Simple Search Engine Optimisation

Yes I know a lot of you will read the heading of this article and turn off immediately but there are some simple steps that can be done to make your website more searchable by such sites as Google and Yahoo.
Over the past few months we have been looking at some of our older websites and advising customers that a simple 'basic review' will do wonders for the site and the traffic it receives.
Two sites we have looked at have shown an increase in their traffic by over 40% month on month with one customer I spoke to this morning also saying that there has been a definite increase in enquiries coming through the website since we worked on it.

So What Did We Do?
A look at the site in general rather than going into too much depth concerning keyword research etc etc.
This included:

1. Google Analytics - If the site was not already registered adding the analytics coding to look at visits, keywords and trending.
2. Page Titles - Updating the header page titles so they were more optimised to the main keywords related to the business and its location.
3. Tidy up of any meta keywords and meta description - yes we know sites like Google now don't use these so much to rank a site but whilst we were playing with the site as a whole it's a good idea to check on these.
4. The page text itself, updating the text, especially the home page, to make the text more related to the keywords for that business and adding internal links through the body text linking key phrases.
5. Making the text more readable, bolding up certain key phrases so skim reading is more efficient.
6. Adding keyword links to the footer to help with search engines and helping the reader so they do not have to scroll back to the top of the page to look for the navigation.

Yes I know its basic stuff you are all shouting at me but it is amazing how often the basics get overlooked. If you think your site could do with a bit of help being found by your potential customers give Insignia Creative Ltd a shout and see how we can help with a simple search engine strategy or perhaps something a little more in depth.

Dart Music Festival New Site Launch

Insignia has been working with the Dart Music Festival to create a new and professional looking presence for this year's music festival in Dartmouth, South Devon.
The music festival has been running for a number of years and growing in popularity, filling Dartmouth with visitors and locals for the three day event in May. Over the years the DMF have started to embrace the web gradually growing their web presence using friends and family to produce websites. It was decided this year with the growing popularity of the festival that a more professional site was required to show off the DMF, Dartmouth and the various other aspects the festival incorporates.
We have created a fresh new site with a host of information on this years acts, places to stay, eat and drink within the area and lots of useful information about how to get to the venue and Dartmouth itself.
Along with the new site the DMF are embracing the Social Networking World by using Twitter to contact their followers and keep them updated with the latest news and also Flickr to upload images and slideshows showing great shots of the bands and the local area.

www.dartmusicfestival.co.uk - bookmark the site to keep up with the latest information

OR

follow them on Twitter @dartmusicfest or https://twitter.com/dartmusicfest

Dart Music Festival 2010  7th, 8th and 9th May

Apple Ipad - Revolution, Evolution or Just a New Toy

Anyone that knows me will know I am an Apple fan (I can hear the boos and hisses as I write this), so anything new from Apple is always of interest to me.
I started out using Apple Macs at the very beginning of the computer revolution into Graphic Design and have never looked back, my home is now a shrine to the Apple with an ibook laptop, a swivel head imac, two iphones (one is my partners) and countless ipods hidden away in drawers and of course I use a Mac for work.
The new ipad then; well I don't like to say this but even I am a bit unsure, it appears to be a large iphone without the phone capability but not quite a laptop as you can not use it like a computer to load programs onto it - BUT (before all you PC users cheer) I can see its uses if you browse the internet a lot, use email and require an ebook - in this it looks extremely clever and of course has all the advantages of the Apple AppStore, Itunes and the new Book Store and of course the amazing touchscreen technology of the iphone.
So in conclusion I reserve my judgement, it seems to sit below a laptop but above a phone but what I can say is it is another amazing bit of design (The head designer at Apple is British) and if it works as well as all their other equipment it will be a joy to use and to show off.
More info available at http://www.apple.com/ipad/

Social Networking in 2010

Social Networking - what is it all about???
Social networking has become a very popular way of keeping track of other businesses and what they are up to and also another form of advertising; but be warned hard selling just gets you ignored!!
Social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin have become the places to hold conversations and say your 'piece' about whatever you fancy; it might be a rant about the government, the weather or letting people know what you or your business is up to.
People who are clever will post items that don't obviously sell their products or services but gain that trust with their followers so that they are the first person their followers think of when they need that product or service.
Take a look at the following link about where Social Networking may be going in 2010 and if you want to learn more or even get your business on the social network band wagon drop Insignia a line and we can help you out.
http://spidersandmilk.typepad.com

Happy New Year

Well it's that time of year again to make New Year resolutions you don't keep; but what about making a change this year.
How about those website changes you have been meaning to get done or perhaps your site is looking a bit old and tired and needs a new fresh look for 2010. And don't forget your printed material, perhaps a new brochure or leaflet is required to promote yourself or maybe everything is looking a bit old and dated and new ideas are needed across all your marketing.
Drop Insignia a message and let us see what we can do to help you make 2010 a good year.
Web and print design, marketing and SEO, we can help

Christmas Eve and Launching Websites

Yes I know, 'What are you doing working Christmas Eve?' - you are all shouting at us!!!
Just tieing up some lose ends before the Christmas break and launching a new site.
Anyone who wants competitive Marine, Boat, Yacht Insurance Quotes then take a look at www.curtismarine.co.uk.
We have been working with Curtis Marine for a number of years initially designing and launching their first site, this site is an updated version with us working on Phase 2 of online quotation coming in 2010.
Happy Christmas everyone and get yourselves home in the warm with a hot toddy.

Thank You

Happy Christmas Eve Eve everyone!!
I would like to take this opportunity before the Christmas and New Year Festivities grab hold of everyone to thank all of you for your continued custom throughout 2009.
It was a busy year for us at Insignia Creative with the rebranding, office move and buy out of one of the business partners; this all in the month of May and June along with a bumper year for work even with the recession taking a grip on everyone.
Thank you once again and we look forward to producing more eye catching print and web design for you our existing customers and we look forward to all our new clients through 2010.
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to all