Where’s your SEO going in 2014?
So, it’s 2014. The new year. Where are you going to be taking you business this year? Have you been thinking about taking the foray into SEO?
Well you need to do more than think about it. 2014 is the time for SEO action!
Your business will be left behind if you don’t. 
For 2014, developing strong SEO strategy will be what transforms businesses into social media champions. Want to leave your competitors in the dirt? Start thinking about your creative content now.
Here are a few starter points to think about:
Look into LinkedIn: Linkedin is the social media platform for professionals. It can not only connect you with millions of other people, from all over the world, but it is a mine of industry gossip and ideas. You can headhunt people and keep an eye on what your business rivals are doing. But that’s not all, creating a business account, or page, can make Linkedin a hub of activity for you. Show your followers how you’re keeping abreast of changes in your industry and invite professional discussion from peers.
Google+: In popular consciousness, Google+ appeared to have been relegated to that unholy territory of “the defunct social media” – this is most certainly not the case. Google+ has made significant progress and has recently seen a 225 percent increase in users age 35-44. With the introduction of a number of supporting applications (Google Hangouts being one of them), it seems Google+ is THE place to be in 2014, if you want to give your business the edge.
Interested in Pinterest: “A picture paints a thousand words”. Ring any bells? Want to show off a new product/office make-over/creative infographic? Pinterest in the place to do it. It’s been well-documented recently, that articles with images receive an additional 94 percent more views, and photo sharing platforms like Pinterest and Instagram significantly increasing their followership. With this in mind, can you afford NOT to?
Blog, blog and blog some more: Over the last year, you may have heard the term “content is king” bandied around more than once. With Google cracking down on duplicate content, backlinks and indiscriminate guest-blogging, the idea of quality content has never been more important. Getting yourself a content strategy, focused on making sure your web-copy is of the highest quality, will stand you in good stead when the next Google updates come to town. One of the best ways to do this is with your blog. This is the place where you can ensure your voice is heard by your customers, ensuring a steady stream of new content to your website, without the dangers of 1000 identical landing pages!
Further information
For more information on how Footprint Web Design can help you, or to inquire about a quote, please contact us on 01883 372488, or email us at: info@footprint.co.uk
Footprint’s Bespoke Website Design
So many people nowadays are branching out on their own; setting up their own businesses. Whether that’s as a result of the economic downturn of recent years, or an attempt to redress the work-life balance.
Footprint can offer your business a bespoke online presence
So you’ve got an idea for your business, but where do you start? In today’s business market, your first port of call should be your online presence. Consumers rely heavily on online information when making decisions, even if your business doesn’t primarily function online. Finding out where you are located, what you offer and, most importantly, reviews from other consumers, are all things your clients are looking for. If you’re not properly represented online, you’re closing yourself off to a huge amount of potential custom.
Bespoke Website Design
We at Footprint understand that small and fledgling businesses don’t have large budgets for initial outlay, which is why we make sure our pricing packages are completely realistic.
We are very proud of our bespoke website design services, which come from 18 years of developing websites for businesses of all sizes. We know every business is different, which is why we don’t follow the “one size fits all” package touted by some other web design companies.
Whatever your budget, we have an option for you – ensuring you squeeze the very most out of your money. Have a look at our portfolio to see some of our other clients’ websites. Some of these clients have been with Footprint since the very beginning – trusting our knowledge to constantly update and manage their website, keeping them perpetually ahead of their competition.
What Else Can You Do?
Footprint don’t just offer outstanding bespoke website design services, though. Check out the list below of our other services:
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Apps & Mobile Sites
- Animation
- Mailing Lists
- Copywriting & Blogs
- Web Hosting
Further Information
For more information on how Footprint Web Design can help you, or to inquire about a quote, please contact us on 01883 372488, or email us at: info@footprint.co.uk
How to create a Google Account for your business
There are currently somewhere in the region of 540 million active Google+ users. That’s a lot of people. But you’ve got a Facebook page, a Twitter profile and a YouTube channel already, do you really need another social media account? 
The answer, very simply, is “yes”. Google+ may not be as big as Facebook, or as instantly easy to use as Twitter, but it’s importance to business is far greater. Not only will you be connected to the aforementioned 540 million other Google+ users, but you’ll be eligible to use all of Google’s free online tools as well. Not too bad, eh? But that’s not all… Want to climb the rankings over the Google search engine? Create a Google account. Being verified with a Google+ account/page is just another rung in the ladder of rankings.
In a similar way to Facebook, you need an account in order to set up a page for your business. You can set up an account in a few very quick steps:
1. Open any Google page – e.g. www.google.com, and click the Sign Up button in the top right
2. Enter your details and choose a username (which will become your new gmail account email address)
3. Click next and your account has been created. Easy peasy.
4. You’ll then be led through a wizard-like process in order to add details to your account.
You’ve now got a Google+ Account, you can add people to your “circles” and use the Google+ tools, like: Adsense, Adwords, Analytics, Docs & Webmaster Tools. Just use your newly created login details to get in to them all. More importantly, you can now create business pages…
How to create your Google+ Business Page
You can set up a business page as quickly and easily as you set up your account. The following steps will show you how:
1. Go to http://plus.google.com/pages/create
2. Select the category that most closely represents your business: Local business or Place, Product or Brand, Company, Institution or Organisation, Arts, Entertainment or Sport or Other. 
3. The next screen requires you to type in your business name, then click the magnifying glass. If you’re business has already been verified with Google Maps, it will appear here and you can select it. If not, click the option marked “No, these are not my businesses” and create your own listing.
4. You’ll then be asked to verify your business by post or telephone. Select the option most relevant to you, and you’ll be sent a PIN number that you will need to enter on to your page as soon as you receive it.
5. Your account has now been created. You will be taken to the shell of your account, where you’ll be prompted to add details about your business, pictures, etc. (NB – You can still add all your details even if you’re waiting for your PIN to arrive via post).
6. In the top left, there is a small blue icon. Hover your cursor over this and you’ll see a drop down menu, where you can access your dashboard, settings (to make any changes) as well as a host of other options.
7. Clicking on the “Change cover” button will allow you to change the large picture on your page. Ensure that any picture you put is of the correct size, above 2120×1192 pixels.
These steps will enable you to create a Google account, but there is a lot more to Google+ than this. Next time, I’ll go through how to activate the Google Web Tools with your business.
Further Information
Footprint specialise in creating bespoke websites, designed to help take your business to another level. If you’d like to speak to us regarding any of our services, give us a call on 01883 372488 or contact us via Facebook and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.
