Successful Web Design, Internet and Social Media Marketing Strategies from Desiree Scales, CEO--Bella Web Design, Inc.

Our First International Blog Launched Today--In Japanese!

Check out

ラン・ウォーク ジャパン

at http://gallowayjapan.typepad.com!

Favorite Quote Overheard at REtechSouth Yesterday and Announcement

"So,when exactly is Web 2.0 coming out?"

We're planning on launching another blog in April just for real estate pros who ask these questions! Education is the key to success--quite literally...stay tuned!

My Personal Take-Aways from the REtechSouth Conference

Yesterday, I was on a panel discussion about SEO at the REtechSouth conference for real estate professionals. I learned so much and want to share some great take-aways which can help any business on the web. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Widgets are a great way to share information and communicate with your blog and website audience. Meebo is a great chat widget which allows you to chat with visitors to your site.  I've already implemented this on my blog and website. I'll report back on how successful its been soon.
   Another good real estate widget is AltosCharts.


2. Real estate agents and the industry in general is learning how to embrace Social Networking like LinkedIn, FaceBook, ActiveRain and other outlets to communicate their expertise with the masses and network with other like-minded individuals. They are really setting a nice example on how we can all benefit from networking both online and offline.


3. Blogging is hot with these folks. I mean HOT! This group has learned how to blog about their industry and share their combined knowledge with everyone including consumers (who show the most benefit from this great FREE information!). They have learned that becoming the "mayor of their neighborhood" and sharing information about niches most other's might miss is the key to blogging success. A great example of this in Seattle is Rain City Guide.


4. Video is the next generation of sticky sites (Flash, what's that?). Creating videos has become more affordable for most business owners. Its a new way to dazzle people on the Internet and share information. Its also a great way to connect with your audience. There was some controversy about creating home-made videos with a personal camera or hiring out a professional. I think this can be answered by looking at the audience intended. Some spontaneous videos work well for some audiences, where others demand a professional feel. I can see situations where both work well. I was very impressed with the folks at AtlantaDwellings.tv.

A couple of missing points yesterday:

1. If you have a blog, make sure its exceptionally written, well designed and very informative. Don't just blog to have a presence or to say you've joined the blogging world. Have good information to share.
   
   It also has to look top-notch and match your branding. Beware of using templates that don't match your main site's style or hire a company to create a custom blog for you.
   
   There was also a comment thrown in the blogging discussion that websites are dead...not true. This is still a very important medium that can drive traffic to your blog as your main billboard. Websites are not going away anytime soon in the current business world. Also, using a blog for a website can be seen as unprofessional by having a bloggy "look" which is pretty obvious to consumers as a cheap way to build a site. (2 or 3 columns, banner, etc.)


2. Create a channel on YouTube or other video broadcast channels for you and your company. A great way to get your videos out there an maintain another online presence. Also a great way to get more links coming into your website. Use your videos to educate consumers and they will come back again and again and refer your channel to others. (Take a look at ours here.)


3. SEO is a long, hard road and shouldn't be attempted by those who don't have time to do it correctly. Hiring someone to do this long-term job and babysit the work puts more money in the pocket of the real estate agent long-term. Why would you waste your time on researching SEO tactics when you should be spending it with your clients? Give that job to the pros who get your results which bring you clients.


4. Don't go on Social Networks if you don't plan on helping anyone and you're just out to see how popular you are. That doesn't give anyone any value. Be prepared to answer and ask questions. Establish yourself as an expert and help people with various business problems and ideas. You'll learn just as much as you share with others. Work it and give back and you'll get multiples in return.

Sorry this was a long post, but this conference could have gone on for a week. There was so much great information there. I'm already looking forward to 2009!

Bella Web Design Goes Hollywood! (Well, YouTube at least!)

Well, I've been preaching about putting videos on websites for over a year and now I've finally followed my own advice:

Our new video is finally up on our site and on YouTube! (I'd like to thank Michael Forrester at Forrester Media for his help in shooting and producing this video. Thanks to Elizabeth for editing!)

http://www.bellawebdesign.com/intromovie/movie.html for a better quality version or click below! Hope you enjoy. Please leave feedback for me!

Interesting Social Media Chart from Forrester Research

This chart is making the rounds on the Internet so I thought it would be ok to post it for my audience. It gives us a little bit of an idea of who's doing what with social media. I think the inactive category might be bigger, but it will shrink pretty soon. The creatives will grow as well as the joiners. (I'm both!) Click the image for a bigger version.

Bella Web Design Sponsors REtech South in Atlanta!

As many of you know, we've been working with Realtors since 1998 when we first started our company. (Our first 2 clients were Realtors!) We have a long history of helping real estate professionals from Realtors to mortgage companies to builders become successful on the web.

In tradition of that history, Bella Web Design is proud to announce our sponsorship of REtech South in Atlanta on March 27, 2008. REtech South is Atlanta's first conference for real estate professionals (and anyone interested in learning more about Web 2.0) built completely around sharing information through blogging, videos, email marketing, LinkedIn and so much more.  REtechSouth is a conference designed for industry professionals to engage in a conversation about real estate technology, web 2.0, and the future of the industry. (Real estate professionals are calling it Real Estate 2.0. Very exciting!)

The entire day is only $99 and you get a lot of information such as:

"Been There, Blogged That. What's Next?"

"Video: Getting Past PLAY!"

"SEO has Left the Building" (That, should be interesting!)

"The Web 2.0 Mindset"

The conference has been created from the brain of one of our clients, Brad Nix from Maxsell Real Estate. Here is a short video describing the event:

We're very excited to be part of this inaugural event and hope you can attend. Please go to www.retechsouth.com to register and make sure you put Bella Web Design as the referrer. We'll see you there!

Does Your Website Educate or Frustrate?

There are many types of sites out there: ecommerce, web brochure, informational, data. The ones that bring business to their owners are ultimately the sites that educate their audience.

So ask yourself, are you educating your audience? Five signs of a good educational website:

1. Articles that are updated weekly about recent developments in your industry and/or business


2. A list of links or resources which are updated regularly which help your customers understand your/their business


3. Link to your blog or some other pages which discuss new techniques, news, inventions or anything that can help your customers gain knowledge about your/their business


4. Informational whitepapers or essays of how you helped other customers and have good testimony of how you came up with solutions to common problems for your customers

If you're not doing any of these, start on at least one this month, then slowly move into the others. Customers can get frustrated with a lot of fluff. They don't have time for it.

Education is information which is currency in today's business market. Enpowering customers enpowers your business.

Constant Contact Article about Bella Web Design, Inc.

We received some great "press" today from our friends at Constant Contact. They featured us in their monthly "Hints and Tips" newsletter as a Success Story. Please click here to read the article. We're very proud! 

We have been a Business Affiliate with Constant Contact for a few years and we recommend them for all of our client's email marketing needs. (We're also going to be featured in their Connect Up! forum as a featured business. Link coming soon!)