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Volume 1, Issue 1

Choosing the right type of website is never easy so in this newsletter we will be looking at four possible options. We hope this will help you choose what is best for your business.

Build your own websiteThe first option is to have a go at building your own. Most people build their own website to save money. If you think you have the time and ability then give it a go. However, as a small business owner ask yourself whether your time may be better spent focusing on your business.

There is more to building a website than just placing a few pictures and text on a page. Just because it looks good on your screen does not mean it is going to be mobile

friendly, have all the required search engine optimisation or look as professional as you would wish.

You could spend hours, even days

developing a website that a search engine will never find!However, if you feel this is your best option then spend time researching the product and take time to read the reviews. Are there hidden monthly charges? What are people saying about the level of support the company is offering? This may not be the cheapest option and most effective for your business in the long run but it will be rewarding to know you created it!

Welcome to Talk To Phoenix and our first newsletter. We are a website design company with a difference. At Talk To Phoenix we have experience in running a business just like you. We combine a fully consultative approach with leading-edge technology. We have spent the last decade designing and building websites and have a wealth of experience within the business, not just concerning the technicalities of solutions but more importantly their business benefits. We also believe in training, so you will get a website to be proud of as well as being given the tools to update it yourself. If you would like further advice on choosing the best option for you then please call Talk To Phoenix on 01245 609 130.

“ The easy part was making my website, the hard part was how to get people to find it! That’s when you need the professional help to get your website out there. There is no point having a website no one knows about and that is when I contacted Talk To Phoenix for help!”

Louise Cornish, Owner of Bellasbathtimewww.bellasbathtime.co.uk

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Brochure websites – static or content managedA brochure website is quite often a one page website. It outlines the key information about your business: the who, what and where of your business. It is how most small businesses start out on the web. For some, a simple online brochure/flyer that rarely changes is enough. You can expect to pay approximately £400 for this type of website.

However, most small businesses at least require the option to add and edit their own information. This is

where a website starts to incur additional charges. Some developers will charge anywhere from between £25 to £40 for the smallest amendment. So if you think you will be updating your website on a regular basis ensure you can update information before parting ways with your developer.

What is responsive design and what part does it play in a website?

In today’s world the internet is one of the most important forms of media. The internet is mostly viewed using desktop computers right? Wrong! In 2011 mobile browsing was 11% and last year the figure was up to 25%. The prediction this year is over half of internet browsing will be via a mobile device. Now, what do these numbers mean to you? They mean that you need to ensure you website is optimised for mobile browsing!

“On starting my business a good local company setup the website for me...Unfortunately a little further down the line when I needed small changes and information concerning how to adapt and develop my website I could not get the answers I needed quick enough until I approached “Talk To Phoenix” ... Amanda quickly diagnosed an appropriate course of action required, with an economical and straight forward price plan. Quick and efficient service at an affordable price. ” Lynton Humphries, Owner of Lyntfitt

www.lyntfitt.com

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A content management system?A Content Management System (CMS) is a web-based tool that allows you to easily update your own website without any previous experience in programming. You can edit your website in a similar way to Microsoft Word, but convert the content into web language. This makes it easier and quicker to publish your website and with a couple of hours training you will be proficient to undertake the task yourself.

We find that people who are confident in Word can easily update new content, amend existing content, insert images and basically control what is in the website. It is as easy to change your content and add new services as it is to update a Word document.

There are now some excellent off-the-shelf options available. Some of them are free to use, such as WordPress.

My advice would be to employ the services of a designer to build your website using CMS. You are looking at approximately £1,000 for a fully customisable site unique to your business. However, ensure you have adequate training and understand how to update text, images – in fact, why not have a blog so you can keep existing and potential customers updated on your products and services.

Like most things in life you get what you pay for. A professional web design process takes time. To create a custom website that functions correctly on all browsers and platforms and meets current web programming standards can take hours of programming. Remember this when you keep changing your mind about your design – it could cost you money!

“ Talk To Phoenix was easy to deal with and their help greatly appreciated. What I liked best about the service was the prompt and businesslike approach. Our website developer understood what I wanted to achieve. ”

Elise Johnson, Acupuncturistwww.elisejohnson.co.uk

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An ecommerce website?Although ecommerce websites took their time to grow in popularity this most definitely is no longer the case! Ecommerce means conducting business online and for any ecommerce website to be successful there are a few things you must ensure you do before you can say you are ‘open for business’. Like any ‘real life’ shop, an ecommerce website has to be eye-catching, and encourage potential customers to buy. So the first thing that has to be right is your search engine optimisation. Without a good page ranking, your shop will remain empty and the customers will be spending their money elsewhere. An effective ecommerce website should be exciting, easy to navigate and well planned.

However, your site has to be secure. Offering an https checkout page is a must. Https notification indicates that the site is protected and that visitor’s card information will be safe from hackers or scammers. The advent of PayPal has also made things more secure online, so accepting PayPal payments is now a necessity if your ecommerce website is to be successful.

So whatever website you decide really depends on the nature of your business and how much you have to spend! If you would like further information then please call Talk To Phoenix on 01245 609 130.

Web design is more than just a design. One of its major components is search engine optimization. This means that a web designer who is working on your project has got to have knowledge about web development languages as well as SEO principles. Something else to look out for in an effective web design is social media compatibility, compliance to the world design standards and multiple browser compatibility. A few seconds to load is the time limit. Visitors will simply switch to another site that does not take that long to load.

What’s in a name?w

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Choosing your domain nameHaving the right domain name for your website is extremely important. But, what if you cannot get the domain name of your choice? If this is the case it really depends on how committed you are to that particular name. If you have an existing brand name that is well established then you probably do not want to change your business name just because you couldn’t get the domain name to match. So, you might want to try to buy over the domain name from the current owner. Check up the “whois” information for the domain, and contact that person listed to see if they are willing to sell it. Remember they are likely to want to charge a higher fee than you’ll normally get when buying new domains and that is assuming they want to sell it in the first place.

On the other hand if you haven’t finalised a company name then you might prefer the cheaper alternative of trying to obtain a domain name first, and then naming your business after the domain that you have purchased.

Here are a few tips on choosing a website domain name:

• Ensure your domain name is unique.

• If your business doesn’t have a name yet or your preferred domain name has already been taken, you can start by researching words. Have several terms in mind that best describe your business and then play around by adding prefixes or suffixes.

• Make it easy to remember and beware of acronyms.

• Keep the name short and obvious to what you do.

• Consider whether to use .com or .co.uk. Remember do not use another suffix i.e. org just because it is available.

• Avoid copyright infringement. This can kill off a budding business and a domain name, so be sure to check online or ask your website designer to check for you to make sure that you are not infringing on anyone else’s copyright with your domain name.

• Whilst your domain name may seem like an obvious choice to you, be sure to carry out plenty of research first. If your name is something that people frequently mistype then perhaps it isn’t the best domain name afterall.

Top 5 tips for choosing a Web Design Company

Check out the company’s track record – it is important to always check the portfolio / case studies of the web designers you are considering.

Availability - Ask who would be looking after your account

Find out how big the team is – you may need to employ the services of a graphic designer (logo), photographer, Google Ad specialist – do they have experience in all these fields.

Are the staff approachable and professional? It is important that you connect with the people managing your account. The best results will be created when you work together.

Do they outsource their work? Check to see if your project will be developed in house or if it will be outsourced?