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Improving User Experience, Engagement and Automation

24/11/2020

In this competitive digital age just enticing users to visit your website is hard enough but how can we get them to stay? It’s paramount to know all the tools and tricks you have at your disposal in order to drive engagement and user experience and ultimately keep them coming back for more!

Always have the end user in mind:

What would make the customers journey easier? Think about the design - keep it on brand but simple and easy to navigate. Talk to your designer!
What can you change to make them book or make that all important purchase? This is where you need to think about Call To Action (CTA). A good CTA can make the difference between making that all important purchase or walking away.
What quick fixes are there that will help my customers? A great way to keep your customers is to have great customer service, think about your FAQ’s and any help sections - make sure they are top notch. Again, think about the design!

Why would you need to do this?
Anything that can help improve user experience, engagement and stop users moving on is going to have a lasting impact on your business. The steps you take now can save you time and money in the long term, boost sales; automate some of your business processes and create a loyal customer base.

What is available?
Regardless of what platform your website uses, website automation and functionality is available but not limited to:

Email newsletter sign-up - an easy way to stay relevant with your customer and keep them updated with changes to your business.
Contact/registration/sign-up forms - another great way to keep your customers informed and boost engagement.
Image gallery - such a simple yet effective way to boost engagement. Images are a way for you to really showcase your business with products and services and add a personal touch.
Booking system - if your business requires customers to book (appointments, events, etc) it must be easy to use. Put yourself in your customers shoes and think about what makes you book (or not) through certain websites.
Ecommerce - it’s important your visitors have a great shopping experience in order for them to want to return to your online store in the future. Your website needs to be simple, easy to navigate and have great search options so your customer can easily find the product/service they are looking for.
Social media feed - keeping on top of your social media (regular posts, using hashtags, joining groups and engaging with connections) will really help you get more exposure.
Landing page - this is different to the rest of your website in that it will have some type of form for your customer to fill in, in exchange for an incentive such as an offer.
Blog - a regular blog will increase your online presence and connect with your customers.
Google Analytics/reporting - keep on top of what is working for your website with this fab free tool!
Mobile friendly/Responsive Website Design (RWD)
Survey and feedback tools
Live chat options - there are plenty to choose from such as Zendesk or LiveChat. These are a great way of creating trust with your customer and providing great customer support. Speak with your designer to find what would suit your needs.

It’s always a great idea to chat with your designer about your website. They will have some great ideas for how to boost engagement and build a great web strategy.

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SEO Tips for Small Businesses

26/10/2020

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It’s a common misconception to assume SEO is still simply about keyword optimisation, it is so much more than this now. So what does SEO stand for and why do you need it?

What is SEO?
In simple terms Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is anything we do to improve the ranking of our website on search engine results. So that's everything from your website design to your content.

Metadata - Website metadata such as page titles, content descriptions etc... all help to ensure search engines receive important information about the content of each page of your website. This must be relevant for your website to come up in search results.
Alt tags - Alt tags provide text information for images to allow search engines such as Google to read the information and include the images on the search engine rankings.
Internal links - Another essential for SEO, internal links help search engines navigate your website. Good internal links will lead search engines and visitors to your most important pages.
External links - If another website has a link on their page that takes the user to your website then this is what’s known as an external link. This is a great way to improve your website's rankings; your designer will utilise all marketing strategies to help build external links to your website.
Blogs - Any blogs you write also help to boost your website's ranking. Content needs to be relevant; mobile friendly to ensure you reach all your customers, and regularly updated.
Mobile friendly website - Over 50% of internet browsing takes place on a mobile device so to really make sure your website is reaching a wide audience you need to ensure it is optimised for mobile devices.
Domain age - When it comes to SEO it really makes a difference how old your website is so choose your domain name carefully, you want it to last!
Content - In order to boost your rankings your content needs to be unique and relevant.
Social interaction - Engaging with your audience will vastly improve your search engine rankings. Consider creating new campaigns to promote and share on social media; post engaging content on social media; be conversational but most importantly be yourself!
Use power words - Words that draw your audience in and direct them to your site are a great way to improve your SEO. Some examples of power words include: Insane, Best, Scientifically, Fast, Effective. All these examples have an emotional draw that encourages the audience to click for more.

How to prepare content that is SEO ready for your website
In order for your website content to improve your SEO it’s essential you have relevant keywords and key phrases:

Make a list of key phrases that focus on your products and services - do your research to ensure you don’t miss any great keywords.
Make sure you use web resolution image files (lower resolution than you would use for print).
Make sure you structure your content - think Introduction, Main Body and Conclusion. Write it in a way that reflects your personality to really engage your audience.
Call To Action (CTA) - always end any content with a great Call To Action, whether that’s as simple as a ‘Buy Now’ button or a more subtle question you ask your audience to keep them interested.
Word count - some SEO experts say 1000 or 2000, some are more, some are less; content around 300-500 words is not too much that it puts the reader off but enough to keep their interest and keep them coming back for more.

Most importantly, seek out a good web developer and marketeer and discuss your needs with them. It’s low cost with the potential to boost your business and it’s an essential way of keeping ahead of your competitors.

Got any burning SEO questions relevant to your existing website? Drop your questions below, we are happy to help.

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Case Study - Equilibrium Yoga & Well Being Centres (Peterborough & Huntingdon)

9/10/2020

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Visit Website >

Business Overview
Equilibrium Yoga and Wellbeing Centres are situated in Peterborough and Huntingdon offering inspiring, peaceful and serene spaces to practice yoga and mindfulness-based disciplines. Their premises are modern, clean and have amazing underfloor heating, during lockdown they adapted quickly and still offer online classes. They provide a whole host of treatments and therapies to help you heal, relax and unwind. Equilibrium Yoga offer all styles of yoga and cater for inquisitive beginners and those who would like to have a sweaty, intense and very physical yoga practice.

I think the biggest difference has been Creative Remedy's advise on social media and a sense of accountability to them. They have kept me on track with the marketing when otherwise I would have de-prioritised it.

Case Study

Project overview:

Website refresh
Home page re-design
On-going marketing
Website maintenance
Marketing advice

What we wanted to achieve:
We wanted bring our website up-to date and to improve on our overall marketing.
Our existing website was built in 2015, technology moves on and it was performing a little slower than we wanted. With Covid-19, Lockdown and moving out entire class schedule online we needed customers to find and join our classes quickly. We wanted to promote our therapies and treatments easily.

How could Creative Remedy help?
They needed a website refresh to improve the overall design, user experience and help customers find content easily. Website lifespans are around 3 years before technology moves on, their website was out-of-date and needed a refresh. We looked at their aims and objectives and set to work. Googles algorithm is always being updated, we wanted to ensure the way their website was built is future proof and easy to update.

You’re a dream to work with! Responsive. Responsible. You listen well and you understand our business. You took into account our current financial situation because of Covid-19 and were flexible. You have also been supporting us amazingly well over all the years. I feel very grateful to you.

Outcome:
We removed the scrolling image banners and replaced them with static graphics to promote classes, treatments and therapies. Call to actions 'Book Now', 'Register' and 'Login' has reduced admin time and given customers more control.

Insights from Google Analytics have shown since the refresh the website has received a 65% increase in website visitors, users are staying on the website longer and navigating to more classes, treatments and therapies. The design has consolidated our brand.

Testimonial

Creative Remedy is an excellent company who listen to your needs, they have an excellent response time and deliver what they promise. I would highly recommend Creative Remedy.

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First Aid For Your Business Post Lockdown

8/7/2020

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Businesses large and small have had to adapt during lockdown with many having to cease trading while the Government tries to get the virus under control. As we start to see the lifting of some restrictions and a return to some sort of normality, many are now faced with the challenge of how to navigate the new post lockdown landscape and revive their businesses.

First Aid For Your Business Post Lockdown

Once you’ve digested the Government guidance and regulations it’s time to start analysing your business and looking for ways to improve performance and increase sales. Now is the time to take a look at your marketing plan - how does it need to adapt to suit the new legislation? If you have a retail business how can you improve and maximise sales whilst still following social distancing and hygiene rules?

We’ve put together 8 top tips to help you ensure your business is ready for the new normal:

Marketing Plan or Strategy This should be your first job before you tackle anything else. Your business has undoubtedly gone through a huge change over lockdown so it’s important to reassess your plan and make sure you are fully informed.
Online Courses, webinars, training Now is the time to fully embrace the digital age. Make use of tools such as Zoom, Skype etc... to deliver your services.
Go Ecommerce Social distancing rules may mean your current premises are unsuitable to reopen or will only allow a small number of customers. This is where e-commerce can really boost your sales and customer base.
Video As well as allowing you to host meetings without having to worry about social distancing video is also a great way of showcasing your products or services. If you're not already using video to promote your business now is the perfect time to start.
Social Media Many that were not comfortable with social media pre-lockdown are now taking selfies and posting regularly! Your audience will have undoubtedly changed, now is the time to reassess your target audience and your message.
Email Marketing This is a brilliant way to keep in touch with your customers and keep them updated with any new developments with your business post lockdown. Be sure to include it in your marketing plan review.
Design Is it time for a new look? As you adapt your business and the way you work perhaps now is a great time or a fresh new look.
Website Update your website, this is by far one of the most significant things you can do. Think about how your business has changed, perhaps you have different products or services. How are you communicating these changes with your customers?

Important things to remember:

Social distancing is easing, rules and regulations are changing weekly. Make sure your marketing plan can adapt as the government guidance changes.
New processes and procedures are in place. Keep your customers updated with how you are following the new processes.
Our environment has changed, there is a focus on cleanliness and hygiene. Instil confidence in your customers by communicating how you are ensuring your premises are clean and safe.
How can you deliver your products in a limited contact/contactless environment? Utilise digital solutions where possible such as online payment options, contactless card payments, e-commerce. Allow customers to specify contactless delivery options such as safe places to leave parcels.

If you need a helping hand to navigate the post lockdown world contact Creative Remedy for a FREE Consultation.

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Inject Your Communications with Call to Actions

7/6/2020

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Call to Action (CTA) is a term you might hear when discussing marketing strategies for your business. But what exactly does it mean and how can it help to increase sales and profitability for your company? We’ve put together a simple guide to help explain what it means and why you should be doing it!

Inject Your Communications with Call to Actions

What is Call to Action?
The most obvious example of a Call to Action would be a ‘Buy Now’ button on a webpage. It’s simply an invitation for your customer/visitor to do something. It could be a banner or button on your webpage, part of an advertisement or content (ie. blog/email marketing campaign) that is designed to encourage the visitor to do something specific.

What is the purpose of a Call to Action?
Call to actions are a great way of converting visitors to your website or blogs into potential customers or subscribers. The CTA can have a variety of different purposes depending on what you are trying to achieve. If you are looking to increase sales then a simple ‘Buy Now’ button may be just the trick you need to help convince the undecided shopper, but when you’re trying to attract more visitors or subscribers you need to think more carefully about the wording and location of the CTA.

How can it help my marketing and business?
A good CTA will help increase visitors which in turn could lead to more customers and sales and therefore increased profits! It could also act as an information point for your potential customers, providing them with the link to finding out all about your products and services.

When should I use a call to action?
You should make sure to add CTA’s into all your communications. CTA’s can be used in your marketing channels such as email marketing, website, landing page, offers/promotions, blogs and social media. It’s important to make sure you use the right language for your customers, this will mean researching your customer base and finding out their preferences and habits. Make sure you have updated your email database so you are targeting the right audience.

10 Example Call to Actions:

‘Buy Now’ and ‘Shop Now’ buttons on your ecommerce site - direct your customer to make that purchase they’re contemplating.
You can also entice them further by adding limited offers that create a sense of urgency such as ‘Buy Now - Limited time Only’ which might push them to make the purchase now rather than putting it off until later.
Having a ‘Sign Up Now’ button in your email marketing can attract new subscribers and give you vital information about your site visitors.
If you have a blog ask your readers a question. This is a simple but very effective call to action which engages your visitors and hopefully keeps them returning to your website. The more often they visit your website the more likely they are to make a purchase in the future.
‘Read More’ is another CTA you should utilise in your email marketing and blogs. Instead of displaying the entire post on the homepage you just show a few paragraphs to entice the reader to click through to read the rest of the post. This is great for Search Engine Optimisation too.
‘Subscribe’ is a great CTA for your blog, to help build up your readership base and will hopefully convert to loyal customers.
For social media use ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ buttons to encourage your followers to share your business page. This will engage your current followers and also convert new followers. ‘Visit our Website’, ‘Learn More’, Watch our Video’ will also help create interest and direct potential new customers.
Avoid generic buttons such as ‘Submit’ and try to entice your user to part with their contact details in exchange for a free guide or tool instead.
‘Learn More’ is simple but effective, offering more information for purchasers not quite ready to take the plunge.
Free Website Audit or ‘Free Trial’ is a great way of encouraging an undecided customer to try your product or services and see just what they are missing out on. It helps build trust and the foundation for a great customer relationship.

If your marketing is in need of a boost? Perhaps it’s time for a Call to Action!
You can learn more about communication strategies that include Call to Actions by booking a FREE Consultation >

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