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SEO

Laced Media – California’s Content Marketing Game Changer

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Laced Media is a California’s Content Marketing Game Changer

Looking for an experienced team that can provide you with the leverage you need to stand out? Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Laced media is a digital marketing and web design team that’s passionate about empowering local businesses. We are an all-around team that can be your trusted partner for whatever digital needs you may have.

Focus On What Matter

For almost a decade, our team has been allowing businesses to focus on their operations while we take care of their digital endeavors. Our service line includes:

digital marketing in California, content marketing california
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Find Us On 3rd Party Review Sites

Clutch is a ratings and reviews platform that’s designed to help businesses find out more about the best-fit service providers for their needs. The Washington DC-based site is known for its collection of data-driven client testimonials, market reports, and agency shortlists.

For us, there is no cookie-cutter solution that’s guaranteed to help you towards success. Because of that, we’ve enhanced our discovery and approach to ensure our clients the best possible results. This attitude and proven expertise are what helped us get listed on Clutch’s rankings for California’s content marketing game-changers.

Local Champion

As a local digital marketing company, we put a lot of time and effort into empowering businesses in the area that want to grow. Our hard work is evident in their amazing reviews on Clutch. Throughout the years, we’ve had the honor of working with amazing brands like Muscle Activation San Jose, Clearwater Cannabis, MGM Resorts, and NRT.

“We were impressed with Laced Media’s efficiency and honesty. The team was open about the SEO expectations seeing that we are new and projected we would see visibility within 3 to 5 months. They were patient to explain SEO and suggested we start there before dropping a lot of money into PPC. The other vendors I previewed seemed like they wanted to sell every service they had but Laced Media was conservative with still getting incredible results.” — Owner, Restaurant

Trust The Professionals

Trust is tantamount to success in business. We wouldn’t be game-changers and still be in this industry if it weren’t for our clients’ gracious trust.

Thank you so much to all our clients who believed in us. We are excited to welcome more opportunities and challenges ahead. Rest assured that we will continue to give it our all in whatever we do.

Have any projects in mind? Contact us today and let’s see if we’re a match. Get the leverage your business deserves with Laced Media.

Get An SEO Expert

An SEO Specialist can provide maintenance to your website’s visibility, increase traffic, and gain more customers with measurable data!  Laced Media has the professional SEO experts to get your restaurant thriving. Schedule a free consultation call today.

Schedule A Call
digital marketing for small business, is digital marketing worth it
SEO

Marketing Strategies For The Cannabis Industry

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How Can SEO Help Market Your Cannabis Business

While some cannabis businesses are flourishing, others might find it difficult to form a lasting enterprise in today’s modern environment. Indeed, now that cannabis is being legalized in states across the country, there has certainly been an influx of cannabis shops looking to sell a quality product. The best way to form a successful business, aside from having a killer product, is to embrace a proven marketing strategy.

Using proper SEO practices can help marketing for cannabis businesses raise awareness, sell more products, and prosper in a growing market. If you are looking to learn how to use SEO for your cannabis business, you are in the right place.

digital marketing for cannabis, cannabis marketing agency
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Cannabis Marketing: SEO 101

Where Can I Advertise My Cannabis Business?

The cannabis industry for online marketing — things can be a little hazy. Due to strict regulations set by Google, Adwords are not possible for cannabis products. Facebook has these same strict rules. Cannabis advertising is simply not allow.  This is why SEO is so important as it can be your biggest investment that will produce returns for your business. 

Cannabis Companies Need SEO

When it comes to creating a successful SEO strategy for your cannabis company — online presence is extremely important.

SEO focuses on getting organic traffic from search results. As we like to say, the “Free Section” of Google search. 75% of search terms will click on the organic portion of Google search versus the Ads anyways. If your website is not utilizing SEO, we highly recommend it as it’s the best way to get your company and products in front of the people looking for it.

Cannabis Content Is Key

If you aren’t running a blog or posting regular content on social media, you might want to think about starting to change your strategy. A social media page can be a great way to drive traffic to your business. Online sales are becoming increasingly important for companies large and small, and platforms like Instagram can help sell products.

Blog Relative Topics

As for blogs, the name of the game is ‘consistency.’ You’ll want to post regularly, link to your own website, and make connections with other cannabis platforms. There are also plugins available when blogging that can help you choose and properly distribute SEO keywords throughout your articles.

Stay Consistently On Social Media

While marijuana companies are becoming legalized per state, it’s also becoming socially accepted. What better way to educate people than on social media. When it comes to operating an SEO optimized social media account, it pays to look at your competitors. 

What hashtags are they using and how long are their captions? Focus on an SEO phrase that will help your company and then start posting some professional content.

Network

Finally, you’ll want to make sure your cannabis business is available on services like Yelp, Google, and Weedmap. The cannabis industry heavily focuses on networking — because before it was state regulated, networking was the only way to get your product moving. This will help people find your business online and drive traffic to your site. The best part is you don’t even have to do anything!

marketing cannabis products, marijuana marketing

SEO For Marijuana Companies

The above SEO tactics deal mostly with something called off-page SEO. That means that they can link to your website and increase traffic, but they aren’t a part of your business’s internet space. On-page SEO is the opposite. You can use search engine optimization to tailor your cannabis business to the consumer and bring more people to your website. This requires keyword research for your cannabis website to find high quality keywords and Technical SEO.

Keep in mind, too, that consumers only care about themselves. They want to know what your can do for them. For that reason, your business’s keywords should be focused on the products that you are going to sell. After all, that’s what most people are going to search for anyway.

Cannabis SEO Marketing

The most popular cannabis keywords currently used for cannabis companies are those that follow the rules I mentioned above. Consumers want to know what you can do for them. That’s why ‘cannabis edibles,’ ‘cannabis candy,’ ‘cannabis sativa,’ and ‘cannabis gummies’ are some of the most popular SEO keywords. 

Using these isn’t going to be extremely beneficial for your business if you are selling a more unique product. Instead, you should use them in moderation with your website and social media, but you should also focus on creating some keywords of your own the focus on your product too.

SEO does take time and dedication. With following these recommendations, you’ll be able to forge your own successful corner of the internet using SEO for your business. 

Types of Cannabis Businesses That Benefit From SEO:

  • Cannabis Dispensary
  • Cannabis Growers
  • Cannabis Nursery & Cloning
  • Cannabis Compliance
  • Cannabis Manufactures
  • Cannabis Products
  • Cannabis Retailers
  • Cannabis Laboratory & Testing

Get An SEO Expert For Your Cannabis Business

An SEO Specialist can provide maintenance to your website’s visibility, increase traffic, and gain more customers with measurable data!  Laced Media has the professional SEO experts to get your cannabis business thriving. Schedule a free consultation call today.

Schedule A Call
marijuana digital marketing, marketing cannabis products
SEO

Keyword Strategy – How To Find The Best Keywords For Your Small Business

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Keyword Strategy Helps Prioritize & Focus Your Web Page

Keywords are an important factor in optimizing a web page. In order for your page to rank well, you will need to have a focused keyword strategy. 

What is a Keyword Strategy?

First, let’s discuss — what is a keyword strategy? Keyword strategy is strategically using keywords relative to your business in your web pages and campaigns to attract your target market audience. The overall approach is to support your SEO strategy and can help you determine the keywords that you should be targeting.

adwords targeting, ads manager, google ads

When The Company Pick Their Own Keywords

Many of our new clients will come to us with keywords already selected — thinking these are the words to use. The major problem with their keyword is they can lack focus.

Companies want to rank for all types of keywords. Without a strategy, this can be like hitting a target in a dark room. We need to take these keywords and create a focused strategy in order to gain ranking.

So, the first step is to rebuild the keyword strategy and in some cases start from scratch.

Pick & Prioritize The Best Keywords

When we begin a keyword strategy, the starting process is to research the products, company, services, etc. Some companies will give a list of keywords they want to be found for but it may not fall in line with current search trends. Once you have the outline of keywords, it’s time to laser-focus on specific types of those keywords. Here are some examples.

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  • Personal trainer keywords. Someone looking for a personal trainer is looking for a type of service. This can be focused on a personal trainer for losing weight, personal training weight loss, weight loss personal trainer.
  • Diet consultant keywords. Some personal trainers will incorporate other services like a diet. Focusing on diet keywords like meal planning coach, consultant for a meal plan, diet consultant for weight loss.
  • Competition-jacking keywords. Researching the competition can also give great keywords that are working and trending. Competitive analysis lets you see what your competition is doing and copy it — in your own way.

Competitive Analysis For Keyword Ideas

Competitor keyword research can give your keyword strategy fuel for ideas. Of course, you can do the whole thing manually with Google Planner or Google Trends, but it’s a lot easier to just steal some ideas from your competitors.

While there are many tools to use for keyword research, one of the main softwares we use is SEMrush. With this tool, you can run your top 5 competitors through SEMrush and find around 90% of the keywords you want to target. That’s more than enough to get you started, and you can always add some more keywords as you go.

Create Content Using Your Keyword Strategy

Once you’ve created a solid list of keywords with branching keywords, it’s time to create content that tailors to those keywords. In the greater efforts to support your SEO campaign, unique content is the foundation for building a high-ranking web page. In order to create content, you need to know your direction for the web page — that’s where keyword strategy comes into play. Need an expert to write your content for you and optimize it? 

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SEO tips

What Makes a Successful Restaurant

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Restaurants Need SEO & Digital Marketing - Here's Why

With covid constantly changing the restuarant industry, we find many local restaurants are needing to alter their way of marketing.

If you are interested in getting more customers for your restaurant, the ideal thing to do is invest in a good website. When I talk of a website, I don’t just mean an ordinary website, I mean an SEO optimized website that will drive visitors to your site and create new customers for your restaurant.

Why Can't Customers Find My Restaurant?

When someone is looking for lunch or dinner, customers typically resort to searching on Google or Yelp for good restaurants in the area. That means SEO for restaurants is no longer optional but nessecary to bring in new customers. Local SEO is extremely important to restaurants because its what customers see first when seaching for restaurants near me. Let’s face it — we are visual animals and customers skim quickly through web pages to find what they want. Having an appealing website with eye catching photos help gain attention and look professional. To get more customers, you will need a well designed website that is fully optimized to deliver results. 

Did you know that ordering online for catering services is now the most fashionable thing in the restuarant industry? Most organizations and individuals have invaded the online market to search for catering services as well as place orders for different foods and meals — all conviently located online. Coming in to order is the way of the past with delivery services and online ordering.

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Benefits Of SEO For Restaurants

Increasing Traffic to Your Website

When you invest in your website with SEO, you will increase the digital traffic to your website. More traffic to your website means more oppurtunities to gain customers. It also create more awareness of your restaurant and the services you offer. Imagine delivering pictures of your mouth watering dishes to hungry people searching for dinner. SEO can help get your website in front of those hungry people.

Building Brand Awareness

New restaurants can really benefit with SEO by creating brand awareness in your area. even if your a seasoned restuarant, search engine optimization can launch your business to greater heights if done by an expert. SEO experts in restaurants know what content to include and how to identify the right keywords for your restaurant. SEO websites for restaurants must contain the right content so Google can correctly and positively give it a high ranking.

More Money

More traffic to your restaurant website means more conversions. More conversions mean more money for your restaurant. This is why many restuarants are now seeing the nessecity for search engine optimization to help their business grow.  Competition in the restaurant industry has become fierce — don’t get left behind.

Increasing Customer Engagement

Good content is engaging and informative. People are becoming hungrier for good content and Google uses it as a ranking factor. Keep customers engaged with content they want to see like healthy cuisine, how to cut weight while eating healthy and other informative health news. Relative and unique content acts like magic and soon you will find your website flowing with more and more of visitors.

While content is extremely important, including a good keyword strategy to your web pages is also crucial as Google and other search engines use it to rank your website.

busy restaurant, digital marketing, local SEO

SEO Tools For Restaurant's Websites

Keyword Planning Roadmap

You should incorperate target search terms that will give your restaurant website ranking with search engines. Some restaurant websites have become very prominent online with simple keywords such as ‘Chicken Wings’ or ‘Pizzas’. A keyword plan with the right target can boost your restaurant business to greater heights in the long term.

Local-based SEO

Your restaurant serves customers within a certain range of your business location. Location-based SEO helps restaurants reach their goals through local SEO for restaurants by optimizing your Google Business Listing and geo-tagging. Local SEO ensures that your restaurant features prominently to customers searching for “food” and “restaurants” within your proximity.

List Your Restaurant On Review Sites

When your restaurant receives positive reviews from existing customers — it can propel your business even further. Word of mouth and online reviews are like stricking gold. They can make or break a thriving business. Make sure your restaurant is listed on Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Reputation management is another key element in maintaining great ranking online. As hard as we try, every customer may not leave happy, so make sure to respond to reviews online — whether they are good or bad.   

Get Relative Websites To Link To Your Restaurant’s Website

When your website appears on other websites related to your business, it builds trust. Google uses backlinks as a ranking factor and can help improve your visibility in search. A great example would be a blogging customer tries your restaurant, writes a compelling post about it — then linking to your website. Not only do you gain a backlink but also referral traffic. Another way to discover your restaurant in search which means more people will visit your website and may become customers.

Online Ordering System

One of the biggest adjustments due to the pandemic is the importance of online ordering for restaurants. One of the many industries hit hard from Covid was restaurants and hospitality. The online ordering system is another SEO tool for restaurant to perform better. Many visitors now resort to online ordering and delivery services to get their favorite dishes and drinks. Even after Covid dissipates, online ordering will more likely be nessecity and be expected by customers to use. 

Mobile-Friendly Website 

And finally, make your restaurant website mobile-friendly. 75% of searches now happen through a mobile device instead of a desktop or laptop. Google recognized this and now ranks web pages based the user experience through a mobile phone. Not sure if your website is Mobile-friendly? Try Google Mobile-Friendly Test.

Get An SEO Expert For Your Restaurant

An SEO Specialist can provide maintenance to your website’s visibility, increase traffic, and gain more customers with measurable data!  Laced Media has the professional SEO experts to get your restaurant thriving. Schedule a free consultation call today.

Schedule A Call
digital marketing for small business, is digital marketing worth it
Uncategorized

Local Marketing – Struggling Small Businesses

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Local Marketing Has Changed -- Here's How To Be Prepared

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past decade, Google has monopolized the online search aspects and has really shaped the way people search for information. For example, 20 years ago if you wanted to find a plumber, you’d pick up a phonebook and start thumbing through the “P” section. Taking a gamble if the plumber is certified, affordable, or even a respectable person. Thanks to search engines like Google, that work happens in a fraction of a second. We now have all this information at our fingertips.

Most Important Investment For A Small Business

small business needs local marketing

Many business struggle with staying afloat of the most current technology like digital marketing. Local Marketing which used to be radio commercials and flyers has swiftly evolved into local SEO. Mom and pop shops tend to have a hard time adjusting to these market changes or just refuse to adapt. Unfortunately, this can seriously kill a business since people rarely walk into a store without doing the research first.

A Local Businesses can struggle without these basic necessities:

Why Do I Need a Google Business Listing?

Google Business Listings is the new Yellow Pages, Just better. A Google Business Listing is Google’s directory for local business around the world. Google can create a listing on your behalf to attempt to make search fluid. Though it’s in a business’s best interest to claim and verify it. This helps increase your visibility online and tells Google ” Yes, I am a business and I verified the information to be correct”.

google maps marketing, local seo

Why Do I Need a Website if I Don't Sell Anything Online?

A majority of websites out there do not sell products online. Breaking down the purpose of a website comes to what I conclude to be 3 basic categories:

  • Informational – Educational, Delivers information, Gain knowledge
  • E-Commerce – Sell products, online purchase
  • Social – Facebook, blog , Portfolio

Get A Free SEO Audit

We maintain and grow your website’s visibility, increase traffic, and gain more customers with measurable data!  Laced Media has the professional SEO experts to get your local business thriving. Schedule a free consultation call today.

Schedule A Call
digital marketing for small business, is digital marketing worth it
SEO tips

How To Get Google Reviews

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Are Google Reviews Important?

Google has pretty much dominated the online search market, but how important are the reviews left on Google?

The answer is simple… extremely important! Google likes to use it’s own products to help in how well your business shows up in search. A great example would be Google Maps Listings.

Your Google Business Listing is directly attached to your Google Maps listing. This is were you appear in search locally. Don’t have a listing? We can help with Local SEO.

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5 helpful Tips To Increase Google Reviews

Simply Ask – Ask and you shall receive, well sometimes. There is no shame in asking a happy customer to leave a review on Google.

Scan a QR code – Have a QR code created to go directly to your Google Review Page. Google requires a Gmail account in order to leave a review. Great thing about android users is they have to create a Gmail account in order to use apps. With android taking up 46% of the market, this is an easy way to get those users to leave a review.

Review Page – Have a page on your website with a link to your Google Reviews. This can showcase your excellent reviews as well as capture them. Don’t have a website? Laced Media can help. Get a web design quote

Email Marketing – Email blasting still exists so collecting customers information is still important. Follow-up emails, new products or newsletter. Don’t forget to ask in the email leave a review and provide a link to your Google Reviews Page makes it easy to do since a lot of people check their emails from their phones.

Friends and family – Asking your friends and family to leave a review is ok in the eyes of Google. Fake accounts can be detected and Google will know if they are fake and deem them as spam.

Build Your Google Business Listing

Google reviews tie into your Google Business Listings which show in organic search. Local business listing need optimization to be visible in search. Contact us to see how we can get your business visible.

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Small Business: Are Local Marketing Companies Better Than Large Agencies?

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Small Business: Are Local Marketing Companies Better Than Large Agencies?

When small business owners search the web to find a digital marketing company, the options are endless. It can be overwhelming for someone who is seeking advice, looking for a digital marketing plan, but not sure who to pick and trust. Here are some great tips on what to ask a Digital Marketing Company and what might be the best options for your business.

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Already Have a Website - Ask For a Free SEO Audit

Many companies have software that can run a general overview of your online visibility. This report should include:

  • Current ranking of keywords
  • Keyword potential (the keywords you can show for)
  • Estimate organic traffic
  • Overall user experience (UX)
  • Technical SEO issues
  • Page loading test
  • Mobile-friendly test
  • Competitor Analysis
local online marketing company, online marketing

Local Marketing Companies Offer Individual Attention

Big marketing agencies may have tons of tools and employees at their disposal, but are they able to give you the attention you need? In my experience, client to employee ratio is so high, that many clients fall through the cracks. Choosing a smaller or local marketing agency can give you the individual attention for your business to show growth and progress.

A Digital Marketing Company should be able to do an SEO Audit for free. If not, they might not have the software and not be up to date on the current technology. After an SEO Audit, an in-depth analysis of your business marketing is done called a Digital Marketing Strategy Plan. This plan acts as a guide on how to improve your current digital marketing position. These are normally not free and can give you some great tips on how to improve your marketing efforts.

Choose Local Over Corporate Agencies

 

Corporate digital marketing agencies and big online digital marketing companies may have tempting offers — but how do you figure they can offer a service for so cheap? What kind of return on investment can you expect with a large marketing agency?  I can tell you first hand, you get what you pay for. 

Cheap SEO Plans

Some large companies can offer cheap SEO services because they automate processes or do the very basics. Others may employ people who aren’t qualified but are just there to read the numbers. The big problem is they act more like a “puppy mill” by using templated processes and way too many accounts to maintain. This typically means not enough time dedicated to your account for actual growth, which may not be the best strategy for your business. This can be a huge waste of your money and time with very little ROI (return on investment). 

Your Personal Marketer

Local Digital Marketing Companies can offer a strategy that tailors to your business. Since they are local, they have the advantage of knowing your target audience and geological target better than big corps.

A Strategy That Works

Most local digital marketing agencies are small enough that you can get the attention needed to have a successful campaign. Typically local agencies will have the same type of software available to larger agencies and will have fewer clients. This actually works in your benefit since most local companies wont overextend and are selective in their clients workload, giving your business more attention and a better strategy plan.

What To Ask A Digital Marketer

What Extent of Information & Training

Not everyone knows how to do SEO or knows what digital marketing includes. That’s why you’re searching Google. Many agencies will tell you what needs to be done but the better agencies will tell you why. Knowledge is power and a powerful campaign comes from educated businesses. A marketing agency that is able and willing to educate you or your team about how things work are truly looking to improve your campaign. Now, they won’t share all their secrets. Providing some education will help make better decisions on the business end provided they understand the schematics of the data. 

How Much Does SEO Cost

Like any equipment needed to run your business, digital marketing is an investment. Keep in mind that cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better. Ask about the budget required to implement the campaigns and if there is a contract. Most companies will charge a setup fee or initial fee to get the campaign going. Typical SEO setup fees vary from $500 to $3000 per website. SEO and Adwords usually have a high setup fee compared to social media account setups as they require a lot more work. While some companies will try to sell you every service they have, you may not have the budget nor the need for every service. Ask about different levels of aggressiveness for their suggested campaign.

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How Will They Measure The Success of The Campaign

When talking with a prospective agency they should be able to support their recommendations with data. Ask about metrics and analytics that support their strategy and how often you’ll receive reports on these growths. Listen to their answers. It will soon tell you if they can provide the measurements you want to see that are relative to your business or just another “cookie-cutter campaign” that isn’t tailored to your marketing goals. Conversations with a prospective agency should be well explained in detail, not vague or leaving you confused. A great digital marketer will take the time to explain a suggested strategy, duration, how it can provide a return with data to back it up.

Speak With A Digital Marketing Expert

An SEO Specialist can provide maintenance to your website’s visibility, increase traffic, and gain more customers with measurable data!  Laced Media has professional SEO experts to get your business thriving. Schedule a free consultation call today.

Schedule A Call
digital marketing for small business, is digital marketing worth it
SEO Uncategorized web design

Common Concerns & Questions about Small Business Websites

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Common Concerns and Questions About Small Business Websites

It’s natural to have questions and concerns about setting up a website. Cost is a huge factor. Beyond an up-front fee to design the website, the ongoing costs can be minimal. Considering the long-term benefits, a website will pay for itself. The cost to design a good website should be well worth it the money.

Why Do I Need a Website if I Don’t Sell Online?

Many questions I see often relate to a business not seeing the need for a website or that it wouldn’t sell goods online. The simple answer to this is a business website can provide so many more benefits. Establishing trust, strengthening your brand awareness, offering better customer relations, and getting the word out to the world you exist.

Website With No Content

Another common concern is that you don’t have any content or you don’t have time to blog. Yes, content is important, especially for SEO. Though more activity and fresh unique content can generate more traffic, any web presence is probably better than none. Once you have a basic website, you can always add to it, as your business and resources grow.

How Much Does Web Design Cost For a Small Business?

A Web Designer can easily help with getting a practical and functional website for your small business. Depending on the needs of your business on average, a Web Design can cost from $1200 and up for a basic design and launch. Some more complicated and customized web designs can excel well over 5 or 10 grand.

Not sure what you need or how much to spend on a website? We can help, contact us today.

tips

Take Professional Looking Photos On Your Phone

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How Do You Take Professional-looking Photos From Your Smartphone?

Anyone with a smartphone has the potential to take fantastic photos, right from their phone. Smartphone technology has quickly developed into an all-in-one compact computer equipped with cameras exceeding some professional gear like Canon and Nikon. Here are 5 easy tips for getting professional-quality photos from your phone.

1. Gridlines

Gridlines are like a blueprint for balancing out the photo. Gridlines are a series of lines that divide the shot into 9 sections. Don’t worry, your photos won’t end up with lines through them. The photo doesn’t capture the gridlines, they are simply a guide that shows up on the screen as you take your picture. When taking a photo, use the gridlines to take a straight photo, center it or balance the focus.

grid for taking photos on phone

How do I get the gridlines on an iPhone:

To turn on the Camera gridlines, open Settings and scroll down and Tap on Photos & Camera. Then scroll down to Grid. Tap the toggle for on and off.

How do I get the gridlines on an Android:

Open the camera, Tap Settings (gear cog icon) in the upper right corner, and scroll down to Gridlines. Tap to toggle on and off. *According to Softwares using Android 9.0 Pie*

2. Clean Your Lens

A clean and clear lens can make a huge difference when taking a photo on your phone. Many people forget to clean them but your fingers tend to touch the lens a lot especially if your phone has the finger scanner on the back, like mine. If your phone is in a protective case like OtterBox, you will get a cleaner image if you take your phone out of the case for the shot as well.

3. Get Different Angles

It’s all in perspective with photography. Try taking photos low to the ground while focusing on the background. Most camera phones will focus on the items you want by tapping on it. This will create a foreground, middle, and background so your viewer doesn’t get stuck on one single point of view in the photo. Always take multiple pictures, in case the phone shakes and you get a blurry picture.

4. Using Filters & HDR

You can get a great photo without using filters or HDR mode, but that can depend on lighting. Light is how photos are created so keep in mind lighting when taking a photo. Be careful of shadows, light beams, and reflective surfaces. If the lighting is low or creating dark shadows, try moving around or creating more light. After you take the photo, you can always add a filter later. If you take a photo with a filter, the filter cannot be removed and you’ll be stuck with it.

5. Keep It Simple

rofessional phone photos tend to look best if they are clean and simple. Take time to stage your photo by removing anything from the frame and background to keep it clutter free. If the photo is set up well at the time of the photo, photoshop time can seriously decrease. You can always crop your images to get rid of unwanted, excess areas.

There you go! 5 easy steps to help improve your photos taken on your phones to get a professional feel. Use them on social media, website, or print!  Customers want to see real photos of your business, products, or community presences.

Need help with Social Media?  Contact Us for Social Media Pricing.
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SEO web design

Do I Really Need a Website?

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Yes, you do. Many small business owners report they simply lack the time, skills and money to build a website. While some businesses say they don’t need one. The fact is, you need a website if you plan to have a successful business in the future.

Your company’s website can be an effective marketing tool that can also be cost-efficient. Let’s take a look at the benefits.

Available 24/7 

The best part about a website is they are always available and ready to serve your customers. Whether its relaying information, collecting leads or sell a product. It will be there when you are closed.

Creates Exposure

People search for services and products before they get to the “buying stage”. If you don’t have a website, you essentially don’t exist because you won’t show up in their search. Statistics show a website can increase your business’s revenue by 25% just by exposing your services and products to more people. That’s a huge chunk of customers you’re ignoring.

Want to dip into that 25% of customers you’re missing out on? Let’s build your first website!

Builds Trust

Building trust with new clients can be difficult. Having a website can verify your business and give reassurance that you are who you say you are. 64% of customers will not use a business if they cant research them first online.

Get Found on Google

In addition to getting a website, its best to incorporate SEO. Search Engine Optimization sets your website up to be found on Google. People who search for relevant keywords, services you offer, or products you sell are more likely to find you with SEO.

Sell your Products & Services

If you sell a product, share it with the world. There are unlimited opportunities to increase your revenue from an online store.  79% of U.S. consumers shop online or their phones according to Pew Research. That’s 8 out of 10 people who can’t see your products.

Services are fairly the same, the only difference is the viewer hasn’t given you the money yet. Though many consumers will research service in their area 3 times before making a decision, don’t be taken out of the running because you don’t have a website.

Convenient for your Customer

You may want your customers to call you. Facts are 67% of consumers prefer email or text than talking on the phone. Having a website can funnel customers to communicate with you whenever it’s convenient for them.