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Cynthia Oswald

Surface Design, Fine Art + Branding for Creatives

Web Design

Your Why & The Offer You Are Making 

Why it’s important to share why you started your business & your unique position on your website

The about page is one of the most highly visited pages on your website (check your website analytics to find out for sure which pages get the most views on your site!). When someone comes to your website, they usually start on your homepage and then immediately navigate over to the about page to scope you out a bit further and get to know you a bit better. So, it is important to incorporate the human element on that page—that could be accomplished via your brand photographs and relatable, conversational language. I know when I go to a website and consider a product or service and I can’t find any human aspect to the site or information about the person behind the brand, I am less likely to buy. That human element is something we all unknowingly look for when we are perusing the web, so take the opportunity to be really clear with your audience and share your why. 

I like to think about Noom the weight loss app. It’s genius in helping people lose weight.  The first question they ask you is “Why do you want to lose weight?” You give your answer, but they dive deeper into your response to narrow in a little further on your true, genuine “why”. 

For example, let’s say your answer to why you want to lose weight is, “Because I want to feel good.” The follow up question you would receive from Noom would be, “Why do you want to feel good?” And you answer, “Because I want to be able to run around with my kids/dog/etc.” It just keeps getting closer and closer to your real why versus the broad answer you originally started with. 

I think that that’s something to keep in mind when you’re talking about your business as well. 

Really get down to the nitty gritty of why you’re offering what you’re offering. That real why is something you and your audience can truly connect with.

For me, I have two facets of my business:

  • One is in the service space where I’m offering branding and web design services for people. The why really comes down to the fact that I actually love helping to shed light on people’s strengths and that’s something that I’ve learned more and more about myself over time. It just makes me feel good, so doing branding and web design is kind of like a no brainer, because I can help people highlight their strengths really naturally on their websites and their brands. 
  • The other is home decor/fine art space. That’s more about me being able to express myself through my art, but my why behind doing it is to create a space of hope and beauty in the home of whoever collects the work. 

So take a moment or two to think about your why. Jot it down if you don’t have it already, and then build on it to include why you are uniquely positioned to offer your product or service.

On my website, I start out by matter of factly explaining about what I’m doing, then I dive deeper by sharing a little bit about my inspiration and even take you back to my childhood. You see a picture of me from when I was a kid and you learn a little bit more about who I am as a person and why am I inspired to continue doing what I’m doing. Next, I get into more about what qualifies me to help those people by sharing my education and my background towards the bottom of my site. Placement of your why and why you are uniquely positioned on your website may differ based on what feels right for you.

Just to recap …

1) Have that human element. Make sure—whether you’re a business of one or many—to show who you are as a business and be as honest about that as you possibly can. Your target audience is going to appreciate that. 

2) Then identify why you are uniquely positioned to offer that product or service.

Want to know more website success tips? Download my FREE Website Checklist!

Share Your Offering

Include your offer prominently on your website

Sharing your product or service with your audience on your website seems pretty straightforward, right?  I have been guilty of completely missing to include my offer. And it’s a big mistake that I remind myself of every time I create a new page. You don’t have that long for people to get engaged with what you’re sharing with them once they pop onto your website (usually less that 0.5 seconds), so you want to make it really clear 1) what it is you’re offering and 2) how it can benefit them. Pretty simple, right? 

I’m going to share the three things you should take into consideration in terms of location of your offer on your website, and then dive a little bit into how you can expand on it so that it can help your audience determine whether it’s right for them. 

Locations to Include Your Offering

1. Your Homepage

Make sure your offer is simply stated on your homepage.  A great place to put it would be right underneath your mission (Crafting Your Mission + Value Statement For Your Website), with a call to action so that your website visitor can click and be redirected to the expanded version of your offer. 

2. Your Product or Service Page

Each of your offers or products should be listed on your product or services webpage. Each offer should have a short description (usually 1-2 sentences or a few bullet points) underneath to give more detail as to what is included in the offer. SEO can play a huge part in visibility of your offers (Click here to for my Top 5 SEO Tips), so make sure that you are being very intentional with the keywords you are using in your product/service descriptions. Try your best to have them relate back to what it is people are searching for when they are looking for your particular product or service.

3. Sales Page

The third and final place I think that you want to make a specific offer is a landing page/sales page that can be clicked to “learn more” when someone is viewing your product or services page. I would suggest having a sales page for each offer you have. Having an entire page that clearly articulates, dives deeper, and really speaks to your target audience is going to help you make the sale. Be sure to include a clear explanation of what they can expect from the product/service and how they are going to benefit or the transformation they are going to receive. This is also a great place to add a testimonial about your product or service. Do you look at product reviews? We all do! Creating a dedicated sales page helps overcome objections, and seals the deal in the viewers mind that they 100% want to work with you.

Articulate the Transformation

Get creative about sharing how your particular product or service actually benefits your ideal client. What is the transformation for the people who are buying it? How does the product or service change their life or meet their needs? 

Want to know more website success tips? Download my FREE Website Checklist!

Top 5 Tips for SEO

Top 5 pieces of content to consider when optimizing your website for search engine optimization

Website SEO can sound super daunting or confusing. If often times feels like it is this abstract thing that is hard to grasp, but it is actually is very simple! Listed below are the top 5 things you should consider, listed in the order of importance, to boost your website’s SEO. They are super easy to implement and can be put into practice starting today!

1. Page Titles

The number one thing you want to make sure is optimized for SEO are your website page titles.

The key to optimizing page titles is to integrate keywords—words that reflect specific subjects you wish to be found for on that specific page—directly within the page title. Try to stay within the recommended character length for pages titles (between 60 – 65 words) for the best results.

2. Page Descriptions

This is where you can flesh out the content a bit and dive a little more into how that keyword is related to the information you are offering on that specific page. It is important to use some alternate keywords in the description incase someone is not searching for the specific word you chose, but another word that’s related or similar to it. The recommended character length for page descriptions is between 50 and 160 characters. Make sure you are staying within that recommended range as it does help for SEO purposes.

3. Headers (H1-H6)

Content headers are the next thing that search engines are looking for when pulling up search results. If you go into the backend of your website, you will see one of two things. You will either see 

  • 1) H1 through H6 as code, or
  • 2 ‘Heading’ listed as a style option within your website content builder when writing text on your web page

These are your headers and they are a great place to reiterate those search terms that you are wanting to be found for throughout the page. Content headers will always be searched before the body copy, so make sure you are including important or key information within those headers.

4. Body Copy

The keywords that you have chosen to use within your page title, page description, and headers also need to be sprinkled throughout the body copy. This is a super easy step to overlook (I have even been guilty of this) because you assume that you for sure would have used those words when writing that body copy, but a lot of times those keywords haven’t been used. Most search engines are going to look to see that the content within your website is relevant to the page title, the description, and the headers in order to really push it up within the ranking. 

5. Image Alt Tags

Almost all website builders will give you the option to add alt tags in the description of the image. These image tags will not show up on your website visually. These tags output as additional code for SEO. When someone is searching for an image online the search engine is looking at alt tags to pull the results. Make sure your alt tags are related to whatever the image is, as well as what you would like to be found for.

Your site is up and running, now what?

5 Things To Do After Launching Your New Site

Congratulations! You’ve made it through the messy middle and launched your website. There is probably so much more you’d like to do. Can I tell you a secret? That is a good thing. Your website is a living, breathing business asset and it can and should grow and change over time—just as your business does. Features like email marketing, payment processing, calendars, social media, and much more can seamlessly integrate with your website. As you’re working on your marketing and communication platforms as a whole, keep in mind that you may be able to connect them directly to your website to help streamline your efforts and save time. There are endless possibilities, so let’s just start with my top five …

1. SEO Strategy

If you don’t have an SEO Strategy now is the time to get one started. What do you want to be known for? Write about it. What new and relevant content can you share about within your industry? Building and sharing relevant content will enhance your SEO naturally. You’ll want to group like-minded pages or content on your site by linking and categorizing appropriately. This helps to show that there is relevant content throughout your site and helps search engines rank it accordingly. Incorporate your mission, values, and core marketing messages to attract your ideal client. Your core marketing messages typically correlate with your SEO Strategy. Building on your keywords over time looks like building content that is relevant to your core messaging and adding it throughout your site—whether it’s updating the main pages or building on your blog pages. Within your strategy include how you anticipate sharing your content throughout all of your communication platforms—outside of your website (i.e. social media, email marketing) as well as within.

2. Google Analytics & Search Console

Reviewing your Google Analytics and Search Console week over week, month over month, year over year, will help to inform you on which marketing efforts are working. Make a note of the pages that users are staying on the longest, navigating to other pages, and generally visiting the most. How can you utilize those locations to obtain your goals? Are there pages that users are dropping off quickly or not navigating to other pages? How can you develop relevant content and an opt-in that will enable users to reengage? Pay attention to where users are coming from—both in location and referral. What keywords are you being found for? Are users clicking through to your site when it appears on a Google search? There is so much that you can dive into with Google Analytics and Search Console. I recommend reviewing reports either monthly or quarterly to optimize your content and be aware of how your site is working for you. Then make changes to the site accordingly based on your business goals.

3. Opt-ins, Automated Emails & Landing Pages

Sync your site with your email marketing provider and ensure that you have locations for the user to opt-in or sign up for your list. I recommend setting up an automated email sequence so that when a user signs up to receive news they’ll receive a few informative emails that include some of your most important content. This way they feel welcomed and you already begin to build trust. Explore utilizing the opt-ins in different locations on the site. Remove the ones that have been there a while and experiment to see what works both visually and verbally. Streamline your goals through creating landing pages. These would be simple pages, targeted specifically to one of your audiences. They can help to achieve a specific goal by engaging the users to take action—sign up for your list, contact you, purchase your offering, follow you on social media, etc. Users could arrive to the landing page via social media, an email blast, another webpage, a digital ad, etc. This is just another way you can build on your site and engage your audience.

4. Social Media

As you develop your website content share it on social media platforms in smaller, digestible chunks, that link back to your site. While you are working on your strategy consider the goal that each of your social media platforms aim to achieve. Be mindful of that goal when sharing socially. For example, let’s say your business Facebook page serves as a fun, informative way, to connect with your current and potential customers. While your LinkedIn account may be acting as a place for you to connect with like-minded businesses or potential partnerships. In this case you may share smaller, lighter imagery and posts that align with your mission and values on Facebook. On LinkedIn you may be writing articles that share more about your process and business development. This is only one example. Understanding the goal and your audience on the platform will help you to determine the types of content you should be sharing.

5. Perform Updates & Added Security

If you worked with me to design and develop your site then it is a WordPress or Shopify site. WordPress is an Open Source Platform that has many contributors from all over the world. There are updates to themes, plugins, and the WordPress platform often. Just as computers and phones perform updates your website should be updated to remain compatible and protected with technology as a whole. I recommend making these updates on a monthly or quarterly basis. Additionally, as time goes on you may decide to add another level of security to your site. This can be helpful if you notice there are frequent visitors from one location with an 100% bounce rate. In this instance you can assume they are trying to hack into your site. If you’re working with me I would have you set up with—SiteGround—which has an excellent security platform. Should you want to add another level I recommend Sucuri.net. This is not necessary from the start but it may be worth investing in as your site and audience grows.

If you don’t have the time or desire to invest in the above let’s connect. I’d love to chat with you about your business goals and see how we might be able to partner on a monthly or quarterly basis to achieve them! Schedule a connection call to get started.

Social Media Comparison at a Glance

I like to try and be aware of trends, especially in the world of technology. It takes me a bit of time before I jump on the bandwagon. This is a double edged sword … in one way I lose out because the first people to be active are also the people who could benefit the most (i.e. the big boom with domain names). On the other hand, I haven’t wasted time or invested a lot of money until I know it’s worthwhile. The amount of technology associated with the web industry is massive. I find it important to spend the time to research and be extremely selective before promoting a web product or service to my customers. That said, I asked Hannah Sicherman to spend some time researching and comparing 6 different social media platforms. Below are a selection of Hannah’s bullet points and resources for each:

1. Instagram:
• Mainly a mobile platform to share photos and videos
• Showcases daily life, products, or behind the scenes processes
• Ability to promote posts so they reach a greater audience
• Feels more personal and creates a bond with your audience
• Ability to go live with Instagram stories
• Tag other users to interact with your network
• Use and create searchable hashtags related to your product or service
• User base is growing rapidly—much faster than social media platforms as a whole

Instagram Resources:
• http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7662-instagram-business-guide.html
• https://business.instagram.com/getting-started

2. Pinterest:
• Curate mood boards for specific topic related to your brand or mission
• Great platform for shareable content—infographics, charts, good visual content
• Ability to allow followers to contribute to your boards or create hidden boards
• A great way to draw from other’s work and interests to support your brand
• Link your content back to articles, blogs, or your website
• Use keywords and passwords to make the content you pin more accessible and searchable

Pinterest Resources:
• http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-tips-for-using-pinterest-for-business/
• https://www.inc.com/john-brandon/9-tips-boost-your-business-pinterest.html
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2013/06/07/how-to-use-pinterest-for-small-business/#60c5a9594e5b

3. Twitter:
• Tweet meaningful content that keeps your audience engaged
• Add links to your tweets and tweet @ other businesses to interact
• Portray the genuine voice of your business
• Follow and get the attention of the right people, your target audience or influencers
• Use and create searchable hashtags related to your product or service
• Not heavily image-based and copy is limited as well

Twitter Resources:
• https://business.twitter.com/en/basics/manage-your-business-account.html
• http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2417634,00.asp
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenkrogue/2013/08/30/31-twitter-tips-how-to-use-twitter-tools-and-twitter-best-practices-for-business/#52f45b556248

4. Facebook Business Page:
• Resembles a website with homepages, about sections, and other tabs that followers can click through
• Connect with audience through wall posts or personal messages
• Create multimedia posts
• Pay to promote posts and advertise your page
• Tag people or businesses in your post, give credit, and share to connect with your network
• Has one of the largest user bases—700 million daily users

Facebook Resources:
• https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/dos-donts-facebook-business-infographic#sm.00001ksframnoid49ws0mjipogz3u
• http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/promote-your-business-with-facebook/
• https://startupsavant.com/facebook-for-business-101/

5. LinkedIn:
• A networking platform designed to help make connections between professionals
• Use keywords in your profile to be more easily found for certain skills or qualities
• Showcase your work by adding samples
• Share articles that are relevant to your industry and link back to your website
• It’s essentially an interactive resume, with endorsements, samples, and your work history
• A premium account is available for purchase allowing your profile more visibility
• Pay extra to join ProFinder and submit estimates that are requested by users through the platform

LinkedIn Resources:
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/how-to-use-linkedin-effectively_b_2744857.html
• https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23454/The-Ultimate-Cheat-Sheet-for-Mastering-LinkedIn.aspx#sm.00001ksframnoid49ws0mjipogz3u

Hannah’s research is a great start if you’re interested in exploring a platform. If the style of one platform resonates with you more than another why not give that a try? Being active on all of the platforms is not necessary. Your time is better spent connecting in a way that feels authentic to you. Speaking of authenticity, make sure you are being authentic to your brand voice no matter which platform you are using. It’s also important to stay active and engage with your audience and potential customers. Happy posting, engaging, and connecting!

7 Steps to Move Through Project Overwhelm

Project Overwhelm

One very good lesson I’ve learned from creating artwork is to enjoy the process. It’s easy for me to envision how I want the final piece to come across, what feelings or thoughts I want to evoke from the viewer, and how the steps I’m going to take will lead me closer to the overall goal. This helps me get past that midway mark—where I feel like the piece is not coming together the way I hoped or perhaps it’s taking too much time. I’ve sat and thought about what went wrong, whether or not the piece was going to be effective, or questioned why I even created it—what purpose does it serve?

I noticed that the time I spent negatively criticizing my idea was not beneficial to the final result. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a step back and analyze what is working and what isn’t. It just means getting stuck in project overwhelm is useless. If you’re stuck mulling over your idea but not actually moving forward towards completion I suggest that you take the following steps:

1. Picture your project or idea complete. Who is holding it or viewing it? What are they thinking? How do they feel? What is your main objective? Write this down as it is pertinent to the success of your goal.

2. Gather inspiration. Using your descriptive words from the list above start to gather some content. Do your research at this stage. Are there other companies or projects that resonate with you? If so, reference them. Once you’ve done your research create an inspiration board that will help you to visualize what feeling you are trying to emulate. I like to cut magazines apart, or gather content and lay it out in InDesign—you could also use Pinterest.

3. Chunk it down. What materials do you need in order to formulate the end goal? Start with the overall feel and then move through it piece by piece, page by page or chapter by chapter. What components of the project will remain the same throughout and what will change? It could be colors, fonts and layout that stay the same—while the illustrations and written content changes depending on the section.

4. Create a schedule. For example, if it’s a book or a website, when will you need the written content by? When do you need the illustrative/photography elements? When does the final project need to be completed? How can you break it apart into sections that make it less overwhelming? Set up a calendar with reminders and maintain the deadlines you’ve set for yourself.

5. Be realistic. I always underestimate how much time it takes me to do something. Give yourself more than enough time. There is no reason to disappoint yourself by not meeting your goals. If you have a drop-dead due date that is adding pressure alter something else in your schedule that doesn’t have a due date.

6. Be flexible. Details might need to change in order to create the final vision you imagined. There may be one component that you really wanted to use but now that you see it altogether you need to be willing to let it go. It may be too much or perhaps it was just an inspiration but not part of the final piece.

7. Solicit help. I cannot stress enough how important it is to collaborate with others. If you’re a writer have an editor proofread your work—be willing to accept positive as well as negative feedback. If you’re a designer or marketer solicit someone in your network to give you feedback. Working together always produces richer and more meaningful work.

In the end moving forward is always the answer. It’s easy to get caught up in all of the little details that make up the whole. Coming up with an outline or a plan will help you to focus on the bigger picture. Whether you are starting a business, creating a website, writing a book or cleaning your house—I believe this is true no matter what goal you are trying to move towards.