As well as being the website design expert for Emphasize Design of Calgary, I am also responsible for all things SEO. Search engine optimization walks hand in hand with the design and functionality of your website. Intuitive site information architecture, great, easy-to-read, and informative content, combined with attractive, brand-friendly design are just as important for…
Calgary is full of entrepreneurs who make it their business to stay on the cutting edge of their industry. Business people attend seminars and conventions, subscribe to magazines and newsletters and pay employees well to make sure no development comes as a surprise. In the world of website marketing, we watch the Google Panda. The…
In the first half of Emphasize Design’s exploration of effective content elements for websites, we went through several options for engaging items for the user that can also help sell your product and your company. Effective content elements can come in many shapes and sizes, and range from a short and powerful company manifesto to…
A call-to-action (CTA) is an essential inbound marketing tool that invites users to take an “action” that then brings them further into the site owner’s marketing fold. Common CTA invitations found on many websites include Requesting a service quote Downloading an industry guide Entering a content Applying for transaction The reason CTAs are important is…
Many of our clients have been asking about Calgary SEO and PPC and how they fit into Internet marketing today. There’s been a lot of talk lately about how Google is killing Search Engine Optimization, and some of you are probably wondering whether you should even bother with it any more. Perhaps you used PPC…
If you didn’t see this coming before, you should now: SEO is dying. The release of Google Penguin last spring just sped up the process. Keyword stuffing and paid links are rapidly becoming last year’s strategies, and if your company is still putting time and money into the same old Calgary SEO techniques, your website’s…
As the wave of internet marketing evolves, it is changing the field in a number of important ways. Savvy business owners are recognizing these changes, and are putting an increased emphasis on internet marketing techniques. Having an appreciation for the potential that internet marketing holds can mean the difference between having an ‘okay’ sales year…
There has been a lot of talk recently about Google’s latest search algorithm release, Penguin, and the negative impact that it has had on businesses. Some of the previously top-ranked websites have seen their traffic plummet dramatically, and are scrambling to recover. The question is, why are these business owners so surprised? Penguin isn’t some…
We’re living in the Age of Skepticism, where years of false promises and outright lies by marketers have left today’s consumer suspicious of any advertising claims or guarantees that are made on behalf of a business. Consumers have been burned so many times before, they are understandably mistrustful, and are increasingly wanting to know the…
You can have the most beautiful website around, but that won’t do you any good if nobody is looking at it. That’s not just a waste of resources, but a huge missed opportunity. Despite the numerous methods the Internet provides to share information and promote your business, your website should still be considered “ground zero”.…
Marketing used to be simple. You would scroll through your Rolodex, make cold calls and pitch to anyone who would listen. You would buy advertisements, send out mailings, hop from trade show to trade show, and hope you generate enough attention to bring customers to your door. “That was outbound marketing. It wasn’t fun. It…
Maybe you know about Search Engine Optimization (SEO), maybe not. But what you need to know is the importance of being ranked within the search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. The higher your ranking the better chance you have of a potential client finding you and viewing what you have to offer as a…
No one appreciates being “marketed to” anymore. We as consumers have learned to filter / dodge / side-step / ignore the millions of annoying marketing attempts vying for our attention. Despite knowing that outbound marketing pisses people off, businesses continue to throw money into the black hole and hoping that it brings them business. Mind-boggling,…
We can’t stress enough the importance of compelling landing pages. This is where you can see the real results of your website redesign. Landing pages are a great way to drive potential client into your sales funnel. Key Concepts and Statistics Leave out any website navigation. Keep the description of the offer clear, simple, and…
You probably want some interactive and flashy homepage that entices your users. It is important to establish the fundamentals of what creates a positive customer experience first. Remember that a proper balance between design and functionality is key when designing your websites homepage. If a user has to spend 10 minutes trying to find your…
Landing Pages are the building block behind generating leads on your website. If you’re not using landing pages you’re losing business…period! Too many businesses redirect their social media, search traffic, and email generated leads to their homepage or contact page. This is the equivalent of burning money. Without even knowing it, when a visitor is…