Why Should Your Website Have a Blog?

When you visit a website for a company, with the exception of e-commerce sites, you will likely find a blog on the website. As a Chicago web design firm, we have a blog on our main site, check it out. And this goes for many other marketing agencies, advertising agencies, PR firms, and other businesses in the creative sector and world.

However, why would you want to have one? We do we? Why do other companies? Here are several reasons:

• You can showcase the knowledge and expertise of employees. 
• Archive tips, knowledge, and other helpful information. Any good information you publish on the blog will stay there. 
• It's a great place to promote discussion and cooperation. When you publish a blog, people and comment on it and generate discussion. People are much more willing to speak up over the internet than face to face. 
• It generates fresh content on your site. Search engines like to see fresh content published on your site for indexing, a blog is a great way to accomplish that. This is a big help for your search engine optimization. 

However, you have to have a good strategy for your blog; before you start, answer these questions:

• Why are we doing the blog?
• What will we post?
• Who's the audience?
• Standards and guidelines for posts?
• Consequences for violations?
• Who will post?
• When will we post?

Running a blog is a lot of work but it is worth it and in the right hands, it is effective. If you know you need a blog on your site but do not have the skill or time, then hire a professional copywriter to write the posts for you! Our team of writers will make sure to write how you'd like and stay within your comforts and all legalities. For a great website, hire a professional web designer. 

7 Things You Don't Want to Say on Your Website

Your website is your 24/7 salesman. You need it to be convincing, affirmative, and not be timid. Diction is an important part of successful business; you never hear of a business that started making $100B a year because they spoke passively, "I guess we could help you grow your business."

If you want your chance to impress web visitors, then follow these great web design tips.

1. Let us help you. Well this one just screams desperation, even if you are not desperate. Why? Well, it puts you in a place of weakness. While that statement might sound like a humble approach, people don't often like to do business with a company that sounds desperate. 
2. Something, something "Industry standard". This is just saying that you are average and that is not going to spur confidence nor action in a consumer. Rather, say and show how you are above the industry standard. 
3. Whatever you need. Saying the word, "whatever" shows laziness. "This product will fix whatever you need fixed." Wow, can you get more specific there? 
4. We're unique. Well, aren't you special? I just visited 5 other sites in your industry that also said they are a unique company as well. If everyone claims to be unique, then what is special about saying it? Nothing. Don't just say you're unique, show it. 
5. Premium quality. According to other sites, everyone offers premium quality goods and services. What makes something premium? 
6. Needless to say… No, I'm pretty sure it does need to be said. C'mon. 
7. We can't be beat. Unless you are a truly dominating company and can dominate the industry, then chances are you can be beat… and are. That doesn't mean you are not a good company but unless you are the true industry leader here, then they're just empty words. 

Do you need a new website or perhaps a website redesign? Then hire Integraphix. Get a custom website design that suits your business and impresses the consumer. 

8 Things You Need to Know About Landing Pages

Every website has a landing page, it is the doorway to your website or section of your website. However, there is much to know about a landing page, according to our web design team. So let's dive in.

Is a landing page necessary? Too many people think that a landing page is only needed for an e-commerce site; however, this is not true. Every single website needs a landing page so you can direct your web visitors where to go and showcase things. A landing page is to a website as a lobby is to an office space; it has the entrance and allows people to gauge where to go without dedicating to a direction just yet. It allows you to promote things too, whether it be a product, deals, etc.

How can you make a great landing page? Well, several ways.

• Have good things to promote/sell on it. This means that your products and/or services need to be compelling enough for people to care. If your product or service stinks, then your landing page can only take it so far and you will end up with bad reviews and returns. So you might have to back track a little and make sure your product offering is good enough to build upon. 
• The proof is in the pudding. Social pudding. Getting testimonials about products and services allows you to say, "Don't take our word for it? See what these objective people thought about our product or service!" A great landing page will remove any cognitive dissonance about your product or service. It will give them all the info the consumer needs. 
• Get an endorsement. If you can have a reputable person give an endorsement, that is as good, sometimes better, than a testimonial. 
• It tells the story. You need to establish that connection with your target market and get them to understand the benefits of using your product, not just what is cool about it (the specs). Your landing page should relate to the consumer and get them to have that relationship of trust and loyalty with your brand. As a web designer, this is always something I consider when building sites and their landing pages. 
• It should be attractive. It should generate leads for sales. Here are things to consider:
• Headers and titles
• Buttons and links
• Colors, highlighted areas
• Good mix of colors but not too many. It should lead the eye downward and encourage them to take action. 
• Length of the page- Longer is generally better but it has to have good content, either way. And not too long. 
• Images

Building a good landing page is well worth the time and effort. The good thing is, you don't have to be held down by the time and effort of doing so, you can let a professional web designer build it for you. Contact Integraphix and let us build your site efficiently, artistically, and quickly. We also build sites so they are mobile-responsive and SEO friendly.