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IT Support
Dec 9th
About Layer 7 IT Solutions
Based in Northumberland and Newcastle upon Tyne, Layer 7 IT Solutions offer IT infrastructure and solutions for organisations ranging from SMBs (small to medium businesses) to SMEs (small to medium enterprises). Layer 7 provide exceptional solutions based upon proven technologies from leading industry vendors including VMware, Citrix, Microsoft and Cisco which we maintain highly valued and productive partnerships. Layer 7 have teams of highly qualified, industry certified IT professionals with proven experience in IT infrastructure and application solutions. Layer 7 have successfully delivered numerous solutions across a range of disciplines and business categories with a proven track record of providing a holistic service from initial concept, through implementation, to support and managed services.
Web Design
Oct 25th
Web design describes the process of planning, modelling and the execution of elements such as text, images and forms, which are placed on your website using HTML/XML tags.
A web design typically consists of the layout of text and images on a page and the way in which web pages are linked together using a navigation menu composed of hyperlinks. Designing a web site can be defined as the arrangement and creation of these web pages.
As well as the basics such as the text and images that appear on a web site, web design can also be the placement of more complex media such as graphics, animation, videos and sound. In order to carry out these aspects of a web design you need to have access to plug-ins such as Flash, Quick-Time or Java; these need to be embedded within your web site.
Some of the basic aspects of web design include:
• The content – substance and information on the site should be relevant to the site and should target the area of the public that the website is concerned with.
• The usability – should be user-friendly with the interface and navigation being simple and reliable.
• The appearance – the graphics and text should include a single style that flows throughout, to show consistency. It should be professional, appealing and relevant.
• The visibility – the site must also be easy to find via most, if not all, major search engines and advertisement media.
Once the design of a website has been completed you must ‘publish’ or upload your website in order for it to be viewable to the public via the Internet. The main and best way of doing this is by using an FTP client. Once published, the web master may use a variety of techniques to increase the traffic, or hits, that the web site receives. This may include submitting the web site to a search engine such as Google or Yahoo, exchanging links with other web sites, creating affiliations with similar web sites, etc.
Depending on the background of a web design your website may be focused on how it looks rather than how it works. Web developers who have a background in graphic arts many pay more attention to how the site looks rather than considering issues such as how a visitor will find your site i.e. through the search engines. It is because of this that web designers and SEO assistants often don’t see eye to eye on how a website should be designed. SEO assistants will want the site to be text rich where as web designers will want to use more pretty graphics. As a web designer when you are thinking about this you should remember the purpose of the website and ensure that the design reflects this.
If you have recently purchased a website and are in need of some help with the design of it you should always enlist the help of a professional to help you achieve the look that you are after.
Internet marketing
Sep 13th
Using the internet to promote your business is the newest form of advertising. There are many different ways to make sure that your business is being recognized online. When considering your internet marketing strategy there are a few tips that can help ensure the success of the campaign. Below are five tips for starting a successful internet marketing campaign.
Tip 1: Online Research
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is to not research what other businesses in the same industry are doing. Taking the time to research your competition will give you a heads-up on what is working and what is not. Look into how they are developing their internet marketing campaign to gain useful information before starting your own. Another important step in the research process is to determine who is using your product and how to best reach this target market.
Tip 2: Analyze Data
After researching information about your competition, it will be important to sit down and analyze the information that has been found. Consider the strengths of your competition and how your company may use a similar strategy. Determining the websites that are visited most often by your targeted market will enable your business to consider these websites as targets for advertising. Consider something that your company could offer the consumer that your competition is currently not offering, such as a bonus or other incentive.
Tip 3: Develop Strategy
Using the research that has been performed, it is time to start developing your Internet Marketing strategy. Plan the type of marketing methods that your company wants to use and what it will cost to use them. Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, pay-per-click advertising, blogging, email, link building, and webinars are all worth consideration. These options should be ranked in order of preference and cost. It is important to consider your time and budget when considering your internet marketing strategy.
Tip 4: Implementation
Once a plan is in place, the company should start implementing it as soon as possible. After starting the internet marketing campaign, it is important to monitor the success of each type of marketing technique that is being used. Consider your SEO rankings; are they performing at a rate that is satisfactory? Track the time the consumers are spending on your website, if it is less than 30 seconds it is important to find out why.
Tip 5: When in Doubt, Hire a Professional
It is important as a business owner to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. Hiring a professional for your internet-marketing plan may be your best option, especially if no one on your team is comfortable with this type of work. There are several businesses that offer professional services that can benefit your company greatly. Consider the amount of money that is in your budget for your internet marketing campaign. It may be well worth it to hire a company that will guarantee the creation of a successful strategy for your business.