Tip 36 - Blogging

As you are already reading this you know what a blog is, and although the term blogging has changed dramatically over the years, from just being someones account of what they are doing to more like a news feed on any particular subject.

So if you dont already have a blog you should start one, just write about what you know and if interesting enough people will share it. There are two main points to writing your blog theses are

1. To get exposure, the more your write the more change you have that people will see you as an expert in your field and hire you to do stuff for them.
2. Get a bit extra cash, you can actually make money from your blogs, there are teh very simple advertising methods such as Google Adsense, Amazon, Clickbank to name but a few. But if you enjoy writing you can actually make money from writing about stuff on your blog, everything from toasters to tech, sites such as SponsoredReviews.com will let you write about other peoples products or services and you get paid for doing this. I was a bit wary at first but have just been paid for one of my reviews and know this site is genuine.

So get yourself onto blogger.com or wordpress.com or https://www.tumblr.com/ and start you blog, and remember keep it up to date with interesting stuff and you will get more exposure and more people will know what you do, but remember keep it interesting, dont just blog about yourself

Are you making the most out of your website and social media. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 36 - Twitter

OK so you have all heard the news about Google+ and new changes to FaceBook, well this tip is to not forget about the huge success of Twitter and why you should use it.

First of it you have not already done so head over to Twitter and create your account, and start tweeting. Making sure you tweet about stuff that is not only interesting, but stuff that you are doing. Dont use Twitter as a place just to shout your link to your website, blog, facebook, google+ or whatever.

Each tweet should be about interesting stuff and try to incorporate hash tags by using the hash (#) symbol before words, for example your tweet could read "just started my new blog on #photography".

Keep your tweets short and interesting and you will get followers.

Also make sure you use lists, these help you group people into categories you understand, there are a couple of great places to start your twitter journey once you have created your id.

1. www.listorious.com - A great place to share your lists and find interesting people to follow
2. www.twellow.com - A directory of twitter users, just like the phone book only for twitter.

Once you start tweeting just keep it up, and make sure you pay attention to others who you follow, retweet interesting post, mention people in your posts by using the at (@) symbol, for example to mention me use @potissimus in your tweets.

Feel free to follow  my Twitter account and I will follow you back.

@Potissimus - http://twitter.com/potissimus



Are you making the most out of your website and social media. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 35 - Google Pages

Google+ Pages have finally been launched so get over to Google+ and secure your brands before someone else does.

Just make sure you have a Google+ profile then go to https://plus.google.com/pages/create to get started creating yoru Google+ page for your business.

Check out my page for inspiration https://plus.google.com/116531610334932058322

Are you making the most out of your website and social media. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 34 - Google Insights for Search

Ok so you have spent your entire life writing your website, getting the design just right and now its live and the visitors are coming, or are they.

OK as you will already know the key to a successful website is having not only other websites linking to your website, but having the right keywords in and on your website so that it can be found.

Ok so how do you find out which ones to use (I have touched on keywords before but not the stats), the key to the right keywords is research. Play around with different words to see which ones are being searched. To do this you have a few choices and these are

1. Open a Google Adwords account and use the keyword Tools in the Reporting and Tools section to play around and find out which keywords are being searched and how competitive they are.
2. Google being the nice people they are have started to open up some of the search engine data for you to play with, and although still a Beta solution the new kid on the block is Google Insights for Search with this tool you can see what people are searching for almost in realtime, and unlike the keyword tools in adwords this shows you the information from the search engine direct, so although a keyword may not have a lot of competition it may or may not be popular.
3. Not forgetting Bing which is the other big search engine on the block, by using the Bing Webmaster tools you can research your keywords and website from the Bing side of the fence.
4. Not forgetting that Google also provides a suite of webmaster tools to help you with your search engine journey

By using these tools above you can get an idea of which keywords will work best for your website,

Once you have your keywords and have made changes to your website to track the visitors and keywords they use to come to your website. Again make sure to stick to both side of the fence in terms of search engines, use both Google Analytics and Bing Webmaster Tools to check on your visitors and where they are coming from.

Happy website promoting and best of luck.

Are you making the most out of your website and social media. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 33 - Testing

I thought I woudl take some time to mention one area most website designers and developers struggle with and that is testing. Simply put just making sure your website works and looks the same on all browsers.

It is the norm for anyone who designs websites on a regular basis to have an array of browsers on their machine in order to check that their website works on different browsers, but you may be asking what about me I only have a single website and its too much to have all browsers on my machine.

The Solution

The solution lies in online testing, and although there are a lot of websites that offer this service both free and paid, the best one I have come accross is by the lovely people at Adobe and its called the Adobe Browser Lab this lovely service let you test you website in not only different browsers but different operating systems also.

Dont Forget

Whilst it is always a good idea to test your website in different browsers, never forget that not everyone is using teh same size or resolution of monitor, although the standard is still 1024 x 768 make sure you test on as many resolutions as possible, and remember a given resolution is not the same on a wide screen monitor as it may be on say a Mac laptop.

So in testing make sure you test both compatibility as well as viewability.

Are you making the most out of your website and social media. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 32 - Keywords (again)

Now we have all heard the hype about keywords over the years, and whether META tags and your text play apart in your search engine rankings, or whether they are just old school and not worth worrying about. Well the fact is simple Search engines work on a set of search rules called algorithms, simply put they make a decison based on lots of criteria to show people who search what they are looking for.

Normally these rules are a whole load of things, including inbound links (sites linking to yours), where you are mentioned, your actual domain name to name but a few.

Now why I mention this is that I get lots of people asking me the best keywords to use for their website, now in reality the only person who can answer this is you. There are lots of great programs to help you decide which keywords are best, and which keywords your competition is using. But my advice if use with caution, using these programs will give you a nice list. But try not to simply copy your competition, take on board the keywords they are using and try to think they they are using them, and if they are appropriate to you then use them, but make sure when writing your text on yoru site that it makes sense, dont throw in random words just for the sake of it.

Next use the excellent, and free, tools provided by Google along with using Google Analytics will give you everything you need to see which words people are using to find you, where their from. All you need to do now is look at the search phrases and words people are using to find you, and ask yourself are they the things your want to be found for?

You may by now be asking yourself, how do you come up with keywords, the answer is quite simply really. Get a pen and a piece of paper and write down everything you can think of about your business and your website, no matter how big or small. Out of this brainstorming you will see a pattern of the words your actually want to be found for. So whats next.

1. Make sure to include your new list of words within the text of your website.
2. Included them in your signature, both in your emails, forums, social networking, etc.
3. In fact any where you write online, try to put these words in the text (press releases, news letters, etc)
4. BUT remember although you now know what your keywords should be, make sure everything you write makes sense, and you are not just stuffing your keywords where they should not go.

Happy keyword searching, and remember getting found online is more about getting quality visits over millions of useless ones.

Find me on FaceBook
Follow me on Twitter

Tip 31 - Keep It Real (Google Profiles)

You may or may not be aware of the latest debate over Google and its policy to force people to user their real names as their profile on Google. This has caused lots of different opinions on the web, but here is how and why you shoudl capitalise on this to promote your website.

In any business regardless of the size there is one simple rule to remember and that is "people by from people" not matter what your product or service people will always prefer dealing with people. This being the case you should try to make all of your profiles as real as possible, and make sure that people can connect your online presence with your offline presence.

How? the best way it to firstly make sure you have a profile online for yourself and your business "although not currently possible on Google". One you have your profiles make sure that your personal profile speaks to people about who you are, and gives them an insight into your world. Them make sure within your profile you link to your website.

So in short my tips are

1. Make your profile personal and show people you are a real person
2. link your profile to your website and make sure people know that although they are buying from your company. "its you they are dealing with"
3. Try to keep the link between you and your company as connected as possible but without your potential work prospects adding your personal profile as your work one. You dont want clients seeing your drunken photos now do you.

So remember in order to make the most out of social media you must be "SOCIAL"

Are you making the most out of your website and social media. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 30 - Google Real-Time Search

Google has announced that it will be introducing real-time search results, after the service was halted following not being able to reach an agreement with twitter.

The major change this time is that the results will be powered by Google's own social networking site Google+ and the Google Plus button, this means that all activity you do and all the plus's you get can influence the search engines results immediately.

So he is what you need to do.

1. If you do not already have a Google+ account go and create one.
2. Keep active, its too easy to think that just by creating your profile that your job done, you need to keep your status up to date, and make sure you interact with others, commenting, liking, plus's all help keep you in the forefront.
3. Make sure you add the Google plus button to your website.
4. If you have some news make sure to tell the world, so if you have a big event coming up update your status, even if you have just hired someone new update your status.
5. Just remember this, this old rules still apply make sure you include some relevant keywords in your updates, don't make it spammy but just make sure they are there.

Good luck with your social media adventures.

Are you making the most out of your website. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 29 - FaceBook Business Pages vs Google+ Business Profile

As the new kid on the block Google+ is trying to evolve, and after its initial launch success and gaining over 2 million users worldwide, the Google+ team are about to launch the ability to have a business profile on Google+, as a present it is only possible to create personal profiles.

So in response to this FaceBook have launched FaceBook Business Pages, which in reality is a page detailing what you can do for your business on FaceBook, for an example of this please check out our FaceBook Business Page this puts FaceBook in direct competition with Google+ and its business profile intention.

So the question you may be asking yourself is which is better a FaceBook page or Google+ business profile, the answer in short is they both have their merits, but my advice is to stick with FaceBook if you really want to have a business page, as the Google+ offering is still in its initial stages and as FaceBook has most things working I would stick with that for now.

HOWEVER

One thing they say is never mix business with pleasure, and never is that more true than in the social media world. So what I would suggest for the ideal solution is to use different social networking sites for different identities, although having a business profile on FaceBook or Google+ is not a bad thing, I would suggest using sites such as LinkedIn in order to keep your business world away from your personal world. After all do you really think that your next customer really wants to see your holiday snaps, or that you pals care about what your company does.

So in short, use FaceBook and Google+ for non business and use dedicated business sites like LinkedIn for business.

Are you making the most out of your website. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 28 - Google+ and You

First off if you have not heard of Google+, then dont worry its currently in Beta stage and invitation only, but its simply Googles answer to FaceBook.

Google has announced that it intends to start renaming all non Google created assets inline with the intended public launch of Google+ (Googles answer to FaceBook), this will include the renaming of assets such as Blogger and Picasa to Google Blogs and Google Photos.

This also falls in line with Googles intended removal of all Private profiles from Google, this I must say I am in total agreement with, after all what is the point of Social Media if you are not being social about it. By having private profiles the only people who can see them are the people you allow to, which means in reality these are people you already now.

After all the whole point of "Social Networking" is to do increase your connections and make more friends and unlike normal networking this extends beyond your business life to include all aspects of your life.

So to Google I say "WELL DONE" and again the Global giant is both listening and acting on what people want and as always doing a great job in the process.

Are you making the most out of your website. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 27 - Tracking & Building an Online Following

In the current climate of social media, it is all to easy to start reading a blog, or visiting a website regularly or even receiving a newsletter. This is a problem.

You may be thinking WHY? the answer is simple as it costs very little to build a following on the internet, you must track the entry points in order to build a successful marketing campaign.

What this means is that you must keep a track of the two areas.

1. Sites, Blogs, Newsletter You Read / View / Follow

You need to make a note of how you first heard about something, whether that something is a website, blog, newsletter. Try to write down exactly how you came to know about it, that way you may find an area that could work for your website. Did you get an email? Did you read about it on a forum?

What ever the way you heard about something, write it down as it may just be a good place for you to build your online following.

2. People who connect with you.

You must ask everytime someone connects with you, whether its an email, reply to your post on a forum, comment or what ever, how they came to know about you or the website they heard about you.

All it takes is a quick question, how do you hear about me?

So remember along with the following you must keep a point of the first point of entry of anything you view, read, watch and see if it will help you grow your online presence.

Now the following is a reminder of what basics you must have to help get the word out.

1. Put an email signature, including your website, contact details, social networking etc on all your emails.
2. Create a signature in all forums, website or anywhere else your post stuff.
3. Create and keep your online profiles up to date, whether its your Facebook, LinkedIn or anywhere else you live online, keep the content and all links up to date. Remember to at least have a link to you main website in all your profiles.

If this all sounds scary, please get in touch and Iwill be happy to help you start building your online following visit me at www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 26 - Internet Speed

This tip in nice and simple, "dont juse code your site for faster internet connection and normal viewers".

There are far too many site today being designed with flashy multimedia and heavy graphics, this is great is you are running a 100meg internet connection, but as the average internet speed is still only around 10meg, you must remember to make sure your site is just as fast.

My advice for this is simple code your site for the most common types of internet connection, not speed and you cant go wrong. So if you keep in mind that a cable connection, and adsl connection and a leased line connection you wont go far wrong.

Simply put, cable connections are usually around 10meg, but can go as low as 2meg and as fast as 100meg. ADSL connections still only average out at about 8meg, but can go as fast as 24meg or as slow as a few hundred kilobytes.

So in short thing of speeds of 2meg and under, 8-24meg and 24meg + and you site will work great for everyone. One word of caution if you are thinking of the mobile market, most mobile browsers will run at around 1-2meg tops, so make sure you have a cut down mobile version of your website, as unfortunately todays modern smartphones will be happy to attempt to load a full non mobile designed website.

Are you making the most out of your website. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.

Tip 25 - Browser Size

With the every increasing monitor sizes available today, it has never been more important to make sure your website will look the same on all monitors.

It is still safe to say that the most commonly used screen size is 1024 wide by 768 high, although some people still use 800 wide by 600 high. Although they are a dying breed and with technology prices falling, laptops and desktop screen becoming ever larger you should try your site on a variety of monitor sizes.

One thing to keep in ming when designing your layout is a term known as "below the fold", put simply this means that at the time of loading anything a user can see on your website is "above the fold" and any content a user has to scroll to see is "below the fold". This is an expectable way to show content, especially when you have lots of text articles or similar.

HOWEVER

You must design your page so that it is not wider than the users screen, people do not want to scroll across to read content. So if you have to make your site not as wide and make it longer, but avoid side scrolling content.

You may be thinking "How do I test my content in a variety of size? I only have one monitor" well other than messing with your computer display settings, there are a number of ways to do this. The easiest is to use one of the many website tools out there to aid your design.

Here are a couple of tools I use to test website design

1. Web Confs - Web Page Screen Resolution Simulator
2 Google Labs - Browser Size Tool

So remember when testing to make sure everyone can see all your hard work.

Are you making the most out of your website. The answer will most definately be no. Ask for a FREE report now. Go to www.potissimus.co.uk for more info.