Ray DelVecchio's Blog, page 14
January 22, 2019
What is Web Hosting? Beginners Guide to Domains, DNS Settings & Difference Between Host Types
Create your website today with HostGator. Click the link below to setup your domain and web hosting account!
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January 10, 2019
How to Make a WordPress Website 2019 (Divi Tutorial)
Finish at your own pace and get this tutorial sent to your inbox (after a 3-part intro to WordPress basics)!
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15 Best WordPress Plugins for 2019
Get all my free web design giveaways including the “15 Tools” cheat sheet. Sign-up below!
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December 24, 2018
How to Install WordPress on HostGator
After using HostGator web hosting exclusively for almost 10 years, I confidently recommend them to you. They are extremely reliable with excellent customer service.
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December 10, 2018
WordPress Gutenberg Editor Tutorial
Download the WP Gutenberg “cheat sheet” within the member area!
Join Free Membership
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November 22, 2018
Google’s 4 Best Website Management Tools
How Google works is something I explain to website clients, plus curious friends & family.
You’ll get an understanding of what’s going on and why it can be chaotic to track online performance for a local business website.
Google Advertising Results
Google always serves advertisements first – this is how they make money!
As shown in the image below, you aren’t only competing with local companies.
Nationwide websites like HomeAdvisor, Houzz, Home Depot, Sears and more have the budget to consistently appear.
Your ads are managed through the Google Ads platform.
Google Map Results
For local results only, look to the map.
Google usually shows real businesses within a 5-10 mile radius.
To get listed here, you must verify your physical business via postcard or phone #.
This is where reviews are the most important to your success. People may call you WITHOUT ever browsing your website.
Your map listing is managed through the Google Business platform, where they show how many calls and website visits you get.
Google Website Results
Lastly, you’ll see the “organic” website-only results.
This section is reserved for the top performing websites which can show in a wider area compared to the map results.
As I always mention, the #1 factor towards improvement here is having OTHER websites link to yours (i.e. local sponsorship or partners). It acts as a vote of confidence that tells Google you are active in your community.
If you show up in all 3 sections, you will have a major advantage over your competitors.
You can manage your performance here from the Google Search Console platform.
Your Website Activity
Once someone clicks-through and lands on your website, all user activity is tracked by the Google Analytics platform.
This is where you can measure how many visitors you get, what pages they view, and whether they click-to-call or use the website contact form.
Quick Recap
To fully understand your online marketing efforts, you MUST utilize these 3 Google platforms:
Google Business
Google Search Console
Google Analytics
If you are ready to amplify your results, then consider Google Ads, which not only includes Google search but also banner ads, mobile-app ads, & YouTube video ads.
Many clients are overwhelmed when it comes to understanding this, that’s why you can charge a monthly fee to manage, report and generate ideas for improvement!
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November 5, 2018
October 31, 2018
Web Design Bulletin: Screen Recording, Herbicide Company, Chamber of Commerce
Cool Tool, Service or Resource
Camtasia Screen Recording – https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html
This is the tool behind all my YouTube tutorials. It’s also been useful to communicate with clients remotely.
For instance, one of my clients told me about how his wife’s laptop was running slow, so I hopped on a screencast and recorded a 5-minute video showing a few tips. He LOVED it.
Then recently, I decided to send my clients quarterly video analytics reports, instead of relying on them to interpret a 1-page PDF where they don’t know what they are looking at. Once again, two of my clients immediately called or emailed me and told me how impressed they were.
Web Design Example
Alligare, LLC – http://alligare.com/
One way you can make money online is through referring Amazon products. If someone clicks on your affiliate link and purchase within 24 hours, you get a percentage of EVERYTHING they buy.
RELATED: 5 Ways to Make Money with WordPress [VIDEO]
Going through my reports, I saw I made $23 from 1 order which is odd because most affiliate sales generate under $3. It was for an herbicide from the company above.
First, I’m a believer in living an organic and natural lifestyle, so this isn’t my proudest dollar. I have a vegetable garden so I wouldn’t let any weed killing chemical on my property. If you’re thinking about using Round-up… don’t.
However, I’ll give this company props, they have a great looking WordPress website and deal mostly with the industrial market.
One glaring issue: They haven’t transferred from HTTP to HTTPS (SSL).
How to Find Clients
There are so many small or local directories with business listings outside of the big players. One great example is the Chamber of Commerce.
Search Google to find your local chapter, whether it’s organized by county or region. See example below:
Napa Chamber of Commerce (California) Business Directory
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Web Design Bulletin: Track Google Rankings, Tree Care, Local Publications
Cool Tool, Service or Resource
Google Rank Tracker – https://serpfox.com/
This tool is an affordable way to track your Google rankings for you or your client’s top search phrases. I recommend that you first install Google Search Console, and see the keywords that trigger your website to appear. Then select the best ones to track with Serpfox. I’ve used it for years – it’s valuable to see how Google rankings fluctuate (whether good or bad) and to consider the root causes.
Web Design Example
Tree Care Marketing Solutions – https://treecaremarketingsolutions.com/
The other day I was searching for lawn care information about seeding bare spots. The Google results led me to a lawn care service company’s blog. They wrote a phenomenal article. Who built their website (and likely created the article)? The company above.
What I love is they are a perfect example of achieving success through specialization. They ONLY work with tree service or lawn care companies. In turn, they have unique online marketing solutions for the niche. This makes their sales pitch more intriguing to a potential client.
How to Find Clients
Most local convenience stores have a small rack by the entrance with free giveaway pamphlets and guides for various things – home services, travel, weddings, etc. Pick them up from a few stores, and transfer any business contact information into your “lead list” spreadsheet. The picture above is an example that I grabbed a while back.
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Web Design Bulletin: SSL, Park Tool, Find the Money
Cool Tool, Service or Resource
Really Simple SSL – https://wordpress.org/plugins/really-simple-ssl/
I transitioned all of the websites I manage over to SSL in 2018 and this plugin made it a breeze. It’s a must-use if you are going through this process with your WordPress website!
Web Design Example
Park Tool Company – https://www.parktool.com/
I came across this company while fixing a flat tire on my bike. After searching, I found their YouTube channel which caught my eye. Publishing helpful and well produced DIY videos is a great marketing strategy for a bike tool company!
How well is it working? They have 167,000 subscribers and almost 19 MILLION video views.
Their website is equally impressive. It’s a clean, simple and mobile-friendly layout. The blog is integrated nicely with the YouTube videos, and the written tutorials are top-notch.
How to Find Clients
What’s the best way to determine who has the money to pay you? Find businesses that are currently paying for advertising.
A good example is Yelp.com. Do a search for a business type in your area. The first 3 results will be ads.
In my experience with home service contractors, Yelp ads don’t work that well and can be expensive. I’m sure they are more useful for restaurants.
Take note of businesses that are advertising and don’t have many reviews. If they don’t have a great website, let them know their budget may be better spent on improving that.
FREE Download: 15 Tools To Start Your Web Design Business
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