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Use Social Media for your Holiday Campaign

October 24, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Holiday Social Media Campaign

Plan your Holiday Social Media Campaign for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.

Kick-start Your Holiday Social Media Campaign on Facebook

A Facebook event is the perfect way to spread the word about your campaign.

First, create an event for your Black Friday sale, Cyber Monday sale and Small Business Saturday. The event feature in Facebook provides every tool you need to spread accurate information to your audience; time, location, and description of the promotion. Whether you are a historic bed and breakfast or trendy boutique you should create a catchy title.

Holiday Social Media Campaign

Attract attention with a Facebook contest.

Get your Facebook page exposure by getting it more likes, views, and interaction with a Facebook contest. Although they don't necessarily enhance a social media campaign they do, in fact, reinforce your campaign efforts because they bring your company to the attention of the public.

Small businesses rarely participate in Facebook contests. However, contrary to popular belief, they are straightforward and easy to manage. Click here, to learn more about contests.

Follow-Up with Twitter

Hashtags

Promote your Facebook event on Twitter and decide which hashtags to use throughout your holiday social media campaign. It is important that hashtags stay the same during campaign tweets. Also, keep in mind, "tweets with one hashtag are 69% more likely to be retweeted than those with two" according to Taylor Webster, of Postcron.

Poll on Twitter

Polls are easy for followers to participate in and encourage engagement. But remember to gear your query towards your social media campaign. Example: "What will you buy your Uncle for Christmas? A) Our Rabbit foot, B) Our Custom Salt/Pepper shakers, C) Our Brand Steering wheel cover."

Mentions and Memes

Obviously, the mention of a fellow business doubles your audience because their followers see the tweet as well. But, don't overdo it and be sure it is a business you have a relationship with.

On the other hand, memes can't be overdone. In fact, you can take comfort in the fact your audience appreciates the entertainment - unless you are posting dozens of memes daily. Who makes up the majority of your clientele? Use that as a guideline for humor.

Shopping Meme
Holiday Social Media Campaign Meme
Holiday Social Media Campaign Meme

Post on Instagram

Use Stories to entice shoppers during your campaign

Since your campaign information is out on Facebook and Twitter, use stories to grab the attention of your audience because it will further focus your audiences' attention. Whether your campaign is for a Black Friday sale, or Small Business Saturday shopping, Stories offer a sneak peek at the venue and goodies they have to look forward to.

Add a Poll

We talked about the 3 new social media updates to know about a few weeks ago and the Instagram poll feature, added to the Stories section, is one of those new updates. Every call-to-action method is just as important as the next. Therefore each available method should be utilized to maximize your campaign success and even though the poll is limited to a two-answer query, it is necessary.

Photo quality is key to a successful social media campaign

Instagram is essential to your holiday social media campaign, but it will do more harm than good if you do not share quality photos. Followers get a visual of your product that leaves a lasting impression. Therefore, if a photo is blurry or includes unkeen elements; dirt, holes, garbage, or random items, it is better to not post at all. Audiences understand that quality photos are taken of quality products. Consequently, it is a good idea to use appealing backdrops and props, sharp photography and a clear message when posting.

Hotels and B&B’s
Photo Quality
Alcoholic Beverages
Photo Quality
Trinkets
Photo Quality
Clothing and Shoes

P.S. Unlike Twitter, Instagram users love hashtags so add as many as you'd like. Remember to keep them on topic with your campaign. Include the campaign hashtags you use on Twitter.

In conclusion, it is important to stay consistent while planning your holiday social media campaign. Therefore it is important to post frequently and stick with your theme! But, if you are having difficulties planning a campaign yourself, give us a call.

Shop St. Augustine

Shop local. Shop St. Augustine.

To support the shop local movement, we have created the Shop St. Augustine campaign. Whether you are a business owner or are shopping, eating, playing, or staying in St. Augustine, using #ShopStAugustine connects you with other businesses in town and helps show everyone that St. Augustine is open for business.

 

A slim and focused website beats a cluttered website every time. More is not always better. We have seen first-hand businesses make the mistake of including irrelevant information to their website. The website eventually loses its focus and ceases to be an effective marketing tool. You pay a lot of money in SEO and other marketing tools to get customers to your website - but there is little to no action from it. Remember you have a very brief window of opportunity to capture a customer. Your website’s visitor should immediately understand what your company does and how that benefits them. Failure to do this will simply result in the visitor going to your competitor. Take an honest look at your website. It may be time for a little de-cluttering and re-focusing. We can help!


Mission Statement

Our mission at Old City Web Services is to navigate the world of web design, web development, and advertising for our clients so that they can focus on what they do best – running their business! Our business intentions go beyond the metrics of graphics, coding, and SEO. Located on Florida’s First Coast, we run a personable home front service and consider our relationship with our clients as a partnership in their success. If you are looking to increase your business’ visibility give us a call at 904-867-4112 or contact us today.


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Disclaimer: Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information on Old City Web Services Blog.
Photo credits: Old City Web Services

Filed Under: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Facebook, Instagram, Small Business Marketing, Small Business Saturday, Social Media, Social Media Campaign, Twitter, Uncategorized Tagged With: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Facebook, Instagram, Small Business Saturday, Social Media, Social Media Campaign, Twitter

Marketing When Just Starting Out

April 21, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Adobe Spark(129)

So, you've started a great business. It's something you've worked hard on and can't wait to share with the world. This is where marketing comes in handy. Marketing is how you get the attention of your target audience, how you build a following, and how you make that audience listen to what you're saying and interact with you.

Strategic marketing can truly make or break the success of your business. A common mistake among first-time business owners is that they spend a lot of time and money on building their business, website, and brand, and then wait for people to find them. You could have the most innovative business in your industry, but without proper marketing, you could be hard to find.

Think of it this way: If someone doesn't know what they're looking for, how will they find you? How can someone find something they've never heard of?

It's your job to spread the word about your business and get people to know who you are.

How do you do that? Check out our list of 7 ways to start effectively marketing your business:

Define your audience

When marketing any business, it's vital to know your target audience. When thinking about who your target audience is, it helps to include factors like age group, location, and disposable income. Once you narrow down who your audience is, it will help you to figure out other things such as reasonable costs of your products and services. A 21-year-old college student is going to have different budgeting priorities than a middle-aged father of three. Not only are they in different life stages, but their priorities and what they are willing to spend will also be different.

Advertise in the right places

After you've distinguished who your audience is, think about their lifestyle and what will reach them.
How and where does your audience spend their time? Are they more prone to be watching tv, checking Instagram, or researching things online? Look at your competition - what are they doing successfully? How might you implement their techniques into your advertising strategy? Advertising is anything you do to get the public's attention for your business. It could be anything from social media or Google advertisements to rack cards, business cards, and signage. Keep in mind, it's best to spend money where you think you will get the best return on your investment.

Make sure your website is up-to-date with SEO

Having a website is essential for a business, but without proper Search Engine Optimization, a website might not reach its potential and could be detrimental to your business. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the action of using relevant keywords and phrases with a high search volume in the content of your website to optimize the traffic coming to your site. Proper SEO leads to higher rankings and maximized user traffic. A website with well-done SEO is one of the best spokespeople you can have for your business. It does all of the work of bringing in online traffic and customers, which leads to more revenue for you.

Use social media to your advantage

Social media is a great (and free) tool to get your business' name out there. 7-in-10 Americans have social media accounts, a huge increase from the just 5 percent of social media users in 2005. People use social media not only to connect with people they already know but also to connect with people, organizations, and brands that share their passions. When it comes to social media, each platform is unique and appeals to a different audience. Once you research and find which platforms work for you, create accounts and start posting! Hashtags are popular ways to connect with people who are interested in a certain topic. It also helps to follow influencers and businesses in your industry. For inspiration, check out our blog post on local businesses getting it right on social media.

Set up your Google listing

The Google My Business tool is a great way to get your name out there. When people search for you, all of your essential information will appear. It also shows how many reviews you have and allows people to view them. You can also see where people are coming from, how they found you, and how they're interacting with you. Another helpful feature is the ability to go into your Google account and see how many people called you, looked up directions to your place of business, or went to your website strictly from your Google listing. And on top of all that, it's free.

Encourage customers to leave online reviews of your business

Reviews matter. Why? Because no matter how many times you say how awesome your business is, it still means more coming from a consumer. People trust other people's experiences. That's why online reviews are so key. Think about it: If you are looking for an Italian restaurant in town and look up the reviews, are you more likely to go to a 1-star or a 4-star restaurant? Positive customer reviews build trust, and the more positive reviews you have, the better off you'll be.

Make use of email marketing

Email marketing is one of the most effective types of marketing you can do. Why? Because the inbox is where your customers are. People may check social media for entertainment, but they check email for important information. When people sign up to receive your emails, they're doing so because they want to hear from you and keep up with what's going on with your business. With emails, you can send your customers important information, highlight services or products, feature a new blog, and much more. Also, read our blog post on 6 Ways to Make Your Email Marketing More Effective.

How we can help

Successful marketing strategies are unique to each business. No two strategies will be completely the same. Starting from scratch can be an overwhelming process.

That's why we at Old City Web Services offer marketing and SEO services.

Our team can help with:

  • Finding your target audience
  • Determining where/how to advertise
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Social media management
  • Setting up your Google listing
  • Email marketing management

From content creation to design to social media management, our team can help you create a strategy that will help you and succeed. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you stand out from the competition!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Advertising, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Small Business Marketing, Social Media Marketing

Avoiding Common Social Media Mistakes

April 3, 2017 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Adobe Spark(85)

Social media is a great tool to promote your business and connect directly with your niche. It is an extension of your identity and is becoming an essential part of a business' online presence.

With competition among businesses at an all-time high, more and more business owners are seeing the importance of social media outlets and signing up for accounts. But all too often, even with a good amount of time and effort invested in posting content, some social media accounts still fall short. If your business is successful, your social media should automatically be, too, right? Not necessarily.

Here are 5 ways you could be missing the mark with your social media:

Using poor quality photos/videos

Social media is a highly visual platform, so it's important to make sure that the way you reach people visually is effective. People relate the quality of what you put on social media to the competency of your business as a whole. While quality photos and videos portray a sense of trust with your audience, subpar content could relay a feeling that your company isn't top-notch. So, take the time to invest your time into making sure what you're putting out there is worthy of your brand. Even if you're taking photos on your phone, there are some great editing apps out there to upgrade your images!

Using photos that aren't yours

This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Not only does it lack creativity, but it also isn't legal. Think about it: Taking someone's photo and calling it your own is the same thing as putting your name on an artist's painting. It's a form of stealing, it takes away legitimacy, and it also puts you at risk of being in hot water legally. So, be safe and create your own content. If someone has posted content on social media, there are safe ways to share. On Facebook, you have the option to "share" a post. On Twitter, you can "Retweet." On Instagram, there is a way to repost a photo giving credit to the original creator. For each outlet, it is best to read their rules for proper sharing.

Using the same message across all platforms

There are countless social media platforms out there, and they are all unique. Managing a company's social media presence can be a time-consuming task, so a common pitfall of social media managers is scheduling the same exact post to go out on every platform you use. While this saves time, it isn't effective in the long run. It's important to learn how each social media outlet works and treat it as the individual platform it is.

Posting at the wrong times/frequency

There's nothing more frustrating than putting time and effort into an awesome post and it get little to no traffic or interaction, right? When it comes to posting content, timing is everything, and the best times to post are unique to your audience. It's true that popular times people check their accounts are when they wake up, when they go to lunch, and in the afternoon or the end of the day. But other than that, it depends on who your audience is and their habits. A good way to learn your audience is to track the analytics of your posts. When do they interact and engage? When are they unresponsive? When you learn their patterns, you'll get an idea of the best times to put information out there. It's also just as important to know how often to post.

According to Buffer, you should post on:

  • Twitter - 3 times per day
  • Facebook - 2 times per day
  • LinkedIn - 1 time per day
  • Google+ - 3 times per day, at most
  • Pinterest - 5 times per day
  • Instagram - 1.5 times per day
  • Blog - 1-2 times per week

Not being relatable

Social media is all about connection. People crave community and relationships with others on social media. This applies to other people, businesses, nonprofits, bands, celebrities, etc. The cool thing about social media is that it gives people a look into the lives of others they wouldn't normally get to see. Social media followers crave authenticity. It's so important to show that your business has a personality. It gives your audience something to connect to and shows that you're more than a name, a logo, and the services you offer.

We know creating an effective social media presence takes work. That's why we offer social media marketing services. Contact us to see how we can increase your audience and online presence. And take a look at a previous blog post where we highlight local businesses using social media to their advantage.

Filed Under: Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Social Media Marketing

What We Can All Learn from Small Business Saturday

November 29, 2016 by anoadmin

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Small Business Saturday is a day that small business owners look forward to each year. It’s a time for people to come together to celebrate the passions of those in their community. Small Business Saturday was coined by American Express in 2010 to build support for small businesses during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. According to a Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and American Express, 108 million shoppers took part in Small Business Saturday in 2017, spending more than 12.9 billion dollars.

With Small Business Saturday still fresh on our minds, it’s a great time to think about what makes the day successful and how businesses can implement these strategies all year round.

Share your story and personalize your business

One of the top reasons people choose to spend money on Small Business Saturday is because they feel connected to the people behind the business.

  • Share pictures of your staff and day-to-day operations.
  • Document life from your point of view and show that you and your staff are real people. When people feel they can relate to you, they connect to you, and it peaks their curiosity to get to know more about you.

Give customers an incentive to shop at your store versus a big box store

Point out what makes you different from chain stores.

  • Show what makes you unique and what you can do that the big corporations cannot.
  • Highlight your handmade and local products, attention to customer service, and investment in the community.
  • Connect with customers and show them that their money is serving a bigger purpose at your place of business than at a corporation.

Host themed events

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Declaration and Co. celebrated Small Business Saturday and the release of new episodes of "Gilmore Girls" by transforming part of their shop into Stars Hollow.

Show your business’ character by hosting a fun themed event that is relevant to the lives of your customers and aligns with who you are as a company.

In 2016, local St. Augustine business Declaration and Co. combined Small Business Saturday with a Gilmore Girls-themed event for the much-anticipated Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix. They transformed part of their shop into Stars Hollow complete with a Luke's Diner and had one-of-a-kind themed merchandise for sale, much to the excitement of Gilmore Girls fans in the area. This is the perfect example of using current events and trends to up your marketing and connect with your audience.

 

Use your social media accounts to connect with your customers and those looking to shop locally

This one is a no-brainer. Social media is an integral part of how you build relationships with your target audience. It’s a great way to get personal with your customers and reach people you might not be able to otherwise.

  • Post pictures and videos of what’s new, what’s coming up in the future, and why they should visit you.

Shop local. Shop St. Augustine.

To support the shop local movement, we have created the Shop St. Augustine campaign. Whether you are a business owner or are shopping, eating, playing, or staying in St. Augustine, using #ShopStAugustine connects you with other businesses in town and helps show everyone that St. Augustine is open for business.

Filed Under: Small Business Marketing, Small Business Saturday

#ShopStAugustine

November 9, 2016 by anoadmin

shopstaug-fb-coverimg

By downloading these materials, you agree that Old City Web Services is granting you a limited right to use these materials on an “AS IS” basis. We may revoke your right to use these materials if you alter them in any way, or use them inappropriately, in a manner inconsistent with the values of Old City Web Services or contrary to the direction from Old City Web Services.

Support Small Businesses When You #ShopStAugustine

  1. Make it your goal to buy produce, gifts, clothing, etc. at local shops.
  2. Buy gift certificates or gift cards from restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and attractions.
  3. Spend a relaxing weekend at one of the many bed and breakfasts in the area.
  4. Take a tour and learn some new facts about the Nation’s Oldest City.
  5. Support local eateries by visiting one of the many unique local restaurants, bars, and coffee shops around the area.
  6. When shopping, try to use cash. Using cash saves small businesses a 2-4% processing fee.
  7. Check out one of the many farmers’ markets and support local vendors.

#ShopStAugustine As Often As You Can

Together we are united and determined to make St. Augustine better than it ever has been. We propose that starting now, we start promoting our local economy by using the phrase Shop St. Augustine. Use #ShopStAugustine or #ShopStAug to indicate that you are a small business or you are shopping at one. This is an amazing outlet we can use to promote our local economy and all the diverse businesses, establishments, and restaurants St. Augustine has to offer.

That's why we've created the Shop St. Augustine campaign. In this blog, we've included everything you as a business need to show customers that you are open and ready for business. It's time to rally together and create a buzz around our local establishments.

Our Shop St. Augustine toolkit includes the Shop St. Augustine logo you can use and share on social media and your website, a Facebook cover photo and a flyer to hang in your window or pass out to visitors. We truly believe that this has the potential to help revitalize our local economy and show everyone out there that we are open and better than ever!

About the logo: The Shop St. Augustine logo we designed features our iconic lion from the Bridge of Lions which not only symbolizes our city but also our strength and resilience. The wrapped gift shows that our economy is an essential part of the backbone of the St. Augustine community.

Shop St. Augustine toolkit

Shop St. Augustine Flyer, Facebook Cover Photo, Logo

shopstaug-fb-coverimg

 

Filed Under: Small Business Marketing

10 Ways to Establish Your Business

September 26, 2016 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

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Being a new business has its challenges, one of the biggest being establishing yourself in the community. A loyal client base and name recognition are vital to your success. Without the support of those around you, failure comes closer to becoming a reality than a fear. So, how do you make your startup stand out before it sinks?

Take advantage of free listings

This is a no brainer. Putting your company’s name out there as many ways as you can for free should be a top priority. Directory listings and community calendars are great resources for the community and an excellent way to get your name out there. This takes minimal time and effort and helps establish your business among other longstanding companies in the area.

Make sure you know your target market

Take a second to sit down and really think about who your target demographic is. Who are you marketing to and how are you doing so? Are they more likely to be on social media or flipping through the latest newspaper? Spending all the time and money in the world in marketing won't make a difference if your audience never sees it.

Utilize social media

Let’s face it. Everyone is on social media these days, and as a business, it is becoming an essential way to reach consumers. Luckily for you, social media is a free and effective way to interact with customers from all over. Depending on what your business is and the age group of people you are trying to reach, you can choose the best social media platforms to reach them.

Start a blog

Think that you shouldn’t start a blog because you’ll run out of things to talk about? What if you are a very specialized business? Not a problem. A company blog is a useful platform to produce content related to your industry. Relevant content will promote you as trusted resource for your trade. Example: Say you run a gym or are a personal trainer. You don’t have to use your blog just to talk about your services. Use your platform to talk about health advice, innovative exercises, and client transformations, etc.

Implement SEO into your website

Search engine optimization is the action of making your website rank for search keywords and phrases that pertain to your website/business. It is important to have the keywords and phrases viewers are searching for installed properly on your website. If done correctly, more people will view your website which will result in an increase in business. Search engines rank your website based on common search terms, the age of your site information, site links, and the relevance of your content.

Create your Google Business listing

Listing your business on Google will make sure your business appears easily when people are searching for you on Google. You can add pictures, and people can leave reviews which add to your credibility.

Take advantage of customer testimonials

When a customer has a good experience with you, don’t be afraid to ask what they thought of your service. Testimonials are one of the best ways to build credibility with potential clients.

Send out emails

Putting customers on an email list is a great way to reach out to them long after they've left your website or store. This gives you the opportunity to tell them about the variety of services you offer, updates from your company, and news in your industry.

Get involved in the community

How do you expect the community to know who you are if you don’t try to get to know the people in it? The more people see your name associated with the community, the more they will come to know you as a local establishment. Sponsor or participate in community events. Donate or give discounts for first-time clients. Give clients an initiative for referring customers. Give back to the community. Serving others is not only great for your staff but is also a wonderful way to get to know the locals.

Network as much as possible

Getting involved with different organizations within the community is essential. Some of your biggest allies in the business world are fellow business owners. The Chamber of Commerce should be at the top of your list for business networking. The St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce’s mission states they are dedicated to improving the business environment in St. Johns County by focusing on Economic Development, Business Advocacy, Member Education, and Business Promotion. Service organizations such as United Way or Rotary are also excellent ways to get involved in the community.

How We Can Help

Here at Old City Web Services, we are dedicated to helping businesses thrive. Don’t know where to start? We offer many services that can help you out.

We can:

  • Perfect your marketing strategy to reach your target audience
  • Tune up or revamp your website
  • Write content for your company’s blog
  • Assist you with SEO and Google listings
  • Assist with print design and much more.

Go to our website, call us, or schedule a consultation with our team to see how we can help you get settled and succeed today.

Filed Under: Advertising, Community, Design, email marketing, Facebook, Landing Pages, Logo Design, Marketing, Print Design, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Small Business Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Twitter

Old City Web Services Welcomes Copywriter

September 20, 2016 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Old City Web Services Welcomes Copywriter

Natalie McElstaff-nataliewee works in copywriting and marketing here at Old City Web Services. Natalie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana Tech University in 2013. Upon graduation, she moved to St. Augustine to work as a copy editor/designer where she strengthened her editing and writing skills. From there, Natalie worked in marketing and development at a retreat center in South Carolina where she learned the ins and outs of social media, continued to write, and learned how to market in a unique environment. While she enjoyed her time in South Carolina, her love for the Nation's Oldest City brought her back to the area. Natalie has a passion for St. Augustine and the surrounding areas that shows in her work.

Natalie joins us with a unique set of skills that make her the perfect addition to our team. Her attention to detail, ability to craft copy, journalistic conversational skills and knack for social media make her a valuable asset. Natalie writes content for clients' websites and blogs, blogs for Old City Web Services and OldCity.com, handles social media for OldCity.com, helps with marketing, and works on day-to-day projects.

We’re excited to have a skilled writer join our team and are happy to offer her services to you. Is your website in need of an upgrade? Have you had it professionally designed but don’t have the right words to make it stand out?

It’s great to have a sharp looking website, but if there is no captivating content to grab someone’s attention, then what good is your website really doing? In order to have an effective website, you need to effectively communicate what your business is about, why consumers should choose you, and how you stand out among competitors.

Reasons to Hire a Copywriter

  1. A high-quality website needs high-quality text to build credibility and consumer trust.
  2. A copywriter incorporates SEO into text so consumers get the most out of online searching.
  3. You can rest assured that your copy will be the most effective it can be.

If you feel your content needs an upgrade, fill out the contact form on our website or give us a call at 904.829.2772 to discuss how we can help you with your content writing needs.

Filed Under: Blogging, Community, Content Marketing, Copywriting, email marketing, Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Special Message

Unique ways to market your business

September 13, 2016 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Unique ways to market your business

Marketing seems to be a constantly changing puzzle business owners try to solve. In a world where focus is on what’s new, innovative, and different, how can your company stand out from the crowd? We're here to tell you some unique ways to market your business.

We’ve put together a few ideas to make your marketing ventures unique and eye-catching.

  • Business card: gatordoor-businesscardsChanging the shape or texture of your business card can instantly catch the eye of people in the community. Whether it is changing your card from a rectangle to a square or making your card out of a thicker material, a small change can make all the difference between standing out and blending in.
  • If you have a brochure for your business, adding a map to the inside could be a great way to entice a customer to keep the brochure around for future map use (keeping your logo around as well).
  • Updating or redesigning your company’s logo to make it more effectively represent your company. Read our previous blog on the importance of a high quality logo.
  • Rackpearlofthesea-rackcard card for hotels: Many hotels have racks where businesses put cards advertising their services. It is a great way to catch the attention of a customer you might not otherwise reach, the traveler. If you already have a rack card out in the community, upgrading the design is a quick and easy way to improve your company’s brand in the community.
  • Reevaluate ads for print/online publications: Make sure message is conveyed in clear and concise way. Don’t overload your ad with tons of text. Make sure to use quality photos that represent your business. Use a simple, yet visually appealing layout.
  • Reevaluate your social media plan: Are you interacting with consumers? Are people engaged with your social media accounts? Changing what you post, when you post, or how often you’re posting can make a big difference in response rates.
  • Market in ways that are rvcooper-hatindividual to your company: Putting your logo on items associated with your business can make a memorable impact on a consumer. For example, if you have a construction company, you could put your company’s name on a level or tape measurer keychain. If you have a technology company, you could put your logo on a flash drive. Bottle openers are great options if you have an outdoors company or bar.

Whether you are looking to redesign your business cards, reevaluate your social media plan, or completely revamp your marketing strategy, the team at Old City Web Services is here to help. Meet with us, and let's see what we can do to make you stand out from the crowd.

Filed Under: Design, email marketing, Logo Design, Marketing, Small Business Marketing

What Does SEO Even Mean?

August 4, 2016 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

How Does SEO Apply to My Business?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization.  Search engine optimization is the action of making your website rank for search keywords & phrases that pertain to your website/business.  Knowing the basics of SEO will give you a better understanding of how it will improve your online presence.  In plain words, it’s quality control for websites by search engines. Search Engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, will scan or crawl your site for keywords and phrases of what viewers are looking for.  If your site has the key words and phrases that viewers are searching for and they are installed properly on your, site it can make your website rank higher sending more viewers and increasing your business.

How Do Search Engines Rank My Website?

Common Search Terms:  These are terms that viewers would type into a Search Engine, Google, Yahoo, Bing for example, to find businesses or services.  An example would be to type "pizza place" in the search area. "Pizza Place" would be the common phrase you would use to find a business serving pizza.  If you are one of those that “serves pizza” you would make sure that it is properly added into your website to increase your ranking instead of hurting your rankings. So it is important to have the key words and phrases in your content as well as other areas of your site.  That is where we can help you. 

How old is your site information:  The information on your site should be the most current information that pertains to your business and services. This doesn't mean that you have to update your website every day.  However, if you haven't updated your website in 3 years, it may hurt your ranking on search engines because the search engines see your site as stagnate.  You may add another product or service that your company does and forget to list it on your site.  So make sure all the information on your website is up-to-date and that your website design is also updated and responsive.

Site links:  Having your website linked on another website is like having a recommendation.  Linking should be a more natural thing you do for search engine optimization. Meaning do not try to get links that have no relevance towards your site. An example would be that you have a Pizza Restaurant and you have a link to a Plummer.  Your website is linked on an irrelevant site to your business and could hurt the SEO. Linking  your website on social media or blogs can be very beneficial.  Links show search engines that your website is important and relevant. 

Relevant Content: Making sure that your homepage has relevant content about your business is highly important.  Adding your keywords naturally into the content is important too. That way when search engines "Crawl " your website it will see your site as a relevant website. Crawl or Crawling means when a search engine reads or scans over your whole website to file it in their database.  After crawling, search engines will then file your website in a certain area in their database. That way they can reference to it later when someone is looking for your services or business type.

 

SEO

 

 

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Filed Under: Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Small Business Marketing

Social Media: It’s all about the Trends.

June 28, 2016 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Social Media Trends & Businesses

Facebook Trends On Social Media

Facebook Trends Box

A trend is a pattern or general direction of developing. Social Media is filled with all kinds of trends. An example of a trend on Twitter is when you see a post using hashtags like "#TuesdayMotivation". Twitter shows you the most recent hashtag trends in a box called "Trends" located on the left-hand side of your home page. Facebook's trend box is on the right-hand side of your timeline. Using trends will keep your customers engaged in your business and help broaden your network. Trends are very important on social media but, how do you use trends to benefit your business? Here's 5 things to consider with using trends on social media for your business:

twittertrends

Twitter Trends Box on Social Media

  1. Be creative when using trends for your business. If it's "National Selfie Day",  consider taking a selfie with your product or co-workers and using that for a post.
  2. Stick with funny or happy trends."#AllLivesMatter" is an example of a serious trend. Don't get involved with serious trends because of the sensitivity of the topic or associate your business with conflicting topics.
  3. Use trends on social media to connect with customers instead of pitching your products or services.
  4. If you are having a hard time keeping up with the ever-changing trends, don't be afraid to search the latest trends on Google.
  5. Don't spam your customers. After-all,  business's don't need to use every trend out there, just use the ones that fit your business best.

 

 

Any time you don't have time to keep up with the trends, then let us do your Business's Facebook or Twitter for you!
In fact, check out our Facebook and Twitter post's to help keep up you up-to-date with the latest trends.

Filed Under: Advertising, Facebook, General, Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Uncategorized

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