With the sheer volume of information overload, competing for our time and attention, it’s important for your website to drive conversion of traffic into positive action. Here are 9 best practice website optimisation tactics to improve conversion.

1. Clear and Compelling Headline

Your headline should immediately grab the attention of visitors and clearly convey the unique value proposition of your business. It should highlight the benefits customers can expect from your services. Make sure it is concise, compelling, and aligned with your target audience’s needs and desires.

2. Engaging and Benefit-Oriented Content

Your website copy should focus on how your services can solve customers’ problems or meet their needs. Clearly communicate the benefits they will gain by choosing your services, such as increased brand visibility, improved marketing effectiveness, or cost savings. Use persuasive language and storytelling techniques to engage and captivate visitors. We cover content marketing in these articles.

3. Highlight Success Stories and Testimonials

Incorporate case studies or testimonials from satisfied clients to showcase the positive results they have achieved by working with your business. This social proof can help build trust and credibility with potential customers, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

4. Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Each page on your website, especially your landing page, should have a clear and prominent CTA that guides visitors to take the desired action, such as contacting you, requesting a quote, or signing up for a newsletter. Use action-oriented language and make sure the CTA stands out visually.

5. User-Focused Language

Tailor your website copy to resonate with your target audience. Use their language, address their pain points, and emphasize how your services can fulfil their specific needs. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that might confuse or alienate potential customers.

6. Easy-to-Scan Format

Break up your content into easily digestible sections with clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points. Use short paragraphs and incorporate visual elements, such as images or infographics, to enhance readability and engagement. Visitors should be able to quickly grasp the key points and benefits of your services.

7. Mobile-Friendly Design

Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices, as an increasing number of users access the internet through smartphones and tablets. A responsive design that provides a seamless browsing experience across different devices can significantly improve conversions.

8. Trust and Security Signals

Display trust indicators, such as security badges, client logos, or industry affiliations, to instil confidence in potential customers. Assure them that their data and information will be handled securely and highlight any certifications or qualifications that set your business apart.

9. A/B testing

A/B test different variations of your website copy and measure the results. This can provide valuable insights for optimizing conversions.

• As a bonus tip: Remember to regularly monitor and analyse the performance of your website using analytics tools. This will help you identify areas where visitors might drop off or encounter difficulties, allowing you to make data-driven improvements and increase conversions over time. These tactics to improve conversion of your website traffic into action are a good starting point to revamp your website and position it for better conversion.

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Here’s an overview strategy for regularly publishing quality content such as articles, blog posts, or other content that showcases your services:

1. Define Your Content Objectives:

• Clearly define your content marketing objectives, such as educating your audience, increasing brand awareness, establishing thought leadership, driving website traffic, or generating leads.
• Align your content objectives with your overall business goals and target audience’s needs.

2. Define Your Target Audience:

• Identify your target audience’s demographics, interests, needs, wants, pain points, and preferences.
• Conduct market research and create buyer personas to understand their needs and motivations.

3. Identify Relevant Topics – Research and Keyword Analysis:

• Conduct keyword research and audience analysis to identify topics that are relevant to your services and resonate with your target audience and what they are searching for.
• Explore industry trends, frequently asked questions, and pain points to find inspiration for your content.
• Consider creating a content calendar to plan your topics in advance and ensure a consistent flow of valuable content.
•  Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Moz to find relevant keywords with high search volume and low competition.
• Incorporate these keywords strategically into your content to improve search engine visibility.

4. Develop a Content Creation Plan:

• Determine the types of content you will create, such as articles, blog posts, videos, infographics, or podcasts.
• Develop a content calendar with a mix of different content types (blog posts, videos, infographics, etc.) that cater to your target audience’s preferences.
• Decide on the frequency of publishing, taking into account your capacity and resources.
• Create an outline or content structure for each piece to ensure clarity and coherence.

5. Content Creation – Showcase Your Expertise:

• Provide in-depth, well-researched content that demonstrates your knowledge and expertise in strategic marketing, media, and business consulting.
• Share industry insights, trends, best practices, case studies, or success stories that highlight your unique perspective and experience.
• Use storytelling techniques to make your content engaging and relatable.
• Create content that addresses their pain points, provides valuable insights, educates, entertains, or solves their problems.
• Ensure your content is well-written, well-researched, and provides unique perspectives or valuable information.
• Use visuals, such as images or videos, to enhance the appeal and shareability of your content.

6. Optimize for Search Engines:

• Incorporate relevant keywords into your content to improve search engine visibility and attract organic traffic.  Incorporate relevant keywords into your titles, headings, meta descriptions, and content body
• Craft compelling headlines and meta descriptions that entice readers to click and explore your content.
• Optimize your content structure (content is well-structured), formatting, and use of headers to enhance readability and a positive user experience.
• Build backlinks by reaching out to influencers, guest posting on industry blogs, or collaborating with complementary businesses.

7. Distribute, Promote and Amplify Your Content:

• Share your content across relevant channels – your website, blog, social media channels, email newsletters, and relevant industry forums or communities.
• Collaborate with influencers or industry experts to amplify your reach and attract a wider audience.
• Leverage social media platforms to promote your content and engage with your audience.
• Consider paid promotion through platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads to amplify your reach.
• Encourage sharing and engagement by adding social sharing buttons and including CTAs (Call-to-Actions) within your content.

8. Monitor, Measure and Analyze Performance:

• Use analytics tools like Google Analytics or social media analytics to track the performance and to gain insights into your content.
• Monitor metrics such as page views, time on page, social shares, and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of your content.
• Track and analyse key metrics, such as website traffic, engagement, conversions, and social media interactions.
• Adjust your content strategy based on data and feedback, focusing on topics and formats that resonate the most with your audience and to continuously improve and optimize your content marketing efforts.

9. Engage with Your Audience:

• Encourage readers to leave comments, share their opinions, and ask questions.
• Engage with your audience by responding to comments, answering questions, and encouraging discussion around your content,
• Engage in conversations to build a relationship with your audience.
• Consider incorporating user-generated content or feedback into future content to demonstrate your responsiveness and customer-centric approach.

Remember to maintain a consistent publishing schedule and deliver high-quality content that adds value to your audience. Regularly assess and refine your content strategy based on feedback, data, and evolving market trends to stay relevant and provide valuable insights to your target audience. Regularly publish valuable content, engage with your audience. Over time, you’ll build a loyal following and attract potential customers who appreciate the value you provide.

Glow.digital can help you with this – both to brainstorm your content production process and requirements, as well as helping you to produce the needed assets. We help you to focus on the core of your business, and we take care of the time consuming process to produce quality content. Give us a call or contact us via the email to find out more.

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In South Africa, several emerging needs and trends can impact small businesses. Here are some key areas where businesses can focus their attention:

1. Digital Transformation: With the increasing digitization of business processes, small businesses in South Africa can benefit from adopting digital technologies. This includes setting up online platforms, e-commerce capabilities, and leveraging digital marketing strategies to reach a wider audience and enhance customer engagement. I use and recommend the ZOHO suite of online digital tools. They offer integrated CRM, Project Management, Accounting and many other great tools in an affordable suite. Have a look at the ZOHO suite here. (referral link)
2. E-commerce and Online Presence: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards online shopping. Having a strong online presence and the ability to sell products or services online can help small businesses expand their customer base and overcome geographical limitations. This may involve creating user-friendly websites, utilizing social media platforms, and establishing secure online payment systems. We offer affordable and professional E-Commerce enablement services – find out more here.
3. Mobile Payment Solutions: Mobile payments are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa, driven by the widespread adoption of smartphones. Offering mobile payment options can enhance convenience for customers and potentially increase sales for small businesses. It is worth exploring platforms such as SnapScan, Zapper, or other mobile payment solutions to cater to this growing trend. I personally prefer and use Yoco, their service is one of the best I’ve experienced, they cover all the features I need and their mobile device integration and service is slick. Sign up for a Yoco device and account today.  (referral link)
4. Sustainable and Socially Responsible Practices: There is a growing emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility among consumers. Implementing environmentally friendly practices and demonstrating a commitment to social causes can help small businesses differentiate themselves and attract conscious consumers.
5. Access to Funding and Financial Support: Many small businesses in South Africa face challenges in accessing funding and financial support. It is important for entrepreneurs to explore various avenues for funding, such as government grants, loans, venture capital, angel investors, or crowdfunding platforms. Additionally, staying informed about available support programs and initiatives aimed at assisting small businesses can be beneficial.
6. Skills Development and Training: Investing in the development of employees’ skills and capabilities can help small businesses remain competitive. Consider offering training programs or partnering with local educational institutions to enhance the skills of your workforce, particularly in areas such as digital literacy, customer service, marketing, and financial management. We offer full online LMS (Learning Management Solutions) and course content creation services for your employees or customers.
7. Networking and Collaboration: Engaging in networking opportunities and forming strategic partnerships with other businesses can provide valuable support and access to new markets. Participate in industry events, join business associations, and build relationships with like-minded entrepreneurs to foster collaboration and growth.
8. Energy crisis: The failure of Eskom and the South African Government to maintain and properly manage the monopolised energy infrastructure is probably the biggest threat to all businesses in South Africa. Regular rolling blackouts (load shedding) has wreaked havoc on the country and affects everyone. While this is a boost for the green energy and new energy technology field, the negative impact to business is huge. While green energy offers some relief at great cost, it impacts customers and employees outside of a small business’s control. New technologies and product offerings are in high demand as a result. These include Lithium-Ion Battery solutions and solar energy. Traditional fuel generators are no longer cost effective for small businesses due to the fuel cost.

These are just a few examples of emerging needs in South Africa for small businesses. It is essential to stay updated on the evolving market trends, customer preferences, and government policies to identify new opportunities and adapt your business strategies accordingly.

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A Facebook Challenge is a fast way to richly engage and grow your Facebook and Social media audience and fill your sales funnel with quality leads. A Facebook Challenge consists of a private Facebook Group that people apply for access to via a well-crafted landing page in your sales funnel. The group type is usually set to Social Learning due to the nature of the content presented.

The idea of a Facebook Challenge is interactive participation and rapid activation of the members through the practical tasks they need to complete – hence a challenge. It should challenge members to go and create, or go and do something around the theme of the Challenge. It is an accelerated activation of a skill, gift or transformation through the host’s teaching, peer group encouragement and motivation to overcome fear and step out. Emphasis is on empowering the viewers to act quickly! The activities are usually incremental towards achieving an overall goal or accomplishment.

The hosts use a combination of live-streamed content, interviews with guest speakers, pre-prepared content, and VIP or selected member participation. Zoom can be used with a VIP audience that then live-streams to the rest of the Facebook Group. StreamYard (affiliate) is another great option with live comment features and benefits. Live streaming to the Group reduces the expectation usually found in a formal webinar or training course and makes it highly engaging, friendly and fun. The Challenges I have been part of have had between 10 to 20 thousand participants in.

A Facebook Challenge Private Group is an accelerated massive TOFU (top of the funnel) in the journey of converting leads to sales. It’s a win-win scenario as members get 101 equipping and training for free, but they have to at least supply an email address for this. Some encourage further social sharing as an incentive. Promised giveaways and prizes during a Challenge, help make the sign-up conversion viral in nature as it helps in converting leads and encouraging social sharing. Continuous calls to comment, react, and finish the tasks is encouraged, giving the members quick wins in what they are learning. The sign-up process should include sell-up options as part of the monetisation strategy. This can include equipment kits, books, courses, VIP access to the live Q&A sessions etc. These same sell-ups are promoted throughout the challenge, and members get to almost try-before-they-buy by experiencing part of the premium content in the Challenge. One of the keys to hosting a Challenge is to build authority and trust.

Some challenges require live video feedback in the group; others require completing daily assignments in the posts or comments in the group. Common to most challenges is the community of new friends and a drive to encourage each other to push through the activities. A Facebook Challenge is one of the most socially engaging forms of social media out there.

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If you have been asking the question, “What is Content Marketing and how can it help my organisation?” then this article is for you. Having worked in technology, media and marketing for years, I realise that the terminology and buzzwords can often cause confusion to people who are at the beginning of their journey. The saying, “There is nothing new under the sun!” is very true in the world of online marketing despite the incredible pace and opportunities that are being created by technology and social media platforms. The principles are not new though, and the fundamentals of business and nature of communication are still the same.

The ability to reach people and communicate faster with rich media is constantly changing, but the principles of communication and marketing are not new. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is still fundamental and true. The 4 P’s of marketing still apply (I like the idea of the 5th P – People). The 4 C’s of marketing is an alternative to the 4-P’s trying to describe the same thing from a different perspective, but still relevant. If you look past all the principles and strategies, the bottom line is that marketing is all about you – an audience or potential client. Helping you achieve a goal, solve a problem or meet a need is what it is all about. Even building brand reputation is about influencing your opinion of my brand – it’s still all about you.

The 4 Fundamental Goals of Marketing

I believe these are the 4 fundamental goals of marketing – general goals that apply to most organisations at a high level. Each goal can be extrapolated into several other tactical or business-specific goals, but the heart of each goal is to achieve a result that is common to most businesses, industries and causes. Below are the 4 fundamental goals of marketing in no particular order.

1. Sale of Something

A common goal of marketing is about trying to sell you something – a service, a product, a cause or fundraising need. Direct sales and advertising are mostly used, and the goal is to convert a lead to a sale or action leading to a sale. I’m not going to discuss advertising here, but a key to success is to know what your potential customers want or need and have a solution for them at an acceptable price. Landing Pages and Sales Funnels are just two great tools in the online marketing world to help achieve this goal.

2. Build Your Brand

All marketing efforts in some way or another should be building your brand. It is an ongoing goal to authentically build your brand trust, awareness, perception and authority.

3. Lead Generation

As a precursor to the sales goal, a large amount of marketing effort is used to create traffic and convert this traffic to leads. Advertising and content marketing are both effective at this.

4. Communication

Another underlying goal of marketing is communication. We are living in a digital buzz of communication, and being able to effectively reach your market audience and customers to engage with them is important. This helps with the goal of building your brand, but also in the area of customer experience. Social media exists because of the desire for people to connect and communicate. The ability to hear from your customers or market is a huge advantage we have today through social media and technology. Communication is a key to healthy relationships – with our customers and colleagues.

Inbound and Outbound Marketing

I’m going to answer your Content marketing question now, but let’s step back to a broader view first. Inbound marketing and Outbound marketing are generalised terms used to describe a range of marketing tactics, activities and goals. Inbound Marketing is generally defined as an engagement with your market audience where they initiate the first step to connect. SEO is one of the tools to help your Inbound Marketing be found through organic search. Outbound Marketing is where you actively try to engage the potential audience. Advertising and cold-calling are examples of Outbound Marketing.

Inbound Marketing example: You post an article on your blog or social media. A person does a Google search for a subject and your article appears in the search results – they follow the link to your site and read the article. They like what they see, and decide to contact you, or take you up on an offer that is connected to the article. This is similar to a walk in customer to your store.

Content Marketing is at the heart of Inbound Marketing.

By creating content that adds value to your audience (business, cause or entertainment), it opens the opportunity for your audience to connect with you. The world of Social Media has been a huge driver of this, along with blogging and video. YouTube is currently the second biggest search engine, the result of content being created and an audience finding this content and connecting with the creators. The idea of content marketing is to produce value for an audience and then encourage them to take further action. It could be a sale, but mostly it is a lead relationship. By following, liking or commenting, by filling in an email address, or direct messaging, by clicking on a link – these all fulfil an action that leads to the goal of finding new customers.

Below is a typical Marketing Funnel of the Customer Journey based on the AIDA principle. The idea is to move traffic into the funnel and from being a lead to building an authentic customer relationship (based on 2-way loyalty). Each phase requires a different type of engagement and conversion, to the final goal of a loyal customer. Most Content Marketing deals with the initial (broad) phase of the Marketing Funnel – filling the funnel with leads. This is mostly around lead generation (awareness and interest) in the AIDA model.

Inbound Content Marketing is a preferred method of engagement with your market because there is less friction in the process and conversion. This is due to the fact your lead is already interested in your offering and they initiated the contact. They can often skip over the first phase of the funnel by their interest in your offering. Outbound Marketing requires a much higher cost and effort of advertising or cold-calling your market to turn traffic to leads, and leads to customers.

Where Content Marketing fits into your Online Marketing Strategy?

The following chart is a guideline of how and where some of the Online Marketing components work together.

• Inbound & Outbound Marketing
• Your Website
• Online Store / E-Commerce
• Social Media
• Landing Pages
• Funnels
  Affiliate Marketing
• Influencer Marketing, Passive Advertising & Sponsorships
• Email Lists – Opt-In Marketing (Lead Magnets)
• Online Marketing/Advertising
  • SEO & Search Engine Adverts
  • Content marketing
  • Paid Placement Advertising
  • Social Media Adverts
  • Display Adverts
• Webinars

It is important to have an Online Marketing Strategy before just rushing to produce content. Content that adds value can be costly to produce, and it is important to get your goals, positioning, timing and messaging all working together. I recommend investing some time putting together an Online Marketing Plan. It allows you to be more strategic in your approach and understanding of your market.

The following are a few examples of content that you can produce for your Content Marketing strategy.

•  Courses and training (short or full courses)
• eBooks
• Motivational material
• Blog articles – public and subscription based (with a membership option)
• Facebook Groups or Facebook Challenges
• Video and Social Media Content
• Email newsletters
• Podcasts
• Tutorials, etc.

A few tips for producing content especially for entrepreneurs and small organisations.

Don’t be intimidated by what is already out there. We all have a unique perspective and experience in life that can enrich your audience. We all have our own story to tell and our own style and expression. I encourage you to be authentic and start producing. Don’t wait for it to be perfect, nothing ever is. Learn, grow and have fun, while stretching yourself. Be original and remember, the goal is to help somebody else, so try to create value. Don’t stop at the first sign of resistance. We are never going to be able to please everyone. Focus on your potential audience, your niche and your story. And lastly, don’t forget to put a call to action in your content.

I hope this article has helped you better understand what Content Marketing is and where it fits into your Online Marketing Strategy. I would love to hear your feedback or comments.

The post What is Content Marketing and how can it help me? appeared first on Glow.digital.

I’m glad you asked this question, and the answer is simple, it depends on what you want. How much does a WordPress website cost in 2020? I have to make a few assumptions to answer the question in a way that is helpful to you, but the following article is a guideline, based on 2 common scenarios. I have developed websites both public-facing and internal corporate web application frameworks that vary from free to several hundred thousand Rands. This article refers to public-facing websites, using WordPress as a content management system (CMS). If you are not sure that WordPress websites are for you, please read my article – “Why choose a WordPress website vs an HTML custom coded website?” before this one.

I am going to give you an estimate of what a WordPress website would cost in 2020 based on the following 2 scenarios:

1. A website for a small business or guesthouse (no E-Commerce).
2. An E-Commerce website and online store for a small company with up to 20 initial physical products.

The following assumptions are being made:

• Branding, draft copywriting and identity are already established by the client and don’t form part of these estimates.
• All Social Media accounts are set up and branded.
• All video assets are already produced, edited and rendered.
• Product photos have been supplied.
• Several cost elements are linked to the US Dollar exchange rate and subject to change accordingly.
• Most options specified have several variations that can significantly affect the price. I have tried to keep the price in the middle of the pricing range without compromising quality.
• I have not included the use of some professional versions of plugins. These typically carry an annual cost.
• I have not included CDN content distribution pricing in the scenarios.

Annual Hosting Costs:

Domain Name Registration for a non-premium .com domain (annual fee)	R 300	$ 19
SSL Certificate (annual fee)	R 700	$ 44
Professional Hosting Service (annual fee) – includes email, FTP, Databases, IP address	R 4,000	$ 250
TOTAL:	R 5,000	$ 313
Optional Annual Maintenance Fee (monitoring security logs, and component updates on a monthly basis)	R2,400	$150

There are cheaper hosting options available, but this is the recommended configuration for a professional business WordPress website. I recommend the annual maintenance fee to all clients, as this is a key to keeping the site stable and keeping hackers out. See my article – “Why choose a WordPress website vs an HTML custom coded website?” where I discuss some of the keys to successful WordPress websites – good hosting is one of them. If you are looking to manage your own hosting, I recommend you make sure you have a good security strategy. I offer managed hosting and handle the technical, hosting maintenance and security details for you.

A WordPress website for a small business or guesthouse

This scenario is for a small business or guesthouse requiring a basic website presence. It would include the following standard pages: Home, About us, Contact, Thank You, Terms of Use, Privacy. A small business would have 4 to 5 other pages including details of their Products or Services pages. A guesthouse would have Accommodation, Facilities, Rates, Gallery and Booking Enquiry pages. I have excluded landing pages and further detail pages for clarity. I have included an average amount of image optimisation. Sourcing images and optimising them for a website is a key step that needs to be done SEO, site performance and user experience. I have found that most clients need this service, and just supply raw images. I include some basic post-processing in Photoshop where needed.

WordPress Site Set-Up and Configuration – Base Plugins, Security, SSL, Email & Accounts	R 1,500	$ 94
Professional Theme (some themes require annual fees for updates)	R 800	$ 50
Theme configuration and branding set-up, including Home, About us, Contact, Thank you, Terms, Privacy pages	R 2,400	$ 150
4 to 5 Additional Pages – Products/Services or Accommodation, Facilities, Rates, Booking Enquiries.	R 1,200	$ 75
Stock Image Sourcing and Optimisation (excluding image licensing fee where applicable)	R 800	$ 50
Supplied Image Optimisation	R 800	$ 50
SEO Optimisation	R 1,000	$ 63
TOTAL:	R 8,500	$ 532

Some projects require copywriting, branding, Social Media set-up, video production and marketing services in addition to the above line items. Anchorage Guesthouse is an example site you can view here.

E-Commerce Online Store

This scenario is for a small business based on the previous costing with the addition of a WooCommerce online shopping store. I have based the costing on 20 physical products using the standard extensions for WooCommerce. There are premium extensions that you may need to license.

Basic WordPress website for small business – as above	R 8,500	$ 532
WooCommerce Configuration	R 1,500	$ 94
Payment Gateway Integration	R 1,000	$ 63
Shipping Integration	R 1,000	$ 63
Initial 20 Products set-up	R 2,400	$ 150
Supplied Image Optimisation	R 2,600	$ 162
TOTAL COST:	R 17,000	$ 1,064

Some projects require copywriting, branding, Social Media set-up, video production and marketing services in addition to the above line items. The above figures are guidelines, to give you an idea. A WordPress website cost can vary significantly. If you are looking at a new website or revamping your existing site, please contact me to discuss your needs, and see how I can help you.

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I’m going to just say it, “WordPress is a great Content Management System (CMS) for modern websites.” The question is “Why choose a WordPress website as a CMS platform vs a custom developed HTML website?” In 2018 WordPress hit a benchmark of an estimated 30% of all websites being run from the platform. This includes WordPress.com and privately hosted WordPress sites. This figure has been growing steadily and in a 2020 survey, WordPress websites are estimated to power between 35% to 37% of all websites and 60% of all CMS sites. These numbers are equally high for the number of E-Commerce enabled sites on the Internet using WordPress. WooCommerce is an excellent full-featured online store – a very effective solution. (Read these articles for more statistics: https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/wordpress-statistics/ and https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management).

I decided to move to WordPress CMS websites after years of designing custom websites for clients. The long-term cost to my clients is less than custom-developed websites and breaks the dependency of always having to get a website developer in to make changes. I have seen too many clients trapped in a continuous technical development cycle that ends up costing way more than the benefit, especially when their need is marketing. WordPress helps eliminate this problem if managed professionally.

The blogging or content management functionality is easy to learn and allows changes, extensions and content marketing to be handled with ease. In a world where websites have to move away from static brochures to engagement platforms with your audience, WordPress offers a solid platform to build on. The plugin architecture and seamless integration to E-Commerce facilities including full-featured digital stores, educational sites, membership management or subscription sites make it a great platform to get up and running quickly.

The only negative issues I have heard of (not experienced) have mostly to do with situations where poor hosting was used, untested themes or excessive plugins were active – some untested or unproven. This is technically not a WordPress issue, but rather a poor approach to managing a professional website. I only use plugins that I know work. I also put strict security and quality control measures in place. The number of hacking attempts on all websites is profound, and I pay close attention to updating the environment and monitoring firewall intrusion attempts. I also manage the web hosting for my clients using trusted hosting providers.

I have found that using WordPress, where I host, set up and configure the sites for my clients and then help with the initial or ongoing content management, allows us more time to focus on the message, content and marketing of my client’s brands. I only use professional licensed WordPress Themes that I know offer great caching, responsive design and sufficient features for my clients. Don’t get caught in a custom theme development cycle unless your business demands it. Most small to medium-sized businesses and even larger corporations can get all they need from proven themes and plugins.

4 Key benefits of using WordPress for your public website:

1. WordPress offers a rapid deployment platform, focussed on content and management.
2. WordPress is a mature and stable content management and delivery solution with proven capability and stability.
3. I have found WordPress to be more cost-effective in the long term (Total Cost of Ownership) for my clients than if I had to custom develop their website. The exception is for highly functional, specialised web applications, which fall into the category of Application Development and not your typical public marketing website.
4. With the plugin framework and custom themes, WordPress is dynamic in capability and functionality. You can use WordPress for Blogging, Online Stores, Download Management, Learning Management Solutions, Subscription-based business models, Directory based models, Landing Pages, Portfolios, News sites, portals, the list goes on. Some big brands use WordPress in their organisations, including Sony Music, Walt Disney, Bloomberg and BBC America.

7 Keys to a successful WordPress Website Installation:

1. Pay for professional hosting with adequate resources. Many hosting providers offer really low-cost starter packages that are so limited in resources and escalate quickly in cost if more resources are required. I offer managed hosting and handle the technical and security details for you.
2. Establish a professional installation and configuration, especially security management. Don’t let security be an afterthought.
3. Use a professional modern theme that is proven.
4. Plan in advance, the content and requirements, including look, feel, copywriting and images.
5. Only use proven plugins and try to limit these and any coding customisation to a minimum.
6. Budget for training yourself and your team to write articles, optimise images, and manage the website.
7. Have an offsite backup plan.

If you are needing a website or looking to revamp your existing one, please feel free to contact me. You can read about my Professional WordPress Website Design and Hosting services here.

I would love to hear your opinion or about your website experience. Let me know on my Facebook page in the comments on this article or email me.

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If you are asking “How do I get my local store trading online?” and want to fast-track the process, I recommend using a WooCommerce store built on the back of WordPress with a professional template. This is by far the most effective solution out there and will handle most scenarios or business models. If you only have a few products, or only sell digital products, you could look at other hosted services. These will be even quicker to get you online. I’m making the assumption that you have several products that you will ship to your customers.

Here are the 10 steps to get your store online and trading.

1. Register a domain name and arrange a WordPress website hosting service. If you are looking to manage your own hosting. I offer managed hosting and handle the technical and security details for you.
2. Buy your SSL certificate and a professional WordPress template that caters for WooCommerce.
3. Set up and configure your WordPress Website, Plugins, Security and WooCommerce settings.
4. Add your site pages, contact details and don’t forget your Terms and Conditions, Privacy and other legal requirements.
5. Arrange how your deliveries will be handled. There are several plugins for WooCommerce to work with drop-shipping or other couriers.
6. Put together your Online Product Price List with images, shipping details, product information and pricing.
7. Set up your products and pricing in WooCommerce.
8. You will need to use a payment gateway to process credit cards or online payments. These vary from country to country, but Stripe or PayPal are common options that are easy to set up.
9. Test your Store, the workflow and any 3rd party integration, then Go-Live once happy with the testing.
10. Train your employees (including your accounting team) on how to adapt to the new workflow and customer service requirements.

If you have a large product range, this will potentially take longer to set up and test, even if you import the product details. For a business with around 50 products and variations and with good planning, it is possible to get up and trading fairly quickly – 1 to 2 weeks. I have found the biggest snag or delay in this process, has been getting product price lists together with shipping details and images. For businesses with a large number of products, I suggest getting the products live in batches so that you can get trading on some items while preparing the rest of the items behind the scenes.

I offer a full inhouse service to get you online and trading where I handle all the technical details for you, including hosting your site on secure servers, and online marketing. If you have been considering getting your traditional store online, but not sure how to go about it, please feel free to contact me and discuss how I can help you. I have a degree in business and accounting and have extensive experience in helping customers transact online and across several industries. Contact me here – I’d love to hear from you.

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As an entrepreneur or small to medium sized organisation, you may be asking, “Why do I need an Online Marketing Plan?” After all, I’m too busy working to deliver my product or service to my customers and managing my finances. There isn’t enough time!

Let’s be clear, needs and wants are not always the same thing. Most people want to be able to reach their audience and sell their product to their market as cost effectively as possible. In order to achieve this, they often need a strategy or plan. You should spend some time thinking, planning and strategizing about your online marketing. This can be a challenge if you are a freelancer or entrepreneur, but it is well worth the time investment. If you have a budget, it is worth bringing in experts, or other opinions to help you clarify your plan.

The reason why I recommend developing an Online Marketing Plan is it forces you to really think about who your market is, and what you are offering them. Most products or services are really offering your customers a benefit or value – the product unlocks the benefit. Being able to narrow down your audience to a niche or very focussed group of prospects, allows you to achieve a greater return on your marketing and advertising investment. You can spend a lot of money, very quickly and have no conversion to sales for your spend, if you don’t approach your marketing strategically.

On the other hand, don’t spend days planning an elaborate, over detailed plan and never get to market. Find the balance that works for you. Some approaches are theoretical, and can lead to “analysis paralysis” especially for entrepreneurs and small organisations. I find some of the advertising and marketing advice available is based on companies that have massive budgets and teams to manage the details. This won’t necessarily work for a small organisation.

The fundamentals of any marketing plan, is to answer the questions: Who, What, Why, Where, When and How. Who is your market and Who are you? What are you offering, what problem are you solving? Why should your audience use your offer, why does it benefit the potential buyer, and why are you offering this? The Where, When and How are the places and time you will engage your audience, and the process or action needed by the potential customer to take you up on your offer. This is usually represented by a Call-To-Action or CTA. Being in a position to better understand and answer these questions will really help you to narrow your audience down to a niche and target them better. It also allows you to adapt your message to the different target audiences that you may discover. The goal is a higher conversion rate from a smaller audience.

Online Marketing Plans are meant to be living documents that adapt as you learn more about your audience. With Online Marketing today, the analytics data and targeting options available, really make it easier to learn about your audience. You can also measure your results with much higher accuracy.

Developing an Online Marketing Plan will help you reach the right audience with the right message at the right time. For content marketing it can also help you keep the focus on your desired outcome, and continuously drive your CTA home. Lastly, adapt your plan and let it work for you. Find the practical balance between knowing and doing. A plan without action is not going to help you.

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