Can you build your own website?

Posted on by kaydeeweb




Well the absolute answer is yes!  Of course you can build your own website.  There are loads of packages out there these days that give you a template that you can customise, make it corporate and add pages to it.   Hurray!  You have made your own site.

But more often than not you will come to me to ask why it is not doing well on the search engines, or your have forgotten how to add a page, or upload a photograph, because really, your time is taken up with your business and what you do best.

I am sure I could figure out how to re-hang my front door.  But would I do it?  No.  It would be slightly wonky, let the wind in, warp in the weather, not lock properly …  an endless list of things that could go wrong just with a door.

I am not saying you shouldn’t build your own, but just be careful.  A website should be written correctly and look professional.  Something that you might be very proud of, could look very shoddy to your customers and will not encourage them to buy from you.

New! Facebook Ticker – What is it all about?

Posted on by kaydeeweb




The Ticker is basically an unfiltered News Feed feature.    You can see the TOP NEWS in your feed as normal.  ”Top news” being the updates of people you have interacted with/looked at recently.  The people you do not interact with slide down a list and you will hardly see their updates.    You used to be able to click on “MOST RECENT” and a news feed of latest updates would come up.  The Ticker replaces that.

If you click on a story you see going by in the Ticker, and you click on it then a window pops up allowing you to comment on the story.

It is a way of Facebook getting you to interact with your “other” friends more.  You know, the ones you don’t speak to on Facebook… What do you think of the Ticker?

 

Kelly Drewett
Kaydee Web Design

www.kaydee.net
t. 08448 709 621
e. design@kaydee.net

fb. www.facebook.com/kaydeeweb
t. www.twitter.com/kaydeeweb
blog. www.kaydee.net/blog
linkedin. uk.linkedin.com/in/kellydrewett
google+. www.gplus.to/kellydrewett

Facebook adverts alert: Daily spend limit increased

Posted on by kaydeeweb




A couple of my clients received the same message from facebook over the weekend.  In my haste, being a weekend, I thought that it was SPAM.  I checked the accounts, making sure that the budget was capped, and then noticed the daily spend limit HAD increased.  This IS a message from facebook – although it could be worded better.

I have clicked on all the links, checking they are legitimated. They are.

Facebook Advert Spend Limit

Your spend limit is how much you are allowed to spend with facebook per day.  Meaning you are now a trusted user!   This is great for larger companies who do want to spend this amount.   It means that ultimately you can get more traffic to your page, meaning more likes.

To avoids payment problems, Facebook starts from low limit daily spend like £50. By paying each invoice immediately you reach higher daily spend limits, and this is automatically reviewed by facebook.

Facebook adverts are paid for each month via the credit or debit card that you have submitted.  Make sure you pay every invoice on time by keeping money on that card, and not letting your ad campaign run away with you.

Facebook Advert Budget

Facebook advert budget is very different from the spend limit.  This is the amount you have entered in as a cut off point.  Once your facebook ad has “spent” your daily budget, the ad will simply disappear from facebook.   This ensures you cannot over spend.

To check your spend limit visit the Facebook Adverts Manager.

 

Kelly Drewett
Kaydee Web Design

www.kaydee.net
e. design@kaydee.net

fb. www.facebook.com/kaydeeweb
t. www.twitter.com/kaydeeweb
linkedin. uk.linkedin.com/in/kellydrewett
google+. www.gplus.to/kellydrewett

 

What is a Domain Name?

Posted on by kaydeeweb




When one talks about a domain name, they are usually referring to a website address.

Every computer connected to the internet is identified by a unique IP address (like 182.134.25.25).

The server that your website rests on is simply a computer, with an IP address.  Numbers are obviously not very meaningful to humans, and as the Internet grew we needed more memorable ways of identifying those computers.

A domain name is therefore a unique identifier that points to a specific IP address.

 

 

Kelly Drewett
Kaydee Web Design

www.kaydee.net
t. 08448 709 621
e. design@kaydee.net

fb. www.facebook.com/kaydeeweb
t. www.twitter.com/kaydeeweb
blog. www.kaydee.net/blog
google+. www.gplus.to/kellydrewett

 

New facebook status

Posted on by kaydeeweb




Have you noticed that there are new features on your facebook status box?

Tagging a friend, or page, in your status

Firstly you can now easily tag ‘people you are with’ in your status.

This is not the same as the feature that involves tagging someone in your status.  This is an older feature, where you can use the @ symbol.   Write your status – when you want to tag someone type the @ symbol, then start to type their name.  A list of all your friends will come up, click on the one you want to tag.

Tagging friends who are with you

This new facebook feature allows you to tag friends who are with you. Once you have written your status you can click the new +friends button, bottom left of the image below.    A field appears saying “Who are you with?” .  Start to type your friends name in here, and again, a list will pop up and you can click to choose a friend.

Tag friends you are with in your facebook status

 

Tagged the wrong friend? When you want to take a friend off, just click that little blue cross next to their name.

 

Checking into a location using your status

The next new facebook status feature is addition of your location.  You can easily add your location when you post a status, or, you can leave it blank.

If you want to add your current city to each post then hover over the grey area next to the LOCATION marker.  On the image above it says Witney.  This will be blank if you have not yet added a location.    See the image below, when your mouse hovers over the grey area, you can click the link to add your city.

Add a location to your facebook status

Once that is done, you can add a nearby location to your status by clicking the LOCATION button, as outlined below.

Facebook location symbol

The ‘Where are you?’ box will appear and you can start to type a name of a place, and check in.   Easy!

To stop facebook telling everyone where you are when you update your status, simply hover over the “town” – a little cross will appear.  Hit the cross to delete it.  As below:

Delete location on Facebook Status

Privacy Feature

Now look over to the right hand side of your status box.    You have a drop down menu, which defaults to FRIENDS.   If FRIENDS is selected it means all your friends will be able to see your status.

PUBLIC is the new word for EVERYONE on facebook.  The status will be public, meaning everyone can see it.  You can customise who will see your status, and also HIDE your status from specific people using the CUSTOM button.

Easily hide your facebook status

Questions?  Just leave a comment below.

 

Kelly Drewett
Kaydee Web Design

www.kaydee.net
t. 08448 709 621
e. design@kaydee.net

fb. www.facebook.com/kaydeeweb
t. www.twitter.com/kaydeeweb
blog. www.kaydee.net/blog
google+. www.gplus.to/kellydrewett

 

 

Facebook Profile or Facebook Page?

Posted on by kaydeeweb




Many companys are using a Personal Profile page as their Business Page on facebook.   Personal Profiles are very different from facebook Business Pages and are used differently.   Here is why you should not use a Personal Facebook Profile for business:

Facebook will delete businesses who are using Personal Profiles
Facebook did not intend for you to use a Personal Profile as a business page and could stop your profile altogether.  This means loosing all those ‘friends’ that you have.   Remember you can migrate your profile to a business page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php?migrate

Limited Friends
5,000 friends is the current friend limit on a Personal Profile on facebook. The number of ‘Likes’ on your Facebook Business Page is unlimited. A very good reason to use facebook pages for your business, rather than a profile.

Search Engine Friendly
A Facebook Page gets indexed by search engines, where as a Personal Profile page does not. This means that potential clients searching for you may find you via your Facebook Page.  It can be part of your Search Engine strategy.

Promoting your Facebook Business Page
Facebook does not allow you to use a Personal Facebook Profile to promote your business or run competitions. You can get shut down completely if you do this on a Personal Profile page.

Insights & Analytics
A Facebook Page displays analytical data about the users of your page like gender and country, so you can use this for targeting different customers. Insights also tell you how people interacted with your content and which content was most viewed. So you can see what people like and do more of it!

Advertise your Page
You can also advertise your Facebook Page using facebook adverts, which really do work.

 

Changing a Personal Profile to a Business Page

It is possible to change your Profile page into a business page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php?migrate

Your profile picture is converted and your friends are converted to ‘Likes’ on your new Business Page.

Your old Personal Profile will no longer exist. It will become a Business Account.  The Business Account will still be under the email address and password you always logged in with.  With the business account you can administer your Pages.

Need help?  Just ask …

 

www.kaydee.net
t. 08448 709 621
e. design@kaydee.net

fb. www.facebook.com/kaydeeweb
t. www.twitter.com/kaydeeweb
google+. www.gplus.to/kellydrewett

 

Is your facebook business page visible to users that are logged out?

Posted on by kaydeeweb




You must make sure that all internet users can see your facebook business page, even users that are not logged in to facebook.  If the settings on your page are wrong, you will block the latter.

Letting people view the page will encourage people to click the like button, and either log-in or make a facebook account.  People may not be on their own computer when they come across the link to your page, you don’t want them to see a blank screen.

Check this by logging out of facebook.  Now type in your url into the the address bar at the top – eg.  www.facebook.com/kaydeeweb.  Can you see your page, or are you redirected back to the facebook home page?

Here’s how to let everyone see your facebook business page, even when they are not logged into facebook:

When you are on your page, click the EDIT PAGE button, in the top right hand corner.

 

Now you need to click MANAGE PERMISSIONS on the left hand side.  See the age restriction drop down, there in the middle?  Change it to Anyone (13+)

Now, save the changes and log back out of facebook.

Type your facebook page in the address bar, and voila!  You should see your page along with the LIKE button!

Scam Letters from “Domain Name Renewal Service”

Posted on by kaydeeweb





Many of my clients receive official looking letters from this ‘company’ asking them to send money to re-register an existing domain name (website address).   The company even sends these letters to me; the person controlling the domains!

In fact, the domain that the letter refers to this week has already been renewed by me.

DON’T SEND THEM ANY MONEY

The second paragraph states;

“Registering your name with us will ensure you retain exclusive rights to it on the Web, and now is the time to transfer and renew your name from your current Registrar to the Domain Renewal Group.  Failure to renew your domain name by the expiration date may result in a loss of your online identity making it difficult for your customers and friends to locate you on the Web.”

If you have already registered your domain, it is yours, even if you let it lapse for a while – it takes AT LEAST 90 days for the domain to go back out onto the open market.

Simply rip the letter up and recycle it.


I’ve got a website, now what? Getting better search results.

Posted on by kaydeeweb




Your website is online, and you now appear on Google when you search your company name, which means Google has finally picked you up!   But you are not listed very high for your top key phrases, so what do you do now?

Getting good results on the search engines takes time and constant chiselling, but there are a lot of tools to help now a days.

Building Links

Build up a network of links from other websites, websites that are relevant to your product or service.

  • You could ask suppliers and customers to link through to your site.
  • You could do a search and submit your site to some of the millions of directories out there.  Some are paid for, some are not.   Get on all the free ones and then pick and choose the paid ones.  Some may not be worth it.  This is something I can do for you.
  • Links on your site to other (relevant) websites will help with your ranking too.

Social Media

Social media is extremely popular, and there is a lot to be said for building links to your website through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, GroupOn and many other social media networks.   These websites already have very high ranks in the search engines, which means when you make a post on a subject, your keywords may be picked up on organic listings like Googles.  If you constantly link to your website via your accounts, the traffic will be driven over.

Social media is also a good way of letting your followers know about new products, new services and what is happening within the company.

Updates to your Website

I’m always made to feel like I’ve made this one up.  Obviously I want to update your website as I like to be busy, but this is honestly a good way to show the search engines that your website is worth visiting.  Search engine crawlers can see the date that your page has been updated, and if it has new content it will reindex it. If it is not new, it will pass it by.  If the crawlers see new content they will revisit to check your site for updates.  The more often crawlers visit your site, the better your chances of improving ranking for the keywords on each page.

Showing that your website is authoritative will encourage search engines to index your pages quicker; this will work in your favour when it comes to future listings and developments.

Updating your website also keeps it up to date with ever changing technology.  Your users won’t be pleased visiting an old looking site.

Start a Blog

A blog will encourage visitors to your website.  Blogs are a successful way of boosting a website’s content without making the pages cluttered.  Please see my recent post “Why start a blog?“.

Bigger is Better

Another one I feel guilty for telling people, but is true!

The more pages your site has, the more opportunities it has to rank for different key phrases.

Every page on your site has optimised content.  Each page may concentrate on different keywords, and done correctly it means search engines rank you for different terms, meaning you climb higher in the rank order.   But do not overload your pages with different keywords.  See my post on Googles Quality Guidelines.

Say you have articles on your website, the words within those different articles will be available on a internet search, meaning that potential customers come across your website almost by accident.  This is where you capture them, and sell sell sell!

Content can be added to your website at any time, whether I have designed your site or not.  Email me to find out what I can do for you.

Clicking on my Google listing

Yes, it is true, the more popular your website and the more times your site is clicked on within Google, the better Google will rank your site.   Google wants to give it’s users the best search experience, so popular websites have more clout.  This does not mean you should sit and click on your link over and over, as Google registers your computers IP address and will only record the one click. Nice try.

Visit my website for more information on search engines

How long does it take for my site to get listed on Google?

Posted on by kaydeeweb




Every time I meet a client I make them aware that I cannot control Google.  Just because I launch the website that day, or that week, and it is sat pretty on it new domain doesn’t mean that Google has picked it up yet.  To see your website at this stage you will have to type in the website address provided into the address bar.

Address Bar

Type your website address into the address bar

Once your site is complete and uploaded (or launched), I will submit your URL to Google, along with the millions of other websites submitted by others everyday.  Google bot (Google’s crawler) has to get round to crawling your web pages and will then start to show you in it’s ‘organic listing‘.

It can take 4 days to 4 months for your website to appear on the Google Search Results page.  Once ranked you may appear under your chosen keywords, or under your company name only.  It depends on all sorts, like how competitive your market is.   I will have done the basics on your web pages, but you do need to work at it to get good results.

I will create a post soon about working at your Search Engine results.

Is there anything I can do to speed up the process?

Yes.   There are a few other things we can do that are not included in the price of your website.  These are things I can do for you if you ask, or you could have a go yourself.  Please read on below.

Links from other websites

Links from related/topical/relevant sites can help you get indexed, but it is not necessary to go over the top.     These links should be from reliable sites.    The more popular the site that is linking to you, the better.  This does include sites like facebook, twitter or even your own blog.  If you want to do well on the Internet you have to work at it.

Verify your site

Sign up for a Google Webmaster Tools account (or ask me to put you onto mine).     This is not the same as Submitting a URL.     This MAY NOT improve the chances of getting crawled/indexed.

Provide an XML Sitemap

Sitemaps are a way of telling Google what is included in your site, and what you want it to crawl, especially if there is content within your site Google bot may not be able to crawl.  It is basically a list of all your web pages, and within it you can let Google know how often the pages are updated.  Sitemaps will not guarantee getting Crawled/Indexed, but will help Google to crawl your site.

Do drop me an email if you need more information on any of the above.