Website Marketing - Surefire Design

This is by far the best little image resize program I’ve ever come across! I highly recommend you download it, and learn some of it’s features. It is really easy to get started.

First of all go to http://www.obviousidea.com/windows-software/light-image-resizer and click on the green button “Download Free Now”.

For a really quick getting started, watch this 30 second video on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siQzcF9h9TY&feature=player_embedded

I really like the fact you can right click on an image in your File Explorer and select Light Image Resizer from there. Or you can open it as a program and open files in it.

The first part is simple. Either click to open image files, or select a whole folder with images in it.

Next click the Options tab or the Next button. There are a lot of options here. And a few more on the Effects, Misc and Publish tabs. But you don’t need to look at these if you don’t want. Simple select from the first drop down box a profile. So for instance to simply resize some images to upload to your website through the editing tool, you might select the 800×600 Profile. This will knock your photos back to something that will upload easily without timing out.

You could just hit the Process button now and you are done!

For the more adventurous, here are some cool features….
Note you can hit the Preview button at the top right at any time to see what the results will be!

* Click on the New Profile button before playing around with the settings (You don’t want to overwrite one of the standard ones like I did!).
* Put in a custom width and/or height. This is great if you are resizing images for eCommerce products.

* Experiment with the Mode. Center and Crop can have interesting results. Make sure you use the Preview button at the top to see what the result will be.

* Under effects you can even import a watermark and set the transparency and position.

* Filename Mask is an interesting one. With the popup help you can create a name template for the final filename of the new image files. Something like %F_%W will rename the new image files with the original file name and the new width. So you might end up with something like surefire-logo_250.jpg.
* Action will usually be to make new copies.
*Destination can be the original folder, or create a new one.

It is worth spending a few minutes getting your head around this program, so choose some images that don’t matter too much and give it a go!

Life on the Internet is getting more complicated by the day, or so it seems. It can be too easy to put it all in the too hard basket. However every now and then something comes along that you just HAVE TO DO.

We aren’t plugging any particular online directory, but frankly at least having a free Finda listing (which is part of the Yellow Pages Group) for your business is a no-brainer.

The first thing you need to know is - its free.

However this is the IMPORTANT part -

Finda is an official data provider to Google in New Zealand, providing Google with local business data which Google uses for its Google Places listings.

What does that mean? When you search on Google Maps for New Zealand pages, and you see information on local businesses and pins on the map, that information has probably come from Finda.

With mobile phone apps and smart phones putting the Internet in everyone’s pockets this is becoming critical.

It’s simple really, get your information in Finda and your business will appear on Google Map searches.

For step by step instructions on how to check your listing or register, check out our blog article here.

NOTE: Finda definitely used to be free. We are getting some feedback that they are now charging for changes to your details. So make sure you check first!

It can be pretty hard staring at that blank screen wondering what to write. But it really doesn’t have to be like that. Whether you are starting with a brand new website or adding new content to your existing one, there are a few tips for making life easier.

The first step is actually to have in mind the search phrases you want people to find you with on Google searches. You will use these in headings, content and meta tags.

* Think what your clients might search, and test them out on Google yourself.
*Better yet ask some of your real clients the following question: “What would you type in Google, to search for a business with services like ours?”

It can be really helpful to write all of this content in a blank document and transfer it later to your actual website through the content editing tool.
This way there is no pressure, and no distractions!
I find it much easier to write content, load it into the website, THEN add images and pictures later.

Sketch a plan on a piece of paper for the menu structure you want for the site. Remember you can shift the menu items around later and also rename them. A good starting point is the top level menu items shown on your design proof.

For each page do the following:

1 Type the menu name that will appear on the menu button for this page. Refer to your design proof if this is for a new website.

2 Jot down page specific search phrases. These relate to this page in addition to the overall site ones.

3 Write a main page heading for the content page. Keeping in mind the overall and page specific search phrases.

4 Write content. If you are stuck - ask yourself a question. Pretend someone has rung you on the phone. They have asked you a questions about the topic of this page. Simply answer the question! Just as you would in person. Make sure you break the content into paragraphs with subheadings, and always keep in mind the overall and page specific search phrases.

5 This is the perfect time to write the Meta Title for your new page. If you aren’t sure how, check out one of our Surefire Help Videos or blog articles.

6 If you are really committed, now is also a good time to write the Meta Description. If you aren’t sure how, check out one of our Surefire Help Videos or blog articles.

7 Load all of your content to the website using the content editing tool. Then go searching for the perfect stock image to break up the page, or get snapping with your camera.

Just weeks to Christmas!

Beat the Christmas Eve mad panic to let customers and suppliers know your Christmas hours!

1 Create a Christmas Hours page on your website and enter the details in there now.

2 Mark in your calendar the date to email everyone with a link to your Christmas details. It won’t hurt to get clients looking at your website either!

Starting with Contact Details. When was the last time you checked your contact phone numbers, address details and postal details on the website?

Take a quick minute and do that now!
2011 has seen a lot of businesses in Canterbury moving around. The quickest way for people to make contact with you is through your website.Finding where businesses have moved to has become even more important.

For everyone else, now would be a good time to check who the contact people are on your website, as staff changes and re-organisation go under the radar throughout the year.

Speaking of staff changes. As kiwis we can be a bit shy about having our photos put on our websites.
The benefit however is that new clients can get a nice personal feel for who your team are, and some idea of who they may meet.

1 Get the team together for a group shot.
Choose a neutral background preferably in natural light (outside on an overcast not too sunny day may be good).
Have a good laugh and get someone to take a lot of digital photos. Hopefully there will be one you can use!

2 Upload the photo to a Meet The Team page on the website.