simplicitydmsaf57d39a

Speaking to Your Customers, Not Just to Google

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Tue, 27 May 2025 13:30:37 GMT

In the world of SEO and keeping your website up to date, it's easy to get caught up in the complexities of keyword strategy, trying to understand an algorithm, and what you can stuff into your content to 'get it to rank'. But what about authenticity?

As I look at and write content for websites, blogs, and other platforms, it seems like authenticity can often be what's missing when I look at companies across the US and the world. When you can plug a bunch of terms and instructions into ChatGPT and it can shoot out a blog post for you in a fraction of the time it would take for you to write it yourself, it really is tempting isn't it? However, ultimately your website’s content is a reflection of your business and your brand. Is your brand cut-and-paste? While it’s important to make sure it’s optimized for search engines, it’s equally important to make sure your content speaks to real live humans looking for real live products, services, and information.

Authenticity is Everything.

In today’s digital world, consumers are looking for more than just product descriptions - While a decade ago companies starting trying to get by with a superficial image of a product or service with the best price on the internet, now companies are realizing that they can't always compete on price, and that consumers are looking for genuine connections with the brand and it's values that they support. Someone who is looking at websites all day can spot an AI written blog or website from 100 miles away, and the result? A solid ICK factor. But, what small businesses are realizing and what we are noticing with clients is that by focusing on creating valuable, honest, and actually useful content, you can build trust with your visitors and increase your chances of converting them into customers.

According to Moz , while SEO is essential for visibility, the true magic happens when your content genuinely answers the questions your audience is asking. If your content provides value and speaks directly to their needs, it’s much more likely to engage them and keep them coming back. Authentic content helps you build relationships, and people trust brands they feel they know.

Speak to People, Not Just Search Engines

Now, let’s talk about how focusing on authenticity can help your SEO efforts. The key is to strike a balance - yes, SEO is still important for ranking in Google, but your website’s content should always prioritize your audience first. You don’t want to fall into the trap of stuffing keywords in places they don’t belong just for the sake of optimization. Instead, focus on creating helpful, engaging content that naturally incorporates keywords and provides the information your customers are searching for. While AI can help with this, it is so important to have human review and heavy editing in your process so that it truly is the voice of your business.

HubSpot’s Content Marketing Blog agrees - businesses who focus on creating content for the audience rather than just the search engines see higher engagement rates and a better return on investment. This isn’t just good for building relationships with y our audience - it’s good for SEO, too! When you speak directly to your visitors' needs and pa in points, potential customers hang out on your website longer and search engines notice - Ultimately this improves SEO because search engines will prioritize content that answers user queries effectively.

How to Make Sure Your Content is Authentic

So, how can you create content that’s bo th authentic and optimized for SEO? He re are a few simple steps:

Know Your Audience
Take the time to understand who your ideal customers are. What challenges do they face? What questions do they need answered? Create content that speaks directly to them and offers free info. Build trust. By doing this, you’ll naturally integrate keywords they are likely searching for - without forcing them in awkwardly.
Tell the Story of your Business and Brand
Don’t be afraid to show the human side of your business. Whether you’re a solo mompreneur or a larger company, your story and why you are in business in the first place is what sets you apart. Share your journey and values with your audience. This will create a connection with your potential customers that no keyword strategy can do alone.
Use Natural Language
When you write your website content, imagine you’re talking to a friend. Keep the tone conversational and approachable. Avoid jargon or overly technical language that may turn potential customers away. Simple, clear language will not only resonate with people but also benefit your search rankings.
Answer Real Questions
Focus on answering questions that your customers are actually asking. This can be done through blog posts, FAQ sections, or how-to guides. When you answer real problems, it makes your content more valuable to both users and search engines.
Update Your Content Regularly
Authentic content is ongoing. Keep your website fresh by adding new blog posts, updating outdated information, or refining your product descriptions. Google loves updated content, and so do your visitors.

How can we help:

If we just seriously confused you please, just send us a message - We are always happy to chat over a virtual cup of coffee and help you with your website strategy or answer the questions you've been dying to get answers to. We totally get it - There needs to be a balance between SEO and authenticity, and we always try to find that happy medium for our clients. Making things function in the best way to help the Google Gods along in the background of your website always helps too, so we can help you optimize your content to have the best chance to helping your business along no matter what it is that you're writing. Other designers may have different opinions but we are pretty firm believes in doing things the write way. And when you speak to your customer, provide actual value, and answer actual questions, the rankings and conversions will follow.

Want More Tips?

If you're looking for more helpful website updates, be sure to check out our 12 Days of Website Updates for 2025 blog post for our favorite simple steps that you can do yourself to improve your website. Or, honestly just schedule a coffee chat with us and we will pour our hearts into the conversation to help you along your way with your website! Until then, speak from your heart first! <3

The 12 Days of Website Updates to Get Ready for the New Year!

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:09:17 GMT

The start of a New Year is the perfect time to refresh your website and make sure it’s ready to shine right when you get back from Holiday break! Whether you’re managing your site yourself or you’re just looking for ideas for quick website facelift, these 12 simple updates will help you get your website on track and improve how it works for your business. We're all for taking things day by day and not getting too overwhelmed (we know you've got a lot on your plate already), so we've broken this down into 12 easy tasks to do at your own pace. Happy Holidays to you all, and our very best wishes for you, your families, and your businesses in the New Year!

1. Run Your Site Through PageSpeed Insights

First thing's first - How is your website actually doing? Run your website through Google’s PageSpeed Insights to see where you can improve. Your website’s speed, as well as some of the other parameters that Pagespeed insights checks for, can make or break the user experience. Even small improvements to speed can lead to better user engagement and higher rankings on Google. PageSpeed insights also checks Accessibility, SEO, and best practices and while it certainly doesn't look at everything, it will give you some of the glaring problems so that you can fix them right away. A faster site means happier visitors and potentially more customers whether you're in Boston or anywhere worldwide.

2. Make Sure You Have a Favicon

Have you noticed that little icon next to your website’s name on the browser tab? That’s your favicon! It’s a small detail, but it adds a professional touch and helps users quickly recognize your site. If you don’t have one, you will likely end up with the Wordpress or Squarespace icon (not your logo, so not representative of your biz). Take a minute to create one, Canva makes it easy (you can use a simple logo or your brand initials). It’s an easy fix that makes your website look more polished and official.

3. Check How Your Website Preview Looks on Social Media

When people share your website on social media (and they will!) you want it to look just right. Use Facebook’s Sharing Debugger to see how your site looks when shared. If your image or logo looks off, you can update it through your website builder so that your posts look clean and inviting. It’s one of those little things that can make a big difference in how people perceive your site when they see it on their social feeds.

4. Update Your Google My Business Listing

If you have a physical location or serve a specific area like Boston, Google My Business (GMB) is a must. It’s how local customers find you in Google Search and Maps. Make sure your address, phone number, and business hours are up to date. Plus, upload a few new photos to keep your listing fresh and engaging, and maybe add in an FAQ or an Update. A complete GMB profile (and one that you continue to keep updated!) boosts your visibility and builds trust with potential clients.

5. Create a Google Search Console Account

If you're struggling to understand how your website actually helped your business over the last year, don't let that happen to you again in 2025. Hook up the tools so that you have the data available (even if you don't have the time to look at it now!) Google Search Console is a tool that shows you how your website is performing on Google, as well as how frequently they decide to show your website in search results. This account will also give you the opportunity to submit your website for indexing (a MUST if you haven't already), as well as resubmit that information anytime that you add or edit anything on your website. This helps Google understand your site and its content better, which can improve your rankings and search performance, but more importantly it helps YOU understand your site and its content better! The more you understand your site and how it's doing, the more thoughtful your changes and updates will be!

6. Set Up Google Analytics

Whether or not you think you will understand them, if you’re not tracking your website’s analytics, you’re missing out on valuable insights. Setting up Google Analytics gives you access to data on how visitors are interacting with your site, where they’re coming from, and what pages they’re visiting. You’ll be able to track your progress and tweak your strategies throughout the year. Analytics is a free tool, and it can provide the clarity you need to grow your website in 2025.

7. Get a Privacy Policy on Your Site

Privacy policies are required by law when you are collecting any sort of information from site visitors in many cases, and they help build trust with your visitors. Your privacy policy should explain how you collect, store, and use customer data. It’s one of those necessary elements that adds credibility to your site and also helps protect your business, so while we know it sounds tedious don't skip this one. There are some great tools that will help you walk through making a policy, such as Termageddon or Termly, which offer incredibly affordable options to have policies that update according to all of the changing privacy laws in the states (psst... half a dozen states have new privacy policies going into effect in January 2025!)

8. Add an Accessibility Statement

Web accessibility is about ensuring everyone can use your site, including people with disabilities. In the USA, more than 1/4 of website users have some type of disability that requires additional accessibility on websites - This is a huge percentage of people to throw by the wayside if you don't demonstrate inclusivity. Additionally, the laws surrounding accessibility are only going to become more clarified coming into 2025, and being proactive is always better than being reactive! Adding an accessibility statement to your website is a great way to show your commitment to inclusivity. So, take a few minutes to express your intentions for the Accessibility of your website. Encourage users to reach out to you if they experience issues so that you can correct them. Bonus points if you add an overlay that helps automatically fill in the gaps in your websites current Accessibility for visitors.

9. Add New Testimonials

Testimonials are how people are able to immediately recognize if they can trust you and your business. If you’ve had positive experiences with customers, now’s the time to showcase them on your site. Add a few new testimonials to help potential customers feel more confident in your business. Social proof is powerful, and fresh testimonials add authenticity to your website (and remind Google that you're alive and well and receiving new 5 star reviews!)

10. Upload New Photos

Fresh, high-quality photos can make your website feel more engaging and relevant. Update your images by adding a couple of new ones that reflect your business, whether it’s photos of your products, a new project before & after, your team, or office space. In Boston, where many big box businesses can overshadow small local businesses in search, showing your personality through authentic, non-stock images can help visitors feel more connected to you.

11. Add a Couple of New FAQs

Answering common questions can make your website more helpful and reduce friction for visitors, and can also help your website show up better if users ask those questions in a search. If you haven’t updated your FAQ section in a while, now’s a great time to add a couple of new questions. Consider the questions your customers have been asking or any new services or products you’ve added. Feeling stumped on what to add? Ask ChatGPT what people are looking for online as it relates to your industry! An updated FAQ section adds valuable content for users and also can improve your website’s SEO.

12. Check How Your Site Looks on Mobile

In many industries around 50% (sometimes more, sometimes less) of users are checking out your website on their phone, so it’s crucial that your site looks great on mobile devices. Check your website on a few different devices to make sure everything looks and works properly. If things seem off, take the time to adjust. Sometimes certain widgets and layouts don't show up perfectly on a mobile device automatically. Adjust your font sizes so they fit better on a smaller device. Adjust your animations and your background images if they don't look quite right. A responsive mobile site is vital for keeping users happy and improving your SEO.

Whew! By now you have probably made it through the holidays and if you're anything like us you're ready to take on 2025 with full steam ahead! We hope The 12 Days of Website Updates turned getting your site ready for the New Year into some manageable bite-sized updates that allowed you to not feel the massive overwhelm that often accompanies the daunting task of updating your website! If this list made you close your laptop and go find the Christmas Cookies, don't worry - We're always here for a chat and a lot of business owners find that they simply don't want to be digging into website updates themselves. If that's your situation, reach out to us anytime to sip some eggnog and chat about your 2025 plans!

Wishing you the most wonderful Holiday Season and 2025! We love you all and can't wait to watch your businesses thrive in the New Year!

Looking for an actual checklist? Download ours here for FREE , our holiday gift to you <3

Love,

Allison

Owner, Website Designer

SimplicityDMS

SEO on a Budget: A Mom's Guide to Prioritizing your Efforts

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 21:38:34 GMT

Doing your best to be a great parent, great entrepreneur, and great digital marketer for your business can feel like juggling lemurs.

Hey DIY-ers, Allison here. We just finished up a nice little vacation in Cyprus and it got me thinking quite a bit about the balance of being a present parent and enjoying the Now, and also being a great business owner planning for all the great things I want my company to do and be for our clients. If you've never been to Cyprus, there are SO many fun things to do and see, including the Paphos Zoo. Here, you can actually go into a ring tailed lemur enclosure and the lemurs will leap onto you to get the food that the zookeeper gives to you in a cute little cup. The experience is summed up as a bit of chaos, a bit pure joy, and a little concern that the cute little guys are going to bite your fingers by accident instead of the food. This, to me, is exactly what it feels like being a parent and an entrepreneur - Occasionally you feel like you've got everything under control and then alas! Your kid tries to pick up one of the lemurs, another lemur jumps onto your head and starts playing with your hat, and you need to reprioritize everything to avoid dropping all the lemurs (and your kid).

Wearing the marketing hat in your business can feel overwhelming, just like holding four hungry lemurs at the same time, or like driving on the wrong side of the car (another feature of the beautiful country of Cyprus). And, just when it starts to get easier, you add a new service or do a little rebranding and it's like you're learning from step one all over again. We wanted to share some practical, down-to-earth tips on how to prioritize your SEO activities, even when you’re managing your website yourself with limited resources. Let’s dive in!

First Thing's First: ALWAYS start with Keyword Research

First things first: keywords. Your Keywords are the framework for all of the time that you are going to put in. If you're working on your Google My Business Profile, adding content to your website, or organizing thoughts for a new page to add to your site, the keywords that you are planning to focus dictate how your time is spent. For us Moms, time is $$$$$. You don't want to be spending time on any of these other things if you don't have a goal in mind, and your goal is geared around your keywords. For instance, if you’re in the Boston area, targeting keywords like “Boston Web Design” can help attract local clients. And if you're in Quincy, MA, don’t forget to include that in your strategy to capture local searches. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that a keyword is only as valuable as the traffic going to it. You might LOVE some certain terms that relate exactly to your business but if no one is actually searching for those words on Google, it's not going to help your business very much now is it?!?! Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest can help you find keywords that match your business, goals, and location, and can also help you see how many people are searching monthly for those terms on Google so you know you're putting your eggs in the right basket.

Optimize Your Website’s On-Page Elements

Next up on your priority list: Let’s talk about on-page SEO. Think of your website as your home, and on-page SEO is like keeping your house clean and organized. Time best spent will be on optimizing your page titles, meta descriptions, and headers. For example, if you’re offering web design services in Quincy, MA, your homepage title could be “Top Quincy MA Web Design Services.” These elements help search engines understand what your pages are about and improve your chances of ranking higher. It also is worth it to mention that a 'Header' is not only the title to a paragraph or page, but is actually identified as such in the background of your website. Don't just enlarge your paragraph text to be the size you think a header should be... Make sure it is correctly labeled as H1, H2, H3, etc.

Create High-Quality Content

Content is your opportunity to shine and show off your expertise. When you’re working with limited time, aim to create high-quality content that answers a question that your audience is asking. Write blog posts, guides, elaborate on pages, or add case studies that highlight your skills. Share tips relevant to your local area. Quality content attracts visitors and keeps them engaged, which is key for showing the Google Gods that you have value to offer through your website. *Psst... if you need an extra hand with this to keep it consistent, we're here for it. Check out our Packages & Pricing for more info on our Content Creation offerings, or shoot us a message through our Contact Form to give us a better idea of how we can help you!*

Consistency is Everything

If you're going to write one blog post every 6 months, don't bother. But that being said, investing just 1 hour a month in the improvement of your website content will achieve great things. While many of these other SEO activities are 'One and Done' so-to-speak, consistency in SEO is what will keep you in the race. Literally mark your calendar and make this happen, your competitors most certainly are!!!

Focus Local SEO

Speaking of local, local SEO is crucial if you’re serving a specific area. Ensure your Google My Business listing is updated with your correct address, phone number, and business hours. Encourage happy clients to leave reviews. This helps boost your visibility in local searches and connects you with potential clients in your community. Over time, you can use the authority your website earns to expand your footprint.

Leverage Social Media

Social media can be a powerful ally in your SEO efforts. Share your content and engage with your audience on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn in order to direct them to content on your website. For example, if you’ve just published a new blog post about “Effective Web Design Tips for Boston Businesses,” share it on your social channels to drive traffic and increase visibility. Social media can help you reach a wider audience, and providing value to your audience that already exists on social is a great way to turn that audience into paying customers.

The Finishing Touches: User Experience

Last but not least, prioritize the user experience on your website. This is often not an ongoing task, so often when you spend the time it doesn't need to continue consuming your time. Run your site through PageSpeed Insights . Make sure your site is easy to navigate, and is mobile-friendly. Check your load speeds and make sure users aren't just sitting there waiting for your beautiful site to open, only to find that it takes forever and they go find another site to try. A pleasant user experience keeps visitors on your site longer and reduces bounce rates—both of which are good for SEO.

Ready to Boost Your SEO?

Managing SEO on your own can feel overwhelming, but with these tips, you can make the most of your limited resources and achieve great results. If you’re looking for a bit of extra support or a fresh perspective on your SEO strategy, we’d love to help! Reach out to SimplicityDMS for a free consultation and let’s explore how we can make your website shine. After all, every small business deserves a chance to succeed on Google without breaking the bank!

SEO Simplified: The Mompreneur's Guide to SEO Success

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 21:29:03 GMT

If you're reading this and there's a toddler touching your keyboard with sticky fingers, I feel what you are feeling in my SOUL.

My guess is you don't have a whole lot of time to spare, and you're looking to get some clear cut info on what you need to do to make your website an effective Google competitor. Every article you read gets super technical and ends in a summary that says 'you probably can't do this yourself, and if you want it done right it's going to cost you about 2k a month'. Thanks, SEO bros. Are there basically an infinite number of tasks that you can do to optimize your website for search engines? Sure! Is there a lot of strategy, a lot of attention to detail, a lot of work?! YEA!!! But, there are also a few basics that can really get you going and give you a solid foundation. Then, if you need to soar to higher heights, at least your site isn't half dead when you decide to do that. But, our goal here is to give you some ideas to sprinkle a little SEO magic on your site that will help it soar to new heights (in the rankings, that is), without a soaring price tag <3

Check your Pulse

Let's start with 'Does your website have a pulse?' For starters, it might not be as bad as you think! You can glean a lot of information right from Google itself on how your site is doing. Running your website through PageSpeed Insights can be helpful in learning how your website is doing, and using tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics can really help you get some momentum. 'Al, I have no idea how to use those tools!' It's okay! Take a deep breath... Set them up anyways. Putter around on them for a few minutes every month and see what's being shown to you. By at least setting them up, you'll slowly learn over time and be able to see changes, which is 1000% better than not setting them up at all!

Know Your Keywords

Let's start with the basics – keywords. These are the words and phrases that people type into search engines when looking for businesses like yours. Take some time to brainstorm a list of keywords that are relevant to your business and your target audience. You might not always want to think "what is it that I offer?". Instead, you might want to think "What might somebody ask Google that I am the answer to?" If you're a plumber, for example, you might not just want to show up for the most competitive word, "Plumber", but instead might think about focusing your website for showing up for something like "How do I unclog my shower drain?" or "How do I install a sump pump?" Think about what your ideal customers might be searching for and use those keywords naturally throughout your website. Our extra simple tip before spending all your time focused on a given keyword is to make sure people are actually searching for it before you spend all your time changing the content of your site to focus that keyword. Tools like Google Keyword Planner are free, and ChatGPT can also be your best friend when brainstorming keywords that may be valuable to your business! Take this step seriously, and think strategically as you can waste a LOT of time by going for the wrong keywords.

Optimize Your Website's Structure

Remember back in high school when you had to write really long essays in English class and you would create an outline to do so? Introduction...3 arguments in favor of what you were trying to prove... Any other tidbits were tucked into the paragraph they were most related to... Conclusion. Your website needs to be the same way both for it to be 2nd nature to your potential customers and to Google. Start by creating a Table of Contents. Major topics should have their own tab at the top of your site. Not-so-important tabs can be tucked in the Footer. The clearer your navigation, the easier it is for your customers to understand where they need to go to do what you need them to on your website. A great way to get an idea of best practices and what you might want to include is to research a few other sites in your industry, particularly those that are doing well showing up in Google Search - What do they include in their top tabs? What do they include on their home page? Those might also be items you want to include in your site structure!

Create High-Quality Content

Content is Queen, and creating useful and worthwhile content is essential for attracting visitors to your website. I stress this with every bone in my body - DO NOT FILL YOUR WEBSITE WITH FILLER CONTENT. Your website visitors know when you have created a page of content that runs them in a circle and doesn't answer a question. They know the feeling of reading something AI generated vs someone authentically caring about answering a real-life problem. Whether it's blog posts, product descriptions, or how-to guides, aim to create content that isn't stuffing your website like a turkey, and is building trust and providing real value. Website visitors who are having their questions answered stay on your site . Website visitors who get a bad taste in their mouth about crappy content leave.

Optimize Your Photos

Please please please don't just upload your screenshots!!!! Use your own original photos rather than stock photos whenever possible, as they not only portray your unique business but also are unique to Google! Make sure that your file names reflect what the photo actually is, and that your photo isn't that gorgeous 'screenshot4937'. Alt Text, or the description entered into your website builder to describe what a photo is of, is not only important for Accessibility purposes, but is also critical for SEO and for Google understanding your site content and what your business is all about. Using tools like Squoosh, Adobe, or Canva can make this process super simple!

Continuous Improvement

As I so frequently (and unfortunately) discover mid-spring, gardens die when you don't water them, and so do websites. If you don't edit or change ANYTHING on your website for.a year, Google definitely knows it and is going to prioritize websites that being updated more often. Did you add a service, or perhaps a staff member? Could you add in a map, update your terms of service, or start a blog? Doing a little bit over a long time is where you are going to find the SEO jackpot, so take advantage of that midday nap your kiddo is taking and optimize some of your Headers!

Allison, I'm still confused.

If everything I just said has you saying 'she must be speaking Greek', give me a shout so we can do a free consult or audit of your website. My favorite past-time after reading Elephant and Piggie to my kids is having a cozy cup of coffee and helping someone figure out right from left when it comes to their website. As Elephant and Piggie might say, 'Let's Go for a Drive!!!'

Until next time, happy SEO-ing!

About SimplicityDMS

SimplicityDMS is a small, independent woman-owned web design company based out of Greater Boston, MA. We specialize in working alongside entrepreneurs & small businesses to optimize their web presence in an affordable way, and offer ongoing support and hosting to keep your website and business thriving. Schedule your free consult today to brainstorm the possibilities for your next project!

Our Very Best DIY Tips

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:46:38 GMT

To Go Pro, or not to Go Pro? That is certainly the question in many entrepreneurs' minds when ramping up their marketing efforts, and sometimes the time is simply not right to go out and hire someone to do the work for you. Here, we break down some of the considerations, and give you our very best Website DIY tips for getting the most out of your efforts!

The DIY Dilemma is at the top of the list for most entrepreneurs - When you're getting started, the temptation to penny pinch is STRONG. Believe us, we've been there! At first, the allure of DIY website building might seem appealing... But as you start navigating the complexities of design, functionality, and SEO, you might find yourself in a little over your head.

Well, pull yourself up by your boot straps, my friend! You didn't become an entrepreneur because you gave up after the first sign of hardship, and we are sure you are up for the challenge. Here are our very best tips for building a website in a Do-It-Yourself fashion.

Our biggest advice: If you decide to DIY, make sure you do it right. We see it time and time again (typically when business owners decide they no longer want to DIY). They discover that they had huge errors on their site that left their business exposed for potential accessibility lawsuits, or that the Blog they had been writing for years for some reason wasn't being cataloged by Google at all. What. A. Waste. Of. Time. So, don't let that be you! Be methodical, check your information in more than one place, and tap into as many expert resources as you can, several of which we highlight here!

1. Do your research

Like literally. Take a course on web design, learn a bit about SEO. Neil Patel has some pretty amazing SEO & marketing courses which are FREE, so don't immediately feel like doing your research will require money... It will just require time. Plan out your project and everything you should include on your site. Execute. Don't slack off and say you just don't have time to do the research. If you don't have time to do the research, you need to hire a pro. HubSpot also has its own 'Academy' where you can learn tons about SEO, Web Design Theory and so much more.

2. Choose your web builder wisely

You don't want to set everything up on a platform that you hate using so much you never edit your website. Look at reviews. Do a free trial and try out the builder to see if you find it easy to navigate. Transferring everything to a new web builder in a few years will cost you the same amount of time you spent creating the first website AGAIN.

3. Know you are going to spend some time

Probably a lot of time: Let's face it, everyone would renovate their own bathroom if they had the time and could do all of the research necessary to be able to make it look amazing. But suddenly, as we're in the 8th hour of chiseling grout out from in between the 3,697 tiny bathroom tiles, we question our decision. You need to know that in order to do it right, you are going to need to spend some time, some metaphorical elbow grease, and some really long chats with an online support that might get you somewhere.... or nowhere. That's just the price to pay.

4. Understand that there are things you don't even know that you don't know about web design

The extension of this is 'there are also things that you need to do outside of your website that will make your website function at its best'. Your entire digital marketing strategy matters, and your website is simply a piece of that. But, if you're digging into designing your own website, it's important to keep in mind how this piece of the puzzle plays with all the other pieces that your business has floating around the internet. Make sure what you are doing and designing on your website flows into the branding on your socials and that information is consistent across the internet for your business.

5. Take advantage of AI... but not too much

AI can be an incredible tool for potentially designing a website the right way. For example, if I ask ChatGPT to create an outline of what I might want to include on the home page of a cleaning business website, it will probably give me some good guidelines. If I want to create some content, use a certain tone in my language, create a certain intent with the language on my website, AI is my bff. However, everything learned should be verified, and checked for originality. AI is not a human, it's a tool (and one that on the DIY side can save you a LOT of time).

6. Check everything after you publish.

Once your site is published and available for everyone to see, the work begins! Make sure you check in with Google Search Console and Google Analytics to continue to track your website's progress, and make sure that Google has actually found your site to begin with. Checking PageSpeed Insights or other similar tools can also be helpful to understand if your site is functioning optimally. While it might seem like this should just happen naturally, it does not!!! You don't want to look at this tool a year from now and realize that no one has been visiting your site because it takes 10 seconds to load. This tool will also give you an idea of if your website is implementing website best practices, SEO, and Accessibility so that if there are glaring issues you can go back and fix them.

When is it time to cash in your chips?

When you find yourself a little too lost, or spending more frustrating time trying to adjust the alignment of a page than you are actually working on your small business, it's time to think about hiring a pro. We are all for the DIY, but also understand that it has taken us years to develop the knowledge we have now, and that doesn't even touch the tip of the iceberg when it comes to knowledge that anyone needs to continue to learn in this rapidly evolving industry. From time efficiency, to understanding the technical intricacies, to even things as simple as making the website responsive to different size screens... These tasks can certainly be done yourself if you're willing to make the time. If you're not, a pro should make your life and your business sanity a whole lot better <3

When I started SimplicityDMS, my goal wasn't to simply charge the going rate if my experience hadn't earned it. Just because I could charge $3500 to design a 5 page site... should I?! In reality, our goal for SimplicityDMS is to work with business owners through their ups and downs and growth and challenges... and be able to adjust their website accordingly. Where most business owners get stuck poring through support articles, or struggling through conversations with generic customer service.. we wanted our clients to be able to fire off a text or an email to us and know that we will find a solution for them! We never want you to have that feeling of 'I have so many things I need to do with my website but never have the time to get around to doing them'. We are in the marathon business, not the sprint business, and that is why you see perhaps confusingly low up front prices for our websites. We know that you need to continue to adjust and adapt over time, and we want to have your back for many years to come.

Happy Website Building!

About SimplicityDMS

10 Tips for DIY Enthusiasts looking to improve their Website Conversions

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:46:38 GMT

(Because we love websites that actually do what they're supposed to - Improve your business!)

Happy 2024, fellow small business owner! Are you looking to start the year out fresh by boosting your website's performance and increase user conversions? You're in the right place! Improving website conversions doesn't always require a professional overhaul. With a bit of strategic thinking and these 10 DIY tips, you can enhance your website's effectiveness and turn those browsing visitors into paying customers.

1. Have a Clear Call to Action

For the non-techy folk, a call to action is that cute button that says "Buy Now", "Subscribe", or "Learn More". In short, users on your site need to know what you want them to do in order for them to do it. We often hear 'well I want an informational site!' Well, of course you do! But, you also want those visitors to use that information to make a decision, whether it's buying something, reaching out to you, making an appointment, or making a donation. This call to action is critical for a conversion to even have a chance at happening, so make sure that it is crystal clear for your users!

2. Simplify Navigation

This might seem straight forward, but it might be a little more complicated than you think, depending on your site. And, depending on how your site is organized it might take a little work. Basically, you want to make sure that someone looking through your site will intuitively know where to find information on something. Do you have an explanation of services under your 'About Us' section, or is it under its own tab? Do you have your Events hidden on your Home page at the bottom, but not showing in your navigation? If you want people to attend those Events, they need to be able to easily find them! Streamlining your website's navigation can absolutely increase your conversions - The easier it is to browse around, the less likely someone is to leave your site because they can't find what they're looking for.

3. Optimize Page Load Speed

Let's face it: We live in an instant gratification society. When we need something, we need it yesterday, and websites are no exception! Speed matters. Speed is one of many parameters factoring into SEO, but did you know that if your site loads slowly it can cause users to immediately move on to another site?! Check out PageSpeed Insights for a complete breakdown of your page speed and the opportunities you have to improve it. You can also optimize your website's performance by compressing images, minimizing unnecessary elements, even considering where larger files or videos are placed so that their effect on load speed is minimized. A fast-loading site is the foundation for giving users the opportunity to convert.

4. Mobile Responsiveness

In 2022, mobile e-commerce was responsible for 387 billion USD in the United States according to Statista . In a day and age where mobile devices are always within an arms reach, it is more important than ever to know that your business shows up properly on them. Google has increasingly prioritized mobile-friendly websites in its SEO ranking algorithms, which emphasize load speed on mobile devices and user experience. In fact, Google has stopped using the technology for crawling desktop sites altogether as discussed in SearchEngineLand's recent article . The Bottom Line: Websites that offer seamless and optimized experiences on smartphones and tablets are more likely to receive favorable rankings in Google's search results... but it's not just about the ranking. Your potential customers need to be able to see and understand your business on a mobile device. It is critical that your website is responsive to different device sizes and that it looks and functions optimally. I would further venture to ask: How does your website look on a tablet? How about a wide screen desktop? How about a phone turned horizontal? The more responsive your site is, the better.

5. Compelling Content

Content is the core of your entire website and ultimately your business's identity. If you want your users to understand what it is that your business offers, you need to have thoughtfully written content that ultimately addresses the needs of your user. What is content, you might ask? Content is literally everything written on your website, from your titles and headlines to the details in the footer of your page, to every paragraph you write in between. Make sure you answer questions that your audience might find you to be the solution for. Share your own unique spin on a hot topic relevant to your business. Offer VALUABLE information that people will find it worthwhile to sit down and read. High-quality content not only engages visitors but also can boost your site's search engine ranking.

6. Social Proof

Showcase customer testimonials, reviews, or case studies to build trust with your potential customers. Pull your Google my Business reviews right onto your site, or highlight your best reviews in a fun spotlight on the main page of your site. Social proof is a powerful motivator for potential customers and can significantly impact conversion rates. If someone is on the fence about purchasing, seeing how other people in their shoes felt about their purchase might just tip the scales.

7. Use High-Quality Imagery

Visual appeal matters. Sometimes investing in high quality images for your brand is necessary, but in today's day and age stock images and AI can go a LONG way. All things considered, you want the images on your site to genuinely represent what clients will see and experience when they experience your business or store front. If customers get two different feelings when they go to your website and then go to your business... that's not great. Crisp, clear visuals contribute to a positive user experience. Additionally on the e-commerce site of things, clear video and image representation of products leads to higher conversions. Have you been seeing more and more videos on websites actually demonstrating a product being used/worn/etc? This is because conversions are higher (and returns are lower!) when a potential customer knows exactly what they're getting.

8. Opt-in Forms

If your goal is to capture leads, or to improve conversions, optimize your opt-in forms. Keep them simple, request only essential information, and consider offering incentives to encourage sign-ups. Not only do your incentives improve conversions (for example if you offer a discount by signing up for your email list), but the email drip often leads to improved conversions down the line from potential customers building trust with your brand through seeing your email marketing! According to OptinMonster , who highlights some GREAT email marketing stats on their site, mentions that shoppers actually spend 138% more when marketed to through email, in comparison to customers who did not receive email offers. Simply put, start an email list, and have a link to join it front and center on your site!

9. Understand - and Simplify - your Customer Journey

When it comes down to it, understanding your customer's behavior will be critical for improving conversions. What do they come to your site looking for? What did they search for on Google, or how did they find your site? What information are they going to seek out on your site? Where might they get 'stuck' on your site and navigate away? Using tools like Analytics, heatmaps, and A/B testing can be useful in understanding what your customer's journey looks like, and ultimately why they decide to buy (or decide to leave your site!)

10. Adjust, Monitor, Control

Leverage analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gain insights into user behavior. Track key metrics such as bounce rate, conversion rate, and user flow to make informed decisions. Google Search Console can not only help you make sure Google has the most up to date information on your website, but can also help you understand what users are searching for when they find (and hopefully click on!) your website. By collecting and interpreting this information, you can make tweaks to your website that can help users have an easier time understanding your product or service, and ultimately an easier time becoming your customer.

Improving website conversions doesn't always require a complete overhaul. By implementing these DIY tips, you can create a user-friendly, conversion-focused website that can continue to serve you for the long haul of your business. Remember, the key is to continually analyze your site's performance, stay attuned to user feedback, and be ready to adapt as needed. If you ultimately decide that this is just a bit too much DIY for you, we're here to help!

Happy DIYing!

Top 5 Tips to Consider When Creating your Website

allisoncpanteli@gmail.com (Allison Panteli) — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:46:38 GMT

Congratulations! You made the leap into business ownership, (hopefully) set up your LLC or Corp with your favorite business attorney, found yourself a solid insurance policy, and are off to the races! Likely the next item to be checked off your list has something to do with marketing your business. Depending on the industry that you work in, this can look like many different things..

Are you a brick & mortar store and plan on putting an ad in the paper?

Are you planning to be active on Facebook and create ads that attract your perfect customer?

Do you have loads of quick videos you're planning to do as you dive into the world of TikTok?

Are you planning on joining a local networking group like BNI or a Chamber of Commerce?

Marketing can look like SO MANY different things depending on your business, but there is one Universal - In 2023, in the age of AI, and NFT's, and paying for things just by tapping your phone somewhere, it is absolutely critical that you have a website. Not sure what AI or an NFT is? Well that's okay, but I'm pretty sure at this point absolutely everyone, even you, has heard of a website. In fact, I would venture to argue that you have probably NOT gone to a restaurant at one point or another because you couldn't easily find its menu, or perhaps you chose NOT to go somewhere because their clunky website from the 90's didn't give you the info you needed. Having a source of credible, up to date information about your business is absolutely critical for your business to literally stay alive and thrive.

Now that we have agreed on the importance of a website (which hopefully you already were aware of) you have now likely begun the laborious process of website building research.. In fact, this may have started taking over most of your business time, rather than actually working on your business! My hope is that these five tips curb your endless scrolling and you find yourself able to take action to create the site of your dreams! It really all comes down to 5 tips to consider when creating your website:

1. Site Speed (Google's Core Web Vitals)

Contrary to most of the 'bro's' we hear talking about the complexity of SEO and making a strong website that needs ABC and XYZ to knock the socks off your competitors, it really is not that complicated.. If you are trying to build a website for your business that happens to be a hospital or a government agency, okay... that's a little more complicated. But for YOU, the solopreneur, mompreneur, or rather small business owner, let's take a look at a little something called Google Core Web Vitals. This is a FREE tool ANYONE can use, so if your business already has a website, jump on over and enter it now! Google literally outlines what they are looking for to help your website show up in search. You have control over a LOT of it. Some parts, however, are built into the company that you decide to build your website with (You may have heard of Wix, WordPress, Duda, Joomla, etc. etc.) Foundationally, the code behind these builders impacts how your website performs with Google's Core Web Vitals, and ultimately this can impact how well your site shows up in search and whether potential customers have a good experience on your website. Search Engine Journal just recently released their report on Core Web Vitals leaders for September 2023 and our personal favorite, Duda, did not disappoint. The awesome key takeaway from this article, however, is that while some builders are consistently ranking better than others, ALL of these builders have improved their rankings, and therefore showing dedicated effort towards improving the website performance for all businesses using their platform. Keep this list handy, as if you're looking at a builder or service NOT on this list... Well, just don't say I didn't warn you.

2. Need to Customize

But Al, what if I need some really custom stuff??? My question for you would be 'How Much?' I mean this in the most loving way, but what might seem like it might need to be super duper customized for your super duper unique small business... might have already been thought of before... and might actually be quite simple to create on your website. Now, if you are a larger business that really needs some tricky integrations, you need a huge database, and a membership section, and a learning platform... you get the idea... This is when you might be thinking about using a Web Developer, rather than simply a designer. The real point I'm trying to make here, is that while some sites truly need to be custom-coded, many do not, so I strongly urge you to look at all the pros and cons here. The main issue that I see with custom-coded sites is that any time you need to change some text, shift an image, make an edit, replace something... you need someone else to do it and cannot do it yourself. Sure your site might have 'super lean code' so that it performs well according to those Core Web Vitals we just talked about, but if your site hasn't been updated in a year because your developer got a new job, or took on too many clients, or you couldn't afford to hire him/her again to do the work you need done, how effective of a website do you really have? Custom Coding has its uses, so make sure that you know whether these uses are truly applicable to your business before you choose this route.

3. Edits & Content

Chatting about custom coding brings us to Edits & Content, which as a business-savvy entrepreneur, you have obviously already thought about. Have you ever heard that beautiful phrase 'The Fortune is in the Follow Up?'. Well, I truly believe they were saying this about websites. Keeping your website up to date over time ultimately is where your business will thrive. So... How are you going to keep your website up to date? Will you do the edits yourself, or would you prefer to have someone do them for you? Will you be creating all of the content yourself, providing all of the images, headlines, you name it? If you don't have content and photos, now's the time to think about whether you need a copywriter or photographer.. or perhaps finding a designer who also offers these services so you have less cooks stirring your pot. Maintenance plans offered directly by designers have become more and more of a common service as business owners have started to realize the importance for continued support to keep sites relevant. GONE are the times where someone would build a website and never touch it again for months and years to come! Forbes recently release their top picks for website building in their Best Website Builder Top 10 list. This may be a great tool to reference particularly if you are planning to take care of everything yourself - The easier and more intuitive the website builder, ultimately the less time you as the business owner will need to commit to producing a professional website, or to performing edits.

4. Hands on / Hands off?

Depending on the size of your business or how you plan to scale, considering whether you're going to be All Hands On Deck in your marketing plan and website, or hands-off, is an important consideration. This may ultimately determine whether you hire a designer, freelancer, larger agency, or go rogue and DIY. Whether you are hands on or hands off will also determine what website builder you end up using (unless you are a coder or a marketing agency yourself, you likely won't be using certain platforms). There are certainly pros and cons for each - Being hands on gives you the ability to change anything you need to at a moment's notice. You don't need to wait for a developer or designer to do it for you, which can be a pain if you have a business that needs prompt updates (think daily specials at your favorite bistro). The downside of being hands on, is that if you can't figure out how to do something... it is you waiting in the hour long queue to customer service to figure out how to do it.. Probably after already spending 3 hours trying to figure it out yourself. If it's something you still can't figure out, it inevitably (and unfortunately for your business) will get pushed down the priority list until months later you realize your website has had the same silly out-of-date thing for the last 6 months. On the flip side, hands off can be rewarding but also stressful for the control-loving business owner types (come on, you know who you are). It is rewarding in the sense that you have someone direct that you can send questions to, or get help updating your site with, and therefore inevitably your website stays up to date ironically more frequently than most hands-on sites. Hands off can come with a potential cost, and ultimately only you can determine what kind of budget that looks like to you and your business, or whether it is worth it at this current point in your business. Fortunately, websites that are professionally designed do not have to cost an arm and a leg, and many maintenance plans are scalable starting at a low monthly hosting & maintenance cost, which then you can choose to increase depending on how much work you need done on the website (many designers offer maintenance plans that start at a range of $50-150 and may scale to several hundred if the website requires several hours of monthly updates).

5. DIY or PRO?

Price is our 5th consideration, which blends in perfectly with this critical decision: Do you venture into the potentially time-consuming world of DIY (Do It Yourself), or do you face the potential wallet-draining decision of finding a website designer to do it for you? This decision ultimately depends on your budget, time-frame to getting your business rolling, and a number of other factors, but ultimately comes down to your personal comfort level and preference. We will try to highlight the pros and cons of each here:

Do It Yourself website projects often seem like the no-brainer way to go with a new business, but that is not necessarily the case. Sure, you don't need to pay a web designer potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars to do it for you- money that you may or may not even have at the moment. On the flip side of the coin, spending months trying to build a website when you haven't the faintest clue how to build one might cost you thousands in revenue of potential sales. What if you design a site on a builder that you end up hating? What if you spend months designing a site that you end up hating? What if you design a site on a platform, only to realize that you need to sell products and the platform you used doesn't offer that functionality? Not to be the completely harsh Debbie Downer, but without sugar coating it.... the consequences of a Do It Yourself website gone wrong can literally cost you your business. Despite all this, there is absolutely a time and a place in many businesses where DIY just makes sense, and I would encourage you to do your due diligence in researching the platform you use, best website practices, accessibility features, cookie and privacy policies, and all the other juicy details.

While using a web designer by no means guarantees that you will float into sunset on a business unicorn carrying bags of gold, it does offer certain securities... Your designer is likely well versed, or a least familiar with at least a few of the most popular web builders out there. With this knowledge they can likely suggest a builder that suits your needs, or in the event that you need to add on certain functionalities down the road help you to be able to do so. This sort of stress relief can be welcomed when taking a business to the next level, and often helps remove hesitation in helping a business to scale. If you don't need to spend months making all of those website edits to add on and sell your new e-coaching course/amazing product/bougie service.... What are you waiting for? Make that $$$$. On the other hand, finding a designer that you totally vibe with can also be a challenge! Seeking personal recommendations in business Facebook groups can be a great way to get started, and many designers will happily schedule a complimentary 'interview' with you so-to-speak to hear more about your project, share more about what their style is like, and if it's a project that they may be able to help you bring to life!

Alas, as they say Failing Forwards... ultimately Taking Action - any action - is better than taking no action at all in your business. Congrats on taking the first step, and ultimately I hope that these few tidbits arm you with a little more knowledge as you venture into the Great Website-building Unknown!

(I promise, it's really not as bad as you'd think!)

Allison Panteli

Designer Mom (not that kind of Designer Mom)

Owner, SimplicityDMS LLC