Phoenix AZ web design blog

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Not looking back is a bad thing!

Anyone who knows a little of the Old Testament of the Bible will know the famous story of Sodom and Gomorrah, and how, while fleeing from the city prior to its destruction, Lot's wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. If this story (or the moral behind it if you choose not to believe the story literally) is true, how can I say looking back is sometimes a good thing? It all comes down to the heart attitude (call it "the motive") behind the looking back.

This is NOT a political blog post, but as we head into the election season, this is something we all need to do. I, for one, have, in the past, just blindly voted for the party I've always voted for. Thanks to my darling wife, who has "educated" me, I now look at current policies, as well as looking back at their track record. What have they accomplished? How did they vote in the past? This is not just important, but critical in making an educated and informed choice and acting in a positive way.

Websites, Online Marketing & Looking Back

I promised this wasn't a political post and it

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Communication & getting it right

So, we have our house on the market. You all know the stress that comes with that. We got an offer this week, about a week after they viewed the place. Then they wanted an answer by the next morning. The prospective purchaser's realtor must have been a rookie as our counter-offer had about 10 line items in it which were just to correct the rookie blunders she made in the paperwork. Not to mention the fact that she went silent on our realtor for days at a time. Right now, as I write this, after wanting a 12 hour timeframe answer, we're still waiting to hear back from them, and she isn't responding to our realtor at all.

I was taught that, when people contact you, at the very least, you acknowledge their contact; preferably give them a timeframe for a response if you can't immediately respond, or tell the person what you're doing. This interaction has been the polar opposite of what we, at CitrusKiwi, view as a normal.

We all drop the ball

Screw it up... put it right!

It's an unfortunate byproduct of being human - we all screw up sometimes. Decent people respect that if you

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User-friendly website design tips

User-friendly website design tips

Designing a website with a focus on improving customer ease of use involves creating an intuitive, accessible, and efficient user experience. Every website has millions, if not tens or hundreds of millions, of other websites, competing for your potential customer's attention and money. Good enough" is not good enough in today's crowded digital landscape.

Here are some key principles and strategies to consider:

  1. Clear Navigation: Ensure that your website has a clear and consistent navigation structure. Users should be able to find what they're looking for with minimal effort. Use breadcrumbs, search functions, and logical menu structures to assist users in navigating your site. As a rule of thumb, all the most important information should be no more than ONE click away. If, for some reason, you can't make this work on your regular menu structure, consider using links or buttons ion your header area to get those important links front and center.
  2. Responsive Design: With the increasing use of mobile devices, your website must be responsive. This means it should automatically adjust to look good on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. While this was once a great idea, it's now one of the major building
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Do you really need video for your web marketing?

Do you really need video for your web marketing?

Yes! And yes! And yes!

Video on your website isn't just a great idea, it's absolutely critical for reaching the broadest cross-section of consumers.

Recent surveys have shown that more than half of the respondents under 54 want to watch videos rather than read text. And while the 55+ group tended to favor text (though you know a ton of them still watch video too), this is the declining consumer pool with less money (generally). The under 54-year-olds (excluding under 15-year-olds) makeup 2/3 of the population. Why not market to them in their preferred media choice?

Here are some pros of video on your website:

Engagement: Videos are more dynamic and interactive than text or images, which can help capture visitors' attention and keep them engaged for longer periods on your website.

Visual Communication: Videos allow you to convey complex information, concepts, or stories more effectively than text alone. They can help you demonstrate products, explain processes, or showcase your brand's personality.

SEO Benefits: Including videos can improve your website's search engine optimization (SEO). Google often prioritizes pages with video content, potentially leading to higher search rankings and increased organic traffic. You can enhance this Google engagement even more by
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Hire a web pro v DIYing it

Hire a web pro v DIYing it

A question I get asked from time to time is, "Why should I pay you to design my site when there are lots of free options?" And it's a fair question. If you're not analyzing every business expense then you're looking for trouble!

There are lots of free website builders available - Wix, Weebly, GoDaddy Website Builder, or, if you're a little more adventurous, take WordPress for a spin.  So, again, why pay me?

Hiring a web professional such as myself can benefit individuals or businesses looking to establish or enhance their online presence for these reasons:

  1. Expertise and Skill: We have the technical knowledge and skills required to create well-designed and functional websites. We are constantly learning new skills and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices, ensuring your website meets modern standards such as WCAG.
  2. Customization: We will tailor your website to meet your specific needs and goals. We create a unique design for every client to reflect your unique brand identity, making your website stand out from competitors and leaving a lasting impression on visitors. We DON'T do cookie-cutter, choose-your-template websites!
  3. User Experience (UX): Everyone understands the importance of a positive user experience, even if they don't realize they
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How to get more people filling out website forms

Every website has them (or should - it's one of the most common ways a visitor will interact with your website). But, so often, people don't fill out online forms. There can be a number of reasons why a site visitor doesn't fill out a form.

  • They visited your site to get contact information only
  • They visited your site to find your address or directions
  • They found the information they wanted :-)
  • You didn't have the information they were looking for :-(

Did they make it to your form?

Before we blame the form, you need to know if your visitors are even making it to your form. 

Do you? Just because you have a form, or 5, or 20 forms on your site does not mean people will either fill one out or that they even got there in the first place! Knowing this information is vital before deciding on a course of action to boost form completion.

CTAs - do you have them? CTAs (Calls to Action) are links to your form, and more than an entry in your main menu. You should have extra links/buttons throughout your website's pages encouraging visitors to take action - fill in a

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Why is my website so slow?

First, we should ask, "Why should you care?" Great question! 

Short answer: Because your business needs you to!

Longer answer: Research shows that consumers are impatient. Mosat will only give you 10 seconds of their time for your website to grab them. If it takes 10 seconds to load, well..... they're looking somewhere else and you just lost a customer.

Making your website faster, and better designed, is paramount to your potential customer's liklihood to buy from you!

There are several possible reasons why your website might be slow. Here are a few common ones:

  1. Poor web hosting: If you are using a low-quality web hosting service, your website may be slow due to limited resources, poor server configuration, or server overload.
  2. Large image sizes: Images are often the largest files on a website, and if they are not optimized for the web, they can slow down your site's loading times.
  3. Too many plugins or scripts: If your website has too many plugins or scripts running, this can cause slow loading times. Each plugin or script adds additional code that needs to be processed by the server, which can slow down your website.
  4. Unoptimized code: If your website's code is
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What constitutes good website design?

A good website design is one that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and effectively communicates its intended message. Here are some specific characteristics that contribute to a good website design:

  1. User-friendly interface: The design should be intuitive and easy to use for the average user. Users should be able to quickly find the information they need without having to search for it.
  2. Consistency: The design should have a consistent visual and functional style throughout the website. Consistency in design helps users to understand how to navigate the site and find what they are looking for.
  3. Responsiveness: The design should be responsive, meaning it should adjust to different screen sizes and device types. This is important because users access websites from a variety of devices such as desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
  4. Clear navigation: Navigation should be easy to understand and use. A good website should have a clear navigation menu that is easily accessible and visible on every page of the website.
  5. Visual appeal: The website design should be visually appealing and aesthetically pleasing. A good website should have a professional design that is consistent with the brand or organization it represents.
  6. Readability: The design should be easy
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Claim your Google My Business profile

Do I own my Google My Business (GMB) profile? Does is matter? How do I claim my GMB? Great questions and ones you need to ask. Let\'s answer these questions and a few more surrounding this important SEO item. 

Do I own my Google My Business Profile?

The first thing to do is check if you own your GMB profile. To do this, open a browser window and search for your business name. In the right hand panel, you should see something like what you see in the above image. If you see nothing, then it's possible you don\'t have a GMB at all - this is bad from an online visibility standpoint, and something you need to address immediately. We'll deal with that later in this post.

For now, we'll assume you have a GMB and you see a panel like the above one. What you need to look for is "Own this business?". If you don't see this, then you already own (or put another way, you\'ve already claimed) your business. Hopefully... There's always a possibility that someone else has claimed it. That\'s bad, and something we'll also deal with later. If you DO see this, then the

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  • SEO
Is that Domain name renewal legit or a scam?

Is that Domain name renewal legit or a scam?

main name renewal scams Questions... Where was your domain name registered, when is it due for renewal, and about how much should you pay for a 1 year renewal (generally)? If you don't know you're a prime candidate for a domain renewal scam.

What's that?

There are many nefarious "companies" (loose use of the word there) who send out fake "Domain Name Renewal" notices. There are generally 2 types - one claiming your domain is expiring and a second that looks, at first glance like the former but is actually for Search Engine submission services. But they're all worded in such a way that, if you don't know, or don't read them properly, they sound like the end of the world (at least the end of yours!). I've posted an example here that just turned up in my mailbox this week. There are many more examples - I did an image search on Google for some - it's here https://bit.ly/37cFqWo. Now, what did your Mom tell you? Don't to talk to strangers and don't open links you don't know! :-) So I won't blame you if you don't... just go to Google and search for "domain renewal scam" and then
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