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Fun for Friday: Facebook shower curtain

Filed Under: Fun, Internet, Social Media / Networking by Cassandra Lilly — Leave a comment
January 13, 2012

This year we’re bringing you a little light relief on the eSterling blog with Fun for Friday. There are so many weird things on the internet; we thought we might as well share them with you all.

Today’s Fun for Friday is good clean fun – the Facebook shower curtain. If you’re someone who checks Twitter on the toilet, this social media bathroom accessory is just the thing you’ve been looking for.  All you need to do is put your face in the transparent ‘profile picture’ window and set your status to ‘I’m in the shower. LOL’.

The social shower curtain is available to pre-order from website www.spinninghat.com.

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Why I Use Twitter

Filed Under: Internet, Social Media / Networking by Adam Egginton — 1 Comment
January 10, 2012

Why do I use Twitter and what do I get out of it? First of all I read many articles about how great Twitter is and how to use it but I don’t see many articles about what people get out of it. So here’s my take on why I personally use Twitter and how to get the most out of it.

First of all, I should tell you I have a lot of hobbies and interests. Im not one of these people who get’s home from work and sits in front of the TV – I’m not having a go at people like that – hey, whatever makes you happy.

I like to create stuff. My main hobby is music and in particular writing and recording music. I use twitter to find out about all of my favourite artists – news, gigs, interviews, videos, documentaries, new releases and memorabilia. For example, I first found out Noel Gallagher was recording his debut solo album from Twitter, not BBC News, not google or the NME, but Twitter. A lead singer from a band that were in the same recording studio tweeted Noel Gallagher was in the studio opposite recording his new album! Brilliant!

When it comes to my hobby of writing and recording music I follow people who will help me to improve what I do. I use Garageband to record my music so I follow Garageband experts and Garageband Software Developers who help me to improve the production of my music. Simple. From Twitter, I learnt of a piece of software that would give me a brilliant drum sound for my songs, I brought the software and it’s improved my songs 10 fold! I would never have known about it if it wasn’t for Twitter.

I first learnt of the deaths of Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse on Twitter and I don’t follow any news corporations. News travels fast on Twitter and you tend to be on the cusp of every major news story around the world.

I remember watching the shocking scenes of the London Riots live on my TV and simultaneously checking my twitter feed to hear the latest goings on from people I knew in those areas. Eventually a whole movement was created from Twitter that night. An every day person started a campaign to ‘Reclaim the Streets’ eventually amassed thousands of people to help clean up the streets of London the very next day.

Im also interested in gadgets (boys toys) so I follow Apple news and rumours. I hear all the latest about gadgets from all over the world. I learnt about ‘FaceTime’ on Twitter when the news broke months before any major news station caught on. I learnt of the death of Steve Jobs on Twitter and the subsequent fall out all came from Twitter

I know what your thinking – ‘You’ve got loads of interests – How would I use it?’

Well my Wife has no hobbies but she too is a Twitter user. She follows actors and actresses, music artists, celebs, friends and family members. She loves it, she’s forever asking me if I’ve seen this tweet, or that tweet.

An old friend of mine who I only see about 3 times a year is a regular tweeter and I get to hear about what he’s up to so when we meet up its all the richer for conversation pieces.

The simple fact is that Twitter is for everyone and everyone can get something out of it. Sign up and search for things you would like to know more about…its that simple

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Pinterest – a social network to watch in 2012

Filed Under: Social Media / Networking by Cassandra Lilly — Leave a comment
January 9, 2012

There’s no doubt that Facebook and Twitter are the big hitters in the social media game that everyone (yes, you!) should be using, but there are other social networking sites that are well worth a look this New Year.

Pinterest is one of the developing social networks that I’ve just discovered. Using Pinterest, you can ‘pin’ your ‘interests’ using the ‘online pinboard’ interface. This works like a virtual pinboard and is great for making and sharing collections of anything you are interested in. Once users gather their pinned items together they then group them into categories and share them with others, who can then comment and share accordingly.

Pinterest’s main users are women between the ages of 25 and 44. 58% of Pinterest visitors are female and the most popular ‘pinned’ topics are fashion, lifestyle, homes, weddings and food.

If your target customer fits into this demographic, then Pinterest could help to boost your social media engagement in 2012. Think about your customer – would it be helpful for them to be able to collect and save your products in this way? I think back to when I was choosing a wedding dress last year… I collected images of dresses I liked online and then contacted suppliers to track down what I wanted. If I had used Pinterest back then, would it have been helpful come across wedding dress shops in my area? Absolutely!

Although Pinterest is mainly about social networking, it can also double as a workflow tool. If like me, you constantly bookmark websites just because you like one picture on the page, or save interesting images to your desktop, Pinterest is the way to get organised. Sharing this process with your potential customers is a sure-fire way to engage them with your brand.

Pinterest is now in the top 10 websites in social networking and forums – so it’s definitely one to watch in 2012. I’m pretty much sold on the idea, but the downside is Pinterest is still invitation-only (which makes me want it all the more!). I’d better start looking for an invitation – I’ll keep you posted!

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New Year, New You?

Filed Under: emarketing, Web Design, Web Development by Claire Jones — Leave a comment
January 6, 2012

As each new year arrives we seem to be subjected to a barrage of pressure to change something, to improve some aspect of our lives by torturous or expensive means.

Stop smoking!

Stop eating!

Stop having so much fun and come and buy a sofa!

This year the January sales have been on since November and there are still Quality Streets left in the tin so as far as I’m concerned they can keep their new leaf, I’m staying as I am. And as January continues, so does my penny-pinching. I’m settling down to wait out the winter (with my chocolates) and to see what happens before I make any major purchases.

January is always a tough time for business, we’re all reeling from the pocket-washing that Christmas brings, but it can also be a time to take stock and get those little jobs sorted that you’ve put off all year. While business is quiet get your web site updated, take those photos you’ve been meaning to, write those three pages of content you need refreshing.  Get yourself prepared for when the chocolate-huggers like me come out to play and to spend money again.

eSterling are offering a 10% discount on Web Site orders placed before the end of January 2012. If you’d like to refresh a couple of pages, update stock lists or just give your site an early spring clean, get in touch.

Pass the tin, mine are the purple ones…

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How We Work

Filed Under: Uncategorized, Web Design, Web Development by Adam Egginton — Leave a comment
December 21, 2011

If you’ve decided it’s time to have a new web site but don’t really know what to do about it, here’s an insight into how we operate and how we deliver your brand new web site.

Initial Meeting

One of our Web Specialists will come out to you and talk about your requirements over a coffee. As we’re the specialists, we will also offer up alternatives and other idea’s which you may have not thought about. Once the initial Web Site Spec (site navigation, functionality requirements etc) is in place we are then able to give a fair an competitive price. The choice is then yours to go with us or to seek alternative quotes.

Accepted Quote

If you choose us, we will send you out a Welcome pack which features your Web Site Spec, Contact Information, Terms & Conditions and an introduction to your team. We also normally require a deposit of around 30% with all new web site orders.

Our Project Coordinator will then get in touch to discuss, in more detail, your design requirements, functionality and any other requirements you may have. At this point we also request any content and imagery you might want on the web site. We appreciate that the day to day running of your company must be your priority but without content a web site is simply an empty shell so if you need help writing content about your company and what services/products you offer simply give us a call or read our How to write content for your web site article. If needs be we can source images from iStock Photos on your behalf.

When the above is done, we then commence designing your brand new web site.

Web Site Production

Depending on your requirements we will offer two different types of initial proofing.

We will either show you an initial working version of your new site or we will show you a static version of your newly designed home page. You then have the opportunity to fine tweak it until you are happy with the new look. Once the visuals are agreed we then continue with the development of the web site and insert your content and imagery.

Functioning Proof

Once the web site is packed with all your new features, content and imagery, we then show you a functioning proof which is basically a finished version of your web site for you to check over and approve. At this point the onus is on functionality rather than anything visual. Once you are happy with the web site, we request that you sign our Web Site Acceptance Form which confirms that you are happy for the new web site to go live. Then we make steps to put the site live, add any SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) that maybe required, double check all contact forms and general functionality.

Going Live

Once the web site is put live we double check everything to make sure your new web site is perfect!

If you have any questions about the above simply email us at helpdesk@esterling.co.uk or give us a call on 0121 766 8087

 

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Is your website ready for the Boxing Day rush?

Filed Under: e-Commerce, Google by Scott Hunt — 1 Comment
December 20, 2011

According to Experian Hitwise the busiest day for online retailers in 2010 wasn’t in the run up to Christmas – it was Boxing Day.

Online Retailers in the UK saw traffic levels rise 12% higher than pre-Christmas Traffic Peaks. The second busiest day was the day after – the 27th December. It seems that a lot of turkey-stuffed shoppers are beating the queues and shopping in online sales, rather than hitting the high street.

If you haven’t already thought about how to attract visitors to your website over the festive season, then it’s not too late for a pay-per-click campaign. Trying Google Adwords could be one the best ways to turn some of this festive traffic into conversions for your website. We still have some Google Adwords vouchers available if you want to give it a try, so call us today!

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Quick and Easy Conversion Rate Optimisation

Filed Under: e-Commerce, emarketing, SEO by Richard Locke — Leave a comment
December 16, 2011

You don’t always need to get your web development company involved to make a difference to the conversion rates of your website. Here’s a small list of things you can do right now to improve your business.

Advertise your best stuff “above the fold”

Make sure you are displaying your very best products on the front page and category listing pages. First impressions count and as they say “Above the fold if you want it sold”. Eye level is buy level!

State any order limitations early in the process

If you don’t ship overseas make sure the customer knows. Extra shipping to the Outer Hebrides? Let the customer know.

Inform the users about delivery times

Make sure you are giving potential customers a clear estimate of how long the expected delivery times will be. No one likes to wait.

 

Free shipping = lots of sales

Time after time surveys have shown that the number one barrier to sales is the cost of shipping. Give your customers free shipping and remove that barrier.

Use good quality product images

Customers want to see what they are buying. Provide clear good quality images of your products. Small pixelated images will prevent that sale.

Scarcity

A simple trick is to pick out items and make them “Limited Editions”. The less of something there is the more valuable it becomes to people.

Offer a price guarantee

Customers on the web like to shop around for the best deal. Keep them on your site by offering a price match guarantee.

While these ideas will get you started, remember that the best way to improve the performance of your site is to design and build for Conversions from the start. Call eSterling today for details on how to improve the effectiveness of your business.

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How to write content for your website

Filed Under: Copywriting, emarketing, Internet, SEO by Adam Egginton — Leave a comment
December 13, 2011

When you’re asked by your web agency to write some content for your new web site all you really have as a guide are the page titles (About Us, Company Overview etc.). It’s hard to know what to write about, let alone find the spare hours to write it. That’s why we as Web Designers appreciate it must be difficult to start writing when the day-to-day running of your company takes up so much time.

To get you started here are a few small tips on how to write the perfect content for your web site quickly and painlessly.

What to Write About

What is your industry? Where are you based? What areas do you cover? What are your products? Do you offer services? Why are you different from other companies in your industry?

These are all questions that will need to be answered pretty quickly when a potential customer lands on your web site so answer these questions immediately. Try not to write long sentences and paragraphs if possible – this will immediately turn a potential customer away. Make your copy punchy and interesting, don’t just list the facts – make it personable.

How to write your content

Always bear in mind your ideal keywords when writing for your web site. You may have heard about ‘Keyword Rich Content’ – this is basically a way of writing that includes the words or phrases your potential customer would type into a search engine to find your business – USE IT! A bullet point list is always easy to follow and is a great way of listing services and products.

…and remember, you’re selling your company to the world!

What to do once your content is written

Run spells checks and re-read it all. Here at eSterling we always double check the content our customers send us and we can improve where necessary. Send it to your Web Designers on a word or similar document.

This is just a small article on writing content for the web so if you need any more help please call our help desk on 0121 766 8087 and they will be able to go through all this in greater detail.

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Would you buy from a mobile phone?

Filed Under: e-Commerce, Internet, Smart phones by Ivan Barnsley — Leave a comment
December 9, 2011

They have now invented a term for it – m-Commerce

Studies show that consumers buying goods from their handsets is set to more than double by the year 2013 (Survey by Ovum and Verdict Research Company)

There is a current total of £123 million being spent via mobile, out of a total of £21bn online retail spend.

There is already a shift towards the mobile-web, so are we ready for what they reckon could be the next big step?

What type of products might one buy via a mobile device?

Am I a dinosaur for feeling it will be years before I take a chance on buying from a mobile? Although I might buy from a Tablet.

What do you think?

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Twitter for Beginners Part Two

Filed Under: Social Media / Networking by Cassandra Lilly — 1 Comment
December 8, 2011

In my last post about Twitter for business, I talked you through the layout of Twitter and how to construct your first Tweet. Hopefully you have already had a look around Twitter to see how this works in practice, and the next thing you’ll want to know is how to gain Twitter followers.

You can see the number of followers you have on the right hand side of your Twitter homepage. Next to this you will also see how many people you are following. If you are familiar with using Facebook, it might be helpful to think of other Twitter users as ‘friends’ – but remember everything you broadcast on Twitter is public and should be professional!

 

So how do you gain followers?

  • Start by following Twitter users that interest you or work in the same sector as your company. Some of these users will return the favour and follow you back. You can search for users using the ‘Who to Follow’ tab and over time Twitter will recommend accounts based on who you follow.

TIP: Don’t forget to ask your friends and family if they are on Twitter – this is an easy way to get some followers!

  • Once you’ve picked up a few followers, start to follow people you want to follow you. Interact with these influential people by replying to, or re-tweeting their Tweets. They might then start to follow you.
  • Make sure your own Tweets are interesting and provide relevant, useful and interesting content. Link to your own blog or product pages to encourage people to visit your site – but make sure you don’t overwhelm your followers with constant promotion.

TIP: Humour works well on Twitter – don’t be afraid to be funny!

  • Provide your followers with insider information about offers and discounts and give out coupon codes or discounts to your Twitter followers. Competitions work brilliantly on Twitter – try asking your followers to re-tweet one of your tweets to be entered into a prize draw.
  • Pay attention to trending topics. These are shown to the right of the Twitter homepage and reflect what Twitter users are talking about. If a trending topic is relevant to your business, you could include a link to your website in your tweet about that topic. Use the hashtag (e.g #Birmingham) to convert the trending phrase into a link.
  • You can also use the hashtag to Tweet about a live event. On a Saturday night, you could Tweet about the #xfactor, for example.
  • Take part in Follow Friday with the hashtag #ff. Using #ff you can recommend other Twitter users to your followers. Always tell your followers why they should follow the user you are recommending – e.f ‘#ff @eSterling group because they did a great job on my website’. The people that you recommend for Follow Friday will be likely to start following you, or re-tweet your recommendation to their own followers.

The more you put into your Twitter account, the more you will get out of it. Don’t be put off if it takes a while to gain followers. Just concentrate on Tweeting about interesting, relevant, humorous and valuable topics as well as interacting with the users around you. Your Twitter account will soon get off the ground.

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