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3C Digital

Digital Marketing for Small Business

Photography and Web Design

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Top 10 free plugins for WordPress

Top 10 free plugins for WordPress

  1. Akismet anti spam
  2. Bulletproof security
  3. Contact Form 7
  4. Favicon
  5. Google Analytics
  6. Pixabay Images
  7. Pixelyoursite
  8. WordPress editorial calendar
  9. WP Smush
  10. Yoast SEO

First of all, what are plugins exactly? A WordPress plugin is a software you add to the back end of your WordPress site that provides a certain function. The plugin’s function can vary depending on what you need. It can be for putting a gallery of pics on your site, or protecting it from hackers. It can even be used to compress photos you use so your site works faster.

In all the years we’ve used WordPress, we’ve come across different plugins. We figured out which free ones would be useful for a site. Here is our list of free wordpress plugins you need.

Akismet anti spam

This plugin is popular for millions of users. It protects your blog from spam, basically. It protects your site 24/7 so you can rest easy.

Bulletproof security

This one is for security protection, for things like malware, login security, database backup, anti-spam and more. It is effective, realiable and easy to use.

Contact form 7

The plugin can manage several contact forms for your Contact page. It is easy to customise and looks good too. It supports CAPTCHA and Akismet spam filtering.

Favicon

A favicon is that little image you see at the beginning of your page’s URL. This one generates the icons for desktop browsers, iPhone/iPad, Android devices and more.

Google analytics

This is a good way to add Google analytics tracking code to your website without changing any of the files. You can log in with Google from your WordPress dashboard and choose the site you want to link. Take your time checking out all the features.

Pixabay Images

If you use stockphotos, then this plugin is useful for you. It lets you insert a stockphoto from Pixabay anywhere on your blog. The images are safe to use and paying attribution is not required.

Pixelyoursite

This plugin is good if you have a Facebook page too. If you’re doing Facebook ads (and you should) this plugin helps you insert Facebook pixel code on every page of your site with just one click.

WordPress editorial calendar

This is how you manage your blog posts without having to be on your site all the time. Schedule your blog posts and check out your schedule through the calendar. It provides an overview of your scheduled posts.

WP Smush

The smush plugin will compress all your photos so that your site comes up faster. Make it a habit to upload smaller files. But if there are photos over 2MB the plugin will smush it for you.

Yoast SEO

You want this plugin. This is a favourite tool for SEO management and it is easy to use. If you get a headache talking about SEO then just use this one plugin for it.

Need help with your site and plugins? Contact 3CD for a free consult!

small business digital marketing

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3 Things that may be wrong with your website

Things that may be wrong with your website

  1. You don’t have a blog
  2. It’s not SEO-friendly
  3. Difficult navigation
  4. No obvious Search bar
  5. Few white space
  6. No Call-To-Action

There are several things that may be wrong with your website. Here we will tackle three of the most common mistakes prevalent today and how to fix them.

Given that your website is the place your customers will go to find more information about your business and your products/services, you want to make sure you get it right.

No blog

We’ve already talked about why your site needs a blog. So now it’s your turn to have one. If you already have one, then there are some things you need to think about. Are all your posts SEO-friendly? Being SEO-friendly means your site is easy to find on Google. And everyone uses Google. Is it reader-friendly? Once you go over the 600-word mark (sometimes even 300 words), people lose interest. Attention span today is very short, make sure your blog posts get to the point quickly. Make your post’s statistics easy to digest by creating pretty graphics to show them.

website healthDifficult navigation

It should go without saying, but unfortunately there are still websites today that have really difficult navigation. You will annoy visitors if they can’t navigate your site easily. For instance, is your contact page easy to find? What about your About page? Where are your social media links? Can visitors find the categories for your blog posts? Do you have a search bar? How many clicks before they find more info about your products/services?

No white space

Why does your site need white space? White space doesn’t mean unused space on your site. It gives eyes a place to rest and makes your website tidy and easy to read. Don’t fill your site up with too much text or pictures, or music and videos. Make it easy for your audience to see what’s on your site by having a good amount of white space. Also, this will help them find your Call-To-Action quite easily. Make sure you have a good-looking CTA that’s easy to read. Remember, you only have minutes to attract a customer, even seconds sometimes. Make the most of your site.

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3 reasons why you need a professional headshot

Why you need a professional headshot

  1. A selfie is not professional enough
  2. You need to look the part
  3. It is good for your small business
  4. Easier for publicity efforts
  5. Portrays who you are

In the era of selfies, we can be tempted to think that we can just use one for our small business website. But even the best selfie won’t compare to a proper photo. Here are three reasons why small businesses need a professional headshot.

Makes you look more professional

Your online presence is the first thing your potential customers will see when they search for your small business. Your About page will show the faces of you and your team. If you invest in a professional photo, your business will come across as more legitimate. That you’re in it for the long haul. A sharp, well-lit photo of you on your site also gives confidence to your site’s visitors, compared to a blurry selfie taken with little light.

professional headshotEasier for publicity/media

The aim for all small businesses is to get noticed – be it by potential customers or the media. Free publicity is good publicity. You want to make it easy for the media to have a good photo of you to go along with the story. A professional headshot can also be used for your marketing materials or social media profiles. It gives all your channels cohesion when you use a good professional shot for all of them.

Shows who you are

When we talk about professional headshots, it doesn’t mean you need to be in a studio. It depends on what your business is about. You have to think of your brand and what kind of service you provide. If you want something less corporate with more warmth, you can do the shoot outdoors. There are different types of headshots that convey different things. Have a think about what you want to portray and tell your photographer. It’s worth brainstorming.

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How to create good photos and videos for social media

Who wants to know how to create good photos and videos for their social media channels? If you’re a small-business owners who is still trying to figure out how to create dazzling social media posts without having to spend too much, here are some ways.

Read about it on Inside Small Business!

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3 Things to remember when setting up your website

Things to remember when setting up your website

  1. Pick a good copywriter
  2. Make sure your copy is compelling
  3. Use professional photos
  4. Ask for a quote and what’s included
  5. Set a timeline on when it’ll be finished

For some, creating a website can be quite daunting. Seeing codes and management systems that are unfamiliar can be enough to give you a headache. But in this day and age, having an online presence is important for small businesses. Here are some things to consider when setting up your website.

It’s not as expensive as you think

Gone are the days when your website will cost over $15,000 to create. The truth is that you only need to pay that much money if you want a complicated site that requires a lot of things (i.e., ecommerce, donations etc). If you just want something beautiful and/or professional but pretty straightforward, your annual cost for hosting and domain registration can be as low as $50 a year. All you’ll have to do is pick a ready-made template from the thousands of website designers out there who sell their templates from $69 up.

Pick a good copywriter

The design of your site is as good as the words written on it. There are a lot of copywriters out there who can express what you want to your clients in the best possible way. Go through their previous work and decide the best one that suits you. It is best to pick copywriters who have previous experience with writing copy for a small business website, that way they can also help you with things like the best way to present your business.

Get a good photo

Don’t use a selfie for your About page. This doesn’t mean that you need to hire an expensive professional photographer. These days, smartphones have great resolutions for photos. All you need to do is make sure you have a great background, great lighting and a great flattering pose. It’s a matter of knowing how to take a good photo more than buying expensive equipment. We all know that budget is tight but it doesn’t have to mean you have an amateur photo.

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Create great social media photos and videos for your small business

Create great social media photos and videos for your small business

  1. Use photo apps
  2. Try out the free apps first
  3. Invest in some props
  4. Try out flat lays
  5. Get a photo box

In this post we will show you how to create great social media photos and videos for your small business. Small businesses using social media these days know they need good photos and videos to stand out. One that looks professional and well done. But we also know it can be super expensive. Budget is already tight enough as it is, right? So what can you do to ensure that your social media videos and photos look amazing and also affordable? 

Photo apps

We are lucky that we live in the age when mobile phone cameras are getting better and better. Did you know that there are professional ads and mini movies out there being shot on phones these days? You can do the same, too! You can then enhance those photos using various free and paid phone apps. Use apps like Afterlight, Pro HDR, ProCamera and LittleMoments to edit your photos and use preset filters. Also try using stop-motion apps like iMotion to create engaging videos that showcase your products and services in a fun way. Some of these apps are free but even if they’re paid, they aren’t that expensive. Before you buy the paid ones, use their free trial period first.

Invest in some props

Don’t underestimate the value of tasteful props for your photography and videos. Flat lays are a great way to showcase your products. What’s a flatlay exactly? It’s an arrangement of things on a flat surface and taking the photo from above. Search for the hashtag ‘flatlay’ on Instagram and you’ll see great examples online. You don’t need expensive props for a great flat lay photo. All you need is good lighting and a well set arrangement. Don’t be afraid to experiment but also remember your brand colours when you start photographing. Natural lighting is your friend. You don’t need to buy expensive lighting, just a window.

Create great social media photos and videos for your small business

Get yourself a photo box

Invest in a portable softbox/light box for those amazing well-lit photos. If you search for ‘portable light box’ online, you’ll find find heaps of sellers. Check out the reviews before you buy one, and the final photos of those who have used it. Be careful you don’t pick the dodgy and cheaply made ones out there that will disintegrate after three uses. Get something that is easy to set up so it doesn’t take up a lot of your time when you use it. Do a couple of test shots and see which lighting is best for what you’re trying to do. Keep the light box clean and stash it away in a safe place that’s easy to access. We suggest you do a shoot for several hours at a time instead of a few minutes each day. That ways it takes less time and doesn’t intrude with your daily operations.

 

Do you need help to create great social media photos and videos for your small business? Get in touch with us for a FREE 30-minute strategy call!