6 Small Business Tips for Working Remotely

With the impacts of Coronavirus being felt far and wide, we’ve compiled 6 small business tips for working remotely, including what you can set up easily to ensure that your team can continue to work efficiently and productively from home.

And the good news is many of these are very cost effective –  you may even have access to via Office 365, depending on the level of subscription you have.

While we are not computer technicians, we can help you get your software requirements for email and Microsoft Offices sorted.

Brisbane Hosting & Website Design is a partner of Microsoft, Google and Dropbox. This means that we purchase and manage your subscription renewals on your behalf. And in the rare instance you have any issues, you contact us rather than getting frustrated dealing with tech support of a global business. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions – 07 3889 2977 or enquire online here.

1. Switch to Office 365

If you’re not already on cloud email, now is the time to make the change!

The single biggest advantage is that all emails are stored in the cloud and synced across multiple devices, not on individual machines. If your team log on from home, all their emails will be instantly accessible meaning they can continue to be effective wherever they log on.

Did you know? Imap and Pop email accounts were created before smartphones and tablets. Meaning these “old-school” email accounts types, while often free with your domain, can be a headache when trying to access email from multiple devices. (Read: You’ll save time and money by being on cloud email like 365).

Brisbane Hosting is a Microsoft partner.

2. Enjoy free access to Office 365 Webmail

Regardless of which 365 subscription level you have, you can still access your emails via webmail (log on via an internet browser such as Chrome).

Webmail access is free with all subscriptions, including a basic Exchange only account. In fact, many of our team use webmail even while working in the office, let alone remotely.

3. Organise your Microsoft Office Software Licences

If you require Microsoft Office software licenses (Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc) for staff to be able to work from home, email us here.

Premium subscriptions have all software included, so you may not have to pay anything extra!

4. Use Microsoft Teams chat or messenger to reduce your email communication

Premium Office 365 subscriptions also have an in-built chat functionality via Teams which can help clear your inbox. If you’ve looked into Slack or similar instant messaging platforms for your internal team – this could be a cost-effective solution!

5. Run meetings via video with Skype for Business (also in Teams)

Skype for Business has now integrated into Microsoft Teams. Choose from audio or video calls. You can easily run internal calls and video meetings 100% online – and even invite external users to join.

Some of the functionality that has caught our eye is the ability to share files and the screen sharing mode for presentations or training sessions.

We’re expecting this will only grow in popularity with more and more people around the world working remotely.

6. Set up Dropbox storage

Cloud storage like Dropbox can make accessing work and client files a breeze. Brisbane Hosting is a Dropbox partner and can help set up your storage solution. Prices start from $18.50 per user, per month. Minimum 3 users. Billed yearly. (Monthly billing available but prices vary).

If you need help setting up any of this for your business, Brisbane Hosting & Website Design can help, call our team on 07 3889 2977 or enquire online here.

       

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website HostingDomain NamesDNS ServicesWebsite DevelopmentWebsite DesignWebsite RevampsWebsite Maintenance, Lead Generation Packages and Blogging, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Website Developer Brisbane

Website Developer Brisbane

Are you looking for a website developer Brisbane that talks your language and won’t take you for a ride?

Speak to Brisbane Hosting and Website Design today. With 2 decades’ experience building and hosting hundreds of websites for local and Australia wide clients – we can help you!

If it’s time to refresh your website, or if you’ve been considering a move to the WordPress platform but not sure where to begin. We’ll help make the process as seamless as possible – get in touch or keep reading to find out what’s involved.

Here’s what Cameron, a North Brisbane electrician had to say about working with us:

“I’m an electrician and the Brisbane Hosting team recently launched my new website. Straight away I’ve seen an increase in new leads and have received really positive feedback from new clients who were impressed with the layout and how easy it was to navigate. 

Not only did Brisbane Hosting manage the website development and hosting, but they also wrote all the copy. It was a really valuable exercise to sit down with the team and drill down into each of my services and points of difference so that my website accurately reflects how Armitage Electrical can help our customers. I would highly recommend these guys if you’re looking for a web developer Brisbane.” – Cameron A. 

Finding a reliable website developer Brisbane

We know it’s challenging finding reliable suppliers, let alone IT professionals who speak your language.

We have hundreds of happy clients that we manage website hosting for each year, and have completed thousands of web build projects across every industry imaginable.

And the best part is, we’re transparent with our costs. Our web build or website re-skin packages are very affordable. We cut straight to the chase and only recommend what you need.

Your new website needs to do more than just look good – it needs to be functional and Google friendly if you expect to generate leads from it.

What’s involved building a website? 

Our process:

  1. Request a quote – give us a call or drop us an online enquiry here.
  2. Deep dive workshop and copywriting – if required, we can help write Google friendly copy for your new website – or we can bring across existing copy/pages if available
  3. Web build – we’ll manage your new theme installation and website build from start to finish including creating your new homepage, service or product pages, and contact pages. You can supply all your copy and images – or we can organise this for you.
  4. Optional extras – we’ll also recommend which additional items your site might need. Some will be mandatory such as a SSL Certificate to make your site secure (Google made these compulsory in July 2018, find out more here), while others are optional but are designed to help you generate more leads
  5. Maintain your site with a care package – websites are not a set and forget, we strongly recommend all clients ensure their website is updated regularly (read our blog here) – there are some parts our clients like to do themselves, otherwise we can take care of it for (including full site back up and checking for hacker files).

WordPress Developer Brisbane

If you’re looking for a WordPress developer Brisbane, contact the team at Brisbane Web Dev today. We’re experienced, local Wordpress developers and you can be confident that your new or updated website will be completed by our team on Brisbane’s northside, not off-shore.

To read more of our 5 star Google reviews, click here.

Request a quote and give your website the boost it needs to start bringing in revenue for your business. Contact Brisbane Hosting on 07 3889 2977 or enquire online here.

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website HostingDomain NamesDNS ServicesWebsite DevelopmentWebsite DesignWebsite RevampsWebsite Maintenance, Lead Generation Packages and Blogging, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Google+ Accounts Closing in April 2019

Sometimes, even the big companies can create a flop, which is why all Google+ Accounts are closing in April 2019.

In December 2018 Google announced the decision to shut down the Google+ platform due to low usage from members. This means that from the April 2, 2019 all content and accounts will be deleted.

But what does this mean for you?

Most people won’t be too affected by this shut down, however if you or your business have used G+ you could lose:

  • Photos, videos and other content
  • Comments on your website
  • Your current login methods on some sites

What do I need to do about my Google+ Account Closing in April 2019?

Any content you want to save, such as photos and videos, you will need to download and save (click here for instructions).

If you’ve used Google+ for comments on your website, this feature will be removed. However, if you are a community owner or moderator you will be able to download additional data, for all posts, including the author, body and photos posted.

Signing in to accounts might be different – if you’ve using the Google+ sign in button you will no longer be able to use this. It will instead be replaced by a google account sign in button.

Google+ for G Suite accounts will remain active. Google are also planning updates for this feature for all G Suite Customers.

Key Dates – Google+ Accounts Closing in April 2019

If you have been using Google+, here’s the timeline of key dates ahead of the closure:

  • 4 February: No Longer able to create Google+ profiles, pages, communities or events
  • 4 February: Google+ Commenting feature will be removed from Blogger
  • 7 March: Google + commenting feature will be removed from other sites
  • Early March: additional date will be available for download by community owners or moderators
  • 2 April: Comments on all sites will start being deleted
  • 2 April: Accounts will be shut down and google will begin deleting content

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website HostingDomain NamesDNS ServicesWebsite DevelopmentWebsite DesignWebsite RevampsWebsite Maintenance, Lead Generation Packages and Blogging, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

5 ‘Ignore at Your Peril’ Reasons You Need to Run Regular Updates on Your Website

In this blog, we share the 5 ‘ignore at your peril’ reasons you need to run regular updates on your website.

This includes using the latest version of WordPress, and regularly deploying theme and plugin updates.

Not sure how to do this on your own? We can help! Find out more about our Client Care Plan below and we’ll take care of it. It’s a small outlay for peace of mind and to keep your website secure and functioning at its optimal! Call us on 07 3889 2977 or enquire here.

Why you need to be using the latest version of WordPress

Here’s why you need to run regular updates on your website – and keep your theme and plugins up to date!

1. Security

It might sound obvious, but it’s sheer madness to see the volume of business owners who don’t bother to switch to the latest version of WordPress.

Especially given it’s free and takes less than 2 minutes.

WordPress powers almost one quarter (23%) of the world’s websites. And thanks to its popularity, it is often the target of hackers, data thieves and malicious code distributors.

Sounds scary, but the good news is that ensuring your website is using the latest version of WordPress means you’ll significantly reduce the risk of getting hacked.

With each new release, developers fix bugs and known security vulnerabilities.

Hackers can even search for websites running outdated versions of WordPress. So, no matter the size of your business – simply running an old version of WordPress can mean you’re at greater risk of a sophisticated attack.

And we’ve seen it happen time and time again – even on websites for small Aussie businesses.

2. Fixes Bugs

It’s not just the major WordPress updates you should be keeping on top of. Despite rigorous testing in the lead up to a major update, it’s not uncommon for a few bugs to slip through the cracks for a short period of time.

This means minor releases (which are shown by X.X.X) are equally important and shouldn’t be ignored. To give you an example, WordPress update 4.2.3 fixed 20 bugs from the 4.2 major release.

The key takeaway – always ensure you’re run both major and minor WordPress updates once they become available.

But it’s not all doom and gloom, running your WordPress, theme and plugin updates also have some positive perks…

3. Access to New Features

Using the latest version of WordPress means you’ll be able to leverage the latest and greatest features and software changes – designed to make updating your website even easier.

And if you do hit a roadblock, because you’re using the latest version you won’t have any issues finding WordPress help online. Steps for troubleshooting is typically based on the latest version

4. Improved Performance and Speed

WordPress developers are always pushing the limits to make things faster. Each new release will have several performance updates to improve efficiency and speed.

And given speed is a crucial factor in SEO, updating to the latest WordPress theme is a no brainer.

5. Compatability

While we’ve mostly addressed WordPress themes updates above, it’s just as important to use the latest theme and plugin versions – and for many of the same reasons. To protect against security vulnerabilities and eliminate any bugs in the software.

This will ensure that all the software – and your website – keeps functioning smoothly.

It’s not uncommon for issues to arise when your plugins are out of date, but you’ve got the latest version of WordPress – due to an incompatibility.

How to Update WordPress, Theme and Plugins

True to form, WordPress has made it easy to see and install a new WP, theme or plugin update.

Simply login to you Dashboard and look for the in-built “UPDATES” notification field. If new updates are available, you’ll see a round orange circle displaying the number of updates available.

Not comfortable navigating the back end of your website (your WordPress Dashboard) – we can help!

Brisbane Hosting Client Care Package

While some business owners may find it easy to run their WordPress, theme or plugin updates – others may not have the time, energy or confidence to do it on a regular basis.

Our Client Care Package not only ensures your website updates are up to date, we also take a full site back up and check for irregular hacker files, that will save you a lot of headaches (and money) should the unforeseeable happen.

To sign up for our Client Care Package, recommended on a quarterly basis at minimum, but can also be monthly – email us here

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website HostingDomain NamesDNS ServicesWebsite DevelopmentWebsite DesignWebsite RevampsWebsite Maintenance, Lead Generation Packages and Blogging, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Small Business Website Checklist – 5 Things Your Website Needs in 2019

To help set your business up for success, we’ve pulled together our small business website checklist featuring 5 important things your website should have in 2019.

You’ll find some new software features such as a Facebook Chat, others you may already be familiar with but perhaps didn’t implement in 2018.

Need help with any of the below? Contact our friendly team of web developers and marketing experts who can help get your website and digital presence optimised. Call us on 07 3899 2977 or email us here.

1. Install an SSL Certificate on your website.

We cannot stress enough how crucial this is.

A SSL Certificate encrypts data that passes between a user’s internet browser and your website server. It’s recommended for all websites, not just e-commerce sites as it helps protect personal data you collect on your website, including contact forms.

Why do you need one? Google set a deadline of 1 July 2018 and since October 2018, any website that doesn’t have an SSL has been prominently displayed as ‘Not Secure’ by Google. Some browsers won’t even loads websites without SSLs, forcing the user to confirm they want to proceed to an ‘unsecure site’ which is a big deterrent for potential customers.

Google also indicated that not having an SSL Certificate would impact your organic rankings. Find out more here.

Haven’t got an SSL Certificate? You need one asap. Email us here. 

2. Ensure your website is mobile friendly.

With more and more customers searching via mobile devices rather than desktop, if you expect your website to convert leads – it needs to be mobile friendly with a responsive theme that’s easy to navigate no matter what device it is accessed from.

Why is this important?

Consumers now spend more than five hours a dayon their smartphones.


Source: Mobile Marketing Statistics, bluecorona.com

69% of smartphone users also say that they are more likely to buy from companies with mobile sites that easily address their questions or concerns.

(BrightEdge, 2017). Source: Mobile Marketing Statistics, bluecorona.com 

 3. Blog regularly.

Want to improve your organic Google rankings? You need to be blogging regularly.

 To get the best ROI on your blogging efforts your posts does need to tick a few boxes such as optimal length and optimised set up. This will give you the best change of ranking well for your desired keyword or phrase.

Not sure what to blog about? We always recommend starting with client case studies – a great way to showcase positive reviews and demonstrate your expertise and work!

We also offer flexible lead generation packages where we can do the keyword research for you, plan your blog topics and even write the copy for your blogs! Email us here to find out more

Why blog?

Organic SEO is about 5.66 times better than paid search ads. 


(New Media Campaigns, 2018) Source: Marketing Statistics, Hubspot

70-80% of search engine users are only focusing on the organic results. 


(MarTech, 2018) Source: Marketing Statistics, Hubspot

4. Consider installing Facebook Chat on your website homepage.

Make it easy for your customers to connect with you.

A common challenge we’re hearing from clients is that customers are becoming increasingly impatient and don’t want to wait 24 hours to receive a response from an online or email enquiry they’ve submitted.

Depending on your target audience, enabling FB Chat on your website homepage may be a great solution to make it super easy for potential clients to contact you.

It means that you’ll also get an immediate notification about the enquiry through Facebook messenger on your mobile devices.

You can also set up auto-responders which manage the potential customers’ expectations about how quickly you will respond.

5. Proactively requesting Google Reviews from clients.

Are you proactively reaching out to customers to ask for 5-star Google Reviews? You should be.

Having positive reviews not only helps with lead generation (helping drive word of mouth online), but it can help reduce the impact of getting a negative review.

People tend to publish a review when they have something to complain about – so get on the front foot and establish a good rating to begin with.

This will mean, that if you do happen to get a less than favourable review, it will have less impact on your rankings or positioning in the Map results in a Google search.

Why are reviews important?

93% of local consumers use reviews to determine if a local business is good or bad. 


(BrightLocal, 2017). Source: Customer Review Statistics

72% of customers don’t take action until they have read reviews 


(Testimonial Engine) Source: Customer Review Statistics

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website HostingDomain NamesDNS ServicesWebsite DevelopmentWebsite DesignWebsite RevampsWebsite Maintenance, Lead Generation Packages and Blogging, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Why do I need a SSL Certificate?

Wondering why you need a SSL Certificate? Heard about SSL Certificates but not sure what it is? Have you noticed that internet browsers now show ‘Not Secure’ beside the URL?

In short, SSL Certificates are now required by google, or you risk having your organic SEO rankings drop.

What’s more SSL Certificates protect (or encrypt) the data that passes between a user’s internet browser and your website server. They are not only essential for e-commerce sites but strongly recommended for all websites.

Brisbane Hosting & Website Design is encouraging all of our clients to get an SSL Certificate installed on their website as a priority. Request a SSL Certificate and installation today.

What is a SSL Certificate?

Simply put, SSL Certificates are small data files that digitally link or authenticate your organisation’s details. Once installed, it enables secure connections from a web server to a browser. Think of it like a padlock being applied to encrypt and protect data exchanges.

Once a SSL Certificate has been installed, visitors to your website will see the URL showing HTTPS, the secure version of HTTP.

A SSL Certificate is connected to your web hosting, but it is an additional charge and requires specific steps to install correctly. See below for two different SSL package options currently available through Brisbane Hosting & Website Design.

What does a SSL Certificate do?

Here are three reasons why you need a SSL Certificate urgently:

  1. Maintain or Improve Your Google Rankings. Google is already ranking secure pages (HTTPS) better than insecure pages (HTTP). If you don’t get a SSL Certificate, expect your organic search rankings to take a hit.
  2. Your website URL will show “NOT SECURE”. Internet browsers such as Chrome and Firefox have already introduced stronger visual cues making it clear which websites don’t have a SSL Certificate. Expect consumers to catch on quickly and only do interact with those sites that are secure.
  3. Data protection. A SSL Certificate encrypts the data passing between your site’s server and a user’s internet browser – and it isn’t limited to credit card details. We’re also talking about all data collected in forms such as street address, phone number, mother’s maiden name, income details or other login details.

According to Sitesell.com over time you can expect your clients and potential customers to become conditioned to only interact with those websites that have a SSL Certificate.

Free SSL Certificates – A Warning

Don’t fall into the trap of opting for a free SSL certificates as these are not acknowledged by all browsers and are usually only temporary.  Even if you can get a Free SSL Certificate, you still need to pay for installation so be wary.

Speak to us today about getting a reliable SSL Certificate installed. A small outlay now will ensure your website continues to perform well and attract new customers because it’s secure.

What types of SSL Certificates are available?

Brisbane Hosting and Website Design offers two different SSL Certificate options:

  1. SSL Certificate for your primary website only
  2. SSL Certificate that covers your primary website PLUS email, subdomains and cpanel.

Both packages include installation. Need to get a SSL Certificate installed? Contact us today via email or call 07 3889 2977.

 

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website Hosting, Domain Names, DNS Services, Website Development, Website Design, Website Revamps, Website Maintenance, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Australia’s NBN rollout a global embarrassment

Australia’s disastrous roll-out of the high speed National Broadband Network (NBN) has continued to make global headlines in the last 24 hours – including coverage in the New York Times – and for all the wrong reasons.

According to this story on TechGuide, not only does Australia rank well behind the US, Western Europe, Japan and Korea but we also “embarrassingly” fall below countries such as Thailand and Kenya, ranking number 51 on the Akamai ranking of internet speeds. And perhaps most disparagingly, this is despite a $50 billion investment over the last 8 years.

So why have we become the laughing stock of the world – and as the TechGuide writer so aptly put it, a ‘technology backwater’ despite boasting a rich resources market and enviable lifestyle?

What should have been a consistent roll-out of the latest and greatest technology has been chopped and changed more times than one can recall.

The original plans for Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) have been replaced with a mish mash of Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) coupled with existing copper wire infrastructure – and in some areas, now reportedly wireless connections via dedicated NBN towers.

One Australian NBN provider, Telstra has even been forced to start offering existing NBN customers their money back due to unacceptably slow speeds as reported below on Channel 10’s The Project.

So what impact will these continued NBN issues have on small businesses trying to effectively operate in the digital age, and will Australians ultimately get the high speed internet speeds originally promised? Only time will tell.

Click here to read the full story TechGuide or New York Times article here.

 

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website Hosting, Domain Names, DNS Services, Website Development, Website Design, Website Revamps, Website Maintenance, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Aussies clueless that NBN will be compulsory

Are you one of 6 million Australians who didn’t know it will be mandatory for you to switch to the new NBN network?

According to a new survey from Finder.com.au and a story published on msn.com here, more than one in three Australians (37%) have no plans to switch to the NBN or don’t know what it is.

What is most surprising about the research is that so many people mistakenly believe the NBN is optional, and haven’t twigged to the fact that their existing telephone and internet will be cut off if they don’t make the transition.

In short, the NBN will be the new universal communications infrastructure network, completely replacing the existing copper network that landline telephones and many home broadband connections rely on.

And this changeover is not that far away with the Government imposing a deadline of 2020 for all 11.9 million Australian premises to switch over to the NBN network.

So how come 6 million Aussies could be left in the dark, disconnected? 

Of the 2004 Australians surveyed, 17% said they would not make the switch, while 18% didn’t know what they would do or didn’t understand what the NBN was about.

Even a small percentage of those who did plan to move across to National Broadband Network aren’t in a hurry – claiming they would take 18 to 24 months to make the transition. Little do they realise that their phone and internet would be cut off during this time with telecommunication companies obliged to deactivate existing copper within 18 months of NBN arriving in their area.

Click here to read the full article.

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website Hosting, Domain Names, DNS Services, Website Development, Website Design, Website Revamps, Website Maintenance, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Top 5 tips for building your email database

Eager to build your email database but not sure how? Worried that your e-newsletters might contravene the Australian SPAM Act?

Here are Brisbane Hosting’s sure fire tips for growing your email audience while still staying on the right side of the law.

  1. Use an online tool such as MailChimp to manage your email database. This will make managing your database and distribution of e-newsletters a breeze. These tools also offer ready-built templates with the mandatory unsubscribe and sender identification functionality (two of the Australian SPAM Act criteria everyone has to follow when sending commercial messages electronically.) Yes, there is generally there is a small cost to use these services but they will save you a lot of headaches (and dollars) by streamlining your communication.
  2. Create a tailored e-news template for your business. Not only will your email communication look professional and on-brand, but you’ll save time and money because you don’t have to have to start from scratch every time you want to send an e-newsletter. A prime example of how to work smarter, not harder.
  3. Add a subscribe form to your website homepage. And while you’re at it, spend one minute updating your email signature to include a “click here to join our mailing list” call to action. The key is to make it super simple for people to join your mailing list. It’s also wise to set clear expectations as to how frequently you will be contacting them as people will be less likely to subscribe if they think you’ll just clog their inbox with irrelevant deals and offers.
  4. Be consistent with how often you send e-newsletters. By setting clear expectations from the outset and then delivering on this promise is one way to build trust with your audience – meaning they’ll be more likely to use your services down the track.
  5. And perhaps importantly, provide snappy and informative content that will engage your readers. Your email database can be an enormously valuable marketing tool, so don’t waste the opportunity to speak directly to your customer base. It’s no secret that most people are drowning in a sea of unwanted emails, so it’s even more crucial that your communication stands out from the crowd – in other words, don’t go too heavy on the sales pitch.While you’re ultimate aim is to convert a sale or new customer, put yourself in their shoes of your customer and identify ways that you can add value and make their lives easier. By providing helpful hints or ‘how-tos’ (this could be links to your blog or videos on your website) you will be enhancing the customer’s experience and perception of your brand. This, balanced with your sales message or special deals, will in turn deliver a stronger return on investment.

Ready to ramp up your e-newsletter marketing efforts? Don’t forget to abide by the Australian SPAM Act – you can read our refresher on the rules and regulations here.

Brisbane Hosting can also help with getting your email database set up, connected to your website and also assist with the template development, copywriting and distribution of your e-newsletters should you require. Call us today.

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website Hosting, Domain Names, DNS Services, Website Development, Website Design, Website Revamps, Website Maintenance, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information. 

Four benefits of investing in Google AdWords

Google AdWords is best described as a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. This means you are only charged when someone clicks on your advertisement, and the amount you pay-per-click is determined by the competition for the keywords which can vary significantly between industries or even services within the one industry.

So what are the benefits of investing in AdWords?

Here are four reasons Brisbane Hosting & Website Design recommends investing in paid online activity:

1) It’s highly targeted, so fewer wasted dollars – Gone are the days of buying a print, radio or TV advertisement and hoping someone who is interested in your product or service might happen to read or listen to your ad, and then make an enquiry.

Using Google AdWords, you get to choose the type of people you wish to target by geographic location or even specific key words (the common words and phrases people are typing into google). This means that you’ve got a much higher chance of converting sales because you’re targeting people already searching for that very product, rather than a broad scatter gun approach – and they’re only one click away from finding out more about your business.

2) It’s trackable and flexible – you can see how much traction you’re getting from your paid activity in real-time. And when linked to Google Analytics, you can evaluate if your paid online advertising is drawing higher numbers of potential leads to your site. Being purely online also means you can optimise and tweak your campaigns once you’ve reviewed how they’re performing.

3) Quicker results than organic SEO. Yes, paid activity tends to get you better ‘visibility’ to potential customers much quickly (Google prioritises paid ads at the top of google searches), however, organic SEO should not be dismissed entirely.

Organic SEO is considered a ‘slow burn’ for building your website’s authority and credibility over time as google bots continue to review and rank your site content periodically. Consistently adding unique and relevant content to your site will help ensure that your site always ranks well.

Paid activity can get put you at the top of the list quicker (NB. it will show up as an ‘ad’ to users), but remember without sustained paid activity you will drop off from the search results just as quick.

4) It’s cost effective. AdWords campaigns can be set up from as little as $10/day. How far this stretches depends on the competition for your desired keywords.

Want to know how Google AdWords can help elevate your business? Call us today to talk through your options and tailored campaign ideas.

 

Brisbane Hosting & Website Hosting’s products and services include Website Hosting, Domain Names, DNS Services, Website Development, Website Design, Website Revamps, Website Maintenance, Social Media Campaigns and more.

Contact Brisbane Hosting on (07) 3889 2977 or via email info@brisbanehosting.com.au for further information and quote today.