Hawaii Website Design – What Customers Want to See on a Website

person holding smartphone beside tablet computer

If you are running a small business, you can control the overall personality, flavor, and sensibility of your business. Now, if you want your business to look bigger than it actually seems, you have to create an impressive website.

Before you can create an impressive website, you should know the things that a customer wants to see when they visit a website. Here are the things you should put on your website:

  1. A clear sense of what your business is all about

Make sure that your homepage provides the general information of what your business can offer to your customers. You can also add links of bestselling products or ongoing promos to create easy navigation. This will encourage your audience to scan through your website more.

  1. Contact information like phone number and physical location (if any)

Providing contact information is a must because it makes your website more credibility. You are also creating a sense of trust between your business and your customers. Make sure you are giving your customers complete contact information.

If your business is purely online, you can add a support email address or create a contact form to make it easier for your customers to contact you when they have queries or if they encounter problems. On the other hand, if your business has a physical location, it’s best to include a street address, pictures, and a map guide on how they can reach the location.

  1. Easy navigation

The logic is simple: if people can’t find it, they can’t buy it. This is why customers want a website that is easy to use and navigate. You don’t want to confuse potential customers and drive them away. It’s wise to include a search bar so that your customers can easily look for the products/services they are after.

READ: Tips on Improving User Experience and Increasing Conversions

  1. Step-by-step guidance on processes

Customers want to see how to do things step-by-step. Make sure you are guiding your customers on important stuff such as how to order, where to go, and what do if something happens. Usually, customers also want to know about shipping costs and procedures and how they can track its status.

It’s also a great thing to let your customers know how you handle complaints and problems and whether your business has a money-back guarantee or not. These processes can be compressed in one FAQ page so that your website will look organized.

  1. Third-party validation

By third-party validation, this refers to customer testimonials, awards and recognition you’ve received, positive news clippings and more. Potential customers want to know what previous customers say about your products/services before they avail it too. You can also increase your visibility on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram to create validation among customers.

READ: How Social Media Can Impact SEO

These are just some of the many things your customers want to see on your website. If your website doesn’t have any of these things, then it’s time for you to add these to increase more engagement with potential customers. Morever, you can also read What A Successful Website Needs to know what other things you can do to create an impressive website.

Hawaii SEO – Image Resizing Tips for Your Website Photos

In Image Titling Tips for Your Website Photos, I focused on giving your images the right file name and alt text. For this post, I will elaborate more on importance of resizing your photos and the various tools you can use to resize them.

person editing photo on computer

IMAGE RESIZING FOR SEO

RESIZE IMAGES

Speed is an important aspect of a website. In fact, I have talked about this on Ways to Speed Up Your WordPress Site. Images can really affect website speed especially if you add multiple images in one page. So, resizing images is essential if you want to improve website speed and SEO.

Each image can contribute to the slowing down of your website. That is why it is crucial to habitually resize the images to the dimensions you want. The topic on image editing won’t be complete without mentioning the popular Adobe Photoshop.

However, I will not solely focus on that tool since it is not a free app to use. I will mention free alternative to your editing journey. One tool you can use is Pixlr, which is an online editing tool. Yes, it’s online so there’s no need for you to download bulky apps.

Once you hop over to their website, you have two options: Pixlr X and Pixlr E.

The Pixlr X is best suited for beginners since it is easy to use and it can do quick edits. Meanwhile, Pixlr E is designed for advanced editing and more detailed editing. However, both tools support image format like .PSD, .JPEG, .PNG, and many more.

Let’s just stick to the basic editor for the purpose of this tutorial. So, go ahead and launch Pixlr X. Once you have your image ready,  the image size will be shown at the bottom left of the screen. For instance, the image I used is  1200 x 800px.

Now, I will have to resize it to a smaller size. Go to the properties option (P), then choose resize image. Preferably, you have to change the image width to the width of your post area, and the height will adjust with the given width. After, don’t forget to click OK.

That’s it. You have learned how to resize an image.

REDUCE THE IMAGE FILE SIZE

Resizing an image is not enough. The next logical step to do is reduce the file size. How can do you this? Go back to the Pixlr X example. Once you made the necessary changes on the image, you have to click on the save button, which is on the bottom portion of the window.

On the save dialog box, you are asked to give a file name, choose a file type, and select the quality. To reduce the image file size in Pixlr X, just drag the bar down to 59 or lower. This would be on the category of MED quality image.

The lower quality you choose, the more pixelated the photo will be. So, strive to maintain a balance light file size and still have a good quality.

For WordPress users, you’re in luck because there is a tool that can help you with image compression and image SEO optimization. WP Smush is an all-in-one plugin that can compress your images,and eventually improve your Google Page Speed.

Hawaii SEO – Image Titling Tips for Your Website Photos

In another post, I have talked about setting the right the page titles and meta descriptions. You can catch up once you go to. For today’s discussion, I will focus on images and the right way to save them and best optimize your images for better SEO scores.

IMAGE TITLING FOR SEO

TIP NUMBER 1: Rename your images with the appropriate titles

  • You have to understand that search engines — like Google — cannot see the images you see on screen. Instead, they send bots to scan your website and see if there are relevant content to list down.
  • Of course, Google bots or web crawlers won’t be able to see the images. So, for your page to rank better in the search results, it is extremely important to give the images appropriate titles. This way, Google can understand what you images you added. Google can now “see” what you are trying to point out.’

pink flower

  • For instance, you upload a picture of a flower as a blog post image. Usually, if taken from a camera, the image would have a file name such as IMG_1911.jpg. Perhaps, the file name could be the time and date it was taken such as Photo-02-12-20-22-12.jpg. You get the point; it’s better to have a file name that accurately describes the picture. Instead of having a generic name, you can give the image the title of tulip-flower-on-pink-background.jpg.
  • Be sure that the image name is relevant to the keywords you are ranking for. In the pink tulip example, the main keyword is “tulip flower,” so the keyword was inserted to the file name in order for this image to show up once someone searches for “tulip flower” on any search engine.

TIP NUMBER 2: Add alt text to your images

Aside from the title, the alt text is important so that there will be a text description if in any case the image won’t load.

So, how to add alt text?

  • The first method to switch to the HTML view.  Assuming that you have already uploaded an image to a post, you have to add after the src code the following

alt="description of image"

  • …and paste this code into the html source before the final > sign. Just replace the description with  your own preferred image description.
  • To check if you have assigned alt texts correctly, try to disable the images on your browser and see if the alt texts show up instead.

Adding an alt text to WordPress images:

  • Another method to use if you find the first one complicated is to use the Yoast SEO plugin. Of course, the first thing to do is to upload an image using the Add Media button. Once you have uploaded it, on the right portion of the window, you will see an area for you to add a title and add an alt text. Just repeat the process for all your posts.
  • If you do not set an alt text, WordPress will immediately copy the title and use it as the alt text by default. Just like the first method, if you want to check the alt texts,  you can disable the images and see if the alt text correctly displays on screen.

 

More on: Image Resizing Tips for Your Website Photos

Hawaii SEO – How Social Media Can Impact SEO

person using black iPad

It’s still quite unclear how much social media can impact search algorithms and rankings since social media and SEO do not correlate directly. However, these two can work hand in hand. If you don’t know anything about SEO, you can read more on All About SEO.

If you want to know how social media can impact SEO, read more below:

1. Social media profiles can rank in search engines.

Social shares may or may not affect a web page’s ranking in search queries. However, your social profiles can actually influence the content of your search results. As a matter of fact, social media profiles are included in the top results in search queries for brand names.

Social media profiles tend to feel more personal so it becomes a great way to instantly get a sense of the company’s personality. If a brand or company’s social media profiles show up at the top of the search results, people tend to click on it right away.

For example, I searched for a jewelry brand called PD PAOLA, then the company’s Facebook and Instagram profiles ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively. This is a good way to be more engaging and personal with your audience.

2. Social media channels tend to act like search engines.

Nowadays, people resort to using social media channels to find what they are looking for instead of using Google or Bing. This is why social media channels are acting like search engines now.

Brands that focus on visual content can benefit if they are visible on social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. You can add location and image tags to help your content get found by people. The more engagement with your social media platforms, you are also gaining more potential click-throughs to your site.

3. You can expand your reach through social media platforms.

Driving engagement and click-through from social media platforms might not have a direct impact on SEO, but it can indirectly impact SEO factors such as website traffic, domain authority, and backlinks.

If you are running a website, it might be best to expand your reach by having social media channels. Just make sure your social media profiles are easy to identify.

4. Social media can increase brand recognition and SEO authority.

Brand recognition is not synonymous with Facebook likes or Instagram followers. By brand recognition, it pertains to the ability of the general public and your target audience to recognize your company based on signifiers like colors, logos, symbols, and slogans.

Another thing you can benefit from social media channels is increased SEO authority. When you have increased authority, you become more credible. When a brand/website is credible, they rank better on search results.

5. Social media strategies can boost local SEO.

Last but not the least, social media can boost local SEO. In order for you to boost your local SEO, you should optimize your social media profiles. You can do this by adding a clear indication of your services, your hours, phone number, and address. Don’t forget to add keyword-rich description as well.

In conclusion, if you are running a website, you should try to broaden your concept of search and SEO. Utilize social media platforms in order for your brand/website to grow and be successful. If want to know why a website needs SEO, refer to Why Your Website Needs SEO (Part 1) and Why Your Website Needs SEO (Part 2).

Hawaii Website Design – 6 Tips to Create Better Website Graphics

For a website to stand out, you must have beautiful and eye-catching graphics. This will help you attract more audience. Investing time and effort on website graphics will boost traffic on your website. This will also make it easier for people to share your content with others through social media.

turned on MacBook Air beside white notebook

You have to keep in mind the three main principles of designs – colors, images, and text – to make your website graphics look more professional. Here are some tips on how to create better website graphics:

MAKE SURE TO USE HIGH-QUALITY IMAGES

By using high quality images, you are improving your website graphics. When we say high quality, it means images are crisp and clear and it has good composition. If you want to know how you can get quality images, read How to Have High-Quality Photos for Your Website.

USE YOUR WEBSITE’S COLOR SCHEME

When you use your website’s color scheme as a guide, you will be able to create good harmony. In order for your blog graphics to not clash with your blog, use your site’s color scheme to ensure that your graphics coordinate well with identity of your website. (See: Essential Tips in Choosing the Right Color Scheme for Your Website)

GET INSPIRATION FROM YOUR WEBSITE’S DESIGN

You can get inspiration for text, icons, patterns, or shapes based on your website’s designs. For example, you have an illustration of a kiwi on the header of your website, you can use colors like green and black for the fonts to complement the image. In your posts, you can also use a dominant color from your website header to easily create connection to your website.

USE EYE-CATCHING TEXT

It is essential to use eye-catching text to entice readers. Your text should be impactful and focused. Think of it as a billboard for your content so make sure you use words that would beguile your audience to read more. The text you are using in your blog graphics should complement the flow of your overall content. You can also incorporate quotes or mottos that relate to your content.

READ MORE: Tips in Writing Impressive Post TitlesFinding the Perfect Font for Your Website

CHOOSE THE RIGHT FONTS

The fonts you use should fit your the overall image of your website and content. One of the best ways to do this is by using the same fonts used in your website design for your web graphics.

Try not to use fonts that are difficult to read. No matter how pretty a font is, if it’s difficult to read, you shouldn’t use it. If you use serif or sans-serif fonts on your website, you can incorporate one script font to add variety.

RELATED: Important Tips to Make Your Blogs Easier to Read

MIX VARIOUS TYPEFACES

When you mix various typeface, you will be able to create compelling images. Mixing typefaces can also make your images appear more lively. For example, if  you have a long text in your graphic, you can use different typefaces to break the monotony. To know more about typefaces, refer to Everything You Need To Know About Typography.

Now that you know the tips on how to create better web graphics, you can now improve your overall website design. If you want to know more about what a website needs, read What A Successful Website Needs.

Hawaii Website Design – 8 Ways to Use Stock Photos on Your Website

Stock photos are images you can use for creative purposes. In order to be able to create attracting images, you can utilize stock images. By using these images, you are enabling your business to grow as it helps in grabbing your audience’s attention. There are plenty of stock photos all over the internet and it can get tempting to download everything in one go. Always remember to stay on brand. It needs to coincide with your the overall image of your brand/website.

assorted painting lot

Using stock photos on your website benefits you in more ways than one:

  • Saves you time
  • You don’t have to spend money
  • Keeps your website cohesive and easier to read

Now that you know what are stock photos and its benefits, I will share with you different ways you can use stock photos for your website.

1. Add it on your homepage.

Your homepage needs to look inviting since it will affect how a reader perceives your website for the first time. Make sure your homepage looks pleasing to the eyes so that it will captivate readers to interact with your website more.

2. Use stock photos within your post.

If you want to up your game, use a stock photo that is relevant to your overall post. If you want to utilize the photo more, you can also add a text or design by using editing softwares like Canva or Picsart.

3. Utilize stock photos as social media headers

If you don’t know what image to use as your social media header on Facebook or Twitter, you can always search for a stock photo that best represents your website. You can also do minor edits to make it look more aesthetically pleasing.

4. Use stock photos to promote giveaways/freebies.

You can also utilize stock photos to promote your giveaways or freebies. You just to be creative in how you present it so that it looks captivating to your audience.

5. Incorporate it on your Instagram feed.

Using stock photos on your Instagram are a must. Always make sure to use photos that best illustrates you and your website. This can also drive more traffic to your website because it can entice people to visit your website.

6. Use it for advertisements.

You can also utilize stock photos for advertisements. Choose something that is cohesive with the overall image of your brand/website.

7. Add it to promote featured/popular posts.

Instead of using purely plain text to list your featured/popular posts, you can opt to add stock images too. This will add aesthetic to your website.

8. Use stock images for your sidebar.

Another great way to use stock images is to add it on your sidebar. Make use of your sidebar so that readers can easily click on it. You can add links on these photos that will lead your audience to other pages on your website.

Those are ways you can incorporate stock photos on your website. This can enhance your marketing strategies without having to spend a single dime. Just always remember to stay on brand to create cohesiveness. If you don’t know where to get stock photos, refer to What Are Royalty-Free Images and Where to Get Them. You can also read How to Have High-Quality Photos for Your Website if you want to take stock photos yourself.

Hawaii Website Design – 3 Tips to Inspire You in Writing MORE Content

MacBook Pro near white open book

When you run out of blog post ideas, blogging starts to feel like a chore. However, it shouldn’t feel like a chore at all but reality is, we go through writing slumps. There are days where we just can’t write anything.

To help you overcome or avoid that reading slump, I have some tips for you. Hopefully these tips will help you in brainstorming and inspire you to start writing more content.

Tip 1: Just write.

Try not to overthink. Don’t worry about whether it’s a good topic or not. You can just write down everything you think of and start writing. Later on, you can exclude those topics that aren’t so great after all.

WHERE TO GET INSPIRATION:

Google Analytics –  You can see your popular posts with the help of Google Analytics. After seeing which of your posts are popular, you should think of more ways on how to expand those posts with additional information.

Pinterest – To generate more ideas/inspiration, you can also use Pinterest. Through Pinterest, you can see what’s trending. Try to look through those posts and see if it inspires you. For additional inspiration, you can also type a few keywords into the search bar.

Tip 2: Make time for a brainstorming session.

Growing a blog takes time and effort so you need to be able to produce new content regularly. This is why you need to set a specific time for you to have an effective brainstorming session.

Related: Things to Do Before You Publish a Blog Post

For example, if you share the house with a lot of people, make sure to schedule your brainstorming session during a time when they’re out. Make sure you have an interrupted environment. Planning ahead will help your blog in terms of growth and success.

Tip 3: Ask yourself these ten questions.

If you already did the two previous tips but you still haven’t come up with anything. You can try to ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Are there any old posts I can expound, update, or do a follow-up on?
  2. Do I have certain areas of expertise that I can teach my readers about?
  3. What types of how-to posts or tutorials would be beneficial for my audience?
  4. Have I reached some milestones in your blogging journey or life in general?
  5. Do I have a free printable or resource I could share with your readers?
  6. What interesting stories or experiences from my life can I share with my readers?
  7. What are the things I have learned through blogging or professional journey?
  8. Are there products I use regularly and love that I could review or promote on my blog?
  9. Is there a big project I’ve been working on that I could feature in a blog series?
  10. Can I do a survey for my audience?

After asking yourself all those questions, try to jot down everything that comes to you. This will enable you to think and come up with several fresh ideas. If, by any chance, you still don’t have anything to write about, you can refer to Amazing Content Ideas for Your Blog! You can always read Essential Writing Tips For Blogging. Try to look at things at a different perspective and you’ll be good to go.

Hawaii Website Design – Tips in Writing Impressive Post Titles

When you are making a new post, one of the most important steps is writing an effective post title. It is important to create impressive post titles since it will represent your content on search engines. Poorly written titles can lead readers to ignore your content. So take your time and craft the best post title for your future posts.

Books, Literature, Reading, Sale, Street, Market

To help you out, here are tips on how to write impressive post titles:

1) KEEP IT SHORT AND CONCISE

When writing blog post titles, keep it short and concise. Your title should be able to describe the overall message of your post in one short, powerful phrase. It is also essential to add relevant keywords for SEO.

Tip: Keep your titles shorter than 70 characters.

EXAMPLES:

  • Fast And Easy Ways To _____
  • The Do’s And Don’ts Of _____
  • The A-List Way To _____
  • The Ultimate Guide To _____
  • What To Do If _____

2) USE ACTION VERBS

By using action verbs, your readers will know what they can do by reading your post. Readers are thirsty for knowledge and incorporating action verbs on your post titles will encourage them to learn more.

EXAMPLES:

  • Build
  • Create
  • Discover
  • Establish
  • Increase

3) USE POWERFUL ADJECTIVES

You can enhance your post titles by using adjectives or describing words. When you use adjectives, your posts will sound more appealing to your readers. It can also increase the likelihood of getting your readers to read your content from top to bottom.

EXAMPLES:

  • Breathtaking
  • Crazy
  • Eye-opening
  • Fantastic
  • Guaranteed
  • Mind-blowing
  • Recommended
  • Successful
  • Trendy
  • Useful

4) ADD NUMBERS & LISTS

Starting your post title with a number can actually help it to stand out. Since they are easy to scan through, readers love a good list. Lists can also give your readers a clear idea on what your post is all about.

EXAMPLES:

  • 5 Essential Tips For _____
  • 10 Reasons You Should _____
  • 3 Must Haves For _____
  • 8 Types Of _____
  • 6 Ways To Avoid _____

5) ASK QUESTIONS

Another great way to get people to click your posts is by asking thought-provoking questions. When people read a question, they naturally think of a response. Make sure the question resonates with your target audience.

EXAMPLES:

  • Are You Too _____ For _____?
  • Do You Want To _____?
  • Like _____? Then You’ll Love _____
  • Think You Know All There Is About _____?
  • Who Wants To _____ And Get _____?

6) INCORPORATE THE PHRASE “HOW TO”

You can also opt to add the phrase “how to” in your post titles. The phrase has become one of the most popular search queries on the internet so make use of it. Here are some examples:

Great, compelling post titles will drive people to read your posts. It may also lead them to share your content with others. Blog post titles are very important because it can impact the overall success of your post. Your post title will help the readers determine if your post is worth reading or not. So, make sure to put some thought into your titles because they can make a huge difference. If you are running out of ideas on what to write, read 3 Tips to Inspire You in Writing MORE Content.

Hawaii SEO – Why Your Website Needs SEO (Part 2)

Search Engine Optimization, Seo, Digital Marketing

Earlier, I gave out five reasons Why Your Website Needs SEO. Today, I will give out more reasons why you should do SEO on your website. Disregarding the usage of SEO can lead to missing out on a lot of potential customers who are constantly looking for your product or service online.

Just a little recap, SEO stands for ‘Search Engine Optimization’. When you do SEO on your website, you are optimizing your web pages so that they will rank higher in search results. Practicing sustainable SEO early on can benefit you in the long run. To know more about SEO, read All About SEO.

Moving on, here are more reasons why your website needs SEO:

1. You are ahead of your competitors.

Doing SEO on your website can put you ahead of competitors.

For example, Website 1 and Website 2 offer the same services. The only difference between the two is Website 1 is optimized for search engines while Website 2 is not. The website who is mostly likely to earn more sales and get more traffic is Website 1. Since it has become one of the important aspects in digital marketing, this is why SEO is essential when you’re running a website.

2. SEO will help you grow your business.

SEO is quantifiable which means it’s measurable. Using various methods, your website’s performance and growth after optimization can be easily measured. SEO tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and SEMRush can help you track and analyze data. Doing digital marketing without implementing SEO strategies will prevent you from learning how to make your business grow.

3. SEO can impact the buying cycle.

Most customers usually go after locally search businesses online to find out information such as location, directions, etc. When done right, SEO can impact the buying cycle. It can help you spread your message about innovative products/services and great deals. In order for customers to make valuable connection with you, your website must be visible.

4. SEO brings loads of opportunities.

If you practice great SEO, you will always stumble upon new opportunities that will allow your brand to be discovered and shine brighter. When your brand is easily understood, you are attracting more opportunities that can help your brand thrive.

5. SEO can be a long-term strategy.

When you start doing SEO on your website, you can notice changes little by little. Since SEO practices are constantly changing, you have to keep up. By doing so, the impact of SEO on your website will last for years. By investing more time, effort, and budget towards SEO, your website will be a worthy contender in the market for a long time.

To sum it all up, having strong, quality SEO on a website is always going to be advantageous to the brand and its marketing strategies. SEO has been undeniably one of the best ways to connect with potential customers and share what you have to offer. If you want to do SEO for your website, you can either learn the ropes yourself or you can hire a trustworthy SEO company to do the work for you.

Hawaii SEO – 5 Things to Do After You Publish a Blog Post

Now that the BEFORE part is done, let’s discuss on what to do after publishing your blog post.

silver iMac with keyboard and trackpad inside room

1. ADVERTISE YOUR BLOG POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

Posting is only a small part of the blogging process. If you are not familiar with 80-20 rule in blogging, let me tell you about it. Ideally, you will devote 20 percent of your time writing your articles, and the remaining 80 percent will be spent in promoting it.

After publish, the post will not advertise itself. So, it your job to expose it to as many people as your can. This is where social media will play a crucial role! Remember, share your blog posts on major social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and other platforms.

Share as many posts as you can. What I can recommend at this point is to use scheduling tools. For staters, you can use free tools such as Tweetdeck for Twitter. For your Facebook business accounts, you can schedule posts ahead of time on your Facebook Page.

Posting about it in different platforms will widen its reach. For some people, it can be overwhelming to check on various social media accounts from time to time. If you want to automate postings, you can also try tools such as Hootsuite, Buffer, and many others.

2. FIND YOUR TRIBE!

The first step is to post on several sites to expose and promote your posts. However, if you have already determine where your audience resides, then it is best to focus on that.

For instance, you run a design website so naturally your posts will have more photos as design ideas. You would promote your works well on Instagram and Pinterest. For these platforms, you can use Planoly and  Tailwind in visually planning your feed.

Since you know that you get more interactions and engagements on these sites, don’t hesitate to repost popular posts again or promote other posts that need more exposure. Basically, just rinse and repeat until the post gets promoted to as much people!

3. TAKE TIME TO INTERACT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE.

Social media is not just a one way street. You should not focus on having a unilateral communication, but be ready to answer when someone sends questions. Reply when you get comment because this encourages more engagements!

Moreover, you can’t build a relationship with your audience if you are the only one talking. Take time to listen to your audience’s suggestions, and answer their questions. By doing this, you will help trust and confidence among your followers.

4. PROMOTE YOUR POST TO YOUR EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS.

Aside from social media, you can also promote your posts to your email subscribers. In a separate post, I have mentioned the importance of an creating email list. Your email subscribers are your biggest fans so they should be included in the equation.

When publish a new email newsletter, consider informing your subscribers about the latest news and other website updates. Try to summarize your week’s post and tell your tribe about some exciting news. More email ideas are posted on Tips in Growing Your Email List (Part 1)

5. STUDY GOOGLE ANALYTICS.

Lastly, to know what posts work and what posts do not, you have to use Google Analytics. Studying the analytics of your website will help you understand your reader’s preferences. You can then publish more of what they like and less of what they don’t like.

If you have noticed a post which is not performing well, you can try promoting it more than the others. If this does not work, you can try changing the title or changing the featured image.