Old City Web Services

Secrets to being seen online

Erin — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:18:31 +0000

Maybe you just redesigned your website with an eye-catching design, innovative components and you’re confident that it is informational, looks great and really sets you apart from competition. Now ask yourself– are people (the right people) finding my fabulous new site? Having a new website is great, but it’s just not enough…now you need your potential customers to find you and find you fast and easy.

First and foremost, make sure you’re listed with the top 3 search engines– Google, Bing and Yahoo! Search. If these 3 cannot find you, then you can almost guarantee your online visibility is at an all time low. Google alone has an estimated 900,000,000 Unique Monthly Visitors compared to Bing’s estimated 165,000,000 and Yahoo’s 160,000,000.

Maintain, Maintain, Maintain…If you don’t have a monthly retainer for maintaining and improving your SEO (getting a high listing for any given search result), then the minute you decide to stop–your listing results will stop. There is nothing more exciting then appearing in the top 3 results in a Google search for your primary key-phrase, but then again there is nothing more disappointing then dropping to the third page a month later.

Make sure your website design is search engine-friendly…not only should you be on-top of SEO when it comes to search engines and relative content, but many people don’t realize that the website design itself may be preventing you from gaining the online visibility you desire. Just remember–no frames and limited (if any) flash and java content.

For more tips on how Old City Web Services can help you be better seen online, give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to schedule your free one-hour consultation.

Feeling flustered over social media?

Erin — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:02:26 +0000

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.

Do you own your domain name?

Erin — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:07:31 +0000

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!

Recently Launched Websites & Design Work

Erin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:49:30 +0000

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.

The Importance of Ongoing Optimization

Erin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:23:31 +0000

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!

eCommerce + Content Management

Erin — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:41:08 +0000

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!

The Stats Don’t Lie…OldCity.com Hit Report

Erin — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:33:33 +0000

The Internet has become a major and effective medium for advertising and it’s predicted that online advertising and marketing is soon going to replace advertising through traditional media’s such as television, radio, newspaper and magazines. The key is to find an online medium, such as OldCity.com, where your advertising efforts will pay off big time.

We are so excited to announce that we received over 97,000 visitors to our site within the last month and these numbers continue to rise! If you aren’t taking full advantage of advertising with us, you’re missing the boat.

We consistently rank #1 in Google searches for several key words and phrases and this is done 100% organically, meaning we are not paying for these rankings. What does this mean for you? This keeps our advertising costs down and you will never be cut off after you reach a certain number of hits.

Below we have listed the OldCity.com stats, comparing February 2013 to February 2012:

February 2013 Stats

Total Hits 81,805 Up 63% over last year

Unique Hits 66,946 Up 61% over last year

Page Views 212,899 Up 71% over last year

Top 5 States Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, New York and North Carolina

*Visits from Tennessee are up over 297% – guess Tennessee likes St. Augustine!

Top 5 Cities FL Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Orlando, Gainesville and Miami – Up 5 to 65% over last year

February 2012 Stats

Total Hits 50,199

Unique Hits 41,664

Page Views 124,670

Top 5 States Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New York and Ohio

Top 5 Cities FL Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Orlando, Gainesville and Miami

So what are you waiting for?

We still have available spots for Super Expanded Listings for the year. Give us a call today and we’ll be more than happy to meet with you to brainstorm an advertising strategy for you.

With all that being said, if your site is not giving you the results you’d like to see, you may be in need of a fresh coat of paint. Maybe it’s a redesign, a marketing strategy, Search Engine Optimization maintenance or social media training. Whatever your needs are, we are here to help. Phone: (904) 829-2772 E-Mail: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com

Oldcity.com …..Opening the Doors to St. Augustine

3 Ways to Protect your Website

Erin — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:42:59 +0000

Your website is a work of art– it’s a valuable and important tool that you should be proud of and an investment that most likely took time and effort to put together. The very last thing you want is for all of your hard work and money to be ruined by sneaky hackers or malicious software programs. Below, we have listed 3 preventative methods to protect your website from harmful or malicious hackers.

1.) Host your website locally

By choosing a local web company to host your site, such as Old City Web Services, you are guaranteed premium customer service and in the case that anything does go wrong, we have a 24/7 emergency line, scheduled backups to restore compromised sites and the ability to troubleshoot to detect the problem. The last thing you want is to go with an international web-based company and then when you need them the most, be put on hold for hours on end waiting for a customer service representative to answer. Old City Web Services offers expert systems administration, 10 individual web-based e-mail accounts per domain and a listing in our directory on OldCity.com - one of the top portals for visitors and locals receiving over 92,000 visitors just last month!

2.) Re-think your password

Although your dog’s name may be easy to remember, a simple 4-letter word is asking for hackers to invade your site. It is especially important to secure a more complex password for sites that have a back-end log-in that can be accessed on any computer with internet access. Once your password is detected, your site content is vulnerable to malicious code without your knowledge! Make sure your password incorporates a combination of letters, numbers and symbols and is at least 8 characters long. Also, never save your passwords on your computer–even though it may be a hassle to re-type every time you log-in, this will prevent hackers from getting into your account. Additionally, you’ll want to establish a method for changing your password every few months. You can relate it to the month it is changed, for example, your password could be *3wmnR13! then in 90 days change it to *6wmnR13! This is good practice for all of your online accounts that require a password such as online banking or email. Lastly, write your passwords on a piece of paper and keep them in a safe location, just in case your computer ever crashes, you will always have a copy in your records.

3.) Always use CAPTCHA

CAPTCHA or “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart,” is a program that detects whether or not the user on your site is a human or a computer. These are the colorful images with distorted text (see image below for example) that you often will see when entering your credit card online or filling out an application or registration form with your personal information. CAPTCHA should be used on any website that has a form in order to avoid abuse from “bots,” or automated programs or scripts that are primarily written to generate spam.

Outdated website? Why you should consider Content Management

Erin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:51:19 +0000

Is your website outdated or at least 5 years old? Before you answer this question, click on this link and read the article titled: Top 10 Signs Your Outdated Website is Due for a Re-Design and then you will really know if your site is in dire need of a new system or not. Here are 3 signs the article discusses that will reinforce the fact that your site needs some freshening up:

Your website is made entirely in Flash:

Yes, you want to stand out and attract people on the web, but I promise you Flash is not the way to do it. The reality is that Flash sites are dying…and they’re dying quickly. News Flash (pun intended)– keeping a Flash-based website will only be detrimental to your rankings, but incompatible with most mobile devices (i.e. your iPhone or iPad)!

There are no “Calls-To-Action”:

Let’s face it–your website must serve a purpose or there’s really no reason in having one. Each site has a goal and as soon as someone lands on your Home page, this goal should be prominent. For example: if your goal is to promote current specials / discounts, you may want to include a custom image that when clicked, links to a printable coupon.

All the content on your site is static:

Are you able to easily update your own website? The best websites thrive by providing relevant and timely content that will engage visitors and keep them coming back for more. A Content Management System allows your business to promptly and simply update fresh new content whenever you’d like.

If you would like more information on how Old City Web Services can give you a fresh new website, call us: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation.

Small Business Apps

Erin — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:56:43 +0000

“88% of consumers who search for a type of local business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours. That’s real business!” – Trevor Sumner, LocalVox

There are millions of smart phone applications (apps) out there and knowing which ones to download can be a daunting task. Listed below are three business apps that are both very credible and extremely beneficial for enhancing small business success. Not only are these apps vastly popular, but they were listed on Forbes 10 Brilliant Apps Small Businesses Should Use in May 2012.

LocalVox:

LocalVox is a local, social and mobile marketing platform that helps local businesses market themselves online, across a network of publishers, social media, search, mobile, e-newsletters and even your own website! This app enables you to publish news and events with a click-of-a-button across many online channels and simultaneously optimizes organic search and Google Places listings. Furthermore, it’s as simple to use as your email.

Bump:

Bump is an innovative networking app that allows entrepreneurs to trade business cards virtually. You can trade contact information, photos and files by simply “bumping” two smart phones together. Since this app was created in 2008, it has generated over 8 million monthly users and 27 million downloads.

Evernote Business:

Successful businesses are built on the knowledge and expertise of every team member. Evernote Business gives your company the tools to collect, discover and share ideas, suggestions and research. Some of the Evernote Business features include a company-wide business library, simplified billing and smart data ownership.

If you would like more information on how Old City Web Services can help you stay on top of new marketing trends, call us: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation.