John Stoneman

How to Make your Small Business Website Succeed

Around 50% of small businesses now have a website. This is still a low number considering over 90% use the internet to search for a business.  Having a website puts you ahead of 50% of your competitors. However, is there anything you can do to make your website work harder for your business?

Fortunately the answer is yes! This is because there are lots of strategies you can do to make your website stand out from your competition and bring in lots of happy customers……. Read more…

Three Reasons why your Website needs Videos

videos for websites

Videos are now considered one of the best ways for people to engage with your website. Over the last few years there has been an incredibly fast move away from websites using just words and photos. Although words and photos are still important, videos are now a necessary feature for many websites.

Having at least one video on your website is a great way to tell your story and stand out from your competitors.

Here are three of the top reasons to why you need videos on your website……. Read more…

The Google Merchant Center

Google merchant center

If you sell products online then you know how effective it can be to advertise on Google AdWords. But have you heard about the Google Merchant Center? If not, you should really think about it as part of your overall online marketing campaign.

The Google Merchant Center is one part of the Google Shopping Platform. The second part of the Google Shopping Platform is Google AdWords.

The Google Merchant Center allows your products to be displayed when a customer types a search query….. Read more…

Mobile Landing Pages for Google AdWords

Mobile phones are now the most popular way people access the internet. That’s why it has never been more important to be able to get their attention quickly. In fact, you literally only have one or two seconds before they become impatient and click away to find the information they are after somewhere else.

If you are spending money using Google AdWords to get people to your website, unless you have specific mobile landing pages, then you are not getting full value for your marketing budget.

So what can you do to get more sales from your website when people are using their mobile phones?… Read more…

Does your Website Need to be Secure?

google adwords

The answer is a definite yes.  In addition, Google recently announced that all websites should be made secure by July 2018. If not, when someone tries to visit your website, using Google Chrome, they will get a message from Google stating that your website is not secure.

With around 50% of people using Google Chrome to search the internet in Australia, you could end up losing a lot of potential customers. This is because most people will chose NOT to click onto a non secure website due to cyber crimes and identity fraud risks… Read more…

Signs you Need a New Website

Been thinking of updating your website but not sure if it is worth the time and money? If your website has any of the following issues then you need to think about getting a new. If your website still looks good it may be that you only need a few technical issues sorted out.

However, if your website is looking old and dated then it may mean you need an entire new website.. Read more…

How AMP can Supercharge your SEO

AMP stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages. It is a project by Google that is a new way of developing websites so that their pages load very quickly compared to other websites on mobile phones. However, AMP technology also increases the page speed when websites load onto desktops, as well as other devices (such as tablets).

The reason why AMP is so good for SEO is that the quicker your website pages load the better your SEO – as AMP will increase your clicks, impressions and user experience……… Read more…

Highrise Climate Solutions

We are very pleased to introduce a new website for our client Highrise Climate Solutions. This new website can be found at hrheatingandcooling.com.au. Highrise Climate Solutions is one of Melbourne’s most trusted heating and cooling specialists. Matt, who owns and operates the business provides a complete range of heating and cooling services to all areas of Melbourne. He and his team install, repair or replace air-conditioners, heaters and hot water systems for all the major brands. Read more…

5 ways to create a great home page for your website

Web Design Concept

First impressions count

It is true that getting visitors to your website is hard work, but in many ways it is even harder to get them to stay. In fact, you only have a few seconds to engage a potential customer before they click away from your website.
So how do you create a great first impression to keep people on your website and ultimately buy your product or service? Read more…

Google & Mobile Phones


What you Need to Know

Google recently updated the way it ranks mobile friendly websites to make it easier for searchers on mobile phones to find them. It will now be easier to find high quality websites where text is easily readable, with minimal tapping, zooming or horizontal scrolling required. This means if your website is not mobile friendly it will be harder for people to find you on their mobile phones. Read more…

All Decked Out

A Client in the Spotlight

We are very pleased to introduce a new website for our client All Decked Out. This website can be found at www.alldeckedout.com.au. All Decked Out is Melbourne’s premier decking company and has been providing high quality design and construction of decking, pergolas, carports and decorative fencing since 1993. They are based in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, but are happy to work in all regions of Melbourne. Read more…

Joe’s Fencing & Gates

A client in the spotlight

We are very pleased to introduce a new website for our client Joe’s Fencing & Gates. The website can be found at www.joesfencingandgates.com.au. Joe’s Fencing & Gates is one of Melbourne’s leading fence and gate specialists servicing the Northern suburbs. The business is family owned and operated. For over 8 years it has been providing the highest quality fencing and gate products. Joe’s Fencing & Gates also specialises in the installation of all types of swimming pool fences and ensures that they meet Australian safety standards. Read more…

Robogate goes online

A client in the spotlight

We are very pleased to introduce the new website for our client Robogate at www.robogate.com.au. Robogate is an automatic sliding gate specialist based in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Mentone. They have been manufacturing and installing sliding and swing gates since 1993 and are now making gate kits for professionals and DIY people wish to install the gates themselves. Read more…

Turn your Mobile Phone into a Cash Register

How you can do it

Are you a tradesman who spends lots of time chasing up payments from customers? Is it affecting your cash flow? Do you wish there was an easy way to receive payment from your customer as soon as the job is completed? If so, you should consider using your mobile phone to do exactly that.

Fairly recent technology now allows you to use your smart phone as a mobile credit card facility. Most of these applications do not require a card reader or card swipe machine. Read more…

Can your Business Afford NOT to have a Website?

NO, every business needs a website!

When you are a small business, especially if you are just starting out, it is extremely important to keep costs under control. However there are some things you need to spend money on if you want your business to be successful.

If you are a tradie you need to make sure you have good quality reliable tools that will get the job done quickly and to a high standard. If you are setting up a new cafe you definitely have to spend money on a good coffee machine and on decor that makes the cafe inviting. Another essential expense is a website. Read more…

Does your business need a website?

Cartoon Plumber
Is a website really necessary?

We are often asked “I am a tradesman, do I really need a website?”, and the answer is a definite YES.

More than 85% of people now use the internet to find a local business. So if you are not on the internet you are missing out on lots of work. Despite this, less than 30% of small businesses (and even less for tradesmen) have a website. Read more…

What is a BLOG?

Blog Megaphone
About BLOGS

Blog is the abbreviation of the original term web log. It is an online version of a diary, and needs to be maintained with regular entries.

For a business a blog can be many things but it usually has topical matters that the business believes to be relevant and of interest to both it’s existing and potential customers. It includes such things as information on new products and services, special offers and in depth technical analysis of a particular topic. If used correctly it is a very powerful marketing tool. Read more…