I’m always on the look out for software and sites that make my life easier. I’ve been spending a lot more time lately on SEO and have looked at several SEO software sites recently trying to find something that helps simplify the process for me. I was keeping a close eye on my top keywords by tracking them with an SEO spreadsheet. While this was effective, it was a bit cumbersome.

I researched a bit and found Sheerseo.com, a great SEO Tools website featuring web based online keyword tracking. You can add up to 200 keywords to check, and track, your site ranking. The website is easy to use and comes with a generous 90 day free trial.

One of the best aspects of this is that it is web based, you can login from anywhere, including your mobile, to check your stats. It also keeps historical data so you can really correlate any changes in ranking with changes you’ve made to your website. In addition, it has some valuable backlinks monitoring tools. Check it out for yourself, I’m sure you’ll be as happy with the service as I am!

Click to see a full list of SEO Tools at Sheer SEO.

Even after all this time, I enjoy custom designs and new site launches the most.  I had a great time bringing our latest boutique web design to life.  The Whistling Whale is a fun children’s boutique, carrying both boys and girls fashions that are stylish and fresh.  Stop by and take a peek when you get a chance!

I’ve recently discovered some new and great online tools that make my life much, much easier. I am always price conscious and try to find solutions that are either free (many good ones aren’t) or at least priced in the lower range. As a WAHM run business I just don’t have a big budget for these extras, but at the same time, I don’t want to mess around with something that is supposed to be a time-saver but ends up frustrating me. My newest find is an amazing online project management application that I LOVE!

5pmWeb – project management just got easier! I have struggled with project management since I began offering boutique web design services back in 2004. Because I was not trained as a web designer, I didn’t even know that there were easier ways of managing clients and projects, other than a super long to do list that I kept on my computer or mobile. I started off with some client management software that I bought and installed onto my computer…and I liked it, but I didn’t love it. It was cumbersome to start up and I always felt like I had just shut it down when I needed to fire it back up to look up something.

About a year and a half ago I started looking into web based client management, I tried a couple but didn’t love anything enough to commit. One that came in close second to 5pmWeb was Base Camp HQ. Again, I liked it, but didn’t love it. There was a lot there and in the end, I never really sat down and learned how to use it. Let’s face it, if it has a steep learning curve, I just don’t have time for it. I had all but given up when I did another search recently and stumbled upon 5pmweb. Just from the first glance at the user interface I was hooked. For some reason, this was much more intuitive for me and I picked it up almost immediately. Within 24 hours I had added two new projects, a consultant and a client. I was hooked. Even better, there is a mobile version so I can check my to do list on the go and add or edit project information. 5pmweb offers a 2 week trial and after that they have several plans based on the size of your needs. Their rates are not super cheap, but they are reasonable, and for what they offer, it’s worth it. I especially like that their plans do not limit the number of clients, so if you’re small – which could just mean it’s only you – you can add as many clients as you want without bumping up to a higher rate. Check out 5pmweb here – http://5pmweb.com.

Very much at the last minute, I decided to enter a design competition. If you haven’t been to minted.com, stop by and check it out.  Their card collection is chosen during design competitions.  What an amazing idea.  They have truly fabulous cards that are unique and special at the same time.  Please stop by and take a look at our card, and if you love it as much as we do, make sure to rate it a 5!

http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=10532

We are so thrilled.  poshbabygirl.com one of our Turnkey Boutique Websites, is not even completely setup, but it received it’s first sale this weekend.  We believe that our Turnkey Websites should be an opportunity for someone not just to own their own boutique, but to own a boutique that is going to work for them. We put energy, thought, time and a full list of add-ons into each of our Turnkey Boutique websistes. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for someone to own a successful boutique.  Our expectation is that your new boutique will start seeing some sales in about 4 – 6 weeks after purchase.  To have a site that is not even fully setup and already receiving orders really blows us away (but it shouldn’t – because after all, these Turnkey Websites are designed from the get-go with making sales as a number on priority). 

Stop by and take a look today.  If you’ve always wanted to own your own boutique ecommerce site, or you want to add another income stream to your current business, a Turnkey Website is a great option for you.  Our boutique web designs are professional and include social media add-ons like Twitter and a Blog, as well as all of your basic SEO research completed.  Combine that with fabulous drop-ship products, a great name and sweet boutique website design and you’ve got a winning combination, ready to start earning you sales.

This weekend only, bellagirlboutique.com is offering a great discount on their facebook fan page. Make sure to stop by and check it out. They have oodles of awesome designer girls clothing and accessories!

Typically, when I begin a web design, I draw a mockup with pencil and paper to get the layout setup.  This is often called wireframing, and although I sometimes use Photoshop to wireframe, more often than not it’s been easier for me to draw it out on paper.  I recently read an article that said you could use Google Docs to wireframe.  I took a quick look at Google Docs, but was a little overwhelmed by it, and decided to do a quick search for online wireframing tools.

Enter, Lovely Charts. Just the name was enough to convince me I wanted to use it.  I know, I’m an easy target.  The website sucked me in a bit too, but most impressive was the ease of using the online diagramming application to create flow charts, sitemaps and wireframes.  Everything is layed out in an easy to use format that allows you to use a variety of tools to create your diagram.  After just 10 minutes I had a quick diagram, that was not only functional – but pretty!  With easy drag and drop functionality as well as built in graphics so your charts are both stylish and functional.

Lovely Charts has a basic version, which is free and allows you to save one diagram to work on at a time.  You can create and save as many as you need, but you can only save one in progress at a time.  Their professional version has a yearly fee, and allows you to create unlimited diagrams that you can share and collaborate with others.

I think that there are most likely more full featured products on the market, but for freelancers, or smaller projects Lovely Charts will allow you to create functional and pretty diagrams without a lot of hassle or fuss!  Have fun!

Typically, when I begin a web design, I draw a mockup with pencil and paper to get the layout setup.  This is often called wireframing, and although I sometimes use Photoshop to wireframe, more often than not it’s been easier for me to draw it out on paper.  I recently read an article that said you could use Google Docs to wireframe.  I took a quick look at Google Docs, but was a little overwhelmed by it, and decided to do a quick search for online wireframing tools.

Enter, Lovely Charts. Just the name was enough to convince me I wanted to use it.  I know, I’m an easy target.  The website sucked me in a bit too, but most impressive was the ease of using the online diagramming application to create flow charts, sitemaps and wireframes.  Everything is layed out in an easy to use format that allows you to use a variety of tools to create your diagram.  After just 10 minutes I had a quick diagram, that was not only functional – but pretty!  With easy drag and drop functionality as well as built in graphics so your charts are both stylish and functional.

Lovely Charts has a basic version, which is free and allows you to save one diagram to work on at a time.  You can create and save as many as you need, but you can only save one in progress at a time.  Their professional version has a yearly fee, and allows you to create unlimited diagrams that you can share and collaborate with others.

I think that there are most likely more full featured products on the market, but for freelancers, or smaller projects Lovely Charts will allow you to create functional and pretty diagrams without a lot of hassle or fuss!  Have fun!

BellaGirlBoutique.com is all ready and getting set to launch.  One of our first Turnkey Boutique Websites, we could not be more thrilled with how it turned out.  Bella Girl Boutique is filled with fabulous boutique finds – everything hip and fashionable for your sweet little girl.  Our turnkey boutiques come complete with inventory, shopping cart and SEO – Bella Girl Boutique is already enjoying a page rank of 3!  Can’t beat that.  Stop by and make sure to sign up for Bella Girl’s mailing list to be in the know about their grand opening, new products and any specials they have!