Above is a screen shot of when Detailed Web Design hit the number 1 spot on Google for my favorite search term. This is the result of 2 years of work, and learning how to understand the mechanics behind the enigma that is Google. The days of SEO “tricks” are over. When it comes to building solid SEO, it comes down to content. I have specifically built my website from the ground up instead of using a pre-constructed CMS. When it comes to SEO there is a specific need for strategy, detail, and patience.
Working in social media has been the best unexpected surprise of 2012. Working in web development since 2006, I was always aware of the need for structure, solid navigations and graphics, a focus on SEO and branding. I have enjoyed the rise of social media over the last several years both professionally and personally but I don’t know if anyone could have expected it to completely restructure the way we communicate and do business.
Even though I have regular clients that I work with from other states and even other countries, my heart is in downtown Fort Wayne and the surrounding areas. In 2012 alone, I have taken over as the Web and Social Media developer for NIPRA, Club Soda, Fort Wayne’s Downtown Improvement District, LBR, Mad Money Coupons, and Fort Wayne’s MoneySaver Magazine. All of these companies have different methods and audiences but they all recognize the importance of connecting with their followers.
Social media has allowed for 24/7 access to our greatest thoughts as they come alive and gives us a foundation to our future plans. We are no longer lonely islands trying to form connections through mailers and cold-calls. Instead, we are one Facebook post away from finding our new favorite client, our biggest fan, our loudest champion, our hungry customer.
Cheers to much more success as we move into the second half of 2012 and all that it has to offer us in social media. If you are interested in social media for your own business, please contact me at Detailed Web Design.
Social Media is your new best friend. Right? If it’s not, it’s time to get introduced. Businesses are no longer bound to the brick and mortar that surround them nor should they be.
The biggest road block that I have seen is the generational gap that occurs somewhere around 1970. We have allies and foes on both sides but it’s hard for those born pre-1970 to fully grasp and understand that importance of the web as we know it. Think of it as the sacred newspaper ad that we all grew up coveting except now, that newspaper is being handed out to every single person you know, several times a day… for free.
Social media, more than anything, is a conversation. It is a two-way dialogue to the hearts of your customers, and to their pocket book. If you need help with building that dialogue, that’s what I am here for.
I have been helping a number of Fort Wayne companies with their brand, their social media representation, and their “conversation.” Here are a few of them:
Mad Money Coupons
Fort Wayne’s Downtown Improvement District
Midtowne Realty
Fort Wayne Money Saver
House of Furniture
Liechty Buffalo Ranch
Contact me today for assistance!
DetailedWebDesign.com
Check out the complete redesign for a Chicago client, Area Roof. Tom was not pleased with his website when he contacted me. It was busy, confusing, and the galleries did not work on mobile browsers for phones and iPads.
I offered him a solution that would fit his budget: I simply took all of the information and inserted it into a new tailored design that better suited his line of work. I replaced the flash picture galleries with jquery picture galleries so that mobile viewers could see them, and I made the website user-friendly while keeping with more subtle Earth tones. I felt blinded after looking at the original website and I wanted the focus to be on the information.
In the end, Tom ended up paying 35% less for the redesign than for the original website which was poorly designed, poorly coded, and didn’t have an inch of SEO in it.
Check out the pictures above to rotate between before and after pictures!
New Website Link: http://www.arearoof.com
Contact me for a redesign at http://www.detailedwebdesign.com
Source: arearoof.com
Facebook & Social Media - Understanding the Connection
This is one of the best videos I have seen regarding how a company can utilize Facebook to grow its company. What we need to realize is that customers want to be engaged and as more and more people are becoming involved in your business, it will grow upon itself. This means more online representation which means more physical representation, as well as a growth in interests and sales. Don’t forget to make it FUN! :)
Check this out: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10101033632189623
Midtowne Realty: An SEO Success Story!
I built a website a few years ago for Midtowne Realty. They are one of Fort Wayne’s top property management companies and own the best apartment buildings in downtown Fort Wayne. This includes Worthington Manor, West Berry Apartments, Jackson Manor, and many other buildings.
The original website showcases all of their properties, shows available houses and apartments, as well as the application process, and a contact area. Even though the website was meeting their needs, they were having very little traction on Google. They really wanted to see their company in top search engine listings above their competitors, especially in the downtown Fort Wayne area.
I sat down and mapped a plan for their website. I started by reworking all of the pages of their current website with the integration of more content into the front-end as well as insertion into the HTML code directly. I watched the results play out on Google and then took the next step of creating a mobile version which allows for a mirror to the original site except this version is viewable on mobile phones and iPads. This also allows for the opportunity to essentially double the keywords.
I waited another week to watch the Google results from the recent construction. Their ranking continued to grow. I created social media pages for their website through Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. Each of these allows them unique opportunities to build links, connect with customers, and spread the word regarding their business. A week later, I watched the results continue to grow higher.
It was at this time that I created an extra set of pages for the properties themselves, filled with the content and keywords for the keywords that they were wanting to see more traction on. The social media will allow for continued growth on the website and will be able to be taken over by Midtowne Management.
Each website has it’s own unique opportunities for more growth and visibility. There are a number of tools and tricks I have learned over the years to help make this possible. SEO results depend upon the market, the competition, the current website, the age of the website, the size of the website, and other factors but with enough time, tracking, and work, results are possible.
In 5 short weeks, Midtowne went from having no ranking on all of their desired top 20 keywords to being in the Top 5 and Top 10 for ALL of their keywords, even landing in the coveted #1 spot for a few of those. It was a pleasure placing them on the map, and helping them to get a lead-in against their competition. They now have the solid representation online that they have already established in everyday business here in downtown Fort Wayne.
Congrats!
Check them out on Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook!
Check out my social media packages!
Source: midtownerealty.net
A Client’s SEO Journey.
I enjoy working with my clients and teaching them the secrets that I have learned to help them grow their websites and in return they gain more business. When it comes to SEO, content truly is king. If you are willing to invest a little time in the art of social media and have even a small desire to write a few paragraphs as little as once a week, you can dramatically improve the ranking of your website on Google.
A perfect example of this was proven by my client Sara Kruger, owner of sarabellahomestaging.com. She committed to sit down every Friday and write a new blog post on her Wordpress blog that I set up for her. I showed her how to write content that will attract her audience while tagging each post with solid keywords aimed directly at your target audience.
And guess what? It is paying off. She already started receiving calls from perfect strangers in less than 2 weeks after her website was revamped, and she continues to receive those calls today. When she asks new clients where they found her, they simply say, “Google.” As if there was any other answer! :)
Congrats, Sara! Wishing you much more success in your continued journey into the internet.
If you are interested in growing your website through SEO, please contact me through my website at detailedwebdesign.com!
Before & After shots of new logo design for LPI. Client was looking for similar structure and font, just something a little more eye-catching. New LPI website coming in the next few days!
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I have worked directly with websites since 2005. I received my Associates of Business Degree in 2007. I followed it with a Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology in 2009. My web portfolio has continued to grow along the way. I have created multiple web creations from scratch including personal websites, small business websites, e-commerce websites, websites for actors, writers, and singers. I have created websites for city government and for global not-for-profit organizations. I also assist businesses with SEO and Social Media setup and growth.
