Ah, love is in the air, isn't it? Little red hearts are starting to appear everywhere as stores gear up for Valentine's Day. Aren't you glad we reminded you? Yes, it's that time for romance, and possibly time to look at your website too. Do you truly love the presence that you have on line? Are you satisfied when you visit your own site that others are enjoying what they see too?

It's a good idea to take a good, hard look at your website and critique it, no matter how well it might be performing for you. The more improvements you make, the more traffic you will receive and more importantly, your visitors will stay and explore what you have to offer. Remember to take pride in your site. Learn to love it and your visitors will love it too.

And speaking of loving it - be sure to check out Globi's Announcement below.

Better by Design

Perhaps your website has been on line for a while, and while it may be doing its job, a few changes might be in order. Maybe you've added photographs, graphics, testimonials or text over the last twelve months, yet still feel you now need a revamp. This is where a true professional can be of assistance. We've talked in previous newsletters about using a web copywriter to improve your site's look, feel and accessibility to search engines. However, employing the services of a professional graphic designer can transform your home on the web into something really special.

If you already have a website up and running, perfect! A graphic designer can then closely examine what you are currently using, suggest changes and work closely with you to ensure that the next evolution of your website is something that you and your customers will be happy with.

There are a multitude of design elements to help you in building your site, such as graphics, animation, dynamic images, banners, and the rest. Your designer will take a good look at what you do, who your customers are, the impression you are trying to convey and, in turn, translate it all into a website design you can be extremely proud of. Even color schemes will come under the designer's microscope. They will advise you on which colors, shades or even combinations of colors will be not only the most appealing to your visitors, but also most in keeping with the image of your company and its products. And keep in mind that this expertise is based on millions of dollars worth of studies and research to better understand how visitors will react when they land on your site.

Your presence on the web is a clear reflection on your professionalism, or lack of it. If you don't take pride in your site, your apparent negligence will instantly put negative thoughts into the minds of your visitors. Using a professional designer who is an expert in their field will always prove to be a worthwhile investment

It's a whole New Year, with a whole New Look!

As is required on the Internet from time to time, and in keeping with the times, Globi Web Solutions is proud to unveil our fresh new look for 2005.

So have a look. Let us know what you think.
www.Globi.ca

In the dark

You have a great website and it appears that your investment in an Internet presence is beginning to pay dividends. However, if you don't have website statistics at your fingertips, it can be next to impossible to see what is creating the most interest on your web pages.

One particular product may be doing very well and selling steadily. However, changing trends in the world may be creating a growing interest in another of your products or services. Each day, more and more people are examining it, yet you remain in the dark about these new developments, because you have no idea which sections or pages of your website are receiving the most traffic.

Having access to the daily, weekly and monthly statistics for your website provides you with invaluable intelligence about your customers You discover which is your most popular page, how many people are looking at it, or which images or graphics are accessed more often. You will learn whether the product you thought was most in demand is indeed the most sought after. Armed with this knowledge, you can ensure that your site becomes tightly targeted to your potential clients' specific requirements.

Getting Involved

If you really want repeat visitors to your web site, you need to add interactivity. This can be as simple or as complicated as you like. No matter what you are selling, you can add interactive elements to your web site. If you have a product that is related to children, for example, you can put games on your site, whether they are arcade type activities or simple puzzles. If you own a restaurant you could publish a recipe of the month. You will note that even Globi's website allows visitors to 'play with' or test some of the solutions before having them installed on their own site.

Other examples include email forms, chat scripts, quizzes and surveys, or even key word search tool to help your visitors find the exact information their looking for more quickly. You can even add tools to your site from outside sources, such as dictionary lookup boxes, weather reports or interactive maps.

If your site has something cool to do, rather than simply reading your text, no matter how interesting it is, potential clients will visit more often. They will also invariably stay longer, increasing the chances that they will do business with you.

The Road Less Traveled

According to AltaVista, back in 1996 there were about 400,000 pages on the web containing the phrase "Under Construction". Less than 6 months later, that number went up to over a million pages. Since then search engines have changed how these pages are counted but yet these numbers still go up and despite the fact that everyone hates landing on these pages, "under construction" sites today still represent approximately 12,000,000.

How often have you followed a link to a website to see that annoying 'under construction' sign? All good web sites should always be under construction. Modifying your message and making improvements are all part and parcel of the on-line marketing process.

However, utilizing the words 'under construction', or worse still having a blinking piece of animation in the middle of a blank page, only makes you look like an amateur. Such notices are also so frowned upon and, as mentioned, some directories will not accept sites with one on the Home page. Consequently, your site will not appear in many searches. People won't even know that they should perhaps visit again, once 'construction' is completed. Your well-meaning sign will be simply viewed as a roadblock and the path to your website will truly be less traveled.

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7. Feedback

"For years I wanted a personal website for my images, one that would help put me in touch with the globe, and be accessible to my clients. As soon as I came across Globi I knew I had found what I was looking for: a professional self-updateable system, one that I could use well without any prior website experience, consistently up to date, and at a price I felt comfortable with for a long period of time. From the moment I began using the CMS on my website, I was in immediate contact with the operators of Globi, who were ready to answer all my questions within minutes via email. Since I have been on the web with Globi, my business has sky rocketed. I have sold more work in one week than previously in the last five years. It is a very exciting time for me, and I am updating my images all the time. This is a wonderful way to connect with people, and it’s safe, easy and so much fun to use!"

Joanna Foster
RedPhenixImaging.com

Have a question or comment? Email us: feedback@globi.ca
We're always happy to hear from you!

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8. Globi Special

Need your own New Look for 2005? Contact your charming and talented Globi Representative to find out how you can get a Website Design Refresh and bring the look of your site into 2005 standards. Then watch how it impacts your business!

Hey - share the Wealth!

People you care about could be benefiting from the wealth of information on new and solutions on the Web. So help them by forwarding this issue of Globi Web Solutions Newsletter!

Privacy

As our subscribers, we respect your privacy and will never make our mailing list publicly accessible.

Until next month, we remain your humble messenger to the internet.

Globi Web Solutions
1023 - 12th Ave SW
Calgary, Alberta, T2R 0J5
Phone: (403) 229-3800
E-mail: admin@globi.ca
Web Site: http://www.globi.ca

Copyright © 2010 Globi Web Solutions. All Rights Reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in whole or in part without the inclusion of Globi Web Solutions' Reprint Permission below.

Reprint Permission

Although this material is subject to copyright, please feel free to reprint this publication, in whole or in part, in your company publication, in training, presentations, or wherever you feel this would be of benefit. This also holds true for members of the media. All we ask (actually, we insist) is that you use the following credit line:

Reprinted with permission from Globi Web Solutions, a leading Website Design and Development Company based in Calgary. For further resources and information, go to globi.ca. Copyright © 2010 Globi Web Solutions.