Studio490: Creative Services

We’re often approached by clients who have run across someone who sold them a bill of goods and left them with a less than perfect web solution. Just as a big hat doesn’t make you a chef, just because a person says they are a web designer doesn’t mean they are a professional one.

What makes a professional web designer is their ability to listen to the client and suggest the right business solution. Even though that solution may not be something the “Designer” does. A true professional should tell you what you need and not just what you want to hear. Most clients don’t know their meta tag from their link exchange, but it’s your web designer who should.

It does Studio490 no good to design and develop a web solution that never exceeds its clients business expectations. That simply makes a unhappy customer and they don’t return.

The Client

Just as it’s important to hire a professional web designer, we believe it’s important for the client to know what they are asking for. If they don’t, then be open to feedback from that professional. Know when you’re asking for a Lexus on a Yugo budget.

Spend some time learning what you will need to ask for before you find someone to provide that service. Look for a professional who has references, testimonials and samples. Ask about qualifications and how they do business. A professional will be more than happy to talk about their company.

Know what’s included and what is not in the scope of the project. Project Creep is very common in web development and it’s best to define what the cost will cover.

A committed web professional and a educated professional client is a winning combination. You can see our references to see.

Tj and Dana Todd

Studio490

Many companies aspire to see their site listed on the first page “above the fold” on Google, Yahoo or MSN. Some of you maybe saying, so how can I get there? Well, you can, but know that those companies you see there now, didn’t get there overnight and didn’t get there cheaply.

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There are ways to get to the top of search engines and here are 2:

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Organic SEO: in which you constantly work on your site content, link exchange, keyword research, meta tags, title wording, networking, blog support (see Studio490.com), online marketing, promotions, email blasts, direct mail, web banners and more.

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Buy your way to the top by Pay-Per-Click: you pay to be listed above the fold when someone enters a certain keyword.

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As a reference, the term “DSL” was selling for 3.05 in 2005 and is now up to 6.24. So if you were the highest bidder for “DSL“; every 100 people that clicked on your link would cost you 624.00. As you can see it wouldn’t take much to blow your budget out of the water if you were going after a popular keyword.

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** Quote **

Successful SEO Needs Effort, Not Quick Fixes
By: Mark Nenadic

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If you want to be successful with search engine optimization, you need to commit yourself to achieving long-term results. This does take patience, but is necessary if you want to come out on top. The following tips can help bring you closer to your high ranking goal:

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Tip 1: Conduct thorough research for keyword phrases- Use effective keyword programs such as Keyword Discovery or Word Tracker. The paid programs of their software will help you generate the best keyword phrases for your business.

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Tip 2: Valuable web content- Don’t create a website that is overrun by graphics. SEO spiders will crawl right over these graphics and by pass you. Your website needs a reasonable amount of web content that is pumped full of valuable information. It needs to be clear and concise. And it should also convey your website’s message, which needs to include the keywords you’ve selected to rank high.

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Tip 3: Relevancy-  Ensure that all of your link anchor texts and title tags are relevant to one another, as well as to the web content that is presented on your site.

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Tip 4: Patience is a virtue- It will take almost a year, or even longer, before you begin to see any traffic from the natural results of search engines. Try not to let this get you down. Take this time to continue to improve your site and give the competition a run for their money. Eventually, your persistence, patience and positive thinking will pay off.

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** End Quote **

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While not having a website at all is still worse than not doing any SEO (search engine optimization), it’s not by much. If you plan on not doing any SEO to your site after launch or in production, keep your site lean with good content until you can afford to do some.

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Tj & Dana Todd
Studio490.

Operating a computer may seem second nature to some and completely foreign to others. Studio490 not only wants to serve your needs in the Design / Marketing / Blog Development area of business, but we want to help you become comfortable with using your computer. Since many of our services happen online, we want to offer a consulting service for those looking to get a better handle on how to use their computer to the fullest.

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Some questions that never seem to get answered.
1 – How do I check my email when I’m not at home?
2 – How do I save my user name and password so I can log back in?
3 – Do I have to shut my computer down when I stop using it?
4 – What browser should I use?
5 – Do I need to run system updates?
6 – What is a Blog?
7 – What is a MySpace?
8 – How do I find pictures online?
9 – When I save a file on my computer, where does it go?
10 – How can I stop the pop up windows?

and man many many more.

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Contact us for scheduling a visit, chat (IM) or phone call today.

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tjtodd@studio490.com

Tj & Dana Todd
Studio490