Top SEO Services in St. George, UT | Active Media
The Ultimate Guide to SEO in St. George, UT Introduction Is your business struggling to stand out in St. George, UT? With the digital marketplace becoming increasingly competitive, it’s crucial to have a strong online presence. This post will show you how top-notch SEO can transform your business, driving traffic and increasing revenue. Learn from industry experts and leverage proven strategies to outshine your competitors. Why SEO is Essential for St. George Businesses The growing community of St. George offers vast business opportunities, but without effective SEO, your business could be lost in the digital crowd. Here’s why SEO is crucial: Comprehensive SEO Services in St. George Local SEO Reach St. George’s local audience with tailored local SEO strategies. By optimizing for local search terms, we ensure your business appears in “near me” searches. On-Page SEO Improve your website’s performance with our on-page SEO services. We optimize everything from content to meta tags to ensure your site is search-engine friendly. Keyword Research & Strategy We conduct thorough keyword research to identify high-value terms that your target audience is searching for. This strategy helps in crafting content that ranks and converts. Content Creation Engaging and informative content is key to retaining visitors. Our expert writers create content that not only ranks high but also addresses your audience’s needs. Page Speed Optimization A fast-loading website is essential for a positive user experience. We optimize your website elements to ensure quick load times, reducing bounce rates and improving user satisfaction. Why Choose Us for Your St. George SEO Needs? Experienced Professionals With over a decade of experience, our team is equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle all your SEO needs. We stay updated on the latest SEO trends to keep your business ahead of the curve. Customized SEO Packages We understand that every business is unique. That’s why we offer customized SEO packages tailored to your specific needs and goals, ensuring maximum effectiveness and ROI. Proven Track Record Our success stories speak for themselves. We have helped numerous businesses in St. George achieve higher search engine rankings and increased revenue. Conclusion Investing in SEO is investing in your business’s future. With the right strategies, you can increase your online visibility, attract more customers, and drive sales. Let us help you dominate the digital landscape in St. George, UT. FAQs What is local SEO? Local SEO optimizes your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. How long does it take to see results from SEO? SEO is a long-term strategy. Typically, you can expect to see results within 3-6 months. Why is keyword research important? Keyword research identifies the terms your target audience is searching for, helping you to create relevant content that ranks well. What are on-page SEO services? On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic in search engines. How does page speed affect SEO? Page speed is a ranking factor for search engines. Faster pages provide a better user experience, which can lead to higher rankings and more traffic. By following this comprehensive guide and utilizing the best SEO practices, your business in St. George, UT can achieve outstanding digital success.
How Law and Website Accessibility Intersect
Why is website accessibility non-negotiable in 2024? If you’re not proactive, you could be alienating potential customers and risking legal action. This guide demystifies ADA compliance, showcasing how Law and Website Accessibility and some simple changes can make your site inclusive for all. You’ll find actionable advice on satisfying legal requirements, enhancing user experience, and capitalizing on the untapped market of users with disabilities. Don’t let your website be a barrier—let’s break it down and build accessibility together. Key Takeaways The Importance of Website Accessibility Gather ‘round, folks! We’re about to unveil the importance of making your website accessible, not just for your friend Bob who’s color-blind but for everyone out there with a disability. You see, the internet is like a giant party and making your website accessible is like making sure everyone gets an invitation and can actually get in the door. Benefits for People with Disabilities Adding alt text to images and facilitating keyboard navigation are like rolling out the red carpet for people with disabilities. It’s our way of saying, “Hey, we see you, and we want you at our party!”. Advantages for Businesses However, the benefits don’t stop there! Achieving ADA compliance also positions your brand as a leader in the field. By ensuring ada website compliance, you’re increasing your customer base, improving your SEO, and enhancing your brand reputation. Talk about a win-win situation! Social Responsibility And let’s not forget that making our websites accessible is more than just good business—it’s also our social responsibility. Think about it: wouldn’t you want to be part of a business that’s inclusive equally accessible, customer-friendly, and socially aware? Understanding ADA and Digital Accessibility With your attention now captured, we will delve into the legalities, exploring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ADA lawsuits. It’s like the law’s way of saying to federal courts, “Hey, be nice to everyone, okay?”. ADA and Web Accessibility ADA Title III is like the cool kid of public accommodations at school making the rules, telling businesses to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities if they want to hang out with the cool kids of public accommodations. In case of non-compliance, businesses may face legal action in federal court. WCAG Guidelines And then we have the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Think of them as the Avengers of web design, making sure everyone can access and use websites like a boss. Assessing Your Website’s Accessibility Now, we must delve into assessing your website’s accessibility, akin to giving your website a comprehensive check-up, ensuring it caters to all users and provides full and equal enjoyment. Manual Testing Manual testing is like playing a game of ‘navigate the website blindfolded’. You use screen readers, navigate with just the keyboard, and zoom in and out to make sure everyone can use the site. Automated Testing Tools But don’t worry, if manual testing sounds like a lot of work, there are also some nifty automated testing tools for web accessibility that can help you spot any sneaky issues. Common Accessibility Violations and How to Fix Them Having understood the basics of accessibility statement, it’s time to address common accessibility violations and discuss their remedies in the context of accessibility compliance. Think of it as a handy cheat sheet for your website’s accessibility makeover. Alt Text for Images Alt text for images in web accessibility is basically like giving your image a little voice to describe itself. It’s like the image’s elevator pitch – short, sweet, and to the point. Keyboard Navigation Keyboard navigation is like the secret passage to website accessibility. Making sure everything can be clicked and typed with a keyboard is the key to following the WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines. Video Captions And let’s not forget about video captions and screen reader software. They’re like the superheroes of accessibility, swooping in to save the day for folks with partial or no hearing, and for those who rely on text-to-speech technology. Implementing Accessibility Solutions With a game plan in place, it’s time to execute those accessibility solutions. It’s like putting our plan into action and watching our website transform into an accessibility superpower. Training and Awareness Training employees about website accessibility is super important because it lets everyone, including people with disabilities, use our online stuff. Partnering with Experts Partnering with accessibility experts can make your website more accessible by: Legal Implications of Non-Compliance It’s now crucial to discuss the significant legal aspect: the consequences for state and local governments of not adhering to ADA and web accessibility guidelines. ADA Demand Letters and Lawsuits ADA demand letters are like the snarky notes from your neighbor about your overgrown lawn, but for businesses with non-compliant accessible websites. If you receive one, it’s time to get serious about accessibility and avoid potential ADA website lawsuits, digital ADA lawsuits, as well as ADA website compliance lawsuits. Recent High-Profile Cases We should examine some recent notable cases of ADA website accessibility lawsuits, including web accessibility lawsuits. From Domino’s Pizza to Nike, these cases serve as a wake-up call for businesses to make their websites and mobile apps more accessible. Preparing for the Future of Web Accessibility As we conclude our exploration of web accessibility, it’s appropriate to anticipate and prepare for its future. From the upcoming WCAG 2.2 guidelines to emerging technologies, the future is looking bright for accessibility. WCAG 2.2 and Beyond The upcoming WCAG 2.2 guidelines are set to add more success criteria to make things even more accessible for website owners. So, businesses, it’s time to start getting cozy with these new guidelines. Emerging Technologies Emerging technologies like AI, VR, and AR are shaking things up in the world of web accessibility. These technologies offer exciting new ways to make websites even more accessible, so stay tuned!. Summary As we wrap up our web accessibility party, remember that making your website accessible is not just about avoiding lawsuits or meeting technical standards for ADA compliance. It’s about making sure everyone gets an
Find the Best Website Design Company Near Me in 2024
Are you ready to take your online presence to the next level? Finding the right “website design company near me” is crucial to your success. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll uncover the benefits of working with a local web design company and provide you with an actionable roadmap to find the perfect fit for your project. Let’s dive in! Short Summary Local Website Design Companies: Why Proximity Matters Why does proximity matter when choosing a web design company? It’s simple – working with a local web design company brings several unique advantages that can make your project a resounding success. Local web design companies offer the opportunity for in-person meetings, which can lead to better collaboration and communication. They also have a deep understanding of the local market, which allows them to craft a website that truly resonates with your target audience. Finally, strong community connections can foster relationships with fellow local businesses and organizations, potentially leading to valuable referrals and networking opportunities. Don’t underestimate the power of proximity. By choosing a local web design company, you’re setting yourself up for an enjoyable and fruitful collaboration that can help your business grow exponentially. So, how can you find the best web design company near you? Let’s explore the top factors to consider in your search. In-Person Meetings and Collaboration Nothing compares to the effectiveness of face-to-face communication. In-person meetings with a local web design company can foster clearer communication, deeper relationships, and heightened attention to detail. By working closely together, you can ensure that your vision is accurately translated into the final design, leading to a more successful project outcome. Additionally, in-person meetings allow for real-time feedback and brainstorming, which can accelerate the design process and lead to more innovative and tailored solutions. In short, working with a local web design company can create a more collaborative and efficient environment, setting your project up for success. Local Market Knowledge Local web design companies have a unique advantage when it comes to understanding the local market. They are familiar with the specific needs and preferences of the local audience, allowing them to create websites that are more engaging and effective. This local market knowledge can also help them craft a website that stands out from the competition, giving your business a competitive edge. Working with a local web design company ensures that your website is not only visually appealing but also relevant and accessible to your target audience. By collaborating with a skilled web designer, you can achieve an improved user experience, heightened engagement, and ultimately, higher conversions. So, when selecting a web design company, consider their local market knowledge and experience to ensure the best possible outcome for your project. Community Connections Local web design companies often have deep-rooted connections within the community, which can be a valuable asset when it comes to networking and partnership opportunities. These connections can help web design companies gain a deeper understanding of the local market and connect with potential customers in person. Furthermore, strong community connections can lead to more referrals and even better opportunities for creative thinkers in the web design industry. By choosing a local web design company with strong community ties, you’re not only supporting local businesses but also tapping into a wealth of connections that can help your business thrive. Top Factors to Consider When Choosing a Website Design Company Now that we’ve established the importance of working with a local web design company, let’s discuss the top factors you should consider when making your choice. Keep in mind that the perfect fit for your project is a web design company with an impressive portfolio, extensive technical expertise, and comprehensive digital marketing capabilities. By evaluating these factors, you can ensure a successful and rewarding partnership. In the following sections, we’ll dive deeper into each of these factors and explain how to assess them in your search for the ideal web design company. Portfolio and Past Work A web design company’s portfolio speaks volumes about their style, creativity, and ability to deliver results. When reviewing a company’s portfolio, look for samples of work that match the vision you have for your website, as well as experience building the types of pages or features you want. This will give you a good idea of their capabilities and whether they’re a good fit for your project. Additionally, consider the variety and quality of their past work. A great web design company will have experience working with clients across different industries and will demonstrate their ability to adapt their design style to meet the unique needs of each client. By thoroughly examining their portfolio, you can gain valuable insight into the company’s design prowess and potential for project success. Technical Expertise Technical expertise is a critical factor to consider when selecting a web design company. A development company with a wide range of technical skills, such as knowledge of programming languages, web development frameworks, and design software, will be better equipped to handle the specific requirements of your project. To assess a company’s technical expertise, consider their proficiency in popular programming languages like JavaScript, Python, and PHP, as well as web development frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue. Additionally, look for knowledge in design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Sketch. By thoroughly evaluating a web design company’s technical expertise, you can ensure they can handle the complexities of your project and deliver a high-quality final product. Digital Marketing Capabilities A web design company’s digital marketing capabilities are essential to the success of your website. In today’s competitive online landscape, it’s not enough to have a visually appealing website – you also need to drive traffic and conversions. To do this, look for a web design company with a strong marketing team, experienced in digital marketing strategies such as SEO, PPC, social media marketing, email marketing, and analytics. Partnering with a marketing agency that specializes in web design can further enhance your online presence. By choosing a web design company
Discover Amazing Website Designs for 2024
Are you searching for inspiration for your amazing website designs in 2024? With the ever-evolving world of web design, staying current with the latest trends and techniques is crucial for creating a visually engaging and user-friendly experience. We’ll be taking you on a journey to discover captivating website designs for 2024, unleashing your creativity through innovative web design, and finding inspiration for your next project from award-winning websites and various sources. Let’s dive in and explore the amazing world of web design! Short Summary Captivating Website Designs for 2024 Website design plays a pivotal role in setting your brand apart from the competition, especially when it comes to creating a business website. The most impactful websites confidently broadcast your brand’s visual designs and values, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. Implementing unique and captivating website designs for 2024 is essential for creating a strong online presence and providing an engaging user experience. Visually Striking Homepages The homepage is the first impression your audience gets when they visit your website. To create a visually striking homepage, you can use high-quality visuals, and carefully chosen typefaces, and maintain a balance between negative, white space and helpful content. A great homepage design should be able to tell a captivating yet unobtrusive visual story, have a perfect balance of white spaces, eye-catching CTAs, concise copy, and intuitive navigation. For instance, the Risas Dental website stands out with its smooth flow, guiding readers through the copy and CTAs on the homepage effortlessly, while using parallax, vibrant colors, and strategic negative space to create an eye-catching and engaging design. By studying these visually appealing homepages, you can gather website design inspiration to create a stunning homepage for your portfolio site your own website. Interactive Backgrounds and Elements Interactive backgrounds and elements can significantly enhance user engagement on your website, leading to an enriched experience. An accessible site highlights content that encourages people to engage with it more effectively and confidently, making it one of the best website design ideas. For instance, the IBM web page has an engaging interactive background that responds as the mouse navigates on the page. By utilizing tools such as social media buttons, Google Maps, and calculators, you can make your website more interactive and engaging for your audience. Exceptional Ecommerce Websites Ecommerce websites that stand out from the rest are those that effectively showcase products and provide effortless shopping experiences. To convert visitors into customers, your website design should include powerful call-to-action (CTA) buttons that guide users through the purchasing process. Some exceptional e-commerce websites include ETQ, an award-winning minimalist design approach, and Lover Her Wild, a visually stunning website of a Manifestation Coach. Her website, presents a unique offering in a cohesive way with digital design elements and CTAs, making it an awesome website to scroll and shop. An award-winning ecommerce website can serve as excellent sources of inspiration for your own online store, showcasing some truly awesome websites. Bold Typography and Color Schemes Bold typography and color schemes can help create a powerful visual identity site stand out for your website. Using eye-catching color schemes like burnt orange, sage green, and peach can make your website stand out and be memorable. Typography and font size also play a crucial role in enhancing web design. By creating a pleasing visual balance and making content easier to read, well-designed typography can effectively communicate your brand’s message and values to your audience. Unleashing Creativity through Web Design Now that we’ve explored all the website designs for 2024, it’s time to unleash your creativity through innovative web designs. Creative web design involves using unique navigation and user experience, stunning illustrations and animations, and responsive and mobile-first designs. By utilizing the latest web design trends, such as voice search, dark mode, bots, abstract shapes, and parallax scrolling, you can create a website that looks modern and up-to-date. Innovative Navigation and User Experience Innovative navigation and user experience techniques can make your website stand out and keep users engaged. For example, Brutalist Websites showcase a bold statement against UX, using creative broken grids, eye-catching headlines, unique cursor-based effects, and stimulating scroll effects. Another inspiring example is Guillaume Tomasi’s series navigation, which enables users to discover a website’s content in a non-linear fashion. By exploring these innovative navigation techniques, you can create a unique and engaging experience for your website visitors. Unique Illustrations and Animations Unique illustrations and animations can make your website truly stand out, providing an engaging and interactive experience for users. For example, the IBM web page uses visual storytelling to make complex topics more engaging and enjoyable, along with video game-like functions that provide thrilling opportunities for site visitors to explore three stories and learn more about the Watson tool. Incorporating unique illustrations and animations in your website design can elevate its visual appeal and create a memorable experience other cool website for your audience. Responsive and Mobile-First Designs Responsive and mobile-first designs are essential for creating a great user experience on websites. Designers prioritize creating a user-friendly interface, optimizing content, and simplicity in design. Mobile-first design involves simplifying the layout, using responsive design techniques to ensure that the website or application is optimized for touch and speed, which is incredibly motivating for users. Ensuring users can perform all the actions on the mobile device that a desktop website offers is essential for a successful website. By implementing responsive and mobile-first designs, you cater to a wide range of devices and screen sizes, providing your website builders an optimal and enjoyable user experience. Finding Inspiration for Your Next Web Design Project Inspiration is the key to unlocking your creative potential in web design. There are numerous sources available to help you find inspiration for your next web design project, including online galleries and showcases, social media platforms, and industry events and conferences. By exploring these avenues in web development, you can gather ideas and inspiration to create a new website that reflects your unique vision and brand identity. Online Galleries
Why You Should Sell on Your Own Website: Small Business Owners Read This
Why You Should Sell on Your Own Website? If you’re are a small business owner who finds yourself in one of the following positions: You’re actively navigating ways for your business to stay afloat, or You’re struggling to make a profit, or You’ve found a new project of interest, or You simply want to earn more income … Why Should You Sell on Your Own Website? Keep reading! This is the perfect blog post for you. Stop Giving Away Your Clients Small business owners who newly enter the digital space often start with third-party eCommerce sellers due to its ease of set-up and access to larger audiences. In the long run, this can severely hurt your website traffic. And your pocket. Acting as a middleman, these big guys get all the valuable information about user behavior and use it to benefit and grow their wealth, as opposed to enlightening and enriching your understanding of your demographic. When your buyers click that link, they’ll automatically be sent to these companies. In this article, we explain why you should sell on your own website, and how you can build an online business model without having to spend a fortune! Benefits of Selling on Your Own Site 1. Improve website traffic and Google rankings Selling on your site will boost its Search Engine Optimization (SEO) performance. All you need to do is give every product on your site an alluring and keyword-rich description. Create a content strategy as well — polish your site up with fresh and valuable blogs and videos. Share them across the web to drive traffic and leads and build relationships with existing customers. 2. Full control over your customer resources Your e-commerce site is extremely measurable and trackable through Google Analytics. You can access data including how many orders are processed through your site, average cart total, cart abandonment rate, and % of total revenue your site has achieved at regular intervals. At Active Media, we’ll also help you plan and employ a powerful SEO strategy to grow your page rankings in search engines. This should be a steady ongoing monthly investment. Learn our SEO & Content clarity tips. Once your e-commerce site has been set up, you should not have to spend too much time running it. This is because the whole phase of order processing and making payments will be activated through the online system. You can, therefore, allocate your valuable bit of extra time toward developing new products, launching special offers, and scouting out which products are selling most successfully. 3. Keep your buyers connected Email is a crucial part of a marketing strategy. 94% of people say they get online to check email, it’s the #1 activity on the internet! Once a person has visited your website, there’s a higher chance that they will sign up for your newsletter – this is an opportunity for you to garner your own email list and make direct contact with prospective buyers in the future. Success Stories See You Next Tuesday Some technical marketing tasks that we performed for her included: coming up with a unique monochromatic design for her website, implementing new SEO strategies, and setting up her own Amazon store throughout the pandemic. Debra’s Skin Care Once Covid-19 hit, we redesigned the “Shop” portion of her website. Simple to use, easy to navigate, and mobile responsive – now she is selling way more products than before! “There is a light at the end of every tunnel. Some tunnels just happen to be longer than others.” ― Ada Adams. Knowing other small business owners that might find this helpful? Share away. 🙂
How a ChatBot can make your life 30% better
Ok well, maybe that number is just something I pulled out of thin air. However, as a small business owner myself, I know could use all the help I can get. Having a ChatBot really can make your life better. It can also collect leads and tailor the info to your specific requirements. Your website visitors want to find an immediate answer to a question regarding your product or service, they also are most likely looking to make a connection in that moment while browsing. So while you’re busy and do not have time to keep constant eyes on what they may be searching for, your handy ChatBot can grab their attention within the first few seconds of the visit and turn that into a sales opportunity by collecting the data they provide, then sending that info to your inbox. Here are a few main talking points about what having a ChatBot on your website can do for you. Engage your Customers The key to the success of your Website is to keep your visitors engaged. The more time they spent on your website, the more likely they will become paying customers. Take UX to the next Level Having a helpful ChatBot will establish an early emotional connection with your visitor. It adds a certain delight for the visitor that achieves reliability. Increase Conversions When you get the contact information of every single visitor on your website, you have an opportunity to convert each and every one of them. Configuring your ChatBot is easy. Once you have the questions you want your chatbot to collect you can head over to this super simple site Collect.Chat and get your account set up. They have a few different options for your bot and depending on your sites needs you may not even spend a single penny on this new Automated Assistant. If this all seems overwhelming shoot me an email and I can get your bot installed for a very low rate. You can even have a quick chat with my ChatBot by clicking the icon in the lower right corner of this page. Thanks for reading 🙂 AmberMarketing Strategy and Designeramber@theactivemedia.com
Stuck updating your own WordPress website?
You’ve spent a fair amount of money on refreshing your business website and now what? Are you finding yourself stuck updating your own WordPress website and not getting the results you need? This is a common complaint we hear from people just like you. Having your own small business website to run is a much larger hassle than one might think. Especially if your busy actually operating your business and taking care of your customers. We offer low cost WordPress website updates starting at $25 for basic changes needed. Beyond staying on top of the search rankings in your business niche there are many other reasons to keep on top of updating your WordPress site. Here are two very important factors to consider. Google loves fresh content and so does your customers. Not only will Google give you higher ranking with constant updates, but your customers will also more than likely be thrilled when they arrive on your site to find that you’ve added more information to the services you provide. As well as increasing the chances of new visitors finding you! Security is key to proper updates! WordPress is the most used CMS (content management system) out there for websites, with that comes tons of software upgrades to the system itself and the plugins you’ve possibly added. When these updates are released there are lists of changelogs that the developers release stating why they are updating. Many times its security, functionality changes, or bigger additions that have become available. When you fail to update the software and the plugins this puts your site at a major security risk. Hackers can find ways through old outdated code. There are more reasons why you should keep your site fresh and we can help! Contact us today if you’re feeling stuck updating your own WordPress website? Learn what we can offer for your WordPress websites update needs. 310-272-6343
5 Key Reasons Why You Need Maintain Your Website
Imagine having a storefront that you didn’t maintain. The windows are dirty, the floors need to be swept and the inventory on your store’s shelves are sparse. Now picture your online business as a store in the same manner. Think about why you need to maintain your website. Keeping your shelves nicely stocked with informational goodies, or atleast explaining where the goodies can be found? Here are 5 key reasons why you need to maintain your website. 5 Key Reasons Why You Need to Maintain Your Website Google likes it fresh! Having fresh updated content that is unique to your online business is a priority. As the spiders crawl your pages they are searching for something that they haven’t seen over and over again on the web. Think about your browsing experience, when you are looking for a specific search term or keyphrase the ones with the most niche answer to your search will be the most valuable to you and will most likely earn your clicks. Content is being created every second on the web so you must do your work to keep that fresh perspective and speak clearly about what it is you have to offer over the competition. Write from clear and consistent information. Many websites tend to boast about their services and push their product and pricing without clearly outlining what it is they have to offer. How many times have you found yourself clicking around on a site and become turned off by their lack of clarity so you bail and move on to the next search listing? Maintaining your website with clear messaging as to what it is that your unique company has to offer not only drives sales but it creates loyal customers who will return again and again for your services and or products. Consistency in your updates and messaging is equally important. Make a pact with yourself to create new content once a week at minimum. Rise to the top organically! By staying on top of your website’s maintenance and adding valuable content that relates to the awesome business you are sure to keep that google score rising. Your competition isn’t afraid to share what is going on, news and events etc. so you can’t be either. Your customers want to hear from you, they trust you know what you are selling and they are online searching for further info, give them that info! Check out this little fun fact: Americans alone conducted a staggering 20.3 billion searches in one month. Google accounted for 13.4 billion searches, followed by Yahoo! Source 404 errors and other common mishaps. We’ve all been stopped by the dreaded 404 errors one time or another and it’s an unfortunate element of being an online business that we must stay on top of. Errors like this happen when we’ve deleted old content or moved our links and forget to rename something properly or left behind an old article on accident. You can get your site set up in Google Search Console via the Webmaster Toolkit and they will notify you when this happens. It’s best to correct broken links and other 404 errors as quickly as possible. If your website isn’t maintained and a search spider catches one of these suckers, it can effort how your site is displayed in the search results. Maintaining your website is free! If you have a WordPress, Squarespace or similarly built website, then adding your weekly updates is at no charge to you. Think of your site’s content like your Yellow page ad (remember that publication?) you wouldn’t let your Yellow Page ad get old and expired with outdated contact info etc. so don’t let the same happen to your website. Those are just a few of the reasons why you need to maintain your website and your online business, it is key in this fastly evolving digital storefront space. Staying in touch with your client via your website and social media channels is more important than ever. If you have any questions about this topic please feel free to reach out, we’d love to help! Like this article and feel like other can benefit from the topic, please share 🙂
Keeping Your Self Maintained Website Safe
Being in business for yourself has enough challenges, however nothing is worse when your business online goes down, gets a bug or just plain stops working all together. We have a handful of clients who like to maintain and update their website on their own, so this post is to give some much needed simple advice of how to stay on top of your websites security! From the Hosting level If you handle or control your hosting platform make sure your web host is using a secure platform. You should request that at minimum 30 days of your website are kept as backups, purging at the end of each 30 day period. Ask questions about their tech support and customer care. Read reviews, many of these guys have some great marketing but are horrible when it comes to the time you truly need them. We put all our clients on the WpEngine platform, it’s secure, has a great chat feature that gets me in and out quickly and what I love most, as a new customer they will take you through a visual interactive tool on the site to make sure you’ve set up everything appropriately. Staying Secure Once you’ve signed up with a GOOD hosting company that has your back and keeps you informed on activity with your site and possible breaches make sure to stay on top of your login info. I’m not saying writing all your passwords in google docs and hope for the best. I talking straight up change them! If you get one ounce of suspicion from your hosting provider that someone may be poking around on your server (even thought they won’t put it that way) you should login and change the following username and passwords: Your database: You will most likely need the assistance of a customer service rep so you don’t make a big mistake that could cost you to have a web programmer put it back. Make sure to use a password that is extremely secure here, pull out all the stops, load it up with funkyness that no one could guess. Your FTP: This is your File Transfer Protocol system, in regular people terms it’s a direct access to the root of the directory where your website is held. Once they’re in here they can do whatever the H3ll they want! Keep this password unique from others, make sure it is strong and cannot be guessed because it’s your name spelled backwards. I know I know, that one is fun and super easy to remember! Your WordPress login: This only applies if your website is operating off the WordPress CMS, since it’s 2016 and you’re reading our helpful posts and last but not least wikipedia says 74,652,825 people are using WordPress this applies to you. Opt for a simple username but get real crazy on that password and yes it needs to be different than the others you’ve created. Embed from Getty Images Back that up! Yes I meant for that to sound like a cheesy line from a rap song. In the literal sense, make monthly backups of your site. This is particularly easy if you’re a WordPress user. You can always lean to your hosting provider for help here too! With this hard copy existing on your actual hard drive, no matter what happens you’ve got your content and “fingers crossed” you won’t need it. Better safe than sorry right? Keep it up to date Obviously updating your site is key just in itself. You’re online business thrives when you keep your visitors loaded with new information. This also tells the search engines you are relevant and you’re not going anywhere. Another ultra important aspect to updates is the need to update all your software (this relates to the platform your site is run on), plugins and third party apps you may have installed along the way. Not sure how to update your plugins? Watch this helpful little video below to learn a bit about how you can tackly your websites safety. Or if you’re looking for some help reach out to us and we’d be glad to look under the hood 🙂
What Does a Webmaster Do?
Webmasters oversee all the features of a website. They solve technical problems, approve site content, and work with designers to ensure the site looks great, regardless of browser. Schools offering Graphics & Multimedia Management degrees can also be found in these popular choices. So, if you’re wondering what does a webmaster do, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will dive into the duties and descriptions of just that. Job Description Webmasters are skilled computer professionals who oversee a website’s optimal functioning and maintenance. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS), webmasters choose which software to use when building a website, approve the content used in the site and troubleshoot technical problems. Important Facts About This Occupation Key Skills As webmaster, your customer service skills will be required as customers ask questions and request changes. Because even a small error can stop a web page from displaying, you must be detail-oriented. You will also need to concentrate on your work, while being creative. Work Environment Most people in this profession work full time. Many are self-employed. Professional Certification The World Organization of Webmasters offers Web Professional Certification based on exams at apprentice, associate and professional levels. Similar Occupations A webmaster likely to have responsibilities much like that of a computer programmer or software developer. Web pages contain code as well as the kinds of objects that a graphic designer, multimedia artist or animator might produce. If a website uses data, the webmaster responsibilities will be similar to database administrator work. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Website Maintenance According to About.com, most webmasters spend most of their time maintaining the website. Website maintenance includes updating content, fixing broken links and images, and ensuring the website’s code is compatible with all browsers. If the website owner or graphic designer wants to make changes to the site, it’s the webmaster’s job to implement them. Troubleshooting Webmasters constantly test their websites for load time, ease of use, and functionality. Webmasters also check to make sure that any content in the website is easily understandable. Users address complaints about a website to the webmaster, who will assess and solve the problem as quickly as possible. Server and Release Maintenance One of the most important aspects of a webmaster’s job is maintaining the server, the computer where all the website’s information is stored. In some organizations, webmasters monitor the server to ensure it is running. Additionally, they may write and run script programs to move website files from a development server to an online production server. Education Requirements Webmasters can adequately perform their many job duties with an Associate of Science degree or technical classes. A Bachelor of Science in Computer Science could help become a webmaster for more complex websites. Salary Info and Job Outlook The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) categorizes webmasters as one kind of web developer. The BLSOccupational Outlook Handbook notes that employment for all web developers will likely grow by about 27% between 2014 and 2024. These professionals earned median salaries of $63,490 as of 2014, per the BLSOccupational Employment Statistics. To continue researching, browse the degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites, and financial aid information.
