Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Addy Photography... What's Going On?

 (addyphotography.net)


I see this a good bit.  A small business owner finally decides that he/she does in fact need a website in order to convey professionalism.  So, he takes step number one and heads on over to Godaddy.com to purchase the website domain name.  Great.  Next step.  "Wow, Godaddy provides a free site builder with the purchase of a domain name and a hosting agreement??  Wow! I can build my own website now... thanks Godaddy," the business owner thinks to himself.  Probably not a good idea because the business owner is now going to end up with something similar to addyphotography.net.  Take a look for yourself.  Does this convey professionalism?  You tell me...

I'll take it easy on this one because it is obvious enough that this site is in great need of some major design work.  It is obvious that this website is not an asset to Addy Photography... I doubt it brings in any sort of leads.  If anything, this website is a hindrance to Addy Photography.  Not good.

Here is why Addy Photography needs a major website upgrade...
  1. People are asking Google for "photographers in oxford ms"
  2. Addyphotography.net has good rankings on Google's Local Map

There is significant search volume related to "photographers in oxford ms"

The number one reason why any business needs to invest in a website is because people are likely using search engines to find what that business has to offer.  That is the beauty of search engine marketing... customers find the business; NOT the business find customers.  In the case of Addy Photography, there are ten keyword phrases that potential customers are typing into Google that are related to their business.  On average, there are about 376 searches on Google each month that are related to "photography in oxford ms"... people are basically asking to do business with Addy Photography.  But will they?  Will they do business with Addy Photography if the first image of Addy that the potential customer has is addyphotography.net?  Likely not.  The customer is likely to move on until he/she finds a more appealing website.  We are all drawn to beauty and appeal.  Addyphotography.net has neither beauty nor appeal. 


*See more local search volumes for your business category here

Google's Local Map Rankings
The Google Local Map is obviously in a prominent location within search results... it's right there above the fold for everyone to see.  For this reason, the Local Map can be a massive traffic generator for small businesses.  The good news for Addy Photography is that they have good Local Map rankings... type in "photography oxford ms" and you are likely to see Addy Photography listed beside the Local Map.  The bad news is that since their website is not appealing, they are not going to be able to retain the traffic that the Google Local Map sends their way... people are going to immediatly rush for their browser's back button.  Not good.



Sure, there are plenty of free website templates and many point-and-click website builders out there.  But, honestly, they are a joke and definitely do not deserve to be the face of your online presence.  I'm pretty sure that we can all use a hammer, but that doesn't mean we build our own homes. If, God-forbid, I ever need major legal council, I won't be representing myself... although that is perfectly legal.  You see, some things are better left to professionals and when it comes to your businesses website, the same is true.  I am completely aware that many small businesses have limited budgets when it comes to such things as websites and other marketing expenses, but this day and time it is too important to overlook.  You wouldn't cut corners when it comes to your business's physical appearance, so why cut corners with your online appearance?

People are using Google to find your products and services; if and when they do find your website, the look and feel of your website will determine if that person actually stays on your site (and eventually becomes a customer).  The last thing you want as a website owner is for someone to immediately look for the back button when they land on your website... "Get me out of here!!"  REMEMBER:  the whole point of having a website in the first place is so that it is an asset for your business.  Let it work for you... not against you.

Adam is considered a top Internet marketing consultant for the local Internet Marketing company P.O.G. in Oxford Mississippi. To learn more visit: http://ProfitOptimizationGroup.com
Adam is considered a top Internet marketing consultant for the local Internet Marketing company P.O.G. in Oxford Mississippi. To learn more visit: http://ProfitOptimizationGroup.com
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1 comment:

  1. I see this a good bit. A small business owner finally decides that he/she does in fact need a website in order to convey professionalism. So, he takes step number one and heads on over to Godaddy.com to purchase the website domain name.
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    ReplyDelete