Mobile users 45% of all web searches and growing

Mobile users are more than 45%
of all web searches and growing

 IS your site ready

There are some important new and major changes happening to the Google search code that will affect how your will be found.  As you have seen for yourself, surfing the web on mobile devices is no longer a growing trend – it's daily business reality. Google recently announced that starting April 21, there will be changes rolling out to their SEO ranking algorithm. 

The changes to the site ranking algorithm are; 

1. Smartphone-friendly; With more than 40% of web sites visits done on smartphones, it is now critical have a smartphone-friendly version of your website, this is done by having a 2nd version of your site, that’s redesigned for mobile, hidden behind the normal desktop site that phones are redirected to and since it’s a separate set of pages, the options are unlimited, less text, no flash, smaller videos or even a completely different site structure.
2. Client area / Localisation; This update goes hand in hand with the first, it aims to provide users entering localised search terms (such as ‘pubs in southport’ or ‘Beenleigh butchers’) with more accurate and useful results.
3. Social Media, Blogs & Videos; Over the next 3-4 months social media will become even more of a ranking factor for Google, as it uses social media to work out what site are cool/important to real people. Combined with the opportunity to reach out and connect with your audience and increase your company visibility the need to be active on Social Media has grown immensely. & (2) (backlinks) ie: Links to your site from other sites, show that you have build relationships with your clients.  Theses links/post/videos etc are counted if they are from from relevant (to your business) and quality sites Google.

As you can see the first two of these changes ties directly into making the web more mobile/smartphone friendly, So summing up it's important to have:

* A mobile friendly upgrade to your site, (Mobile friendly menus, larger text etc)
* Clear Localisation, (where you are and operate)
* Quality social media posts creating backlinks from other sites

As mobile traffic continues to skyrocket, and attracting new clients becomes more important it’s critical to get on the right side of Google’s mobile SEO ranking algorithm. Google will start to penalize sites that make mobile browsing difficult and this change will have a significant impact in your sites search results VERY SOON.  

Call me to chat about the required changes you need to make


Thanks for taking the time to read this blog
I'm Peter Fitzgerald, Owner of BlueCrystalCreative
I provide Graphics, Advertising and Marketing Support for small business
with key strengths being Graphic Design and Video Production

Please feel free to give me a call on 0418752103
or visit www.bluecrystalcreative.com
Beenleigh - Australia 

Do you customers always ask the same questions?

It doesn't matter what business you're in, there is always something that customers want to know, how does it work, how can I make it better, is there a cheaper/faster way to do it, there's dozens of questions that people want to know about your product, business, or your industry and guess who knows the answer; You Do! So why not tell them?

Take the time to make a fact sheet of those standard questions that you get asked all of the time ad some illustrations or photos whatever is needed, it dosen't have to be a work of art, because customers really want to know.

Once you've got it completed, pass it to your friendly local graphic artist for a touch of polish, then you can place your new article or flyer on your website, use it on your on your social media pages (Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook) or make it part of your monthly mail out. Your customers will Love it and in our lot of cases share it with friends because they really want to know what you know

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog
I'm Peter Fitzgerald, Owner of BlueCrystalCreative
I provide Graphics, Advertising and Marketing Support for small business
with key strengths being Graphic Design and Video Production

Please feel free to give me a call on 0418752103
or visit www.bluecrystalcreative.com
Beenleigh - Australia

What have you done with your web site lately?

If you're like almost every other small business owner, You've got a website and that's great, I'm happy for you.  But when was the last time you updated it? Added a new item content, and then linked that content it to your social media?

Typically most small business websites are only updated sporadically and social media posts may happen a couple of times a year if you're lucky. I'm not just suggesting that you do this because it makes you look good,

Search engines (or at least the 80% that's Google) has changed how your website rankings are calculated, and that's important.  As of the last few updates, Google pays very little attention to the traditional things that it use to like "Meta tags" and "keywords" - the thing that count the most at the moment is real content - real stories - real pictures, REAL things that real people want to know and share.

Sadly going from scratching your head and changing a few keywords to actually writing an interesting story of 300 to 500 words requires a little more discipline.  For most people remembering to stop day to day work, to try and come up with a different artical idea every month or even every week is really time consuming and quite taxing.  Add in that real world time pressures of business, bookwork, partners and children an it seems like all your time is gone, but that fact is like any other form of housekeeping this is something you must do.

One of the techniques that I use is to create a calendar and sit down quietly by myself and come up with half a 10-15 ideas and then ad in the different holiday or events Christmas Easter et cetera and then start putting marks on the calendar wher each headline would work best, Now look at what gaps are left.  When you approach it this way it's not as hard as it first seemsto come up with a post a month or even to

OK you've actually planned your headlines, try adding a few subheadings, or even an outline, it's much easier to finish, you might even be able to sub it out to somebody like me (BlueCrystal Creative, yep that's our plug)

If you can manage to at least build your frame work of headings, subheadings and news story ideas, then the next time you have a quiet day year right guess what you could do that if it was a quiet day you could probably knock over two or three of them and set them up automatically.  If you're using a Blog, WordPress or CMS that allows you to set go live dates, that publish automatically you can even get that post to feed Facebook and Twitter.  So get your web updates plan worked ona start writing.

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog
I'm Peter Fitzgerald, Owner of Bluecrystal creative
we're a Brisbane Graphics, Advertising and Marketing Support company for small business
with my key strengths being Graphic Design and Video Production

Please feel free to give me a call on 0418 752 103
or visit www.bluecrystalcreative.com
Beenleigh - Australia 

http://www.bluecrystalcreative.com/

The new criminal rules for workplace compliance

Since 2001 all businesses come under the Criminal Code and compliance with requirements of various government departments is mandatory. Even more daunting is the fact that you are now obliged to know all the rules or be criminally liable if an accident happens as there is a presumption of guilt if companies cannot demonstrate ‘a culture of compliance’. Here are some examples.

• You are obliged to provide staff, customers and visitors with a safe environment.
• It is a criminal act to behave in way a court might decide is ‘misleading and deceptive’.
• You can be held responsible for the performance of the products you have sold or work you’ve done. Worse you can be sued (or even jailed) if someone using your product is injured or killed even though you know the product is perfectly safe when properly operated.

Four simple tips can help keep you clear of the courts and sleep soundly at night...

The most important defence in creating a safe environment is to show you took ‘timely & reasonable’ steps to avoid the possibility of an accident.  Make sure your factory, office or shop has relevant signs or stickers to warn where there is a potential risk of a fall or an accident. It works and is cheaper than lawyers and can keep you out of jail.

In you sell products that can be dangerous when not properly operated have a video made and put online so that you can demonstrate that you took reasonable steps to show the correct way to operate and maintain them.

Regularly review the various areas of risk and compliance with staff. As the owner and/or manager YOU have a duty to ensure they are fully aware of the exposure to potential criminal charges. Experience suggests a company found to commit a breach of the law may face lower penalties. Take out some form of Directors insurance, even though the cover may not be comprehensive.


It is also a good idea to have ready names of qualified business advisers that can guide you through the maze of compliance.

Where is small and medium size business most at risk? Experience suggests it is in the areas workplace health and safety, and damage to the environment. Remember correct signage and easy access to relevant information is the first step to avoid costly litigation or even worse, a tragedy that will scar you forever.




BlueCrystal Creative media & design  
Brisbane Australia,  Ph 0418 752 103  
www.bluecrystalcreative.com
Affordable and creative advertising and marketing solutions.

Custom Safety Stickers a wise investment

 

With OH&S and Compliance issues being what they are, FUZZY! it doesn't cost much to cover yourself in case of liabilities. 

BlueCrystal Creative experience in creating custom industrial warning has labels that help ensure dangers are displayed and your obligations as a director or manager are met.

 

We have wide ranging industrial experience and are fully capable of reading electrical schematics and hydraulic flowcharts. We can create  labels that correctly translate the danger or personal obligation to the user.

With a full range of design and production capabilities, BlueCrystal Creative has the proven ability to design, produce and supply almost any safety sign, safety label needed.

Our experienced designer can create to your exact requirements so that the message is accurately communicated, reducing risk, protecting people from harm and protecting yourself from liabilities. 

http://www.bluecrystalcreative.com/

BlueCrystal Creative media & design  
Brisbane Australia,  Ph 0418 752 103  
www.bluecrystalcreative.com
Affordable and creative advertising and marketing solutions.

 

When getting new signage, do you consider the whole building and its environment?

How often when renewing or getting new signage for your business do you consider the whole building and its environment?   At BlueCrystal Creative we often have people coming to us, seeking new or upgraded signage for their business without even considering the building or street it's going to be seen in!

Before you start your signage review, take a photo of the outside of your building, stand and truly look what the oncoming traffic can really see.   Do plants, or other signs predominantly fill the environment, can you make out the shape of the building from the street?  Take a moment to try and view the building actually as a first time client does, OK now consider what colours in your logo pallet could be used to contrast you business against the background, in some cases by choosing one of your logo's stronger colours and repainting the entire building in just that colour, a much smaller sign can be used to even greater effect, because the whole building now acts as a logo.  You  often see this used to great effect by major chain operations, you can drive along a busy street and see the whole building painted in their corporate colour and recognise it instantly

A second advantage of using the corporate colour, is that it's  the equivalent of adding white space around the logo which in a visually confusing street can add a great deal of clarity

If you would like to find out about how to use you're building for best effect call us at BlueCrystal Creative today and ask us about the science of Business signs

BlueCrystal Creative ~
Quality signs for your small business

BlueCrystal Creative media & design  
Brisbane Australia,  Ph 0418 752 103  
www.bluecrystalcreative.com
Affordable and creative advertising and marketing solutions.