Why does my Business in Bath need Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?

Do you know what to do to help your business website in Bath reach the first page of Google or any other search engine? Does your website for your business in Bath have a strong presence on the internet? If not, read on….

You being good, honest, reliable and sensible business people of Bath want to know that you are doing your best to ensure the business in Bath that you own or manage works efficiently and productively. This of course, includes the marketing and advertising of your business on the internet.



Front page results

Once you have a website built you will want it fit for purpose and fully functioning to meet your business and ecommerce needs.

This includes how to show it off to the world and make it very visible and accessible to any potential new client’s or customers.

To me it’s a bit like how best to place an advert in a newspaper or where to distribute those leaflets for maximum effect.

As a business person you know better than most the need to maximise your advertising and marketing potential, while taking into account the time input or financial costs of doing so.

In the online world this is where SEO or Search Engine Optimisation comes in.

It is just one element of helping your business get the most out of the internet and the most out of your website. That’s where a team of professionals known as SEO Bath come in to their own.


Click on here to find out more about SEO Bath

SEO Bath are part of the business website designers and online business directories known as Bath Business Web Ltd. They know all there is to know about the internal workings of the internet and good sound SEO.

Bath SEO support hundreds of local business entrepreneurs to maximise their websites true potential. They not only operate in Bath, but have business connections that stretch across Somerset, Wiltshire and Bristol to help their clients achieve front page results in Google, Yahoo and all the most used search engines throughout the UK and the world.

The good people at SEO Bath, aka Bath Business Web Ltd, know full well that successful search engine optimisation (SEO) is one of the many vital components which help your business website outperform your competitors. 


Bath Business Web SEO, Web Design & Directories

They have encountered too many business owners over the years who have not considered the SEO needs of their website.

They have experienced first hand the results of business people who have struggled to get any sort of return on the investment they made in the build and construction of a well-designed website.

No use having an all singing all dancing website if it can’t find the dance floor to perform its best.


So good business men and women of Bath, Bristol, Wiltshire and Somerset, don’t in any way assume it is good enough to build a website and think that people will be able to find it. Let’s face it your website has to do battle amongst the hundreds of other websites on the internet which are selling or offering products or services just like yours. 

Not to mention all the websites, directories or social media links which appear in-between those websites on the search engines. It’s a minefield out there and one where you need to have the right gear and the up to date technology to get through it to reach the top and be safe in the knowledge that your business is up there with the best of them.


Contact SEO Bath by clicking here

Every day in Bath many people use the internet as a means to find the services, products or professionals in their local area. A search engine such as Google is often the first place the go to. They can do this at home on their PC, on the move with their laptop or tablet. But more and more they are just using that very common device, the mobile phone to search the internet and download the websites the wish to view.

The websites they view may or may not include yours. I mean to say, do you know how many people are visiting your website every month? Do you know how many are going beyond the first page? Do you know how many people who contact  you have done so because they found your website? 


Ensure search engines find your business website

Some of this information you can get
through the use of Google analytics and a good business person will analyse the performance of their website.

It’s also good to get feedback from new callers. Remember some may have seen your website, but how did they know about it?

It’s no good just asking did you get our details by visiting our website. Because it doesn’t tell you if a friend gave them the details, if they saw a leaflet or flyer or an advert in Yellow Pages.



So there is a need to ask very precise questions on how they came across your website if you are going to gain insight to the effectiveness of the sites ability to perform.



Google Analytics for your Bath business website

So if people are going onto a search engine, in what ways does SEO help you once they get there?

Well search engine optimisation has a number of key elements. Far too many and sometimes a tad complicated to explain in a simple blog.

As well as an ever changing way which Google change the ‘rules of engagement’ on the internet and the changes they want it to achieve for the future of their own business.

Remember Google is a business like any other and can make even more money from the likes of you and me if it too is to keep up to date with the demands of the people who browse the internet. After all Google is a business worth millions and will continually progress and change to fill that financial pot and help it stay at the top of its game.



Getting the keywords right helps with search engine optimisation

So the easiest and most common element to understand with search engine optimisation (SEO), is that of ‘keywords’.

Keywords are the words people use when searching on the internet.

Keywords are also the words that best describe your business, products or services which are most likely to be used by the general public.

So if I am Joe Bloggs and I want someone to come and service my central heating boiler the keywords I use are likely to be ‘plumber Bath’ (as I know plumbers do that sort of thing and I live I Bath).

Am I likely to type ‘central heating technicians Bath’, well not really as a majority of the public may not use that terminology. They may use ‘central heating engineers bath’, that is more common. See what I mean?

So it doesn’t matter what you call yourselves, its what the public are currently calling your type of business or profession that counts. People are also a bit lazy, as well as time demanding and will want to use as little words as possible. Generally people will think of the one word that describes to a T what they are looking for as well as the town or area they live.


SEO by Bath Business Web Ltd

If people type in ‘plumber’ on its own they will get everything there is to do with the word plumber in the whole of the world on the internet. That will include papers or articles written with the word plumber in them.

This will include businesses throughout the globe with the word plumber, some of which may or may not actually be plumbers of course.

There will be all manner of websites and any from Bath will be totally lost in the sea of websites and links in the search engine.

That’s why if they type Bath as well as the word plumber it narrows the each down immensely. As you can imagine lol.



When your business has its website built make sure there is text in the website which reflects and reproduces the words which the public use when searching on Google. If not, get in touch with the SEO professionals like SEO Bath who will put it right.

If you are a plumber in Bath and you don’t have these words strategically written throughout your website, then it is more than likely our site will not be found by Google. That is to say Google will only relate the words used by the people typing in their keywords and who are looking for sites with those words in the text and content of a website, regardless of whether or not it is a plumber or not. Google will prioritise websites which follow these simples ‘rules of engagement’ and your website will be there somewhere. It’s just where? And if it is 3, 4 or 10 pages from the top, well what can I say? Who do you know ever goes looking on those?

Keywords as I say are just one element of search engine optimisation. And just because you have the right keywords in your website now doesn’t means that the will be the keywords you need to consider for the future. Google is constantly changing, the internet is constantly progressing. So you and your website needs to keep up and change with it.



SEO Bath leading the way on the Internet

That’s why a number of companies use professional SEO experts to do it for them and keep their websites up to date and maximise visibility on the internet search engines. After all I said keywords is just one element. Other things which help the SEO process are well written and keyword effective blogs, social media input, use of effective back end coding and front end content, correct use of alt tags and meta descriptions.

Some of these things I realise, will not mean anything to you, but website designers and engineers will klnow exactly what they are and the necessity to use them effectively and in accordance with search engine requirements.

Bath Business Web's SEO specialists are experts in search engine optimisation and have successfully built and optimised hundreds of websites for clients in Bath. We achieve countless front page results for Bath businesses in search engines such as Google and Yahoo thanks to our expert knowledge of SEO.

There are lots of SEO techniques that can benefit the search engine optimisation of a website, and it is certainly not as simple as adding a few keywords to your metadata. SEO Bath know what it takes to get your website onto the front pages of major search engines like Google. In fact Bath Business Web's SEO experts in Bath have gained such great results for so many clients in and around Bath by using our SEO methods, that our websites dominate the listings for many popular search terms in Bath.

How can a business in Bath improve on what it has already?

One way to do this is let the good people at SEO Bath can help you set up Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a free tool to allow you to follow the flow of people traffic coming to your website.

 

Front page results from SEO Bath

This includes detailed analysis and information on number of visitors, whether they got to you through a mobile phone or otherwise as well as much more regarding the activity on the site.

 

Having this tool from Google will give you the edge over the competition.

 

Your business websites ability to rank highly on any of the search engines will of course have a dramatic effect on the traffic to your website.

This traffic of human visitors and potential customers of the future, can then be turned into custom or trade. It’s worth noting that over 70% of web users say that after the third page of a search engine they abandon the search. That means that if your website doesn't appear on the first three pages of that search engine, people won't find your site.

 

Remember, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is equally as important to the end results of your website as the design itself. You will want your business website in Bath to look good, function well and be very visible on the internet.

 



SEO Bath

How the website looks is irrelevant if it is never going to be found or seen by any potential customers. The only way to make sure people will find your Bath business website is to ensure it is optimised using the latest SEO methods.

 

When Google, Yahoo and other search engines look at your business website, they don’t view it in the same way as you or I do. Instead they send out crawlers to view the source code of the site.

The source code, or html, is a website code language used to dictate how elements such as text or images should be laid out on the various webpages of your Bath business website.

There are certain factors in the source code which will give the crawlers extra information about the content of your business website.

If Google finds lots of relevant references (such as the keywords used) to a particular topic throughout the source code of the site, then it will rank that page highly for that particular subject.


So don't go leaving it to chance with your own business in Bah website.Do what you can to make the most of the expertise and tools available, to ensure your website has great visibility on the internet.


Expertise in Search Engine Optimisation of your Bath Business Website

I am looking forward to seeing your Bath business website on the internet very soon. Why not contact me and let me know how you are getting on reaching that top spot on the first page of Google. See what you can do to knock out the competition and take the lead for you, your business and your future.

All the best,

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd
Your local Internet Marketing Specialist, Business Directory and Website Design Company

Bath Business Web Ltd - Bringing your Business to Life 

Call for a free consultation and find out more about how you can help your business grow

 

01225 920 503

 

Business Websites – Do you want a Business Website? Do you need a Business Website? What you want your Business Website to do? What is a Business Website for?

• Ever thought websites are not for you or your business?

• You may think its only large online retailers or big companies who need one?

• Maybe you think that you have to be clever on a computer to have one?

• You may think ‘what the heck do I need a website for, as I advertise elsewhere?’

Whatever you think and whatever else you are doing to promote your business, if you don’t have an online presence, then you are not ever going to reach the full marketing potential of your business.

You know as well as I do, no business leaves marketing and advertising to chance. I bet you also know that no smart business owner keeps to one method of marketing. Like me you understand the need for what we call in the marketing world, the ‘pillars of marketing’ approach.

These pillars are made up of a variety of ways to market and advertise your business. All the top successful companies do this. They leave nothing to chance and maximise all opportunities. As they know that if they don't they are limiting their chance to maximise their on-going potential to attract new customers. 

Consider this. Did Woolworths know that after a hundred years of trading it would disappear from the high street overnight? Did Habitat realise, that after growing so successfully and with a loyal customer base, it would have to close up its high street outlets and move into a small convenient corner of Homebase? Did we expect some of the big banks to crash and leave customers stranded? The answer to all these is no.

 



Regardless of their ability to market or advertise their business, when push came to shove these giants of the business world were vulnerable. As all businesses are.

And that's why if you have decided that your continual flow of self referrals, word of mouth recommendations or responses from that one and only paper directory you advertise in is all your going to do, think again. 

Don't take your business or your personal future for granted. You may well have had a nice steady flow of customers conning to you on the back of your current advertising. But whose to say how it will be next month, next year or in the years to come. One day you could be another business which succumbs to the unknown consumer market which will be with us as we proceed toward 2014 and beyond.

Businesses close down for a number of reasons. The main reason is cash flow. That cash flow needs consumers. Consumers need to know you are there. They then need to be made aware that what you have on offer matches what they need. They then need reassurance that you can deliver on what you say you can offer.

So if you want to ensure you attract the people who are going to supply you with the money to keep that cash flow ticking over, you will need to take a serious look at your marketing strategy. And if you haven't yet got a good number of different ways to market your business, then get cracking and get some ideas of what you can do.

Because by having these different pillars of marketing in place. These different ways to advertise and promote your business. You are much more likely to maximise your chance to hook in new customers. Because potential customers don’t just read one newspaper. They don’t just respond to  a direct letter or flyer.

Out there in that big wide world of potential customers are people like yourself. People who respond to different things, in different ways, at different times. Some of these potential customers will hear about you from a previous customer. That’s great because people will then trust in you and if it fits with what they need, they will more likely contact you than anyone else.

 

But what about those potential customers who don’t hear about you ‘word of mouth’, how will they hear about you? Well maybe they won’t. Maybe they will see you. See your van or an advert in the local paper. Happen to come across an article in a magazine.

 

Then there are those potential customers who know what they want and will go searching for it. We all are the same in this way and this is sure the way we shop for things the most. After all, word of mouth and just coming across an advert are marketing approaches that are kind of left to chance. It would only be by chance that whoever your customers talk to are looking for your particular service or product at that very given moment. And of course they may well keep hold of your contact details until such time they do need your service.

 

So if you agree with me that most people, most of the time, will have an idea in mind of what they need. Whether they need new shoes, new windows, a new hair style, new central heating, an extension to the house or a back massage to relieve stress. Generally people do know what they need at any given time and therefore most people will go searching for the people who can supply them with what they need. Makes perfect and logical sense to me. Therefore, the next bit is easy. Where do they look for the people who will supply them with what they need?

 

You may be a new business or an established business with or without a website. It is quite surprising how many businesses do not have any web presence whatsoever. One would imagine with the dramatic and swift rise of the Internet and the ever growing use of mobile phones and with the expansion of tablets that those businesses without a website would have caught on by now. I wonder what it will take for the penny to drop. 

 

I can imagine that there are types of business who may not think that a website is going to do them much good. A business that has established a good flow of customers who return or word of mouth referrals. I could see certain retail pout lets and shops thinking that their presence on the high street is all the advertising they need.

 

No doubt that certain trades such as hairdressers, beauty salons, osteopaths, beauticians etc. may wonder how or why their customers would go searching on the Internet when they have adverts in local newspapers or magazines. Do scaffolders, roofers or bricklayers see a benefit to a website when they spend all their time outside in all weathers and are as far from the webisphere as you can get.

 

Well what can I say? Plenty really as Mrs Bingham will verify. It all boils down to how can a website benefit your business. And what do you want your website to do for your business. Do you want it to advertise the fact you are there? Do you want it to act as a brochure or online shop? Do you want it to be informative regarding the services you offer and the experience and qualifications you have to do the work? Do you want it to show off the projects which you have already completed or show examples of recent work? Well a website can do any one of these things or all of these things for you and your business.

Maybe you already have an idea of what you want and not sure how to go about it. So how about giving the professionals a call who can take you through step by step what you can do and how it can help.

 

Bath Business Web Ltd - Bringing your Business to Life

 

Call for a free consultation and find out more about how you can help your business grow

 

01225 920 503

Wishing you and your business every success for a future unknown.

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd
Your local Internet Marketing Specialist, Business Directory and Website Design Company

Bath Business and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

This is for all you businessmen and businesswomen in Bath, Bristol and beyond who have a website or are intending to have a website for your company or business. This is a brief, uncomplicated explanation of what SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is all about.

It is simply how to manoeuvre your website as near to the top of the first page of a search engine, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo etc. as possible. And for it to remain as constant as you can to keep it, in that position, or near to that position.

 

Google's Search Engine

Imagine you're a pop group and you release a new single. Your aim is to have a number one selling record and that is reflected by where you get to in the pop charts. You may go in at number 29 or number 10, to then creep further and further up the charts to a higher ranking position.

Often people will see it there and on that alone assume it is a great song. So more people go buy it and push it up still further.

A search engine performs in a similar way. If people see your website on the first two pages and particularly on the first page, then they assume you must be better than the competition. In reality it does'nt mean anything of the sort of course.

 

Where a website sits on a search engine says nothing about how good a plumber or electrician can do their work. What it does say however, is that your marketing techniques of optimising your website for the best possible position on a search engine are better than the competition. Get it?

Wikipedia defines search engine optimisation as follows:

Web definitions

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's "natural" or un-paid ("organic") search results. ...

We all know that Google is the biggest of the search engines. Like the others Google has rules and follows certain practices which determine how websites perform or are ranked on their search engine. These rules and practices change from time to time, so it’s vital to keep up or your website can go down the rankings as quick as it went up. That’s where sound professional advice can help to assist this process.
  

Google ranks websites which are relevant and commanding the appropriate layout. That layout includes number and quality of pages, the amount and type of wording, the relevance of photos, images or video, links to other websites, how your website interacts with other mediums on the web such as Twitter or Facebook etc. All these things and more can help Google measure the relevance by analysing all this information.

  

If you already have a website or have been looking into the idea of having one you will come across the term…… 'keywords'. Keywords are simply the words which people use to search for particular things on the internet. So if you were looking for a plumber and you live in Bath the most likely words you write into Google are ‘Plumber Bath’ or Plumber in Bath’ (these then constitute as the ‘Keywords’).

You may also write ‘Central Heating Installation Bath’, knowing that Plumbers do that type of work. So the Plumbers website needs to ensure all these words are placed into the text of the website to cover all the ways people will search for the services or products they supply. So depending on the nature of your business, there could be a whole range of keywords or combinations of keywords which will be used by people searching for whatever it is you offer.

Another term you will hear when constructing your website is 'links' or ‘backlinks’. Basically it is how  you link to another site or how another site links back  to your site. This can be done in a number of ways. Your site may well link up with the professional body to which you belong. They too may then link back to you. It may well be that other websites link to you, but you don’t to them.

Either way, what Google does is measure these through what is known as Google’s algorithm. This is the software it uses to rank website pages and decide which one it deems relevant and important to then increase its visibility. Visibility in this case means to go up the rankings of its pages, as a website is more visible the closer to the top page it gets. This is because people will rarely go searching beyond the third or fourth page of any search engine.
 
Another way to look at it is that a link from you to another website page is like casting a vote at the polling station. It suggests that you are offering a vote of confidence in that website and that the website you link to is a good one to follow. Google will see that and respond accordingly, as it likes to measure what we like to see. However, there are links which are better than others or links which are not useful or can decrease the visibility of a website. A bit like voting for the bad guy, Google will recognise the bad guy and penalise you if you have links to him. Links are a necessary part of your online marketing strategy to get your website up those search engine rankings. So again this is where good sound professional advice and support comes in.

What the link ultimately should do is:

1. Send valuable traffic (visitors) to your website

2. Inform the search engines that your website is one that is commanding

Google promotes pages to the top positions which it deems to be commanding or authoritative.



The Basics of Search Engine Optimisation

This means you need to write the relevant content and build links which will support this.

This is about quality not quantity. As 15 or 20 links from relevant websites to your website will have a better impact than 100 poor valued links, which can lower your ranking.

And don’t just let it sit still. Keep doing it, improve on it, update it.  Add new text or refresh what was already there. Google responds well to this.
  


SEO is also about the internal workings of your website and how it is constructed. The construction of a website is as complex as constructing the inside of a computer. If we could see inside a computer then we would see an array of electronics that would baffle and bemuse us. If we were given all the internal parts separately and told to put them together, joined at the right places to the right pieces and then programme it accordingly we would be at  a loss. Well the construction of a fully functional website is no different. Below are just a handful of the things you need to consider if you were going to construct your own website from scratch:

• Make sure your title element (tag) describes the page and uses keywords. Every page needs its own title tag. The text in the title tag is used by search engines for indexing your page. It’s also used in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) as the text in the link that links to your page.
• Make your URL’s Search Engine Friendly. They can help to describe the page and use keywords. Keywords in URL’s can help you rank for a keyword or phrase.
• Describe your page in the meta description element (tag). These elements should be unique for each page.  If you write good meta descriptions Google will highlight keywords that match the search and this could mean the difference between getting a click and not getting a click.
• Use the me keywords element (tag) for important keywords. Only add keywords that describe the page, don’t add unrelated keywords.
• Use a CSS based design and adopt web design best practices for styling your page. Search engine spiders don’t see what users see. They have to parse all the code that makes up a page including all your HTML.
• Make sure your page content is correctly tagged. For example if you have a main header make it an H1. By tagging your content you are providing the search engine spiders with a clue about what’s important on the page and what isn’t so important.
• Use Google Analytics to measure what is working and what is not.

Hmm! Thinking that there may be a need for a professional website designer now?

 

Professional Web Designers in Bath

 

So go out there and create a great website. Provide a website with the services or products that you know people are looking for and in a way that they will search for. Share (link) your great website to other great websites and then watch how many more visitors go to your site. That in itself will improve your search engine rankings for starters. That’s what we call optimising your website. That’s search engine optimisation (SEO).

 

So make sure you are up to speed with the latest goings on with Google, Bing, Yahoo and the other search engines out there to get the very best from your website. Get good professional help and support from those who are keeping their eye on the game and know the ins and outs of the various algorithms and practices that these search engines are using.

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd

10 Essential things Businesses in Bath and Somerset need from a Website

If you own or manage a small or medium sized business in Bath or Somerset, then there is a very good chance you have not got a website.

Surveys show that a staggering 60% of small businesses in the UK do not have an online presence. I wonder if that same percentage may well equate to the businesses based in Bath or Somerset. Are you one of the 60%?

 

You may still advertise in Yellow Pages or place leaflets through doors. However, many other businesses, such as newspapers, magazines, book stores, food stores, hair salons etc. do have a website and pay far less attention to paper advertising. Even Yellow Pages has a website. And what of your competitors? Do they the edge over you with an online presence?

 

One day all businesses based in Bath and Somerset will have an online presence.                          Why? Because consumers will expect it.

 

When the automobile (car to you and me) was first on our streets, people said it would never take over from the horse. When electricity was invented people said it was far too dangerous. When home computers became available they were only for scientists or gadget geeks. Who ever thought 15 to 20 years ago that  we could buy our shopping, play a game or watch video from a phone. In them days phones were for phoning and not much else.

 

The world is constantly changing. Every single piece of research on the matter shows us the use of online facilities is growing more extensively by the day.

 

So what potential customers will want to see from your Business Website:

 
1. An easy to remember and functional web address
Your domain name and your business name or the type of business you offer should be reflected in your domain name.

2. A clear description of what your business offers
Statements that are clear and precise to what you do, what services you provide or the products you sell.

3. A website that consumers can navigate easily
No point having a super duper website with fantastic pictures and great text if when they get there the viewer cannot work out what to do next or which page links to what.

4. Contact details that are accessible and obvious
So many times I have been onto websites, some of which owned by some big name companies and for the life of me I cannot find the address, contact number or email. Make it clear and make it obvious.

5. Testimonials and galleries of your work
Consumers like to know that other people have been satisfied with your work. There are many ways to ‘show off’ your work or have people talk positively about your business. Word of mouth really does help sell your business. 

6. A website is an adverting and marketing tool for your business
An excellent means of generating new sales and keeping present customers aware of new products or services. It’s a brochure and catalogue all in one. A good website links to social media sites, video sites, professional bodies or associations. And with Pay Pal one can offer safe and secure online transactions. With unlimited space you can convey your message for unlimited time. New ideas can be tested in real time with instant results.

7. Ensure your business advertises the right impression
Make sure your website is up to date. Make sure it promotes your business in the best light. If you advertise in magazines, on billboards or posters you would want your adverts to be very professional and send the right message. Whatever you do, however you do it, always bear in mind; The impression your business is making to the world around you.

8. Be sure to get your website visible
Always ensure it is professionally built and correctly coded for search engine optimisation. Your website needs to be compatible with mobiles, tablets and computers. Remember, most people now have a mobile phone in their pocket, which acts like a mini computer. Basically they have the opportunity of finding your website wherever they are and at any time of day.

9. Make yourself accessible
Websites extend business hours 24-7. Any updated information, offers or product promotion is seen immediately. Your customers are going onto Google or shopping on EBay or Amazon when they get home from work. People are online all the way till bedtime. They may well want to find a plumber, builder, electrician, fitness instructor, or osteopath as well. Why on earth would they search through a paper directory when they are probably online anyway, and all they have to do is tap into Google ‘hypnotherapy bath’ and there it is.

10. Keep up with social media
Increasingly people want to know more about the people behind the business. They want to get feel for the ‘human side’ of the people behind the adverts or the websites. Social media sites such as Facebook and particularly Twitter, enable a business to engage on that ‘human’ level to an audience of thousands. When you buy a product in a shop you are more likely to return if the shopkeeper has treated you well and given you that ‘human’ contact. Well that’s exactly what business is now doing with social media.

Some small business owners think that having a website will cost too much money. Well compare the price of a five page website to the money you spend on Yellow Pages, magazines or printed leaflets.

Ask people when was the last time they picked up a paper directory. Ask people what they do with the leaflets that come through their door. I can guarantee you are spending much more money on directories that people no longer read and on paper advertising that goes straight in the bin.

 

Yes your 16yr old could possibly build a website. Yes you can go cheap and do it yourself with the likes of 1&1 My Website. Yes you can get a website built very cheaply indeed. But consider this. In all my time working closely with local business in Bath and Somerset, none of them have told me that these sites do what they want for their business. Why? Because there is more to building a website than a few pretty pictures and some fancy Shakespeare style writing. To me it’s like buying a car on the grounds it’s a great colour, has black leather seats and a badge suggesting it’s a GSI. Totally without knowing how it works under the bonnet or if all the relevant parts are in order and functioning properly.

Are you going to catch-up and join the online success stories in Bath and Somerset?

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd

　

How is business productivity fairing through the hot summer weather?

Is it just me or did this recent hot weather take us by surprise?

Not because we don’t get it hot from time to time. But for the past few years it has been for the odd few days here and there, followed by a long period of wet, grey weather, even cold. So this extended period as far as I am concerned is wonderful.

I can sit in my garden, shaded under my apple tree with a glass of ice cold Robinsons Lemon Cordial (has to be Robinsons) and tap away my keyboard. However, I know that there are businesses out there for whom the hot weather may not necessarily do much to help their income.

We all the need to slow down a bit in the heat, but when it comes to retail sales it can energise a new lease of life. All those great summer clothes we have wanted to buy and have put off buying in previous years. They are worth buying now knowing we will get good use from them.

Garden centres took a battering over the winter and the long cold spring. Sales were down and the usual stock that would get people in the mood for summer was just not budging. Now lawn mowers, barbecues, charcoal, sun loungers, garden furniture, hose reels and water sprinklers are starting to move off the shelves at an ever increasing pace.

Mind you who wants to go shopping in this weather? Why not just go to the park, sunbathe, have a picnic or a trip to the seaside. As the BBC reports not everyone will be shopping for summer goods; 'Warm weather knocks High Street sales' 

Sales of cold drinks, chilled chocolate bars (which I hasten to add there is not enough shops doing that, thank you retailers), sports drinks, ice creams, strawberries and the like sell like hot cakes, or should that be chilled cakes. Ice cold Pimm’s, G&T’s and Lager straight from the fridge, Pinot Grigio (or whatever the latest white wine fad is). You get the picture.

Hospitality businesses in the South West have seen an increase too. Whether that’s restaurants, hotels, pubs or the local coffee house with an outside seating area. The pier at Weston and the seaside street traders are all reporting a surge in sales. Outside activity centres are also gaining from the summer sunshine. Tennis clubs, camping sites and high impact adventure centres start thriving as people are looking to be outside. Admission numbers to cricket matches have swelled as people are wanting to sup up the sun’s rays whilst indulging in a very British summer pastime.

Construction and building projects can benefit knowing that there is an extended dry spell. We have all seen those builders with tanned leather looking skin, shorts being held up by a builder’s belt full of tools and still wearing boots that only builders can buy. All looks rather ideal working conditions. However, the hot weather doesn’t always help our cool construction chaps. It may be surprising to learn that hot and dry weather can be a problem to many a building project.

Dry weather can cause the water in concrete and masonry to evaporate too fast, which in turn will produce a lower compressive strength. It can also cause rapid evaporation of moisture in masonry mortar causing the mortar to begin setting prematurely. If this happens then there may not be sufficient moisture to ensure the brick absorbs the mortar paste properly. This then reduces the bond strength between the mortar and the brick.

The weather can affect the application and performance of paint. Rapid evaporation prevents the paint from curing properly, possibly causing delamination, wrinkles, blisters, peeling, and cracking. Weather can and will make a difference to the resiliency of seals and sealants, resulting in a loss of elasticity. Loss of elasticity causes embrittlement (a loss of ductility of a material, making it brittle). So spare a thought for our building professionals because this dry spell can cause different problems to the cold weather of winter.

Over at the offices of Bath Business Web Ltd, they are hard at work designing, constructing and hosting the most superlative websites found in the South West. They are experts at knowing who is looking for what on Google and other such search engines. They realise that people in general are spending less time on their computers during the hot weather. But when they do what are they looking for?

Well one of the highest ranking hits on Google has been us Brits looking for anything to do with Barbecues. Recent research shows that in one month there were over 3,500 different search terms containing the word ‘bbq’. You can also gather that connected to this would be such as ‘gas bbq’ or ‘charcoal bbq’.

What the folks at BBW Ltd recognise is that there is definitely a seasonal change of search volumes for particular keywords, which of course affect the amount of visitors that Google bring to your business website. They know that for most businesses in the UK online traffic is highest from September through to the end of March and decreases during the spring and summer months.

Do you know how your website is doing over the summer? Have you noticed any change to the numbers of people visiting your website since we have had the hot weather? Do you know how to find out how many people visit your site?

Whatever your trade or business you need to understand your market and the people who will be looking for your products or services over the next few months. Make sure you get good sound advice and guidance on how to do this. Always make sure you choose an experienced professional web design and hosting company that will look after your business needs.

Typically, now I have written this the weather has changed lol. Saying that, sitting in my conservatory I can see blue sky is now starting to appear over the beautiful city of Bath.

Why not write to me and let me know how the summer is going for you……..

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd

The Benefit of Online Directories

Print, radio, television and traditional advertising mediums are beginning to fall off the map while the internet is taking over. Advertising online, on mobiles, tablets and PCs is fast becoming the only advertising needed for small and large businesses alike.

These days, everyone and everything has an internet presence, from Facebook and Twitter to websites and the increasing media of online directories.

The internet and its ease of use, has made it quicker than ever for people to find a local business and its contact details, while  also researching their work and reading reviews.

Online Directories are now the place where all of this important information can be found. Sites like Bath Business Web, Freeindex and Scoot help businesses connect with potential customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and joining an online directory has been proven to be one of the most effective tools to help a small business’ website get noticed on the web.

Online Directories perform especially well with “longtail search terms” which are more detailed or descriptive phrases that people use to search for something or someone online.
For example: “Walcot Street Italian Restaurant”
Because the listings in the directory are usually comprised of these terms, or very similar, and comprise of categories, sub categories and keyword descriptions they perform very well in online searches.

Having your business website linked on the listing is also very beneficial, forming a “backlink” from a well-known and trustworthy source, further driving your website’s results up in Google. It also brings more traffic to your site and gives a better chance of you being contacted by a potential customer regarding your services.

Many of our directories category pages have front page results on Google, meaning that certain search terms, such as “autolocksmith bath”, will bring up the Bath Business Web Online Directory. In one morning, we received four phone calls regarding services registered on our directories, had we any registered businesses on these categories – they would have received those calls instead!

Online business directories are getting better and better, giving local, immediate results to potential customers. With the internet unlikely to be going anywhere, it is vital that small businesses invest time and money into an online presence, including social media, websites, online directories and other forms of online advertising.

What success have you achieved from online advertising such as directories? Do you ask your clients where they found you? How do you track your online responses? 

Bath Business Web Ltd – Professional Web Design & Bath’s Premier Local Online Directory.

Social Media - Common Mistakes That Can Cost You Business

Social Media is proving to be incredibly important to businesses, large or small. Every time you send a tweet, update a status or publish a blog, you are creating something that is made for the world to see. Engaging with current and future clients, sharing knowledge and becoming an online presence can be conversational, fun and highly profitable. 

However, making silly mistakes such as spelling and grammar, or publishing inappropriate content or content not relevant to your business can be worse than having no social media presence at all. Remember, what goes on the web, stays on the web. 

TOP TIPS

Spelling & Grammar

Inappropriate  & Relevant Content

As a business, you need to beware of being associated with certain opinions that may cause your business or reputation harm by putting off potential customers. People use your Facebook or Twitter to get to know the person behind the business, be sure they like what they see. If you don’t want them to see your private information, set up a completely separate profile. 

• Avoid overly political views, pictures, rants  – debate a news story if it is relevant to your business, the local area or trade but avoid being too one sided.
• Don’t swear, post offensive pictures or comment on other peoples posts in an offensive manner.
• Keep photos relevant to your business, staff, locations etc. ( Ask your staff first before posting any pictures of them)
• Avoid directly "bad-mouthing" other companies. If it is a complaint regarding services, contact them directly. If it is a company in direct competition with yours, they will come off better in the long run.

If you aren't sure if a post or tweet is appropriate for your business, then it probably isn't. 

Bath Business Web Ltd - Professional Webdesign, Professional Results.

Website Content: Colour

Colour Matters for your Business

Colour plays a very important role  in the world we live in today. Colour can change actions and affect thinking. It can sooth or irritate your eyes, suppress your appetite or raise your blood pressure.
Colour is irreplaceable - therefore, colours used for a product, website, business card or logo can cause powerful reactions. To a potential customer, your marketing materials are the first impression of your business or product. Giant corporate businesses will spend huge amounts of money on colour market research and have discovered that people make a subconscious decision about a product or environment within minutes of viewing, largely based on colour alone.

Colour References

When deciding on colours for your brand or website, keep in mind the different reactions that people have to colours:

RED - danger, passion, energy, warmth, stop
PINK - love, femininity
ORANGE - stability, reassurance, warmth
GREEN - nature, energy, calming, go
BLUE - soothing, loyalty, protection
YELLOW - sunshine, energy, happiness
PURPLE - creativity, fertility, joy
BROWN - security, stability
WHITE - youth, cleanliness, pure
BLACK - drama, eccentricity, elegance

Colour & Websites

We've all had to deal with websites with unpleasant colour combinations. Although the colours used may be the owners favorite colours or colours from the business logo, they are either very hard on the eyes or make the text difficult to read.
Using too many colours, or the wrong combination of colours could turn off your potential buyers completely. On average, you should choose three colours (or shades of those colours) at the most. Match them with the rest of your brand, as using colours from your existing brand makes your website more recognisable and gives consistency.

Pick colours for your target market. Who is your target market? What do you want to say? How do you want to say it?
As the owner of your business, you should know your target market - demographics such as gender, age and location play an enormous part in business and marketing.
Ask friends, family and colleagues what colours they feel are suitable for your type of business, experiment and try to see patterns in your results.
If your target market is 40-50 year old females from Bath, ask them what colours they find attractive. It really is that important.

You want people to view your website. Remember, it's easy for your visitors to press the back button.

Professional Websites with Professional Results - Bath Web Design

Website Content: Testimonials

Anyone can say their business offers a great service or product. But potential clients want proof. They want to see endorsements from happy clients that have received a quality service. And the more quality endorsements you have, the better.
Testimonials from your best clients are a great addition to a website, along with photos of the work completed.

1) Who?
Note I said “best clients" above. Pick clients that are most like the people you want to work with in the future.
If possible, use people with "influence", such as other business owners, or individuals that have a recognisable name.
Choose clients whose testimonials will highlight the key aspects of your business and your key selling points - as always, know your target market and what they are looking for.

2) What?
What was it like before they used your services? - define the problem.
What was your business like to work with? - talk about specific work you did with them, how they feel about the work, how it was carried out, how you were different from other businesses.
What specific results were achieved? - The more specific, the better and proof of the value of your service.

3) How?
Based on your business size, you should have a list of between 10 and 50 previous or existing clients that you feel that you can contact. You can contact them via e-mail, phone or in-person - depending on your relationship with them. They can choose whether to have their full names, business names etc used. If they are not interested, thank them and say goodbye.
If you decide to meet in person then a video testimonial can be an interesting way of presenting it. But you must ask the client if they are comfortable with it, use the right equipment and be sure that it can be shared in the correct way.
The testimonial needs to be easy to read, short but sweet sentences. Summarise your clients words using direct quotes and capturing the essence of what was said. Share the finished testimonial with the client, ask if it reflects their experience and that they approve.

4) Where?
Put your testimonials where people will see them! Your website, printed promotional materials and signage are the best places. Review your testimonials and keep them appropriate and up to date.

Add pictures, format the text and spell check!

Lastly, thank your clients. A handwritten note stating where the testimonials are published and maybe a small gift is a good way to show your appreciation and hopefully ensure that they come back to you for more business.

Bath Business Web Ltd - Professional Web Design with Front Page Results - Take a look at OUR testimonials here http://www.bathbusinessweb.co.uk/Static/Testimonials