A website audit can determine whether your site is optimized and achieving your goals. If it isn’t, the audit can point out things to improve.

How Effective is Your Website?

You can find out with a website audit. A website audit can determine whether your site is optimized and achieving your goals. If it isn’t, the audit can point out things that to work on to improve your site’s

• Performance
• Ranking on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages
• Bounce Rate
• Conversion Rate

The Emphasis of Your Website Audit is the User Experience

Slow load times frustrate the user.

The wrong keywords mean the user will have a tough time finding your site in the first place.

Too many keywords? That’s super irritating for readers, and it will kill your SEO.

So, we will go through your site and find all the issues that detract from the incredible user experience you are trying to offer visitors to your site. Some of these are issues that are behind the scenes in the coding. Others are technical errors that harm your site’s performance, security, SEO, and mobile responsiveness.

We will look at on-page SEO, such as the way your page is laid out and content and how it is used in places like headings and keywords. We’ll also assess your off-page SEO for ways we can improve your meta descriptions, title tags, and image alt text. These changes can raise your search engine ranking.

A Self Mini-Audit

• There are a few things you can do to get an idea of where your website is at now.
• Can new visitors navigate your site, and the conversion paths within it, intuitively?
• Is your site’s purpose clear?
• Do you have internal links on your site that move visitors from one page to another in a way that makes sense as a user?
• Is there a clear, compelling call-to-action on each page?
• Due to large photos, files, and pages, are your load times too long?
• Is your content high quality? You need to give your visitors what they came for, or they will bounce away, looking for it elsewhere. Your blogs and the content on your pages should have meaningful, well-organized information
• How does the overall design of your site impact the experience of your visitors? Implementing heatmap software can help you see if there are parts of your website that people are missing because the design needs improvement.
• Is your site mobile-friendly? More than half of all web page views happen on a mobile device. So make those experiences are just as positive as they would be on a desktop.
• Check for any errors on your site and eliminate broken links.
• Is your site indexed, making it easier for robots to crawl?

Does this all seem like a lot of work?

It is! At Iceberg, we are offering a free website audit that is even more in-depth. And if you find you aren’t happy with how your site is measuring up, we can make improvements to increase traffic and conversions for your business.

Contact Iceberg Web Design to get your free website audit today, or fill out the form below to get started.

The post Start the Year Off with a Website Audit appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

Many marketing departments have a cookie-cutter process for sharing content on as many platforms as possible. Fortunately, there is a better way.

We all know that it’s a good idea to be active on social media as part of our marketing efforts. But too often, the way we do that is like throwing spaghetti at a wall, hoping some of it will stick. Instead, more effective use of your marketing time and money is spent on the right platform. But how do you choose the right social media platform for your business?

Why Do You Have to Choose?

It might seem like more platforms are better for your marketing, but as in most business efforts, the Pareto Principle explains why you should choose 2-3 social media platforms rather than try to use them all. You are probably familiar with the Pareto Principle, commonly referred to as the 80-20 precept. It states that 80% of your outcomes result from 20% of your efforts.

The important takeaway for this is that you become far more efficient (thus profitable) if your figure out which efforts give you the most benefit. So focus your energy on those things.

Not All Social Media Platforms are Created Equal

For example, retirees, stay-at-home parents, and 15-year-olds aren’t likely to be on LinkedIn. Likewise, Tik-Tok isn’t the ideal place to look for employees. And Pinterest is a far better place to find craft ideas than Facebook.

As a social media consumer, you likely know which platforms you enjoy and for what qualities. Yet, many marketing departments have a cookie-cutter process for sharing content on as many platforms as possible. There is a better way.

What Audience Do You Want to Reach?

It’s essential to be very clear on who you are trying to reach. So, for example, if you are a fitness company for women over 50, and your goal is to find clients who want to take classes, you wouldn’t target men in their early twenties.  And who you are targeting matters because you can then use the social media platforms where they are most active. So here are some broad statistics on this demographic:

By Gender—Women

75% use Facebook

63% use YouTube

By Age—Adults 50-64

70% use YouTube

68% use Facebook

It’s important to use platforms on which your audience will practically stumble over you each day. For example, looking at gender and age alone would indicate that Facebook and YouTube are where a fitness company for women over 50 should be spending their social media efforts. But it is more complicated than that.

What is the Tone and Personality of the Platform?

Does it match the tone and personality of your company? And what are some of your company’s broader goals? For example, if you want to find clients who want to take classes, you can go the Facebook route, maybe posting an encouraging post or a mini-lesson each day to give potential clients a taste of who you are. But what if you want to build a community? You can start a Facebook group for that community. Or you could venture into the realm of Tik-Tok, which is known for its strong communities.

Do You Have the Skills to Match the Needs of the Platform?

Depending on which platform you use, you will need to have specific technical abilities to take advantage of its benefits. For example, to have a successful account on video platforms like YouTube and Tik-Tok, you need to have a charismatic personality that comes across well on camera, decent video taking abilities and equipment (newer smart phone’s work for Tik-Tok), and the ability to edit video well. In addition, LinkedIn requires the proper use of keywords. And for any social media platform, you should understand the unique algorithm that favors one type of content over others.

Need Help with Your Marketing?

Our Digital Marketing team has you covered. Find out how we can help your audience see more of you!

Contact us today!

The post Choosing a Social Media Platform for Your Business appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

If you can’t get prospects to convert, you have a brand-pitch issue, not a sales pitch issue. Your core messaging is either unclear or off-brand. The way to solve this problem is to quickly get to the bottom line by encapsulating your brand, what it is, and what it isn’t. Upgrade your elevator pitch to provoke and engage your audience by telling them three things:

•       This is what I do
•       This is how I solve your problem
•       This is how I’m different from the rest of the pack

Rather than shouting at your audience or telling them things without allowing them to respond, provoke a conversation. Your tagline should cause your audience to ask (either verbally or mentally), “Tell me more,” or “What’s in it for me?”

Your Tagline

•       Answers the question, “What do you do?”
•       Short, provocative.
•       Hopefully, this will cause your audience to say, “Interesting. Tell me more.”

Your Value Proposition Statement

•       Articulates how you will solve someone’s problem.
•       Phrase your VPS as “You do [this], so you get [that].”
•       A you-focused call-to-action statement—should start with “You,” not “We.”
•       The human brain will naturally want to make a comparison to make sense of what you have just told your audience. That’s good! It sets you up for the 3rd step.

Your Differentiator Statements

•       Outlines what you are and what you aren’t in a set of 4-5 sentences.
•       What makes you different from your competition
•       Provokes your audience to want to know more about you

Example of an Upgraded Elevator Pitch

Tagline

Instead of saying, “I’m an accountant,” your provocative tagline could say, “I am a tax liability reduction specialist.”

Value Proposition Statement

“Bring me your taxes, and I guarantee your tax liability will be less than if you were to bring them anywhere else for preparation.”

Differentiator Statements

•       I can find itemized deductions other tax preparers will miss.
•       I’m an expert at shifting income to the most beneficial accounts-legally.
•       I know how to utilize tax exemptions that are often overlooked.
•       I will document everything clearly and defend my accounting work in the case of an audit for free.

Now They’re Ready to Hear About Your Products or Services

The point at which conversion happens is when they ask the how/what question: “How does that work?” “What do you do?” Speak to their pain points.

When they click on the button, you have them!

Your Brand, Clarified

Once you have clarified your brand, you can implement it across your:

•       Website
•       Social Media Platforms
•       Pitch Decks
•       Proposals
•       Printed Materials (One-Pagers)
•       Digital Marketing
•       Advertising
•       “Elevator Pitch”
•       Bios

Do You Have a Family of Companies?

When you have a parent brand and supporting brands, it’s essential to review the parent company’s mission statement, vision, and values. Are they on point? Fine-tune—or rewrite them if necessary.

Next, write the mission statement, vision, and values for the company offshoot. Ensure these are in line with those of the parent company.

You can now work on the tagline, value proposition statement, and differentiator statements for the sister or child company. Their tagline may be the same, but their value proposition statement and differentiator statements should be unique while still harmonizing with the parent company’s branding.

70/30

Your brand can’t serve everyone. Your brand needs to serve the customers who supply 70% of your revenue. Get good at it! Those customers are your base and should be your marketing audience. The other 30% will come to you in their own way. At that time, you can serve them, too.

At Iceberg Web Design, we are branding experts. Call 763-350-8762 or contact us today to meet with a marketing specialist who can help you define and refine your brand by creating a Brand Book for you.

The post Upgrade Your Elevator Pitch appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

Automated messaging offers a lot of benefits to business owners who wish to use it. Best of all, it is easy to set up. While you can integrate this functionality into your website by embedding Messenger into your site using a plugin or through Facebook’s integration, this article will only focus on automation through Facebook Messenger.

Getting Started

• To automate your Messenger, you must have admin access to your Facebook business page.
• On the left-hand side of the page is a column of options. You will want to click on “Business Suite.”
• Now you will be looking at your inbox.
• From your Inbox, you will be able to see your messages from both your Facebook and Instagram accounts.
• Just below the Facebook and Instagram links on the left-hand column, you will see “Automated Responses.”

Instant Reply

There are several things we can do within this feature. Let’s start with “Instant Reply.” Instant Reply will pop up when someone first attempts to message you.  It can do anything from alleviating the frustration that customers often feel waiting for you to respond to steering your visitors in the right direction. For example, if you primarily use email rather than Messenger, you can let them know that with a link to your email address.

Personalized Response

There are some great features built into Instant Reply. For example, you can personalize the message by having their name automatically inserted in your response. Messenger pulls this directly from their account. It will instantly add warmth and humanity to your automation.

Embedded Links

Then, you can write whatever reply you would like to go out to the people who message you. You can embed links, including your website. Note that you can only link to your main website, not particular pages. These links will not look like links as you create them on the backend, but when you send them in Messenger, they will show up correctly. You should always do a test run to check it out to be sure everything looks right.

Away Message

Many businesses like to have an after-hours message letting their visitors know that their business is closed for the day. Often these messages include business hours and the assurance that they will return and reply and when to expect the reply.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is another place that business often post their hours. You can also add service costs, how to schedule an appointment, Covid policies, or anything else people may have questions about. It is ideal to have questions to answer with a link to a page on your website. This will be efficient for the customer and will improve your web page’s ranking over time. Keep in mind that you can only use four FAQs in a conversation, so choose your four best questions.

Contact Information & Location

Thankfully, you do not need to include “Where are you located?” in your Frequently Asked Questions. Messenger knows this is such a common question that they have added it as an automatic option. If you choose to turn this on, it can give directions to the person needing your location.

Contact Information is another option. With that, you could link right to your Contact Us page on your website or have your phone or email address.

Schedule Appointments

If you schedule appointments through Facebook’s appointment scheduler, you can add this feature to your automatic messaging.

Finally, save your answers, and you are all set!

Need More Answers to Your Marketing Questions?

Iceberg Web Design has them. We specialize in website-based solutions to your business needs. We build custom websites, turn-key websites and have a host of services that can improve your ability to communicate your message. Contact us online today or call 763-350-8762 to learn more!

The post Let Facebook Messenger Automation Work for You appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

Then the writer assigned to the project will do a deep dive, researching the industry and deciding how to portray the company best to put them on top.

Well Written Content 

Your content will profoundly affect a customer’s perception of your business. If your content is disorganized, visitors will assume that your business is, as well. That organization rests on the shoulders of your content.

It has never been more critical to make a good impression on your website. Because of COVID-19, many customers are vetting businesses by visiting their websites first. This can often save them time and potential health risks by ensuring a company can meet their needs before going into their brick-and-mortar business.

SEO Strategy

Your SEO strategy should include both on-page and off-page SEO. Your content writer needs to be adept at using these concepts. User experience is the number one thing that will affect your SEO. User experience is behind all of the rules that are part of Google’s algorithm. Having a content writer who knows how to maximize the user experience will not only make Google happy and boost your SEO. It will also make your site visitors. It may even improve the chances that they will want to do business with you.

Avoid the Fluff: Display Your Expertise

Offering Free Knowledge is a great way to show your customers that you are an expert in your field. Many people want to understand the problem they are hiring someone to fix. Then, they feel secure in the knowledge that they are getting the right service for their needs.

Your website is the first impression many people will have of your business. Customers can find fluff anywhere. By sharing something of value, you are helping them feel comfortable with your level of expertise. If you can’t articulate your business, customers aren’t going to feel secure working with you.

Yet, some companies are fearful of giving away free knowledge. They hold onto it like it’s Grandma’s secret recipe. But sharing knowledge with your site’s visitors will help to create a bond between them and your business over time. They will see your generosity and good-will.

Iceberg Web Design Can Help

We have SEO Content Writers who care about helping your company make a good first impression. We’ve worked with hundreds of businesses over the years, and we would love to work with you. Contact us today to learn how to make that happen. Read our Reviews if you don’t believe us! 

The post Why Content is the Foundation To A Website that Converts appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

At Iceberg Web Design, you get to have a dedicated partner with an invested team working for your business’s interests. Each month we have been featuring each of our team members in a profile post, so you can get to know the penguins better. This month, we are talking to Heather Erickson, our SEO Content Writer.

Heather | SEO Content Writer

I’m an SEO content writer and head of the content department at Iceberg Web Design. I was a freelancer, contracting with Iceberg from November 2019 until July of 2020, when Iceberg hired me to be on staff full-time.

Have your duties changed since you first started working here?

I started writing blog posts for customers who subscribe to our SEO writing services. That involves researching the business and the things about which their customers are concerned. Then, I write articles about those topics. I might be writing for a lawyer and an electrician one day, and the next, I could be writing for a roofer and a flooring company. So, I get a lot of variety.

Over time, I started taking on website projects. That’s an entirely different type of writing, but the same SEO principles apply.

What do you do for Iceberg’s customers?

Every website project that I write content for starts with a content interview. I prepare for the interview by doing some preliminary research and deciding what I need to prioritize since I will only have an hour with the client. That time can go very fast!

My job is to gather enough information from the content interview to put the business owner’s passion for what they do into words. I need to do it in a way that evokes trust and assurance to customers and gets customers excited about working with the business—all while making the copy search engine-friendly.

The process includes writing a couple of drafts to ensure I get all of the details right. Once I have delivered the final copy to development, I am pretty finished, other than checking the site before it goes live for any potential issues.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

My childhood dream job was to be a detective, so I love the content interviews and the research. I get to pull out important details to get an accurate picture to have on the website. Plus, I love getting to know our customers. It’s the one chance I have to really connect with them.

What is your #1 goal when working with a customer?

My number one goal is to help create a website that will fulfill their business’s needs. Sometimes that means they want sales. Other times they want to hire new staff because of high turnover. I love finding ways that their website can make their job easier. The truth is, we do much more than build websites. We build business solutions that happen to look like websites.

In what other industries have you worked?

Haha. You name it. I’ve been a nursing assistant, a waitress, a cashier, a trainer in restaurants. I guess I like the service industry. I was also a realtor for about ten years. My favorite job was homeschooling my kids. I got them through to college, which they each started at the age of 16.

Tell us a bit about your family (including pets):

I’m a widow. My husband had lung cancer for seven years before his death in 2019. Our kids are Matt (17), Samantha (19), and Summer (22). Summer just got married, so now I have a son-in-law, too! I have a gerbil. My youngest kids are allergic, or I would get something more interactive.

Do you have any hobbies/special interests?

I hunt wild mushrooms and am involved in the Minnesota Mycological Society. I also carve Wooden Duck Decoys. I don’t hunt, but I love the carving process. I enjoy learning Spanish, as well. I like learning anything.

What is something about you that might surprise your customers and co-workers?

I’m a true crime junkie.

Describe your perfect day:

Perfect weather, 72* with no humidity and a soft breeze rustling through the trees. I get to spend the day in the woods. I can walk, look for mushrooms, read, take a nap, relax. That sounds amazing to me.

Science or History? Which is your favorite and why?

I think history, though it is tough to choose. I love the stories that are attached to history. There are science stories, as well, but they aren’t well known.

If you were guaranteed the correct answer to one question, what would you ask?

“What should I do?” The key thing is to save that question for the most crucial moment—a pivotal point in time.

What is your best piece of advice? It can be about anything.

If you can learn from your mistakes, you turn them into life lessons. Then, they are no longer regrets or wasted moments in time.

My second-best piece of advice is to contact us at Iceberg Web Design for all of your website needs! 

Connect With Heather or the Iceberg Team

Learn more about The Iceberg Team. Read Some Of Iceberg’s Reviews!

The post Penguin Profile: Heather Erickson | Iceberg Web Design appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

When you work with Iceberg Web Design, you get to have a dedicated partner with an invested team in your business’s interests. Each month we have been featuring each of our team members in a profile post, so you can get to know the penguins better. This month, we are talking to Hattie McCoy, our Marketing & SEO Penguin! 

Hattie | Marketing & SEO

How long have you been working for Iceberg?

 Over eight whole months! 

Have your duties changed since you first started working here?

 Duties are evolving but absolutely fit under the umbrella of my title.

What do you do for Iceberg’s customers?

I am privileged to work with many different types of companies on their SEO and Digital Marketing goals. The job varies by company but can include reputation management, Optimizing web pages to better-fit lead goals, google my business set up and monitoring, Google Ads, Keyword research, email campaigns, and more.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I appreciate that the job looks a little different each day. I learn more about businesses and figure out how to better serve their customers, and I help them meet their milestones, whatever they may be.  We work with a lot of local businesses, and it’s great to be able to see the impact we can make to the small business and the local community.

What is your #1 goal when working with a customer?

I think paramount of my job is to make sure I am on the same page with our Customers. I need to understand their business well enough to speak to it and find out what they are looking for from their qualified leads/ customers. I think the plan is to be collaborative while making the dial turn for the business.

In what other industries have you worked?

I have worked in many jobs. Including radio, retail, custom perfumes, credit unions, data centers, and more! I have also moved from Iowa to Colorado to Minnesota. I think my varied experiences have made me a good fit in this position to work with very different businesses.

Tell us a bit about your family (including pets):

My husband, Mike, is an electrician who has the biggest heart and always wants to make sure everyone is having a great time. My dog Gimi is a 5-year-old Lab- Mutt that is a large (100 lbs) baby. I am also expecting a tiny human addition to my family in March 2021. I am excited to be a new mom! 

Do you have any hobbies/special interests?

I enjoy reading, playing video games, board games, binge-watching tv shows, hiking, swimming, trying new foods, and the occasional craft time. 

What is something about you that might surprise your customers and co-workers?

That I am an open book, and not much is super surprising. 

Describe your perfect day:

Great food, great company, great weather, and I’m there. 

Science or History? Which is your favorite and why?

It’s a tough choice because I think it’s good for everyone to know and appreciate both at least a little. I think I am probably a better history student, but I could easily get into a few specific science fields. I’ve always been pretty fascinated with psychology, and I think it probably draws a little on both history and science. 

If you were guaranteed the correct answer to one question, what would you ask?

How can I make the best positive impact?

What is your best piece of advice? It can be about anything

Some of our biggest disappointments are the expectations that we have that cannot be met. A lot of things are out of anyone’s control. Do the best you can with what you have, and you may find that there are a million ways to yes. 

Connect With Hattie or the Iceberg Team

Learn more about The Iceberg Team, Read Some Of Iceberg’s Reviews or Connect with Hattie on Linkedin!

The post Penguin Profile: Hattie McCoy| Iceberg Web Design appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

We’ve talked with thousands of small business owners about their experiences building a website, and we understand the struggles that you’ve gone through. In this article, we’re going to lay out the common struggles that you may have encountered, trying to create a professional marketing or e-commerce website for your business.

You’ve tried SquareSpace, Wix, Google, or another DIY Website Builder

There are many, many low cost website builders on the market today. For the most part, they offer different template design options and the ability for you to set up your own website without knowing anything about graphic design or website code. These can be a great option for businesses just starting out, and with prices ranging from free to $500/month, they slide right into most small businesses marketing budgets.

We talked with dozens of business owners who have taken the DIY route and worked with an online website builder. The pitfalls we hear over and over with this solution are:

It takes a lot of time to build your own website.

While the dollar investment may be low, the time investment that comes with DIY website builders is high. Most business owners we know who have gone this route don’t have someone on staff that can dedicate full time work to a new website project, so it often takes months – or years – to complete, or it’s done too quickly and quality suffers.

 You struggle writing your own website content.

Writing engaging marketing content that makes your customers want to shop at your business is a challenge for even the most experienced content writer. When you’re trying to write website content for your own business, while also trying to run your own business, you’re sure to run into at least one frustration.

You’re limited by what the template has to offer.

Do you want to swap out your custom branded graphics, shake up the header, or rearrange the layout to match your content and business? Not so fast! DIY builders will often make you work within their set designs and layouts, leaving you little room for creative enhancements.

Customer support can’t help you with your web design problems.

DIY website companies don’t have web designers or developers immediately accessible to you, so if you hit a roadblock building your website, you’re likely on your own.

You don’t own the website, and there’s no room for growth.

If you manage to get through the initial hurdles with a DIY solution, you’ll run into this barrier as your business grows. Online website builders lock you into their software, and onto their servers. So if you want to bring in a developer to customize your website, or move it to a new hosting provider in the future, you will likely need to start from scratch with a brand new website project.

You’ve worked with a freelancer to design you a new website

Freelancers and solopreneurs are a dime a dozen these days. We’ve had more than one customer come to us with a website that their nephew, or their daughter, or the neighbor built for them. Many freelancers today use WordPress, so if you have gone this route you’re a step farther along than the DIY route, as you can likely find another developer to take over in the future, if your freelancer finds a new job.

A freelancer will definitely produce a higher quality website than a DIY solution, at a price that is less than what you’d typically pay at an agency. Most of our customers have worked with freelance designers in the past, and these are some of the common issues they have faced:

You have a website with a theme that limits customizations

Most freelancers build WordPress websites using third party themes like Divi, or something that has been downloaded from Themeforest or another marketplace. From a cost standpoint, a purchased theme allows for a fast website setup, and will definitely lower the price point of your project. However, the downside of this is that you may be locked into what the theme has to offer, making future website customizations and add-ons difficult, or even impossible.

Your freelancer is an excellent designer, developer, or content writer – but not all three.

When working with a one-person shop, you will likely be working with a person who excels in one part of the website process, but lags in others. For example, you may have a freelancer that is great at setting up and coding websites, but requires to provide much of the design, and all of the content and pictures. This reminds you of the time you tried one of those DIY website builders…

Your website may take a long time to complete

A successful freelancer, who can assist with all aspects of building a website, will need to take on a lot of customers to keep their costs low for their customers. With just one person running the show, this means a lot of projects to juggle at once. We’ve asked our customers about this – and it’s not uncommon to see a simple website design project take 6 months to a year, or more, when working with a freelancer.

It’s difficult to get ahold of your freelancer

This is the most common pitfall we’ve run across with customers – it can be very difficult to find a freelancer that is available during business hours, or that will entertain a conversation on the phone at all. Communication gets lost in long email threads, and questions often go unanswered for days, even weeks, at a time. Many freelancers don’t provide ongoing maintenance plans, so future updates can be another struggle.

You’ve approached a web design agencies about developing a custom website

If you’ve moved past the DIY and freelance stage with your business, then you’ve likely spent some solid time talking with web design agencies about building your website. You’ve learned that agencies will offer all parts of the website process – content, design, and development – taking much of the heavy lifting off your plate. Communication barriers are also lifted – need to talk to your project manager? They are likely just a quick phone call away.

However, a custom website built with an agency does come with its own share of struggles that may impact your business. Here are a few we’ve encountered.

Agencies are expensive.

There’s just no way around this. Web design agencies have a significant amount of overhead – they have full time employees with benefits to play, they invest a lot in marketing and sales, and they often have a physical office building with furniture, computers, utilities, and other expenses. You can expect to pay 5-10 times more for a marketing website when working with an agency than when working with a freelancer.

The process is lengthy, and requires a lot of input from you.

When you work with an agency on a custom website, they will be in close contact with you every step of the way, making sure that you sign off on each piece. This comes with the definition of “custom” – they are building something uniquely for your business, and need to make sure you are happy. This requires a significant amount of time on your end, approving and requesting revisions to their work. If you’re busy running your business and have limited time to be part of the process, your website build could take many months to complete.

Change orders can be expensive

Most web design agencies will deliver a very clear scope of work prior to starting on your project. Once you are involved, and have committed a lot of time to the custom development process, it’s likely that you’ll think of a feature, or an add-on, part way through. Or, perhaps you want to continually tweak the design so that it is just right. While agencies can handle these types of changes, time to complete them adds up – as does the price tag.

We have a solution for you.

Enter the perfect blend of professional website design, done-for-you content writing, and fast turnaround – backed by an agency that answers the phone, at a price tag your business can afford.

At Iceberg Web Design, we have a turnkey website development process to create a professional website with minimal time and cost investment required from you. Our goal is to remove the barriers that you have faced with a professional website build, so that you can focus on running your business. Our process is very straightforward:

We write the content.

We just need 45 minutes to an hour of your time at the start of the project. Our in-house content writer will ask all the questions we need to write clear, succinct website marketing copy for your business. After a quick review and approval from you, your message is ready to deliver.

We find the pictures.

Got photos you want us to use? Great – send them on over! No? No problem. Our team has access to hundreds of thousands of stock photography and images, to add depth and interest to your website.

We design and develop.

At Iceberg, we have more than 70 years of combined experience in graphic design, marketing, and website development, Our team knows what we’re doing – and we know how to design and build a website that will work for you. After a quick discussion about layout, colors, and graphics at your kickoff meeting, you can rest assured that our team will deliver a professional website that showcases your business in its best light. The best part? Most turnkey websites are complete in less than 6 weeks.

We are here for maintenance and updates.

Technology changes quickly, and you need to make sure that your website is regularly maintained and updated. Our turnkey model includes monthly updates and quarterly software maintenance, so you can sleep easy knowing that your website is in good hands. Need updates or help? We have a full staff dedicated to ongoing support requests, and a solid reputation of delivering changes quickly – typically on the same day you ask for them.

The price tag is right.

Our pricing is comparable to many of the higher end DIY solutions, allowing you to roll your website costs right into your monthly marketing expenses. No need to take out a business loan or extend your credit limit. We have options for both basic marketing and e-commerce, depending on your marketing strategy and growth initiatives.

Is a turnkey website right for your business?

There are definitely benefits to every different approach to building a website. While the turnkey model we offer isn’t right for everyone, we’ve found it to be a great fit for business owners who are busy, and have tried to tackle updating their website in one or two different ways in the past.

Our marketing team here at Iceberg would love to talk with you about your past struggles with building a website, and tell you more about our process and options – letting you make the choice that works the best for you. Want to learn more? Give us a call at 763-350-8762, or drop us a line in the form below. Let’s see what we can create together!

The post Is a Turnkey, Semi-Custom Website Right for Your Business? appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

This benefits our business because it gives us a common language to use when communicating essential principles. One recent example from the book “The Power of a Positive Team” by Jon Gordon is “We—not me.” When we begin to think as a team, rather than about how something benefits the individual, we gain momentum in our projects and the way we interact with one another.

Because this has been so beneficial, we thought we would share some of the books we have read and learned from. It is an eclectic list thanks to the variety of personalities and roles we each bring to our team. Hopefully, you will find something on it that interests you!

Shane, VP of Sales & Marketing

Shane recommends “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose” by Tony Hsieh. In Delivering Happiness, Zappos’s CEO shares unconventional wisdom and how an emphasis on corporate culture can lead to success.

Kari, VP of Operations

Kari, an avid reader, chose something besides a book.  She says that the best thing you can do to see how your skills can benefit your team is by doing the CliftonStrengths Finder. This is something our entire team does upon being hired.

Jessi, Owner & CEO

Jessi says, “AH! Nathan Ingram’s book! ‘Dealing with Problem Clients: Fencing in the Friendly Monsters.’ I have read very few books specifically about web design agencies, but this has impacted our team.

Mike Michalowicz has two really good books that have impacted me, and both tell some anecdotes of companies “in our niche” – “Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine,” and “The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field.”

The business book that has impacted me personally the most is “Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You,” by John Warrillow. Close second, “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael Gerber.

And “The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferris is one that I pulled a lot of life inspiration from.

Hattie, SEO & Marketing

Hattie believes that marketing is very tied to psychology and history. “I like to read books by Malcolm Gladwell and others that look into what drives people in their decision making. A historical favorite includes “Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History,” by Kurt Anderson. It dives into American History from the beginning and how humans are relatively predictable.

Mariann, VP of Business & Finance

Mariann recommends “The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business” by Erin Meyer and “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships” by Marshall Rosenberg PhD

She says they “were both recommended at Word Camp as books everyone in business in a global economy should read. I agree with Jessi; all the books I’ve read are about business/teams, not about Web Development/Design specifically.” She also recommends “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable” by Patrick Lencioni.

Kyle, Website Developer

Kyle says, “Oh, ya, there are a couple that I like.” His favorite books about business are: “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses” by Eric Ries. Also, “Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth” by Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares, and “Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster” by Alistair Croll & Benjamin Yoskovitz.

Kyle also shares a few of his favorite programming books: “The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master” by Andrew Hund & David Thomas, “Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship” by Robert C Marin, and “The Self-Taught Programmer: The Definitive Guide to Programming Professionally” by Cory Althoff.

Jessie, Customer Service Representative

Jessie is our customer service representative, so she fulfills support requests from customers. Jessie says, “The HTML class I took from Codecademy was helpful.” Jessie’s favorite books are “The Power of Positive Praying” by John R. Bisagno and “Angels Among Us: Extraordinary Encounters with Heavenly Beings” by Wanda Rosseland.

Heather, SEO Content Writer

As a content writer, my tastes run the gamut. Ironically, one of my favorite books is “Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World” by Cal Newport. I think that the digital age has benefited us much, but we need to guard our time to enjoy our analog lives. I also appreciated his books, “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World,” and “So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love.”

Your Digital Marketing Team

We would love to learn what inspires your passion for your business. Contact us today to see how we can help your marketing efforts!

The post Our Favorite Business-Related Books appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.

If you still plan to go shopping on Black Friday this year, here are some tips:

Call ahead to make sure the store you want to shop at is going to be open and what their Covid policies are. The following stores began Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving last year, but have already announced that in 2020 they will be closed on the holiday:

•         Walmart
•         Target
•         Kohl’s
•         Bed Bath & Beyond
•         Best Buy
•         Ulta

If you still feel the urge to brave the stores…

Give other shoppers (and yourself) plenty of space, bring hand sanitizer, and remember to wear your mask.

Take it easy on essential workers who are doing their best to make your shopping experience a good one.

Stores have been relatively tight-lipped about the hours they will be open on Black Friday this year since many wonder about the effects of the predicted second-wave of the novel coronavirus. Good Housekeeping’s website has a list of store hours that they keep updated as information comes in.

Business Owners

Are you a business owner who is concerned about making your bottom line this holiday season? Online sales are where it’s at! People feel safer and more comfortable shopping on their laptop in their pajamas. Start preparing now. Ensure that your e-commerce site is in top shape for Black Friday 2020.

•         Is your site intuitive and easy for customers to use? It is common for customers to leave a site altogether if the experience trying to use it is frustrating.
•         Do you have high-quality, optimized images that consumers can zoom in on?
•         Take your e-commerce site as seriously as you did when you opened your brick and mortar retail store.
•         Consider how you will get products to your customers. There are countless ways to ship your products, which will be the right one for your customers. The cheapest way isn’t always the best way (but it might be).
•         Make sure that your site is mobile responsive. Many people are using smartphones and tablets for their online shopping. Half of all, online transactions are completed on a mobile device. If your site doesn’t resize itself so that it is still easy for the customer to use, it is time for a redesign.
•         Protect your online store from cyber threats with PCI compliance and stringent security. Have an SSL certificate, a strong firewall, two-factor authentication, and a privacy policy in your website’s footer.
•         Keep the checkout process simple. Often people abandon their carts because of surprise shipping costs and time-consuming checkout.
•         Consider the importance of reviews that sell your products for you. Iceberg’s Reputation Management Services are perfect for anyone who wants to use their website to sell or advertise to customers. Call 612-440-8762 today for a free demonstration of how this service can revolutionize the way your customers see your business.

Is all this a little overwhelming?

Black Friday and the holidays will look different in 2020, but it can still be as profitable as ever. If you are a business owner whose website could use some updating, contact Iceberg Web Design today to see how easy we can make the process.

The post Black Friday 2020 Will Be Different appeared first on Iceberg Web Design.