5 New Year Resolutions – for your Website

by | Jan 3, 2021 | Marketing, Web Design

5 New Year Resolutions – for your Website
Hi, I'm Teresa, owner and Chief Designer here at TotaleSolutions. I have been a web design professional for over 20 years. With a passion for web design and marketing, I have helped hundreds of small and medium businesses establish their online presence. Need help with your online business? Call me on 0408 721 441.

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While most resolutions involve exercising more and eating less, you should not overlook your website when it comes to making changes for the New Year.

Just like us, a website can benefit from the occasional “freshen up”, and below are some easy, low-cost tips for getting the best from your website in 2021.

1. Update Your “About Us” and “Contact Us” pages

Ensure all the contact information on your website is current and accurate. You can lose customers permanently if they reach a disconnected number or use an email address that is rejected. Include opening hours and a Google Map if you have a physical location.

2. Add new, updated images

Keep your content fresh and interesting with the use of imagery. Using graphic charts and visuals provide an interesting avenue to include information in an appealing format. Photographs of projects or products also explain detail, while cutting back on the amount of reading required by the site’s visitors.

3. Update the site software

If you are managing your website yourself and using a content management system such as WordPress or Joomla – don’t forget to run the updates! This is so important for the security of your website, as many software updates contain security patches required to keep your website safe from viruses and hackers. Not keeping your website CMS up-to-date now could end up costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars if your site is compromised. Make a New Years Resolution today to keep your site software up-to-date.

4. Engage with your customers via Social Media

Think about how you can become better at engaging your followers.  Remember it is not just about selling a product or service: Social media is the way people share their thoughts and opinions, and you want to be part of that. Make sure there are links from your website to all the Social Media sites you are using: Facebook, LinkedIn,  Instagram etc.

5. Setup (or update) a Google My Business account

Google My Business is a free tool by Google that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. You can add your business name, location, and hours; monitor and reply to customer reviews and add photos. The information from your Google Business Account is what appears in the right hand side of the screen on Google when found in a search (see screenshot).

Google My Business

 

If you don’t have a Google My Business account now is the time to get one! If you do, you can login to your Google Account and check the details are correct, add new images etc.

BONUS TIP – GET HELP

It is important to keep your website up-to-date and working for you throughout the year to get maximum return on your investment. Whether it is a one-off change or an on-going maintenance plan, we can help! Phone us on 0408 721 441 for a more information or an obligation free quote.

Happy New Year!

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is an address that is used on the Internet to locate a website, for example totalesolutions.com.au. You need a domain name to be able to access your website on the internet.

What is Web Hosting?

Web Hosting is essentially data storage space, accessed via the Internet, used to host web sites and data files. Every website requires a Web Host to store their website on.

What is “responsive” design?

A responsive website changes its appearance and layout based on the size of the screen the website is displayed on. This can include larger text to accommodate smaller screens, and mobile friendly navigation for easier browsing on smaller screens such as smartphones and tablets. All new websites built by TotaleSolutions are designed to be mobile friendly – this is standard and included in the quoted price.

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

A CMS is a computer program that allows publishing and modifying content of your website from a central interface. No special software is required, all that is needed to access a CMS is an internet connection and a username and password. The CMS is integrated with the website at the time of building by your web designer.

How Much Will a Website Cost?

There are quite a few factors that are going to affect the ultimate cost of your website. These factors include how many pages you are going to have, if you will sell products on your website, the graphic work involved, and how interactive your website will be. Each website is unique which is why we do not offer set price “packages”. Please contact us to discuss your requirements and we will be happy to provide an obligation free quote based on your individual needs.

Are there any ongoing costs associated with the website?

Domain name registration and hosting are ongoing costs. Generally hosting is paid annually and domain name registration is paid bi-annually. Depending on your requirements, there can also be costs involved in maintaining the site information and keeping the software up-to-date. Content Management Systems are available if you would like to manage the content yourself. We are happy to discuss your requirements.

Are there any hidden costs?

No. We provide a fixed price quote based on your individual requirements. If additional pages or content are requested to be added, or additional functionality is required by you, these will be charged at the hourly rate that is detailed in the quote.

How long will it take for my website to be designed?

The timescale of a website design project is often dictated by the client. If you have a deadline we will endeavour to meet it for you. The most common delay in the creation and completion of a new website is waiting for content (text/images). If you are thinking about getting a website it is a good idea to have all your text and images ready to go – this will speed up the process significantly.

Who creates the content?

No one knows the business better than the person running it, so we leave all text and photos to the client to provide. However, we have made over 100 websites so can offer some handy tips on content creation, which will save you time and make things much easier. We can also recommend professional photographers and copy-writers if required.

Can you re-design an existing website?

Absolutely! If you have an existing website that looks a bit tired or needs a complete overhaul we can help.

How do I update my website?

There are many different methods which can be used to update websites. The method you choose and the functionality we build into your website design is solely up to yourself although of course we will be glad to advise you which method will suit your needs and budget. If you have a small website consisting of just a few pages and will only wish to make changes very infrequently, then it may be more cost effective to have TotaleSolutions to carry out these changes for you. Alternatively, we can provide an online Content Management System (CMS) where you can either update individual products/pages/services or particular sections of your website. e.g. company news. We use the popular content management system WordPress.

Do you offer Maintenance Plans?

Yes! We have WordPress Maintenance Packages available which include regular backups, plugin, theme and core WordPress updates as well as support and content changes if required. Not sure if you need a maintenance plan? Read more about it here.

Why can’t I find my new website in the search engines?

Once your site has been submitted to the top Search Engines they may require several weeks, or even months to actually spider and list your website in their directory. How fast your site is listed depends on each individual Search Engines database update schedule. TotaleSolutions submits each website they create to all the major search engines, which significantly reduces the time it takes before your website starts to appear in search queries.

Who has ownership of the Intellectual Property of my website?

The content of the website is your intellectual property. We will include a disclaimer on each page of your website stating this. Any code, images or graphics created by TotaleSolutions remain the intellectual property of TotaleSolutions. We include at the base of each page the comment that the website was designed by TotaleSolutions with a link to our website. We request that this comment remain unless the site is changed considerably from our initial design by another web designer outside the employment of TotaleSolutions. No code or images created by Total e Solutions can be sold or passed onto others without our express written consent.