Porch Puppy Post

To Blog or Not to Blog - That is The Question

2008-11-23T17:15:00.000-08:00

What is a blog? A blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a dedicated website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary or news on a particular subject. A blog is a means of delving into topics specific to your website. Blogs often address many questions relating to the product, service, or information the site is targeting. It is an excellent marketing tool for any business.

There are several benefits to having a dedicated blog. Comments can be left on blogs and then used to help improve the knowledgebase of the topics discussed. They are also a means of creating external links to your website, thus improving traffic. You can set up your own blog for free at blogspot.com and write your own posts as often as you like. If writing is not your forte, you might prefer to hire a blogger. Interacting with the community and following the trends of your product/service through blogging can increase sales. Blogging is an effective and very affordable method of reaching a larger target market by building a history of quality content.

In addition to professional website design, Porch Puppy Online also offers blogging services for those who are short on time, but want the advantage of more exposure in a friendly environment. Contact Porch Puppy Online today for more information!

Organizing Website Content

2008-11-16T17:59:00.000-08:00

Domain Name Registration is the first step to having a website built. If you have not already done so, register your domain name. Be sure to print out your registration information. We recommend making several copies and storing them in separate locations. DO NOT LOSE your login or password.

The second step is gathering and organizing your content. The time and effort spent before having a site designed and published makes all the difference in the end result. With a little planning and proper organization you can gather all your necessary content and Porch Puppy Online will do the rest.

If you have no idea how many pages your site will be or what information to provide, start by checking out your competitor's websites. Then outline your site using the guideline questionnaire and content formatting information provided on our website. Determine what pages you need and one by one, write the appropriate content for each. If writing is not your strong point, consider hiring a professional copywriter. If that's outside your budget, post your needs on a job board at a near by university or junior college. There are many talented up and coming writers who will appreciate the freelance work.

Once your text is written, you'll need to find some nice photos or illustrations to go along with it. Visuals are a must on a website. You may have images from printed materials such as brochures or catalogues. If not, you can take your own pictures or once again, post your needs on a university or junior college job board. Or you can always search istockphoto.com for royalty free photos at a very nominal price.

Your site may require additional functionality such as a database, custom admin tools or a shopping cart and credit card processing. Before purchasing any software or signing up for merchant services consult your website designer.

It is important to submit content to the website designer in usable format. Following the guidelines below will insure the smooth and speedy production of your website.

Text: All content materials for your website should be provided in digital format. Text can be in a Microsoft Word (.doc) or typed directly into the body of an email. Final edits must be made before submitting text. Please double check all spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Images: Images provided as digital files must be a minimum resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi). Acceptable digital file formats for images are JPG, TIFF, EPS and GIF. Images cannot be embedded in another document such as Microsoft Word, Publisher or Power Point. We will be happy to scan photographs and illustrations for you but please keep in mind- the quality of the scan is directly dependent upon the quality of the original (no slides). We can crop, resize and do minor color corrections. If an original image is blurred or in poor condition we cannot fix it. If you would like to use images from istockphoto.com, note the image ID number and we will download it for you.

Copyright: Please make sure you have copyright releases for all images and text. Do NOT assume copyright. If you are not absolutely certain, (i.e. you personally took the photograph, drew the illustration or authored the text) get a written release. A little time and effort now could save you a world of hurt later. If you have questions regarding copyright laws, visit the U.S. Copyright Office Home Page at http://www.loc.gov/copyright.

When you have all text and images collected and formatted as needed, divide and label your content according to page/section names. If you are submitting digital content on CD, please be sure to label all disks with your name, company name and a contact phone number. Create folders for each page/section containing text and corresponding images. If you are emailing your content, please be sure to label text and images according to the page for which they are intended (i.e. home.doc, homePic1.jpg, services.doc, servicesPic.jpg, etc.).

If you have reference web sites you would like us to look at, please make a list of the URLs and note what specifically appeals to you about each site. Please keep in mind that websites with 'fancy functions' can be quite costly but we will do our best to keep your site within your budget.

Contact us for a price quote, and please do not hesitate to e-mail or call us with any questions. We have answers!

Choosing the Right Domain Name

2008-11-09T15:27:00.000-08:00

The first step to having a website is registering a domain name. The best case scenario is to have a target audience in mind and have the keywords in the domain name. Search engines are scanning domain names and keywords in the body of your homepage for relevance and weight. To gain the upper hand, it is best to have one or two of your keywords in the domain name of your website. If you have a keyword or two in your domain name it's helpful but not critical to success.

Once you have a short list of possible names you'll need to search availability through a reputable company such as Go Daddy. You can search based on many different extensions, however, we recommend finding a '.com' for your website. Sites ending in .org or .net aren't going to generate the same traffic that a .com does. If the .com you want is taken, try variations until you find one that is available. There is also the option of waiting until the domain name you want becomes available but that will be contingent on the current owner letting the subscription lapse - it could be a long wait.

Avoid using easily misspelled words in your domain name. Also try not to have a domain name be too long. If the domain name you want is taken, consider adding a location, such as [your city or state]. It is generally not a good idea to have multiple underscores or dashes in your domain name. One of either at the most. The easier your domain name is to remember, the better.

After you have found and registered your domain name, contact Porch Puppy Online for affordable and professional website design.

Paypal vs. Merchant Account

2008-11-02T15:17:00.000-08:00

When it comes to online credit card payments for your products, services, or information, there are two basic choices - PayPal or a Merchant Account. Both have distinct pros and cons and that should be carefully considered to determine which is best for your business.

For those on a tight budget or just starting out, PayPal may be a better choice. PayPal is the leader in online transactions. They have no setup costs, and minimal per transaction fees. There are no monthly fees either so if you don't have a lot of sales right away, you are not incurring any extra expenses. PayPal accounts are easy to set up and there is no credit check.

A couple of the disadvantages of PayPal include some previous bad press which may deter potential customers. Despite increased security and enhanced features that have been added to PayPal since E-bay bought them out, some people still do not trust the service. Additionally you must login to PayPal to withdraw or transfer deposited funds to your own bank account. If you are doing a small volume of sales, this is generally not an issue. Should your sales volume increase heavily, it may become an inconvenience. But really, that's a great problem to have and if needed you can always switch from PayPal to a Merchant Account.

A Merchant Account is set up through your bank. It is a more expensive route due to the setup cost (usually between $100 - $200) , monthly fee of about $30, as well as a per transaction fee. The monthly fee is incurred regardless of sales... or lack thereof. A credit check may also required.

On the plus side, the funds from your online sales transactions are deposited directly into your account. For customers who have had a prior bad experience with PayPal, they will be more likely to purchase from a website that has a Merchant Account. In which case, the extra cost may prove well worth it.

Still not sure which option is best for you,? Contact Porch Puppy Online. Our experienced team will answer your questions, walk you through the process, and provide smooth integration of PayPal or a Merchant Account into your website. For more information visit http://www.porchpuppyonline.com/.

Site Envy

2008-10-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

'Site envy' is comparing your website to the large, well-established corporate sites that have all the bells and whistles and wanting the very same. Such features usually come with a hefty price tag but fortunately, they are not critical to your success. With Porch Puppy Online, you can have a professionally designed site without the corporate budget. We design eye-catching, well organized, user-friendly websites without breaking the bank.

Given the continuous rapid advances in online technology, it is easy to get caught up in the special effects and overlook the basics when starting your online venture. Corporations pay thousands of dollars to have all kinds of fun features such as elaborate flash animations, videos, and nifty mouseover effects. All are great additions to a site but it is much more important to have a solid foundation first.

The focus of your website should be your content and target market. If you are on a tight budget, as most small businesses and start-ups are, lavish extras should only be considered after the site has a web presence and is generating some revenue.

The specialists at Porch Puppy Online will lay a solid foundation and grow your site as your business and budget grows. With over seven years' experience designing websites for small businesses and start-ups, we will make your site a cut above the rest!

Short Attention Span Theater

2008-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

It is all about the content. Your homepage is your resume and it needs to be worthy of more than a glance. To grab the attention of visitors, an emphasis of what you are offering should be interesting, informative and to the point. If the first impression is not outstanding, you could be losing business. People know what they are looking for and will quickly shift to another site if yours does not clearly cater to the specifics of their search.

In order to capture and retain a viewer's interest, it is important to stay on topic. You must not overwhelm your audience with excessive information and definitely avoid any verbiage that is not directly relevant to your product or service. People can be easily intimidated by too much content and a click of the mouse can cost your business sales and opportunities. Leave personal topics such as family, hobbies and religious or spiritual beliefs at the door unless they are specifically related to what you are offering.

We live in a fast paced society and time is essential. Visitors to your site should instantly know that they have found exactly what they seek. For these reasons and many others Porch Puppy Online can make all the difference in having your site be a star in the short attention span theater!

Hiring a Professional vs. Do It Yourself Website

2008-10-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Starting or expanding a small business is exciting and rewarding. It can also be expensive and therefore it is important to use your resources wisely. Having a professional and polished website can make all the difference. Websites created by Porch Puppy Online are designed to save you time and money as well as increase customer satisfaction and sales.

A website is much like a resume in that first impressions are critical. Having an organized, professional look and feel will be more inviting to your visitors and potential customers. The navigation of the site and means of accessing your products, services, or information should be seamless and efficiently integrated for the best possible customer experience.

How much is your time worth? To use your resources most effectively, it is best to have a professional focus on the design and functionality of your web site. By doing so, you will free up more time to focus on your own strengths on developing other areas of your business. Let our put our web design expertise to work for you! Contact Porch Puppy Online today!

Who Needs a Website?

2008-10-02T20:32:00.001-07:00

Anyone who has a service, product(s), or valuable information to offer to consumers should have a web site. It would simply be a waste of the best marketing resource available not to use the internet. Case in point; you are reading this where? To use a familiar saying: 'size doesn't matter' also applies here. From the smallest of startups to the largest of corporations, a solid web presence is a basic necessity. It is the standard for playing the game. Everyone and anyone who wants to be heard should start with a website.

Websites are also a very cost effective form of marketing for any enterprise. Consider the cost of having an ad in the phonebook. It is a year long contract that gets paid monthly. What if you needed to change it a week later and had already forked out a few hundred dollars to get it published in the first place? With a website it would be so much easier to call and have professionals like us make changes in minutes instead of waiting until next year's phonebook release. There are simply too many reasons to list that would make the decision to have a website by Porch Puppy Online worth your time.

Savvy consumers expect solid businesses to have a web presence. Information is the hottest commodity and time is the most precious resource. We are in Phoenix and can provide expert web site design anywhere in the world. So, what are you waiting for? Contact Porch Puppy Online today!

First Blog

2008-10-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you for reading my first blog for Porch Puppy Online.

We are a turnkey solution for your website design and implementation.

Please read on for a more in-depth approach on what makes a winning site.

Based in Phoenix, we offer services anywhere there is an internet connection.

Please visit Porch Puppy Online for more info.