The Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation (PSCDC) contacted MTECH Internet Marketing to help them establish a new website/ brand that focuses on promoting local business and relocation opportunities in Pagosa Springs Colorado. MTECH created a custom WordPress site that features several local business owners in slideshows.

The site is expected to expand in the future with more data and can be edited by PSCDC staff at will. Check it out at: http://pagosaspringscdc.org

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WordPress.com is a hosted solution and does not allow you to have access to the server, stylesheet, plugins or change the titles, descriptions, and page names. Without this access, you can’t do very much in terms of SEO or customization. WordPress.com is great for a small business owner who just wants a basic web presence and is just getting started. It is free hosting with WordPress.com and easy to set up.

Alternatively, WordPress.org is installed on a hosting account, so you need to purchase hosting, which averages $10/month.

On the first project, we thought we would simply export the existing WordPress information and then import it into WordPress.org.  This proved a bit more difficult than originally planned. Some of the content did not migrate nor did many of the photos. So, even though we were switching from a general WordPress theme, this proved to take hours instead of minutes.

The second project set up new hosting (through MTECH) and we started from scratch. We just needed to import a few posts, so that was fairly simple. Here is a screenshot of the original site:

Although it was a nice, clean site, the client wanted it to feel more like a website than a blog. He also wanted more control over the content and look/feel. By installing WordPress.org, we were able to access great form plugins, rotating text plugins and others to give his site more functionality.

We also were able to name pages and put in better search engine optimization with unique title, description and keywords on every page.

Here is a screenshot of the new site:

So, what should an owner do? It depends on your goals. If you want a simple blog or website and aren’t concerned with “getting found” on search engines or maintaining your brand, then start with WordPress.com. However, if you want more flexibility, search engine optimization and access to the thousands of plugins available, then you should start with WordPress.org.  For a cost of little more than $100/year (plus custom design fees if you want that feature), it is worth it.

If you need further assistance or are interested in having MTECH develop a quote for a custom WordPress CMS site, please contact us at 970-731-6325.

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Speaking at the Colorado Entrepreneurship Marketplace, MTECH Owner Marcy Mitchell helps the audience decide which type of website format to choose. In this short excerpt from her talk, she gives a few options from CMS sites, template sites, etc…

For more details on your web options, please contact Marcy Mitchell at 970-731-6325.

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Pagosa Springs preschool and child care provider, Seeds of Learning, approached MTECH to revise their existing site into an easier CMS tool. Although staff had been able to make text changes with Adobe Contribute, the software had gotten old and was limited to one computer. WordPress CMS system offered them the ability to add pages, update their menu bar, add slideshow galleries and make site-wide changes without software. Since the software lives in the “cloud”, anyone on staff can make changes on any computer that has Internet access.

In addition, the new site integrated their social media and Email marketing efforts and also added a blog. MTECH provided staff training and is now available on an “as needed” basis. Check out the new site at: http://growingseeds.org

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One of the largest and most visited websites in Pagosa Springs, Colorado just received a facelift. MTECH was proud to work with the Pagosa.com team to create a new look for Pagosa.com. We converted the site from a static HTML site to a WordPress CMS site so all staff will be able to login and make changes. In addition, we created a new home page slideshow, set up a new business directory that allows Pagosa Springs businesses to add/edit their own listings (pending approval) and purchase upgraded listings online. CHECK IT OUT!

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MTECH Internet Marketing launched a new website for a local timeshare re-sales company, Timeshare Shack recently. The site allows staff to add timeshare inventory, photos, change out the home slideshow and edit text.

Check it out: http://timeshareshack.com/

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MTECH recently completed a new website development project for Steamworks Brewing of Durango Colorado. This Durango restaurant and brewpub website features daily specials that the owner updates themselves as well as menus, food slideshows and a blog.

The site also integrates the company’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp and Tripadvisor pages.

Check it out at: http://steamworksbrewing.com

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Here is a great article from Bnet.com on reasons why you still need a great website:

At speaking engagement with about 200 small business owners, I asked how many spent more time on social media efforts than on maintaining/improving their websites.

The majority raised their hands. Then I asked how many saw their websites more like a Yellow Pages ad than a still dominant marketing and sales tool.

Surprisingly, about 40% kept their hands up. One said, “If a potential customer stumbles across my website, fine — but I’m not going to put effort into it anymore.”

That’s a terrible approach. Social media marketing may pay dividends, but you’ll always need a website.

Here’s why:

• Social media is largely “push.” Read more…
• Social media is rinse and repeat. Twitter was hot; now I’m not so sure. And Facebook faces real challenges from Google+. What new social media platforms and tools are in the works? Who knows — but building a presence on whatever does come next will require significant effort and yet another learning curve. Website innovation also continues, but at a slower and more manageable pace. From an investment point of view, resources allocated to your website generate longer-term returns.
• Social media content is far from evergreen. Say you sell a do-it-yourself product. The instructional content you create — articles, videos, slide shows, etc. — stays on your website forever. Tweets quickly disappear; same with Facebook updates. A great video on your website is the gift that keeps on giving, both in terms of customer satisfaction and from an SEO point of view. Same with articles and blog posts and photos.
• Websites create or extend your brand. Face it — no matter how hard you try to customize it, your Facebook page is still a Facebook page. And no amount of creativity will make your Twitter design look like anything other than a Twitter page. In a way you’re like a guy wearing a Nike t-shirt; you may wear the shirt, but the Nike brand wears you too.
• Websites tell stories. In many cases, especially in service businesses, potential customers don’t only want to know what you provide — they want to know about you. Creating a great About Us page establishes credibility while letting potential customers see the faces behind the business. So does social media… but not really, partly due to the medium and partly due to the fact…
• Social media is out of (your) control. Set aside the reality that social media creates conversations you only partly control. Social media platforms themselves are outside your control. Facebook could change policies for business users, LinkedIn could revamp its search function, and Twitter could decide losing more money no longer makes sense. The only online marketing platform you really control — and can count on — is your website.
• Social media generates interest; websites close. Potential customers only become customers after visiting your website (or physical location.) Social media marketing is really no different than a flyer or ad. Your website has the information, tools, resources, and incentives to convert potential customers into clients. What is more valuable in the sales world: lead generators or closers? A social media marketing campaign will only be as effective as the website that supports it.

By Jeff Haden

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With the recent explosion of social media, many companies and professionals are asking about the role of their website. In fact, some people wonder if they can just put up a Facebook page or use a social media page in place of a website. As with most marketing decisions, you should first consider three things…your brand, your audience, and search engine optimization.

If you simply want a little online presence, then maybe that is enough. But, will your customers be researching more than just your name? You need to evaluate if a social media page can truly communicate your “brand” and your “benefits”. According to a recent article on MediaPost.com, “…more than 40% of customers now say they will not buy a brand if they can’t find the right information about it online.” So, if someone researches your company on a search engine, does the social media page really tell the full benefits as to why they would like to do business with you? Furthermore, the article suggests that “…online research by consumers also influences the purchase decisions for everyday products like shampoo and fast foods, where over 20% of customers say they will not touch a brand without first seeing the required online information about it.” Can a one-page social media site or page give your customers all the required online information?

Secondly, if your audience consists of a majority of people who have not yet embraced the social media age, then you will be missing out. The most active members of Facebook are between the ages of 18-35. Those are based on national statistics. However, does that reflect your audience? Many of the business owners I work with are in small markets in Colorado. You have to survey your customers to find out if they get the majority of their information through Facebook or Twitter. Many people 40+ year-olds may check their Facebook page occassionally, but do not do significant research into companies through Facebook. I believe a company should get a Facebook page and get involved with social media, but they need to continue with website marketing and Email marketing to touch the full range of their customer base.

Third, you need to consider search engine optimization. A website with a blog can rank high for a number of both quality keywords and long-tail keywords, but a single page on a social media site cannot do this. In addition, your blog articles are an integral part of a social media strategy and will drive traffic back to your website/blog. Social media and SEO go hand in hand when used strategically to gain a larger audience and better ranking. Most of my website clients still get the highest amount of traffic from organic search. In fact, they often get 10x more traffic from organic search than from their social media pages.

Owner Marcy Mitchell coaches business owners in the Four Corners area of Colorado about Internet marketing, social media and website development. She has been developing websites for the past 15 years as well as blogs and social media pages. For a free consultation, call 970-731-6325.

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