Investing in a Website During Economic Crisis

Learn how a new website and proper search engine optimisation (SEO) can actually help you increase business activity during the economic crisis in Cyprus and Europe.

Since 2008's Global Financial Crisis, the economy in most of the developed world has been unstable. Especially in Europe, with a slowdown in growth and general business activity - recession in many countries - increasing unemployment and in turn dampened consumer and business confidence and purchasing power.
This has been most significant in what they call the peripheral countries, such as Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Cyprus - we are seeing major changes in Cyprus ourselves.
When business is slowing, companies are then forced to downsize and cut back on expenses. Sure, this saves some money in the short term, and hopefully until the economy kick-starts again. However, when business is slow, wouldn't you rather find new ways to stimulate new activity?
It is also true that whilst developed economies have slowed down, emerging markets are growing, namely BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia (as well as CIS countries and Eastern Europe), India, China, South Africa, as well as many other countries following close by are sustaining most global economic activity. So there is still vast potential here. Plus of course some sectors in developed economies are still performing well.

How a website can actually increase business activity during the economic crisis
Enter the Internet. We all know how it has significantly changed our lives and changed the way we do business. Think of how many people and businesses are now searching online to find something.
This is only going to continue and grow. In emerging countries, Internet connectivity and usage is growing by the day. So naturally, more and more will be online to conduct business or to search for things to buy.
But your business must not only have a website that is nice and functional, but it must also have very good "online presence" and what we call "search engine optimisation" or SEO. I
n other words, when someone searches for the products or services you provide in search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo or other search engines, your website must appear somewhere in the top pages. Ideally in the first page. Think about it. What's the point of having a website if no one can find it?

What is search engine optimisation (SEO) and why is important?
Everyone is now talking about "online presence" and what we call "search engine optimisation" or SEO. In Cyprus, this is a relatively new thing, but it has been around for a while now.
Think of it like a massive directory of the internet. And one that everyone is using to find products and services, or for general research and browsing. To keep it simple, search engine optimisation (SEO) is optimising or developing your website in a way that makes it easier for search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo to find it. In reality, its making a proper modern website.
Technically speaking, search engine's spiders (the technology and algorithms they use) crawl (search) a website and then rank it according to relevance.
Now, these search engines are very advanced companies. Everyone knows Google, Yahoo and Bing (owned by Microsoft) and how big they are - other countries such as Russia, China and India also have their own major search engines.
They all offer a specific service. This service to filter all the millions and millions of websites in the world and provide you with the most relevant results. Otherwise no one would use them. So, they create certain criteria and specifications to determine which websites are most relevant to the searching process. The more a website meets these certain criteria and specifications, the more likely the website will rank highly.
Essentially, this is what we at Web-Conceptions specialises in. To create a nice-looking, creative and functional website that has top-rate online presence and ranks well in search engines - search engine optimisation.
And here is the secret to our success: We write all the content, and write it in a way that achieves excellent search engine optimisation. See, search engine optimisation is a combination of technical web development/programming and content writing/marketing. This is what we are at Web-Conceptions. A combination team of these two fundamental elements.

Content, key words-phrases and how to rank in the top page of search engines
Again, another new notion that everyone is talking about; that this is the secret to search engine optimisation.
Consider this: there is no point to rank in the top page of search engines with only your company name. If your company's name is Thraki and you deal in construction and property development, how would a Chinese business person know this? They have never heard of the company name Thraki, and especially that it deals in construction and property development.
Thus, when they jump online and go to a search engine to search for the services of construction and property development in Cyprus, what will they search? Well, more than likely it will be "construction and property development".
You see, your website must be "optimised" to rank well with these very key words: construction, property development, and Cyprus, among other. And not Thraki. So what you really must do is the following:
-Make sure you analyse your business sector and its key feeder markets, as well as potential emerging markets and determine what are the primary key words and phrases they are searching in search engines to find websites with products and services such as yours. Although there would be some obvious key words and phrases, each market has indeed a slightly different approach to searching. For example, in Cyprus what do you think is the number one key word for when people search for a psychologists or therapists? Well, it's actually "depression".
- Make sure your website's content meets the requirements to these above search key words and phrases. And in great detail. But don't spam your website with meaningless content just to feature these words as many times as possible. Search engines will black-list you and your ranking will suffer. Remember, they are trying to offer the service of the most relevant ranking. If you try to cheat them, then they will automatically penalise you - automatically because their technology does this.
- Make sure your website has the necessary key words, titles and descriptions to match.
- Make sure your website's code is technically well prepared and up to the required standards.
- Make sure you have many links on other relevant websites pointing to your website. The more links you have the easier it is for search engines to find and crawl your website's content. The more these links are on credible/reputable website, the more credit your website gets from search engines and the higher it ranks.
It's actually a simple procedure. Of course it takes a lot of research, dedication and work.
To achieve best results, knowledge in web development, online marketing and content copywriting is also of course beneficial.
So speak to Web-Conceptions for a no obligation consultation in web development and search engine optimisation.

Web Conceptions Contact Details

Cyprus: +357 99 01 28 01
Melbourne: +61 452 436 456
Skype: Web-Conceptions.com
E-mail: info 'at' web-conceptions.com
Website: www.web-conceptions.com

Ethical Online Marketing

In this fast pace modern Internet world, companies are fighting with Internet marketing weapons to appear first, and in the process, can quite often tarnish their own reputation. We look at the importance of ethical Internet marketing in travel and tourism, changes over the last year and what should be the next major trends within the industry.

There is no doubt; the Internet has changed travel and tourism forever. It was one of the first industries to be transformed by the Internet, and as a channel of distribution, has become one of the most successful. From researching travel options, comparing products and prices, reading reviews, sifting through portals to purchasing. Consumer or business-to-business, all are increasingly relying on the Internet.

As to be expected, such a success rate encourages greater competition. These days, having a website is not good enough. Everyone is already trying to sell something online – product, service, advice; information overload. The Internet is flooded with websites, and new entries on a daily basis. Hence the increasing value of Internet marketing.

Try and get a good understanding of what your clients search for when looking for your product. Then adapt your internet marketing to revolve around this, consistent with an overall business philosophy, brand and concept.

The key to driving success will always be the website’s content. Quality content that will stimulate the marketing AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action), and trigger real activity and real hits, as oppose to just being ignored. Your content should drive interaction and what I like to call internetxuality, i.e. other sites (and other media) utilising your content and sourcing your website.

Many suggest that if your website is not search engine optimised it is just like having a phone number but not being listed in the phone book. Very true. Your website and brand must be easily located. Internet presence is crucial, otherwise no traffic equates to no sales, no results. But what is always neglected is the actual value of your presence. In other words, a certain standard and quality. Keep it professional, and avoid clogging, spamming and faking – information that is annoying can easily do more harm than good. This also of course applies to e-mail marketing, where spam is more associated.

Online social coherence

Internet marketing has expanded to a multilevel campaign, following the now ‘standard’ organic Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) procedures of written content, keywords, titles, descriptions, meta tag and links, as well as search engine marketing (SEM) – the practice of buying paid search listings – such as pay per click, paid placement, contextual advertising and paid inclusions.

Over the last year we have seen the boom of interactive-type web 2.0 marketing, including wiki pages, social networking sites, review websites, blogs, forums, XML/RSS feeds and universal content, i.e. images, video, podcasts and maps. Popular sites that spring to mind include the likes of Wikipedia and Wikitravel, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube. Again, more and more are now using these, so in reality how will you stand out and be unique? More to the point, are these a waste of time? In a busy environment, what resources do you allocate for such social marketing techniques. Well, leading companies now have specific positions that focus on these tools (together with Internet Marketers and SEO specialists), whilst new expert social website consulting firms have emerged.

Certainly, affiliation to these sites is excellent for generating exposure and primarily for linking back to your own website – SEO purposes. Many are also a point-of-research that prompt a booking, particularity the likes of TripAdvisor.

However, these tools are constantly being abused. All too often travel companies write their own reviews on Facebook, hotels on TripAdvisor. What’s worse, they write negative reviews on their competitor’s page, which then of course gets instantly rebutted – web war games. Credibility is diminished as consumers become entrapped in this somewhat falsifying channel of information.

Something to be wary of – maintain quality standards and professionalism. If you are to use such tools, obviously be authentic and ethical. But in such an uncontrollable environment, I suggest the best weapon is to be creative. Again, emphasis is on content. Focus energy and resources here, inspiring interests and creating awareness.

A changing medium

Indeed, the Internet has become the new TV of the day. The rate of change with the Internet is also remarkably faster than the rate of change with conventional media. One year with the Internet is the equivalent to ten years in conventional media. Things move quickly with this medium; new technologies, new concepts, innovations, inspirations and new approaches.

Of course travel and tourism marketers (and of all industries really) must still balance and use all media. Print for its tangibility, TV for emotional connection and radio for its mobility. But at some point over the next year or so, these will all be unravelled by the Internet. Marketers who embrace this early will remain ahead of the pack and on top of all rankings.

The future is clearly pointing towards two trends: mobile Internet marketing, which combines the benefits of all media, and Web 3.0.

Mobile technology is essentially moving the Internet everywhere. The number of web-enabled phones in Europe will rise to more than the number of PCs, whilst more time will be spent on the Internet than watching TV – this is already the case in Western Europe. Indeed, the potential of mobile applications and mobile eCommerce is vast, and soon to be very lucrative.

Take the recent Volcano chaos in Europe. Mobile Internet kept people updated with flight status and any news. Access to mobile Internet was also a good starting point for those seeking alternative travel arrangements and then even making new bookings. Business travellers are also the perfect example of requiring connectivity whilst on the move.

Meanwhile, Internet experts believe the next generation of the Web – Web 3.0 – will make searching tasks smarter (faster and easier). Instead of multiple searches, you can type a complex sentence or phrase. The Web 3.0 browser will analyse your response, search the Internet for all possible answers, and then organise results accordingly.

The browser will act like a personal assistant, learning what you are interested in. The more you use the Web, the more your browser learns about you and the less specific you'll need to be with your questions. Eventually you should be able to ask open questions like "where should I go for my summer holidays?” Your browser will consult its records of what you like and dislike, take into account your current location and price expectations and then suggest various options.

The more relevant your website's content is, or more importantly web concept is to such searches and in relation to other engine crawling factors, the more your holiday options will appear in the results.

Web Conceptions Contact Details

Cyprus: +357 99 01 28 01
Melbourne: +61 452 436 456
Skype: Web-Conceptions.com
E-mail: info 'at' web-conceptions.com
Website: www.web-conceptions.com

Freelance Web Development - Is it really so different?

Freelance Web Development - Is it really so different?
The world is always changing, with new concepts and new ways of working. Freelancing is not new. It has been around for as long as we our race has learnt the value of service; of doing something for someone else. Care, friendship and helping out.In this changing world, of new online technologies, Internet business, innovative websites, multi and mass media, how is the value of a freelancer sustained and enhanced?

In truth, freelance website developing is quite different to corporate or company-based work. It's an entirely different business philosophy; different approach to creativity, customer service, and overall attitude. Both are of course services, and offer a finished product; but then differ in so many ways. In how the service is carried out, how the customer benefits, and what overall web product/service is received.

Cost wise, freelance web developing is undoubtedly a lot more affordable, as freelancers do not have any overheads such as what companies do, thus can afford to offer clients better/cheaper deals. That's not to say that if a freelance website developer is in high demand price will not be high. Just more affordable than if this same freelance developer was part of a company.

The other major point is that freelance developers have greater flexibility – working for themselves and only for a specific client and web project in question. Again, benefiting the client, in that the freelance developer can fully adjust, fully compromise as per specific web needs and requirements. In reality, the only other person working on a website project with the freelance developer is the client themselves, acting in some sort of directing capacity, and of course only to the extent they desire. In other words, the client can choose to be fully involved or offer complete direction and trust to the freelance developer; perhaps because they don't know much (or anything at all) about websites and Internet business or because they have faith in the developer abilities.

Freelance web design and developing, or any sort of freelance for that matter is no doubt the way of the future. It brings back the community touch to a global world; to a global virtual world to be more precise. It's better for the environment, as it cuts travelling to and from work, as well as saving on common office usage and emissions.

Finally, freelance web design and development, especially in the case of Web-Conceptions.com offers something extra, something unique – exclusivity. Complete focus and attention to one project – a one client-at-a-time concept. That a freelance developer only works on one website project at any one time, and only moves on to the next when ready; whether its working on design, programming, content writing or editing, Internet marketing, Search engine optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), website consulting or online business strategies.

Topic: Freelance Web Design & Development

Key tip: As a client, try to be involved in first steering ideas and what's your business or organisation all about, as well as initial planning and brainstorming – this will help to kick-start everything properly and set off on in the right direction. But just as importantly, allow the freelancer plenty of breathing space and flexibility thereafter to show what they can do. Point-of-contact and communications is of course still vital, but let the experts achieve results. After all, isn't that why you selected them in the first place?

Sites: Some related website about freelancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freelancer
http://www.freelancersunion.org
http://www.freelanceuk.com
http://www.freelancers.net
http://www.getafreelancer.com
http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk

Web Conceptions Contact Details

Cyprus: +357 99 01 28 01
Melbourne: +61 452 436 456
Skype: Web-Conceptions.com
E-mail: info 'at' web-conceptions.com
Website: www.web-conceptions.com