Choose a descriptive file name

Before uploading an image to your website, be sure to rename your image to best reflect what it is about. If you have an image of a silver monogram necklace, a file name of 0009312.jpg doesn’t mean anything to search engines or people. Instead, use a descriptive name like silver-monogram-necklace.jpg.

Reduce the file size

It is important that your website loads quickly. Search engines like fast websites, and so do people! Another benefit to smaller file sizes, is a savings in your website bandwidth usage. This is especially important if you are using a cart system or hosting account with bandwidth limits.

To help keep your website running fast, be sure to save your images using an image optimization tool. These tools will reduce the file size of your image, without reducing the image quality.

Photoshop is a great tool for editing and saving images for the web. If you have Photoshop, save your images using the “Save for Web & Devices” option. Don’t have Photoshop? No problem! There are great free options available.

I have been really impressed with an online service called JPEGmini. Their online tool is easy to use and produces fantastic results. They also offer paid versions with more features.

If you are using a Mac, you can also try ImageOptim.

Use image alt text

Image alt text provides information to search engines about what the image is about and helps rank your image for relevant search traffic. The alt text will also show if your image doesn’t load or is slow to load. Remember, be descriptive but don’t stuff with keywords.

If you are using 3dcart, their system uses your product name for the image alt text. You can learn more about how their system works here: 3dcart – How do I add ALT tags to my images?

For WordPress users, you can add image alt text descriptions by going into your “Media” section in the admin panel. Select the image that you would like to edit and you will see a text field called “Alt Text”. This is where you would add your image description.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources on optimizing images for SEO:

• Image publishing guidelines by Google
• Photoshop – Save for Web
• Photoshop Elements Help – Save photos for the web

It may seem overwhelming to optimize all of your images, but don’t let that stop you. You don’t have to edit all of your images at once. Break it up into manageable chunks that you can complete every day or once a week. Keep the goal in mind of increasing traffic to your site and improving your visitors experience.

The post How to optimize images for better search results appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices. Read more from Google…

Not sure if your website is mobile-friendly? Google has provided a simple tool to test your site. You can enter your website address at the Google Mobile Friendly Test site and it will tell you if your website passes or needs updated.

If your site passes, congrats! You don’t need to do anything else.

However, if your site fails the test, you will need to have your website design/template updated to meet the newest mobile responsive standards.

If you need help updating your website to a mobile-friendly design, I can help! I offer affordable options for small business owners and e-commerce website shops. Send me an email via my contact form to learn more.

The post The importance of having a mobile-friendly website appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

I’ve been working with Shannon for years and was thrilled to work with her on a custom design for her handmade slipper business. She wanted a simple and clean design that reflected her brand style.

Project Details:

• Client provided logo
• Standard cart design package
• Responsive web design
• Website maintained by client

Learn more about Shannon and her business — read her interview below!

Who is Snow and Arrow?
We are a small business in Heber Springs, AR that manufactures infant and toddler slippers with an emphasis on using recycled and organic materials. We distribute worldwide through several retail outlets and sell directly to customers as well. We handle everything from start to finish from sourcing the materials to packing each order with love. Nothing is outsourced.

What do we sell?
Currently we sell infant and toddler slippers with plans to expand to other sizes. The way we set this business up also allows for the potential to add other products in the future.

Why did you decide to start a business?
I love to create, pure and simple. There was also a need for a good slipper designed to stay on little feet.

How did you get started?
I actually started with another business, Woollybottoms which was built from the ground up. The leftover scraps from that business were turned into slippers. The slippers became extremely popular and we soon wanted to branch out beyond wool. It didn’t make sense to call a cotton slipper a “Woollybottom” so the time came where we needed to split the slipper line off to its own.

What would you have done differently in the beginning?
Seeing that this is my second business venture, getting Snow and Arrow off the ground was so much smoother! I learned so much the hard way with Woollybottoms. Hiring people to help in the process is worth every penny.

I had no web design background but developed the first website prototype on my own. To say it was a sad website is an understatement. The first thing on my list after deciding on a name was to contact Cicily and let her do what she does best. No matter how wonderful your product may be, the website must be clean and professional.

What advice would you offer to someone just getting started?
The biggest piece of advice I start with when I am asked is to be sure and do tons of research. Research needs to be made on the product or service to see what is out there. How saturated is the market? What needs to be done to make that product or service stand above the rest?

Then the process of developing a name is incredibly important. One thing I regret about Woollybottoms is the fact that the name doesn’t allow for much growth or change. Snow and Arrow is a name that can grow and morph over the years if needed. It is easy to spell and easy to remember. This is a great time to hire some outside professional help to research that name. This is so incredibly important as you don’t want to build up a name that could potentially be claimed by someone else.

After the name and domain are secured, hire professional help for the website development. You could spend hours and hours learning HTML or using a cookie cutter template. The difference in a professional website is going to be beyond compare and is worth every cent. I can create a pair of slippers. That is what I do. I do not design websites or do coding. While I could technically read online and study for days and come up with a website, the quality (or lack thereof) would be clear.

The post Client Spotlight: Snow and Arrow appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

Terri from Whole Truth Holistic Health Solutions contacted me needing an ecommerce website for her health and wellness business. She already had her logo and product packaging completed, so I used that as a basis for her website design. She is thrilled with the final result and looks forward to growing her business!

Project Details:

• Client provided logo
• Ecommerce website design
• Powered by CKGold
• Matching self-hosted WordPress blog
• Website maintained by client
• Print Design: Business Card

Learn more about Terri and her business below — read her interview below!

Who is Whole Truth Holistic Health Solutions LLC?
We are an online wellness boutique geared towards individuals who are Health & Earth conscious.

What do you sell?
We offer a number of health & wellness services and products consisting of Massage Therapy, Nutritional services, Supplements, Tea Blends, All natural bath bars, body butter, body scrubs & Children’s Bath and body & much more to come!

Why did you decide to start a business?
My studies in Holistic health inspired me to begin this business, when I begin studying, the things that I was learning would keep me up at night. I wanted everything to be safe and healthy for my children, my husband and myself. The love of my family and people in general has led me here to where I am, this business is my way, small as it may be, of doing my part to better the lives of my family and others.

How did you get started?
How I got started is really a blur, I just knew I wanted to start something so I just mentioned the idea to my husband and thank God he is so wonderful and completely supportive of everything that I want to venture into. So with sleepless nights consisting of tons of research, determination and perseverance here we are.

What would you have done differently in the beginning?
I actually don’t think I would do anything differently. Everything has been a learning experience, and I am actually still learning the in and outs of running a business.

What advice would you offer to someone just getting started?
My advice would be to have a plan written out, do tons of research, know your competition well, be true to your purpose which will make what you have to offer just a unique as you are. And last would be to keep that drive, and remember what inspired you to begin in the first place. You will face obstacles, encounter individuals who my try to discourage you etc. brush it off and keep going, be patient and above all remain positive!

The post Client Spotlight: Whole Truth Holistic Health Solutions appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

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I really enjoyed creating this logo and website! Deborah was great to work with and her modern design taste was fun to design for. She wanted a clean design that had plenty of white space. We used CKGold for her cart and website management system.

Project Details:

• Premium Logo Design
• Ecommerce website design powered by CKGold
• Integrated WordPress Blog
• Website maintained by client
• Print Design: Business Card, Postcard, and Letterhead

Learn more about Deborah and Bumbini Cloth Diaper Company — read her interview below!

Who is Bumbini?
Bumbini is an online store for parents who are interested in cloth diapering their family in fun, modern, easy to use, environmentally conscious products.

What do you sell?
We sell a wonderful selection of cloth diapers and covers, plus all the accessories to go with them.   We are really concerned to offer a range of products that meet all parents’ needs.  We are especially motivated to provide organic and natural fiber options.

Why did you decide to start a business?
I used cloth diapers with my son and was so impressed by how easy and economical they were.  So few of my friends and family were cloth diapering, and most just hadn’t thought about it.  I felt that if I was to offer great products at good prices, have a user-friendly website, and offer workshops and education on cloth diapering that I could encourage parents to take that step.

How did you get started?
To start with I went to some small business seminars that explained the basics, such as how to register a business, whether or not to incorporate, and some basic accounting.  As a total novice, with no business background, these were invaluable.  From there it was a case of getting registered, finding the right person to build the website (and Cicily was definitely that person!), and teaming up with great suppliers.

What would you have done differently in the beginning?
I wish I had invested in some accounting software (e.g. Quickbooks) right from day one! As mundane as the accounting is to deal with, staying on top of the bookkeeping will save you many headaches down the road.  I created a maze of Excel spreadsheets that were really difficult to maintain and ate up so much time.  When I told an accountant that was the system I was using he asked if I could imagine a million dollar company operating off spreadsheets, and of course the answer is no.  So no matter how small your business I would advise to think like the big enterprises right from the start and keep your books professional and up to date.

What advice would you offer to someone just getting started?
Don’t be put off by having a small budget to start with.  I really believe that it is those businesses that grow organically and take time to expand that will stand the test of time.  When you are starting a company it is tempting to throw endless amounts of money at it to get it just right before opening day, but starting off with a large debt load will add so much more stress onto your already hectic life.  Do a great job with what you have and grow it from there.

The post Client Spotlight: Bumbini Cloth Diaper Company appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

Tonya from Kotori Photo Jewelry came to me needing a custom website that would have a wholesale login area and a photo upload feature. We used Shoppe Pro for the website management/cart system and custom coded a nifty file upload feature. The file upload feature allows her wholesale clients to easily upload photos within the product ordering page. I really enjoyed working with Tonya and am very pleased with how her website turned out!

Project Details:

• Client provided logo
• Ecommerce website design powered by Shoppe Pro
• Matching self-hosted WordPress blog
• Custom wholesale form
• File upload modification
• Website maintained by client

Learn more about Tonya and Kotori Photo Jewelry — read her interview below!

Who is Kotori?
Kotori is a family run company that creates custom photo jewelry pieces for professional photographers.

What do you sell?
We take photographers’ images and set them in sterling silver. We then cover them with a clear, waterproof, UV-resistant coating. All of our jewelry is completely hand made and customized to client preference, from the chains to the hand stamped charms. Each piece is considered an heirloom, to be passed down to the next generation.

Why did you decide to start a business?
I’ve always loved creating things – even as a girl I was always making something. If you can name a craft or art, I’ve probably done it, from making stain glass to throwing pottery to, well, just about anything. The transition to actually selling my work came pretty naturally.

How did you get started?
When I started making jewelry I found that it was a way for me to do something outside of my normal mommying. I wanted a way to have images of my kids with me wherever I went. I didn’t like the idea of traditional lockets because then the image is hidden. I loved the challenge of figuring out exactly how to make the pieces work.

I started wearing my jewelry, and before I knew it other people were asking me to make them pieces. Suddenly the business began.

I started selling retail, but after being endorsed by a few photographers, the word quickly spread through their community about my pieces. I found that many professional photographers were searching for a unique add-on to offer their clients.

What would you have done differently in the beginning?
While I spent a lot of time researching and experimenting with the jewelry, I would have spent a little more time figuring out some of the other aspects of the business, like how to photograph your products or how to set up a dynamic Facebook page. Wow, there is so much on the fly research you end up doing AFTER you think you are ready to launch!

What advice would you offer to someone just getting started?
Marketing, marketing, marketing! I am lucky enough to be married to my husband, who owns his own marketing consulting company. His input has been invaluable! I think too many people think they can do their own advertising work but it’s not just how your ads look it’s also about hitting a certain demographic, understanding your competition and staying consistent with your brand message. A good marketing company helps guide you through all of that. It makes your business really look polished and professional.

The post Client Spotlight: Kotori Photo Jewelry appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

I couldn’t have asked for a better brother. He was a kind, loving, honorable man and will be missed dearly by our family and all those that he touched with his gentle spirit. We have faith that he is in Heaven and one day we will all be together again.

Elijah served an extended tour in Iraq before serving in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was scheduled to come home in January on leave and then come home for good in May when his tour ended. He leaves behind a wife and 1 1/2 year old daughter.

Please pray for our family during this unimaginably difficult time. The outpouring of love and support from the military and community is a blessing and really shows us how many people Elijah touched in his short life.

A local news story about my brother and his sacrifice for our country: Soldier from Oregon killed in Afghanistan

The post Mourning the loss of my brother appeared first on August Afternoon Design.

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Who is Designer Cloth Diapers?

Designer Cloth Diapers is a cloth diaper store where you find fun, affordable and stylish options for modern cloth diapering. Customers are encouraged to ask questions. We want our customers to be successful.

What do you sell?

We sell many of the top cloth diaper brands and accessories in designer prints. We are always looking for products that make cloth diapering convenient and fun while still being affordable.

Why did you decide to start a business?

Designer Cloth Diapers started with a desire to have a cloth diaper store that was different from the rest. We wanted cloth diapering families to find all the great prints all in one place. Babies grow up so fast, why not enjoy it with fun diapering and accessory choices!

How did you get started?

We started with our own brand “Komfy Kidz” and added some of our favorites. After cloth diapering 3 kids and soon to be 4, we have found things that we think make it a convenient system. We hope to share these products with our customers.

What would you have done differently in the beginning?

There may be things I would do differently, but mostly it has been a learning experience and I wouldn’t have learned so much without experiencing it.

What advice would you offer to someone just getting started?

Research your products, and your competition.. Be confident in your product or store and let others know about it. Get the word out locally as well as online. Make a plan, work hard and be patient. Find a great web designer like Cicily and you will be many steps closer to a successful business!

The post Client Spotlight: Designer Cloth Diapers appeared first on August Afternoon Design.