3 ways to enhance customer engagement

June 12th, 2013

Want to improve your level of customer engagement? Customer engagement is the emotional connection between a customer and a company or brand. Engaged customers are loyal to your brand, passionate about your brand and advocates for your brand. Below are 3 helpful tips you may want to consider:
1.) Video
If you spend any time on the internet, you’ll find that it’s almost impossible to avoid videos-videos of celebrity interviews, dogs doing tricks, commercials– you name it, it’s there! People like to put a face to a brand and with video, you can do just that. Here are two ways video will enhance your customer experience:

Videos convert people into paying customers- in the article, Astounding Online Video Statistics That Brands Can’t Afford To Ignore [Video], written by the Social Times, “customers that watch videos of products or services are 85% more likely to make a purchase.”
Videos come up in search results-Google announced earlier this year that more than 1 billion unique visitors are on YouTube each month.

2.) Responsiveness

I’m sure you’ve found that there are multiple online forums and blogs that allow customers to express their opinion or write reviews about their experience with local businesses. For example: Trip Advisor, Urban Spoon and Open Table are a few for the food and beverage industry. According to TripAdvisor’s 2013 Fact Sheet, more than 60 new contributions are posted every minute! Of course nobody likes to receive a negative review and it’s nearly impossible to prevent them, but there are ways to maintain your valuable reputation by your level of responsiveness. It’s important to respond to both the good and the not-so-good reviews. Just make sure you are open, honest and apologetic to the bad. This will reflect positively to other commentators and especially to the one that wrote the review. Maybe your responsiveness even convinced them to come back and give you another shot. If you aren’t actively responding to these reviews, you can bet your competition is and their gaining brownie points for doing so.

3.) Social Interaction
I’m not talking about going to mixers or having dinner parties with your clients–I’m taking about social media responsiveness. Not only should you be posting, tweeting and pinning, but you should be commenting and re-tweeting also. Try to set aside a little time each day to engage with your customers and respond to what they’re saying to you. If you’re only putting content out there, customers may feel you’re not listening to them. When you do this, you’re adding a personalized touch that your customers appreciate and remember.

Want to learn more ways to enhance your level of customer engagement? Old City Web Services will help you become more responsive and increase your online presence. Contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Posted in Blogging, Social Media | No Comments »

Out with the old…in with the New

June 6th, 2013

How can you really tell if your marketing efforts are outdated? We’ve developed a simple check list to help you determine if how you’re running your small (or big) business is in-line with the newest technology and innovative marketing trends. Note: If you answer “Yes” to any of these categories below, pick up the phone and contact us today–we’re here to help!

You don’t remember what your website looks like….if you can no longer remember the details of what your site looks like, then it is safe to say that you haven’t visited your own website in a while–quite possibly a long while and I bet it could use some major updating! Ask yourself: What images are on my homepage? What pages are included in my navigation? Here are a few more key signs your site is outdated:

You have a starburst on your site
Your color palette includes fluorescents
There is not a functioning navigation
You have broken links
You cannot view your site from an iPhone or iPad

You lost rankings when Google Places was launched…Google launched a game-changing search process in 2011 called Google Places. In order to capture more of the lucrative local search audience, Google started to integrate places results with organic rankings (rather than simply showing a map with markers). What does this mean for your SEO? Google Places listings can dominate the entire first page of search results pushing the link to your company’s website further down the list.

The administrator of your company Facebook page is no longer with the company…if you no longer remember the logins to your company’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter or otherwise), you’re officially outdated. Even if your Facebook page looks nice and people continue to interact with it, you’re still missing the ball by not engaging with your consumers. Social media might not generate the same ROI as traditional direct response channels, but that doesn’t mean there is no value.

Your search traffic directs to your homepage…if you are not using landing pages to create cohesive campaigns, you can guarantee users are bouncing off your site as fast as they arrive. You can do all the keyword research you want, but if you aren’t using landing pages that are aligned with your keyword approach, you’re not running an effective end-to-end paid search campaign. When paying for online ads or promotions, it’s important to consider the path your users are taking to convert.

You’re not taking advantage of online advertising…small businesses have a tremendous resource at their disposal: the internet. Without a doubt, the internet provides the best forum for small business advertising. Here are a few reasons why entrepreneurs should look toward the internet to advertise their business:

More and more consumers look to the internet for their purchasing-it’s convenient, fast and online sales are generating billions of dollars each year.
The Internets scope is world-wide–businesses can expand their customer base across the globe and customers can make purchases anytime, anywhere 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There is a wide variety of internet ad options-banner ads, promotional, newsletter, social media, audio/video…just to name a few!

Keeping a marketing plan fresh by adding or adjusting key ingredients is a constant and timely job and unfortunately it is not always made a top priority for many small businesses. Why not make the step in the right direction today by letting Old City Web Services and OldCity.com help turn your marketing efforts around? After all, we’re a local, small business too! The difference is we specialize in web development, internet advertising and integrated marketing…and we love what we do! Contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Posted in Advertising, Content Management System, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Website Design | No Comments »

Logos 101: Professionalism is Key

May 29th, 2013

People often create judgments based on first impressions. This same reality applies when it comes to how potential customers, suppliers and business partners form their initial impression of your company – they will make quick judgments whether or not to conduct business with you in-part on how professional you appear to them. Having a good logo will help you appear in a professional light at first glance! Furthermore, it’ll allow you to build trust, stand apart from competition and maintain your loyal customers.

What makes a good logo, you ask? Here are some characteristics a professional logo will have:

Describable- you must be able to explain your logo to others in order for them to identify with your company’s image

Memorable- a good logo will have a lasting impression on both existing and potential customers

Effective without color- the color is always secondary to the shape and form of your logo. It must be effective even when it appears in black and white

Scalable- (i.e. your logo must work even when it’s an inch in size). This is essential for your office collateral such as pens, invoices, envelopes, etc.

Relevant- your logo must have relevance to your industry (this process takes in depth research to distinguish your unique characteristics)

Your logo should incorporate many of your company’s aspects within one simple, unique image. You should be proud of your logo and make sure to use it regularly so that people will begin to identify it with the products or services you offer.

Let Old City Web Services help your company grow professionally by either designing a new or redesigning an existing logo for your business. Our professional graphic design team truly understands the importance of consistent, clean and professional branding and will give you the brand identity you crave. Give us a call today: 904-829-2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to schedule your free one-hour consultation.

Posted in Logo Design | Comments Off

Importance of going mobile

May 23rd, 2013

First and foremost, it is important to understand the difference between a mobile site and a mobile responsive site. A mobile-responsive website is a website built on a special framework so that regardless of how you have the browser window sized, or which mobile phone or device you are using, the images and layout adjusts to fit the screen size, yet the content is still “tappy” (you can easily “tap” any hyperlinks). This will typically depend on how the developer originally programmed your website. If your site was designed more than three years ago, chances are your website isn’t 100% responsive on all mobile devices.

A mobile website is a scaled down version of your actual site. Best practices for mobile websites call for selecting only the pages that are of the utmost importance for users that are on the go instead of adding all content (i.e. text, graphics, photos). A mobile website serves a different purpose than your actual site. Often times it is for customers to contact you fast and easy either by a simple contact form or telephone number. Some popular menu pages on a mobile site may include features like “click-to-call” or “get directions.” Also, people are most likely going to spend more time on a mobile site, rather than one that is just responsive. A customized mobile site will allow you to get your message to your consumers anytime and anywhere. Investing in a mobile site is becoming more and more valuable to businesses as the world becomes consumed with the greatest and latest smartphones.

Think your clients don’t fall under the category of smartphone users? Think again– as of February 2012, nearly half (46%) of American adults were smartphone owners and it’s estimated that 86% of the US population will own a smartphone by 2017! Teens, college students, soccer moms, businessmen, business owners, even grandparents are getting with the newest fad in technology…you name them, they got it!

Want to know if your site is mobile responsive or want to see if you’re missing out on hundreds of leads due to not having a mobile site? Let Old City Web Services help you go mobile today! Contact us to schedule your free one-hour consultation by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

Posted in Mobile Plug-In, Mobile Website, mobile-responsive website | Comments Off

Feeling flustered over social media?

May 1st, 2013

Managing your own social media networking sites for your business is not a small fleet! Many business owners avoid social media marketing all together since it doesn’t typically have an immediate monetary return, however if you’re leaving this out of your marketing mix, you’re turning down infinite potential leads and important consumer engagement.

Most likely your customers are already online searching and talking about you so join in on the conversation! According to Harry Menta, public affairs specialist for the U.S. Small Business Administration, “The more you embrace social media, the more opportunities open up for your particular business. Small-business owners have to realize that not all social media may be a fit for them, but they shouldn’t just sit on the sidelines. They need to investigate the possibilities.”With this being said, knowing what networks to join and who to connect with are important things to consider before signing up for every social media network out there. Additionally, it’s key to remember that having a personal Facebook page is not the same thing as maintaining a professional Facebook Business Page.

Feeling overwhelmed yet? Not to fear, Old City is here! Our professional social media experts can take care of all your social media problems, no matter where you stand in the world of social networking. We can conduct preliminary research, set up your accounts (the right way) and train you and your staff on how to manage your accounts. We will give you tips, trends and time-saving resources that will help boost your social rankings and two-way communication with customers.

Start learning how to manage the day-to-day tasks of posting, tweeting, blogging, sharing, pinning and linking today! Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com

to schedule your free one-hour consultation.

Posted in Blogging, Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized | Comments Off

Do you own your domain name?

April 24th, 2013

Have you ever heard of Cybersquatting (also known as domain squatting)? Cybersquatting, according to the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is “registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.” The cybersquatter then offers to sell the domain to the person or company who owns a trademark contained within the name at an inflated price. Whether it’s big corporations or your average Joe trying to make an extra buck, it is important to always make sure you are listed as the registrant of your domain name. Just because you pay for it, doesn’t mean you are necessarily the legal owner.

How do I know if I own my domain?

There are multiple websites that offer free domain name look-up such as Network Solutions and Whois.net. These sites allow you to search for your domain and see the registrants name, address, contact information and renewal dates as well as anyone else who may be listed on your account.

Can someone register my domain name for me?

Absolutely–just double check that your name is listed as the owner. We here at Old City Web Services register new domain names, renew existing ones and manage them so that they don’t expire without our clients knowledge. Here’s the key–We always list the client as the owner of the domain, meaning our clients have total control over their account information. We are only listed as a technical contact so that we can help our clients by reminding them when it’s time to renew or if their contact info needs updating. Once we register a domain, we automatically lock it down; insuring that only authorized persons will be allowed to make changes. By having the domain locked it will also guarantee it is safe and will not be stolen. It is important to have a trusted web company manage your domain for ownership and security reasons.

Don’t let someone blackmail you for your domain–Let Old City Web Services register and manage your domain so that you can have peace of mind and 100% assurance that your domain name is safe and in your control. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com for more information on your domain or how we can help!

Posted in Domains and Hosting | Comments Off

Recently Launched Websites & Design Work

April 17th, 2013

It’s time for some Spring cleaning (and we don’t mean around the house)! From website development, re-designs and eCommerce solutions, to new online marketing strategies, Old City Web Services has been busy this Spring helping small business clean-up their web presence and digital design needs. Below, we’ve highlighted a couple samples of our recent work that may have you thinking– what can I do to improve my existing website or branding efforts?

Client: Jack Ward Fire Consultants

Services: Website re-design via Content Management System (CMS), custom mobile site

Description: Our friends at Jack Ward Fire wanted to be able to update their website easily and efficiently, therefore we re-designed their site with a built-in CMS. We also developed a custom mobile-friendly site for them as seen in the image below.

Click Here to view the new Jack Ward Fire website

Client: Jack Ward Fire Consultants
Services: Business card re-design with QR Codes
Description: We re-designed their business cards for each employee including a QR code allowing smart phones to scan which adds the contacts’ information to their mobile device within a matter of seconds. See image below:

Client: Generations Diamonds and Estate Jewelry
Services: eCommerce Integration into existing CMS, eCommerce system training
Description: Generations Diamonds buys gold and sells some of the finest pieces of jewelry. They wanted to begin selling their products online so OCWS implemented an eCommerce solution into their existing CMS website. Their new eCommerce system is user-friendly and provides customers with a seamless online shopping experience.

Click Here to view their new eCommerce Shop

Additionally, Old City Web Services has a lot of projects that are currently in the making so stay connected with us on Facebook or by Following Us on Twitter or any of our other social media networks found under “Quick Links” above!

Let us help you with your web and marketing strategies this Spring by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

The Importance of Ongoing Optimization

April 12th, 2013

A common question we often hear is: When is my site optimized? The best answer: It’s an ongoing process. With this being said, constant SEO and SEM modification will lead you to a more optimized site. It is important to invest in ongoing Optimization in order to reach your ultimate goal of the moment where every page, text, image and call-to-action is perfectly aligned with the wants and needs of your audience.

Here is a list of SEO/SEM services we recommend be a part of your ongoing optimization process:

Fluctuations in keyword/key-phrase demand: Say your website is 5 years old, key words and key-phrases that were rarely used in 2008 may be highly used across the web today. For example, the exact phrase ‘content marketing’ was unknown to many 5 years ago, but now can be found on over 4 million web pages, including over 2 million blog posts. This validates the importance of constantly researching and updating your keyword glossary based on new keywords and search trends.

Modified user preferences: Frequently reviewing your Google Analytics and being able to fully understand the stats will help narrow down where on your site people tend to go and what they are doing once they are there. Try plugging in a key-phrase into Google, Bing and Yahoo….what type of content do you see? Maybe there are lots of videos at the top of the results or info-graphics and visuals. This would indicate that video and images are resonating with your audience.

Social Updates: From Facebook to Pinterest to Google+, one thing is guaranteed– there will always be a new social network. With every social update comes an opportunity to reevaluate your content. After determining where your target audience is socializing online, you can create a compelling user experience within that network.

So, how often do you need ongoing optimization? The simple answer is, it all depends. Whether it’s monthly, semi-monthly or quarterly, you should first have a professional do the preliminary research. Our SEO/SEM team always completes an initial analysis of your site prior to giving recommendations. This will determine your specific needs and establish an ongoing optimization schedule that’s suited best for your business.

Let Old City Web Services help you improve your site’s optimization by conducting an Initial Analysis and Evaluation to determine your specific business needs. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation!

Posted in Content Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media | Comments Off

eCommerce + Content Management

April 3rd, 2013

With more and more people shopping online, considering an eCommerce shopping cart system for your website may be just what you need. Integrating an eCommerce system into your existing site will allow you to sell your products or services online and keep the same look and feel of your current site. Whether its books, accessories, groceries, clothes and more, the Internet allows consumers to purchase products quickly and get it shipped within a matter of days.

Here is a list of some eCommerce features:

Unlimited number of products

Products assigned to an unlimited number of categories

Multiple product images

Ability to highlight featured products

Generate discount coupon codes and gift certificates

Several online payment modules

FedEx and UPS shipping calculation

Inventory tracking

Password-protected administrative access

Google Analytic’s integration

Dashboard widgets to easily view sales and product history

Control the cart from anywhere in the world using your web browser

*Not all of these features are included in our eCommerce systems, therefore additional charges may apply for select features.

ECommerce systems are considered to be a cost-effective and favorable alternative for small businesses who wish to expand nationally and larger businesses who wish to expand internationally.

Old City Web Services offers eCommerce solutions that fit your specific business needs. Not only will we add the first 5 products to your online store, but we’ll teach you how to manage it yourself! Let us help you expand your growth and become more profitable by giving us a call at: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation!

Posted in Content Management System, eCommerce | Comments Off

Logos 101: Professionalism is Key

Importance of going mobile

Do you own your domain name?

Recently Launched Websites & Design Work

eCommerce + Content Management

Categories

Recently launched sites

Links