​Last week, 13 July, Christine Huntingford from Perfect Layout Digital Marketing was invited to give a presentation at the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) breakfast meeting, where members and visitors attended. She thought long and hard about what to talk to them about and decided to make it an interactive session with the participants and let them know in 10 minutes, after a few simple checks, whether their website was working well for their business and whether their website and digital marketing need some real Tender Loving Care (TLC).

Firstly, to get a sense of their initial thoughts she asked the following questions:

• Do you have a website?
• Is your website generating you regular leads, either through phone calls, emails or contact forms?
• Was your website was redesigned and updated in the last 12-18 months?
• Are you happy with your website provider?

This gave everyone a moment to reflect not only if were they genuinely happy with their current service, but also to validate if this was a way in which they were bringing in customers.
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Now we know its all very easy to think that everything is fine with our website, but how do we really know? Well, these next simple tasks can reveal whether your website is working for you. You can do this for your site at any time.

Task 2
Whilst before you were asked not to type in your company name into the browser, this time, do exactly that. For example, for our Company it would be, ‘Perfect Layout Digital Marketing’.

Can you see the Google My Business (GMB) listing for your business? Can you also see photos, posts and full details about your company? Do you have reviews?

If it’s a ‘yes’ for all of that, that is excellent! You are on track with taking full advantage of GMB’s latest updates and features.
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If you didn’t, Perfect Layout can help you either set up a Google My Business, or help you enhance what you already have there.

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​Task 3
Keeping the page that you had open for task 2, now scroll down the results page, do you have your business listed in external directories? Such as Yell, Thomson, Netmums, or any online directory for your sector?

If you have more than 3 external directory listings, you are doing well, these connections on external sites help give your website relevancy and demonstrate that you are an active business.
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If you are not  listed on any external directories, it is recommended that this strategy is employed in order to help your business get found.

​Task 4
Does your website have a blog section? If it does, was the last post published within the last month?
If this is you - congratulations! You are doing a good job of sharing news about your company’s activities and products to your community.

If you don’t, get in touch with Perfect Layout about the benefits of a blog, which can help your website rank better.
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​In the second half of the presentation we introduced an alternative strategy for phone-based businesses who don’t have the money to invest in a new website or redesign of their current website -  but need to be earning more money and secure new customers.

To clarify, a phone-based business is when people would call you as their primary way of contacting you, rather than via email or walking into your business premises.

Let’s imagine the following:
Our client, a dentist, gets some enquiries from his website, but he would like more. His family is growing and they need a bigger house, but what he is currently earning isn’t quite enough to be able to move, just yet. He doesn’t have the money to rebuild his website and invest in keyword-rich content.

However, as a phone-based business, he has the option of securing potential customers through a customer generating website that’s run by a digital marketing agency. This website will generate new contacts specifically for his business by creating a new website free of charge. It will be found organically on the top pages of search engines and could bring him that extra revenue that he is looking for. From these new clients there’s a high likelihood of them becoming repeat customers, who will visit for check-ups, as well as the need for ad hoc additional treatments. Fabulous recurring revenue for years to come.

It’s a no brainer – so where's the catch? It’s simply a matter of paying a small fee to the digital marketing agency for each enquiry that comes via that website.
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If this has struck a chord with you and you would like your business to build up its client base and recurring customers, give us a call today to talk about whether your niche would suit such a website.

5- LinkedIn
LinkedIn is easily one of the most popular professional social networking sites or apps and is available in over 20 languages.

It is used across the globe by all types of professionals and serves as an ideal platform to connect with different businesses, locate and hire ideal candidates and more. It also boasts over 500 million members.

The more precise demographical data about people you are connected with is usually behind a pay-wall (a tool to monetize digital content securely and efficiently) such as on LinkedIn. 171 million users are based in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The U.S. has the largest national user base (146 million members), followed by India, China and Brazil.

49% of college graduates use LinkedIn.

45% of adults making more than US$75,000 per year are on LinkedIn.

More than 46 million students and recent college graduates use LinkedIn. They are the networking site’s fastest-growing demographic.

Number of active users per month: 250 million approximately

Love them or loathe them, social media platforms are a must for all business owners to use. Denying your business a presence on the right social media platforms could lose you leads, revenue and repeat custom.

If you are overwhelmed with where you should start, give Perfect Layout Digital Marketing a call to see how we can help build the right social media strategy for you.

Christine Huntingford, CEO, Perfect Layout Digital Marketing will be one of the guest speakers at the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (HCCI) breakfast meeting this Friday (13 July). She will talk about how businesses need to invest in their website and digital marketing; in order to stay ahead of the competition. Breakfast meetings are free to members and guests are welcome too.

​Come along on Friday 13 July to the Havering Museum in Romford and join the members and guests of the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry to hear Christine share ways for you to check if your website is easily found (or not); your website is the foundation of your digital marketing strategy and if that isn’t right, that is where you need to start first. From there we can build the blocks to ensure that you are engaging with potential customers on a regular basis.

​The meeting starts at 7:30am for networking and the speakers will be presenting between 8am and 9am. There is a further opportunity to network until 9:30am.
​Guests welcome: £10 on the door.

Tip 4 – create different device campaigns
It’s common that households today have multiple laptops, tablets and smartphones that cater for the uses of all the family. According to KISSMetrics, “over 40% of smartphone users watch TV while browsing a smartphone.” Because people are now adept at multi-tasking on this level, it’s important that marketing campaigns are adjusted to take into account the device, location and time of day of the end user. This way, you will be able to maximise your return on investment by delivering content that is relevant to different members of your audience.
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Tip 5 – send out timely alerts
Have you ever found yourself checking your phone even when it’s not made one of those little ‘ping’ noises? Well you’re not alone. If you have done your research and truly know your audience and the time they would like to receive these alerts, take advantage of people wanting to look busy by sending out notifications of your latest discounts, savings or next big event.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is offered as a starting point to help businesses create a strategy.​

It was back in January 2018 when I, Christine Huntingford, one of the founders at Perfect Layout Digital Marketing attended the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) networking event in Havering.
 
It was there that I bumped into Simon Lewin, Business Growth Manager (BGM) from Building Legacies. He got talking to me about how he, as a BGM, helped start-ups and young companies with business mentoring free of charge.
 
My first question was, what ‘free’ free? To which Simon said ‘yes’. He explained that Building Legacies is a fully funded business support programme, delivered in partnership by Newham College Centre for Innovation and Partnerships (CIPs)  and East London Business Place (ELBP), that offers tailored solutions for London-based Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) seeking competitive business advantage.
 
After the meeting I did some more research and found that Building Legacies is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with the purpose of delivering a support programme that tackles gaps in SMMEs’:

• growth
• innovation
• contract-readiness
• knowledge of procurement and supply-chain requirements

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Whilst it’s only been a couple of months, our journey so far with Building Legacies has been rich and rewarding. The support and areas of focus that we are currently working on is pushing us harder and faster than we would have done otherwise.
 
We have been provided with expert business guidance that has opened our eyes and encouraged us to focus on areas of the business that we may not have addressed at this stage. It has also provided us with the opportunity to think about ways of expanding our product offering.
 
We feel very grateful to have bumped into Simon at that networking event. Not only have we received great mentoring (as described above) we have also been offered the option to attend free training workshops and been introduced to business owners in need of new websites or help with their digital marketing.
 
Building Legacies offers this programme predominantly (but not exclusively) to companies in construction, digital/creative and care-related sectors. Their aim is to assist them in becoming better businesses by providing tailored solutions through:

• workshops
• masterclasses
• networking
• meet the Buyer events
• 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring

 
For SMMEs that take part, they will find themselves considering; new and legacy market opportunities; locating new customer bases and identifying and capitalising on new opportunities to grow their business.
 
The Building Legacies business support programme is one that we would highly recommend. If you are in East London with a new business idea or your company has a turnover of less than £5m, seriously consider being mentored by Simon or one of his colleagues. It’s a challenging process that is extremely rewarding.
 
If you’re interested in taking advantage of this scheme, you must complete and return a registration form. To get this, email info@elbp.co.uk  or call on 020 7537 6480.
 
For more information visit: https://buildinglegacies.co.uk/
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When people think of branding, they often associate it with having a great logo or a memorable name. But branding goes far beyond the visual aspects of your business. So what exactly is a brand?

The short answer is: everything.

Your brand includes things such as the look and feel of your website, your customer service and how you engage on social media. It represents every single aspect of your business. Your company’s branding will influence what people think about your business and whether they perceive your brand as being reliable, fun, modern, attractive, cutting edge etc.

Beyond just having a memorable logo, good branding increases the value of your company. For larger organisations it provides employees with a purpose and direction. When done correctly it can make getting new customers easier. When all of these parts of the business are working well, the overall brand tends to be in a good position.

After formalising a company, anyone serious about their new business will set themselves the tasks of:

• getting a logo designed
• organising business cards/stationary to be designed and printed
• getting a website built
• creating company pages on social media platforms

Now whilst these are all essential and worthwhile jobs has thought gone into how the branding of the company fits in? Is it being done in the right way?
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Let’s take a look at how the brand impacts your business:

Recognition
It’s not surprising that the first thing people associate with branding is the logo; as it’s the first component that people tend to see. Logo design is critical because that simple graphic or icon will be on everything that you do. A professional logo design should be created so that it is simple enough to be remembered - but it must also convey the desired impression of your company.

A professional appearance builds credibility and trust. People are more likely to purchase from a business that appears professional and polished, rather than something that looks ‘cobbled together’ or done on a very tight budget. Getting this step wrong could seriously impact the success of your business. Once you have established a (bad) reputation, it’s hard to change it.

Positive recognition is essential because it develops a good relationship between your business and your customers.

Trust and Confidence
People are more likely to buy again from a company when their first experience was good, or when someone has recommended them. Through their own experience they too build confidence and trust with you and your products or services. Once you start to be recognised, you begin to distinguish yourself from your competitors.  Strong brands can feel like an extension of you. Just think of the products you buy that you just wouldn’t buy from any other brand.
 
Loyalty
A strong brand, with a professional structure behind it, will begin to build loyalty. Once all the aforementioned factors are working in harmony, you are likely to have a customer base that will keep coming back for more.
 
Advertising
Advertising is another component of your brand strategy. It is essential for your business to bring customers to you and communicate to the world what your business offers. If it resonates with your would-be customer, then your brand will draw them to your business.

It is important to have thought through what you want to advertise, how you want to advertise and where and when you want to advertise. Not thinking through your message and tactics properly may not achieve the desired effect that you want. If done badly, it could lose you money and damage your brand.

New Customers
Branding enables your company to get referral business from those that are now loyal to you. This is where all companies want to be, as it is the most profitable advertising source. Word-of-mouth referrals are only possible where you have built a solid reputation on delivering a great product or service.

Let customers engage with your brand
Being on social media will allow customers the opportunity to engage directly with your brand. You can do this by simply creating a hashtag for your business, which should feature in every post you publish. This will help people remember the brand if they see this in every post.

Branding motivates employees
Many people choose the companies they want to work for because they are aligned with their ethos and practices. People often aren’t simply looking for work, but looking for their ideal employer. When employees understand your mission and reason for being, they are more likely to feel that same pride and passion and will align their attitude with the company’s.

Take the time to invest in your brand
Unfortunately, many businesses don’t prioritise branding and this is a huge mistake. Poor branding impacts your business in many negative ways and can threaten the survival of your company. Your brand is the face of your business. How do you want people to feel about your brand?

Invest the time, energy and resources to develop a brand that you’re proud of. This is not a quick win – good branding takes time and planning. But remember that it’s worth the investment and it will help boost your profits.

If you need advice on branding for your business or are looking for a website design in Essex, then look no further. Call Perfect Layout Digital Marketing on 01708 578 015, email us at hello@perfectlayout.co.uk or complete the contact form below.
 

​So we landed in Las Vegas yesterday afternoon for this year’s annual conference. It’s the first year that we are attending. As with any industry conference, you have to decide which are the right ones for you. You need to evaluate what you are going to gain from it and consider whether or not it will see a return on your investment.

We knew that this was the year that we were going to make it to Las Vegas and that it would tick all three boxes. Whilst we could have saved ourselves the expense of the trip, and watched the online videos when they became available, we decided that we had to be there to gain the most from the experience. It was time to head on over to meet our peers face-to-face, share our experiences and learn from theirs.
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The 10-hour flight passed quickly (thanks Virgin for your stream of food and drinks - though your entertainment system’s touch screen was frustrating to say the least!). The two-hour wait to make it through passport control was not so much fun. By the time we got to our hotel, we were feeling the strain of the long day. 

A little siesta helped recharge the batteries and we soaked up the bright, brash adult theme park that is Vegas. The temperature was high and the desert wind felt like someone was blowing a hairdryer over our bodies as we walked the strip - it took some getting used to!

Today, our bodies have adjusted to the US time-zone. We have explored the hotel and got our bearings for the conference tomorrow. There are plans on the Facebook group to meet up with delegates later and we can’t wait…

These next few days, will bring us up to speed with digital marketing changes and give us the opportunity to immerse ourselves with experts who have walked the path that we are walking on. We hope to make new friendships, some that may last a lifetime.

Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and trust that things will work out and we can already feel that this will happen.
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We will keep posting on our learnings and adventures, so watch this space!

Christine Huntingford, CEO, Perfect Layout Digital Marketing will be one of the guest speakers at the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (HCCI) breakfast meeting in July.

Many business owners are busy working ‘in’ their business and rarely take the time to work ‘on’ their business. Are you one of them?

When was the last time you really looked at your website? Does it really work for you in the way that you want it to - i.e. are you getting leads from it? Do you know how easy it is for potential customers to find you? Is your social media activity where it should be?

We all know that there is more that we can, and should, do. Often the, ‘time thief’, prevents us from taking action. But there are simple and relatively quick things that you can implement (if you haven’t already) that can make a big difference. Some elements cost you time, not money. And those that do cost money, can be scaled to what is affordable for you.
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Come along on Friday 13 July to the Havering Museum in Romford and join the members and guests of the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry to hear Christine share ways for you to check if your website is easily found (or not) and things that you can implement quickly.

The meeting starts at 7:30am for networking and the speakers will be presenting between 8am and 9am. There is a further opportunity to network until 9:30am.

​Guests welcome: £10 on the door.
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​Have you been gripped by World Cup fever? Wherever you live in the world, it would be hard to avoid the pull of watching two teams of grown men kicking a ball about. Whether you’re an ardent fan or occasional watcher, like myself, every four years I find that I am drawn into the highs and lows of watching a sport that unites the world.

It’s the world-wide appeal of this tournament that intrigues me. That a ball, kicked about by 22 men, is able to grab the attention of so many different people, from countries across the world, that are from such varied walks of life. A marketer’s dream!

Imagine having a target audience of billions that is ready to buy a wide range of products associated with the event and the nations home team… football kits, balls, books, clothes, teddy bears and hair accessories are just a few items that established businesses and budding entrepreneurs with a keen eye for making quick money are ready to sell to a hungry public.

If you are one of the billions of people already glued to their TVs – here are a few facts about this event that may surprise you:

• Construction and preparation for the 2018 World Cup have cost $11.8 billion for Russia.
• The tournament comes amid allegations of corruption against FIFA, soccer's international governing body.
• FIFA is expected to rake in about $6 billion in revenue from the 2018 World Cup, up 25 percent from the previous tournament.
• Teams will win portions of the $400 million in total prize money up for grabs, according to FIFA, from $8 million per team for participating to $38 million for the winner.

Whilst these amounts of money are positively eye-watering, it just shows that money really does make the world go around! Are you ready to get your portion by having your website reach the target audience it deserves?  Get in touch on 01708 578 015 if you’re ready to make that happen.
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If your business has a website, it is important not to see yourself as a stand-alone island with no links to other shores. If you want your island to be successful it needs to have connections with other islands that are well connected too.

In other words, having your website is just one of the steps of having a good online presence. However, it is imperative to take the time to list your business on other online directories too; so that they not only promote your services, but also add authority that you’re a current and valid business to approach.

When creating your listing on directories, like Thomson; on websites like NetMums, or on social media platforms like Facebook, you should include as much information about your business as possible. This includes giving obvious information such as your name, address and phone number (NAP).

Google My Business has made many changes to their features (read our article: What's new with Google My Business?). All businesses should list their information on it as a starting point in creating citations.

Why is it worth taking the time to cite your business on directories?
It allows you to be found by a greater number of customers through search engines like Google.  The more directories your business is cited on, the better chance you will have for your business to rank highly in organic search.
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With the majority of users turning to their mobile device to look for products, information and services, online directories help facilitate being found at any time, from anywhere. Do you want to miss out on potential business because you didn’t take the time to invest in this digital strategy?
Each directory company will offer different features, but this is what you may be asked to provide:

• Business Name, Address, Phone Number
• Description of the business products / services
• Opening hours
• Media relating to the business (photos or videos)
• Methods of payment accepted
• Reviews/Ratings
• Links to the company website and social media platforms
• Blogs

Listing a business on a directory is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. If you choose to give it a go yourself, make sure you do the job properly. If you don’t, it could affect your income, online rankings as well as your reputation.

Follow these tips to ensure that search engines, like Google, view you as a business that’s real and trustworthy and ultimately worth ranking:

• Be accurate with what you write. Your NAP should be consistent across all directories
• List your business once per directory
• Keep track of where your business is cited. If what your business offers changes (hours, phone number etc), then this will need to be reflected on your citations
• If reviews or complaints are written, have a strategy of how you’ll be alerted to this.  Good customer practice is to follow up on all comments and actively engage with people

Remember, citations that are accurate will help your business get noticed. So what are you waiting for?

If you don’t have the time, or the inclination, to do this, the team at Perfect Layout can help you. Fill in your details below and we’ll get in touch to find out more about your business.

If you have accessed your Google My Business (GMB) listing recently you may have noticed some changes. Whilst you may think, ‘here we go again, another thing to add to my to-do list’ it is worth taking the time to update your profile and ensure that everything is relevant and fresh.

If you are a small business you will know that reaching a wide customer base can be tricky. With this free-to-use profile, invest the time to make your business shine. Be one of the leaders in this change making sure that your profile is singing your praises from the rooftops.

If you haven’t created a Google My Business listing, Perfect Layout Digital Marketing recommends that you do. Not only does it show the essence of what your business has to offer, but the new features means that this platform is more attractive than before.

Why is local SEO so important?
If you are a local business, local SEO could have a huge impact on the success or failure of your business. You can use local SEO to outrank the competition. The relevant information is accessible for everyone to take advantage of and whilst many local businesses spend their time running their business, digital marketing is usually at the bottom of their list of things to do.

For companies making use of local SEO and in the case of Google My Business, taking advantage of the new features demonstrates to potential customers that they are: staying up-to-date, that they are knowledgeable and well-informed and that they are taking strides to separate themselves from the competition. The result is that it can help secure potential customers more easily. Would you like this to be you?

So what’s new with the Google My Business Listing?

Information section
This is a snapshot of the most important information that a potential customer may be interested in The information section includes opening hours, reviews, address, phone number etc.

Company Description
Ok, so what’s so great about the description feature? Well it’s back! And that IS exciting. When Google My Business was called Google Places, the description section about your company was available, but then they took it away. Now all businesses have the opportunity to describe the wonder of their business on GMB in 750 words or less. Make sure you spend time writing a description that will attract customers to engage with you.

Messaging
In 2017, Google released a new messaging feature, which allows you to 'live message' with customers directly from the search results page. So if a customer has a quick question, when you have this function enabled they can send you a message and in an instant you can reply…talk about fabulous customer service before they have even come to you!
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If your information changes, like your business location, name, or telephone number, Google will allow you to easily make updates to your dashboard. This is another feature that they once removed but has resurfaced again and it is this tool that will help you make changes more easily.
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Videos
Yes Google My Business Photos has added video content as a feature. Posting videos on your listing can help encourage customers to stay on your listing for longer and therefore find out more about you. These videos can give you the edge to your competitors. Currently, video clips are limited to 30 seconds in length and they will feature next to the photo section.

Restaurant Menus
If the business you own is a restaurant and your listing is categorised as a restaurant (vs a café or bistro), Google have been thinking hard about you guys. Restaurant owners can now add and edit menus on their Google My Business listing. There is now a facility that will allow you to categorise the food into sections, such as starters, mains and desserts, as well as adding descriptions and prices.

Again, this is a powerful tool that can help you stand out from the crowd. Why is your restaurant different from the others in your area, what makes you special? Do you have something unique? Do you have special offers?  Remember to include as much information as you can to help you stand out and get the diners through the door.

Posts
‘Posts’ is the most exciting feature that looks to have a big impact on local businesses and their local search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. The feature will allow businesses to quickly connect with customers, both new and old, in a unique and attention grabbing way.

Posts allow you to share content with people who are searching for terms related to your business. It can be seen as a cross between social media marketing and search engine optimisation. It not only allows you to increase the visibility of your business, it also offers a way in which you can give deeper information about your services and products, that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. You can also post links to your website and include call to action buttons like ‘Buy’ or ‘Learn More’. Using Posts also helps you to get more of the organic search impressions and clicks.

When you decide to include Posts on Google as part of your local SEO strategy, remember that this task will never stop. This is another beast that will need constant feeding. However, it is worth giving it a try. What have you got to lose versus how much do you have to gain?
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If all of this just seems too much, help is at hand. Give Perfect Layout Digital Marketing a call on 01708 578015, or fill out the quick form below so we can get in touch with you.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on 25 May 2018. This is a new legislation, enforced by the European Commission, which aims to strengthen and unify data protection for individuals within the European Union (EU), whilst also addressing the use and dissemination of personal data outside the EU.
 
The two main objectives of GDPR are to:
1) give individuals back control of their personal data
2) simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU
 
The key changes of GDPR from the Data Protection Act 1998 fall under the following areas:

• Penalties
• Consent
• Breach Notification
• Right to Access
• Right to be Forgotten
• Data Portability
• Privacy by Design
• Data Protection Officers

 
To understand the full details for each of these areas take a look at the EU GDPR website.

GDPR is intended for every business that collects and stores data and the GDPR recognises that smaller businesses need to be treated differently to large or public companies. Article 30 of the regulation declares that organisations with fewer than 250 employees do not need to strictly follow GDPR. That said though, when you read the stipulations, it is highly recommended that they do.
 
The penalties for not being compliant are high; including individuals being able to seek for compensation from businesses that abuse their data. This applies to both large and small companies.
 
How will this change when we leave the EU?
Although the UK has voted to leave the EU, UK businesses will need to follow these regulations if the data they handle is about EU individuals. GDPR replaces the UK 1988 Data Protection Act (DPA), and will continue to do so once Brexit has been implemented.
 
Perfect Layout hopes that this article has helped you to understand some basics about GDPR and has signposted you to some useful resources. We highlight to all our clients the importance of GDPR, especially when it comes to collecting data via their websites. If you have any question, give us a call on 01708 578 015.

Perfect Layout Digital Marketing is supporting the local community and is happy to be supporting the Summer Fayre at St Peter’s Primary School this year.

If you’re free on Saturday 30 June from 11am - 3pm, come along and have a fun day out with your family and help a local school provide better services for their pupils. The school is located on Dorset Avenue in Romford.

​All monies raised by the event will directly help the Parents' Association fund equipment and activities for the children.
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There are good websites and there are bad websites. If you have had a website for a while, but you find that you are not getting much from it, in terms of traffic, leads, calls etc, it could be that people are finding your website tricky to navigate or difficult to find the right information. I know it’s hard, but every six months or so, it is worth doing an audit of your website with, 'a fresh pair of eyes’, to check that everything is relevant and it all still makes sense.

Is it mobile-optimised?
The first thing to check is whether or not your website is on a mobile optimised platform? If not, the search engines will penalise your organic rankings. You will also find that customers, who have to pinch and expand the page to read the text, will more often bounce off to find another website that has a better user experience.
- Check: Is your website built on a mobile optimised platform?

Is your site easy to navigate with clear navigation buttons?
Most websites follow a similar structure which includes, a home page, an about page, pages on the services that you offer and a contact page. It may also be useful to have pages about the areas you serve, a portfolio of what you offer (whether it’s services or products) and even a testimonial page.
- Check: Are your navigation headers clear for a brand new visitor to understand?

Do you explain what you do?
It is all well and good you knowing what you do, but is this clear to your potential customers? If your business is selling products, do they have relevant descriptions that will help minimise the chance of those products being returned? If you offer a service, do you explain, in everyday language, what it is that you offer? When you work in a particular sector, it can become second nature to speak the jargon of that industry. But would everybody be able understand such specific terminology? Also make sure that you have clear headings throughout each page to make it easy to skim read. Often people are time-poor, so make your website a breeze to read through.
- Check: Is your website easy to understand? Ask a friend or family member to read through to see if it is clear to them. Do they have any questions about elements that remain unclear?
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Can you add more visual elements to your website?
As they saying goes: ‘A photo tells a thousand words.’ Remember to include high resolution photos (that are saved for web) that convey clearly your products and services. If you offer a service then show before and after photos of projects that you have worked on. Be proud of the transformation that you can achieve.
- Check: What are the photos like on your site? Do you have relevant images that are crystal clear? Blurry photos will convey a slap-dash image of your company.
 
Do you have ways that customers can reach you?
The majority of users will be viewing your website on a mobile device. No longer is it OK to have your phone number only on the Contact Us page. Think about adding your contact details in your footer, so that it is easy to find you. If you are on a mobile optimised platform your web designer will be able to enable phone number hyperlinks, so that visitors can click on your number and call you straight away. Also think about other Call to Action buttons that you could include on each page.
- Check: How you can optimise better user engagement on every page, so that visitors can contact you immediately. Does your footer have contact details?

What are your customers saying about you?
If you are getting positive feedback from clients, then add this to your website. Why not create a testimonial page to enable new visitors to see what your customers think of you. Lots of lovely reviews will more likely result in a new visitor engaging with you.
- Check: When did you last upload a testimonial? Visitors will look for recent reviews, so keep adding them to your site.

Is your logo on your website?
Add your logo to the top left of your pages. The readers’ eyes will read from left to right and top to bottom. So by adding your logo to the top left will ensure that it is the first thing the reader sees. This implants your branding into their memory; making it easier to remember you when they re-visit your site.
- Check: Is your logo positioned in the top left hand corner?

For more user-friendly tips for your website visit Hubspot’s article.
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Is your website in need of redesigning in order to make it a more user-friendly? Or perhaps you want to take this opportunity to start afresh? Either way, give Perfect Layout Digital Marketing a call on 01708 578 015.
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On 19 May, all eyes worldwide, will be back on them as the marriage between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle takes place at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Perfect Layout wish them all the best on their big day and we encourage you - our readers - to think about the branding of your business. Does it have what it takes to carry your products and services forward and produce a great income for the long term?
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Get in touch if you require another perspective on how your website can help create for you a solid brand that will last the test of time.
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Even if what you offer is a generic service, your website can incorporate a portfolio of the work you have undertaken. Excellent ways of capturing this are by having before and after shots or images that detail the progress more in-depth. If you’re not good at taking photos, why not hire a photographer that is willing to follow you around for a day or two, taking photos while you work. These don’t need to be staged, they can be documentary-style photos capturing you in a natural way.
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We live in a competitive age, where businesses that do the same as you are peering over your digital shoulder. It’s important that you take the time and think of ways you can stand above the opposition and entice people to choose you over them.

​There are other ways to make your website reflect your personality and below is our sum up of some definite, 'must do's'.
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Are you a local company in the Essex area that would like to connect with new customers? If the answer is yes - why not get in touch so that you can feature in our bi-monthly blog, Interview with...

​The purpose of this blog spot is for Perfect Layout to get to know local businesses better and share with our readers the personal experiences of these companies. What has worked for them and what they could do a little better…

Perfect Layout believe that sharing knowledge and experiences is a great way to help other local businesses. Attracting customers to the Essex area is paramount if independent companies are to thrive. As a result, we are keen to promote the new, bold and varied companies that exist right here on our Essex doorstep.

Read on to find out more about a talented designer that may just have that niche gift you've been looking for...​

The thought of networking can fill some people with dread. They can’t think of anything worse than being in a room full of strangers. I have been there myself too.
 
I used to run and manage events when I was in the magazine media industry. Because it was ‘my’ event, many of the delegates that were there, I had spoken to before via emails and/or phone calls  so striking up a conversation face-to-face was much easier. However, there were occasions when I attended other events and found myself in a room full of complete strangers. It was so daunting! Especially when I saw clusters of people already chatting – I assumed they already knew each other…or did they?

Over the years, I learned two top tips that I would like to share with you now:

1. Go up to someone who is also on their own and strike up a conversation. It is likely that they are super nervous and having that 'fish out of water’ feeling like you. I’m sure they would welcome someone else to talk to.
   
2. If there isn’t anyone on their own, gauge the room and find a small group and ask if you can join them. It takes courage, but it is highly unlikely that anyone is ever going to say no. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I remember once being at an awards night and there, during the welcome drinks reception, was a well-known comedian looking a little bit lonely and awkward. He was watching people milling about below from where he was standing on a balcony. I went over and said ‘hi’. As it turned out, a magazine that he was writing a column for was up for an award. We had a chat for a short while and before we parted company he thanked me for coming over and introducing myself. So remember, even those in the public eye that appear confident can turn up to an event and feel anxious and alone. As humans, we all appreciate someone extending a welcoming hand of friendship, however fleeting that may be. 

What networking events are out there?
As a digital marketing company based in Havering, Essex, here are some regular networking events that we have come across:

• Your Business Community – this is top of our list as it was last week’s event that inspired this blog.
  
• Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry – it offers a number of events and meet-ups including a monthly networking breakfast every month with guest speakers.
  
• BNI – this is for those who are really serious about networking. This group works because those who commit to it are there to really push referral business and they work hard on their elevator pitch and asking the group for introductions.
  
• You can also look at your local council’s website for networking groups in your area. The London Borough of Havering Business Development organises regular events including Women in Business events every quarter.
  
• Enterprise Nation - hold meet-ups in across various regions. They are free to members and there is a small charge for non-members.
  
• Havering B-Hive holds monthly meetings in Yates Romford at 10am on the last Thursday of every month. 
  
• Women in Business Network - WIBN run events every month at groups across the country.

To conclude…
Networking can deliver more return on investment than any other tool in business. Those who believe in networking agree that in both financial and non-financial terms their network has delivered a lot of value.
 
Getting results from networking can take a while. People who buy from people, will usually invest time before committing, so networking is not a quick-fix to finding new business. Time is needed to build trust and you need to show up regularly to ensure that you are recognised and remembered for what you do.
 
Every time you network, remind yourself of the following:

• If you don’t tell them, they will never know: Don’t be afraid to mention what you do. Usually when you ask someone what they do, they will ask you in return. Remember the elevator pitch mentioned earlier. Fine-tune what you do and say it in less than 60 seconds.
• If you don’t ask, you don’t get: Whether it’s about asking if someone can introduce you to that person you’re dying to meet, or directly asking if they may need your services. Just ask, what’s the worst that can happen? Yes they may say no but you'll be no worse off than you were before.

 
The last top tip of networking is to always exchange contact details before you part company. Don’t just give them yours, always ask for theirs so that you have the opportunity to follow up.
 
A good network is nothing more than an extended circle of friends. It’s a two-way street of helpful relationships. Good luck!

So, with that in mind, we are appealing to our wonderful readers to get involved and start sending us in questions...Is there something you’ve always wondered about but never had the time, or nerve, to ask? Well, this is your opportunity! Feed your curiosity and let us know what you’re thinking.

You can get in touch via email, by completing the form on our contact page or by giving us a call on 01708 578 015. Once we’ve taken your question we’ll ask if you would like a personal reply or you can wait until it goes live on our blog and read it alongside the rest of the online world.

Below, is a list of the questions we’ve been asked (and answered) so far:

• ​I’m a small business do I really need a website?
• I have a website address that I want to keep, is that possible or do I need to buy a new one when I have a new website built? What will happen to the Search Engine Optimisation efforts from my current site?
• How long will it take you to build a website from scratch?
• How do I get a professional looking email address?
• How much does it cost to redesign my current website?
• How do I buy a website address for my new business?
• How much does it cost to redesign my current website?
• How much does it cost to build a website from scratch?
• I have my new website all set up now, what’s next?
• My business is currently listed on independent directories does it matter if the details are slightly inconsistent?
• I like the content of the home page but feel it is too long. Will people really want to read so much and can it be shortened?
• I’ve heard of GMB, but have no idea what it is…
• What is GDPR and does it impact all businesses?
• My current website doesn’t have a blog. Do I really need one?

So what are you waiting for? ​We look forward to answering your questions.