Jane Brocklebank

Don’t find out the hard way!  Recently I had a text telling me that my website and emails were down. Luckily it was a Sunday and I was able to rectify it pretty quickly (after I had kicked myself for being so lax!) I am ashamed to admit that my domain name registration had expired and because I set it up a few years ago, the email address they had been using to remind me and prompt a renewal was one I no longer use.

The most common reason for websites going offline is that either the domain name registration or the hosting agreement has expired. So how can you avoid this happening to you? (more…)

Your Facebook page is a community of people who have chosen to receive your updates – imagine you’re hosting a party and you want to make sure everyone feels included and there is something to interest and entertain them. You will need a variety of styles and different types of “conversation” to keep everybody interested. You will also need to respond and add comments to other people’s comments in the interest of keeping the conversation going.

The more you can get people talking, the more popular your page will become as others will see the interactions going on and want to join in. Here are some ideas (based on a garden centre) to get you started: (more…)

How to find images to illustrate your website, blog or articles

It’s incredibly easy to find thousands of great images online. But how do you know if you’re allowed to use them or not? Photographers rely on people buying their images in order to make a living, and if you use one without permission, you could be in hot water!

Here’s a guide to what the various phrases associated with images mean.  (more…)

I am on the mailing list of a printing company, but I’m signed up with my hotmail account, and I don’t check that very often.

However, every now and again, I catch up on the various newsletters that come in, and last time I checked I found a newsletter from these printers, promoting the idea of “twitter cards” – little business cards that feature your twitter username and say “you’re now face to face with (username)”

I thought this was a cute idea, so posted a link to the article on twitter. Evidently several other people also thought it was a good idea as they re-tweeted the post to their followers. And who knows if their followers forwarded it again! So what can we learn from this? (more…)

Whether you have a  Linked In profile, a facebook fan page or are a regular tweeter these tips apply. In my view they are basic requirements as a starting point for success in social media. Get these things right, and you’re off to a good start! (more…)

A facebook business page can be a very useful marketing tool. Here are some top tips for setting one up and using it.  (more…)

Whether or not a small business should use LinkedIn for marketing depends on what their objective is. It also depends on what type of business they run.

One of the benefits of LinkedIn is that it can showcase an individual’s career background and experience. Generally speaking, if you want to get on in the world, it’s worth having an easy to view summary of your skills, your career history and a couple of good testimonials … and LinkedIn does that job very nicely.  (more…)

Social networking is a bit like visiting a foreign country – each site seems to have its own language and culture.  Here are some general guidelines to make sure you don’t get off on the wrong foot.

1.  Introduce yourself properly. Rather than just sending the standard request to ask someone to be your friend or to join your network, add a personal note. If you know them this will be easy. If not, explain why you would like to connect with them or who you know that is a mutual connection. (more…)

I’m working on a couple of websites at the moment, in very different business sectors.  But the basics are exactly the same, so here are my five key things to think about when planning your website.

1. What’s it for?
What is the purpose of your website?  Until you think about why your website exists and what you want people to do when they get there, it’s very difficult to plan it effectively.  Here are some ideas to get you started. (more…)

Considering how much effort it takes to put together an email newsletter (thinking about it, scratching your head, considering content, putting the right words together, gathering contacts etc.) it would be a real shame if it wasn’t as successful as it could be because of a few mistakes.  Use this checklist before you send out your next email campaign. (more…)