We are thrilled to officially welcome Raymond Labban to the David Martin Design team as a part-time Digital Marketing & SEO Specialist! Raymond brings a fresh perspective and a strong passion for helping businesses thrive online. His skills and dedication are already making an impact, and we’re excited to highlight how he’ll support our growing portfolio of clients.
About Raymond
Raymond Labban is a talented professional with a knack for improving digital visibility. His role at David Martin Design involves:
Implementing SEO Updates: Conducting keyword research, optimizing site structures, and enhancing technical performance to improve search engine rankings.
Content Strategy Development: Crafting tailored strategies to boost engagement and connect businesses with their audiences.
Social Media & Reputation Management: Managing client profiles, responding to reviews, and monitoring digital interactions.
Local Search Optimization: Ensuring Google and Bing business listings are accurate, optimized, and impactful.
Monthly Reporting & Strategy: Assisting with performance reports, keeping clients updated, and driving strategic reviews.
Contributions So Far
In his short time with us, Raymond has already made remarkable strides:
Website Management: He has helped onboard new projects, including setting up essential tools like WordPress accounts and Gravatar profiles.
Digital Enhancements: Raymond has optimized business descriptions, ensuring a clear, professional presence across platforms.
Content Collaboration: He’s streamlined processes for crafting SEO-friendly meta descriptions and developed strategies for improved digital engagement.
Reputation Management: Raymond facilitated thoughtful responses to online reviews, helping to enhance brand trust and visibility.
Team Integration: From setting up Asana tasks to participating in team meetings, Raymond has embraced our collaborative workflow, demonstrating excellent adaptability.
Commitment to Community and Growth
At David Martin Design, we pride ourselves on being partners in the growth of our local community. Adding Raymond to our team underscores our dedication to empowering small businesses with high-quality, personalized digital marketing solutions. His work ensures our clients receive tailored support that aligns with their unique goals, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact he’ll continue to make.
Looking Ahead
As Raymond deepens his involvement with new projects, we are confident his expertise will further solidify David Martin Design’s reputation as a trusted partner for local businesses. His focus on innovative, data-driven solutions aligns perfectly with our mission to foster meaningful digital transformations.
Welcome aboard, Raymond! We are excited for all that’s ahead.
Switching to a new web designer can be a significant step in ensuring your website remains up-to-date, user-friendly, and aligned with your evolving business goals. However, the process of transferring a website is more complex than simply handing over a login. It involves careful coordination, clear communication, and understanding what to expect throughout the process. This guide will walk you through the essential steps and key considerations when transitioning your website to a new web designer.
Step 1: Clarify the Scope of the Transfer
Before initiating the transfer, it’s crucial to clarify the scope of the transition. Define which aspects of your website will be handled by the new designer. Will they take over all aspects of your site, such as design, development, and ongoing maintenance? Or will they focus solely on specific updates or a redesign? A clear understanding of these details helps set the right expectations for both parties and minimizes potential misunderstandings.
Step 2: Gather Essential Website Information
To ensure a smooth transition, gather and organize all the essential information about your website. This may include:
Domain Name Access: Ensure you have access to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap) where your domain is registered. If you don’t have this access, work with your previous designer to regain control.
Hosting Information: Provide your new designer with access to your web hosting account. This includes login credentials, control panel information (e.g., cPanel), and any details about your hosting plan.
CMS and Website Login: If your website runs on a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, make sure to provide the admin login details. It’s wise to change the password after the transfer is complete.
FTP/SFTP Access: This is necessary for file transfer and access to your website’s files on the server. Ensure your new designer has secure access to your FTP/SFTP credentials.
Backups: Create a backup of your current website before initiating any transfer. This includes both the website files and the database (if applicable). A backup acts as a safety net in case anything goes wrong during the transition.
Step 3: Review Your Contracts and Ownership Rights
Before the transfer, review any existing contracts you have with your previous web designer or developer. Clarify who owns the website’s design, content, and codebase. Most clients own their website content, but it’s possible that the designer may retain rights to custom code or design elements they created. Understanding these aspects will help avoid disputes later.
If you’ve purchased stock photos, fonts, or other media for your website, ensure that you have the appropriate licenses to use these materials even after the designer changes. This can prevent legal issues related to content usage down the road.
Step 4: Communicate with the Previous Designer
If possible, maintain a collaborative approach with your previous designer. Inform them of your intention to switch to a new designer and ask for their help in providing necessary access and information. This can ensure a smoother transition and reduce the likelihood of technical issues.
Many designers include a clause in their contracts about providing a smooth handover. If there’s any friction or unresponsiveness, refer to the terms in your contract and, if necessary, involve a mediator to facilitate the process.
Step 5: Transfer of Domain and Hosting
This is a critical part of the transition process and involves a few key steps:
Change Domain Name System (DNS) Settings: If you are switching to a new host, your new web designer will need to update the DNS settings to point to the new hosting server. It typically takes 24-48 hours for these changes to propagate globally.
Migrate Website Files and Database: The new designer will transfer the files and database (if your website uses one) to the new host. They may use a migration plugin or do it manually through FTP and phpMyAdmin. This step requires careful handling to avoid data loss or broken links.
Update SSL Certificate: If your website has an SSL certificate (which it should for security), the new designer may need to reissue or update the certificate on the new host to maintain secure HTTPS connections.
Step 6: Testing the Website
Once the migration is complete, thorough testing is essential to ensure that everything works as expected. The new web designer should check:
Functionality: Test all interactive elements, forms, buttons, and links to ensure they function properly.
Performance: Verify that the website’s speed and loading times remain consistent. Hosting changes can sometimes impact performance.
Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure that the website displays correctly on mobile devices and across various browsers.
SEO: Check that SEO settings, such as meta tags, permalinks, and any specific SEO plugins, are correctly transferred. You don’t want to lose valuable search engine rankings during a transition.
Step 7: Updating Website Access and Security
After a successful transfer, update all access credentials, including passwords for the CMS, hosting, and any other associated accounts. This is an important step to maintain security, especially if third-party vendors had temporary access during the transfer.
Additionally, consider implementing security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA) on your hosting and CMS accounts. Your new designer can also review security settings to ensure that your website is protected against potential threats.
What to Expect During the Transfer Process
Downtime May Occur: While most designers strive to minimize downtime, some website transfers may result in a short period of downtime. Planning the transfer during non-peak hours can help minimize the impact on your users.
Adjustments Post-Transfer: Even with careful planning, there may be small adjustments needed after the transfer. These could include reformatting content, fixing broken links, or adjusting styles to ensure everything looks as expected on the new hosting setup.
Open Communication: Expect to be in close communication with your new designer throughout the process. A collaborative approach ensures that both parties understand each step, reducing the risk of misalignment or delays.
Final Thoughts: Ensuring a Smooth Transition
Switching web designers can be a valuable opportunity to refresh your online presence and align your website with your current business goals. By preparing all necessary information, maintaining clear communication, and understanding the technical steps involved, you can ensure a smooth and successful transition. A professional web designer will guide you through each phase, helping you retain control of your online assets while providing a fresh perspective to enhance your website’s performance.
If you’re considering a change and need expert guidance on transferring your website, don’t hesitate to reach out. A seamless transition can be the first step toward a website that better serves your business and your customers.
There’s something magical about visiting a new city for an event like WordCamp US—the excitement of a vibrant WordPress community coming together combined with the chance to explore the local flavor of the host city. This year’s WordCamp US took place in Portland, Oregon, a city known for its creative energy, lush green landscapes, and incredible coffee (which, let’s be honest, was very much needed!). From the moment I arrived, I could feel the buzz of both the city and the event as hundreds of WordPress enthusiasts, developers, designers, and contributors descended on Portland for three days of learning, collaboration, and community.
A breathtaking view of Mount Hood captured from a Southwest Airlines flight, with the snow-capped peak rising above the clouds and the plane’s wing in the foreground.Dave Martin and Jarod Maxwell kicking off WordCamp US 2024 in Portland, Oregon, with a photo op at the iconic Oregon welcome sign. A sign at WordCamp US Portland, Oregon, explains how interaction badges are used to communicate conversation preferences. Green indicates openness to chat, yellow signals limited interaction, and red means no conversation.
Contributor Day: A Day of Giving Back
One of the most fulfilling parts of WordCamp US is Contributor Day, a dedicated day where members of the WordPress community come together to give back to the platform we all know and love. Whether you’re contributing code, writing documentation, or helping others, Contributor Day offers a chance to make a direct impact on WordPress.
I started the day by joining the WordPress Themes table, where the magic of open-source collaboration truly came to life. I had the privilege of sitting next to Manesh Timilsina, a full-stack developer whose expertise and enthusiasm were palpable. Watching him dive straight into making contributions while offering valuable advice to those around him was both inspiring and energizing. It was clear that his deep understanding of WordPress development went beyond technical knowledge—he was also invested in helping others grow.
We delved into work on the upcoming WordPress 2025 theme, and it was exciting to see how ideas and code come together to shape the future of WordPress. Collaborating with the team provided valuable insights into theme development and the direction WordPress is heading.
But the learning didn’t stop there. I also met Alex Lende, a Gutenberg developer from Automattic, who shared the backstory behind one of the features he helped bring to life in WordPress 5.8—the Duotone filters. Alex explained how what seemed like a small addition has since unlocked new possibilities for SVG text effects and other design innovations. Hearing about the evolution of this feature made me appreciate the incremental but impactful advancements that continuously shape WordPress into the powerful platform it is today.
One of the most rewarding aspects of Contributor Day was reconnecting with friends from around the world and making new connections:
Alicia St. Rose ❤️: Her warm embrace and captivating stories about Burning Man brought a sense of magic to the day. Alicia’s energy is infectious, and her creativity knows no bounds.
Hans Skillrud & Donata Stroink-Skillrud: Reuniting with them after our epic encounter in the City Museum bird cage was a highlight. Their insights into privacy and legal considerations in web development are always enlightening.
Wendy Mahoney: Wendy’s kindness shone through and it was great being a volunteer together. She was even to help someone recover their lost phone!
Eduardo Telaya: Meeting Eduardo was one of the most amazing first impressions I’ve ever had. His warmth and radiance were palpable, especially after he finished his talk. His passion for WordPress and life is truly inspiring.
Dave Martin and Hans Skillrud from Termageddon reunite at WordCamp US 2024 in Portland, Oregon, after first meeting at WordCamp US 2019 in St. Louis. Their beards are as strong as their friendship!
I also had the pleasure of meeting Amy Rosborough, who runs a personal blog about gardening, book reviews, and lifestyle tips. We struck up a conversation about her site, and I was able to help her understand the differences between classic and block themes. Together, we updated her theme to WordPress 2024, enhancing the functionality and aesthetics of her blog. It’s moments like these that highlight the collaborative and supportive nature of the WordPress community.
Engaging with Brian Rotsztein: A Personal Highlight
Before his talk, I had the chance to engage with Brian Rotsztein, who was presenting “Innovative Pricing Strategies to Grow Your WordPress Business.” We discussed my journey, starting at $25/hour back in 2004, and how I wished his advice had been available 20 years ago. He smiled and said that’s exactly why he wrote his book.
Attending his session was the most impactful part of the conference for me. Brian’s insights into pricing strategies were both practical and eye-opening. His realistic, down-to-earth approach empowers freelancers and small agencies to succeed. I’m excited to implement what I’ve learned into my own business practices.
The Thank You Social: Art, Music, and Connection
The Thank You Social was an evening filled with creativity and camaraderie. I truly appreciated the focus on including art, photography, music, and interactivity. The paint by number station was a delightful addition, allowing us to unwind and express ourselves artistically.
Attendees of WordCamp US 2024 join in a collaborative paint-by-numbers mural during the Thank You Social event, celebrating creativity and connection within the WordPress community.
Thank you to the organizers for the fantastic food trucks! The variety of options catered to everyone’s tastes, and the atmosphere was both relaxed and invigorating. Engaging with fellow attendees, especially Grant Kinney, in such a vibrant setting reinforced the sense of community that makes WordCamp so special.
Embracing the Spirit of Portland
Portland truly played the perfect host. The city’s eclectic vibe and friendly locals made exploring an absolute joy. The food scene was phenomenal—I’ve never had better coffee, and the breakfast burrito at Roseline Coffee was hands down the best I’ve ever tasted. Every meal was a culinary adventure, and the local eateries did not disappoint.
The modern exterior of Roseline Coffee in Portland, Oregon, with sleek black and gray tones, greenery, and a sign guiding visitors inside.A perfectly crafted latte with intricate foam art served at Roseline Coffee, one of Portland’s top coffee destinations.
I had the opportunity to ride over to the Google Portland office and participate in a special tour discussing exciting new features in Google’s Site Kit and Performance WordPress plugins.
On the train ride over, I met Mackenzie Hartung, Director of Delivery at rtCamp. We bonded over our kids and a shared love for the resurging jam band scene—turns out Mackenzie is also a Goose fan! We reconnected later at the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI), further solidifying a newfound friendship. Speaking of Goose, it was awesome meeting Automattician Machelle Cox and working with her on the volunteer team!
Here’s some Goose, one of my favorite bands!!
Reflecting on the Experience
As I reflect on WordCamp US 2024, I am filled with gratitude for the connections made, the knowledge gained, and the memories created. From Contributor Day’s collaborative spirit to the engaging sessions and personal interactions, every moment was enriching.
Special thanks to:
The Hyatt Regency: Providing such a fantastic place to stay, located right across the street from the Oregon Convention Center. The hotel’s ambiance was welcoming, and its proximity allowed me to immerse myself fully in the event without worrying about transportation.
All the Volunteers and Organizers: Your hard work and dedication made this event seamless and enjoyable for everyone involved.
The modern exterior of the Hyatt Regency Portland, shining in the morning light, served as the primary hotel for WordCamp US 2024 attendees.The iconic Oregon Convention Center, with its towering spires and glass exterior, hosted WordCamp US 2024 in Portland, Oregon.The Portland MAX Red Line train passes in front of the Oregon Convention Center at dusk, offering easy access for WordCamp US 2024 attendees.
Looking Ahead
WordCamp US 2024 in Portland was more than just a conference; it was a celebration of community, innovation, and shared passion. I’m returning home with a wealth of knowledge, a heart full of gratitude, and an eagerness to implement what I’ve learned.
To the friends old and new, the speakers who inspired, and everyone who made this event possible—thank you for an outstanding experience.
Well played, Portland. Until next time!
Stay tuned for more insights and reflections. If we connected during the WordCamp US 2024 conference, feel free to reach out! Let’s continue the conversation and collaboration as we move forward together in this incredible community.
Earlier this year, I attended one of my favorite local networking events—Design & Donuts—held at The Mill in Bloomington, Indiana. For those unfamiliar, The Mill is more than just a coworking space; it’s the heartbeat of our entrepreneurial community. It’s a place where creators, innovators, and tech enthusiasts collide to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and, of course, enjoy some delicious donuts.
Assorted donuts served at the Design & Donuts event held at The Mill in Bloomington, where creators and innovators gather to network, collaborate, and enjoy local treats.
The Mill: A Hub for Networking and Innovation
The Mill provides an energetic atmosphere that fosters creativity and connection. With its modern workspace design and a calendar full of events, it’s a magnet for startups, freelancers, and tech professionals. Whether you’re looking to brainstorm over coffee, attend a workshop, or network with like-minded individuals, The Mill has something for everyone. It’s a space that breathes life into the entrepreneurial spirit of Bloomington.
The Mill in Bloomington offers a dynamic co-working environment for startups, freelancers, and tech professionals, featuring a modern design and vibrant community atmosphere.
Meeting Brian Beach: CTO of BackBlaze
During the meetup, I had the opportunity to chat with Brian Beach, the CTO of BackBlaze, a company renowned for its affordable and reliable cloud backup solutions. As we sipped coffee and nibbled on donuts, we discussed all things design and technology, diving into the intricacies of web hosting, data protection, and the challenges we face in today’s digital landscape.
Brian shared insights about his role at BackBlaze and the company’s mission to make cloud storage accessible for everyone. Our conversation naturally steered toward backups—a topic near and dear to anyone managing web servers. As someone who manages web hosting through WHM cPanel on my VPS for IndianaWebHosting.com, I’ve always had a lurking fear of data loss. But thanks to Brian, I found the solution I didn’t even know I was looking for.
Setting Up BackBlaze: A Game-Changer for My VPS Backups
Inspired by our conversation, I decided to explore BackBlaze as an option for my VPS backups. After learning that it could easily integrate as an additional backup destination within WHM cPanel, I decided to dive in. The setup process was straightforward, and within no time, my server was securely backing up to a BackBlaze B2 bucket.
Brian’s expertise was invaluable as we configured the optimal backup settings for my needs. And let me tell you, the peace of mind that comes from knowing your data is safely backed up offsite is priceless. Plus, the cost of BackBlaze was a pleasant surprise—my first monthly bill was just $1.24! It’s incredible to have such a reliable solution without breaking the bank.
Why Networking Matters
My experience at The Mill is a perfect example of why networking is so important. It’s not just about exchanging business cards or attending meetings; it’s about forming genuine connections that lead to real-world solutions. Had I not attended that Design & Donuts meetup, I might still be navigating my VPS backups with trepidation. Instead, I now have a robust backup solution, thanks to a casual chat with Brian Beach.
And, of course, I have to give a shout-out to Brian and the BackBlaze marketing team for the awesome new BackBlaze hat swag! It’s always great to see companies that not only provide excellent service but also support their communities and customers in fun, engaging ways.
Brian Beach, CTO of BackBlaze, and a fellow attendee at The Mill in Bloomington, discuss cloud storage, web hosting, and data protection during a casual meetup.
Conclusion: BackBlaze and Beyond
In the end, what started as a casual morning meetup evolved into a transformative experience for my web hosting business. I’m grateful for the connections made at The Mill and the invaluable advice from Brian Beach. If you’re managing a server and haven’t explored BackBlaze, I highly recommend giving it a try. It’s simple, cost-effective, and offers peace of mind that your data is safe.
So, here’s to The Mill, Design & Donuts, and the power of community—where even the smallest interactions can lead to significant breakthroughs.
Welcome to a showcase of my custom-built GPTs! Each of these tools is designed to solve specific challenges, enhance productivity, and support creativity in web development, digital marketing, and beyond. Click on each link to explore further and see how these unique GPTs can help you or your business.
Custom GPT Tools by David Martin
Summary Scribe
Explore Summary Scribe Summary: Summary Scribe is your go-to for casually summarizing meetings, particularly those involving marketing campaigns, strategies, and deliverables. It excels at extracting key points, action items, and decisions while ensuring campaign details and deadlines are clearly captured. It’s a valuable tool for maintaining clarity and keeping projects on track.
Invoice Snippet Scribe
Explore Invoice Snippet Scribe Summary: Invoice Snippet Scribe distills detailed task lists into concise, under-300 character memos for invoices. This ensures that clients get clear and understandable descriptions of services rendered, enhancing transparency and making invoicing a breeze.
Web Growth Mentor
Explore Web Growth Mentor Summary: Web Growth Mentor is a friendly, data-driven virtual business coach designed to help web design professionals scale their businesses. With expertise in web design, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship, this GPT offers valuable insights into emerging trends while fostering continuous learning and growth.
Web Proposal Planner
Explore Web Proposal Planner Summary: Web Proposal Planner is an essential tool for crafting detailed, data-driven proposals for WordPress website development. By analyzing client input and conducting web scraping, this GPT helps you create structured project briefs that cover objectives, timelines, budgets, and deliverables with ease.
Website Outline Architect
Explore Website Outline Architect Summary: Website Outline Architect works seamlessly with the Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress to ensure your website’s structure is optimized for both users and search engines. This GPT guides you through the best practices for creating intuitive, responsive, and SEO-friendly websites that rank well in search results.
Web Weaver Wizard
Explore Web Weaver Wizard Summary: Web Weaver Wizard helps craft compelling project proposals tailored to your client’s business model and goals. It focuses on creating persuasive, benefits-driven proposals that resonate with clients while ensuring technical and digital marketing aspects are well addressed.
Bloomington Content Creator
Explore Bloomington Content Creator Summary: Bloomington Content Creator is your dedicated assistant for producing engaging, SEO-optimized content about the vibrant local scene in Bloomington, Indiana. From restaurant reviews to cultural events, it helps you craft posts that highlight the unique offerings of the city while adhering to SEO best practices.
Bloomington Online Business Scout
Explore Bloomington Online Business Scout Summary: Bloomington Online Business Scout generates detailed, organized business summaries based on comprehensive research. It helps users compile essential business information, from contact details to online presence, using a structured template that’s perfect for online directories and customer outreach.
Calendar Event Wizard
Explore Calendar Event Wizard Summary: Calendar Event Wizard assists in scheduling and managing events by generating iCalendar-compatible text entries. Perfect for both technical and non-technical users, this GPT ensures accurate scheduling across time zones and provides clarity in event details.
A11y SEO Image Wizard
Explore A11y SEO Image Wizard Summary: A11y SEO Image Wizard optimizes your media libraries with SEO-friendly and accessible metadata. From descriptive filenames to alt text and captions, this GPT ensures your images meet both accessibility standards and SEO best practices, enhancing both user experience and search visibility.
This project revolved around enhancing the online presence of Mitzi Alexander, a Travel Agent, & Magical Vacation Planner. Initially facing challenges in growing web interactions and bookings, Mitzi sought to create a more engaging online platform.
Her target audience included families, couples, newlyweds, friends, and groups interested in honeymoons, cruises, theme parks, and all-inclusive resorts. The project centered around developing an interactive website with reliable hosting and employing a SEO content strategy that highlighted Mitzi’s passion for travel and utilized targeted keywords for better visibility.
The result was a friendly and accessible user experience with increased customer interactions and conversions, amplifying Mitzi’s online presence and connecting her more effectively with her target audience.
Navigating Uncharted Waters: Mitzi’s Quest for a Unified Digital Presence
Mitzi Alexander, an accomplished travel advisor operating in Bloomington, Indiana, found not having a website hindered her ability to effectively reach and engage her target audience.
Despite her extensive industry expertise and commitment to delivering exceptional service, Mitzi lacked a cohesive online presence. The absence of a dedicated professional website posed a critical challenge, as she had no centralized platform to showcase her offerings comprehensively, share valuable insights through a blog, and cultivate direct connections with potential and existing clients.
Blogging, in particular, represented a missed opportunity for Mitzi. As a powerful content marketing tool, a well-executed blog could have allowed her to establish thought leadership in the travel advisory space, improve search engine visibility through SEO-optimized content, and foster engagement by providing travellers with informative tips, destination guides, and firsthand accounts of her experiences.
Without this essential digital asset, Mitzi’s marketing efforts were fragmented across various social media channels and disjointed web properties, resulting in a disorganized and inefficient approach to client acquisition and retention. This lack of a unified digital hub not only hindered her ability to reach a broader audience but also compromised the professional image and credibility she aimed to project.
Recognizing the escalating importance of a robust online presence in the travel industry, Mitzi understood the urgent need to implement a comprehensive digital strategy. Establishing a well-designed, user-friendly website with a strong content marketing focus would be crucial to elevating her brand, amplifying her expertise, and ultimately driving sustainable business growth in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Initial Consultation and Strategy Development
We kicked off the project by collecting information through a series of in-depth consultations to fully understand Mitzi’s business objectives, target audience, and unique value propositions.
Co-Creation and Iterative Design
Mitzi was actively involved throughout the design process, providing feedback and insights that shaped the website’s look, focus, and functionality. We employed an iterative design approach, allowing us to refine and adjust the website based on Mitzi’s input and user testing results.
Training and Empowerment
Understanding the importance of Mitzi’s ability to manage her own website and content, we provided comprehensive training on the website’s content management system (CMS) and best practices for SEO optimized content creation. This empowers Mitzi to publish new blog posts and make updates as needed, ensuring the website remains dynamic and reflective of her evolving business.
Custom CSS for Unique Branding
We delved deep into the customization of the WordPress 2024 theme, employing custom CSS and useful plugins to tailor the site’s aesthetics to Mitzi’s brand identity. This involved tweaking the color schemes, font styles, and layout structures to create a cohesive look that resonated with the essence of travel and adventure, essential to Mitzi’s business.
Interactive Features for Enhanced Engagement
To improve the site’s user engagement, we integrated a variety of interactive features. These included hover effects that reveal more information, smooth transition animations that guide the user through the site, and clickable elements that invite exploration and discovery. Each interactive feature was designed to enhance the user journey and encourage deeper engagement with the content.
Drop Shadows for Depth and Dimension
We employed subtle drop shadows in strategic areas of the website to add depth and dimension to the design. These carefully crafted shadows provided a soft lift to images and content blocks, creating a layered effect that drew users’ attention to key elements of the site. This technique not only added visual interest but also helped in organizing content in a more digestible and appealing manner.
Emojis for Relatability and Fun
Understanding the importance of relatability and personality in digital communication, we incorporated emojis throughout the website. These emojis were selected to complement the textual content, adding a touch of fun and approachability to the site. Whether used in headings, bullet points, or within blog posts, emojis helped to break down barriers and connect with users on a more personal level.
To specifically cater to the needs of travel planning, we developed custom features that enhanced the functionality of the site. This included dedicated pages for specific customer types, a blog section with different travel categories, and testimonials with shared experiences from Mitzi’s satisfied clients.
Keyword Research and Integration
To bolster the website’s search engine visibility and attract Mitzi’s target audience, we employed a comprehensive SEO strategy using the Yoast SEO plugin, a powerful tool known for its effectiveness in optimizing WordPress sites for search engines.
Our first step was conducting thorough keyword research to identify terms and phrases closely aligned with Mitzi’s services and the interests of her customer personas. This research included a deep dive into travel-related terms, with a focus on niches like honeymoons, cruises, theme parks, and all-inclusive resorts. We meticulously integrated these keywords into the website’s content, including headings, body text, and image alt tags, ensuring relevance and contextuality.
Optimizing Metadata for Enhanced Discovery
With the Yoast SEO plugin at our disposal, we optimized the website’s metadata with precision. Titles and meta descriptions for each page were crafted to include targeted keywords while remaining engaging and informative. This not only improved the site’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) but also increased the click-through rate by compelling users with enticing summaries of what Mitzi’s site had to offer.
Improving Site Structure for SEO
Understanding the importance of a well-structured website for SEO, we used Yoast’s insights to organize Mitzi’s site content in a way that enhanced navigability and relevance. This included creating a logical hierarchy of headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) and ensuring that internal linking was both user-friendly and beneficial for search engine crawlers, thereby enhancing the site’s overall SEO performance.
Content Optimization for Engagement and Relevance
Each piece of content, especially the blog articles, was carefully optimized to strike a balance between engaging Mitzi’s audience and meeting SEO best practices.
Outcome
Review left by Mitzi Alexander
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5 Stars!!
“Working with David Martin Design on my website was a remarkable experience. Their understanding of my vision, coupled with their creative insights and technical proficiency, resulted in a website that exceeded my expectations.
Throughout the project, David and Jarod displayed a lot of patience and flexibility, accommodating all of my changes and requests with ease. Their in-depth knowledge of technology ensured that every aspect of the website was meticulously crafted and up to date with the latest trends.
David is not just a web designer but a true partner in bringing my vision to life. If you’re seeking someone who combines expertise with patience and a commitment to excellence, David is the perfect choice. Highly recommended for anyone looking to create a standout website.”
In the journey of building and launching Mitzi’s website, our collaboration was not just a one-time project but the beginning of an ongoing partnership. We are committed to providing Mitzi with continuous support, ensuring her website remains up-to-date, secure, and aligned with the latest web standards and trends. Our team is here for regular maintenance, updates, and to answer any questions or address any challenges that may arise.
Looking ahead, we see a wealth of opportunities for future projects with Mitzi. As her business evolves and her needs grow, we are excited to explore new avenues to enhance her digital presence further. Whether it’s expanding the website’s functionality, integrating new tools and features, or embarking on targeted digital marketing campaigns, we are eager to continue our collaboration.
Our goal is to be more than just a service provider for Mitzi; we aim to be a trusted partner in her business’s growth. By staying engaged and proactive, we anticipate the needs of her travel advisory business and offer solutions that not only solve immediate challenges but also pave the way for new opportunities. This long-term partnership underscores our dedication to not just meeting but exceeding Mitzi’s expectations, driving her business forward in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
David Martin shares his final thoughts on the project:
Dave Martin: “Working with Mitzi on her website has been a uniquely rewarding experience. It’s always a pleasure to receive referrals from existing clients, and having the opportunity to work closely with both Mitzi and her husband has truly been a highlight. The collaborative spirit of this project allowed us to delve deep into Mitzi’s vision and bring it to life in a way that resonates with her passion for travel. It’s projects like these that remind me why I love what I do.”
The project with Mitzi Alexander was more than just building a website; it was about capturing the essence of her passion for travel and creating a digital space that reflects that enthusiasm. The collaborative process, from conceptualization to launch, has been a testament to the power of partnership and shared vision. As a team, we look forward to supporting Mitzi in her ongoing digital journey and are excited about the potential for future collaborations that continue to push the boundaries of design and functionality.
🌞✨ Big shoutout to Brightside Café! 🌟 We just wrapped up an incredible consultation with them today. With the influx of Indiana University students coming into town, Brightside Café is ready to welcome everyone with open arms. Whether you’re looking for the best breakfast in town, a delicious espresso drink made just the way you like it, or gluten-free food options, they’ve got you covered! 🍳☕️
But that’s not all—Brightside Café is also the perfect spot to hit the books and study! 📚 With lightning-fast internet speeds (just look at the speed test results in the image below! 🚀), it’s an outstanding place to get work done while enjoying a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.
If you’re new to Bloomington or just looking for a new favorite spot, be sure to check out Brightside Café and feel the Brightside vibes! 😎🌈
Are you trying to DIY your online presence but are struggling to understand all the search engine optimization (SEO) terms? Are you worried about causing more damage or harm than good, or overwhelmed with deciphering what practices are essential and what could be saved for a rainy day?
Hello and welcome to the first chapter of our WordPress SEO for the Busy Entrepreneur series where we help our clients, fellow entrepreneurs, and aspiring digital marketers better understand the foundational practices of SEO for their website’s organization.
We know the stress of trying to run a business on top of marketing it. That’s why people come to us and we have a business! (Talk about the circle of life!) But we also have many wonderful clients who aren’t at that stage of their entrepreneurial journey, who need a professional website with reliable hosting and can’t afford a marketing agency quite yet. Yet, many have a drive that knows no bounds and are more than willing to put in the work updating their website with edits and blog posts. They just don’t have the time to learn what’s important, what’s less so, what resources to trust and learn from.
It’s become clear to us that there needs to be a resource for entrepreneurs who are willing to put in the work, but can’t afford a single moment more. For those who need the pieces broken down and targeted specifically for their WordPress site. For those who aren’t technically savvy and have no desire to be, they just want things to work and for customers to go 📈. If any of these sounds like you, you’re in the right place.
Today, we’ll be talking about Image Optimization, why it’s important and how it plays into your institutions marketing success, and ranking each piece by what’s most important as well as the process we recommend you take for the most efficient use of your time.
What is Image Optimization?
Image optimization is the process of converting high quality photographs, artwork, and graphics from their original state into copies that are optimized for websites and social media platforms. This process involves two main procedures:
Cropping, resizing, and saving images into a compressed format while sacrificing minimal quality
Correctly categorizing and describing the images you’re using through image metadata
Just like you wouldn’t want to wear a t-shirt that’s 5 sizes too big and claims to be “wrinkle-free” when it’s clearly not, you wouldn’t want an image on your website that takes 2 minutes to load and ends up not being what the user was looking for. The process of image optimization is like tailoring that oversized t-shirt to fit just right.
Image Compression: Tailor Your Images to the Digital World
Image Compression is ultimately about carefully cropping, resizing, and compressing the image file so it loads quickly and looks great on screens – without sacrificing the quality or intent of the original image.
Image Compression can be broken down into 4 steps:
Crop: Crop the image so that the main focus is centered, if needed. Consider the platform(s) you’re uploading to and whether they use a square, rectangular, or circular aspect ratio. This not only reduces the file size, but also improves it’s impact.
Resize: Digital cameras today are capable of taking superb quality photographs in 4K resolution. But images on web pages or social media platforms are rarely displayed at this resolution, since most images are not displayed full screen and the majority of internet users are using devices lacking 4K output. When in doubt, a 1200px width is more than enough for the vast majority of images used on a web page.
Reformat: There are plenty of image formats out there nowadays. Each come with their own benefits and drawbacks, but to keep it simple: Use .jpg for images that have a background, and .png for images that have a transparent or no background. The default quality option should be sufficient.
Compress: Using a free image compressor like compressor.io can further reduce the file size of an image by up to 80% sometimes without making a noticeable impact on quality. Now would be a good time to rename your image for SEO purposes (more on that below.) If you follow nothing else in this guide, using these image compression tools are an extremely easy and straightforward way to reduce page load time.
Crop & Resize Images on Windows
Open File Explorer and find the image you want to edit.
Right-click on the image, hover over “Open with,” and select “Photos.”
Click the “Edit & Create” button in the top-right corner.
Select “Edit” from the dropdown menu.
Click the “Crop & rotate” button.
Adjust the cropping frame by clicking and dragging the corners or edges of the frame. Once satisfied, click the “Save a copy” button to save the cropped image.
Open the cropped image in Paint (right-click the image, hover over “Open with,” and select “Paint”).
Click the “Resize” button in the Home tab.
Ensure the “Maintain aspect ratio” checkbox is checked.
In the “Horizontal” box, enter “1200” (the vertical dimension will adjust automatically). Click “OK” to resize the image.
Click “File” in the top menu bar and select “Save as.” Choose the desired location and format, and click “Save.”
Crop & Resize Images on Mac
Locate your image in Finder
Open the image in Preview (double click on the image)
Press and drag your selection
Hover on Tools in the top menu bar, select Crop
Hover on Tools again, select Resize Image
In the width box, put 1200px & confirm
Save the image by hovering on File in the top menu bar and selecting save (or press ⌘S)
Image Metadata: The Catalogue Card for Your Photos
Before we delve into Image Metadata, let’s back up and ask the question: “What is Metadata?”
Metadata defined for the laymen
To define it simply: Metadata is data about data. It’s information that categorizes and summarizes what something is.
To use an analogy: In the 80’s you needed to find a book (website) at the library (web). You would use the library catalogue (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) to search for the book either by it’s name or author. When you found the right card (search result), it would tell you the call number or location. You would then go through the shelves or ask a librarian for help (click) and eventually find and check out your book (website).
In our case, we use metadata describing your website to help the robots that search engines use to rank search results better understand who your organization is, what you do, when you’re open, how to contact you, etc. and ultimately rank as high as possible.
What do I need to know about image metadata?
Image metadata is important not only because it helps these robots understand images they can’t actually see (yet) and determine if they’re relevant or not, but also ensures your website remains accessible for those with sight disabilities or a painfully slow internet connection by providing descriptions of what they’re viewing.
Image metadata can feel complex to understand considering all the various elements that go into it, and even harder to know what to prioritize. But luckily, the elements that have the greatest visibility impact are also some of the simplest to incorporate. Here are the three most important elements concerning image metadata:
Alt Text: Alt text, short for Alternative Text, is the most important part of image metadata. This is really just a brief description of what the image is. It’s used for people who rely on screen readers, when the image fails to load to give context (common for those with slow internet connections), and for showing search engines that this image is relevant in relation to your organization.
File Name: An images name before uploading it plays a huge factor in helping search engines better understand the image content and increase it’s visibility. This is a great place to tie your images with your company and it’s specific services or people. Instead of “mark.jpg”, something like “Mark-Scott-Sales-Manager-Generica-Inc.jpg” helps search engines recognize that Mark Scott is the Sales Manager at Generica Inc, this is his picture, and that this image is relevant to the blurb describing him below it.
Title: The title tag is used as a tooltip description, providing supplemental information when the user hovers over an image. However, the this only applies to users on desktop. This is a good place to add keywords if warranted.
Let’s get to work: An actionable Image Optimization checklist
Now that we’ve explained the abstract concepts behind Image Optimization and it’s two major components: Image Compression and Image Metadata, let’s go through a step by step process on how to actually incorporate these pieces efficiently:
Gather your images into a folder called something like [subject]-originals
Decide where you’re uploading these images and crop each one as needed
Resize the width of each image to 1200px
Reformat each image. Are they photographs? Go with .JPG. Are they graphics or use transparent backgrounds? .PNG is the way to go
Create a folder called [subject]-optimized and upload your edited images to compressor.io
Download each image, saving it into the [subject]-optimized folder and rename each image to relate to your organization and the relevent service or person
If you want a break, now’s a good time
Login to your WordPress website, and navigate to the Media tab in the admin panel
Upload your optimized images
Return to the media library, click on the first image thumbnail in the upper left. This will open the image metadata panel. In the alt field, write a brief description of the image in question either manually or use AI to assist you. If you have a premium ChatGPT plan, use our A11y SEO Image Wizard.
Fill out the alt text (and optionally the title) for the remaining images. Congratulations! You’ve now optimized the images on your website. Your images can be now be added to the posts or pages of your choosing.
If you followed this checklist, you can rest easy that the most important standards concerning image optimization are being met. Your web page will now appear more attractive to search engines, as well as improve the page load times and accessibility for your visitors.
Attending the Indy 500 was an incredible experience, thanks to Simon Beverton and his amazing crew. Our adventure started after attending a networking lunch at Ivy Tech’s Yellowwood Restaurant, where Simon extended a generous invitation to this year’s race. Excited about the opportunity, I brought along my son, Andrew, who is currently serving on active duty in the Army. Celebrating Memorial Day at such an iconic event was the perfect way for him to unwind and relax with us.
We began our day bright and early, meeting at The Mill at 7 am ⏰. The journey to Indianapolis was filled with lively discussions about AI, technology, and even a bit of weather speculation regarding our race day plans 🌦️.
A stormy day in Speedway, Indiana, with dark clouds, lightning, and heavy rainfall. Generated with CustomGPT Visual Weather Artist: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-twUGxmpHv-visual-weather-artist-gpt
In Speedway, the skies do roar, Thunderstorms come, with rain to pour. Clouds gather thick, winds briskly sway, A stormy, tempestuous, wet-filled day.
Lightning cracks and thunder booms, Nature’s fury brightly blooms. Raindrops dance on streets and roofs, Puddles form as sky aloofs.
Stay sheltered from this stormy wrath, As weather takes its mighty path. But worry not, the sun will shine, And clear the clouds in due time.
Sharing my eclectic taste in music with Conrad, Marcus, and Simon made the ride even more enjoyable 🎵. Despite some traffic, Simon’s expert navigation got us to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with fantastic parking, providing a stunning view of the venue 🚗.
A rainstorm delayed the start of the race, giving us some extra time to explore and shop 🛍️. I decided to grab some merch and kabobs for lunch, completely forgetting the rain ponchos my wife had packed 🌧️. Apologies to Andrew for getting soaked! To make the best of our situation, we headed to Ross and picked up new boots for Andrew, new shoes for me, and some dry clothes 👢👕. We even managed to find snacks, candy, and a new wallet, all for under $100!
With our new outfits, we returned to the track, ready for the excitement 🏎️. Our seats along the main straightaway, just past turn 4, offered a perfect view of the race.
Witnessing Josef Newgarden’s back-to-back victory up close was a thrilling experience, and we’re already planning to attend next year 🏆.
Simon B proudly wears an Indianapolis 500 cap, capturing the excitement of the race day.
A heartfelt thank you to Simon and his crew for making this memorable day possible 🙌.
The camaraderie and support from my friends remind me of the bright future ahead, knowing they’ll be there to share in the fun. This unforgettable experience wouldn’t have happened without being a Mill member. #grateful
Transforming Ideas into Virtual Reality: The Genesis of 67storage.com
The creation of 67 Storage was a branding project that challenged our creativity and technical expertise but also strengthened our belief in the power of one-on-one collaboration.
Our partnership with Roman, the business owner behind 67 Storage, started with a mission to craft a digital web presence and branding that mirrors the efficiency, security, and user-friendliness of their recently built storage units on Highway 67.
Our branding project began with making a pivotal decision. Roman initially sought to name his venture after his last name, “Manley Enterprises”. However, after sitting down with Roman and getting a better understanding of his marketing goals, we found an opportunity for a more intuitive connection with potential clients.
We brainstormed and design a brand that wasn’t only a name, but also a literal signpost. A logo that encapsulated the business’s essence and its geographical significance. Drawing from its strategic location off of Highway 67, “67 Storage” was born.
This decision wasn’t just about picking a name—it was about crafting a scalable, recognizable, memorable, and easily searchable brand identity across both digital platforms and physical mediums for future customers. ’67 Storage’ was more than a choice; it was a strategic decision that streamlined the discovery process for potential clients.
Brand Identity Creation – Forging the 67 Storage Identity Inspired by the Open Road
With the name “67 Storage” setting the stage, the journey towards creating a cohesive brand identity began.
Color Scheme
A Palette Born from the Road
The color scheme transitioned from concept to palette, drawing from the distinctive colors of highway road signs. This choice was intentional, aiming to evoke a sense of reliability and guidance, much like the road signs that navigate travelers to their destinations. The colors chosen were more than just visually appealing; they were a narrative in themselves, telling a story of trust, direction, and safety.
Typography
Typography plays a pivotal role in bridging 67 Storage’s brand identity with its digital presence. Research into the typography of highway signs—specifically Highway Gothic and Clearview—revealed the practical challenges of licensing and digital optimization. Thus, for the logo, we chose Interstate, a font inspired by highway signage yet suitable for digital use, found on Adobe Fonts. For the website, Overpass from Google Fonts was selected for its web optimized design and open source license, ensuring a consistent, readable online experience. This thoughtful selection allowed us to maintain a connection to the brand’s roots while adapting to the digital landscape.
ClearviewHwy font single computer license purchase page indicating the cost of $795, which informed the decision to select Overpass for the 67 Storage website.
Screenshot highlighting Overpass, a versatile typeface from Google Fonts, chosen for its compatibility with 67 Storage’s branding and logo.
Logo Design
Drawing inspiration from the very roots of the name, the brand’s visual identity took cues from highway signs—a nod to the name’s origin and a brilliant play on familiarity and visibility. The logo was fashioned to mirror the clarity and straightforwardness of highway signage, ensuring instant recognition and connection.
Business Card Design
For the business card, we compressed 67 Storage’s brand identity into a readable, impactful design. The layout and iconography is intentionally minimalist to focus on clearly displaying key contact information. To balance the white space of the card, we crafted a background that aligns with the shield logo on the right. This enhances the card’s visual appeal and brand recognition. Moreover, a QR code links to the 67 Storage website for ease of customer access. Our design approach makes the business card an efficient networking tool and extension of the 67 Storage brand identity.
Picking 67storage.com: Securing a Strong Online Presence
Selecting the right domain name for 67 Storage was a crucial decision to make. Picking an overly complicated or hard to remember domain name could considerably impact it’s ability for customers to find and remember. To avoid this, we decided on 67storage.com, a short, straightforward domain name that both reinforces the brand identity and simplifies the customer’s journey to finding the business online online.
WordPress Website & Design: Crafting a User-Centric Online Space
The website for 67 Storage was intentionally designed to radiate its unique identity while focusing on two primary objectives: attracting new customers and enabling online payment for storage unit rentals. Using WordPress, we customized the latest 2024 Theme and enriched it with hand-coded Custom CSS. This approach added a layer of interactivity to navigation elements, buttons, and links, improving the overall user experience. For style, significant customization was made on the page template to echo the brand’s signature shield motif, ensuring a visual consistency across the digital and physical aspects of the brand.
Key features of the site include detailed information about available storage units, a comprehensive FAQ section, and integration with a payment processor, facilitating easy rent payments for customers. Additionally, the website is equipped with contact forms designed to cater to prospective customers, simplifying the process of inquiring about rentals. This strategic combination of form and function embodies 67 Storage’s commitment to service accessibility and customer convenience, ensuring the website not only serves as a digital storefront but also as a tool for operational efficiency.
Key Takeaway
Working closely together with Roman, we took the initial seeds of a business idea, patiently nurturing them through a collaborative journey to fruition. It was our personal approach to this collaboration—taking the time to understand Roman’s vision, marketing goals, and the core values he wanted to portray—that let us create more than just a name or logo; we built an identity that truly embodied the key principles of efficiency, security, and customer focus.
This project was more than a branding initiative; it was a testament to the power of personalized collaboration. By establishing a strong sense of trust with Roman and understanding his vision, we were able to ensure the branding truly reflected the essence of his business. This synergy created a robust, impactful brand that held a distinct logo and strong digital presence.
67 Storage is no longer only an idea, but a living representation of Roman’s vision, bringing a tangible impact to the marketplace. It stands as the embodiment of thorough deliberation, cooperative work, and perseverance, and we’re immensely proud to be part of this evolving journey of 67 Storage. Our collaboration with Roman underscores the incredible outcomes that can be achieved through an individualized, insight-driven approach to business development.
In today’s ever-evolving digital marketing and web design scene, streamlining your workflow is more valuable than ever. Amid a plethora of tools, identifying those that can truly streamline your strategy instead of distract can be a formidable task. Figma’s community shares files and plugins that are helpful for crafting professional web and marketing content. In this article, we focus on five practical user-made Figma tools that can refine your creative process and make your web and marketing strategy faster and more professional.
Today, responsive website design isn’t a nice to have – it’s a requirement, and favicons are no exception. This handy design file by Ernest Ojeh takes your finalized favicon image and lets you see what it looks like across different browsers and devices. This is perfect for ensuring the chosen brand icon can be easily recognizable across devices and to show clients what it’s going to look like in various browser tabs and search engines. Additionally, each version that’s generated is contained in a frame with a matching name so using the included embed code is a simple copy paste procedure.
Remembering all the different ideal image sizes across all the different platforms can become quite a headache. Failure to do so often results in subpar, low quality, and pixelated posts that look unprofessional and uninspiring to viewers. This plugin by Andreslav Kozlov allows you to import perfectly sized Figma frames tailored for a wide array of social media platforms at the click of a button. Whether it’s the square layout for Instagram, the wide banner for Twitter, or the unique dimensions for LinkedIn, this plugin has all the popular platforms. This useful plugin saves time and elevates the quality of social media posts, ensuring they look crisp and engaging on any platform.
Having your social media images in the proper size and body content ready is great for clients, but this Figma file lets you take that to the next level. With Social Media Templates by Ravn, now you can show exactly what a client’s content will look like across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter. It even includes a prototype section with interactive carousel mockups for posts with multiple images!
This isn’t your average color palette generator. realtimecolors.com is a color and font visualizer platform specifically for web designers. Using a website structure template, now you can generate and see colors and fonts provided via Google Fonts in real time. Another notable feature is it’s expansive export options – you can save and send these examples simply by sending a link to clients, providing an easily accessible starting point when making design decisions. You can also export by download, QR code, CSS code, the Figma plugin, and more, making documenting and implementing these colors and fonts on your website and marketing materials a breeze.
If using the Realtime Colors plugin isn’t easy enough, here’s another to make things even easier. ColorLabels by Naren Abbaraju quickly lets you label color swatches on Fimga in a variety of formats, including RBG, HEX, HSL, and HSB. The best part? Color Labels can also automatically detect and apply Coolors.co‘s custom color labels. Calling a color swatch Aquamarine instead of #67EFE1 or “the light greenish one” is much easier for you and your clients to say, understand, and remember. It’s one of those simple changes that make the process a little more approachable.
Closing Thoughts
Navigating the world of Figma tools designed to enhance your web and digital marketing strategies can feel like entering a gold mine. With the right tools, you can supercharge your creative process, increase your efficiency, and present a polished, consistent brand image that resonates with your audience.
Every new tool feels like a game-changer. But remember, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The vibrant community of Figma is loaded with new plugins, files, and ideas that are just waiting to be discovered, used, and shared.
So, what’s the next step? Start including one or more of these tools in your strategy today. Share your triumphs and trials with them. Trade ideas with the community, learn from each other, and keep your toolbox ever-evolving. Most importantly, remember that in the ever-changing world of web and digital marketing, your greatest tool is your adaptability.
Let’s embrace Figma to not just reach, but to exceed our creative and strategic goals, and propel our narratives into the stratosphere.
In the past, people used to jot down the website address if they found it on a poster in a business storefront. While one could look up a business or event, this approach leaves much to be desired; It’s a process to search online. Think about the number of steps involved in an average search:
Navigate to and open your phone’s browser
Tap on the search bar
Type in the business or event
Find their website on Google or Bing
Go to the website
Scan the homepage and navigation
Locate and read the content you want
For somebody walking by an advertisement, event poster, or storefront, this is inconvenient and awkward at best. At worst, a potential customer or participant who’s too busy at the moment or not yet invested in your business or event could simply keep walking, or intend to look it up later but end up completely forgetting about your business.
Enter the QR Code
On the other hand, imagine a potential customer walking by a storefront and noticing an intriguing advertisement with a QR code displayed prominently. With their curiosity piqued, they quickly pull out their smartphone and effortlessly scan the code. The convenience, ease, and excitement of this seamless interaction leave the customer positively impressed, reaffirming their belief in the brand’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. This is the power of QR codes: bridging the gap between the physical and digital realms.
A Brief History of the QR Code
The automotive parts manufacturing company Denso Wave created QR (short for Quick Response) codes in 1994 for inventory management. Inspired by black and white Go game pieces, QR codes have many advantages over traditional UPC barcodes. They have a much larger capacity – featuring up to 7000 characters compared to UPCs’ 20. QR codes are readable at any angle, even if they are partially damaged. They are also read 10x faster than traditional barcodes.
The Flexibility of QR Codes
QR codes have revolutionized the way businesses and event organizers connect with their audience, offering a seamless bridge between the physical and digital realms. With their flexibility and ease of use, QR codes have become invaluable tools for businesses and events to enhance customer experiences and streamline various operations.
Some ways QR codes are commonly used today include:
Digital Menus: Many restaurants, cafes, and event venues are using QR codes to provide digital menus to customers. This reduces the need for physical menus and can be easily updated for different events.
Contactless Payments: QR codes can facilitate mobile payment transactions at both retail businesses and event venues. Customers can scan the code to make payments, reducing the need for physical cash or cards.
Product Information: Retail businesses and event vendors can use QR codes to provide detailed information about a product or event offerings. This is particularly useful for products or events with limited space to display information.
Digital Business Cards: Instead of giving out business cards with a printed email or LinkedIn address, professionals and event organizers can share a QR code that reveals their contact information. This allows for seamless networking during events.
Link to Reviews or Testimonials: Encourage customers and event attendees to leave reviews or read previous customer testimonials about your products or services. This can help build trust and credibility.
Direct Customers to Your Social Media: Boost your online presence and engage with customers and event attendees by directing them to your social media platforms. This allows for ongoing communication and promotion.
Promotions or Discounts: Offer promotions or discounts that are exclusively revealed when the customer or event attendee scans the QR code. This can incentivize purchases or attendance at events.
Check out these styled QR codes for some local Bloomington websites, created easily thanks to Styled QR Code Generator:
Things to Consider Before Making QR Codes
Certain QR code generators produce short links that redirect to your website, instead of directly linking to it. Be aware that these services may disable your code a few weeks post-creation unless you subscribe, potentially leaving you with non-functional codes in your printed marketing materials.
Be sure to make it clear why customers should scan the QR code and what they stand to gain from it. Failing to clearly explain the purpose or benefits of scanning the QR code can lead to confusion and disinterest from customers. A simple call-to-action, such as “Scan here for more information,” can help customers understand the purpose of the QR code.
Position QR codes strategically so customers can easily spot and scan them. Avoid overusing QR codes to the point where their novelty wears off.
Unless you’re looking to make a stylized QR, most of the time you don’t need any special generator platforms. Google Chrome lets you make direct QR codes on any page simply by right-clicking on the page and selecting “Create QR Code for this Page”:
Other options for direct QR code generators that have more style options include:
QR codes have emerged as powerful tools that bridge the gap between the physical and digital realms. They offer convenience and ease of use, making it effortless for potential customers to access information and engage with businesses and events. From providing digital menus to facilitating contactless payments, QR codes have revolutionized customer experiences and streamlined operations in various industries.
If you have any questions or concerns, we at David Martin Design are committed to offering the best possible service. We believe in fostering strong relationships with our clients by ensuring transparency, commitment, and a collaborative approach. Feel free to get in touch with us at any point. Your success is our top priority, and we look forward to hearing from you and helping you achieve your goals.
Written by Jarod Maxwell, Digital Marketing Specialist at David Martin Design
In today’s fast-paced digital world, having your business information accurately listed on various online platforms is not just a necessity; it’s a game-changer. At David Martin Design, we’re excited to announce our latest offering – Local Business Listing Management. This service is tailored to help business owners like you gain better visibility and ensure your business details are always up-to-date across key platforms, including Google, Bing, and more.
The Importance of Accurate Business Listings: Accurate business listings are critical for two main reasons. First, they ensure that your potential customers can find you easily. Second, they provide reliable information, building trust and credibility in your brand. Inaccurate or outdated information can lead to lost opportunities and a negative impression.
For a small business in Bloomington, Indiana, beyond the major search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, there are several other platforms where you can submit your business listing to increase visibility and reach potential customers:
Local Directories and Review Sites:
TripAdvisor: Ideal if your business is related to hospitality, tourism, or dining.
Angie’s List: Great for service-oriented businesses.
Social Media Platforms:
Facebook: Creating a business page on Facebook can help you reach a wide audience.
Instagram: This is especially useful if your business can showcase visually appealing products or services.
LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B businesses and professional networking.
Local Bloomington, Indiana Resources:
Bloomington Chamber of Commerce: Listing your business here can increase local business-to-business connections.
Visit Bloomington: If your business caters to tourists or is part of the hospitality industry, this is a great place to be listed.
BloomingtonOnline: Shop Local isn’t just a trendy slogan. It’s a call to action.
Local Bloomington Newspapers and Magazines: Many local publications have business directories.
Industry-Specific Directories:
If your business falls into a specific niche (like healthcare, legal services, or home improvement), look for directories specific to that industry.
Better Business Bureau (BBB):
Listing your business here can add credibility, as consumers often check BBB ratings.
Google Business and Bing Places:
Businesses can verify and edit their business information, respond to reviews, post photos and offers, and see insights on how customers are interacting with their business.
Community Bulletin Boards and Forums:
Local community centers, libraries, or online community forums specific to Bloomington can be valuable for word-of-mouth referrals.
How Our Service Works: Our Local Business Listing Management service is designed to be simple yet effective. We take the burden off your shoulders by:
Claiming Your Listings: We ensure your business is accurately listed on platforms like Google, Bing, & other important local platforms.
Regular Updates: From changing business hours, and updating posts, to updating contact information, we keep your listings current.
In a world where online presence is crucial, let David Martin Design be your partner in ensuring that your business stands out. Claim your listing today with our Local Business Listing Management service and take the first step towards enhanced visibility and success.
Ready to enhance your business’s online presence?Contact David Martin Design today to learn more about our Local Business Listing Management service and how we can help your business grow.
David Martin Design recently had the privilege of spending an extraordinary day with nearly 800 eager 7th graders at the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce’s Success School Career Cruise. This event was an unparalleled opportunity for these young minds to quench their curiosity and widen their horizons in various fields including web development, artificial intelligence (AI), entrepreneurship, and much more.
800 7th Graders Learning About Web Development, AI, Entrepreneurship, & More at The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Career Cruise
The enthusiasm and insightful queries from the students were nothing short of inspiring. The subjects that drew their interest most were AI, entrepreneurship, and website building. I was amazed by their depth of understanding and their eagerness to learn more about these complex topics. It was an honor for David Martin Design to be part of this event. We believe that the lessons learned here will enable these students to seize the local opportunities that Monroe County has to offer.
We are hopeful that the students have left the event feeling motivated and inspired, ready to explore and conquer the world of web design, AI, and entrepreneurship. With events like the Career Cruise, the future of Monroe County looks bright indeed. We can’t wait to see what these young minds will bring to the table in the coming years.
The ability to create and maintain your own website is a skill that can bring tremendous value. While there are numerous resources available for creating and maintaining your own website, it’s always best to work with a local web designer whenever possible. Local designers are not only easily accessible, but they also understand the local market and can better tailor your website to meet the needs of your local audience. They are also more likely to provide personalized service and support. However, if you choose to go the DIY route, the following resources and tools can be quite helpful in your web development journey.
For beginners, resources like GreenGeeks (https://www.greengeeks.com/how-to-create-a-website) offer a comprehensive guide on how to create a website, from domain registration to web hosting. It’s an excellent starting point for anyone looking to build their first website.
Choosing the right domain registrar is key to ensuring your website’s success. Some of the top domain registrar companies include NameCheap (https://www.namecheap.com/) and Squarespace(https://domains.squarespace.com/). A domain name is your online address; it’s how people find you on the internet. Therefore, it’s crucial to select a name that is memorable, easy to spell, and reflects your brand.
When it comes to web hosting, there are various options available depending on your needs. Services such as IndianaWebHosting.com, GreenGeeks.com, & BlueHost offer reliable and scalable hosting solutions. These platforms ensure that your website is always available and accessible to your target audience.
WordPress is another essential resource for web development. With its user-friendly interface, it is an excellent platform for beginners and experienced developers. The platform has an extensive library of resources at (https://learn.wordpress.org/) to help you get familiar with WordPress and create a functioning website. Moreover, there are courses and playgrounds available, such as Getting Started With WordPress: Get Familiar (https://learn.wordpress.org/course/getting-started-with-wordpress-get-familiar/) and Creating a 4-page business website (https://learn.wordpress.org/course/creating-a-4-page-business-website/). These provide hands-on experience and step-by-step guidance for building your website with WordPress.
The digital landscape is always evolving, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies can give you an edge in creating better, more responsive websites. Building a successful web presence requires a blend of the right resources, continuous learning, and practice.
https://learn.wordpress.org/ Whether you’re a first-time blogger or seasoned developer, there’s always more to learn. From community members all over the world, these vast resources will help you learn more about WordPress and share it with others.
Web developers and web designers need to take into account security measures and appropriate payment processors when designing and developing websites. Heavily regarded payment processors certified with PCI compliance, such as Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net should be considered.
Web hosting also needs to be taken into account, as the hosting company must offer secure encryption protocols such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS). Additionally, the hosting company should provide daily backups. This way, customers can be sure that their private data is safe and secure.
When it comes to web design, WordPress and WooCommerce are two of the most popular content management systems for e-commerce sites.
WordPress and WooCommerce are the perfect foundation to build a successful e-commerce business or to simply collect payments. WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress that adds a range of e-commerce features. With WooCommerce, designers can create an online store in minutes, and can easily begin collecting payments with Stripe PCI compliance. Lastly, web designers should be sure to adhere to all web design standards to ensure the website is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
When developing websites for small businesses, e-commerce, HOA neighborhoods, and other organizations with customers’ sensitive data, designers need to be vigilant and strategic in their plans. In these scenarios, web designers should employ secure certificates, trusty web hosting, and payment processors with PCI compliance. By following these guidelines, businesses can be certain that they are providing a secure and protected online experience for their customers.
Local Bloomington musician Andy Cobine had been working with GoDaddy’s marketing experts to build a new website for Wizard Pants Party Band since November 2022. After numerous parleys with GoDaddy and bestowing several hundred gold coins for marketing aid, he began to question if his endeavor would ever take flight.
Linking the Physical and Digital Realms – David Martin Design featured in the Ryder Magazine with a QR Code
Andy found David Martin Design’s QR Code in the June 2023 edition of the Ryder Magazine. This was his maiden encounter with a QR Code and, after laying eyes on the advertisement numerous times, he found himself muttering, “I must summon him, I must summon him indeed.”
David was able to aid Andy in his quest to navigate the bewildering sea of technological enigma, understand his initial efforts, and identify the paths towards crafting a professional portal where folks could listen to and acquire his band’s harmonies.
At one point during their collaboration, a perplexing email issue arose which left Andy flustered. This is when David stepped in, not just as a designer, but also as a “tech therapist.” He was able to quickly diagnose the problem, navigate through the complex systems, and propose an effective solution – successfully restoring deleted emails. David’s calm and collected approach amidst the chaos served as a reassuring presence, reminding Andy of the importance of patience and perseverance when facing such enchanting complications.
Connect the dots, la la la ♪
Bloomington, Indiana, a town known and celebrated for its close-knit folk, was fittingly illustrated in David’s fellowship with Andy. It’s a community where connections run deep and serendipity is more common than not. In a twist of fate, David recollected having played some of Andy’s sire’s melodies (the legendary minstrel Al Cobine) during his school years. This heartwarming memory further solidified their partnership, exemplifying the interconnected ties within their community.
Student & Teacher – David often expresses a profound appreciation for his diverse clientele, who not only provide an opportunity for him to experiment and innovate but also to learn and grow. His approach to clients is both educational and collaborative. On one hand, he imparts his insights and best practices, honing their understanding of the intricacies involved in web design and digital marketing. On the other hand, each unique project and its challenges push David to keep expanding his knowledge base and maintain his edge in the rapidly evolving digital world. This symbiotic relationship underscores his philosophy that design is not simply a service, but a journey of shared discovery, fostering stronger relationships and better outcomes.
The Gateway to Better Selections – In this age of boundless etheric commotion, David’s wizardry served as a lighthouse, a testament to the might of camaraderie, and the living embodiment of the perfect duality of the tangible and intangible realms.
From their joint adventure, David worked intimately with Andy to traverse the vast array of available choices for the band’s new website. They explored various options for website building, email management, payment gateways, social media, and marketing. David’s comprehensive approach demystified the confusing technical details, helping Andy make informed choices tailored to his creative journey. With skillful navigation of the complex digital world and an empathetic, patient approach, David offers a model for a more human-centered approach to tech-based solutions, highlighting the advantages of a local, personalized service over impersonal global providers.
This entire experience came full circle back to the Ryder Magazine and the QR code that prompted Andy’s initial call. It was a reminder of the incredible value of keeping business local and collaborating with Bloomington’s local service providers. In an era of digital overwhelm, David’s guidance served as a beacon, a testament to the power of community, and a symbol of the seamless blend of the physical and digital worlds. This story resonates with the unique relationship between David and Andy, highlighting the importance of bridging both the physical and digital realms in today’s interconnected world. It serves as a testament to the success of local businesses supporting each other, underpinning the vibrant culture of Bloomington, Indiana.
May this tale serve as a testament to the magic that can arise when the tangible and intangible, the real and the digital, the old and the new are woven together with skill, care, and a deep sense of respect for the community. This yarn of collaboration is not merely about the crafting of a mere portal, but about the creation of harmonious connections, the bridging of gaps between the mundane and the mystical, and the reinforcing of community ties.
Every business owner wants to be remembered, respected, and referred. When people remember your business, they are likely to think of you first when they need the products or services you offer. They will also be more likely to recommend your business to family and friends. Respectful treatment of customers will bring them back time and again, and encourage them to spread the word about your business.
The Importance of Being Remembered: How being remembered can benefit the success of a business. Examples of successful businesses that have become well-known by creating a lasting impression.
Being remembered can have a significant impact on the success of a business. When people remember your business, it can lead to increased sales, giving you an edge over your competition. Additionally, when customers remember your company they may feel a connection and loyalty, making them likely to return in the future. This can result in repeat customers and steady growth for the business. Moreover, when customers remember your business, they may recommend it to others, leading to referrals and even more business.
The Importance of Being Respected: Why it’s important for business owners to be respected by their clients and customers. How respect can increase customer loyalty and help to grow the business.
Respect is an important part of any successful business. Customers and clients who feel respected by business owners and employees are more likely to stick around and become loyal customers. Respectful treatment can lead to repeat customers and referrals, and it also helps to foster positive relationships that are so essential to business success. Respecting people’s time and meeting them on their own terms shows that the business cares and values its customers’ needs and wants.
The Importance of Being Referred: The benefits of being referred to potential customers and how it can lead to increased business. Ways to encourage customers to refer others to your business.
Referral marketing is one of the most powerful and cost-effective forms of advertising. It is far more reliable than conventional forms of advertising, as people are much more likely to trust what their family, friends, and colleagues have to say about a business. Additionally, referral marketing can be a great way to expand your reach and gain new customers. Making it easy for customers to refer your business to family, friends, and colleagues is essential to success.
Creating a dedicated page on your website with reviews, links to Google Business and Facebook, and other platforms that take customers directly to the review form is a great way to encourage referrals. This will increase visibility for your business and will ultimately lead to more sales and growth.
Being remembered, respected, and referred will have a significant impact on the success of your business. It is important for business owners to create an impression that lasts and is remembered by their customers and clients. Respectful treatment of customers will help to foster loyalty and keep them coming back. Referral marketing is one of the most powerful and cost-effective forms of advertising, and it is essential to creating visibility and growth. By taking the time to ensure that your business is remembered, respected, and referred, you will be more likely to achieve success.
Most business owners will find that it’s quite easy to jump into the Google Business platform and get started connecting your important business information with potential valuable customers. Keep reading below for a breakdown of what you can do with the updated Google My Business platform.
The Basics of Google Business
Start with the name of your business, determine the categories your business falls under, where your service location is, what your hours (& special hours) are, your business phone #, add a link to your website, and add interesting business photos (Interior, Exterior, At Work, Your Team, & Identity).
Completely filling out the basics of your Google Business profile is very important and will help potential customers searching at various times of day, in different locations, and for various reasons to reach your business if it matches what they are expecting.
I’d recommend starting with the basics and you will be ahead of most of your competition. Once you have that complete, then you can focus on some of the more advanced features that Google offers.
Create a post on Google Business
Visiting the Posts link on the side of your Google Business will bring up a news-feed status update input box where you can post important updates. I have not posted anything yet, but as soon as I am done writing this on my blog, I will post a link. I clicked on the LEARN MORE link and got an overview of what I should be doing:
Posting through Google Business lets you publish your events, products, and services directly to Google Search and Maps. By creating posts, you can place your timely content in front of customers when they find your business listing on Google.
This is great that Google is now allowing business owners to post directly through this business portal. As long as the business owner has claimed their profile and linked everything together including Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Adwords, and other properties, they should all play very well together.
Understand Import Insights About Your Business
Where do your customers come from? Do they find your local listing on the right side of the page, do they find your organic listing? Perhaps you are paying for traffic by using Google Adwords? With the Insights tab in Google My Business you can discover how your customers search for your business. You will understand if they have viewed your information directly through Search of via Maps. Important business information including whether a customer visited your website, asked for directions, viewed your photos, and how many customers called are all available at a quick glance.
Manage Your Google Business Reviews
“Digital Word of Mouth” is one of the most important local search ranking factors and will likely influence whether a potential customer will contact you or your competition. Google makes it easy for business owners to discover what their customers have written about them.
Your customers will rate your business on a 1-5 star scale and they may also leave written comments. You will receive a notification when a customer writes a review and the Google My Business platform makes it very easy to respond.
Google reviews are increasingly important and it’s very important for you to incorporate a strategy that includes asking your customers for feedback and providing an easy means to do so.
Message with Your Customers
Directly communicate with potential customers. Providing real-time access to the business owner will likely allow the business owners who are able to respond quickly an advantage over those who haven’t activated this feature and must use traditional methods.
I’m excited to be able to manage my Google business information in one easy place. Google Business has evolved in the past few years into a platform for businesses to easily manage their vital business information and understand key performance indicators that will help them succeed.
Bryan Meadows, Owner of Bloomington Creative Solutions (this is a fake name) had been running his small business for 10 years, proudly providing services to his loyal customers. He often heard compliments from them, but one day he received a shock—someone had left a scathing one-star review on his Google Business page.
Bryan was understandably worried. How would this affect his business? How could he fix this? He decided to take a deep breath and figure out the best way to respond to this negative review. He went online to learn more about responding to reviews and soon realized that he had to take a proactive approach to address the customer’s issues. He crafted a response that addressed the customer’s concerns and apologized for the bad experience. After posting his response, he was relieved when the customer replied back and thanked him for taking the time to fix the issue.
Bryan’s swift response had a positive effect on his business: not only did it demonstrate to other potential customers that he was attentive to customer service, but he also received positive reviews from other customers that were impressed by his commitment to responding to each and every review.
How to Respond to Reviews with No Comments
Thank you for your rating! We appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback. If there’s anything we can do to try and improve your experience, please let us know.
3 reasons why it’s vital to respond to your reviews
To demonstrate your commitment to customer service and responsiveness.
To build credibility with potential customers and build trust with your current customers.
To give you a chance to fix any issues that customers have experienced.
Responding to negative reviews is a necessary strategy for businesses seeking to provide excellent customer service.
Not only does it demonstrate to potential customers your commitment to responsiveness, but it also provides a chance to identify and fix issues that customers have faced. It is essential to respond to reviews in a timely manner, show empathy to customers, and be professional in your responses. By following these steps and responding to negative reviews promptly and professionally, businesses can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Michael Dopp’s website now features a modern WordPress platform, making it easier and more efficient for Michael to showcase his artwork and share his stories with the world. The WordPress platform makes it easy for Michael to quickly and easily make changes to his website. With the power of WordPress, he can easily update images, add new blog posts, and manage any new information.
We are proud to announce the launch of their newly redesigned website. In a few short weeks of work with David Martin, IUStudentApts.com has developed a website that offers a modern, intuitive, and streamlined user experience.
Newly Redesigned Website Powered by WordPress
The newly redesigned website is now powered by WordPress, a feature-rich and secure content management system, allowing for a seamless transition to the optimal online rental experience. The website’s intuitive user interface and optimized search functions make it easy to find the perfect rental for students at Indiana University. In addition, the website has been optimized for SEO, ensuring high rankings in search results and easy access to IUStudentApts.com’s rental offerings.
Enhanced Productivity with Email, Forms, & a Google Workspace For Their Domain Name
In addition to the website redesign, IUStudentApts.com is now using Google Workspace for its email accounts. This lets users securely access their emails from any device without needing to install any software.
Using Google Forms for their website contact forms allows users to provide their information quickly and securely. This ensures that all inquiries are answered in a timely manner and customers see a swift response from the IUStudentApts.com team.
IUStudentApts.com can enjoy a stress-free technology experience with advanced security, collaboration, and productivity features with Google Workspace.
Google Analytics to Track Website Performance
Google Analytics allows IUStudentApts.com to track and analyze website performance. This allows the team to better understand how customers are interacting with the site and make adjustments as needed for improved website usability. They can now see the metrics that matter most, such as page views, average time spent on site, and conversions.
This article provides an overview of the three steps necessary for successful SEO: basic on-page optimization, basic link building, and basic social media marketing.
Learn about the basics of keyword research, creating effective titles and meta descriptions, building your profile on external websites, and implementing effective social media strategies. Find out how you can use the right tools to measure your efforts and tie them back to your website. Start getting more website traffic and higher-quality leads with these three essential steps.
SEO, when done correctly, takes a ton of effort and it is a very time-consuming process, but for this, you may need professional help from a search engine optimization company. A well structured, planned out website is going to be much more successful in the long run and will result in more relevant traffic and better quality leads. To begin, we need to focus on three basic activities related to your presence including Basic On-page Optimization, Basic Link Building, and Basic Social Media Marketing.
Basic On-Page Optimization for SEO Success
Basic On-Page optimization is the lowest hanging fruit and is the first place we start when trying to optimize our website for search engines. We begin with brainstorming and researching keywords that your target audience is using to locate your products and services. If a client is trying to rank locally for keywords, we make sure to include keywords (such as Bloomington) in the copy and structure of the HTML. Title tags are then written to evoke the highest emotional response using keywords that are relevant to your audience. High-quality meta descriptions that include one to two sentences about your business with calls to action are crafted. Your information on your page should be structured into an outline like form including headings, paragraphs, bulleted lists, etc. Images all have titles, descriptions, and when it makes sense, captions. These images should have ALT descriptions not only for search engines but for accessibility. David Martin Design can provide you with assistance on the appropriate layout.
Basic Link Building for Increased Rankings
After the overall structure has been built and your information is well organized, it’s time to build some links to your website. Basic Link Building is important as a link reference from another reputable source on the internet is worth a TON in the search engine ranking factors. It’s important to create quality content and submit press releases that link back to your website for newsworthy items. Building your business profile on websites like Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, Manta, Instagram, Google My Business (for better efficiency should be managed using tools only from this site), Snapchat, Yelp, Yahoo, Foursquare, Bing Local, and a plethora of other directory-based websites is vital to your search engine ranking. It’s important to not just claim your listing, but include your business hours, images of your product and location, and other important signals that show you are active in your business marketing. Your customers will reward you with high-quality reviews if your customer service aligns and your performance exceeds their expectations. Make it easy for them to write reviews by promoting your business on social media and in as many online places as possible.
Social Media Marketing: Optimizing Your Channels
Social Media Marketing is a challenge as most people don’t initially gravitate towards social networks to interact with businesses or to hear about your latest gadget or gizmo, usually, it takes help from companies to get people into using social media. It’s important for link-building to optimize your business information on social media profiles. It’s also important that a key person in your business is assigned to monitor these channels for customer communication. This responsibility most likely falls into the hands of most business owners and they install apps on their phones to keep in touch with their customers. It’s important to claim your profiles, optimize them, and use helpful tools to help manage your social media. Using the right tools, you can effectively measure your efforts on social media and tie them back to your website.
As you can see, it can get pretty complicated to market your business in today’s world. Start with these 3 basic steps:
On-Page Optimization of your website pages
Build High-Quality Links to your website and webpages
Basic social media marketing
and you will begin to see positive results in the search engines and reach highly qualified leads.
In 1998, in my junior year of high school @ Bloomington High School North, I took an Advanced Social Studies course taught by Joann Frye and Pat Wilson. I participated in a group project in which we had to present important historical events from the 1960s. As part of the class presentation, I decided to teach myself how to create a website, rather than using a PowerPoint presentation.
On one of the lunch breaks I even remember signing up for one of the first free webmail services (Hotmail) in 1997! Here’s a snapshot of their homepage on Dec 10th, 1997
Thankfully, the Bloomington North library had a bank of computers that students could use on their breaks. I invested countless hours surfing the web, reading articles, learning HTML, and playing online role-playing games.
It was awesome being able to send messages online, play games with others, and even have my own email account! Little did most of us know, that the World Wide Web was about to explode into our daily lives in ways we would never imagine!
The open nature of the internet and being able to view any website’s source code allowed me to learn how to create custom HTML designs and integrate elements from other websites. Our school IT department allowed our teacher some web hosting space and Mrs. Frye gave me the credentials so that I could upload my website files. Thank you to everyone involved for making this happen!
After studying the HTML source code of other websites, I learned that I could copy and paste the HTML source code from what others created and then modify it for my purposes. I’d make changes, save the file, and then upload it to the school server. After refreshing my browser, it was like magic!
David Martin – Web Designer
My very first website had all sorts of “rookie mistakes”. I chose really trippy psychedelic fractal backgrounds that changed on each page, linked to other people’s images on their server instead of downloading them to the local server (graphics of Elvis, Vietnam, JFK, “The Love Generation”, etc…), and all sorts of other web design no-nos. I even learned about copyright on this project because one of the photographers of an image that I used about the Vietnam war emailed to ask us to take the image down!
It’s amazing what you can teach yourself after thinking back on all of the things I have learned since this first web design project! Teaching myself a new skill was so awesome and it lead to me realizing that one of my true passions was to be a web designer and create things for the internet.
On October 1st, 2019, I started a new service with a wireless phone company, visible.com & I’m really happy with the decision to switch.
I think it’s important to consider that Bloomington, Indiana (and specifically the west side of town) has very limited options when it comes to high-quality cell phone coverage. It depends where you live what will work best for you. When I am at home, I make sure to use Wi-Fi calling to get the best possible service.
After being on my parent’s shared data plan, I got tired of being nickel and dimed by going over our data cap by only just a small amount. Verizon would charge $15 per gigabyte when we’d go over and I just got tired of having to limit my use of the internet. I decided to look into other options and came across Visible. It was super easy to sign up!
To sign up for the service you simply download the Visible app. When you download the app you put in your device’s IMEI number and it will tell you if your phone is compatible with the Visible network. Visible is a mobile virtual network operator and they offer customer service through their company but your phone will use Verizon’s cell phone towers.
Visible sent me a SIM card in the mail the very next day. Things went fairly smoothly although I did have to use the app to talk to their customer service. It was actually a great experience being able to get somebody on the app right away and not having to navigate a phone tree. They got my new SIM card activated right away and I reset my device. I was so happy to be free of my limited data plan and could now use my phone again for unlimited internet access.
With unlimited internet access, I can now stream audio, video, and update my apps everywhere I go! As soon as I was on unlimited data, I made sure to turn off all of my settings that limited app updates over cellular. No more waiting until I got home to upload my photos and videos! It was actually quite nostalgic to have unlimited internet again. I remember getting an iPad with unlimited cellular data when they were first introduced. Do you remember when you were able to use the internet without having to worry about a data cap?
In addition to not having a data cap, I think it’s really important to acknowledge that I can now turn my phone into a wireless hotspot!
After using the service, I would definitely recommend it. In fact, several of my friends and family members have already switched over. I am not sure how long their offers and promotions will last but I think that Visible is a great solution for cell service.
Visible is an innovative, low-cost solution for mobile phone service. With their unlimited plan, you can limit your monthly cost and get great service. I’d definitely recommend it!
Check out this page: https://www.visible.com/get/BRtS8, it has all the info you need to know about joining Visible. When you use my friend code, BRtS8, you’ll get your first month of service for only $5!
We are pleased to announce that David Martin Design has become the newest member of The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce! This is a great occasion to celebrate as it will definitely help the community to have another verified member in the Bloomington Website Design category.
Since 2004, David has designed websites with Bloomington business professionals, entrepreneurs, & individuals. David offers website design, web hosting, & helps business owners become more capable with digital marketing tools to make their lives better.
I’m excited to be joining The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce because I see it as an opportunity to network with other business professionals who are also looking for creative solutions.”
David Martin, owner of David Martin Design
The Chamber strives to promote the continuous improvement of the common good and the quality of life in the community through the pursuit of new business; the cultural, social, and economic education of our citizens; and by providing accurate and timely assistance to the business community.
Despite not specializing in the information technology field, Kyle believes he will be able to problem-solve when it comes to content and ideas he doesn’t fully understand.
Look at that handsome fella!
“For me, every job is all about problem-solving, even if you know exactly what you’re doing. The very way I came into this position was by thinking of solutions to issues I was facing. I wanted to find an internship here in Bloomington, but I was growing more and more tired of the traditional application process.”
“You either hear nothing back or you get your hopes up going through additional interviews only for the job to pick the other candidate. I thought to myself about solutions and one day I just sat down and started researching local businesses here in Bloomington, ironically using BloomingtonOnline.com that I now help manage, and came across David Martin Design.
Looking at my relevant skills when it comes to website design, I have to say that I don’t have a lot coming into this. I am a technology savvy person though so I have a basis of knowledge in what we work with, because of this relationship or lack thereof with the basics of some key aspects of David’s job, I often find myself having to put my problem-solving skills to work again and again as I find myself in new and often challenging positions. I am happy to say that in the short time I have had the chance to work with David so far I have learned so much with regards to not only technology or Google but to aspects like professional project management.”
For the past three years, Kyle has been attending IU Bloomington as a Financial Management major, and he is currently in the process of applying to law schools for next fall. We look forward to seeing great things from him!
Blogging is rapidly becoming an integral part of running an online business. While some business owners are quick to dismiss blogging as a waste of time and energy, the statistics are suggesting otherwise. As more and more websites start maintaining a blog, there’s an increased demand for a more blog-friendly content management system (CMS).
Although WordPress started out as a meager blogging engine, it is now considered the preeminent content management platform. As the largest CMS in the world, WordPress powers roughly 39% of websites. Its flexibility, reliability, and customizability attract web designers over other CMS competitors.
Here, we’ll explore why it’s important for businesses to understand WordPress and why publishing fresh content is a must.
WordPress JetPack Plugin – Artist Wall at the 2019 WordCamp US in St. Louis
Why Businesses Need to Know About WordPress
Whether you’ve heard about WordPress in your research about website development or this is your first exposure to it, you might be wondering what makes it so different. With dozens of other reputable platforms from which to choose, what makes WordPress so unique?
That’s a great question and one which has no shortage of answers. However, we’ll only stick to a few of the most compelling to help small business owners understand what they’re missing out on. Here are a few reasons why businesses need to know about WordPress.
It’s completely free.
Free…it’s music to any business owner’s ears. Unlike other content management systems, WordPress operates under what’s known as a GNU General Public License which essentially means it’s free for anyone to download, edit, and customize. When compared to other, more costly CMSs, WordPress has risen through the ranks as one of the most popular among small businesses that are trying to keep costs down. While you’ll eventually need to spend money on web hosting and domain names to get your website up and running, WordPress saves you on costs other platforms wouldn’t spare you.
WordPress is totally customizable.
As a business owner, you know just how vital it is to set yourself apart from competitors. A common complaint among web developers about more rigid CMSs is their lack of customizability. Due to WordPress’s open-source design, anyone is free to upload add-ons, plug-ins, and other features that maximize customizability and flexibility. If you can think it up for your website, there’s a good chance somebody has already contributed the functionality to WordPress. With a single click, you have access to tens-of-thousands of unique features. As the needs of your online business change, WordPress can easily keep up with its unmatched flexibility.
It’s SEO-optimized by default.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the method through which your website is primed for optimal exposure on search engines like Google to increase your chances of reaching your target audience. Without an SEO-optimized site, your content can easily get lost in the shuffle. WordPress takes the stress away by ensuring all sites made on the platform are SEO-optimized by default since their structure is recognized by most search engines. However, your website SEO can further be maximized by downloading SEO-focused plug-ins that are available to everyone.
Business Blogging Statistics
As a small business owner, it’s understandable why you might be hesitant to dedicate valuable resources to developing and maintaining a blog. You can’t afford to waste time and energy on areas of your business that won’t offer a return. Fortunately, there’s a wealth of data underscoring the positive impact that blogging can have on businesses.
Here are a few of the most impressive statistics:
Blogs can lead to a 97% boost in indexed links and a 434% boost in indexed pages. (Demand Metric)
8 out of 10 internet users engage with both blogs and social media sites. (Demand Metric)
Businesses with blogs generate 67% more monthly leads on average than their counterparts that don’t have blogs. (Demand Metric)
Blogging businesses see 55% more online visitors than companies that don’t blog. (HubSpot)
In 2019, marketers prioritizing blogging saw 13X more return on their investments than those who didn’t. (HubSpot)
The Importance of Publishing Fresh Content
Of course, having a blog doesn’t do small businesses any benefit if they’re not regularly updating it. Although there are several advantages of maintaining a constant stream of fresh content, there are two primary reasons:
Search engines prefer newer content.
It’ll be easier to keep your audience engaged.
When forced to choose between ranking an older site that regularly posts new content and a site of the same age that hasn’t posted in months or years, Google will rank the former website higher even if the content is relatively similar. Reflecting the demand for new and updated content, Google wants to present its users with the freshest content. Most search engines work in the same manner. In order to prime your website for higher rankings in search engines, you need to post new content regularly.
Another critical reason to keep your site updated with fresh content is to keep your audience engaged. Whether you’re wanting to catch the attention of new users or keep regular visitors coming back, you need to make sure your site is providing something worthwhile. While the content you put out matters, the rate at which it’s produced also plays a role in the overall success of your site.
If you’re a small business owner who’s ready to reap the benefits of having an optimized blog, feel free to reach out to David Martin Design. With decades of experience building and managing websites for small businesses, David knows how to maximize the return on your website investment.
Above all, websites are vehicles designed to help you achieve larger goals. For example, a restaurant’s site might be created to increase awareness and encourage patrons to visit (or order takeout). An entrepreneur might rely on a website to inform potential clients about his or her services.
While a website is an ideal tool for online marketing in the 21st century, there’s no guarantee it’ll work the way you intended. Website design requires constant monitoring, updating, and adjusting in order to ensure a site is optimized for performance.
In order to be able to make the right adjustments, you have to first gather accurate information about your site’s functionality. Fortunately, there are a plethora of online web design tools that provide insightful and in-depth data about a site’s performance. Let’s take a look at a few you should know about.
SEMRush
Touted by many online marketers as the premier and most comprehensive online marketing tools, SEMRush offers users an in-depth analysis of their site’s advertising information.
It offers data regarding paid and organic search traffic, domain referrals, backlinks, and more. This is all available in SEMRush’s free report, although you can unlock an even more extensive review for the paid version.
Despite being advertised as an all-in-one platform, SEMRush probably won’t eliminate the need to use other online web tools. Still, it’s a great place to start your advertising research.
ScanWP
If you know a site is running WordPress but aren’t sure which theme, that’s where ScanWP comes in handy. Simply plug in the URL of the site, hit “search”, and you’ll be provided with a host of helpful information such as the theme version, price, associated tags, and where the theme can be purchased.
ScanWP even comes with Plugin detection so you can get a better idea of what’s been added to the site. Compared to other online web design tools, ScanWP is rather minimal but that’s one of its advantages too! It’s a great option for WordPress fans and can even be downloaded as an extension for Chrome browser for integrated use.
Nibbler
Nibbler isn’t as well known as some other online web design tools, but it still earns a spot on the list. With the free version, you can put five different pages through the Nibbler tests which analyzes your site based on more than a dozen factors and offers an overall score.
The total score (out of 100%) is an aggregate rating of your site’s accessibility, experience, technology, marketing, and more. In addition to this composite score, you’ll get a deeper breakdown of each factor, giving you a better look at your site’s strengths and weaknesses.
Nibbler even offers a handy list of top priorities for improving your site.
GTmetrix
GTmetrix is an informative online web design tool that analyzes a site’s page performance. Whether you’re trying to improve search engine optimization (SEO) or implementing a new theme, it’s always important to know how site changes are impacting overall functionality.
In its “speed visualization” section – pictured above – GTmetrix provides an insightful breakdown of how quickly (or slowly) your site loads by second. This gives you a better idea of how users interact with your site.
This online web design tool’s report page acts as an analytics dashboard where key indicators of site load speed are neatly organized and summarized. Similar to Nibbler, you’ll also get actionable tips for improving your site page speed.
Pagelocity
Customer experience is an integral component of website design. If you’re looking for a web design tool that’s geared towards analyzing your site’s optimization in this area, Pagelocity is an excellent choice. Its analysis focuses on three different categories: on-page SEO, performance, and code insights.
On-page SEO offers insights into various factors on your site that are critical to SEO such as headings, keywords, and links (both internal and external). Performance analyzes your site’s composition including scripts, style files, and images to determine its overall functionality. Lastly, Code Insights goes a little more in-depth to look at a site’s markup which refers to tags, classes, and page speed.
Your Local Web Design Expert
If you’re not sure how your website is performing, David Martin Design can help. With decades of experiencing building, designing, and optimizing sites, David knows what it takes to keep websites up and running efficiently to meet your goals. Feel free to contact David to learn more.
This search engine optimization tip goes way back to the early 90s – back when I first started building websites. In the 90s, it was essential to build websites that were quick and optimized because people still had dial-up internet connections. In order to build a fast loading website, you had to be very careful not to use too many large images. If you did include bigger image files, then it would take forever for the website to load, and we all know that we only have a fleeting amount of time to capture somebody’s attention.
What does Compressor.io do?
With Compressor.io, you can easily upload your images in a variety of formats – including PNG, GIF, & JPEG – and this program will try to condense them without losing too much quality. As you can see from the featured image of this post, I was able to capture an image of myself taking a picture in my car’s rearview mirror that was over 8 megabytes and compress it down to a much smaller size. The image has maintained it’s quality without causing my site’s load speed to slow down every time a visitor clicks on this page.
Whenever you upload your images to Facebook, Instagram, and other sites, they automatically apply compression to your images to make them load faster for a better user experience. When you run your own website though, WordPress doesn’t automatically include compression functionality out of the box. There are different plugins that you can use to help compress your images when you upload them to the media library, however, I like to compress the images before I upload them by using Compressor.io.
How do you use Compressor.io to condense images?
It starts out with you getting your original image from your camera. Then, once you have it downloaded on your device, you can upload it to your website. Then, after Compressor.io compresses your image, you can download it onto your local machine again. Once it is on your local machine, then you go into your WordPress media library and upload it. It’s as simple as that!
How does this application impact my website’s SEO?
Compressor.io works to condense your website images to help them load faster. In turn, this ends up increasing the load speed of your entire website. With no bulky image files eating up bandwidth, your pages can refresh quickly for visitors, greatly increasing user experience. Perhaps most importantly, it will improve your website’s SEO. Because page speed is such an important factor for the algorithms that rank your web pages, your site will reach closer to the top search result when load time is optimized Using Compressor.io is a simple change that can work wonders for your website’s performance.
Whether you’re looking for ways to improve your site’s exposure or you want to build a site from scratch, David Martin Design can help. I’ve spent decades building, editing, and optimizing websites, and I’d be more than happy to support you in your business ventures. Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about what I offer.
Picture this: You build an amazing site for your business and set it live. A few weeks pass by, and you eagerly check to see how many people visited your site. Despite receiving some decent traffic, you want to take immediate steps to improve these numbers but…you have no idea how to do it.
Many site owners find themselves in the exact same position. Even with ample data about their site performance, they’re still not sure how to iron out the kinks to offer users a seamless experience. Microsft Clarity just might be the tool to help solve this problem.
Here, we’ll take a deep look into what Clarity offers and how your website can benefit from it.
What is Microsoft Clarity?
Microsoft Clarity is a specialized analytics tool designed to help site owners gain a better understanding of how visitors interact with their site. With informative features such as heatmaps and session replays, Clarity can offer a unique view of your site’s performance that other popular tools such as Google Analytics simply don’t offer.
By tracking user behavior on your site, Clarity collects basic information regarding engagement, interactions, and sessions. This data is conveniently summarized in the dashboard, giving you quick and up-to-date statistics about your site. Users are broken down into various categories such as country and device type for more detailed insights.
What does Microsoft Clarity offer?
It’s no secret that some site analytics tools can take some getting used to. Fortunately, the simple layout of Microsoft Clarity and its relatively straightforward function make for a more user-friendly experience.
To get a better idea of what this newer tool offers, let’s dissect Clarity’s primary features.
Dashboard and Insights
The Microsoft Clarity dashboard acts as a central hub where all of your site’s data is collected and organized. Here, you can find standard metrics that most analytics tools provide including total sessions, unique users, pages per session, and engagement.
A quick glance at the Clarity dashboard will reveal some intriguing markers that you might not be familiar with. Dead clicks, rage clicks, and excessive scrolling are special insights designed to help site owners pinpoint problem areas that might be preventing visitors from having an optimal user experience.
If you’ve ever had a webpage freeze or refuse to load quicker than dial-up, you understand why “rage clicks” and “excessive scrolls” are the perfect indicators of user frustration. Identifying and fixing these problem areas might just be the key to boosting your site’s engagement and conversions.
Session Recording
While distinctive features such as rage clicks do a great job of setting Microsoft Clarity apart from well-established competitors, we’ve just taken a peek into this tool’s diverse bag of tricks. One of the most attractive features of Clarity is its comprehensive session recording application which records user behavior for each and every session. Everything from clicks, scrolls, and mouse movements are recorded and stored.
You can review these clips at any time to get a clear picture of your average user’s behavior. This data is available for each page. For an even deeper understanding, Clarity organizes these recordings by specific browsers to help determine browser-specific issues. With advanced AI, you can even tell whether a particular session is part of a larger pattern or an outlier. This is useful for ruling out anomalies and addressing routine problems.
Heatmaps
While more general analytics can offer a good idea of how users bounce between your site’s pages, Microsoft Clarity takes it a step further by allowing site owners to see how visitors behave on individual pages. With the heatmaps function, you have a clear and informative view of where users tend to click.
This information is further divided by devices such as mobile, tablet, and desktop so you can see how behavior varies between each category. You can use this thorough tool to see how your visitors move around your site, where they’re getting hung up, and what can be done to improve their sessions.
How much does Microsoft Clarity cost?
You’ll be pleased to know that Microsoft Clarity is currently offered as a free service. There’s also no cap on traffic. This means that whether you need to track a newly built site or you want to switch analytics tools on a site that’s already successful, you’ll be paying the exact same amount…nothing!
Is it a replacement for Google Analytics?
While Microsoft Clarity is advertised as an analytics tool, it serves a very specific function. It can give you some insight that Google Analytics can’t, but that doesn’t mean you should say goodbye to your current applications. It works better as an excellent supplement to more comprehensive tools than it does as your primary resource.
Interested in making a site for your next project? Reach out to David Martin Design to learn more about the process. David has decades of experience building sites for business owners and can make a site based on your unique needs.
Slowly, I believe that Grammarly is changing my writing behavior and improving my writing style. It provides great statistics and gives you information on what are the most often mistakes that you make. As I find myself writing more emails, web content, and social media posts, it’s important to me to make them grammatically correct.
I wrote that entire first paragraph without any sort of green or red lines underlining my work! That’s an accomplishment in my book.
I believe that Grammarly is a fantastic data tool that analyzes your writing and makes helpful AI-driven suggestions to help you make better writing choices. Over time it will help me align my writing more with what I am thinking and help me convey messages in a much clearer language for readers.
Grammarly is an American-based technology company that offers a digital writing assistance tool based on artificial intelligence and natural language processing. The software was first released in July 2009 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Let me know what you think of Grammarly and please share some of your writing.
It was a challenge at first to figure out how to best work together due to the Covid-19 pandemic and technology restrictions. We began with a Google Meet and it was great to meet online. It was really easy to use and helpful to see Henry face to face and to be able to share screens with each other.
Henry and David discussed where it was best to store information for the new website. Using a shared Google Drive folder, Henry could upload photos of his artwork, an Excel spreadsheet of inventory, and a Pages file of painting information. After securing the digital workspace folder it was time to work on developing the website content. Henry & David created a very organized Google Sheets spreadsheet, assigned SKU numbers, and developed product descriptions, captions, and filenames based on the shared online inventory catalog.
Optimized Filenames with Keyword-Rich Information
David renamed all of the images with the sku number and hyphens between keywords that would describe each one. Instead of uploading an image from the camera with a default name like “IMG6480.jpg”, it’s important to rename the image henry-leck-art-195-Harbor-Scene-after-C-Curry-Bohm.jpg so if someone were searching for this type of image it would be more relevant and come up in a search.
After learning about search engine optimization (SEO), Henry understood the importance of optimizing images with keyword-rich file names, optimizing title tags, using headings, meta tags, the taxonomy of WordPress pages, posts, tags, and how to name categories. After organizing all of this information, it was clear that David could begin building the website.
Preferred Domain Name: HenryLeck.com
Henry let David know that he had worked with a web designer previously and they decided to try and recover the old domain rather than starting out with a new one. This was an important decision because not only is it better for branding, but how long a domain name has been registered for is definitely a search engine ranking factor.
After transferring the domain registration and updating the contact information, David set up a new cPanel business web hosting account and pointed Henry’s domain to his new web hosting server. The web hosting service that David Martin Design provides includes a FREE SSL certificate, email service, spam filtering, and lots of other great features.
After installing WordPress and configuring the optimal settings David built all of the pages, posts, categories, and tags. David installed the WordPress Twenty Twenty theme and worked with Henry to choose the preferred layout and colors. David set up plugins for website security (WordFence), spam (Akismet), SEO (Yoast SEO), and others to add more options to his WordPress website.
Tracking to Understand How Customers Use The Website
In addition to building the website it’s important to track how it performs. David setup Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Microsoft Clarity for Henry in order to see reports about how people interact with his website.
David & Henry have built a great website at https://henryleck.com and we hope that you’ll go check it out and see what you think.
About Henry Leck
An internationally recognized choral director, Henry Leck is a professor emeritus in choral music at Butler University, where he served on the faculty for 27 years. He is the Founder and Conductor Laureate of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir where he served for 30 years. He has conducted on podiums throughout the world, and still finds some time to teach, conduct, and edit.
Since Henry’s “semi-retirement” in 2016 he has taken up painting …. oil painting to be specific. While continuing to conduct, teach, and edit music, painting has quickly become one of his passions in life. He is an active member of the Upland Plein Air Painters and the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association.
An SSL Certificate is vital for your website’s success. If you accept e-commerce orders, it helps you secure credit card numbers, passwords, and other sensitive data your visitors submit through your site.
Even if you don’t sell products via your website having an SSL certificate in place will increase customer confidence, improve SEO ranking, & protect your data.
How Do I Setup an SSL Certificate?
If your website is hosted with David Martin Design, it includes a shared SSL certificate for the sites on our server. This covers the basics of security and will take care of complying with security requirements.
If your website is hosted elsewhere, then you will need to check with your hosting provider. A lot of times GoDaddy, BlueHost, GreenGeeks, or another hosting provider will offer you an SSL certificate from a 3rd party company that will be installed on their end. Check with them to see what your options are.
Do I Really Need an SSL?
That depends on your risk tolerance. Are you OK leaving your car doors unlocked at night? Are you OK with leaving your front door unlocked?
I think we both know the answer to this. Take the time to set up your infrastructure the right way and you can avoid a lot of headaches in the future. Yes, set up an SSL certificate.
These are the top FREE plugins for WordPress according to WordPress.com. This data is from September 2019.
Akismet Anti-Spam – Used by millions of websites, Akismet filters out hundreds of millions of spam comments from the Web every day. Add Akismet to your site so you don’t have to worry about spam again.
All in One SEO Pack – Use All in One SEO Pack to optimize your WordPress site for SEO. It’s easy and works out of the box for beginners, and has advanced features and an API for developers.
All-in-One WP Migration – This plugin exports your WordPress website including the database, media files, plugins and themes with no technical knowledge required.
Classic Editor – Classic Editor is an official plugin maintained by the WordPress team that restores the previous (“classic”) WordPress editor and the “Edit Post” screen. It makes it possible to use plugins that extend that screen, add old-style meta boxes, or otherwise depend on the previous editor.
Contact Form 7 – Contact Form 7 can manage multiple contact forms, plus you can customize the form and the mail contents flexibly with simple markup. The form supports Ajax-powered submitting, CAPTCHA, Akismet spam filtering and so on.
Duplicate Post – This plugin allows users to clone posts of any type, or copy them to new drafts for further editing.
Elementor Page Builder – A page builder that delivers high-end page designs and advanced capabilities.
Google Analytics Dashboard for WP by ExactMetrics (formerly GADWP) – This Google Analytics for WordPress plugin enables you to track your site using the latest Google Analytics tracking code and allows you to view key Google Analytics stats in your WordPress install.
Google XML Sitemaps – Use this plugin to greatly improve SEO to create special XML sitemaps which will help search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and Ask.com to better index your site.
Jetpack by WordPress.com – Jetpack is a popular WordPress plugin created by Automattic, the people behind WordPress.com. The plugin brings many of the most powerful features available on WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress sites and thereby contributing greatly to the improvement of WordPress powered blogs and websites.
Really Simple SSL – Really Simple SSL automatically detects your settings and configures your website to run over https. To keep it lightweight, the options are kept to a minimum.
TinyMCE Advanced – TinyMCE Advanced introduces a “Classic Paragraph” block for the block editor (Gutenberg). If you are not quite ready to switch to the block editor or have plugins that cannot be used there (yet), using the Classic Paragraph block is your best option. It lets you continue to use the familiar TinyMCE editor for most tasks, and at the same time gives you full access to all blocks and new features in the block editor.
UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin – simplifies backups and restoration. It is the world’s highest-ranking and most popular scheduled backup plugin, with over two million currently-active installs. Backup your files and database backups into the cloud and restore with a single click!
WooCommerce – With 80,876,475 downloads, WooCommerce is the most popular eCommerce platform for building an online store (stats from Builtwith).
WordPress Importer – The WordPress Importer will import the following content from a WordPress export file: Posts, pages and other custom post types, Comments, Custom fields and post meta, Categories, tags and terms from custom taxonomies, & Authors.
WP Super Cache – This plugin generates static html files from your dynamic WordPress blog. After an html file is generated your webserver will serve that file instead of processing the comparatively heavier and more expensive WordPress PHP scripts.
Yoast SEO – Yoast SEO is the most complete WordPress SEO plugin. It handles the technical optimization of your site & assists with optimizing your content.
Hans & Donata from Termageddon. This picture was taken from inside the birdcage @ The City Museum in St. Louis at WordCamp 2019. What a great place to meet!
I met Hans & Donata at WordCamp in St. Louis recently and we immediately hit it off. They run an awesome web service that helps businesses with websites comply with data privacy laws.
In a Google Meeting with Hans, he walked me through the process to set each one of these up and we were able to build these rich data policies without needing a super expensive law firm. Their service was easy to use and we were able to generate the policies and get them live in under 1 hour!
I can rest assured that my policies will automatically be updated with the newest language and I am compliant even if the laws change. I can trust that they’ve got my back!
It’s SUPER important for anyone with a website to pay attention to these things. It’s going to be the law soon & it’s important for you to be aware of these things.
Yesterday, I had a client tell me that he had a little over 115 submissions on his website contact form. He was very happy with the results and I asked him how many of those contact form submissions were spam?
His answer was, “None of them.”
Out of all of the submissions that he had received, none of them contained spam or junk information. They were all from potential customers asking questions about his services and products.
I was really happy to hear that the solution that we built together was so successful at eliminating spam and producing relevant leads for his business.
Here is how we did it:
To create a Google Form:
Sign in to your Google account and go to Google Forms.
Create a new form. Give it a good name. Set it up very simply with only the info you will need for your purposes. I usually use the fields: Your Name, Your Email, Your Phone, and Your Message.
Take a moment to adjust the appearance and upload a custom header.
Click on the hamburger 🍔 menu (the 3 dots make a bun and burger) and click add-ons. Choose the add on called Email Notifications for Google Forms. It allows for the entire form to be emailed and attached as a PDF. It’s great that you can store your Google form details in a spreadsheet and also attach them to your email as a PDF.
Follow the instructions in the help files on Amit Agarwal’s website and you will find that it’s very intuitive. If you’d like me to record a screencast or follow up with more information just let me know!
I hope this technology tip was helpful and if you end up building a new form because of it please let me know!
It’s been a pleasure working with Steve and Mary over at Ava’s Waste Removal in Ellettsville (pretty close to Bloomington) since the beginning of February 2019.
Mary, Ava, & Steve holding hands
We’ve built each page by handcrafting each web page title, each web page description, the canonical URLs, the open graph meta tags for social sharing, and important information for a high performing business website.
Steve and Mary agreed that in addition to a custom website, we needed to make sure that other important accounts were also setup. In addition to building a responsive website for Ava’s, David did some additional account setup including:
connected Google Analytics to keep track of website visitors and statistics
setup Google Search Console to see keyword queries that people are searching for
setup Google Photos for sharing photos to put on the website and improving them
built helpful content for customers that also accurately described Ava’s Waste Removal and their services (weekly trash pickup, dumpster rentals, roll off containers).
After developing some great content, we turned that into structured semantic HTML with Schema data for good results and high ranking on the search engine ranking pages. I tested the website for valid HTML and pagespeed and was very happy with the results. There was a tradeoff when we added the Facebook Messenger widget into the website. It caused two errors and also made the pagespeed score go from 99 out of 100 to 41 out of 100. The pagespeed decrease is worth it in my opinion so that customers can message them on Facebook Messenger.
Steve & Mary from Ava’s wrote a great review about our work together and it’s so nice to have that happen.
“David did a great job! He’s responsive, organized, and generally cares about helping us grow our business. From beginning to end David was attentive to our needs and delivered a great website. Highly recommend his services!”
Google Review from Steve @ Ava’s Waste Removal
I look forward to seeing their progress as they build a great small business. It’s been great working with them and if you need trash service in Bloomington, Ellettsville, or the surrounding area, definitely see if you are in their service area.
