A Good First Impression: The 3 Essential Steps For Effective Web Design

January 18th, 2010 by admin

We’ve all been to “awful” websites: they are dull in appearance, have content that is unclear and/or full of misspellings, and that are so difficult to navigate that it’s practically impossible to find the information we came to find. How long do you stay on a website like that? Probably just a few seconds before moving on to a better one!

The truth is, there are literally millions of websites out there, and if you have one yourself then you know you only have a few seconds with which to make a great impression and then keep your visitor interested. Utah Web Services is a leader in Utah web design and Salt Lake City web design that truly understands the importance of making that good first impression.

Here are the 3 essential steps that the company follows when designing your website that ensure that your site will be effective .

1. Conceptualizing

It is essential that the professionals at UWS first gain a clear understanding of the business goals and objectives of your website.

  • What is the overall purpose of your website?
  • Is it purely informational?
  • Will you be selling merchandise right on your site?
  • What do you hope to accomplish through your website?

Once we have a solid foundation to work from, it’s time to move on to the next step.

2. Planning

The seasoned experts at UWS will plan all of the elements of your site that will help it to accomplish your aforementioned goals and purposes. The Utah web design and Salt Lake web design team will strategize and determine what type of layout and content will work best to attract and keep visitors as well as optimize your site’s search engine effectiveness.

3. Creating

With Utah Web Services, you have a solid team of graphic artists, web programmers, database specialists, and other professionals who will work together to create a website that will stand out in the crowded internet marketplace. Attractive layout, navigation tools, appropriate color palette, animation, professionally-produced content and other features work together in harmony to create just the look and tone you imagined.

Utah Web Services is committed to designing a website for you that will reflect the professionalism of your business and make a truly great first impression as well.

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3 Reasons Why Our Internet Marketing Playbook Will Help You Win The Game

January 11th, 2010 by admin

It’s been a really tough couple of years for businesses all across the country with layoffs, cut- backs, plunging sales, and even company closures becoming common sights on the American business landscape. Those who survived the original juggernaut of tough times must work extra hard to not only make it, but to also reap profits in 2010.

At Utah Web Services, we are a Utah web design and Utah SEO company that is committed to helping you boost your bottom line through a highly effective internet presence. More people are searching for services or goods like yours online than ever before; the right website combined with aggressive marketing efforts will lead to more web visibility and more paying customers.

Utah Web Services has recently introduced its internet marketing Playbook that is designed to jump start your web presence and really make your site work for you.

Here are 3 reasons why our Playbook will help you to win the game.

1. It’s comprehensive

We believe in a “soup to nuts” approach to web design and internet marketing. We will work with you through the entire process: from assessing your needs to measuring your online conversion rates as the new customers start rolling in. Each component of the Playbook builds on the last to create a logical and effective template to help you find online success. These components are:

We will use every weapon in our Playbook arsenal to get you real results, real fast!

2. It’s affordable

Too many small and medium-sized companies like yours simply cannot afford to pay huge sums of money for their website design and marketing needs. UWS believes that all companies should have a great-looking, completely SEO-friendly website along with comprehensive marketing services without having to pay an arm and a leg for it. Our Playbook is used in each of our affordable plan options: you just decide which option suits your particular budget.

3. It’s effective

Our multi-faceted approach to Utah web design, Utah SEO, and internet marketing services has a proven track record of success and following our Playbook plan will help you obtain a strong, solid internet presence with much higher traffic rates and online credibility.

Our ultimate goal is to help you “Find Profits Again in 2010,” and the Playbook from Utah Web Services is designed to make it happen.

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How SEO Can Make All the Difference

October 16th, 2009 by Utah SEO

You’ve created what you think is a terrific website, yet you can’t figure out why more people aren’t finding you on line. This is a common problem for those who are not familiar with the concept of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In a nutshell, it simply is not enough to have a great website: you must also use the techniques that are absolutely necessary to help potential customers find you on the internet.

Utah Web Services is a Utah SEO company that has been optimizing websites for people just like you all over the nation for over 10 years. Their proven techniques will help you to rank highly on national and local internet searches, bringing that highly prized traffic right to your doorstep. Here are some ways that SEO, and Utah Web Services’ Utah
SEO in particular can make all the difference.

It Gets the Word Out About You

With higher visibility on the internet comes greater brand recognition. Effective SEO techniques will get the word out to the world about you and about what your business offers that no one else does.

It Provides More ROI Than Paid Advertising

It makes sense: people are going online to find out more information about YOU. So when people enter keywords into a search engine and find you, you are immediately getting more return on your investment dollar than you do by taking a chance on paid advertising that may or may not be seen by your target demographic.

Greater Conversion Rate

When your website is being optimized by SEO’s techniques, a buzz is generated and customers will be having conversations about YOU. That social exposure results in a greater conversion rate and increases the probability that the right kind of traffic will visit your site over and over again.

In today’s competitive marketplace, you simply cannot afford to maintain a website without having great SEO services to go along with it. Let the professionals at Utah Web Services help your website stand out from the crowd.

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Video Marketing Tips That Yield Real Results

September 15th, 2009 by Utah SEO

As a leader in Utah SEO, we are preaching Utah video marketing as an effective way for companies to rank even higher with the search engines. Here are 5 tips that will help a video marketing campaign yield real results.

1. Content, content, content: Oh, and did we mention content?

No one wants to watch a boring, ill-produced video. No one. Even if your video is strictly informational, it can be made more interesting and watchable if it is slick and well put together. Nothing is duller than watching someone with a monotone voice move awkwardly on the screen: and make sure that the content of the video contains information that is absolutely compelling and useful.

2. Provide a discussion forum for your video

Whether you are hosting a video on your own website or whether you are using it as a marketing tool on video-sharing sites, people are more likely to watch it if they can comment about it afterwards: it’s just human nature. You want to hear feedback, and people love to give it: those whose comments are taken seriously and are engaged in a conversation will come back again and again.

3. Use a transcript of the video, complete with keywords

Because search engine spiders have no way of knowing what your video is about aside from the text that accompanies it on the webpage, you should include a transcript of the video, complete with keywords, wherever you market the video. Make sure to include at least one keyword in the video’s title too. The idea behind Utah video marketing is to maximize several SEO techniques at once.

4. Don’t forget to emphasize the word “video.”

When a person uses a search engine to find video on any given topic, they will almost always use the word “video” as part of the text they enter. Use the word “video” with appropriate density to optimize the chances of it being ranked for video related searches.

5. Contact Utah Web Services

No one does Utah SEO and Utah video marketing better than Utah Web Services. Our team of SEO professionals have the experience, knowledge and expertise that will help you use your video content to bring more people to YOU.

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5 Reasons Why Utah SEO Can Help Small Businesses

August 12th, 2009 by Utah SEO

Everyone wants to be #1. It’s the American way, it’s the American spirit, and it’s the driving force behind why many successful businesses succeed: they want to be the best at whatever it is they do, so they’ll stay current on all of the latest marketing techniques and strategies that will help them rise to and then remain at the top of the heap.

Knowledgeable small business owners are well aware that the internet has revolutionized how customers obtain information, make decisions about goods and services, and then find the businesses that will supply their needs. Hard copy phone books are antiquated: most consumers now search online. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into play. Here are 5 reasons why Utah SEO can help small businesses.

1. Rank Higher On Web Searches

Most people have no idea where to search for a business, and so they enter certain keywords into a search engine and then sift through the results. Extensive surveys and analyses show that consumers are much more likely to visit a website ranked on the 1st page of a search. The higher the ranking on that 1st page, the more likely the consumer is to click on that choice. Utah SEO professionals use a variety of proven techniques to help their clients become #1 for searches. Anyone can “claim” to be an SEO expert, but Utah SEO has the experience and the track record to prove it.

2. Targeted Traffic Will Come To You, Resulting in Better ROI

When you rank highly on an internet search, those who click on your business’s name are people who are looking for YOU. Other marketing techniques such as blanket advertising on others’ websites or using flashing banners to attract attention do not give nearly as much ROI as targeted marketing. SEO costs less than other brand name recognition methods yet is much more likely to bring paying customers right to your site.

3. Utah SEO is Versatile

Our company specializes in finding customers for you wherever they may be. If you want to attract local customers, we have a plan for that. If your key demographic tends to use mobile devices more than standard desk or lap top computers, our team of experts knows how to optimize your website to make it more successful with mobile device searches. Are you going national or international? Utah SEO can help you get your name out there in those new web search marketplaces as quickly and as efficiently as possible.

4. Effective SEO Gives A Small Business Credibility and Helps It To Network

One of the ways that Utah SEO increases both traffic and visibility for a website is through the effective use of linking techniques. Using several different types of quality links as part of a linking campaign creates partnerships between complementary businesses, expanding your network of contacts while increasing your own credibility and visibility. One way links, reciprocal links, and educational and governmental links are all tools that will help your business grow.

5. Utah Web Design will build you a better website

Once potential customers come to your site, do they want to stay? The more clear and concise your website is and the more easily people can navigate it, the more likely searchers are to stay for awhile and see what you have to offer. All the SEO in the world cannot compensate for a poorly designed website with inadequate content. People search the web for information: they want to know what you can do for them, why they should choose you, and where to find what they want. An attractive website with compelling content is bound to be successful: Utah Web Design’s experts can help you to design or redesign so it reflects well on your small business and brings results.

Internet marketing is the wave of the future; small businesses can either choose to ride atop the wave’s crest or stay wading in the shallows. Let Utah SEO and Utah Web Services help you succeed in today’s rough and competitive business waters.

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Cable TV is embracing the Internet

June 9th, 2009 by Utah SEO

Businesses all over the world are recognizing that their promotional campaigns have to stay current with the latest trends or they’ll ultimately fail. Lately, the economy seems to be crashing lower and lower everyday, forcing both large and small businesses to let go of their staff and cut down on marketing costs. The bright side? A lot of companies are turning to the Internet to promote their brand, services and goods. Case in point: Cable TV.

Cable TV is “shifting” their services to accommodate Internet users. The main ides is that if you already have a subscription to Cable TV services, then why should you be constrained to only being able to watch cable on your TV? Why do you have to be at home at all in order to watch cable programming? You should be able to watch cable TV anywhere there is an Internet connection.

Major companies, including Time Warner Cable and Comcast, are in discussions working to increase their presence online by making their services available to paid subscribers on the net. An article on http://www.engadgethd.com said that “In an effort to maintain relevancy during a time when online TV viewing is on the rise, a number of big name cable companies are looking to throw in online companion packages to sweeten the pay-TV equation.”

Cable companies are looking for a way to satisfy the online consumer and cash in. Not only will they be satisfying a hungry online market, but they will be making profit off of it, increasing brand awareness, and revolutionizing their current business model. By keeping up with the latest online marketing trends, they are bound to stay afloat when so many other businesses are quickly sinking.

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Sprucing up your Landing Pages

May 26th, 2009 by Utah SEO

In an economic downturn, it’s important to spruce up your landing pages to capture more traffic. There is an overwhelming increase in web traffic as more and more people turn to the web to find articles, blogs, services or products that can help them survive these tough economic times. When the value of visitors is so crucial, there are a few things you can do to tweak your landing pages and optimize them for success.

  • Be Daring. Reconsider the practices you’ve applied in the past, and be willing to make bolder changes. Consider a larger redesign, enlarge the Call to Action (CTA) buttons, shift the placement of the CTA’s to a “right-in-your-face” location, and ask yourself if your landing page really pop’s and keeps the attention of your audience.
  • Include More Information. Online users are currently searching for more information before they make a purchase or commitment. It’s a good idea for copywriters and marketers to re-word their content on landing pages to include more detailed information about their company and the product or service they’re offering.
  • Keep An Eye On Competition. Although you can never be too sure how your competition is capturing leads and converting visitors, it’s always wise to keep tabs on your user’s demands. Keep an eye on any new site functions or content changes your competitor’s are making and notice what user needs they are addressing. Review your own site and make sure you’re addressing similar needs.
  • Test your strategies. Implement new changes and allow enough time to pass for you to see results. Study what works and what doesn’t, and make any needed adjustments. Don’t panic if you don’t see results. Online user’s spending patterns are continuously changing as the economy shifts and budgets change.

Over the next couple of years we will see user spending habits change and new marketing tactics emerge to compensate. Landing page optimization is a key component in any successful web campaign. Adding more landing pages or fine-tuning the ones you have may be your best bet in a struggling economy.

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Google’s New Way To Search

May 18th, 2009 by Utah SEO

One of the reasons Google is the most dominant search engine on the web is because of the constant improvements they make to help stay ahead of the competition. Their latest change will help searchers find what they are looking for faster and will help websites owners diversify their SEO strategy.

When you search for a term on Google, you now receive a button that says “Show Options”. Now you  can see different options to search for videos, forums, and reviews. When you click on any of these options, new search results appear to the right.

“Any time” section allows you to view results based on the latest information. Google has always favored older sites which don’t give the latest results. This will encourage webmasters to update their site often.

There is also a new tool called “Wonder Wheel”. The term you searched for is in the middle and the secondary terms are all around it. The results change in real time to the right. This will help website owners know what keywords they should be focusing on so they get the most SEO traffic possible.

View this video from Google that highlights the new search result changes.

What Does This Mean To SEO:

  • Sites need to focus on posting fresh content to take advantage of the new “Any Time” search results.
  • Video is now even more important in the search results. Videos don’t have to be a big production to get search results.
  • Reviews are very important to websites. If you are selling items, make sure you have an option for customer reviews on your website.
  • Forums can help your customers share and post their passion for your brand. The new forum search will help searchers find your products in forums.
  • SEO Keywords that surface in “Wonder Wheel” around a website owner’s main term are now even more important. Most website owners concentrate on just a few keyword terms, but now it is easy to see the most popular secondary search terms around your most important keywords.

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Why CSS Is Better Than Tables

April 9th, 2009 by Utah SEO

Using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) has turned out to be beneficial for viewers, search engine optimization (SEO), and, last but not least, web site owners. Below is a list of the many advantages of building a site in CSS rather than tables.

  • CSS delivers pages faster. Browsers read through tables twice before properly displaying their contents – once to determine the structure, and once to determine the content
  • Table websites only appear on the screen when the entire table has been downloaded and rendered
  • Table sites use 4 to 5 times more code than a CSS site
  • Table layouts takes 2 to 4 times longer to load in browsers
  • Less code means easier SEO crawling
  • CSS is easier to achieve html validation because they contain less code
  • Lower hosting cost because of less bandwidth
  • Redesigns are less expensive because CSS is faster to design than tables
  • Visual consistency is maintained throughout the site because of CSS global changes
  • Better page structure with header structure. Headers tell search engines what is important on the page
  • CSS allows text rollover effects which search engines read. Table sites uses JavaScript rollovers which are generally not read by search engines
  • Universal cross-browser style declarations means your site has a better chance of looking the same regardless of the browser
  • Printer-friendly style sheets means you can actually print your website
  • Table-based layouts must be downloaded over and over and over again each time a page is loaded
    CSS is only downloaded once and each page within the site will load easily
  • Background images can be as thin as 1 pixel and CSS can be used to repeat the background so it covers the entire background. This allows the page to load faster
  • One CSS change can affect the entire site, instead of just one page like a table site
  • Many table sites use spacer gifs which take time to load and don’t load the same in every browser
  • Sophisticated Layouts and Designs - Unlike the use of tables, CSS offers freedom in designing. Because of the rigid, inflexible, and grid based form of tables, designers cannot utilize their potential in designing
  • CSS offers more flexibility in designing a menu system that can be consistent on each page

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The Newspaper vs. the Internet

March 10th, 2009 by Utah SEO

Where do you turn to find the most current information? The newspaper or the Internet? News junkies all over the world are ditching the newspaper and opting to scroll through the Internet on their iphone or laptop to find the latest news, facts, figures, stock changes, market crashes, and impending doom the world seems to be facing at any given moment. Electronic media is quickly becoming the world’s largest free source for quality up-to-date news.

The Internet is hitting newspapers where it really hurts– their pockets. Once upon a time, people had to pay to read printed news and advertisers paid to reach these customers. The publisher and his journalists made a profit and continued the cycle of selling news. The Internet, however, offers overwhelmingly vast amounts of information at a cost everyone can afford, free.

Most newspaper businesses don’t understand that they have to incorporate the Internet into their business model to avoid failure. People are cutting costs everywhere, and if paying for the newspaper becomes too big of a hassle, customers will quickly jump onto the web to find the latest and greatest ground-breaking news stories. Newspapers argue that the Internet lacks quality content and true journalism and are fighting to keep it alive.

Many people argue that newspapers are one-sided and don’t cover enough newsworthy information. Surfing the Internet allows customers to read millions of different articles on the same subject with varying opinions and angles. It’s also said that scanning information on the web is much easier than the traditional method of having to flip through pages of the newspaper to find the story you’re looking for. In the 21st century, people have entered the Age of Technology where they’re turning to quicker, faster, cheaper and easier solutions for just about everything.

Daniel Vahab recently wrote an article for http://www.tothecenter.com/news.php?readmore=8877 saying, “But the recession is not to blame. Newspapers have been on a downward spiral ever since the advent of the Internet and the surge in popularity of blogs. All the recession did was speed up the process. And there’s no turning back. The Internet is here to stay.” Technology will always advance. Those who choose not to climb aboard and face the future may see their company crumble as newer technology replaces the old.

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