Weekly Web Tips Podcast

As we wrap up the first season of the Weekly Web Tips Podcast I wanted to review some of the topics that we covered this year.  Join me as we review the best of the past 19 episodes.   We talked about the 6 Strategies for Driving Organic Traffic to your Website, How to Improve your Page Speed, The Storybrand Framework, The 3 Pillars of SEO, and the Importance of Google Analytics.     It has been a blessing getting the opportunity to share my passion with you.  I love empowering other business owners to continue to improve their online presence and impact more people.     If there are topics that you would like us to cover in Season 2, please leave a review or go to our website at The Virtual Marketing Directors and fill out our contact form. If you would like to speak to a web strategist about your website, we would love to talk with you.  You can always schedule a call with us right here.

Once you have a Google Analytics account, how do you understand all of the information it is giving to you?  It can be overwhelming to try to interpret all of the data that shows up.   In today's episode, we talk about some of the common metrics provided by Google Analytics and what they mean to you, the small business owner.    We will talk about the difference between Users and New Users, engagement time, bounce rate, acquisition medium, and page views.  We also talk about the importance of trends over time and taking a holistic view of your data rather than getting stuck in the weeds on single data points.    If you don't have a Google Analytics account yet, make sure you listen to episode 18 as we walk through step-by-step how to set up your Google Analytics account.   If you would like help interpreting your Google Analytics data, we have a new service that can help you track the information that is most important to your business.  Schedule a call with us today to learn more.

Now you understand how important it is to have a solid SEO strategy and how to create one.  But how do you know if people are coming to your website?  How do you know what they are doing once they get to your website?  How can you improve on metrics you don't know?   That is where Google Analytics comes in.  Google Analytics provides all sorts of information about the traffic that comes to your website.  In today's episode, we walk you through creating a Google Analytics account.  It is important to work with your web developer to make sure you install the code correctly.     Next week we will jump into Google Analytics and talk about some of the common terms as well as the reports you need to understand your visitor behavior.   As always, if you want to speak to your own Virtual Marketing Director, you can schedule an appointment here!

What type of links should you be getting to your website?  Does it matter?  What is a nofollow link?  How do you even know what type of link you are getting from your content?   These are all important questions to ask when you are getting backlinks.  You need to know if you are getting nofollow links instead of dofollow links.  We also talk about the different types of anchor links you can get and why it is important to have a variety of link types.     In our final episode on SEO, we continue our conversation on link building.  While this backlink process can seem overwhelming, it is important to at least have an understanding of how backlinks work and how they can improve your search ranking performance.

Now that we know how important backlinks are to your overall SEO strategy, how do we get them?     First, we need to find high-traffic, high-quality websites that are willing to accept content from other writers (like yourself).  Then we need to find out what sort of content they want from us on their website.  Once we have a topic in mind, then your job is to create an amazing piece of content that includes a couple of backlinks to your website.  Then wash, rinse, repeat.  Easy right!?     No, it is not easy, but it can be done.  In this episode, we break down the process of getting high-quality backlinks to your website.  But if all of this seems way to overwhelming to you, don't worry.  We have you covered.  There are plenty of great SEO companies out there that can help you (we are one of them :).   If you want to learn more about backlinks and how to create a backlink strategy for your website, reach out to us and speak to our SEO experts.  Schedule a call for free today.

What are backlinks?  Why are they important?  How do you get them?  Are all backlinks the same?     Getting backlinks to your website is one of the most powerful strategies you can leverage to boost your SEO.  But why are they so important?  Did you know that Google was one of the first search engines to look at the backlinks to a website?  This is what helped set it apart from the other search engines back in the day.   We cover a lot of ground in today's episode on backlinks.  But it is important that you make sure you have taken care of the first two pillars of SEO (Site Structure and Content) before you focus too much effort on backlinks.     At The Virtual Marketing Directors, we specialize in creating custom SEO strategies that drive results.  And by results, I mean ranking for more keywords, getting more organic traffic, and seeing higher engagement on your website.  Schedule a call with our Support Team if you have questions about implementing a custom SEO strategy for your website.   Next week we will dig into how you can go about getting backlinks yourself.  

Ever heard someone say, “Content is King?”  Well, they were right.  You need new content on your website on a regular basis to get noticed.  Did you ever wonder why so many websites have blogs?  It is because a blog is the easiest way to get new content onto your website.    Today, we talk about how to come up with great content.  Don't write content just for content's sake.  Write something that someone would want to read.  To be able to do that, you need to understand where your potential client is in her/his buying journey.  Are they looking for information or are they ready to purchase?  Do they need a video showing them how to do something or a PDF they can download and read off-line?   Take some time to think about why someone would come to your website.  What questions are they asking?  What are they struggling with?  How can you provide some crazy value to them?   We talk about all of these things and more in this week's episode of the Weekly Web Tips Podcast. 

What are the things you need to be thinking about when it comes to how you design your website for SEO?  Well, there are a lot of things that can affect how Google sees your website.     Today we dig into things like  Title Tags Meta Descriptions H1 Headers Image Optimization Video Streaming Internal linking Navigation Mobile Compatability   When you have a plan for how you build your website that includes these items above, you are setting yourself apart from your competitors.     If you need help digging into the structure of your website or you're not sure where to start, schedule a call with us today. We would love to help you.  Click here to schedule a call.  

Let's dig into SEO.     When we coach small business owners about Search Engine Optimization we break things down into 3 Pillars.     Those pillars are:   Site Structure Content  Links   Before we dig into the pillars we continue to learn how Google works.     Google indexes websites by using spiders.  Not the bugs, but programs that dig into all of the information you have on your website.  These spiders don't see your website the same way you do.  They only see code.  So we need to make sure that our site is built in a way that these spiders can understand.     That is where we get into Site Structure.  There is a correct way to build your website so that Google has context for your information.  Next week we will dig into Site Structure a little bit more.   The Content pillar is all about keeping new relevant content on your website.  You need to give people a reason to come back to your website.  Maybe that is through a blog, videos, new products, podcasts.  Any reason you have to update your website content, go for it!   The final pillar is Links.  When we say links, we mean backlinks.  Backlinks are links on other websites that point back to your website.  Not all backlinks are created equally.  You want high-quality backlinks from high-traffic websites.     Now that we have introduced the 3 Pillars we are going to jump into each of them over the next few weeks.  Don't miss it!  

Search Engine Optimization is one of the most confusing topics for small businesses. How do you get to the first page on Google?  How do you get into the top 3?  How important is it?  How much money should you invest in SEO?     We are starting a series that will dive deep into the world of SEO and hopefully shed some light on how you can start seeing more organic traffic get to your website.   Today we talk about the importance of getting onto the first page.  Hint: only 1% of people make it to page 2 when Googling.  So if you are not on the first page, you are not getting found.    Also, have you ever wondered how Google took over all of the other search engines?  We talk about how Google set itself apart from all of the competition.  Once you understand how Google works you will have a better understanding of how search engines work.   But what if you don't know how much traffic you are getting right now??  You need to know how many monthly visitors you are getting.  You can get a free Google Analytics account right here.  It is easy to get started and start collecting data.     Next week we will unveil our 3 Pillars of SEO, so stay tuned!  

Every website needs a sales funnel.  If you don't have a sales funnel or don't know how to make one, you need to listen to this episode.  We talk about the free programs out there that you can use today to create a great-looking PDF guide and an automated email sequence to get your sales funnel up and running.   Basically, you need some sort of lead-generating document that people are willing to give their email address to download.  Then, you follow up with them over the course of time providing more and more value.  Doing this creates subconscious reciprocity.  Big words that mean “people will intuitively want to do business with you.”  This is a good thing and it happens without people knowing it.   Two programs that are really easy to use are Canva and ConverKit.  Canva is great for creating professional-looking PDF documents.  ConvertKit is great for automating email sequences to nurture your new relationships.   If this seems like too much to take on, we can help.  But with a little bit of time, curiosity, and YouTube, you can do this.  You can create a sales funnel on your own website.  The ability to build an email list that you can reach out to is priceless and creating a sales funnel is the best way to build your email list. 

There are so many options out there when it comes to choosing someone to build your website for you.  From $500 freelancers to $50,000 marketing agencies, how do you find the right team to build your website and put your vision into code?   Today we talk about the different options you have when it comes to finding a web design agency.  Yes, there are a ton of freelancers out there that will give you a cheap price, but chances are you are going to come out with a cheap product.     For most small businesses, the $8,000-$15,000 price range is a reasonable price for a great website.  But there are some things to consider when it comes to building a relationship with an agency.     How are changes and updates handled? Who owns the legal rights to the website? How much does it cost to add additional pages? What sort of SEO strategy is involved post-launch? Is a sales funnel included?   These are all questions to ask when it comes to building your window to the world.     At The Virtual Marketing Directors, we pride ourselves on producing marketing agency quality websites at reasonable prices for small businesses.  If you are ready to upgrade your website, we would love to talk with you.     Schedule a call with The Virtual Marketing Directors

A story doesn't really get started until there is a problem.  We know this from every good book and movie we've read and seen.  But how do you translate that storytelling technique into a website?   You create a hook on your website by opening a story loop question.  'But David, what is a story loop question?'  I am so glad you asked.  It is a question that causes people to stick around to find out the answer.  When you open a story loop, people intuitively want to stick around to learn the ending to the story.  They stick around because they want to know the answer, how the story ends.     So we do that on our website by asking questions on our website that relate to the questions that people are asking.  We can break these three questions down to their physical, internal, and philosophical questions.     In today's episode, you will learn how to ask these three questions on your website to help open that story loop in your visitor's mind.  That will cause them to stay on your website and see how you solve those problems.   If we don't talk about the problem our visitors are having, they aren't going to stick around.  Stories don't really start until there is a problem.  So let's talk about problems.   Link to Storybrand Marketing Workshop Link to Virtual Marketing Directors Storybrand Page Schedule a call with the Virtual Marketing Directors

We all want more leads, right?  If your website already gets a bunch of traffic and you aren't converting that traffic to leads, you have an engagement issue.  The way you solve an engagement issue is to make working with you easier.  The way you do that is you provide a plan.   A simple 3-step plan is the best way to convert visitors to leads.  Providing a plan helps “clear the fog” for visitors so they can see what working with you looks like.     How do you create a 3-step plan when working with you might actually include 47 steps?  In today's episode, we lay out a simple strategy to create your own 3 step plan.  First, you need to make a very simple first step.  It should be as easy as “click this button.”  Then you create your third step.  This should be whatever successful ending the visitor is looking for.  Once you have your first and third step, now you can create step two, which is where you provide value.  Maybe you have a proven system or a specific process.  Make that your “Step 2.”   By the end of this podcast, you should have the tools you need to create your very own 3-step process.  Then you need to put this three-step process on the homepage of your website.  Include the “step 1” button right under Step 1.  Make sure that it is obvious to the oblivious.     If you are enjoying these tips make sure you read “Building a Storybrand” by Donald Miller. In this book, Don explains how to use a narrative framework to craft your own message.  He explains why it is so important to be clear over clever.  If you want to learn more about implementing the Storybrand Framework on your website, talk to us.  We are Storybrand Certified Guides that have been specifically trained to create Storybrand content.  We can't wait to chat with you!   Link to Building a Storybrand on Amazon Link to Storybrand Marketing Workshop Link to Virtual Marketing Directors Storybrand Page

Chances are you probably already have a website and have chosen your platform.  But it is important to know that you have options.  It is not hard to build your website on a new platform if it will provide a better user experience.  Today we talk about the pros and cons of building on WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix.  We also talk about a new platform out there called SiteJet.     While most websites are built on WordPress, there are actually a lot of reasons why WordPress may not be the best platform for you.  I am partial to Squarespace for most DYI'ers.  Especially if you don't have a “techie” background.  Squarespace offers a bunch of great starter designs and has a vast audience of technical experts who can help you along the way.   But if you are ever going to manage multiple websites, it would be good to look into SiteJet.  SiteJet is a platform built especially for building multiple websites and managing them.  While this may not be for most people, we just wanted to throw it out there.  It is the platform we use to build all of our websites.  It still uses a graphic interface while giving you complete access to the code behind your website.  This allows you to build a very “clean code” site that performs very well on Google Page Speed tests.    Either way, you need to find the right platform for your needs.  Be sure to explore all of your options.  Avoid overly basic designers provided by your hosting provider (GoDaddy, BlueHost, HostGator, Google Domains).  With just a little bit of effort, you can put together a much better site than what is offered by these companies.     Keep in mind that user experience is the most important factor.  Make it simple for people to use your site and make it enjoyable. Doing that is more than half the battle.  Beyond that, keep it simple.  Be clear in what you do and don't overcomplicate it with jargon.     That's it for this week.     If you are ready to get serious about your website, schedule a call with a Virtual Marketing Director today!

Your website is the first place people often go to learn about your business.  If they want to do business with you they will often find your contact form or your scheduling tool or call you directly.  But how do you make sure that the people calling you are a good fit?   Today we are going to talk about how to qualify leads on your website.  The great thing about using your website to qualify leads is that once it is built, you don't have to actively manage it.  You simply let your website do the work and the qualified leads will make it through your funnel.   So when you are building your website to qualify a lead you want to think about 4 things. Need - are they the right fit for what you offer? Budget - can they afford your product or service? Authority - are they the decision-maker? Timing - how important is this to them right now?   We talk about how to use clear simple language in your website so that your offer is not confusing to your visitors.  That helps them determine if you are a good fit.  Have a pricing page on your website is the way you can help to determine if they have a budget that you can work with.  I am a fan of pricing pages.  That is often the first thing I look for when I am shopping around for a new product or service.  If there isn't a pricing page, I will usually look for a different website.  You also want to make sure that you eventually speak to the person who has the authority to make the decision.  Often, the decision-maker has an assistant or someone else doing the research and initial conversations before they invest time to speak with you.  You want to make sure that you eventually get that time.  Lastly, you want to make sure there is a little bit of urgency.  Projects that don't have deadlines don't get done.  Hopefully, they have a realistic timeline but if they don't you can create a little bit of urgency by providing your own deadlines or timetables.     Knowing how to qualify leads is an important skill and will save you lots of time.  If you can automate the process by using your website, you will save even more time.   If you would like to get a fresh set of eyes on your website, we would love to help.  Go over to https://virtualmarketingdirectors.com and complete our contact form there and let us know that you would like a video review.  Include your website in the message of the form and we will create a screen recorded video of your website along with a few simple tips that you can do on your own. 

Google is really starting to analyze your page speed metrics and including them in ranking factors when determining where your website will show up on a search engine results page.     Today we are going to talk about how to improve your page speed rankings.  A lot of what we are going to talk about can be handled by your web designer.  But if you don't have a web designer, we are going to teach you how to make a few simple tweaks to your website that should help.   Our list of improvement items includes: Checking your Core Vitals (complex words for how fast your page loads) How to optimize your images (click here for our favorite tool) Using 3rd party video hosting platforms Managing your plugins and using straight code instead of bloated plugins Improving your mobile experience   Some of this stuff probably seems way over your head and more than you are likely to take on in an afternoon.  But take the first step and become knowledgeable about where you are today.  Go to Google's Page Speed test website.  This will at least let you know where you are right now.  The report it generates is great information to pass along to your current web developer.  They will know what all of the confusing language means and can provide a plan to help you improve your website load speeds. If you don't have a web developer and would like someone to help you translate what Google is telling you about your website, schedule a consultation with one of our Virtual Marketing Directors and we would be happy to meet with you.  We can provide all sorts of information about your page load speed as well as your search engine optimization.  Schedule an appointment with a Virtual Marketing Director by clicking the link here.

Everyone wants to be a hero, right?  That is why the Marvel franchise is so popular.  We all want superpowers and have the ability to save the day.  But do you know what is better than a Hero?  A Guide!   Today we are going to talk about how you can become a guide to your potential customers.  Everyone wakes up at the beginning of the day as the hero in their own story.  Hero's are looking for Guides, not other Heros.  So if you are playing the role of “Hero” on your website, you are not getting as much engagement as you could be.   Today we talk about why it is important to be a guide and how to do it.  You will learn the two key skills every hero needs.  When you position yourself as the guide, you attract other heroes to you.  When you attract more people, you get more leads, you get more leads you get more customers, you get more customers and you make more revenue.  And who doesn't want more revenue?  Right? If you want to learn more about The Virtual Marketing Directors you can always visit their website and even schedule a call with them at https://virtualmarketingdirectors.com/schedule.

In this episode, we get right down to business. Every business owner wants to drive more traffic to their website. Today we talk about 6 ways you can do that on your own website this week.  They are:   Play the long game with SEO rather than PPC ads Create content that solves a problem Try to answer common questions that can be used as featured snippets Create visually appealing lead generators Customize your website's metadata Spy on your competition to see how they are ranking at the top   While you may know some of these tactics, if you are not seeing the traffic you think you should be getting, chances are you can improve in one or more of these areas.  Improving your overall SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is critical in driving more traffic to your website.     If you are looking for an additional guide to help you understand SEO, we have created a guide just for you. It is our SEO Crash Course.  It is a quick read PDF that you can download for free today. Just click on this link here: seo.virtualmarketingdirectors.com. You will have a better understanding of how SEO works and what you can do to begin to see higher rankings on Google.    If you want to learn more about The Virtual Marketing Directors you can always visit their website and even schedule a call with them at https://virtualmarketingdirectors.com/schedule.

Welcome to the Weekly Web Tips Podcast! Your home for tips, tricks, and resources to improve your small business website. Our mission is to provide you with actionable tips and ideas that will help you make the right tweaks to your website that not only increases traffic to your site but also increases conversions so you can turn more browsers into buyers!   Your host through this wonderful website journey is David McArdle. David is the owner and founder of The Virtual Marketing Directors, a fast-growing innovative web design agency that builds custom-designed websites that work.   Today David introduces himself to the podcast world as he launches his first episode.  Not wanting to waste your time, he dives right into one of the most important parts of your small business website, your call to action or CTA.   Do you know how many times it takes for someone to read something on your website and truly process it?  You will find out how many times you should have your CTA on your homepage.  What makes a good CTA?  Should you have different CTA's on one page or should they be the same?  We jump right in and get to the importance of a great CTA and how to create one if you don't have one already. If you want to learn more about The Virtual Marketing Directors you can always visit their website and even schedule a call with them at https://virtualmarketingdirectors.com/schedule