Cynthia Oswald

Surface Design, Fine Art + Branding for Creatives

Web Design

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.

5 Essential Steps For Building A Successful Website

5 Tips to set your website up for success

So you’d like to update your web design or create one from scratch? The task ahead of you is time-consuming. The middle is messy. And the end result, if not properly planned, can leave you feeling underwhelmed. I’d like to share some tips with you I’ve learned over time that can help set up your website for success right from the start.

1. The first and most important task is defining your goals for the website.

It could be that you’d like to generate new leads, target and attract a specific audience that you haven’t been able to reach, or maybe it’s an informative marketing tool that will save you time and money. Write out your desired outcome for how this site update or launch will aid your business goals and make your job easier. Websites are versatile and multi-faceted tools that will grow and change over time and therefore will continue to help you achieve your goals.

2. What basic or complex functions could your site include that will make your business run smoother?

This answer should reveal itself through defining your goals. I have many different types of customers that are all achieving a variety of goals through their site designs. Let me run you through a few examples that may help you come up with your own list:

• Defining a process or service visually to use as a sales or marketing tool
• Creating a map of locations that include where your products can be found
• Growing your email list through offering free tools and resources
• Creating a form that allows your customers to give you all of the information needed to generate an estimate
• Display your portfolio of work in an interactive and user-friendly way
• Creating a resource archive that customers have access to so that you only have to share information one time

I could keep going but the possibilities are endless so I’ll let you use your imagination.

3. How are you going to point your potential viewers, customers, clients, colleagues, buyers, friends, etc. to your site?

Whether your site is an informative resource or a storefront, part of the goal is to have viewers on the site. This could be your number one reason for developing a site in the first place. Honing in on your target audience will help you define an SEO strategy and develop a plan that ensures your site has visitors. You can have the most beautifully designed website but if you aren’t aware of how to integrate an SEO strategy before you structure your content and design, you may miss out on big opportunities. For tips on improving your SEO starting today click here.

4. Content will drive the design.

By now you have a clear picture of what the major goal of your website is, what basic or complex functions you’d like it to perform, and a rough idea of your target audience. It’s time to gather your content. A web designer or developer can help you through this process or you can gather some resources in advance. Start by creating an outline that includes your mission, values, product or services, body copy from your current marketing materials, brand elements, style guide, logo versions, and other brand resources. Having this all in one location will speed up the process and give your designer a head start on understanding your brand. For more information on gathering your site content click here.

5. Last but not least let’s dive into the web design.

This step is a process within itself but it should begin with wireframes. Once you are clear on steps 1-4 the goal of your designer should be to take all of that information and implement it into a user-friendly experience for your target audience. The best way to do this is to visualize the entire site through wireframes. This way you are thinking through the web of possibilities before you set anything into stone. Also, you create a visual guide for gathering content and building out the entire site. This saves you time and money in the long run and allows you to create a doable action plan from the start.

Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.

Book Your Web Design Consultation

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.