Google’s Mobile First Index: Is your Website Ready?

Google has already started rolling out their mobile-first index. This means they are ranking search results based on the mobile version of a site’s content instead of by the desktop version as it currently does. You may wonder why they are making this change and how it affects your website. Those are a few questions we hope to answer for you!

Why the change?

More and more searches today are done on a mobile device. Mobile traffic has surpassed desktop traffic, with more than half of all worldwide website traffic being on a mobile phone or tablet. Mobile traffic will only continue to grow. Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives. Google recognizes this and wants to help mobile users find what they’re looking for faster and easier. Thus, the move to a mobile-first index.

What is mobile-first indexing?

Mobile-first indexing means Google will start with the mobile version of a website when building their index. It is important to note that this is mobile-first, not mobile-only. Google explains they will continue to have one single index they will use for search results. They won’t have a separate “mobile-first index” that’s different from the main index. Historically, the desktop version was indexed, but increasingly, Google will be using the mobile version of sites. You can think of the mobile version of your site as the main version.

If a website does not have a mobile version, the desktop version can still be included in the index. However, the lack of a mobile-friendly experience can negatively impact rankings for the site. On the other hand, if a site has a mobile and desktop version, there should not be a significant impact in terms of a site’s performance in search results.

What about my website?

The answer to this question depends on the type of mobile version you have for your site. If your website uses responsive design (meaning the desktop and mobile versions are the same), you should be good to go. You’ll just want to make sure your mobile site is optimized for page speed, load time and navigation.

If you have a separate mobile site, you’ll want to make sure the mobile version contains everything your desktop site does. You also want to make sure it’s optimized for speed, etc.

If you currently do not have a mobile version of your website, you will definitely want to consider getting one sooner rather than later. Your content can still be indexed; however, your rankings will fall in comparison to mobile-friendly sites. Also, with the growing percentage of mobile users, it just makes sense to have a mobile version of your site.

If you need help getting your website ready for Google’s mobile-first index or you have more questions, give WebDrafter a call today at 717-589-7812 or contact us. We can set you up with a mobile or responsive site, as well as optimize it for you.

Getting Social: How Social Media Marketing Can Benefit Business

Social media helps get the word out. But even more important than exposure, it offers an opportunity to grow relationships with a target audience and build your brand. So, get out there! WebDrafter is ready and willing to help you build your social media presence and offer a schedule that will benefit your brand voice while promoting products and services.

 It is important to note however, that not all social media sites are created equal and are a necessary platform for your business. So, we’d like to discuss the different channels, what they do and how they can help your overall SEO.

SEO

Social media isn’t simply a trend. It’s been around for years now and it is here to stay. It’s a requirement for the long term success of any business or organization. Did you know that approximately 71% of consumers who have a good social media experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to others?

While the search engines continue to exclude links, there’s no doubt that a strong social media strategy will drive great search engine results. Google and other search engines are constantly working to offer the most relevant search results possible. Social media has become one of the major factors in ranking websites. By creating engaging and shareable content on these social media platforms, you are signaling to search engines like Google that people enjoy your brand, you are displaying an increased domain authority over sites that aren't as active on social media.

People use social media to connect with people, to be entertained, and to find information. Social media marketing gives your business a personality so customers feel your company is part of their everyday lives. It allows you to engage with them one-on-one and gives your brand a voice.

The Platforms

Our goal here at WebDrafter is to engage, inform and interact. We want you to become a household name amongst your target audience, and when people ‘like’ or ‘share’ the unique content we’ve created for you on Facebook or Twitter, we enjoy knowing it will be seen by their entire network of friends and family. Here are the main platforms we use:

Facebook, mother of all social platforms. Creating interesting posts about products, promotions, services as well as fun, seasonal tips will increase exposure to potential customers. They also help you reach a targeted audience and build brand loyalty. When a customer sees you on Facebook, you become like a friend to them and they will enjoy seeing what you’re up to. Most, if not all businesses, can benefit from having a Facebook account as long as their posts remain steady, on brand and engaging.

Twitter. Frequent, engaging Tweets help keep your business current. Twitter works best for immediate, in-the-now information about your business. For example, a roofing repair company should Tweet after a recent hail storm to let customers know they specialize in hail damage repair.

Google+ & Google Business. Google+ is a sharing platform that allows people and businesses to share content on their profile and connect with others. Google has also recently rolled out a new feature to all small businesses called Google Posts. Businesses can now create posts about promotions, products and other topics to get the word out.

Pinterest. Pinterest is best for brands that have a very visual experience. For example, interior design and remodeling lends well to Pinterest. You can pin your own finished projects or pin inspiration for customers.

Linkedin. We can create a Linkedin company page complete with logo, images and a complete description of what your company does, its specialties, its employees and what makes it unique.

YouTube. This is where you can really get creative! YouTube is a great place to host product tutorials, customer testimonials and whatever else you think can be brought to life through the video format!

Instagram. Highly visual, Instagram is great for companies with a lot of visuals to show off and share. Post photos of new products or events you’ve attended and let your followers know what you’ve been up to.

And these are just a few of the social media platforms today. And, it is important to remember that no matter how many platforms you are on, it is essential to have a strategy. Without a social media strategy, your posts and pins become arbitrary and don’t work to draw traffic to your site. At WebDrafter, we not only write and manage your social media posts, we also design a strategy. Did you know that according to DreamGrow, less than 25% of Twitter accounts are actually active? An inactive account not only looks bad but it’s not doing anything to drive business. And that’s the ultimate goal of social media; to bring people to your site. 

Interested in learning more about how social media marketing can help your business? Give us a call, Contact Us on our site, follow us Facebook or Tweet us @WebDrafter and we can tell you all about social media marketing and answer any questions you might have.

Spring Refresh: Updating Your Site for the Months Ahead

It’s time for some spring cleaning! Virtually, that is. Improve your business’ website, get it ranking higher and seen by more customers by utilizing some of our leading services at WebDrafter. If you’ve been thinking all winter about ways to do more to increase your business’ exposure or to ramp up your online presence, spring is the best time to get started! Unlike mundane, at-home tasks like cleaning out the garage; revamping your website can be a fun form of spring cleaning! So, let’s dig in deep and drive more people to your business with these simple, refreshing solutions:

Get Out There and Go Mobile  

The Smartphone is like a department store for your pocket! So, start your spring shopping! Did you know that 79% of smart-phone users use their phone to make purchasing decisions? So, when a customer goes to your site, you want them to find a mobile responsive one that looks great and is easy to use. If not, they may leave it to find a more mobile-friendly competitor.

A responsive site detects and adjusts its content to display optimally on all screen sizes, including tablets and mobile phones, keeping customers on your site longer and reducing your bounce rate. Now, this feature doesn’t happen automatically. On a non-responsive site, a customer will have a far more negative experience, having to adjust, minimize and maximize. Make sure your site is responsive for a seamless look and better customer experience overall.

Frolic in Fresh Design

When a customer enjoys being on your site, they develop a much better impression of your business, learning more about your products and services. This day in age, a website’s aesthetic is often a customer’s very first interaction with your brand. A great looking, engaging, modern and informative website that’s easy to navigate says so much about your company and keeps customers on your site.

Whether you need a completely new website or just some sprucing up, we offer creative solutions, collaborating with you, the client, for a comprehensive design that’s best for you and your needs.

Help Business Bloom with SEO

If you’re not doing something to improve your search presence, chances are you’re falling down in the ranking and behind your competition. There are over two billion people online. Did you know that 93% of all online experiences start with a search? And, that 75% of users never scroll past the first page and 70%-80% of users ignore paid ads and focus on just the organic results?

It’s time to make a difference and spring is the perfect time to do so! As experts in SEO and Search Engine Marketing (SEM), we will find the word choice, formatting, text, structure and internal links to help get your site seen. Did you know companies that blog have 434% more indexed pages? And, more indexed pages means more leads. Allow our writers to create not only website content, but blog content to increase your ranking.

Boost Your E-Comm

If you’ve got something to sell or services to provide, you should be leveraging the power of the Internet! Did you know e-commerce can apply to many different types of websites including not only retail but business to business transactions?  For many Americans, the Internet is the very first place they go to when it comes to finding something they need.

At WebDrafter, we will work with you to create an easy-to-use, aesthetically pleasing platform to sell your products and services, increasing not only your sales but your brand recognition, both locally and globally.

If you’re ready for a serious spring refresh or if you just have some questions about how to increase business, Contact Us at WebDrafter.com! We specialize in search engine optimization and marketing, website design, ecommerce design, mobile responsiveness, reputation management and more!

Fun Times with WebDrafter.com

Normally, all the WebDrafter.com employees are hard at work in front of their computer screens. We are busy building new websites, writing blogs and posting on social media. However, for one Saturday afternoon in August, we decided to get together outside of the office for some food and fun. Welcome to the WebDrafter.com 2016 company picnic!

We met for lunch on August 20 at Little Buffalo Sate Park, which is just outside of Newport, Pennsylvania, where our office is located. Employees and their families all came together bringing various treats. Our president, Melodi Elliot, provided the main sustenance, which was barbecue from a local restaurant. We all ate until we were full!

The day was warm but perfect at our picnic table under the shade trees. Nearby was a creek where the kids (both young and old) were able to cool off and play in the mud. Some fun team building activities were encouraged such as egg tossing and taking a chance at getting whip cream in the face. It was all in good fun of course!

All in all it was a good, relaxing time to be together away from the office and get to know each others’ families better. We do make a good team, and that shows in the work we do for our clients.

Here is a video and some photos from the whip cream in the face game at the picnic. Enjoy!

If your company or business needs a website or needs help being found online, let our team help! We specialize in website design, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and various other online marketing services. Let us know what we can do for you! Contact Us today and we promise not to throw an egg at you or cover your face with whip cream – although it’s really not a bad thing!

Announcing WebDrafter.com's New Website and Blog!

WebDrafter.com is pleased to announce that our website and blog have brand-new looks! Our new website was definitely a labor of love, but we are thrilled with the end result. We think it better reflects our company and the website design abilities of our employees. It really shows off what we are capable of doing for our clients. Check it out and let us know what you think! The website really runs the gamut: you can see our portfolio and the services we offer. You can even get to know our staff and more about the company as a whole!

We also have a brand-new blog, and we also think it is a better reflection of who we are, what we do and what we can bring to the table. Our team of writers, graphic designers and Internet gurus can help your business with all of its Internet marketing needs, and our blog is just a taste of what we can offer to your business. With posts about budgeting, RFPs vs. RFQs, how to access a Google Analytics account and more, you can definitely learn a lot by reading our blog. Our team here is so knowledgeable about how marketing on the Internet can help grow your business, you are sure to learn something new every time you visit our blog.

And if you want more information on WebDrafter.com and how we can help your business succeed, give us a call at 717-589-7812 or 1-866-421-3723. Or you can Contact Us and fill out our online form!

New Website Design: Rausch Brothers Monument Company

Rausch Brothers Monument Company designs rock solid (if you’ll pardon the pun) monuments, headstones and memorials. WebDrafter.com designs rock solid websites. Perfect match? We’d like to think so.

The result of the two of us coming together is a fantastic looking new website for Rausch Brothers Monument Company. The Midwest-based provider of granite monuments, memorials and headstones now has a wonderful website to direct clients and customers to.

Check it out for yourself by clicking here.

The Importance of Google+ for Local Businesses

Google+ has been the butt of many jokes. Consider this picture that explains social media with donuts:

And while it might seem like Google+ is a virtual ghost town. After all, how many people do YOU know that use Google+?

Probably more than you think.

During I/O 2013, Google’s annual developer conference, Google yesterday rolled out new changes to the Google+ platform, and in a blog about the updates, it was stated:

Consider: 190 million people are now active in the Google+ stream, and 390 million are active across Google (+1’ing apps in Google Play, making video calls in Gmail, sharing videos from YouTube...). It’s a community of artists and astronauts and computer scientists and quilters — and it’s awesome. But we’ve only just begun.

With 190 million active users, Google+ might be the most popular ghost town ever.

However, many local businesses don’t seem convinced of the power of Google+. After all …

More people use Facebook and Twitter, so why should I care about Google+?

Therein lies the dilemma: Facebook and Twitter are the undisputed kings of social media. If you have them, no other social network is necessary, right?

Stop thinking about Google+ as strictly a social network.

Google+ is more of a “social layer” that connects together all of Google’s various products and services, from YouTube, Gmail and Google Docs to AdWords and search.

As search is becoming more personalized, and more users are searching and surfing while logged into accounts (including Google), Google+ will only continue to grow in prominence. To see this in action, check out these results for “social media”:

The differences are highlighted. As a result of the user’s connections +1’ing (i.e. giving the website a “stamp of approval” of sorts) various websites, they now appear on the first page for the phrase “social media” while the user is logged in.

The +1 feature extends beyond just web sites. It extends to Google Play, YouTube and all of Google’s services. It’s becoming an integral part of successful SEO.

Search is now social.

Let’s take another look at the results for “social media”:

The icons on the left indicate those results that are appearing due to the user following those sites respective Google+ pages, and the G +1 button results are designated by the orange +1 button under the placement.

As consumers gravitate toward social networks, search will continue to become more personalized and social. You shouldn’t be thinking, “Does my business need to be social?” but rather, “What can my business do to be more social?”

In an article for Search Engine Watch, Jason Cormier beautifully stated:

The most significant reason to get your business on Google+ is simple: The quality and corresponding engagement around your search engine visibility stands to either noticeably improve or gradually decline.

Local results revolve around Google+, not Places.

Your business might already be on Google+ and you might not even be aware. Remember Google Places? These were the “maps results,” as they were commonly called, but notice anything different:

Last May, Google rebranded Places as Google+ Local, to integrate the system directly into the Google+ stream. It’s not enough just to have this listing, however; you should also have a Google+ Page.

I thought if my business was on Google Places, it was already on Google+?

There is a significant difference between Google+ Pages and Google+ Local. As Google explains, there are key differences between the two:

• Google+ Local is simply an upgrade of Google Places. You can add information and photos, and a link to your website. Consumers can also review your business.
• Google+ Pages allows you to add information, photos, videos and posts.
• Merging the two gives you all the features listed above.

Why is this push for local so important? Consider these statistics:

• 20% of all searches have a local intent
• 40% of mobile searches have a local intent
• 97 % of consumers search online for local businesses

Which is best for my business?

There’s no one size fits all option. For now, the ability to merge Google+ Local with a Google+ Page is only available to those with local, “storefront”-based businesses (i.e. businesses that serve consumers at a fixed location). If you want to create a Google+ page for your business, you have five options:

• Local Business or Place: These are for local operated businesses, i.e. antique shops, mom and pop pizza parlors, etc. Your business must have a physical address (not a PO Box) and this address will show. If you want your address to be hidden, then this option will not work for you.
• Product or Brand: This category is for companies like Nike, Chevrolet, etc.
• Company, Institution or Organization: For companies, organizations, institutions, non-profits, etc. Perfect for those businesses that have more than one location.
• Arts, Entertainment or Sports: For pages dedicated to celebrities, bands, sports teams, books, television shows, etc.
• Other: For those that don’t fit into any category.

You’ll most likely select “Local Business or Place” or “Company, Institution or Organization.” Be careful with which one you choose, as you won’t be able to easily change the category.

In summation:

• Google+ Local/Pages and +1’s show up in personalized results.
• Google+ Local/Pages are essential to show up in local search results.
• Google+ has helped to blur the line between “social” and “search.”
• Google+ isn’t a “ghost town.”
• Google+ will continue to become more essential to ensure your business’ success on the Internet.

Need help setting up a Google+ page? Let the WebDrafter.com online marketing team help you out. Give us a call today at 1-866-421-3723.

Connect with WebDrafter.com on: Google+ | Facebook | Twitter

WebDrafter.com redesigns Northstar Granite Tops website

Northstar Granite Tops of Maple Lake MN fabricates and installs beautiful granite and other natural stone countertops for homes and businesses in the Twin Cities metro. Since they help to give kitchens and bathrooms whole new looks with their products, it was only fitting they also receive a whole new look.

The WebDrafter.com team undertook the job of redesigning Northstar Granite Tops site. We kept the elements that helped to make the previous site so successful, but added new features and pages to give visitors an even better viewing experience. Before, the website didn’t have an “Our Resources” section, but recognizing the value this would have to visitors to the site, we decided to add these important pages.

The new Northstar Granite Tops is essentially a virtual extension of their beautiful showroom. You can now see all the colors and slabs the company has in stock, and get ideas on what color would work best in your home.

Check out the website for yourself at www.NorthstarGraniteTops.com. If you would like to have a website as nice as this for customers to look at, then let WebDrafter.com help. Call us now at 1-866-421-3723 or Request a Free Quote.

National Deer Fence Web Design by WebDrafter.com

When it came time to design the new National Deer Fence website, our Harrisburg web design experts did what they needed to create a website that was clean and simple, while looking amazing at the same time. They did just the job that this New York deer fence company needed.

Check out their website at www.DeerFenceNY.com. And if you want to overhaul your online appearance, get in touch with us by clicking here.

Victoria Veterinary Care Design by WebDrafter.com

WebDrafter.com is proud to unveil the new Victoria Veterinary Care website. Victoria Veterinary Care is an animal hospital and clinic located in Victoria, Minn. Find out more information at www.VictoriaVet.net.

Looking to better serve your clients or customers?  Visit www.WebDrafter.com now to request a free web design quote.

Latest Website Design: Cady Building Maintenance

The new Cady Building Maintenance website live went recently, with a redesign by yours truly. Cady specializes in office cleaning in Minneapolis, St Paul and other Twin Cities areas. Check the site out for yourself by visiting www.cadybuildingmaintenanceinc.com.

If you want a site that looks as nice as the new Cady Building Maintenance, then get in touch with us today by visiting www.WebDrafter.com.

The Jewel Box Website Design by WebDrafter.com

WebDrafter.com is proud to unveil the new The Jewel Box, Inc. website. The Jewel Box is a jewelry and repair store located in Newport, Pa. Find out more information at www.TJBJeweler.com.

Looking to better serve your clients or customers?  Visit www.WebDrafter.com now to request a free web design quote.

Toppers & More Redesign by WebDrafter.com

Happy New Year! We hope 2013 will be even greater than 2012 was, and hope you had a wonderful holiday season.

For our first post of the New Year, we wanted to highlight the redesign we did for Toppers & More, a South St Paul, Minn. store that specializes in truck toppers, caps and other accessories for trucks and SUVs. The company has been in operation since 1949, and they now have a website that is modern and sleek like their products.

Toppers & More new website by WebDrafter.com

Click here to check out the new Toppers & More website. 

Majestic Builders Website Redesign by WebDrafter.com

WebDrafter.com is proud to unveil the new Majestic Builders website. Majestic Builders is a Twin Cities construction company. Find out more information at www.MajesticBuildersMN.com.


Looking to better serve your clients or customers?  Visit www.webdrafter.com now to request a free web design quote.

Titus Contracting LLC Landing Pages Designs by WebDrafter.com

We recently put together two new landing pages for Titus Contracting. Each web design is meant to be simple and to the point, without visitors needing to do a whole lot to get the information they need. You can see them in all their glory by going to www.TitusContractingLLC.com and www.TitusContracting.org. 

Sandcon Website Design

WebDrafter.com announces the redesign of the Sandcon website.

Sandcon offers home remodeling and renovation services, including kitchens, bathrooms, additions and porches.

Visit www.Sandcon.biz for more information!

Want to better serve your clients and customers?  Visit www.webdrafter.com now to request a free estimate for web design.

SeatFixer Website Design

WebDrafter.com announces the redesign of The SeatFixer website.

The SeatFixer offers upholstery services that returns your car or boat to its original pristine condition.

Visit www.TheSeatFixerMN.com for more information!

Want to better serve your clients and customers?  Visit www.webdrafter.com now to request afree estimate for web design.