ACtion Magazine - November/December 2013 - (Page 10)

Out with the old Angie Kilbourne, AAM T As you reflect on next year's business goals, ensure your website will help you meet them. he year is winding down, and many small business owners 3. Measure results. If you haven't looked at your website spend this time assessing their needs and goals for the activity stats recently, or have never reviewed an activity report, next business cycle. This is an opportune moment to the time is now. With the free tools available from Google reassess your digital marketing, including its most important Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools, there's no reason to component - your business website. When was the last time forgo these important aspects of your digital marketing plan. you redesigned? Do you remember the last update you made to All you need to sign up is an email address, and verification of the content? ownership is quick and painless. In addition, Google Webmaster If you are having trouble answering those questions Tools will even help you locate problems on your site that are confidently, it's time to evaluate your website with an objective, hampering your SEO efforts, while Analytics provides data-rich critical eye. Here are some ideas on what you should be looking reporting right down to the types of devices accessing your site for: (desktop vs. mobile) and what languages your visitors speak. 1. Mobile-friendly design: Visit your website on a And, as always, Google provides excellent documentation and smartphone and a tablet. As a matter of fact, do this with as tutorials on how to install the code on your site and pull the many different models as you can, as it will give you an idea of reports you need quickly. how your site appears on Android, Windows, iOS and other Website maintenance, cleanup and redesigns aren't thankless mobile operating systems. Can visitors easily find exactly what tasks or time-wasting efforts. Your customers - old and new - they need, or do they need to pinch, swipe, expand and hunt for will appreciate the finely tuned performance of a well-designed the information they need quickly? and easy-to-maneuver website with results you can measure and One of the most important trends to emerge the last few years a bottom line that makes you smile at the end of the year. ❆ has been responsive design, meaning your website platform identifies the type of device a visitor is using and switches to the appropriate layout automatically. No need for visitors to click over to a mobile version of your site; your website does all the work for them. If you aren't happy with your mobile device test results, it's time to talk to your Webmaster and your hosting company to evaluate options available to you, such as additional features that work with your existing site or moving to a new platform that will give you the updates you need to stay current with today's consumers. 2. Check for broken links. This is a regular maintenance item that is too often overlooked. A broken link on your website's home page will stop the search engine bots from crawling your site immediately. Why is that so important? Because the search engines won't index the rest of your site, causing you to lose out on valuable search According to MarketNetShare, mobile device browsing jumped from 7.2 percent engine optimization (SEO) opportunities on in March 2012 to 10.3 percent in October 2012 and then again to 13.4 percent in the remaining website pages and, ultimately, August 2013. The point of those stats? Users are browsing the Web with whatever keeping you from turning up near the top of device they have on hand at the moment, and for an automotive repair shop, it's page-one in search engine results. Fix them crucial your website can reach customers when they need you the most. or delete them entirely, and make it a habit. (Source: MarketNetShare.com) Check the links at least quarterly on your site. 10 ACTION * November/December 2013 http://www.netmarketshare.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - November/December 2013

ACtion Magazine - November/December 2013
Contents
Outlook
Freeze Frame
Virtual View
News and Updates
Leonard’s Law
Cooling Corner
Member Profile
News & Updates
New Products
Going to New Orleans
2014 Exhibitor Showcase
Association News
In Memoriam
Leonard's Law
Quick Check
Last Watch
New Products & Services
Last Watch - Guest Editorial

ACtion Magazine - November/December 2013