Website Associates

05/07/2020

There is very little out there for the small business. Whilst firms like Yell have derived from the old yellow pages, their effectiveness is no where near what the good yellow book used to do for a small business. In fact directories are all but dead. I sometimes get calls from "Tradefinder" (A "directory" service) to tell me my free listing period is over. Instead of paying £50 a month to maintain it, they are doing a special promotion, say £5. £5 for nothing is still expensive if you ask me.
So you get hardened to these ads and cold calls, after all most of them are selling poor deals. Even trusting Google is a bit like play ball with them and they will hit you with a bat. Yes their ads can work, but do remember that Google Ads is the bit were they make their money, and it's yours they are after.
To show how bad things can be, check out this link. I would think it's a fairly common experience, message me back if you want a "Get out of Jail" card - I've been working on one!

As a small business, your website is crucially important. In this article, we look at the problems with Yell websites so you can make an informed decision who to use when building your next business website. By Marcus Miller of Bowler Hat.

17/06/2020

When is a local firm "independent"? There was once a time when local tradesmen and professionals were the backbone of the local economy. The butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker were amongst us, although we would go into town to visit a department store.
Now, although we still rely and generally know those tradesmen (maybe the Candlestick maker has retired), the internet is making them less "independent".
The fact is the internet is so competitive, with few "second" prizes, the bigger fish get bigger. We all know about Google, Amazon, Facebook and Ebay, firms so powerful they more or less dictate their terms on us. However that first past the post system is applying further and further down the food chain.
So our baker or electrician nowadays may, or may not, have a website. It won't be critical yet to his business, but he will be missing out on more and more future business. It will no longer do to think "everyone" knows you, you will wake up one day and they won't and neither will you have a business.
Even a website is no guarantee of survival, unless you are prepared to invest money and time into it you will end up in second place, which is the same as last!
Increasingly more competitive websites compete locally which are in fact very often national firms. In getting the work, they will pass it on to their "members", who are the actual local tradesmen. Try finding a dentist now who isn't an "identist".
So if you want to remain "independent" make sure your digital profile remains competitive. I believe in providing cost effective support for small local businesses. If you don't make money out of it, there's no long term prospect in it for me.
So why not get in touch so see how we can get through the coming recession.

13/05/2020

During these dire times it is obvious that many businesses are going to have to re-evaluate their plans.
Foremost in anyone's mind now is the "recovery". Even if such a recovery was instant, it won't be, not all businesses will be back on the "start line", like anything there will be winners and losers, with hospitality looking like a loser and healthcare a possible winner.
However the Office for Budget Responsibility is predicting dire falls in GNP, as much as 35%. Given we all still eat, this 35% will again be felt even more by other sectors.
Whilst some rapid growth can be expected, it would not be unrealistic to see that the contraction in the economy may still be in the region of 20% as far forward as most small businesses can plan.(up to a year)
With the prospect that the older demographic will still be staying at home for some time, the main way to reach them may well be digital.
Money is going to be tight for all of us, but one area you cannot afford to cut back on is your digital profile.
That is exactly what we do, get your digital profile working for you.
When it comes to money, most businesses will gain from our Website Monitor service to the extent we can confidently offer a money back pledge. Check it out.

Facebook is now an integral part of marketing a website.

06/05/2020

A survey by the Law Society of 771 small High street law firms suggests as many as 70% could close their doors as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
This is just acceleration of an ongoing trend were knowledge based businesses like lawyers, accountants and financial advisors are finding the market much more competitive.
The answer is to look at their digital profiles more carefully, not just a revamp of the website and some "SEO".
Find out more at https://websiteassociates.co.uk or message back.

04/05/2020

70% of High Street Law Firms could close!
This survey by the Law Society published in the Daily Mail is pretty frightening. Almost any knowledge based business such as financial advisors, insurance brokers and the like have a similar problem, the world is going digital, accelerated by Covid-19.
So more than ever you need to make sure your digital profile is up to the mark, not just a revamp of your website and a "bit of SEO".
My Website Monitor tool does this by finding out what works best for your digital profile and helping find those crucial little niches on the internet.
Why not visit my website to find out more, at https:websiteassociates.co.uk or message me.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8280571/More-70-cent-high-street-law-firms-face-closure.html

A survey of 774 small legal firms by the Law Society found that 71 per cent may close their doors within six months as face-to-face meetings are increasingly difficult due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

17/04/2020

One of many tools used in Website Monitor is Google Trends. We use this to analyse just what words work best and how seasonal they are.

In this instance we're looking at two similar and over lapping searches, "take away" and "fast food". There used to be about equal volume for each term, with the usual weekend peaks. Notice how they have diverged, with "take away" now the main term.

In fact some pubs are having a boom selling take away meals and it's important to tell prospects that you are. ideally I would like my website to catch "take away", but as it's a sudden change, social media and local search are the quickest way to get the message out, make sure you have sent it out if you are a pub doing food.

Across the economy small businesses are desperate to stay alive and innovation is king. Although the big national online retailers are cleaning up at the moment, people would still like to see the local options, however that will be digitally led.

Website Monitor works to identify these trends, many websites are seeing big changes in traffic patterns at the moment, are you following them?

Check out our website to see what we can do for you.

https://websiteassociates.co.uk

See interest over time on Google Trends for take away, fast food - United Kingdom, 01/03/2020 - 17/04/2020.

11/04/2020

Website Associates just reached 10 Likes. Apparently all sorts of amazing things start to happen now on Facebook.
Many thanks to you all and for all small businesses and trades looking at their online profiles, keep up to date with trends here.
Roy

10/04/2020

The current quarantine has led to some strange trends on the internet. Mobile has been growing for years, now accounting for nearly 60% of all search. Mobile searchers are both more valuable, they might be near you, and more difficult, it usually needs a more clear cut message.
However the quarantine has caused a sudden shift back to desktop, with mobile dropping back to 45%. Every business can read into this what they want, but the most basic one is that your customers, or what would be your customers, are stuck at home for their browsing. Subscribing to Website Monitor keeps you abreast of such changes.
You might be shut down, or struggling to cobble some form of online or click and collect service together, but your customers are still browsing. They will be getting mobile again at some point, so an excellent time to work on your website and getting ready, as the recovery will be digital led.

https://websiteassociates.co.uk/Consultation.html

08/04/2020

Local search, dominated by Google MyBusiness is by far the best and most cost effective marketing tool for small businesses. Your ranking depends on a variety of factors, reviews being a top one.
If Google determines a search has "local content", it will display the "three pack" of top local businesses that address that search, a plumber for example. The only things to rank higher are the paid ads and Google Shopping.
Three things to note.

1. Even though paid ads are above, people often focus on the three pack, so it scores for free!

2. The top slot on the three pack typically takes about 25% of the traffic for the page, it's winner takes all online.

3. There are actually more listings if relevant, you can often scroll down to find more than three. Hardly anyone does this.

The three pack trumps directory services, such as yell.com, so much so in fact that the latter have now resorted to ads above the three pack to support their ailing subscription services.

https://websiteassociates.co.uk/Website-Monitor.html indicates that clicks coming through of Google local search are of relative high value. Bear in mind that it can also generate phone calls, emails and directions in it's own right, without even needing a website, so local search is the way to go.

A performing website needs constant maintenance. The internet moves fast, so no one can afford to stand still, make sure your site stays competitive with website monitor.

03/04/2020

Winner takes all.
There aren't that many second prizes on the internet, ask Bill Gates, Larry Page, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerburg. In digital marketing we are trying to outdo the competition. Generally we are not creating clicks, just getting those out there to go to a client. We only have ourselves to blame, the tendency to click the top listing, an aversion to scrolling "below the fold" (the bottom listings on a page that are normally out of sight.)
In fact people want a clear message to answer their query, if you have it first, you tend to get the business.
Likewise with digital marketing, I can't take on clients who are competitors, if I did I would be working against myself.
In these difficult times, the rush to get online will be about winners. If a client sells a vacuum cleaner online, it means someone else somewhere didn't sell it.
Like I said, winner takes all.

30/03/2020

What makes a website visible?
It's not how much you've spent on it that counts, there are some stunning websites costing thousands of pounds that do nothing. On the other hand ill thought out "do it yourself" websites don't do it either.
The first step is to think through exactly what you want your site to do. What you really want it to do in the context of your business. Don't get this purpose lost in the graphics, it's surprising how often people do. A picture may say a thousand words, but on the internet, a thousand words can be a rather long message!
At the end of the day, search is about words, think of the right words for your business and you've taken the first step on the way to internet visibility.