Our Blog Posts

The WordPress Revolution

On May 27, 2003, Matt Mullenweg announced the availability of the first version of WordPress. It started the WordPress revolution. It started WordPress web design, the software savior for all of us aspiring non-coders and web designers when there was barely a web or a web designer out there. But, that’s another story!

WordPress was born because existing blogging software called b2/cafelog was discontinued by its main developers. Two users of b2/cafelog, Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, then decided to build a new platform on top of b2/cafelog.

Wix Or WordPress?

Are you trying to decide between Wix or WordPress to build your website? While WordPress is the most popular website builder in the world, it is not the only option.

Wix vs WordPress – Which One is Better? (Pros and Cons)

Is WordPress Hard To Use?
It can seem complicated for some of these reasons:

1. WordPress is a self-hosted Content Management System (CMS).
2. WordPress relies on Third-Party Extensions.
3. Building the perfect design can be overwhelming.
4. There are lots of dashboard settings.
5. Many WordPress terms to learn!

Read More

Why Web Designers Love WordPress

Everything from Squarespace to Wix has wonderful tools for certain skill levels, but here’s why you should use WordPress over all of them.

• The software is free and open-source.
• It adapts so you can make any type of website.
• It supports numerous media types.
• It’s easy to learn and has a huge community.
• You can scale up and expand your website with themes and plugins.
• SEO comes first.
• You have full control of your website. That means it isn’t on someone else’s platform with their limitations like Squarespace or Wix.
• Blogging is the best there is!

WordPress is Perfect for Website Redesigns

Unless you’re a brand-new business, you’ve already got a website. However, you don’t necessarily want to start from scratch, as you could lose any SEO presence you’ve already established. Plus, you’ll probably want to keep your current domain.

WordPress is ideal for website redesigns and is compatible with many other site builders. Its flexibility makes WordPress simple, convenient, and affordable to redesign an existing website.

Further, the platform is consistently updated and changed with various themes and plugins. So if you decide to go ahead with a rebrand or want to try out new designs, you can easily change things up. Even changes as simple as altering the website text and content or uploading new images can be done in just a few steps.

This is crucial as business websites need to grow and change with the businesses themselves. Having a platform that makes this process easy is a key competitive advantage of WordPress that SMBs can take advantage of.

Resources:
Get Started With WordPress
How WordPress Changed The Internet
The History of WordPress
Who Invented The World Wide Web?
Why You Should Use WordPress
6 Most Important Reasons to Use WordPress in 2022
5 Best WordPress Alternatives for A Website, Blog, or ECommerce Store

According to Hubspot, businesses that prioritize blogging experience a 13X increase in ROI, year after year, and generate 70% more leads than those that don’t blog at all!

While most large businesses have impressive content marketing programs and blogs, it’s just as important for a small business or startup to incorporate a blog as well. A website alone doesn’t always offer enough current information, personality, or authority to truly stand out from the crowd.

Google’s love for blogs means that an interesting and regularly updated blog section can work wonders for search engine optimization (SEO). Why? Because blogs are often full of keywords and phrases that you or your business want to rank highly for in internet searches.

This is where a company blog can shine.

Here are seven reasons why your company needs a blog.

1. Keep your audience updated about your business.
   A blog is the most flexible tool to keep your audience in the loop about your business. It lets you share updates in a way that shows who you are, not just what you do, and talk in-depth about your products and services.
   
2. Great for building long-tail keywords and driving traffic.
   Every company needs a blog to increase its visibility. The more blog content you create, the more opportunities you’ll have to show up in search engines and increase organic traffic to your website.
   
3. Helps improve internal linking.
   Unlike inbound linking, internal linking is something that is completely within your control. It helps visitors with site navigation, pointing them to the most important pages on your website. The more relevant links, the better you’ll rank, meaning more traffic and potential leads.
   
4. Get feedback from your customers.
   Good business websites do a solid job of giving customers the information they need, but it is usually a one-way street. There’s no room to ask questions, comment on content, or start a conversation.
   
   This is why a blog is so powerful. It creates a two-way conversation with customers, leads, and industry peers. With a more personal tone and an interactive platform, you can encourage feedback and discussion in the comment sections of your blogs.
   
   Build trust and authority in your brand. Plus, see your business from your audience’s point of view and make changes to improve your services.
   
5. Helps you build your email database.
   Email marketing is still a great marketing strategy. But it’s not easy to get people to sign up! This is where a blog can help.
   
   If people find your blog content informative, relevant, and engaging, chances are they’ll trust your email newsletters. To push them towards signing up, include internal links in both your blogs and newsletters.
   
6. Teach and explain more about products.
   Blogs allow for in-depth explanations and teaching about what your products and services can really offer.
   
   The more your company produces content like this, the more it will be seen as an authority in the industry.
   
7. Easier to get social exposure with blog articles.
   Every time you write a blog post, you’re creating content that people can easily share on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. . This helps expose your company to audiences you don’t even know.
   
   In this way, blog content helps fuel your social media output, strengthening your social media presence and bringing in new visitors.

If you’re looking to reach new audiences, build your brand and stand out from the competition, start a business blog! Take inspiration from the reasons above and get started on a business blog.

Need some help? Contact Marcia to discuss your business blogging needs.

Authors and writers of all kinds need multi-media websites dedicated to their work. It’s all about creating a brand.

This may seem obvious to self-published authors, but it is also true even if your book is published by a big-five publisher. You may think that if a traditional publisher buys the rights to your work, you’re home free, but that is not the case. Publishers’ budgets no longer stretch to a lot of publicity or advertising.

This foundational building block of brand creation is essential in today’s world where if you want your work to find an audience, you have to roll up your sleeves and do the bulk of the publicity yourself.

This is true for writers of all sorts. Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s books, or magazine articles. The Internet is now the first place your audience or prospective publisher will turn when they want to find out about you and your work.

A great example of a multi-media writer’s website is Ann Handley’s. It has everything and is a perfect model for all the unique marketing possibilities you will only find online, i.e. video, email marketing, and blogs.

Home

You’ll want to have a website even before you sell your book. It’s ideal to include a link to your website in your signature for query letters to agents and publishers, for example.

Build Credibility With Your Audience

Have you ever clicked on an ad for something you wanted to purchase only to discover that the website appears outdated? When your website presents you and your work in a professional manner, people are likely to buy your products or services and engage with you as an author.

Provide Direct Links to Purchase

A website makes It easy to sell your products directly on your site.

Your Primary Real Estate on the Web

Some writers point to their profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or some other social media site. There is value in social media profiles for some writers, but it is fleeting. Social media platforms come and go. Once you have your own website, you own your own real estate. No renting!

Quite often the argument I hear is that authors can use social media platforms such as Facebook to keep in touch with their readers. It’s easy and simple and the audience is already ‘there’.

There are a few reasons why this is a risky long-term policy, and why nothing really surpasses having your own corner of the internet, dedicated to your writing career.

PR Coverage/ Testimonials

A website is the only place to display all your testimonials and any PR coverage or reviews you’ve had. It’s a great way to archive coverage that might be lost elsewhere. 

In this way your author website acts as your online CV, listing all your achievements and accolades in one convenient place.

Having all these together is great ‘social proof’, and allows potential readers to see exactly what you’ve achieved in your career.

Your Website is Your Online Home

First and foremost, your author’s website is your online home, a place to showcase everything related to your career. It’s the only place online over which you have full control, and the best way for readers to find out what else you’ve written, plus links to buy your books, more info about you, and behind-the-scenes stuff.

If I think of a business or brand I’m interested in and go to Google them only to discover they don’t have a website – maybe they just have an Instagram page – I’m instantly more suspicious and feel that the brand doesn’t take their business seriously.

If you are an author, you know it is a serious business, and you are the business owner. It’s your career. If you run any other type of business, you would have a website for it! Especially if you wanted to be seen as established and growing.

My Newest Website Design for Authors – sandragurvis.com

Built with the Navigation Pro theme by StudioPress, the website showcases Sandra’s varied and storied career as a writer, editor, and author. The homepage is a complete and elegant read with links to all of Sandra’s many accomplishments.
Be sure to check it out!

Helpful Resources

All entrepreneurs want their businesses to succeed. Unfortunately, many small business owners don’t know which steps they should be taking to achieve their business goals. If you want your small business to be profitable for many years to come, focus on improvements that will help you save costs, avoid legal issues, reach more customers, and improve the quality of your customer service. Here are some resources to help you out!

Tackle Administrative Tasks

The administrative side of your business is admittedly boring but essential for your growth. Good business management will lay the groundwork for your success!

• Learn how to manage your employees properly to avoid legal trouble and reduce turnover.
• Revisit your business plan regularly and make adjustments to better fit your business goals.

Prioritize Customer Service

Great customer service will set you apart from your competitors. Many customers will choose to buy their products from you because of your customer service alone!

• Encourage word-of-mouth referrals by providing unbeatable customer service.
• Make impactful improvements to your customer service strategy.
• Train your staff on best customer service practices.

Try New Promotional Strategies

Modern-day digital marketing is all about leveraging influencers, personalization, and partnerships with other brands. You’ll get a lot more customers with these strategies than you would with traditional offline marketing techniques.

• Connect with J&M Group to revamp your website and deliver custom digital marketing solutions.
• Do cross-promotions with businesses that complement yours.
• Reach out to social media influencers and ask them to promote your products.
• Add elements of personalization to your business website and marketing materials.

Monitor Your Finances

Keeping a close eye on your financials will help you avoid cash flow issues that could sink your small business before you even get a chance to grow.

• Keep track of your expenses and cash flow so you can identify problem areas quickly.
• Review your major costs regularly and look for discounts on supply purchases.
• Consider converting to a home-based business if you don’t need a storefront.
• Earning an online master’s degree in a business-related field can improve your business acumen and understanding of operations and cash flow.

Small business owners have to overcome countless obstacles on their path to success. Following small business best practices like the ones outlined in this article will help you steer clear of potential pitfalls and drive your business towards your goals!