When starting out, business owners focus on their website's aesthetics and they pay good money for website designers and developers to create a visually pleasing website. Unfortunately, when it comes to content creation, small business owners try to go it alone. This, however, is the biggest mistake a business owner can make.

Businesses spend lots of money on designing the perfect website, but they risk that investment when they attempt to create their own content.

If a business owner is not willing to invest in an experienced SEO copywriter who can create unique content that will make the website stand out from the company's competition, then that business's online presence is worthless. It's really not the business owner's fault. It is simply that no one has told them that what they write can make or break their website, regardless of how good it looks.

A recent study found that website visitors are more likely to stick around and buy something if a website entertains them and informs them.

When a business's website entertains people, they will have them hooked. This is a business's opportunity to inform these potential customers about how the company can help them.

The best way to entertain visitors is through humor.

When a business finds a way to mix humor into its website, they have the foundation for success. Humor makes people feel good and when people feel good they buy stuff.

The best way to achieve a balance of entertainment, information and search engine optimization is with the help of a seasoned content writer.

Copyright 2010 dzine it, inc. internet marketing All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

In the last year alone, our industry has seen a lot of changes in how websites are designed. The popularity of browsing the Internet via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices has redefined the way many users access and interact with online content.

Similarly, the adoption of web standards such as HTML5, web fonts and CSS3 by popular browsers, means that more users are able to take advantage of everything that the web now has to offer.

It is often difficult for small businesses to stay up on the latest web design trends, which is why we at dzine it try and keep our clients up to date. As we look to 2011, there are some current technological trends that small businesses should consider incorporating into their sites.

One of the newest trends is the shift away from Flash. Although we at dzine it are experts in Flash design and development and do encourage it under certain circumstances, there is no denying the trend.

More and more sites and developers are moving away from Flash-only solution. Flash is still vital to fully interactive designs, but for small business owners trading Flash for HTML5, JavaScript and CSS3 makes more sense.

The move away from Flash seems to correlate with the rise in alternate ways of surfing the web, something that small businesses should pay close attention to.

More and more websites are taking the time to make their sites 'small screen' friendly. Having a mobile compatible website means that it will load faster and the content will be better formatted for the screens of smaller devices, making it easier to access and understand.

As smartphone adoption continues to soar, more online time will be spent via the phones. For small businesses, getting on that bandwagon is a great was to improve a website's effectiveness.

These are just two of the ways that small businesses can prepare for the latest technological trends in 2011.

Copyright 2010 dzine it, inc. internet marketing All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Google Preview signals yet another change to search engine marketing and this time it directly relates to the design of a website, rather than the way it has been optimized. There are simple design changes that can help small business websites take advantage of Google Preview and improve click through and conversion rates on search marketing strategies.

Google Preview was recently launched with the introduction of an additional magnifying glass next to each search result on Google, essentially offering users the ability to preview a website's content without needing to click onto the website.

This exciting new feature will potentially impact conversion of a website's search engine marketing activity simply because it provides another, more visual dimension for a search engine user to decide whether to visit the website. Right now, more than ever, the first impression that a website makes really counts and the design of a website becomes even more important.

It is probably not wise to redesign the entire home page for Google Preview, but there are some key points to consider. For example, website owners may want to re-consider the use of Flash on the landing page because it may not show up in Google Preview.

Website owners should also consider the fact that it is not just a website's home page that will show up in Google Preview. Also, make sure that company branding and logos are strong and located at the top of the page, because Google Preview windows are relatively small.

Small business website owners to consider using colors that contrast against Google's background and use white to give a sense of structure and make the page easier to read.

Font size and length of page titles should also be considered when designing with Google Preview in mind. A relevant headline or title that appeals to the consumer will drive better click-throughs.

Copyright 2010 dzine it, inc. Internet Marketing All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.