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Why you need a customer thank-you page

December 23, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

A thank-you page is more than just good manners

If your website is working, your visitors will take action. They’ll buy something, subscribe to your blog or newsletter, download your content, and give you their email address. Eventually they may, or may not, become customers or clients. You can increase your customer base, and potential sales opportunities, by using a thank-you page.

When a visitor takes action on a website, typically they’ll receive a thank-you email in response to the action they took. Although it’s a nice gesture and good manners to thank your visitors, you really need to see that a simple thank-you gesture is really a missed opportunity. A really big one!

Instead of just sending a thank-you email or sending the visitor to a simple “thank-you” page, you could be inspiring your visitors to take a second action and improve your site’s performance, both at the same time.

“How do I do that,” you ask?

Here are some ideas. You can come up with even more  – just get creative!

Cut straight to it: Check out my own customer thank you page to see what I’m talking about.

Tell them what to expect 

Although they’re nice to hear, the words “thank you” don’t really prompt a visitor to do anything in particular, when it comes to your website. If you do it correctly though, a “thank you” page could inspire your visitors to take another action. So use that thank-you page to increase sales opportunities.

Consider what would happen if you did this: on your thank-you page or in your thank-you email, you gave your visitor some additional information about what happens next. For example, say when you’ll be in touch. For e-store customers, tell them what to do if they’re not satisfied, or tell them how they can share their satisfaction and spread the word. For subscribers, tell them when to expect their subscription emails and a preview of the contents. Get them excited! Get them to share info about your site on their social media!

Make your thank-you gesture the beginning of a new conversation. If your visitor has come this far, they’re definitely interested in you and in what you do! Offer them something again, and this time they might reconsider.

Offer to add them to your newsletter or e-course

Take every opportunity to grow your email list. Your visitor is interested in you! Maybe they liked your content. Maybe they liked your blog article, or what you do or what you sell. Take advantage of this interest! Using a thank-you page the right way might prompt them to sign up for something else if you give them another opportunity.

Add a video

Videos are undoubtedly the best way to tell your story. Revenue growth is 49% more with than without a video. Show a video on your thank-you page to deepen your new connection as well as add to their understanding of your brand.

Suggest they follow you on social media

Encourage visitors to connect with you on social media networks. Give visitors a reason to take action; tell them what they’ll gain by following you.

Show off your best content

Use your thank-you page to hold your visitors’ interest. Link to and/or embed your best stuff on it. This is an opportunity to show the content they may have missed earlier.

It could be a popular blog post, video, downloadable PDF or anything else useful or of interest to them. Focus on the additional value this stuff provides and keep the tone friendly and personal.

Show proof and build trust

Build credibility on your thank-you page. Use “social proof” to show you’re an authority. Use testimonials, links to case studies, press mentions, and industry credentials. These can be reused and repurposed from existing ones.

Send an auto-response email

Once your visitor has converted (they’ve become a customer-lead by giving you their email address when they signed up for or bought something) you have one more opportunity to get them back on your website by using an email auto-response system in conjunction with a thank-you page.

Instead of just saying thank-you, use that email as another opportunity to get them back on your site by inviting them back. Provide incentive by using a discount code or a coupon or another interesting gift or freebie.

“It’s easier to deepen an existing relationship than it is to create a new one.

Focus on your visitors while you have their attention.”

Check out my own customer thank you page to see some of these ideas in action. I hope you’re inspired!

 

Questions? 

[email protected]

My Contact Page

 

Other articles you might like:

-How Your Personal Brand Makes the Difference

-Gutenberg Got You Down?

-Using images: Tips to improve your SEO rankings

 

About the author

diane-author-300x181 Why you need a customer thank-you page

I developed Image and Aspect because I believe that professionals need to have an impactful web presence. One that showcases their unique talents, skills, and abilities as well as their values and style. A presence that focuses on social engagement and connection.

I’m passionate about what I do; I like helping fellow humans, I like having all kinds of social connection with others, and I want to give back, to make the world a better place.

I do much of the designing and coding myself, and I also have a wonderful network of professionals that may contribute as well; photographers, copywriters, branding experts.

I love designing and coding beautiful, elegant and responsive web creations. I ALSO teach and help others who want to learn how to do it themselves.

‘Tips and Snips’ is my blog, and it’s full of information and inspiration to help transform any online persona from “meh” to AMAZING! Sign-up HERE to get blog posts right to your in-box every Friday! I write about Design, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Branding, Vlogging, Color Theory, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, WordPress, Social Media…anything you’d want to know to get yourself noticed online.

Visit Image and Aspect to learn more about your web presence options

Diane M. Metcalf, M.S.

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Reading time: 5 min
Entrepreneurs Creatives•marketing•SEO•WordPress

10 things to do after creating your site

website launch
November 8, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

No-one will know about your site, let alone find it, without doing some shameless self-promotion and basic SEO after creating your website.

After creating your website, there are 10 things you should do to promote it to make sure it’s found.

 

1. Write your webpage titles and SEO descriptions

After creating your website, people won’t be able to find your site unless you do some preliminary Search Engine Optimization. Google has a great starter guide with info on writing meta tags, page titles and incorporating keywords. If you use WordPress, the Yoast plugin is a great option.

Make sure the site looks good on various devices. Use a browser extension like Chrome Developer Tools or the Chrome Window Resizer extension to view your pages on simulated devices like phones, tablets, and laptops, then correct what’s needed.

2. Write a launch story

After creating your website, you need to pitch it to an audience. Make sure you include these components in your story:

Headline — The headline should be brief, descriptive and contain useful info about your site including its’ purpose.

Short story — Include a brief paragraph about your website; what it offers, who you are and what you do, how you got started. Spell and grammar check everything.

Contact Info —Include basic details like the website URL, your name, title, location, and phone number. Add the links to your social media profiles such as Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook for verification and more info about you and your business.

3. Create visuals

Use some key images to identify your website for brand recognition, and for use when anyone blogs or posts about your website. Keep images small, no logos or lots of text. Keep it simple.

4. Use a press page

A press page is a web page where people go to read your story and download the key visuals. People who will write about your site will use this information. It’s basically a pre-written article about your site, so make sure it contains everything you want people to know.

Link to the press page when you pitch your site. The press page is your “news-hub” page.

5. Find bloggers and website editors

After creating your website, do some research to find bloggers and influencers that you want to write about your site.

Target particular blogs. Contact at least 30 people to pitch your website. This can be a time-consuming step, but the more pitches you make, the more likely that some of them will succeed.

Submit.co has an extensive list of places to pitch if you’re a start-up or tech-based business.

6. Create the pitch

After you’ve created your website, go ahead and make a list of people to send your pitch. Then it’s time to write. Make it short, interesting and well written. Spell and grammar check, always.

Put your headline in the email subject field, and summarize your website story in the body of the email. Be direct: ask them outright if they would write about your website. Include the link to the site and specifically to your press page.

Write an email to each person, using their name and include a reference to their website. Individualize it. Do not batch or write generic pitches.

For example:

“Hi Matt,

My name’s Diane and I’ve just launched a new online resource for creative entrepreneurs about how to have a wildly successful web presence: https://tipsandsnips.imageandaspect.com

I think your readers would benefit from it, and it would be great if you would tell them about it on your blog.

I’ve prepared a full post, including graphics here: https:// press page URL here

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks!

Diane

7. Find relevant websites

Research relevant forums and list-sites. Reddit, Hacker News, ProductHunt.com, and Designernews.co, are some examples of sites you might want to post on.

8. Post to the relevant sites

Post about your site in the relevant categories. Include the URL to your site as well as your sites info summary. If people like your site, they may hit ‘like’ or ‘upvote’ it, which will move it up in the rankings.

9. Write a blog post

After you’ve created your website, write a blog post on your website, then share the link on social media. A great way to do that is to use a key visual (visuals increase engagement) and share it along with the URL link to the post on social media channels like Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and any others you use.

10. Pitch your site to your own social network

Announce your new site on your social network. Summarize the purpose of the site and provide a link to the landing page. Ask your connections to re-share the link.

Questions? 

[email protected]

My Contact Page

Other articles you might like:

-How your personal brand makes the difference

-Using images: Tips to improve your SEO rankings

-Use a customer thank-you page to avoid missed opportunities

 

About the author

diane-author-300x181 10 things to do after creating your site

I developed Image and Aspect because I believe that professionals need to have an impactful web presence. One that showcases their unique talents, skills, and abilities as well as their values and style. A presence that focuses on social engagement and connection.

I’m passionate about what I do; I like helping fellow humans, I like having all kinds of social connection with others, and I want to give back, to make the world a better place.

I do much of the designing and coding myself, and I also have a wonderful network of professionals that may contribute as well; photographers, copywriters, branding experts.

I love designing and coding beautiful, elegant and responsive web creations. I ALSO teach and help others who want to learn how to do it themselves.

‘Tips and Snips’ is my blog, and it’s full of information and inspiration to help transform any online persona from “meh” to AMAZING! Sign-up HERE to get blog posts right to your in-box every Friday! I write about Design, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Branding, Vlogging, Color Theory, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, WordPress, Social Media…anything you’d want to know to get yourself noticed online.

Visit Image and Aspect to learn more about your web presence options

Diane M. Metcalf, M.S.

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Reading time: 5 min
Entrepreneurs Creatives•marketing

The job search and your personal brand

Branding
July 20, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments

Perception is everything

When there’s a job to be filled, hiring managers must typically weed through piles of applications. They skim resumes and CVs to determine who’s worthy of a closer look. Your resume has mere seconds to make the kind of impression that inspires that particular manager to want to toss it into the “keep” pile. So, what makes the difference? You’ve heard it time and time again but I’ll say it once more: your personal brand makes the difference.
 
Now before you click off of this article, there are a few points that I want to make on exactly HOW to use your personal brand to make that impression.
 
First off, let me say that I’ve been in the position of sifting through resumes and interviewing potential candidates. They all had similar degrees and work experience, which simply leveled the playing field. Apart from noticing a bunch of clones applying for one job, I needed to focus on what stood out about each one of them. What made one applicant appear different and more interesting than the others?
 
 

The “It” Factor

What made a real difference in how I perceived an applicant was if (and how) their personality showed through and how they used that to set themselves apart from the other equally qualified applicants. The way you’re perceived in any media becomes your personal brand.
 
I absolutely understand that all of us want to be seen and heard, and we all want to be respected and treated like the human beings we are. I hear ya. We’re not simply “candidates” but people. Individuals. And having said that, I’ll also say that screening heaps of resumes that pretty much all say the same thing is mind-numbing. It feels like a bright, warm ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, while the hallelujah choir simultaneously bursts into song when that one special resumé explodes into sight.
 
So what makes that difference? A couple of things, actually. Telling a story is one of them. HOW the story is told is the other. Together, these two things, whether you’re aware of it or not, whether you like it or not, become your personal brand.

You have a personal brand regardless of whether or not you’ve put any thought into it.  Doesn’t it make sense to intentionally cultivate a personal brand and then use it strategically?

Qualified or Not

Historically, hiring committees prefer the kind of applicant who is a straightforward match. That applicant has gone to the right kind of schools and they have the right kind of degrees and they have applicable work experience aligning with the desired job.
 
But not all qualified applicants have traveled that route. There is another kind of potential candidate who’s traveled a more circuitous route, like me. Sure, we have the degrees and the experience necessary, but along the way, we may also have held jobs that don’t quite relate or add relevant experience (or qualify us) for the job at hand. In that case, we need to tell the story of our personal growth. Why? Because you see the obvious connections between those former positions and the one you’re seeking, but Human Resources may not. So explain it to them.  Guide them through your educational process and those previous job positions to demonstrate how each of them relates to the job you’re currently seeking.  What did you learn with each of those jobs? And what does each lesson have to do with the job you’re applying for? Do you see how this makes your resume not only more interesting and engaging, but it also points out to the reader that you’re bringing more value to the table than they originally thought?  Those seemingly “unrelated” positions that you’ve held actually bring something important to the company and to the position itself that the other applicants simply lack. Suddenly, an ill-perceived, minimally-qualified job-hopper is now seen as a qualified, multi-skilled, pertinently experienced candidate. They also happen to be perceived as “different” and interesting, because they talk about how they got to where they are now.
 

The Edge

I say it a lot and I’ll say it again: perception is everything. Regina Hartley, human resources executive at UPS, says “A series of odd jobs may indicate inconsistency, lack of focus, unpredictability. Or it may signal a committed struggle against obstacles”. Overcoming obstacles is also known as “Post-Traumatic Growth.”
 
When we realize that we are not who we are in spite of adversity, but because of it, that story becomes a heckuva lot more interesting and important to tell, wouldn’t you agree?
 
Our professional stories are a means to an end. Hiring managers and search committees will piece together a personal brand about you anyway, so give yourself the gift of time to hone and share yours.
 

You Might Consider-

In a shameless effort at self-promotion, my company, ImageandAspect.com, can create a great-looking custom resumé or CV for you.

A Resumé, Portfolio or CV page is perfect for job-seekers and professionals alike. An online resumé or portfolio allows you to visually express your personality in ways that are not always possible on paper. Use photos, videos and/or animations… upload publications… include personal works of art, drawings or music. Show who you are and what you can do. Your personal brand makes the difference. Be seen. Be heard. Be known.

  • All packages are beautifully responsive & look great on mobile devices.
  • Social Media Promotions included.
  • Custom-created WordPress themes available

See what else is included in our packages!

Questions? 

[email protected]

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Reading time: 4 min
HTML

Why you need a website

The Toxic Undo Website
June 12, 2020 by Diane Metcalf, M.S.I.T. No Comments
Social media platforms like Facebook, Snap-chat and Instagram are great! They’re fun to use and they keep us sharing and connected. They all provide a way for us professionals to present and share our work. So, is it really necessary to have more presence than that? Yes. All serious professionals need their own web presence.

Social Media by itself

Right now, you might be relying on just social media to showcase your talent, work, experience and ability. By using social media, you can definitely grow an audience and relationships within it. Your followers can learn more about you and what you do, and connect with you. These platforms are a great way to do this. There is a downside to using only social media to promote yourself, and that would be the “algorithms” that they use. Algorithms are basically a set of mathematical calculations that determine how your content gets displayed. They are changed and updated frequently, and that affects the way users see your content. Sometimes “paid” content has priority over un-paid posts. Entrepreneurs’ solopreneurs and creatives sometimes pay for sponsored posts or social media advertising, just to stay visible and relevant. This is one reason why professionals need their own web presence.

Why Social Media isn’t enough

If social media is the primary way you nurture an audience, there are a few things you need to know. Social media platforms, like Facebook, use a time based news feed, so photos that you post will be seen lower in your feed, as you post newer content. To be able to see older posts and content, your followers have to scroll for them or visually search for specific content or photos, and possibly search your albums. As you can imagine, this is frustrating, and they may never find that week-old post they were looking for. Not good. You don’t need to stop using social media altogether, because it’s still important for connecting. It’s just not the best way for promoting your work, skills, abilities or brand.

Owning your own space

When you buy your own piece of internet “real estate”, you now have your own dedicated space to present your work, share your story, and provide a place for interacting and connecting. You’re the one who gets to decide how to use that space. You’re no longer relying on a platform that you can’t control, and your current and new audience members will be able to find your new space if you continue to engage on social media and let them know your new address. Another reason why professionals need to focus on getting their own web presence! Owning your own domain name (“something.com”) is an important part of establishing your web presence. It helps build online credibility and a personal and professional reputation. If people can find you on the Web, they’ll be able to do business with you. Your domain name and a web platform are the first steps towards a stable, credible web presence. A well designed and professional looking platform translates into credibility for you. It provides a sense that you’re serious about what you do and that you’re serious enough to invest time and money into the thing that you’re passionate about. It doesn’t have to be expensive at all. There are many options. I’ll continue to write about them, and for now, here’s a handy downloadable, free guide.

To have your own dedicated web presence, you need three things:

1. your own your domain name (“xyz.com”) 2. a reliable hosting provider 3. content to share. When you have your own web presence, on your own platform, you can decide how to present your work and give yourself priceless opportunities, like being able to reach the larger global community, provide value, help others, and establish a following….all without buying social media ads or paying to “promote” posts. A harsh reality of owning your own web space is that people won’t find it overnight. It can take a long time to establish an optimal search engine ranking. One particular reason for this is that Google ranks websites and domains higher the longer they’ve been around. Your web space and brand will grow over time, and your traffic will increase organically. So, learning some basic SEO, or hiring some help, and creating a stable web presence on your own platform sooner rather than later, are always good ideas.

GREAT REASONS TO OWN YOUR WEB PRESENCE:

creative-300x116 Why you need a website

Your work

A website is a place of business. It’s where you communicate with people, grow a fan base, and sell or promote products and services. Your own web space, in the form of a dynamic, visually engaging, content-rich website, has the power to create a web presence that: • represents YOU: your personality, work, voice, brand, and values. • gives you the power to connect and influence. • puts you out there as an expert and an authority in your area of expertise. • sets you apart from the hundreds of others who solely use social media. Making yourself available to the world like this can lead to unbelievable personal and professional growth. A noteworthy point to make here is that your web space will be accessible by all kinds of devices; phones, tablets and laptops, just to name a few. You site will truly be available to anyone, anywhere, who has a device that can assess the Web.

Content Marketing

Creatives create because we enjoy it. “Creating” is part of who we are. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone appreciated our creations enough to pay us money for them? It happens all the time, with content marketing. Content marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on creating, publishing and distributing subject matter to a specific audience. When people go online to research products or services that you provide, you need to have your own web presence on your own web space, if you want them to find you and learn about what you do and provide. Having your own web platform also means that you can find out what your audience is looking for, and then publish content that’s relevant for them. When you publish content that your audience wants, and make it available on your site, they will come. You can use social media to spread the word. Content marketing draws visitors to your web space and gives them an opportunity to find out who you are and what you do. It’s a type of “inbound” marketing, and it’s the opposite of “pushing” ads out to people. Inbound marketing is very cost effective: online marketing researcher, Hubspot, found that inbound marketing-leads cost 61% less than outbound leads do.

Using Analytics

Using analytics tools (like Google Analytics) allows you to learn about your visitors and how they interact with your site. Google Analytics is free, and easy to set-up. Some things you’ll learn about your visitors are: • whether they accessed your site by mobile, laptop, or tablet • the pages they visit on your site • where they are geographically located when they come to your site • how long they look at your content • whether they’re a first time or repeat visitor • If they’ve read more than one page on the site • whether they’ve made a purchase (if you provide that ability) All of this information is useful when you’re planning a marketing strategy.

Sales

A web platform can be the place where you sell your work or products, and the great thing is that sales can happen 24/7. You can test and experiment with products and pricing, and by introducing new products or services to see how they’re received.

Your voice

When you own your web space, you’re no longer limited by geographic location. Your place of business is anywhere in the world people can find your web presence. Owning your web presence allows you to share your values, thoughts and ideas with the world. Blogging gives you a forum to create thoughtful and valuable content and a way to share your story and journey. These give you a voice, and the capacity to influence.

Your reach

There are nearly 4 billion Google searches every day. At any time, a potential new customer or fan could discover you! Owning your web platform means that your content is always available, all over the world, and allows people from anywhere and everywhere to find you and discover what you’re about.

Your credibility

Having your own web platform helps to build your credibility and reputation as a professional. People expect to be able to find a dedicated web-space for any well-known Creator: artist, author, designer, photographer, producer, musician etc. If someone looks for you on the web and can’t find you, it could send the wrong message. When your followers can find you online, it tells them you are serious about what you do. Your credibility and reputation grow as your web space gets more visitors. Visitors may get to your site directly from other sites that share your audience and choose to link back to your web space. This is called “back-linking”, and it’s a valuable practice. It’s like getting massive approval or a meaningful positive reference from these other places that have a common connection to your audience. You can grow your credibility by engaging on social media and with relevant “event” websites, bloggers, galleries and any others who share your audience. Share links to your content. Chime in. Provide value. They may love it that you provide value to their audience and want to link back to your website. Questions? Contact me: [email protected] or My Contact Page Other articles you might like: -6 Tips to Make Your Blog Post SEO Friendly -Using images: Tips to improve your SEO rankings -Why you should have a customer thank-you page

About the author

diane-author-300x181 Why you need a website I developed Image and Aspect because I believe that professionals need to have an impactful web presence. One that showcases their unique talents, skills, and abilities as well as their values and style. A presence that focuses on social engagement and connection. I’m passionate about what I do; I like helping fellow humans, I like having all kinds of social connection with others, and I want to give back, to make the world a better place. I do much of the designing and coding myself, and I also have a wonderful network of professionals that may contribute as well; photographers, copywriters, branding experts. I love designing and coding beautiful, elegant and responsive web creations. I ALSO teach and help others who want to learn how to do it themselves. ‘Tips and Snips’ is my blog, and it’s full of information and inspiration to help transform any online persona from “meh” to AMAZING! Sign-up HERE to get blog posts right to your in-box every Friday! I write about Design, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Branding, Vlogging, Color Theory, HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, WordPress, Social Media…anything you’d want to know to get yourself noticed online. Visit Image and Aspect to learn more about your web presence options Diane M. Metcalf, M.S.
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 Image and Aspect is a solution-based web presence development service for creatives, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs. We create impactful online presences that showcase your talents, skills, values & style, while focusing on influencing, engagement & connection.

 

It’s a collaborative process; we use streamlined project-management & communications tools so you’ll always know what’s happening with your project. And by adding personalized service, you get  one-on-one support. We want you to feel equipped, educated & empowered to ask questions & make decisions about your web presence & web platform.

 

Tips and Snips was born from the desire to give back; to support anyone who has an interest in learning the art and science of  web design and coding.

 

Thanks for your interest!

~Diane Metcalf, MS

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Connect with me on Twitter!

Follow @MetcalfDiane

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