BaschSolutions.com

Google's Real-Time Analytics: Watch Marketing Reactions Live

2012-05-14

For years, Google has been an industry leader in providing traffic stats for your website. Google lets you use their free service, Analytics, to monitor traffic and to view a plethora of different categories of stats.

Beginning a few months ago in the fall, Google has begun to offer Real-Time stats. Google Analytics Real-Time is still in Beta, but offers a large amount of data on your visitors, as they are on your site.

Technology such as Google Analytics Real-Time can greatly help you measure marketing efforts and can allow you to spend money and time maximizing conversions instead of driving more traffic to your website like sheep.

Content Management: What are your options?

2012-05-07

It can be overwhelming trying to decide what to do when you get going with building a website. One of the many important decisions is how and who is going to manage the content on the website, once your new website is up.

Options on content management range from having a static website with absolutely no ability to manage content, to having a limited content management system, or having a completely custom content management system to let you fully manage every ounce of content you have. Below we’ll break each option down a bit for you.

The Benefits of a Content Management System (CMS)

2012-04-25

One of the most popular questions in preliminary conversations with prospective clients is “how much does it cost to maintain the website. I can honestly say it’s fun to watch them light up when I tell them that aside from a small hosting fee, there are no maintenance or on-going fees - with us anyways.

The reason that (aside from hosting) there are no on-going fees with us is because we don’t have to be the ones to update and maintain the website. We build and provide our clients with content management systems to allow themselves to have full management of all of the content on their website.

HTML5: The impact it will have on SEO

2012-04-17

HTML5 is by no means perfected and 100% rolled out to the web, but for those who are on the beginning of the curve for the law of diffusion of innovation, you’ll want to know this information!

HTML5 has evolved from the manner in which the web is growing and has adapted many new tags and codes to allow for further optimization in rankings by search engines.

Five Essential Features Your eCommerce Site Needs to Have

2012-04-09

When talking to a legit web design/development firm, they will be able to walk you through the proper elements and components to an ecommerce website. The problem lies when business owners and managers consult with companies who don’t know what they’re talking about.

One of the main reasons I blog is because I really want people to have a better understanding for the web and how to better their companies presence on the web. The purpose of this blog article is to give you a little head knowledge that you can take with you so that if you consult with a web company, and it isn’t us, you can make sure they know what they’re talking about.

Timeline For Brand Pages: How It Will Change Your Facebook Marketing

2012-04-01

Many businesses are starting to understand that they need to be on Facebook and that marketing to Facebook’s 800,000,000 users is a no brainer. Not only is it very cost-effective, but it has a plethora of benefits ranging from improving your customer service to growing your fan base.

The problem lies when non tech-savvy business owners and managers begin to indulge in social media, but fail to adapt to an ever-changing tech world. It’s important that a part of your social media strategy is to stay on top of what’s changing and how you can adapt to it.

What you should to know about SEO: Search Engine Optimization

2012-03-24

In the web world, search engine optimization is one of the most thrown around terms with the least understanding of what it truly is.

Search Engine Optimization is, in my words, the process of constantly optimizing a website for higher rankings in the search engines. This optimizing happens both "on and off page" -- meaning this includes works on the website itself, and doing different practices with the website.

Is your business iPad friendly?

2012-03-16

Given today is the release of the new iPad (iPad 3) from Apple, I thought I’d take a few moments and talk about how you need to take advantage of people using iPad’s, and how to make sure their leisure viewing leads to finding your company.

With the ease of access the iPad offers to people, companies are seeing an increased number of visits to their company websites, simply because people love surfing the web on the iPad. People don’t look in the yellow pages for businesses anymore – they sit on the couch and pick up their iPad.

Blogging on Your Companyâs Website: Some How-Toâs

2012-03-09

First and foremost, if you haven’t read the blog article I wrote last summer called How Blogging can Grow Your Business Online, you need to read that and make sure you fully understand the importance of why your company website should have a blog.

The responses I’ve received are that it now clicks with people that they need a blog, the question is now transitioning to how do I do it. Therefore, I’m going to discuss a few main points to keep in mind and to help guide you down the path of a successful blog.

How you can Gain Business from Pinterest

2012-03-02

Pinterest is one of the latest social networks taking full advantage of society’s desire to want and need everything in sight.

Just as we are in awe of the lifestyles of many celebrities, Pinterest is out to let people share everything users find from the most exotic travel destinations and home décor to the most unique/easy to do crafts and food recipes.

Do I need an App or a Mobile Website? Whatâs the difference?

2012-02-28

To those of us who use terms like mobile website and app on a daily basis, the difference is clear, but to many it’s not. Knowing the difference and determining what is better for you, can save you thousands of dollars.

One of the main and most noticeable differences is that an App requires being in an app store, making it only available after purchasing and downloading it. This means that in order to get or find this app, you must go to the App Store and search for it. For many, this is not going to be suitable for their customers.

Should I fix my old website or get a new one?

2012-02-23

While to many the answer to this question is quite obvious, to many others it’s a question that gets pondered on for weeks, months and sometimes even years.

Much like your house, your car, or a hobby, you can easily watch web services lower your bank account. While there is no “great one time solution” to “being on the web”, there are a few things you should know that can save you money in the long run. Let’s talk about a few.

Don’t put a starter and a new alternator in your 1992 Toyota Corolla...

Making sure Your Website makes a Positive First Impression

2012-02-13

As is when you first meet someone, your first impression can last a lifetime, and in terms of business can make the difference of whether or not a potential customer buys from you.

Regardless if you are offering services or selling products, your first impression can either significantly increase the chance of that customer going with you, or can greatly tarnish your brand enough for a prospect to keep looking around.

How to Start Managing Your Online Reputation

2012-02-02

One negative article, or one negative listing in any of the main search engines can prevent customers from buying your products and services, prevent you and/or your company from being hired for a job, and have many more negative effects on you and your business. Your online reputation is just as important as your real-world reputation.

While complete online reputation management should be left up to the professionals, there are some simple practices that you can use to help eliminate negative results from being shown to searchers.

Five Online Profiles Your Company Must Have in 2012

2012-01-25

If you're still one of the few business owners that isn't sure if you need a website for your company, this blog article may not be for you, as we're going a lot further than that.

In a world where online profiles are replacing yellow page listings,and people search Google instead of the phone book, having multiple online profiles can have a plethora of benefits, ranging from Reputation Management and SEO, to a larger reach or potential customers.

What Is Social Media Strategy?

2012-01-19

Companies of all shapes and sizes are searching the web high and low for answers on how to keep up with their competitors who are using social media.

A Social Media Strategy is a strategic plan set in place to establish and maximize your brands exposure on today’s top social networks.

There’s much to learn about social media strategies, but rather than overwhelm you, we’re going to give you just a few quick pointers to help guide you in the right direction when creating yours.

3 Robust Ways to Improve Your Web Presence in 2012

2012-01-06

It’s that time of year where companies are reviewing year-end documents and planning for a better year, by setting goals to make sure it happens.

We would like to think that in an ever-growing online society, one of your goals would be to improve your web presence. We won’t just leave you in the cold though; here are some helpful ways to improve your web presence.

Gearing up for a mobile 2012 - Is your company Mobile Device friendly?

2011-12-27

As many already know, people aren’t going to the yellow pages anymore to find service providers, restaurants, gyms, and other local places of business. Searches in Google, Yahoo, and Bing for local service providers have skyrocketed over the last few years.

Many companies are familiar with the ideology that you need to be in the search engines, in order to reach your customers by whatever means they want to use to find you. A big part of this in the upcoming year is going to be via mobile devices.

We wish you all the best this Holiday season!

2011-12-24

What a year 2011 has been to reflect upon. We sincerely thank you for all of your support and another great year.

We wish you and your family a healthy, happy holiday season, and of course, a prosperous New Year!

Here's to what we did in 2011, and what's to come in 2012!

How to monetize your website and create revenue from your content

2011-12-09

Everyone sees the mainstream websites making money and wants to hop on the band wagon. Of course they do. Who doesn’t? The problem is that it takes a lot of work to get your website geared up towards making a profit on the website itself, without selling products, or having an ecommerce website.

Why Using 1&1's Website Builder Will Tarnish Your Brand!

2011-12-02

Whether it was during a football game, the victoria secret fashion show, or during one of your favorite primetime shows, you’ve probably seen the commercial 1&1 is blasting the airwaves with.

Many companies are scrambling and consulting with their marketing teams to find out if this is the solution they have been waiting for, for their new company website.

Despite what conclusion you might draw, the answer is no. 1&1's Website Builder is not the solution to anything but tarnishing your brand and destroying the image for it that you have created.

How not to lose sales on your ecommerce website

2011-11-28

Articles went up everywhere after the Thanksgiving holiday on how online retailers are seeing a huge increase in mobile sales and stay-at-home black Friday shopping on the web.

Many retailers are changing their entire business model to accommodate more online shopping, and you should be doing the same thing!

There are many components that make an ecommerce website successful. If you miss out on these crucial components, you can very easily watch your visitors and paid traffic go to your competitor.

What Makes up a Web 2.0 Website Design

2011-11-21

Many people outside of the web world, can’t tell the difference between a website design that belongs in the 90’s and a design that competitors are going to cry over.

It’s important that even if you are not tech-savvy, or know a lot about websites/the web, that you don’t let a web company take advantage of you and give you a poor design, which will undoubtedly lead to a poor website.

Web 2.0 can be defined as the web re-invented. Websites are now more interactive and a lot more visually appealing, thanks to the technology that has been deployed over the last few years.

Why Social Media is becoming a Crucial Component of Developing Your Brand

2011-11-09

I think it’s safe to say that the number of people that exclude Social Media from their marketing and advertising agendas, far outweigh the number of business owners/operators that consider Social Media to be a crucial component of brand development.

Social Media, as a whole, is changing the way we do business, the way customers interact with businesses, and the relationships between the company and the consumer.

Why it's important to keep up with your SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

2011-11-01

So, you optimized your website…. You added META tags: titles, keywords, and description, and even made sure your code is validated, but… where are the results?

Unfortunately, many don’t understand that SEO is not a 1, 2, or 3 time deal. SEO, especially organic, is an ongoing process. If SEO wasn’t, many companies would pay thousands and have immediate success, watering down the true intelligence of search results, causing a long term decrease in search engine users. Whether you know it or not, the reason you go back to Google time and time again is because it gives you what you want.

How to Know When It's Time for a New Website

2011-10-26

We’ve seen both sides of the fence – people who just built a site and want to redo it again, for whatever reason, and people who have a ten year old site, and don’t want to re-build. Some just aren’t sure and make a decision based on a lack of understanding, while others don’t see the value.

Here, we’re going to try to help you to determine if and when it’s the right time to rebuild your company website.

A Few Ways to Keep People Coming Back to Your Website for More

2011-10-11

There are so many elements to a website and marketing a website properly, that people hurt themselves by not following through and giving their website the attention it deserves.

One thing people lack to think about is getting people to come BACK to their website. Everyone thinks about getting visitors and marketing your website and optimizing it, but many fail to execute a plan to get those visitors to return.

Quote of the Year: "It's Worse To Pay Too Little...."

2011-10-05

I think there is a big difference between making sure you are getting a good value when purchasing services, and trying to nickel and dime someone.

Many people focus primarily on the dollar amount spent, and nothing else, but you have to be careful that you aren't obsessing too much over an amount of money.

The following is a quote that we came across a few years ago, and has stuck with us ever since.

Social Media: The Gateway to Improved Customer Service

2011-10-03

Unfortunately, there are too many business owners/exec’s that view social media as a way for teenagers to occupy their boredom. Social Media, can instead, be used as one of the greatest customer service tools that you have ever seen.

All I need is ten minutes of attention to convince you that you and your company’s customer service department/reps can greatly benefit from Social Media.

When customers need help, they are often turned off by long waits and holds on the phone, or getting the kids ready and making a trip to the store. Now days, social media gives you the ability to skip all that.

Benefits of Integrating Social Media Into Your Website

2011-09-28

Even if you have the most interactive website, so you think, you can still benefit greatly from integrating social media into your website. Allowing people to take your content and interact with it the same way they do with their friends all day on Facebook, Twitter, and others is clutch.

As a whole, it’s beneficial to involve your social media profiles because it is a great way for visitors to engage with you and learn more about your product and/or services and who you are as a company. However, I think we covered that pretty good in our blog article in the beginning of the month titled Do I Need a Social Media Strategy In Place For My Small Business?

Why I believe Facebook is changing the way we live

2011-09-23

For those of you who are still not sure about what Facebook is, Facebook is a social networking website that allows you to have a digital ID (profile) and share what you’re doing with others. This allows you to interact with people that you normally wouldn’t get the chance to interact with on a daily basis. Sure, you’re going to see your co-workers daily, or your family, but what about distant cousins? What about the family parties and vacations you want to share with your co-workers? Facebook bridges the gap for keeping in touch, and sharing your life.

The old Facebook seemed to have focused on establishing your social network. It was about reconnecting with old friends, establishing what you “Like”, and sharing your daily activities.

What Is A Mobile Website?

2011-09-20

A mobile website is a website that is built specifically to function and display on mobile devices. While some websites will load fine on newer smartphones like the iPhone, the website still might not be a mobile website.

Websites designed and developed specifically for mobile devices are generally very basic and to the point. They also feature technologies that are compatible with mobile devices, and leave out technologies that aren’t, such as Flash.

5 Features Your Company Website Should Offer

2011-09-16

A common problem we see within companies in relation to the usage of their website, is not knowing. Not knowing how to maximize their online exposure, not knowing how to target a web audience, etc. Many companies, only after launching their website, think of new and exciting ways to reach their audience and use their website as a great marketing tool.

We're going to give you some insight as to a couple features your company website should offer, in which both you and your customers can benefit from!

Why Do I Not Come Up In Google?

2011-09-11

Just because you built (or we built it for you) a beautiful website, does not mean you are going to come up in Google. If you search the word “Restaurants”, you will see ‘about 1,200,000,000 results’. How does Google know that your restaurant website is better than the other 1.2 billion? We’ll give you a little insight:

Do they know?

Has Google been notified of your new website? One of the first things you should do after building a new website, is submit it to Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

SEO: META Tags for Dummies: How to Optimize your META Tags

2011-09-07

When it comes to Search Engine Optimization, we see many simple optimization techniques slip under the radar due to lack of time and/or passion. It’s very important that you take the time to optimize your website so that your customers, and new ones, can find you.

One of the features Basch Solutions, builds into a website content management system is the ability to manage your META tags on every content page. META Tags, as Google says “are a great way for webmasters to provide search engines with information about their sites”.

Breaking down the costs behind running a website

2011-09-04

There are many costs to running websites these days. Unfortunately, an effective website isn’t a one-time payment. Be careful of budget design firms that try to sell you on a one-time package! That is like an auto dealer selling you a car and telling you that gas is free for life. While that sounds awesome- it’s simply not realistic. In the real world, there are several monthly and even yearly costs involved in keeping your website up and running.

First up is your domain. A domain is the address that gets typed in to reach your website, such as “yourbusinessname.com”. This is always a per-year expense, and should come in around $9-20 per year.

Do I Need a Social Media Strategy In Place For My Small Business?

2011-09-02

Of course you do! If you do not “do social media” the right way, you can actually tarnish your brand, and lower the quality and the way people view it.

It’s very important if you’re going to jump into the Social Media world – which we strongly suggest you do – that you do it the right way, and have a course of action in place.

Let’s discuss the basics of how to go about becoming social.

Are you getting the most of your company website?

2011-08-31

Many people fall victim to neglecting their website because they believe just having one is simply enough. This is not true. You should be constantly seeing a positive ROI well after your website has been paid for. Don't let let the potential customers suffer and not get a real understanding for who you are.

A website is a business purchase that is a great investment. Just because you might've let the passion for the company website slip away, that doesn't mean the potential customer to suffer and not get a real understanding for who you are.

Five Steps to Take To Make Your Website SEO Friendly

2011-08-24

There are many factors that determine how well a page ranks in search engine results. The foundation for those rankings rests solely on the quality of your website. It is most important to have a high-quality website built, than anything else. We’ve compiled a few tips for you to take into consideration both when building a website and after your website launches.

Avoid Flash: While Flash can have dazzling effects and stunning transitions, it does absolutely nothing for your SEO. The search engine robots (who crawl your site) can’t see any of the text or images within the flash.

Four Ways You Should Include Google in Your New Website

2011-08-17

We all know that Google is the place to go to when you need to find something. Now think about that from another perspective: Anything that needs to be found, should be on Google. Google makes it very easy for you to submit your product/service in multiple ways. Google also offers an array of services (many of which are free) that will help improve how you display your services, and to make your website a better experience.

Immediately following the conclusion of your website build-out, the following are just a few of Google’s many free services that you should absolutely take advantage of.

The Importance of Having a Mobile Website

2011-08-10

If you just learned the value of having a website, you’re in for another treat – mobile websites. While some people believe a mobile website is pulling up your regular website on a mobile device, they are sadly mistaken. A mobile website is a website that is designed and developed to display and function on iPhone/Droid/Blackberry internet browsers.

Why is it so important to have one? Let’s look into it.

Flash: As if flash wasn’t already bad due to the lack of search engine optimization allowed, it gets worse. Mobile devices, such as the iPhone, do not play flash. If your beautiful restaurant website, in flash, has a stunning, page-flipping menu, you’re screwed!

Choosing the right type of hosting for your new website

2011-08-03

So, you’ve finally gotten your new website through the development phase and you are ready to go “live”- congratulations! Now, you need to ensure that your new website is online for your visitors 24/7/365. A key advantage to a website is that it is essentially a salesperson for your company. Reliable web hosting means that your new salesperson is always in the office helping customers 100% of the time. No breaks, vacations or sick days!

Let’s go thru some basics. When you purchase web hosting, you are renting what is called a server (a high performance computer) inside a data center. The data center provides fail-safe power and cooling, extremely high speed internet access, and physical security to your server.

How Blogging Can Grow Your Business Online

2011-07-20

Most people hear the term blogging and they instantly think of a tech nerd in college or a young middle school girl talking about Justin Bieber. What most people don't know is that having a great blog, can increase awareness of your company and can help grow your brand.

Now it's important to keep in mind that as I discuss how your blog can help your business grow, it's very important to know that your company blog should not be a direct marketing ploy, and it should not be 'corporate'. Your blog should help educate people, should provoke interaction with visitors, and should deepen the company/customer relationship, among other benefits.

Maintenance: Servicing Your Website Every 3,000 Visitors

2011-07-12

Similar to oil changes, tire rotations, lube jobs, tune-ups, and other general maintenance for your new car, your new website is going to need some love now and then too.

Whether you bought your nephew a steak sub in exchange for his time, or hired a top nation-wide company to do your website, it’s going to need 'maintenance’.

Top 5 Reasons Why You Need a Website

2011-07-02

Some people still ask the question, "Why do I need a website?" People have many different reasons for asking this. Some believe they have reached a plateau of success and that they have done everything they can to draw the attention from potential customers. Others think they won't see a return on their investment.

Regardless the reason, I can promise you, if you do not have a website you are behind, and you are missing out on a huge percentage of potential customers. Below are the first 5 reasons that come to mind, as pro's, as to why you should have a website:

Want to be successful? Find your passion.

2011-06-14

When we talk to prospective clients, one thing is made clear from the beginning -- our passion.

We don't have to sit here and preach our passion and convince you we have it -- it's just there. In our work, in our clients testimonials, in our day-to-day activities, in how we talk, and so fourth.

This type of burning, fire-like passion, can't be taught, it can't be learned, and it certainly can't be adapted. This type of passion lies within all of us, it's just a matter of finding it.

Think Social Media, still, isn't that important? (VIDEO)

2011-06-13

When a followed tweeter posted this video, it caught my eye and caught my eye FAST.

If you are still one of the few that tries to pretend that you think social media is just a fad or that it has no importance, I strongly recommend you watch this four minute video. If you love social media... this video will just make you love it that much more!

Social Media Revolution: Is social media a fad?

Is Your Website Too Slow?

2011-06-02

Are you often getting complaints that your website is down, not displaying properly, or just loading at a snail's pace? Are you even more upset because you just recently had your website "revamped"? We feel your pain!

I'm going to try my best to break it down for you and although it might get technical along the way, rest assured that if you leave your questions/comments below, I will happily answer them for you.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Considering Building Your Own Website

2011-05-30

Have you ever built your own house? How about gave yourself a root canal? Ever represent yourself in court? There’s a reason when you want and need something done right, you hire the pro’s.

Website Design and Website Development is no different! There are many, many aspects to building and creating websites that go unseen to the average person.

Using Facebook's 500 Million Users to Your Advantage

2011-05-24

"What's Facebook?" is no longer a question you hear somebody ask. In today's too-busy-to-look-up world, Facebook, is a household name, term, and of course -- website.

Facebook, the world’s largest social network platform, boasts over 500 Million Members, with thousands and thousands of new registrations daily.