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January is approaching fast and so is 2022. This has been another challenging year in the small business world but as the year draws to a close, it is important to start planning for next year. Many of us make personal New Year’s resolutions whether it be going to the gym or working out, trying to eat healthier, or discovering a new hobby. But how many small business owners make New Year’s resolutions regarding their businesses? 

December is a great time to reflect on your past year and get ready for the new one ahead. Evaluating your business over the past year will not only help you to see what worked and what didn’t but it will inform decisions you need to make for the upcoming year. 

So here are some tips to get your small business ready for 2022: 

1. Reflect on what worked and what didn’t work in 2021. 

   Features: are my specific products and services solving specific problems that my customers have? 
   Does my business have distinctive competencies over my competitors? 
   Marketing: which channels am I using to market my business (blog, email, social media, etc.)? 
   Which ones have I received the most ROI from or the most qualified leads? 
   Are there any channels that I should be adding this year? 
   Time management: What did my schedule look like this past year? 
   How can I create more time to focus on strategy for my company? 
   Are there ways that I can automate some of the day-to-day tasks that are necessary but time wasters? 

2. Make sure that you are capturing your customers’ emails

   Did you build up your email list over the course of the past year? 
   If not, how can you change that this year? 
   Make sure that you are capturing your customers’ emails by offering them something in return. This could be in the form of some tips, or a special offer. 
   Most small businesses are very busy over the holidays and it is important to capture those customers’ email so that you can re-engage them in your business’ down time.  January is a perfect time to reach out to these clients. Consider using automated email or marketing to target them to return to your business. 

3. Run your financial reports. 

   This is the ideal time to reflect and get a better understanding of how your business is performing financially. 
   Profit and loss statement - this is your income statement that details all of your business’ revenues, expenses and costs
   Balance Sheet - this shows your business’ assets and liabilities, including any outstanding amounts owed to investors. 
   Cash flow statement - this shows how your business manages funds
   If your business doesn’t have an accountant or someone that is in charge of your financial statements, think about investing in some accounting software. 

4. Create your company goals. 

   Take a good look at your accomplishments this year. Did you meet your goals set last year? 
   Did your company reflect the mission statement or vision proposition that was set out last year? 
   This is the time to set some future goals. Set some objectives for your business. Then determine what strategies are going to help you achieve those goals. Lastly, make sure you determine the actions that will take you to your goals. It is a great idea to review these each quarter to make sure that you are on track. 

5. Review your website and map out your content for the year. 

   First, review your website and make sure that it is user and mobile friendly. Make sure all of your information on your site is up to date. 
   Next, plan your upcoming online content goals for the next year. You do not need to map out each and every blog post, newsletter and social media post, however it is a good idea to consider your overall content strategy. If you are going to promote a particular product or service in the first quarter, brainstorm some ways to market to your target audience. Remember to consider times of year, seasons, holidays, etc. as these can all affect the way your content changes throughout the year. 

6. Meet with your team. 
   
   Your small business is only as good as its employees. You should schedule time to speak with each team member one-on-one, and give them some feedback about their performance last year - what you liked best about working together this past 12 months; areas in need of improvement or change going forward?
   As well, give them the opportunity to give their own feedback and ideas. This not only helps them feel heard but they may have many great ideas that you haven’t thought of. 
   It is also a great time to review and update your employee handbook and any standard operating procedures. 

7. Think about new hires. 
       
   Once you have evaluated your business’ performance over the past year, you may come to realize that you need to hire new employees in the new year. Most small business owners state that hiring new employees is the most challenging task and can have the biggest impact. 
   Perhaps areas that aren’t performing well, need a new hire that can help or direct that area’s team? 
   If you are launching a new product or service you may need a new hire to head up that process. 
   The New Year is a great time to assess your staffing needs and plan out any new hirings. As it is challenging to find the right employees to fit your company’s needs and specific role, the importance of planning is paramount. It may take you some time to sift through resumes, conduct interviews until you find the right person. Some companies decided to outsource or automate some of the hiring process, but when it comes down to the actual hire, the small business owner needs to ensure that they are the right person for their company and specific role. 

8. Take some time off. 

   As much as it is important and advantageous to get your company ready for the New Year, it is equally important for you as a business owner to take some time for yourself. 
   Taking the time to relax and recharge will allow you to reenter the workplace with a clearer head and renewed energy devoted to building your business in the New Year. 
    

In the digital age, it's crucial to have a strong presence online. If you're looking for some tips on how to get started, this is the perfect place to start! In this article, we'll cover everything from social media strategy and blogging basics to SEO tools and content creation best practices. Read on below!

If you own a small business, it can be hard to keep up on the latest trends in digital marketing. Here are some of the most important things to know about leveraging this powerful tool!

1. Define your marketing goals

What are your goals for digital marketing?
A successful business should have a well thought-out plan that will help them achieve their desired outcome. You may want to think about what you would like the company's website, social media pages and email campaigns look like if they were created by an expert in this area; how often do you hope people interact with these platforms over time period (e.g., once per week); where does one start when trying make changes on different channels simultaneously)? These questions can be difficult at first but ultimately yield great results!

2. Identify your target audience

The most important thing every business should know is who their target customer is. This will help them tailor content for that specific group of people and increase sales! Talk to your current clients and ask them what their challenges are. If you can identify what future clients' pain points are and then offer them solutions to those problems you will target the customers you want, generating qualified leads which will then help increase your sales and revenues. 

3. Determine a marketing budget

It is important to determine how much money to put into your company's digital presence, and what type of campaign will generate the most profitable results. The first step should include determining your needs and then coming up with strategies on where you can acquire the most clients. Having a mix of different types of ads - email messages, blog posts, social media, etc. - allows your message to be supported among many platforms. Many social media ads like GoogleAdWords or Facebook Ads Manager allow companies like yours access over 1 billion potential customers around the world every day!

4. Create and optimize content

The best way to get your content out there is by creating and optimizing it for the specific channel you want. The more relevant, engaging information customers see on a page - whether that's text or images- means they're going to stay longer than average. 

A sound content strategy supports people on both sides of your product: those who are still figuring out what their main challenges are, and those who have already used it to overcome these challenges.

Some popular types of content you can create for your audience are: blog posts, case studies, templates, infographics, videos, podcasts, social media posts. 

By creating engaging content, your followers and potential customers will be more inclined to share it across social media platforms. You'll also have the opportunity of turning repurposed posts into new formats that are exclusively tailored for each platform!

5. Make sure your content is available on all devices

It's always a good idea to optimize your digital marketing assets for mobile devices. This will ensure that you reach out to potential customers wherever they are.  Start by adopting a "mobile-first" strategy through web design along with some other changes such as providing high quality images so people can easily see everything about what product or service you are offering. 

6. Do keyword research 

When it comes to running a successful business, the key is being found in Google. Without keyword research and proper optimization for search engines like Google - how can you get your company out there? 
Doing some simple tasks now will help make sure that people find their way back when they do an internet search!

7. Revise strategies if necessary

Digital marketing is a powerful tool that can be used to reach your audience. It's important, however, for businesses of all sizes and shapes - especially those who are just getting started with digital efforts like PPC campaigns or email outreach-to consider the types of adjustments they may need in order not only succeed but thrive on social media platforms as well! For example: if you're already utilizing channels out there (or have been); think about areas where certain audiences might find interest instead; such things include video production/posting content tailored towards specific user demographics via Instagram Stories, TikTok, or YouTube. 

If you have any questions, or need more guidance, feel free to reach out to melissa@webware.io

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Book an Enhanced Digital Services Demo Today
 

You may be asking yourself, What is the “For You Page” or FYP on TikTok and how does it help my business? 

The For You page, is the first page that TikTok takes you to when you open the app. It is a feed of videos that has been selected for you to view because TikTok’s algorithm believes that you will like them. The algorithm uses the interests that you first choose when setting up your account, as well as any interactions that you have on videos that you have watched or looked up. 

TikTok states: 

“On TikTok, the For You feed reflects preferences unique to each user. The system recommends content by ranking videos based on a combination of factors – starting from interests you express as a new user and adjusting for things you indicate you’re not interested in, too – to form your personalized For You feed.”
 
To be successful on TikTok, from a marketing perspective, you want your videos to appear in your target audience’s “For You Page” or #fyp. If your video lands on a TikTok FYP then that could mean increased followers while reaching a broader audience to grow your brand awareness and sales. As well, once you grow a TikTok following you can direct them to other social media platforms or to your website to increase traffic. If you can consistently get 100 views per TikTok, a feature on FYP can push that to over 10000 views without spending any money on advertising. 

So How Do You Use the Algorithm to Your Advantage?

Here are a few tips about how the “For You Page” works: 

1. Interactions: The more people react and interact with your videos the more likely the algorithm will pick it up. This means the more shares, likes, and comments your video gets, the better.
2. Information: Using hashtags, sounds and captions can help you get onto the FYP. If you use a trending hashtag or song it is more likely to get picked up by the algorithm. So if your content follows a trend or a trending song, you are more likely to get noticed. You can also participate in hashtag challenges to increase your exposure. 
3. Keywords: Using keywords that relate to your business or product helps get your video noticed by the right audience. 
4. Completion: The more people watch your video to the end, the more likely TikTok will push it out for further distribution. This is why the majority of TikTok videos are short and to the point. The time limit is 60 seconds but the shorter your video is the greater the probability will be of people watching it to the end. Make sure your video has a hook within the first 10 seconds - this will attract the attention of your viewer and then you need to make sure that you hold their interest, make them want or desire what you are selling and then convert that desire into action. 
5. Captions: Again here, less is more. You only have 150 characters for your caption including any hashtags that you may want to use. So your caption needs to be short, include any related hashtags and be engaging. Many TikTok posters use the caption “Watch to the End”, ask a question or tease their audience in the caption. “Watch to the End” increases video completion and as stated before, this helps you to get on the coveted FYP. Asking questions encourages viewers to make comments about your video, which again increases your chances of getting picked up by the algorithm. Teasing your audience in your caption entices the viewer to watch your video to see what you are trying to tell them. 
6. Sounds: You can use trending songs or sounds to gain exposure to your videos. When you create a video, you can tap the “Sounds” button at the top of the screen. A new page will appear where you can tap “Discover”. You can also look through the “Trending” page to see what is trending for certain categories. You can save these songs or clips into your favourites folder for you to use in your video. 

Now that we have explained what TikTok is all about, how to set up an account and why and how it is useful to your business, next week’s blog will show you how to create your own TikTok video! We will give you step-by-step instructions that will be easy to follow so that you can get started using the TikTok app yourself. 
 
If you have any questions, or need more guidance, feel free to reach out to melissa@webware.io
 

At Webware we believe educating our clients with the knowledge to help you reach your goals is paramount!

On October 21st we began our first blog post helping you to understand the social media platform: TikTok! Today, we continue this series with step-by-step instructions on how to set up a TikTok account for your business. As well, we will provide you with some tips and tricks for creating engaging content to help you digitally market your business. 

How to Set Up A TikTok Account For Business

The Signup

1. Download the TikTok app. For Android users go to Google Play Stores. For iPhone users go to APP Create your own profile using an email or phone number linked to your business. If it’s easier, you can use your Facebook account (if you have one) and use the same Login information. 
2. TikTok will then ask you to enter a birthday. Feel free to use your personal one or your business start date. Then create a password; this will be important to write down as you need it to log into your account. 
3. Create a username for yourself; this will be your business name. Once you choose your username, you’ll be taken to your home page where you can edit your profile.  

*** TikTok also has a separate platform called TikTok for Business. This platform allows you to launch a targeted ad campaign for an additional cost. If you are new to TikTok, start with a free account and once you build your following you can always switch your account to the business platform. 

Editing your profile 

1. Click ‘edit profile’ to access a page that contains your profile information and picture. Here, you can change your name, username, add a bio (biography) that describes your small business, and you can link your Instagram account or YouTube account if you have one linked to your business. This page is the person icon to the far right on the bottom of your screen. 

Navigating the app 

1. Click on the ‘plus’ icon in bottom centre of your screen to upload content or create a new video
2. The ‘discover’ magnifying glass icon to the left is where you can search other users, challenges, and trending sounds to use in the search bar. Here, there are suggested categories of content curated based on the content you like. 
3. The ‘home’ button is where you can access the ‘For You Page” (#fyp) where you can watch content and the ‘Following Page’ where you can access content made by the people you follow. 
4. To the right of the ‘plus’ icon, there is an ‘Inbox’ where you can message and receive messages from other users as well as track your likes, comments, and mentions. 

Specific tips and tricks for keeping content engaging 

Consumers like to see the product or service in action… showcase people utilizing your brand casually in everyday lives. It lets your clients get to know you, your brand, and what it stands for. Create posts that feature behind the scenes or candid content to help people interact with your brand. Showing people the realities of business can help to create stronger connections between the viewer and the business. 

● Showcase your services on the livestream feature or create a Q&A that’s interactive with consumers and followers 

● Create landing pages or a lead capture page where you can offer resources and information for the consumers contact information. This can produce leads and help to build business connections or clientele. 

● Create an unboxing or step by step video to show off and promote your brand, while tagging the link to your website 

● Start your own Tik Tok campaign encouraging creators or influencers to post videos on their accounts using your services 

● Make a #HashtagChallenge in order to expand your following 

Stay tuned for next week’s blog going into greater depth about TikTok’s “For You Page”. That blog will help you utilize TikTok’s algorithm to your advantage to increase your exposure and audience. We will provide you with some additional tips discussing how to use viewers’ interactions, video information, keywords, completion, captions and sounds to further the likelihood of your video gaining traction. 

If you have any questions, or need more guidance, feel free to reach out to melissa@webware.io  

Are you a Gen X confused by social media platforms and how you can use them in the digital market? Or a Millennial trying to start up your first small business with no knowledge of where to start with digital marketing? 

At Webware we believe in educating our clients, to provide you with the knowledge to reach your goals, because our goal is helping you achieve yours! Starting this week, we are going to provide you with a weekly series of blog posts to help you understand various social media platforms and how you can use them to digitally market your business. 

So, let’s chat about the controversial yet effective app that has taken charge of 2021: Tik Tok! 

What is Tik Tok? 

Whether you're 25 or 55, Tik Tok is a social media platform you’ve probably heard of that’s taking the world by storm with over 800 million users reaching over 150 markets, making it the perfect platform to promote small businesses. The objective is to share 15-60 second videos, however, once you become a Tik Tok user there are inevitable descents down the rabbit hole. You can begin watching a short video about the latest dance craze and forty-five minutes later it evolves into, "Honey I know what we're having for dinner!" 

One of the many features Tik Tok has to offer are its effects! Fall into a colourful trance with Tunnel Lights. There are tons of other filters as well that can improve not only the quality of your videos, but the virality of it as well. The social media’s algorithm works to connect users based on their video’s content and target audience, which makes it a great tool for digital marketing. 

Here are the Top 3 ways of using Tik Tok to promote your business:

 1. Create a channel where you can upload videos that advertise your product or services that will reach your target audience’s “for you page” (also known as #fyp) Content can be created with a low budget. Save your money on paying for ads and stick to trending hashtags that apply to your business i.e., if you’re a hairstylist starting up a new business try approaching a challenge that’s hair related. Also, having a continuous, positive, brand image never hurts! Differentiate yourself from the competition. 

2. Utilize hashtags in your video descriptions that competitors are using to build a following that is interested in your niche content. There is no shame in checking out your competitors' strategies. In fact, master their successful digital strategy and make it your own! The best way to be successful is beating your competition at their own game. 

3. Influencer marketing is huge on Tik Tok. Try to reach out to micro influencers and utilize them and their ‘clout’ to market your content to a wider audience. Don’t feel discouraged if you get no responses, continue to message and duet their content; persistence is key. Influencers understand Tik Tok’s tools and trends inside and out. Use that to your advantage and approach influencers to collaborate with you. Tik Tok also has a Creator Marketplace designed to match brands with creators based on common interests and content.

Stay tuned for next week’s blog giving you step-by-step instructions on how to create a small business profile on Tik Tok, how to edit your profile and how to navigate the app. As well, we will provide you with some specific tips and tricks to help keep your content engaging so you can attract more customers! 

If you have any questions, or need more guidance, feel free to reach out to melissa@webware.io

The last 18 months have been challenging for everyone, especially small business owners.

Unpredictable health guidelines, supply chain issues, changing consumer behavior, and much more, have wreaked havoc on our lives and businesses.   

You’ve weathered the storm and are ready to get back to what you do best -- providing amazing products and services to your customers.

However, most small businesses are now seeing a new, unexpected challenge: Recruiting and keeping the necessary  staff to keep your business running.

With the right strategy, you can win this battle too. 

Here are our top tips to hiring:

Transparency and clarity is key to your job posting.

1. Keep the job posting simple, descriptive, and relevant.

2. Avoid using lofty jargon and run-on sentences when clear statements will do.

Wrong: “Candidates will use excellent customer communication skills including active listening to assess, respond to, and meet the desired needs of customers.”

Right:  “Our teammates are great listeners and act quickly to provide amazing customer service.”

3. List the compensation in the job posting.

4. Don’t be afraid to list the difficult things which will be expected of the job. If nights and weekends are required for some employees, make that clear in the job description.

Once the job posting is live, be prepared to act quickly.

1. Before you post a job opening, ensure you are fully prepared to act quickly on any applications. If you don’t have the time to call applicants quickly, hold off on placing the job posting until you do.

2. Set up notifications to let you know when you have received a new application.

3. Call viable applicants within the same business day, if at all possible. The sooner you put a human voice to the process, the more likely you are to stand out among the other options applicants have.

4. Schedule interviews within 24 hours, and same-day if possible.

Be prepared and consistent in interviews.

1. Have a defined set of topics to cover with all applicants.

2. Have a list of 10 questions, and a scorecard to determine how well the candidates answer the questions.

Don’t be afraid to make real-time offers.

1. Too often we see small businesses lose terrific talent because they wait too long after an interview to make an offer. Sometimes it is an oversight. Other times it is a lack of preparation. Many times you force yourself to keep interviewing “just to see who else is available” when the perfect candidate was right in front of you.  If you are prepared and are consistent with your process you will know the right candidate when you meet them and should not hesitate. 

2. Be prepared to make firm offers within 24 hours, and even at the time of the interview.

You’ve hired the perfect candidate -- now make sure to perfectly onboard them.

1. Set start dates as soon as reasonable. Many entry-level workers are in a hurry for their next paycheck. Don’t lose a perfect candidate because you put their start date too far out and they choose another job which starts sooner.

2. Make sure their first day is amazing. Have anything they need for their job ready for them at their desk. Show them you cared enough to be prepared.

3. Have a casual 1:1 with them at the end of the first day. Sure, talk about how the work went, but mostly just get to know them as a person and show they are not just a number to you. That personal connection can keep many new hires invested during what can be a stressful new time for them.

Recruiting and keeping those new recruits is more challenging than ever. 

These tips can help you set yourself apart from the competition and make your company the go-to place to work.

If you have any questions, or need some more guidance, feel free to reach out to mark@webware.io.

Tailored Dollars offers financial services, financial planning, mortgage renewal, and refinance services across Woodbridge, Vaughan. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.tailoreddollars.com

We wish everyone at Tailored Dollars the best of success.

Studio D Interiors offers clients a full range of interior design services, home remodeling, property staging, and more across Leesburg, Virginia. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.studiodinteriordesigns.com

We wish the team at Studio D Interiors the very best of success.

Neha Singla is a certified wedding planner offering luxury wedding, party, corporate event planning, and coordination services across Toronto. To help her reach a wider audience, we launched her new website - www.posheventsbyneha.ca

We wish Neha and her team at Posh Events by Neha the best of success.

Abode Solutions LLC offers home inspection services for buyers, sellers and also provides home repair estimates to clients across Trussville, Alabama. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.abodesolutions.llc

We wish the team at Abode Solutions LLC Ltd the very best of success.

Lisa's Accounting & Payroll Services offers full-service accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation & payroll services to small businesses across South Bend, Indiana. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.lisastaxpayrollsouthbend.com

We wish everyone at Lisa's Accounting & Payroll Services Ltd the best of success.

Canamade Window Coverings Ltd is a window treatment company in Markham, Ontario, offering window coverings, shutters, custom blinds & automated shades. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.mycanamade.com

We wish everyone at Canamade Window Coverings Ltd the best of success.

Caregivers and Home Care Companions at KB Healthcare Services provide in-home health care, nursing care, dementia care, companionship care services across Herndon, Virginia. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website last week - www.kbhealthservices.com

We wish everyone at KB Healthcare Services the very best of success.

Manila Cookie Story Inc is an online cookie shop offering scrumptious Philippine cookies, souvenirs, and customized corporate gifts to customers all over the world. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.manilacookiestory.com

We wish everyone at Manila Cookie Story Inc the best of success.

Craig Miller Productions offers video/film production services including commercial and corporate video production across Atlanta, GA. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.craigmiller.tv

We wish the crew at Craig Miller Productions the very best of success.

GEO Environmental Co., Inc. provides residential and commercial asbestos, mold, air quality testing, and inspection services to clients across Yorktown Heights, New York. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.geoenv.us

We wish the team at GEO Environmental Co., Inc the best of success.

Douglas & Pino Certified Public Accountants offers accounting, bookkeeping, tax planning, preparation & finance advising services to clients across Sacramento, Folsom. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.douglaspino.com

We wish the team at Douglas & Pino Certified Public Accountants the very best of success.

The Sewing Company offers custom boat cushions, drapery, cushioning, and seat repair services across Dashwood, and Grand Bend, Ontario. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.thesewingcompany.ca

We wish everyone at The Sewing Company the very best of success.

Transportation Solutions and Lighting, Inc provides roadway, railway signal equipment, and lighting systems across Boca Raton, Florida. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.tsandl.us

We wish everyone at Transportation Solutions and Lighting, Inc the best of success.

The Biscuit Factory is a video production company specializing in video production, documentary production, film production, and more. They serve clients across Richmond, VA. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.biscuitfactory.tv

We wish the team at The Biscuit Factory the very best of success in their endeavors.

In 2010, Greenpeace launched a campaign against KitKat, one Nestlé’s most popular products. The battle took place over a video that was created by the non-profit organization calling out the food brand for its use of palm oil in its candy bars which was connected to the destruction of forests and death of orangutans.

Nestlé handled the situation by –

• Not giving any answers
• Deleting most of the comments
• Asking YouTube to remove the clip by citing copyright concerns

11 years have passed and yet the story still exists in internet archives and in the minds of some customers. This goes to show that no matter how hard a company tries to remove negative feedback, the more it can work against them.

This is why creating a rock-solid Online Reputation Management strategy can do wonders for your business.

What is Online Reputation Management (ORM)?

ORM is all about taking charge of online conversations around your brand. It consists of techniques and strategies that allow you to highlight your most positive qualities to engage more people online. This includes leveraging key materials, quickly responding to customer inquiries, and actively monitoring brand mentions online through social media & other channels.

When you are on top of managing your reputation, you will increase customer loyalty while ensuring a mostly positive online presence for your business.

What is the Difference Between ORM and PR?

While both PR and ORM have the same goal - to project more brand positivity - the main difference is how they go about it. PR works to help better position your brand externally with some exciting news and development while also being used for damage control from time to time. PR can even be special announcements made through social media or directly to your contact base via email.

ORM on the other hand is more of a reactive and consistent process that works to answer questions, handle customer inquiries, and resolve issues quickly. It can be an incredibly valuable resource which is why some companies opt to have an internal team keep a close eye on it.

Why Should You Care About ORM?

Take a look at the following statistics:

• About 95% of customers read reviews before making a purchase.
• 93% of customers will read reviews of local businesses to determine their quality.
• Customers spend 31% more when a business has positive reviews.
• 89% of consumers read replies to reviews.
• 67% of B2B buyers want to see a mix of both positive and negative reviews when checking out a business.

The numbers say it all. In a nutshell, ORM is important for your brand because:

• It directly affects buying decisions. A poor brand reputation can lead to a poor customer base. You never want to give your customers reasons to doubt you which is what happens when they see how your company is perceived by others.
• It works as word-of-mouth – ORM is the online equivalent of word-of-mouth. For example, consider Glassdoor reviews which offer more insight into what it's like to work for a certain company compared to what that company publishes about itself.
• The feedback is incredibly valuable – The things that people say about your brand can be immensely valuable and help you learn more about your target audience. By monitoring these conversations, you will be able to collect important insights that you could use to make your products/services better.
• Deleting negative reviews only makes things worse – You have likely heard that when something is posted online, it stays there forever and this is also true for your reviews. While some platforms allow you to delete negative reviews, this is not recommended as it can take a situation with a disgruntled customer from bad to worse. What might have been a simple fix could get escalated out of control.

How to Manage ORM of Your Brand/Business?

The bigger your brand gets, the harder it becomes to keep a track of all of your brand mentions. So, how can you ensure to properly manage your brand reputation? Here are some concrete steps that you can take:

• Have a Dedicated Support Handle – Nike, for example, has a dedicated customer support handle on Twitter called @NIkeSupport which is only for managing customer queries. Adopting a similar approach for your business can help you keep all of your customer interactions in one place, helping you increase your responsiveness.
• Respond, Respond, Respond – Whether it is social media, Google reviews, Glassdoor, or any other platform, make it a point to respond to all feedback from your customers, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. In fact, a study from HBR reported that customers whose complaints got handled in less than 5 minutes tend to spend more on future purchases from a business.
• Use tools and tech – There are a lot of tools that businesses use to stay on top of their ORM strategy. Google Alerts is one such tool that can help you keep track of brand mentions across the internet, both positive and negative. You can also take advantage of Google Trends, Yahoo Alerts, Advanced Twitter Search, and others for similar purposes as well.
• Constantly churn positive content – By collaborating with brands, businesses, and people, you can constantly put your brand in the spotlight by curating great content across your website, email, social media platforms, and other third-party websites.
• Choose a firm who can help you manage it – Working with a firm like Webware who has the expertise and experience with handling these situations can help you reach your goals faster.

The Wrap

What others think of your brand is not under your control and a poor approach in how you respond to customers can lead to irreparable damage. ORM doesn't just allow you to interact with your customers, it is perhaps the best way for your business to take preventative measures for your brand image.

Looking for help managing your ORM strategy? Reach out to speak with one of our Digital Growth Specialists.

A-Shored Home Inspections LLC offers complete home inspection services including roof inspection, basement inspection, and more across South Jersey.  To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.ashoredhomeinspections.com

We wish the team at A-Shored Home Inspections LLC the best of success.

The Financial Planners at Roche Financial Group provide financial planning, taxation, and accounting services to families & businesses across Ontario.  To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.rochefinancialgroup.ca

We wish everyone at Roche Financial Group the very best of success.

Royal Hearts Home Healthcare is a provider of home health care programs including senior, elder, dementia, home care & CHHA training serving across Lodi, New Jersey. To help them reach a wider audience, we launched their new website - www.rhhealthcare.com

We wish everyone at Royal Hearts Home Healthcare the best of success.

So, you want to build or update your website? That’s a great decision.

While having your presence felt on the web is an absolute must in the digital era, the catch lies in – the costs involved. We often get tons of queries that are along the lines of – how much does a website cost or how much does it cost to build a website?

Depending on where you look, you will get different answers which can make the process more challenging and confusing. Without further ado, let's dive in.

Hiring a website developer is one of the most common ways to build a website. However, you can always opt to use a website builder or create one directly in WordPress, the world's most popular Content Management Systems, where you can create a basic site with basic features for a low cost.

It's not always necessary to hire a web developer, but then again, going for a free alternative may not align with your business objectives either. A lot of things come into play when trying to figure out how much it costs to build a website such as:

1. Domain Name

   Your domain name is what people type into their browser such as https://www.google.com. Not only does it represent your brand, it is your address in the online world."

   What you will be paying for:

   To register a domain name for your website, you have to shell out anywhere between $9 - $14.99 per year. This earns you the rights to use the domain for one year and then must be renewed once expired. Otherwise, anyone else can purchase and use your website domain instead.

2. Website Builder

   A website builder is a must, regardless of whether you are a rookie or a seasoned developer. It lets you create a website just the way you want while giving you some essential website features such as Plugins, SEO tags, and so on.

   WordPress is often the platform of choice for new website owners due to the endless features and possibilities it offers. If you want to get complete control over your website, using an effective website builder and CMS is the only way forward.

   Alternatively, you can use other website builders like Webware’s All-in-One Solution, which takes care of all your website needs and helps you get up and running quickly.

3. Web Hosting

   Web hosting refers to where all of your website content is stored to make it accessible to people online. Usually, this is handled by an external firm that allows you to 'rent space' on their servers to make sure that your site is available to users 24/7.

   What are the different types of web hosting services?

   Here are a lot of different web hosting services you can opt for depending on your overall business needs.

   Shared Hosting	$2.49 – $15 per month
   VPS Hosting	$20 – $80 per month
   Dedicated Hosting	$80 – $300 per month
   Cloud Hosting	$4.50 – $240 per month
   WordPress Hosting	$4.99 – $830 per month
   Blog Hosting	$2 to $20 per month

   How much web hosting will cost for you depends on several factors such as the size of your website, the number of custom features it contains, the average number of monthly visitors you expect, and more.

4. SSL Certificates

   SSL or Secure Sockets Layer is a security protocol that provides privacy, authentication, and integrity to your internet communications.

   SSL certificates are an important part of websites as they secure data transfers, logins, personal information, and credit card transactions. With an SSL certificate on your website, a visitor's experience is more secure and will encourage them to stay on your website longer, making them more likely to convert.

   If you've ever noticed the little green lock in the URL bar for certain domains, that is an SSL certificate. This is a tell-tale sign of building user trust and is an absolute must when handling financial transactions or requesting personal information.

   Last, but certainly not least, Google considers SSL certificates as an important ranking factor. On top of that, search engines are cracking down on websites that are 'not secure' so it is definitely something to consider.

   What does all this tell you?

   Without an SSL certificate, your potential customers may have a difficult time finding or even accessing your website. This will affect the traffic you receive and therefore, profitability.

   How much does an SSL certificate cost?

   SSL Certificates can come free of cost and can go up to $450 per year. The average price range can be somewhere around $50.

   

All Things Considered, Here's How Much a Website Costs:

Depending on your needs, basic web development can cost you anywhere from $100 to $500 to $3000 and if you're looking to add more premium features, this price can easily increase by a few thousand dollars. However, if you just need something simple then you will be able to keep this cost down.

The next set of costs to consider are for your domain name, web hosting, and SSL certificate which costs about $150 per year on average. If you decide to go with a website builder, these will generally have the cost of web hosting and SSL certificates included so you will just need to purchase your domain name separately.

As your website and business expand, so will your online presence which can lead to some additional enhancements to improve functionality. It is important to assess your long-term goals and future needs so you can budget accordingly.

Webware Recommends:

• Set a realistic budget for your website before you decide to spend on various premium themes or plugins.
• Keep the costs low when you are just starting out and settle for a website builder for quick and easy content management.
• Create a checklist to determine whether you need a web developer for something custom or a website builder for something more simple.
• Think about potential features you might need in the future to make sure your website can handle them.
• Handling everything yourself may not be the best option for you so it might be worthwhile to consider an easy-to-use website builder that will give you the flexibility and peace of mind you need.

Need assistance in building your website? Get expert guidance at 1-844-WEBWARE.