Cynthia Oswald

Surface Design, Fine Art + Branding for Creatives

SEO

Choosing the Best Website Platform for You

Which website platform is right for you?

Almost daily I’m running into the question from small business owners—which website platform is right for me? There isn’t one right answer. The answer depends on how large your business is, what type of business you are running, and what you plan to do with your site and offers over time. I personally work in WordPress and Shopify. Do I recommend WordPress or Shopify to everyone? Absolutely not. I wholeheartedly believe in guiding people to the best platform for them. That means that I have questions for them. I look for the best answer based on their unique needs. All that said, let’s dive into the different platforms I’m most familiar with—who they are for and what are some of the positives for each. And just because you might not see a platform on this list doesn’t mean it’s not a good fit. Just be sure to understand who the platform is best serving, what the limitations might be based on your unique needs, and what the investment will be from (considering design, development, and hosting) in order to assess whether a website platform is right for you and your business. 

WordPress

Who is WordPress for?

WordPress is an excellent option for anyone who is blogging long-form content to grow their audience. It works well for service providers who aren’t selling products on their site. It’s an excellent option for anyone looking to build a static website to promote their business. It can also work as an educational platform by integrating a plugin. If you have a multi-faceted business with multiple streams and offers, WordPress may be a solution for you.

The Positives:

  • As an open-source platform, anyone can contribute to the platform making it flexible and compatible with most integrations.
  • There is always a plugin solution for almost anything you can imagine with WordPress.
  • The platform started out heavy in the blogging arena and therefore is one of the best blogging solutions out there.
  • It’s also a desirable option if you are looking to optimize your content for organic searches—SEO.
  • It can be fully customized by your designer/developer to match your brand exactly as you wish.
  • With the latest page builder interface—Gutenberg—it is something you can maintain on your own vs. hiring a web designer/developer to continue editing over time.
ShowIt

Who is ShowIt for?

ShowIt is also an excellent solution for bloggers, service providers, and anyone looking for mostly static websites. They have an extremely attractive theme library, making it a desirable option for someone how wants a beautiful blogging site without a ton of work. ShowIt is gaining more traction online these days due to influencers who have marketed the platform. It actually utilizes the WordPress platform—meaning that it’s building off of WordPress. That said, depending on your specific needs and your budget you might consider using WordPress instead.

The Positives:

  • Showit offers a drag-and-drop website builder that makes it easy to create a professional-looking website without any coding skills.
  • It has a wide range of customizable templates and design options to choose from, making it easy to create a unique and attractive website.
  • Showit offers seamless integration with WordPress, making it a good option for bloggers who want to combine the flexibility of WordPress with the ease of use of Showit.
  • It offers excellent customer support and resources, including a helpful community forum and chat support.
Shopify

Who is Shopify for?

Shopify is for small to medium-sized businesses that want to create an online store to sell products or services (e-commerce).

The Positives:

  • Shopify is a user-friendly platform that allows you to set up an online store quickly and easily.
  • The platform offers a range of templates and customization options, which makes it easy to create a professional-looking website.
  • Shopify provides a range of features, including payment processing, inventory management, and shipping integration.
  • The platform has a large app store that allows you to add extra functionality to your store.
Squarespace

Who is Squarespace for?

Squarespace is for small businesses, freelancers, and individuals who want to create a professional-looking website without the need for coding or technical skills.

The Positives:

  • Squarespace provides a range of beautiful templates that are easy to customize, making it easy to create a professional-looking website.
  • The platform offers a range of features, including e-commerce functionality, blogging, and social media integration.
  • Squarespace provides good support and resources to help users create and manage their websites.
  • The platform is mobile-responsive, which means that your website will look good on all devices.
Kajabi

Who is Kajabi for?

Kajabi is designed specifically for entrepreneurs, coaches, and online course creators who want to create and sell digital products and courses.

The Positives:

  • Kajabi offers an all-in-one platform that includes website hosting, email marketing, landing pages, and sales funnel tools, making it easy to manage all aspects of your online business in one place.
  • It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create and customize your website, even if you don’t have any coding experience.
  • Kajabi offers advanced marketing and analytics tools, including the ability to track customer behavior and create targeted marketing campaigns.
  • It has excellent customer support, including live chat and email support.
Thinkific

Who is Thinkific for?

Thinkific is designed specifically for online course creators who want to create and sell digital courses.

The Positives:

  • Thinkific offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create and customize your online course, even if you don’t have any coding experience.
  • It has a wide range of customizable templates and design options to choose from, making it easy to create a unique and attractive online course.
  • Thinkific offers advanced marketing and analytics tools, including the ability to track customer behavior and create targeted marketing campaigns.
  • It has excellent customer support, including live chat and email support.
Circle

Who is Circle for?

Circle is an online community platform that can be used by businesses, creators, and organizations to build a community around their brand. It’s an excellent option for those who want to create a private community or membership site where members can interact with each other and access exclusive content.

The Positives:

  • Circle provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to create a community and membership site quickly and easily.
  • You can customize the design of your community to match your brand and create a personalized experience for your members.
  • Circle integrates with various payment gateways, making it easy to charge for membership or access to exclusive content.
  • You can create multiple membership levels, each with its own pricing, content, and access.
  • You can also create automated email sequences to engage with your members and keep them up to date on new content or community events.
Mighty Networks

Who is Mighty Networks for?

Mighty Networks is for creators, entrepreneurs, and organizations who want to build their own community or membership site to connect with like-minded people, share content, and sell products or services.

The Positives:

  • Mighty Networks provides a simple and easy-to-use platform for building online communities and membership sites.
  • It offers features like discussion forums, event management, and course creation tools, which are useful for creators and entrepreneurs.
  • Mighty Networks allows you to monetize your community by selling courses, digital products, and subscriptions.
  • The platform provides a white-label option, which allows you to customize the look and feel of your community to match your brand.

In closing, choosing the right website platform is an important decision for any small business owner. The best platform depends on the size of the business, the type of business, and the website’s intended purpose. When considering which platform to choose, it is important to consider the investment, including design, development, and hosting costs. While each platform has its positives and negatives, it is essential to assess which platform best serves a business’s unique needs.

Please note: website platforms are changing and growing everyday. The information above may change overtime. This is a short and inconclusive list to help guide you and point you in the right direction. Thorough research is needed on your part in order to determine the best platform for you.

Adding CTAs to Your Website

website success tips

Best placement for calls to action on your website

Top 3 Things to Consider When Adding CTAs to Your Website

  1. What’s the number 1 goal of your website? Be sure to create CTAs (calls to action) throughout pointing users to that goal/next steps
  2. Include one above the page fold on each page, and throughout the content, as well as the bottom of every page
  3. Make it easy for your user to know what their next action should be

Today’s tip is all about creating calls to action throughout your website and making sure that you share it in the most important locations on your site. You are going to include it in your menu, which essentially are different calls to action, but you also want to have a button or some specific highlighted call to action below the intro copy so that people know exactly where they should be going next after they read that information. Always be thinking about what the number one goal of the page is and then make sure that your call to action relates specifically to that goal and points the user to the next logical location. 

Examples of CTA’s are: 

  • make a purchase
  • sign up for your email newsletter
  • learn more about a service
  • contact
  • schedule a call

You want to relate back to what’s the number one goal for that page and the content and really, your website overall. You would think that creating calls to action would be very natural, but a lot of times we overlook it and just think that people will find what they need to do by looking through the menu. As the user is scrolling through content, they may decide to jump off the page and take action on what you are sharing so include CTAs throughout the copy/pages in natural locations. Sometimes it looks like having four different links that all lead to the exact same location from one page. Website visitors are looking for next steps, so making it really obvious is going to be helpful for them and it’s going to make the user experience better. 

I have one more tip in this series all about consistent spacing and then I’ll be moving on to the next series. If you want to see a full list of all my top website tips, download my FREE Website Checklist!

Connection through communication on your website

Website Success Tips

Creating ways for people to connect on your website

Creating a way for people to connect with you throughout your website is simple and easy to accomplish. Should you provide an email or a phone number? How about a form that sends directly to your email? You also want to also make sure your information is protected. There are bots that scan websites for your information and sometimes putting a direct link to your phone number or email isn’t the safest option.

If your business is one in an industry where it is customary and common to have customers reach out by phone and you have someone dedicated to answering the phone, then absolutely include a phone number on your website. If your business doesn’t primarily have communication by phone with your customers, I would use a Contact Us button for the website visitor to connect with you via email, by filling out a form, or to schedule a call. The use of a button on your website helps protect your email or information since it isn’t directly given on your website, it is linked instead. My personal favorite option is offering a way for someone to schedule a call — to fill out a form and find a spot on your calendar right away. I think it’s really useful for any kind of service provider.

Where to include contact information on your website

Contact Page

When someone is going to your website, they are looking at your product or service and wanting to build a relationship or connection with you, so you want to make sure you’re allowing that to happen in the most seamless way possible for them. My suggestion would be to have an easily accessible page on your website dedicated to informing the web visitor of how they can inquire further about working together or purchasing your product. Over the years we have been conditioned to look in the top right-hand corner of the website to find that “Contact” page, so I would always have a link to the Contact page in that location.

Website Footer

Including a link or navigation menu in the footer of your site that links your visitor back to your service pages and your contact page is always a great idea. If someone took the time to scroll through the entire page you want to have an easy place for them to take the next step and connect.

It’s also good to include social media handles and/or an email opt-in. I would sprinkle the email marketing subscription form or lead magnet throughout your site and through a couple of pop-up forms if possible. Providing a useful lead magnet helps to offer real value to your users and a natural way to stay connected with users through their inboxes.

Give Your Mission + Value a Prominent Location on Your Site

Crafting your mission + value statement for your website

Your mission and value statements are one of the most important things you want to make sure that you have on your website. I always tell my clients it is best to make two versions of these statements: 1) a short, quick, once sentence version and 2) a longer, more descriptive version.

Placing these statements in prominent locations on your website is also key, so I suggest sharing your one sentence mission statement towards the top of your homepage and then share your expanded version on your about page or further down on your home page.

What is the purpose behind drafting a mission and value statements? It helps you speak to your target audience and clearly communicate what it is that you’re offering. 

Why is important to put these in prominent locations on your website? Viewers are quick to skim a website (like > 0.5 seconds) and jump off to something else if something doesn’t grab their attention. So if you have a way to capture those people very quickly by sharing with them what the purpose of your business is, you are more likely to see the viewer stick around longer.

Crafting your mission and value statements can feel difficult sometimes, especially if you have a few different avenues or audiences you speak to in your business. I struggled to write mine due to this very reason, so I wanted to share a few thoughts on how you can craft this in hopes that it makes it a bit easier for you.

1. Brainstorm

Think through the following questions and write down your thoughts:

• What is the purpose of your business?

• What do you hope to achieve?

• Or what is your audience trying to achieve by working with you?

• What are the core values of your business?

Read back through the answers you just wrote out and highlight the most important words that stand out to you.

2. Create a mind map

What is a mind map? “A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information into a hierarchy, showing relationships among pieces of the whole. It is often created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added.” — Wikipedia 

In this mind map you can include your offers and what it helps people achieve or how, what the transformation is for the client, and then your values, interests, and what you would to like your business to be known for.

Grab that highlighter again and highlight the things that really stand out to you on this mind map.

Consider what people are searching for when they’re trying to find your service or your product and make sure you include that within your mission & value statement at least one or more times in different words. You want to make sure that the content you’re creating is relevant to what you’re sharing with your audience and your offer and the best way to do that is to rephrase your mission and value statements in different ways throughout your website using alternate keywords that will draw your audience to your site.  

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. It oftentimes feels like it is this abstract thing that is hard to grasp, but it is actually 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 page titles (under 70 characters) 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 in case 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 would have used those words when writing the 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.

Understanding SEO & Algorithms

website analytics

Understanding SEO and what it means for your site

I have to admit that it’s a bit hilarious that I work behind a computer. I barely watch TV and while I enjoy technology I’m much more drawn to the outdoors. That said, I absolutely love the time I spend on my computer developing brands and working on my own business. I look at it as a valuable tool that when used appropriately will enrich my customer’s business goals, my own business goals and my goals as an artist and illustrator. Since technology is so vast and always changing I find it important to hang on to tiny bits of information that come from credible sources—providing useful information quickly. That said, I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned about SEO and Algorithms in a quick and precise manner that can start pointing customers your way today.

Cynthia Oswald

SEO

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is simply maximizing the number of visitors to your website by ensuring your site appears high on search engine results (i.e. Google, Bing, Yahoo, Pinterest, etc.). This is done by using relevant content on your website and ensuring that the site is setup properly for present-day technology. For instance, if your website is not mobile friendly search engines will automatically push your site back in the rankings. When I work on a website I have a step-by-step process that I complete to ensure a site is set up properly from the start. This means that I am syncing the site to Google Analytics, Google Webmaster Tools, creating a site map, installing and setting up plugins that are optimized for keywords and metadata. One way you can continue optimizing your site after you launch is to pay attention to your customers. What questions are they asking? What words are they using when referring to your services? These are keywords that you’ll want to include on your site. You should continue developing relevant content that may be added to your site in order to improve searchability over time.

Algorithms

An algorithm is defined as “a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.” Algorithms are used in so many different ways but what is most important for you to understand is how the specific habits of your potential customers effects what they are seeing on the web. We’ve all been there, scrolling the web or a news feed and we’re getting sponsored content or advertising that is specifically targeted to our searches and interests on the web. In some ways it’s fascinating and in some ways a little scary. I choose to look at the bright side. I’m constantly delivered information that is specifically targeted to my personal preferences. That said, when you are thinking about your website you need to create and deliver content that is specifically targeted to your customer’s needs. This is going to transform the traffic and the searchability of your web content.

3 Ways To Improve Your Traffic Starting Today

1. Optimize Your Visibility On Google
Google is by far the most utilized search engine. Its platforms are continually updated and optimized. If your site was setup by me then you are already synced to Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools—which is a great start. Another way you can improve your ranking is to create a Google business page and retrieve some reviews from your customers. This is an excellent way to show Google that your business is relevant and almost immediately you’ll see an improvement in your search ranking. Make your page stronger still by adding an address and phone number. Be sure to include your website.

2. Create Links Back To Your Website
Since many search engines are ranking your site by relevance the more traffic your site has the better it will appear among search engines. Are you using social media, email blasts or blog posts to point customers back to your website? This is something you should definitely be doing. It’s easy to add your website link to your social media platforms and remind people through relevant content that they can visit your website for more information. This is an easy way to increase traffic organically while showing the search engines that you mean business.

3. Incorporate Relevant Content
By now you’re probably saying to yourself “she’s used the word ‘relevant’ one too many times.” That’s because adding quality (or relevant) content is the number one driver of your search engine rankings. Algorithms are so advanced that they are looking for words that relate to your keywords within your content. That said, if you’re adding one or two words to drive traffic to your site but the copy isn’t matching the keywords than search engines may overlook your site. Take a look at the overall content of your website and make a list of words that you can include that will help potential users find you and relate back to the content that you have published on your site.

Anytime I mention SEO or Algorithms I’m immediately bored myself. My goal here was to provide quick and useful information to help you make better decisions for your web content starting today. If you’d like more information feel free to contact me directly by filling out a form here.