Think Up!

Your UP - Cloudtippers recommends the following:

1. Your UP is getting a website! Think of a website as an all-the-time destination for your business. Even if you don't sell stuff online, customers and clients can learn more about you and your business, and find out your hours of operation. It's one of many possible ways for you to engage with clients, customers, and constituents. Let's talk.

1a. Websites need to be refreshed and redesigned. Think of a website as always evolving. Content gets stale, isn't consistent, or becomes outdated and trends change of what people search on to find you. It's also important to analyze and understand your visitors so you can make their experience awesome while on your site! Your UP is to do an audit of your website: content, design, colors, calls to action, and visitor trends. You'll then have enough information to know whether a refresh is adequate or if it's time for a redesign. Let's talk.

1b. Websites need to be optimized. Browsers are currently on a 12-15 week update schedule for increasing performance and enhancing rendering capabilities that means unless your website has been created using web standards, there's a very good chance that someone trying to view your website may not be having the pleasurable experience you'd like. Your UP is to make sure your website has been created using web standards so it will render well regardless of what browser or version of browser your visitors use. Let's talk.

1c. Websites load quickly when they are designed with specific platforms and other factors in mind. The mobile platform has its own set of nuances to consider and with so many accessing websites while on-the-go, having your website load quickly is imperative. Mobile people have mobile patience and they won't wait long for a site to load or stay if they can't easily find what they're looking for. If you have any questions about your website and the mobile platform, let's talk.

1d. It's important to have a strategy to keep the content on your website current and fresh. How often do you go to a website and notice that an event that happened months ago is still up on their site? Or the information you receive in a mailing (old way) or email campaign (new way) isn't consistent with what you see on the website? Having a strategy for your content ensures that it's clear, concise, compelling, consistent, and current. If you want to look at your content strategy, then let's talk.

2. Having a real email address is an important part of your professional image. An email address with your company's domain name signifies you are serious and committed to your business or cause. It shows you are paying attention to the details of your brand. Let's talk.

3. The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop emailing them, and spells out tough penalties for violations. The CAN-SPAM Act doesn't apply just to bulk email. All commercial email must comply with this law. That means that any email a business sends that advertises or promotes a commercial product or service must comply with the law. Not sure or want to make sure your email has an opt-out option? Let's talk.

4. All businesses, even governments, are moving to the cloud. Having applications in the cloud lowers technology and IT costs and works across platforms and systems. Securely backup, synchronize files, and access data anywhere for yourself and between team members. Everyone on your team can instantly sync document updates and changes with others so the entire work group has access to the latest files. Interested in lowering your technology and IT costs or finding out how you can work anywhere? Let's talk.

5. You may not live in earthquake, tsunami, tornado, or hurricane country, but fire or some other catastrophic event could impact your business. Every business needs a business continuity plan, at the very least. Let's talk.

6. The new era in marketing is engagement. Best practices, like word-of-mouth, are still critical and the most effective. Using the social web extends the reach of word-of-mouth. It also allows you to engage with your clients, customers, and constituents. There are a lot of options out there and having a strategy is imperative. Interested in harnessing the power of the social web? Let's talk.

7. There are analytics tools used to help track certain trends that measure the effectiveness of your use of the social web. However, there are many intangibles that don't easily render a return on investment that are just as important. Being able to chart all of your marketing and business activities will help identify success spikes and trends that reveal which tactics may have contributed toward those increases. Geek Greek? Let's talk.

8. An overall content strategy that includes all of your content across all of your media (print, web, social, words, images, everything), will not only make your life easier, but your overall message and brand will be consistent and current. Wondering how to do that? Let's talk.

8a. Blogging is the easiest way to keep your website refreshed and updated with current information. It is also an excellent means to showcase your expertise and create value and social capital for your business. Last, but certainly not least, it's an effective way to engage others and build community around your brand. Intrigued? Let's talk.

8b. People have their own way to communicate and they expect for it to be available and convenient when they want it. Yes, it's here to stay. So, if you want to be a part of the conversation that's already happening about your business and brand, then you'll want to be included. And no, it won't take over your life. Let's talk.

Considerations - Cloudtippers recommends you might also consider:

9. There are now three things that are certain: death, taxes, and ever-changing technology. Gone are the days when a hobbyist could put up a decent website. How we use technology is experiencing a tectonic shift. Your business may be local, but your message can be global. What technology do you really need for your business? How do you determine what's necessary or if it's even going to meet your business needs? And what about software solutions? Look up and let's talk!

1a. Websites need to be refreshed and redesigned. Think of a website as always evolving. You understand that content gets stale, isn't consistent, or becomes outdated and trends change of what people search on to find you. You also know how important it is to analyze and understand your visitors so you can make their experience awesome while on your site and that you're achieving the goals you've set for your site. If you're interested in an outside audit of your website, let's talk.

1b. Websites need to be optimized. Browsers are currently on a 12-15 week update schedule for increasing performance and enhancing rendering capabilities that means unless your website has been created using web standards, there's a very good chance that someone trying to view your website may not be having the pleasurable experience you'd like. Are you wondering if your website has been created using web standards so it will render well regardless of what browser or version of browser your visitors use? Let's talk.

1c. Websites load quickly when they are designed with specific platforms and other factors in mind. The mobile platform has its own set of nuances to consider and with so many accessing websites while on-the-go, having your website load quickly is imperative. Mobile people have mobile patience and they won't wait long for a site to load or stay if they can't easily find what they're looking for. If you have any questions about your website and the mobile platform, let's talk.

1d. It's important to have a strategy to keep the content on your website current and fresh. How often do you go to a website and notice that an event that happened months ago is still up on their site? Or the information you receive in a mailing (old way) or email campaign (new way) isn't consistent with what you see on the website? Having a strategy for your content ensures that it's clear, concise, compelling, consistent, and current. If you want to look at your content strategy, then let's talk.

2. Making sure all email addresses associated with your business use your domain name, shows you are paying attention to the details of your brand. Any questions? Let's talk.

3. A reputable email marketing platform for email marketing campaigns most likely meet the CAN-SPAM Act compliance requirements. You may need to add a provision in your business email if you ever use your business email to promote or advertise for your business. Not sure? Let's talk.

4. You're in the right atmosphere by being in the cloud! If you're backing up to the cloud, have you tested to see how your backups are working or done a trial "what if" scenario to see if you can use your backed up data? Besides securely backing up, synchronize files, and access data anywhere for yourself and between team members. Everyone on your team can instantly sync document updates and changes with others so the entire work group has access to the latest files. Are there some other business operations or applications you're wondering about for the cloud? Let's talk.

5. You're able to still conduct business in the event of a catastrophic event. Having a mission critical - operation stable - mobile ready plan is essential in these events. Is yours up-to-date? Let's talk!

6. You know engagement through the social web is the new way to market. Having a strategy in place that dovetails with the rest of your marketing practices, including your website, is important. Do you want to talk more about strategy? Then let's talk.

7. Analytics and return on investment calculations may not be giving you the full picture of the effectiveness of your use of the social web. Being able to chart all of your marketing and business activities on an integrated spreadsheet will help identify success spikes and trends that reveal which tactics may have contributed toward those increases. Geek Greek? Let's talk.

8. It's great that you have a strategy for using social media. An audit of all of your media (print, web, social, words, images), will not only make your life easier, but your overall message and brand will be consistent and current. Any questions? Let's talk.

8a. Since you're blogging on a regular and consistent basis, you'll want to review your content audit and make sure there isn't new and current information in your blog and outdated or stale content on your website. Depending on your blogging platform, there are useful widgets and apps that help streamline all of your social web postings. Intrigued? Let's talk.

8b. People have their own way to communicate and they expect for it to be available and convenient when they want it. New ways to engage with customers, clients, and constituents are constantly being developed. Wondering what's new? Let's talk.

This is a lot of information! Cloudtippers offers a variety of affordable web solutions, customized to each client.