With a new store at the tail end of completion and another in planning I’ve decided to feed the fire and overhaul my website. In all honesty it’s renewal time for the local phone directory and I’m on the fence if I’m going to spend nearly $3,000.00.
When was the last time you searched out a new vendor using the phonebook and how do you find services? I’ve asked many, many customers this week and the overwhelming response was the internet. Most people told me they never use the phonebook.
I thought it was peculiarly odd the sales representative would show me a graph illustrating yellow pages advertising was used third to internet and other media advertising. Internet? That told me my money was best spent revamping my website and placing ads in places like the newspaper and radio. I knew instantly my website needed updating.
Frugal me thought I could get away without spending any money. After all, I already have a pretty good website. I had some friends take a look at the site then give me an opinion. Oddly enough, each had to get off the phone just before offering their thoughts.
I designed my current website using html code well over a dozen years ago. I’ve mixed it in with some fancy Java here and there, but for the most part it’s just a twelve year old site that’s been reworked. Viewing the site from a tablet or iPhone is clumsy and the site architecture is terrible.
My company’s website is going to get a fresh design on a new host. The plan is to make the swap only after all the work has been done. By waiting until the last minute I can keep my search engine placement while minimizing my traffic loss.
When I started fiddling with web design, about the only way to create a professional looking site was to use expensive software titles like FrontPage and DreamWeaver. The new web host I’ve picked includes five free design packages with names I wasn’t familiar. Come to find out, with a little work I can design a site rivaling those of a pro for next to no money.
Another updated feature from the days of old is the ability to edit content from any browser on any computer. Changing content years ago meant recreating html code and uploading it back to the website. With the new process if I spot an error or want to make a change I can do it from my tablet or laptop no matter where I am physically located.
While researching the latest trends in internet marketing I stumbled on some interesting statistics. Mobile devices account for nearly 30% of internet traffic while 90% of websites aren’t optimized for the smaller screens. My current site is certainly no exception.
What makes a mobile website different is its ability to be easily navigated. In other words, big buttons on a small screen. The localcomputerwiz.com site on an iPhone is nearly impossible to use so I tried an online utility and instantly the site became usable.
If I do all the work on my new website I believe I can get away with spending a little over $200.00 for the year. This includes a new hosting plan, updated website design software, and mobile site support. Some of the remaining $2,800.00 will go into the phonebook to keep a presence; however, the remaining budget will be used to advertise in local newspapers and radio. If your business is running on an antiquated website it may be time for a revamp.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can text him directly at (978) 413-2840 or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)