 Wordpress vs. Weebly
Wordpress has its place with over 75 million active websites in existence. Wow! Unfortunately, when something is the industry standard, its popularity can become the very reason for its downfall. When we Googled "how many Wordpress websites are there" the next most popular search phrase was "how many Wordpress websites are hacked." Oops! When a platform becomes popular, there is an incentive, or a market, for either helping it or benefiting from it. Huh? Let's consider the iPhone for a moment. When the iPhone gained traction, everyone else had to jump on board, too. Apps were created, bedazzled cases and screen protectors were manufactured, repair shops opened, docking stations were engineered, and a whole economy with the iPhone as its sun came into existence. Wordpress has had a similar effect, but not in the way you would imagine. While it has created an economy of plug-ins, themes and Wordpress service providers, it has also created a market for Spam, Scams and Viruses. Over 35% of our new clients come from bad Wordpress experiences. That's why we have a different approach to web design, and it's turning heads. Our competitors, colleagues, and clients are shocked to learn we design websites in Weebly, a drag-and-drop builder. But we use Weebly for one simple reason – our clients are tired of the overwhelm that comes along with a WordPress website. They want the ability to make edits to the website on their own, and WordPress is difficult for them to manage. So why do we use Weebly over its competitors like Squarespace and Wix? We found Weebly gives the best of both worlds. For our team, we are able to completely customize the CSS/HTML of the website design so each website is customized to YOUR brand. However, our clients get the ease of use of editing their website with the drag and drop features. But what about SEO? This tends to be the biggest concern about switching over to Weebly. Rest assured, we've outranked our clients' former websites on many platforms, including WordPress websites. That's because SEO favors factors like content and design over platform. Let's face it, if you visit a website that doesn't immediately look safe, credible, or welcoming, you leave. If the website doesn't have the content that you're seeking, you leave. We've found many of our WordPress website designers approach SEO too technically and forget about basic marketing. Are you ready to explore how a Weebly website can help your business? Let's chat!  You’ve made a valuable investment in the success of your business. In fact, studies show that between 70-80% of people research a company online BEFORE visiting the business or making a purchase with them. Unlike the “Build It and They Will Come” mentality, however, your website must be promoted in order to be effective.
The launch was just the first step; now you need to shout the news (in this case, your url) from the rooftops! Here are some easy ways to start:
For your convenience, we created graphics to make it even easier to share the news about your website launch on social media. Download your favorite and share away! Free Sharable Downloads Don't have a website? We would love to hear more about your online goals and see if a website will help grow your business.  National Small Business Week is April 29 - May 5, 2018. At Zab, we work with dozens of small businesses working hard to grow their businesses. Here are ten cost effective ways to promote your small business within your local community and nationwide. Consistent Email Marketing
When used correctly, email marketing can be one of the most beneficial tools for your small business. It’s affordable (or sometimes even free), it helps you stay in contact with your audience, and it makes it easy for your clients to engage with you and your business. For most businesses, connecting with your audience on a monthly basis is sufficient. Make sure you create a way for people to opt-in to your list, it can even be in person with a sign up sheet at your store or event. Blogging Blogging is commonly misunderstood in the world of small businesses. We hear it all the time, "oh, I don't want a blog." Sure... but you NEED a blog. Blogging is no longer just a way to share personal stories or recipes with friends and family. It can become a crucial element to building your small business success (and your email list). Most importantly, blogging is the most effective SEO tool to drive more traffic to your website. Additionally, blogs are a great resource of information for your current or potential customers. Generally, the more a person knows about your business, the more trust they will have for the products or services you offer. (That's why YOU are here after all!) Social Media Marketing If you own a small business, operating some form of social media is critical for your growth. With ever-changing algorithms and trends, social media marketing can be a tough thing to figure out, but when used consistently, can aid your success. 91% of brands are using more than one social media platform. Your competition is getting social, you should too. Make a Great Website 71% of small businesses operate a website. Without a website, you’re missing out on opportunities for potential customers to discover your business. The world of websites can be difficult to understand. While having no website can lead to a loss in business, having a bad website is worse. Having a professional, functional website can engage potential customers and gain their trust in your business. (This is something we're pretty good at creating, check out our websites.) Teach a Workshop Planning a workshop can help to spread the word about your small business within your community. It’s a great way to help share your knowledge with your target audience to convert them to potential customers. It can also help you develop strong relationships and strengthen your leadership and communication skills. Plan Your Days and Create a Goal Whether you plan your days or not can make or break your success. The common quote “if one fails to plan, one plans to fail” rings true for small business owners. Planning gives us a clear perspective of what needs to be done, what goals are to be achieved, and what amount of time will be spent on completing those goals. This promotes efficiency, productivity and mindset streamlined towards success. Host an Open House Hosting an open house or an event is a great opportunity to get people interested about your business and the products or services you offer. To plan a successful open house, make sure you pick your date carefully and have a compelling plan to get potential customers through the door. It also never hurts to have food available! Write Handwritten Notes to Clients Handwritten, personal notes will never go out of style. While you’re busy engaging with new customers, its also important to nurture your relationship with current clients. Simple things like a handwritten thank you card or invitation are growing rarer and rarer by the day. Implementing these into your business can help you to stand out from the crowd. Get Involved In Your Community Getting involved in your community (whether big or small) can hugely impact your business. Giving back to your community during times of need will help you build customer loyalty. Community involvement for your small business is a situation where everyone wins. Get involved in a non-profit organization or stand up for a cause. Share Your Expertise If you have something that makes you stand out, share it in the comments below! We all learn from each other. We noticed that some of our clients have unsecure passwords. Whether it is your Facebook page, your website, or your email, having an unsecure password can lead to getting hacked, and NOBODY wants to get hacked! This can potentially put your business at risk.
Remembering a secure password can be difficult, unless you use this trick - use a sentence that represents a memorable time in your life or something of importance that you won't forget. Danielle's example was about her daughter's birth, but using any life event can be effective. You can even use the date of your favorite team's big championship win or the date your business started. Do not use the the whole memory, that is too much typing! You can shorten it up by abbreviating the first letter of each word and the year! In the video above, the example was "In June, my daughter was born on a rainy day in 2012" ... or was it 2011? Oh, who knows? Blame it on Mom Brain! HAHA! From this memory, using our trick, we turned this memory into a secure password - "1JmDwb!2011." See it? The password says: In June, my daughter was born in 2011. Other letters that work as symbols are 1/! for 1, 3 for E, 8 for B, $ for S, @ for A. Always switch between capital letters and lowercase letters. Lying about a date (like Danielle did 😉 ) is also a good idea because a hacker may know the truth. For example, using a false last name for the common security question, what is your mother's maiden name, will be more secure than using the real last name. Stay tuned for more awesome videos like this! If you need any assistance, contact us! We are happy to assist you. |