Showing posts with label Website tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Website tips. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Make your Website Mobile with BeMobile4U



Most everyone has a smart phone. So, surfing the net on your phone is a really common thing to do.  I know that I will go days sometimes without touching my computer. If I am traveling I will just use my phone. I can check email, go to any site I want in the palm of my hand. It has been really convenient for me, especially when my computer decides that it wants to stop working. It is great because I can be connected wherever I am, any time. I may be a little too attached to my phone at some times. I know when to put it down but if I am at the grocery store waiting in line sometimes I like to check my email or look at websites. It is also a good thing to have when you are out and are looking for a specific restaurant to eat at.  Sometimes Noah wants to go to Steak n Shake and since I am fairly new to the area, I don’t know where they all are or how to get there.  So, it is extremely helpful.

I have been blogging for over four years and using the internet for over twenty years. One thing I have noticed since I have had a smart phone and even when I had a cell phone with internet, not every site is mobile friendly.  Mobile friendly means that it has a mobile version. It is optimized for mobile use.  Sure you can go to a website, but it can be extremely hard to read if it is the full site. A mobile version makes it really easy to navigate and look for things.  I think that it is very important to have a mobile site to cater to your visitors.  I know that if a website is hard for me to read and navigate, close the site.  I don’t have time to scroll and shrink and squint to find the information I am looking for.  I know that my mom for example wears reading glasses, she can’t see small print. Sometimes the layout is all messed up or the font is funky and she is just like I can’t read this.  You are losing customers or readers by not having a mobile site.  You are losing money and business.

How do you make your site mobile?  I found a great website called BeMobile4U. It is really easy to use. You just put in your website and they do all the work for you. You embed java script code on your site and you are now mobile. It is a must have to stay in business in this day and age.  They even give you a QR Code and your customers can scan it and it takes you to your mobile site. I have seen QR Codes on everything from packages to on the side of buses.  BeMobile4U has three plans to suit everyone’s needs. They have a Mobile Free Plan, Mobile Smart Plan and a Mobile Pro Plan.  The Mobile Free plan would be good for a basic informational site.  The Mobile Smart Plan and the Mobile Pro Plan have some extra awesome features like click to call, click to email, click to map which make it easy for your customers to get in contact with you.  Communication is the key to a successful business.  You can even have AD Sense on your mobile site, which helps you also make money on your mobile site. It isn’t just limited to computers now.  I think that some companies don’t have a mobile site because they don’t know how to get one. You don’t have to hire some IT guy to reconfigure your site, just go to BeMobile4U and they will take great care of you.  The Mobile Pro Plan is only $25 a month which is very affordable and you can focus on other things and bring in new customers.

For more information please visit BeMobile4U

Friday, November 2, 2012

Website Redo Tips



As a blogger and work at home mom that spends a lot of time online, I feel that your website is your business card. I think how it looks can say something about you as a person. For example if your website is all purple chances are your favorite color is purple. I know that with everything being so fast paced online people want to change up their sites. They get bored with the appearance of their sites and want to change it. It’s kind of like your wardrobe. Every so often you wanna try something new.  You get bored always wearing the same things.   I can’t design at all so I would have to hire someone. Who can you trust to have access to your site that you consider your child that you have been running for years? How do you know if someone won’t install a virus or delete all your hard work?  It is really hard to know with all the people who do website designs. Remember that your site is like your digital marketing agency.

Things to consider when hiring someone to redo your site:

How long have they been doing this? I would try and find someone with quite a bit of experience.  Experience doesn’t always mean excellence though. I wouldn’t make that my sole deciding factor. 

What is their style? Some people can only make those sparkly blinky graphics. Those were awesome back in like 2000, but if you want to be taken seriously you need something professional looking.  Can they accommodate your style? Do they also do designs in the platform you use on your site? Some people only design Wordpress or blogger.

How much do they charge? I have seen designers charge upwards to $700 for a redo. Can you afford them? Is it in your budget?  Do you think that it is a fair price?

Do they have a portfolio? You need to see what kinds of work they have done.  You need to see what they are capable of doing, not just what they can promise.

Do they have references? I would ask for some sites and that they have done and maybe reach out to the site owner via email and ask them for their opinion of the designer. Ask if there were issues. I would prefer to ask them and not rely on testimonials.  Call me a skeptic but if you spend years working really hard on something I need to talk to a person.

What is their schedule like? Some designers have a long list of clients. Will it be days, weeks, or months before you get your design completed? Are there issues at home that will postpone it?  I would see how long it will be, if you want something done quickly.  Some people don’t mind waiting.

What is the payment schedule? Do you have to pay a deposit? Do they require payment upfront? I wouldn’t recommend working with a designer who you have to pay upfront just as a security measure.

Are they efficient in HTML? That coding stuff is so annoying. Make sure you hire someone who knows their stuff really well. You can only Google so much.

Don’t be afraid to Google the heck out of them. Learn all you can. Most designers require a button or something that says Designed by…. Look for those on sites you go to.

Good Luck finding an amazing web designer! I hope these helped.