Your Website as Your First Impression

You might think of a customer’s first impression of your business as the first time they set foot in the door or the minute they say “Hello” to one of your staff on the phone. Actually, your first impression comes even earlier than that. Before you even know your customer is one of your customers, there’s a good chance they have gotten an impression of your business already—from your website! Oftentimes, potential customers will browse your website before they decide to contact you. How often will people make it past this first step? Is this step leaving a lasting impression on people? What should your website have and do to get new customers?

Get them interested. Write with a personal style and voice. Use phrases that are unique to your business and come from a place of assistance and service. A great way to draw people in is through contests. These can be promotions in which they receive a free product or service or even contests that benefit your company, such as choosing the next slogan or fundraising event.

Get them involved.  A forum is an easy, fun way to get a two way conversation going with your customers. People love to express their ideas and hear positive feedback about them. When they feel as though they can ask questions from the comfort of their own home, they will feel more confident when using your products and services.

Get your visuals right. Research shows it only takes two-tenths of a second for an online visitor to form a first opinion of your brand once they’ve gone through your website, which they can do in less than a minute. The first thing they notice is your logo—they want to associate your company name with an image. The navigation menu is seen second, so they can figure out quickly where they need to go. Then users look for social media links, which indicate the business is actively involved in reaching out to their customers. The primary image on the webpage is what users look at next, so if a slideshow can be placed here, you’ll get more information across right away. Finally, potential customers read the written content. That’s a lot to do in less than a minute! That’s why all of these features need to be up to date and on point to get your business’ message across.

Get up to speed. Finally, you want to be sure you website loads fast, in less than 5 seconds. If your site takes too long to load, users will think it doesn’t work and click back to their search for another website.

Your small business website is how you introduce yourself to potential customers. BeyondCustom Websites will make sure your website is attractive, easy to navigate, and engaging for your customers. We know that expertise in SEO, graphic design, content writing, and web programming all need to work together to get your website found and get customers in the door. The best part? We do all the work for you! Contact us today to start working with your own personal, professional web team.

Five Things Your Website Must Have For Success

For optimal website usability, there are some basic rules or guidelines your website needs to follow. While every site is unique, certain features are universally essential. Several aspects come together to make a website successful, but here are five key usability elements you’ll want your website to have.

Be sure the framing around your content is large enough for the viewer to read the text easily. A helpful tip to ensure this is to only include information you know your customers need and want to know. Users should be able to resize their window for the easiest view of your site’s content. If content is in a small box or hard to read, people will leave your site very quickly.

Avoid music on your website, especially music that plays automatically. That goes for video, too. The user is just going to mute or pause it anyway, because frankly, it’s annoying! If music or video is part of the message of your company, make it optional to play or have it on a separate linked page. Remember, no user likes being forced into anything.

Be sure to have a balance between pages that open in a separate window and pages that open in the same window to replace the page they were on. For the most part, separate windows are not needed, unless the page contains something that not every user will read, but some will, such as Terms and Conditions or a link to your Twitter page.

You may have heard this before, but it is vital that your site’s animated features are built in HTML rather than Flash. Flash does not work on mobile devices and will break down on the computer of anyone who does not have the very latest version of Flash. (Beyond Custom Websites doesn’t use Flash and knows how to create the same “wow factor” with HTML so it will actually work!)

Finally, include a site map feature and navigation bars with shortcut links to other pages so that users can easily jump around your site and find exactly what they need. An all too common mistake is to only include such links at the very bottom of pages or hidden on the side somewhere. Users need to get where they want to go quickly.

Beyond Custom Websites focuses on usability and our experts are savvy enough to balance your unique company image with features that get your site traffic, and in turn, increase sales. Contact us and we’ll be sure to create a website with an attractive design and effortless usability for your customers.

Keep Your Website Fresh and Exciting

When your custom website is brand new, everyone is excited about it! You get the buzz circulating and users are flocking to your site to see what you have to offer. What about a month, two months, or six months after that? Is your small business website still fresh in the eyes of customers? If you have the mindset that your website is completely done after the official launch, you run the risk of your website losing its luster over time. What keeps people coming back to your website long-term?

A blog feature should be an essential part of your website. You should post to your blog at least once a week and keep the content dynamic and exciting. Think of your blog posts as conversations with the customer.

Offering methods for customers to voice their opinions will build a sense of community on your website. Discussion forums allow for two way communication and promotions offered for feedback are always fun for customers. (One example: go to our website and take our customer service survey to be entered to win a $100 gift card). You can even set up submissions for an updated logo design or slogan to really get the customers involved.

Small business websites should connect with social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Links on your website can appear in users’ newsfeed and remind them about what’s new in your company. You should also be sure your custom website has photos, graphics, and written content that is unique to your business and up-to-date.

Finally, adding features that offer information at no cost such as videos and webniars will let customers know you truly want them to be educated about your services. BeyondCustom Websites can implement all of these ongoing methods because we continue to work with you on a long term basis. Contact us today to integrate these dynamic features into your company’s website

Custom Website Summer Sale

Save $$Money$$ and get a Custom Website for your small business by taking advantage of Beyond Custom Websites Summer Sizzle Sale! Pay less than $160 for a Custom Website Today!

Our Summer Sizzle Sale Package Includes a fully Custom Website with:

• Customized Content
• Free Ongoing Changes & Updates
• Free Unlimited Customer Support
• Expert Search Engine Optimization
• Web Hosting & Free name@yourdomain.com e-mails
• Cutting Edge Web Development Technology
• Mobile Websites Available
• & More Custom Website Design Services

Over 80% of all searches for services & products are made online. A custom website gives your business a professional image online & gets you found for the services you offer. Call to speak with a Website Coordinator Today and take advantage of these summer savings.


Our professional & friendly Website Coordinators will be happy to discuss how Beyond Custom Websites can help give your small business the competitive edge & leads you have been missing out on.


Already have a website your not happy with? No problem! Beyond Custom Websites also specializes in Custom Website Re-Designs. Turn that old dusty website into a sleek & efficient lead generating machine today! Call us toll-free at 1-800-900-0413 or visit our website at http://beyondcustomwebsites.com/! Our Website Coordinators are ready for your call!

From Print to Website: Repurposing Your Content

Marketing your business online has never been more important than it is now. Your website, blog, and online ads send a loud message to your customers. That doesn’t mean you stop handing out business cards and creating brochures--print materials still have a valuable place in getting the word out.

However, if you’re in the development stages of building your website and landing pages, you have to refer to what’s on your printed materials to build website text. How do you repurpose content that’s on paper to function most effectively on the Internet? You can’t simply cut and paste from other documents to create your website’s content. Here are some things you need to know about what makes successful online content.

As much as you wish they would, people will not take the time to read interesting, but long stories when they go through your website. They want to get information about your company as fast as possible and move on. Keep your online content action-orientated with messages that engage the user. They want to know who you are, what you do, and how to contact you. Pick out only the necessary information in your print material to use for a web page.

Key phrases and facts should be highlighted in a bulleted list and content grouped into logical sections. Headings will guide users on how to navigate through your website. A website should be a dynamic form of advertising, so you don’t want anything on it, including text, to fall flat. Succinct phrases, bold graphics, and easy navigation should all be integrated into a successful website.

Beyond Custom Websites has expertise in content writing,web development, graphic design, and search engine optimization. We’ll make sure that not only your website’s text grabs your customer’s attention, but your photos, graphics, and navigation features as well. Our small business websites deliver your company’s complete message in an esthetically appealing and efficient way. Contact Beyond Custom Websites today to see how our team of web experts can create the perfect small business website for you!

Can You Design your Small Business Website Yourself?

Search for “design my own website” and several pages of results will come up, telling you how fast and easy it is to create your own website, using a WYSIWYG editing tool (What You See Is What You Get). While self-editing software is useful, is that enough? Can you really design a small business website by yourself?

Unless your business is a custom website design company, the answer is: no, not a website that will get found. Do-it-yourself website design just doesn’t cut it for a small business. You need website hosting and professional search engine optimization so that potential customers will find you in search engine results.

Your small business website is often the first impression your business will make with customers. Therefore, you need a website that is aesthetically pleasing, clean, and professional because that’s what customers expect. Building credibility depends heavily on getting your website found and designing the website they will find in a professional and engaging way.

User friendly navigation is another must-have for a successful small business website. Websites that cause the visitor to click around several times to find information or force them to scroll through unnecessary content to find what they need get abandoned. If a website is confusing to use or takes too much time to get through, your potential customer will find another site—your competitor’s site.

Finally, an appealing small business website, hosted by a website hosting service, with search engine optimized keywords and simple navigation will have easy to find contact information. Potential customers will want to know right away how they can reach you, so simple contact forms and contact info on the home page are essential.

If you’re thinking: That sure seems like a lot of work. I have a business to run—you’re absolutely right. So why take the time to research, create, and maintain a website for your small business yourself when Beyond Custom Websites can create one for you? Beyond Custom Websites, made up of a highly talented team of experts, will do everything needed to give you a professional, high-functioning website that will increase your sales. Their experts in website development, graphic design, content writing, and search engine optimization will consult with you to learn all about who you are and how to create the best unique website for your company. Then BCW does all the work for you while you focus on running your business. BCW website design is always ready to help businesses of any size create a professional website that works.

Beyond Custom Websites Takes the Web By Storm

Beyond Custom Websites, a website design company that specializes in creating sites for small businesses, is based in Milwaukee, WI, but creates custom websites for clients across the US and in other countries, such as Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. International Design Group, one of the largest interior design firms in Grand Cayman, furnishes and renovates commercial and residential spaces for a wide variety of clients. Beyond Custom Websites designed their website and also provided a custom website for Tech-Energy Co., a successful large-scale press room supplier based in Texas. Their dedicated team of web designers, web developers, search engine optimization experts, and content writers complete small business websites from start to finish. The business owners can focus running their business while Beyond Custom Websites increases their revenue by creating a website that will get found by search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing). This innovative company also redesigns existing websites that need updates and improvements to get the company name and its website found online.

Many website design firms set the client up with a URL, basic layout template, and leave the client to do most of the work themselves. But Beyond Custom Websites does everything from creating a custom designed layout and expertly written content to professional graphics and correctly coded metadata. Most importantly, Beyond Custom Websites quotes the small business owner the exact pricing from the beginning and offers free updates to the website and unlimited technical support once the site goes live. Their quick turnaround time and real-time updates contribute the company’s ten years of success.

Beyond Custom Websites have created small business websites in all major industries and are known for giving the customer exactly what they want while ensuring the visual and technical success of the website. The website design company expects exponential growth as the company continues to increase awareness of their services and product benefits. They also keep potential and existing customers in the loop about internet technology, small business tips, and more.

Beyond Custom Websites makes it easy and fast for the customer to get a successful website up and running, as the testimonials will tell you. BCW knows that a company’s website is one of the most important facets of their business because 80% of customers research a company online before doing business with them. Working with companies large and small, their goal is to convert visitors of every client’s website into paying customers.

Google+ Local Page Custom Website Integration

Time to make sure your Google+ Local Page listing has been claimed and "owner-verified". Adding your domain name to your Google+ Local page also helps boost your websites' visibility on the search engines. Beyond Custom Websites has been following Google closely making sure we are as up-to-date on algorithm & product changes as possible.  Local search is more important than ever as consumers move away from local newspapers, yellow pages, and other forms of local media and move towards online review sites, social networking, mobile searches and local internet searches. More than 123 million Americans visited newspaper web sites in May, representing 57% of the total U.S. Internet audience.* As print mediums are quickly fading and 95% of all consumers are looking online for local products and services, Beyond Custom Websites recognizes the importance of Custom Websites & Local Search Results.

This is why one of the many services included with our custom website design packages is creating a strong, search engine friendly, online presence for each of our clients. Our Google+ Page Custom Website Integration ensures your business gets found and you maintain a credible & successful presence on the World Wide Web.

*Source MediaPost.com

Feel free to visit Beyond Custom Websites for more information on Google+ Local Page Custom Website Integration.