hands of a thief. Now you’ve given a stranger direct access to your personal accounts. Take the extra time to enter your password, you won’t regret it.

2. Change your passwords often.

Again, even though it’s not always convenient, you should change your passwords often. For personal data such as bank accounts, credit cards, etc. you should change your password every 60 days. For email, social media sites, etc. you should change your password every 90 days.

3. Write your passwords down and store them safely.

It can be easy to forget your passwords, especially when you change them often. Keep a current list of your passwords in a safe location at home just in case. You may also want to write down answers to security questions (some sites use them for added protection) in case you need to reset your password. Each time you update the list, shred the old one.

4. If you share it, change it.

If you have to share your password with someone to get assistance with your computer, make sure you change it after your computer is fixed. Even if it’s a friend or family member, it’s better to be safe and start fresh after someone has had access to password protected parts of your computer.

5. Where possible, use computer generated passwords.

It’s tempting to create passwords from pet names, birthdays, kids names and other important monikers and digits in your life. But sometimes those passwords can be easy to decode, making them unsafe. Instead, consider using a computer generated password. There are several websites available that can create a random group of letters and numbers for you–just make sure you write it down (as we said in #3) since they can be difficult to remember!

Business Cards: 5 Things You Should Know

October 26, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

1. Make a good first impression.

Your business card is often the first impression branding-wise that you give your potential customers. That’s why you need a card that is designed to reflect your business style and stand out from the rest of your competition. Imagine if your potential customer was to line up five or six business cards from you and your closest competitors–how would they separate yours from everyone else’s? If you have a unique, professional card, you’ll be establishing a solid foundation for future business.

2. Provide just the right amount of information.

A common mistake with business cards is to put up too little or too much information. The perfect amount of text will give the name of your business, a tagline or short (less than 20 words) sentence about what your business does, your name and title, a phone number and address, email address and your website. For all other details, you want to direct people to your website where you have more available space to sell your products and services.

3. Make sure your text is readable.

It’s tempting to use unique fonts to make your business card different from your competition. But beware of fonts that make it hard to read your text. Some fonts are easy to read when they are large, but illegible when they are small. Pick something that won’t be distracting or confusing, simple is always best when it comes to fonts.

4. Two-sided is the way to go.

Printing costs have come down in the last decade with the increase in technology. This has many advantages, including reduced costs for double-sided color printing. Two-sided business cards are becoming a major trend, with most people choosing to put their contact info and title on one side of the card, then using the other to highlight their website or company name. It’s an eye-catching and memorable design.

5. Don’t short yourself on good paper.

It’s important to print your cards on a stiff, thick card stock that will have a longer life than a cheap, thin paper. Most printers also offer UV coating to prevent ink rub off and make the card sturdier as well. Still, matte coating (a dull finish versus a shiny finish) makes a statement as well, just remember that without the coating a thicker paper is a must to give your card a proper backbone.

Celebrating HAWKE, Raintree and more.

October 19, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

HAWKE’s 14th Annual Dinner for the Birds, Oct. 28th

Support one of St. Augustine’s oldest wildlife rescue groups at their annual Dinner for the Birds event at the Raintree. While you enjoy this exquisite meal you’ll also be able to meet some of the beautiful birds who have been rescued by Melanie Stage and the rest of the HAWKE team. For more information, visit the OldCity.com calendar or the HAWKE website designed by Old City Web Services.

Raintree Celebrates 30 Years this month.

Speaking of the Raintree Restaurant, congratulations to our longtime clients on celebrating 30 years of excellent food and service! St. Augustine would not be the same without the terrific tastes and cozy atmosphere that Lorna McDonald and her family have created at the Raintree. Congratulations and here’s to another 30 years!

The new OldCity.com is almost completed!

In our latest progress report on the new OldCity.com, we have moved into the testing phase of the project. Features both new and old are being tested as we prepare to bring Northeast Florida’s most popular web portal to the next level. You can take a sneak peek at the new site and all it has to offer by visiting the Old City Web Services website.

5 Seasonal Updates Your Website Needs

October 13, 2011 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Keep your website fresh and up to date with these seasonal changes.

1. Business hours.

Summer is long gone and the holiday season is around the corner. Has your business changed its hours accordingly? Make sure your website has the correct hours displayed on every page.

2. Holiday promotions.

Are you offering any specials for visitors during Thanksgiving or Christmas? What about discounts during non-peak hours or mid-week? You should let your clients know by displaying the information on your website.

3. Seasonal events.

Is your business participating in a seasonal event? From special tours to Christmas open houses, get the information out there now so that people can start making plans to attend. Also include details on where customers can purchase tickets to your event (if necessary).

4. Holiday Closings.

If your business is going to be closed over the holidays, let your customers know with a short message on your website along with the dates and/or hours that you will be closed.

Special Tip for Restaurants: Let people know now if you will be open or closed for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas so they can make their plans accordingly! Also give out information if you’re offering a special holiday meal on those holidays.

5. Photos and graphics.

Last but certainly not least, decorate your website for the holidays with seasonal images and graphics. If you don’t have a content management system that allows you do this yourself, give us a call and we can give you some information and ideas on what we can do for you!