Put the Web to Work

Protect Yourself from Falling for Phishing or Spoofing Attempts.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 14:16:00 +0000

We love to fish at the Lake of the Ozarks, but there is another kind of “phish” you should always avoid. Email is a popular target for cyber criminals to gather information and is often used for “phishing”. This communication method is an easy way to steal sensitive details about people or deposit malware or a virus on your device. It’s widely used, because most people are generally trusting and/or curious. Our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri gets questions about this kind of activity from our clients. Learn what phishing is and how you can better protect yourself from a potential threat:

What is Phishing?

The term Phishing is coined after “fishing” and is when a cyber-criminal hangs a digital “lure” and waits for an unsuspecting victim to bite. A phishing email typically has a link for the email user to click, and attachment to open, or prompts an email reply. Once you’ve taken the requested action on a phishing email, the cyber bug is in and likely gathering personal or work-related information off your device or infecting your machine and potentially your entire network.

“Hey, I didn’t send that email!”

You may be contacted by someone saying they got an unknown email with your address on it. An email “spoof” is when a cyber-criminal recreates an email that looks legitimate. Cyber criminals can create an email that appears to be from someone you trust. It can be someone in your inbox that you correspond with via email, or it can even be your own email account. Another effective method is to spoof the display name that the email appears as when it hits your inbox. You see an email from your boss or client via the display name, so you open it. Since it has their display name at the top, you may not realize that it’s not from the actual person you think it is from.

What to Do if You See an Attempt.

Our best advice is to avoid clicking a link, opening an attachment, or replying to the email unless you’re 100% confident that it is legitimate. If something seems off, double check who the email is from (not just the display name at the top). You can report these kinds of attempts to your email hosting company. The good news is that most cyber criminals move on quickly if there is no action taken. The bad news is that there’s really not much you can do but report the issue.

Watch out for these attempts! If you do click on a link, open an attachment, or reply to an email that could be an attempt, quickly run a scan with your anti-virus protection and run a malware test. These tests can hopefully catch something before it becomes a bigger issue for your device or your network. Call MSW Interactive Designs if we can answer your questions on “phishing” or “spoofing”.

~ Karen Horsman, Director of Creative Services

MSW Interactive Designs

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Proud Sponsor of Great Dam Duck Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 16:01:00 +0000

Getting involved and giving to our community is part of the MSW Interactive Designs culture. We instill the importance of getting involved in our team and we're proud to support our team members as they volunteer in organizations and charities of their choosing. The Great Dam Duck Drop is right around the corner and our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri is excited to be a part of this amazing event once again this year.

Duck Drop Golf Tourney

The "Quackiest" Golf Tournament at the Lake! Known as one of the most fun golf tournaments of the year, it's an exciting day of golf, great times, and showing support for some fantastic charities. Check out the details of the tournament below:

The Golf Club at Deer Chase
4-Person Scramble
Noon Registration & Lunch
1:30 PM Shotgun Start with Lunch and Check-in starting at 12:00 PM
$125 per PLAYER
Awards Ceremony after play!

Entry includes:

18 Hole Scramble (Quack Holes Included!)
10 Duck Drop Tickets per player ($50 value PER PLAYER!) That's 40 chances PER TEAM to win $5000!
A Delicious LUNCH AT THE COURSE
A day full of fun and thank you's for your support of Lake Area Big Brothers Big Sisters and Ozark Coast Kiwanis

The Great Dam Duck Drop

Stop by the Family Fun Zone on August 1st from 10:00am-1:00pm for exciting attractions for all ages to enjoy. The fun doesn't end there. Take a quick stroll down to the shoreline and watch the ducks fly at noon! The first ducks to cross the finish line will win one of 11 awesome prizes!

There's still time to make plans to participate in the golf tournament! Visit www.GreatDamDuckDrop.com for more details and to register your team today. Make it two days of fun and bring the kiddos out to experience the Fun Zone and Duck Drop on Saturday. Our MSW Interactive Designs team can be found volunteering at both the golf tournament and duck drop. We can't wait to see you there, too!

MSW Interactive Designs

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Phone: 877-211-5492

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How SMART are Your Leads?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 15:39:00 +0000

We spend a lot of time talking about how to get people to your website and into your doors. But what happens then? How do you turn that first-time visitor into a lifelong customer? If you don’t have a proven strategy to capture those leads and follow up, then you could be missing out on building loyalty to your business and earning repeat customers.

Capture Website Visitors

You may already have a lead generation form on your website for potential customers to contact you. While that is an important convenience for the customer, not everyone who visits your website is going to fill out a form and reach out on their own. In fact, it is roughly only 2% of website visitors that take the time to fill out a form.

What if, instead of requiring website visitors to reach out to you, you had a way to reach out to them? That is where Smart Visitor ID comes in. This technology tracks who is visiting your website and sends you information about them that gives you the power to follow up. Smart Visitor ID can collect detailed information like the visitor’s company name, address, possible contacts, phone number, email address, and even more specific details that can help you convert the other 98% of website visitors into solid, workable leads.

Capture Brick & Mortar Visitors

You work hard to get customers through the door at your business. So, how can you encourage them to become repeat, loyal customers? Collecting business cards in a fishbowl just doesn’t seem adequate in today’s fast-paced, information-driven world. While business cards are a great tool for networking, it’s hard to collect a lot of information about a customer through a simple card and a very brief interaction. Zenreach Smart WiFi changes that.

When customers use your free WiFi, they will simply log in using their email address, Twitter, or Facebook. Smart WiFi does all the hard work for you from there, collecting contact and demographic information from every visitor. It even reaches out for you at the perfect moment to encourage those customers to come back when it’s been a while since their last visit. With Zenreach Smart WiFi, you can also collect data about how often customers are returning to your business and how much your sales have increased as a direct result of the platform.

Get Smart!

MSW Interactive Designs has a lot of ways to help expand your reach and increase sales. We go above and beyond traditional website design to help your business be as effective as possible in the marketplace. If you are ready to up your lead game with Smart Visitor ID and Smart WiFi, give us a shout! Let us help turn those first-time visitors into lifelong customers.

Alycia Conrad, MSW Interactive Designs LLC

MSW Interactive Designs

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5 Reasons to Focus on Your Google My Business Listing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:09:00 +0000

When someone conducts an online search for a business, they are likely going to check out the Google My Business listing. It's important that all of the information is complete and accurate on your Google My Business listing. Our online marketing company in mid-Missouri sees every day how important Google My Business listings are for our clients. If you don't have a Google My Business listing (or you don't remember the last time it was updated), check out why it's such an important platform to remain active on.

1) It's a Google Product (need we say more?)

Google is known to weigh its own platforms a little more heavily in search rankings. The company has also stated that Google My Business listings have an impact on SEO, especially local SEO. If you own a business with a physical location, a Google My Business listing is a MUST!

2) Helps Customers Find Info

Google is all about providing answers to questions. Many online searches are conducted to find out information about businesses. What are their hours? How do I get there? What is their phone number? What do others say about their business? All of these answers can be easily found on a completed Google My Business listing. Ensure your customers are getting the right information about your business by completing your GMB listing!

3) Works as a Social Platform

Google used to have Google+ as its social platform, but in the past few years, this feature has transferred over to the Google My Business platform. Companies are able to make posts like any other social platform in order for businesses to share detailed information about their products or services, details about their business, and any other content that pertains to their industry. The more content your business has online on various platforms, the better.

4) Encourages Reviews

Google My Business encourages consumers to leave reviews about businesses. It's also a nice platform for business owners to use to manage online reviews. You can view and respond to any review left about your business (and we highly encourage you to do so)!

5) Showcases Your Business

Your Google My Business listing is another place for you to share information about your business. Since most online searches are done via Google, it's important this listing is up to date in order for your potential customers to learn the most accurate information about your business.

Now that you've learned some of the reasons why it's so important to focus on your Google My Business listing, you're ready to take action. If claiming, establishing, or maintaining your listing seems overwhelming or you simply don't have the time, MSW Interactive Designs has some options available to help our clients claim and better manage their Google My Business listings.

MSW Interactive Designs

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Popular Reasons for a Website Redesign

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 20:06:00 +0000

You have a website and when it was first designed, you loved it (hopefully)! A couple years have passed, and now your website isn't exactly what you have envisioned for your business. It may be time for a website redesign. The world of website design, like anything in the digital world, is ever-changing. You may not even be aware of some of the exciting functionalities that are available on the market today. Our website design company in mid-Missouri is here to help! We've included some of the reasons your site may need to be redesigned, below:

It looks outdated.

The look and feel of your website may seem stagnant or even outdated. If you have those thoughts while looking at your site, it's a clear sign it's time to consider a redesign. Getting a fresh look can help those who are visiting your website have a better experience on your site.

It is hard to navigate.

Users expect websites to be easy to navigate. If you believe potential customers are getting lost or frustrated when trying to find out information about your business, they are likely leaving your website and going to your competition.

It doesn't match your vision.

Just like people, businesses grow and evolve over time (at least, that's the goal!). If your current website doesn't match the direction your business has shifted, it's important to update it so your new vision and mission are clear.

It looks suspicious.

If your website is outdated, there may be some security features that aren't present on your site. When a site lacks these important features, it can look untrustworthy and reflect poorly on your business!

It doesn't load quickly.

Website users expect page load speed to be quick. If you are experiencing slow speeds, users are much more likely to exit out of your page altogether. Outdated features, like flash, can be a reason for this lag. Load speed is one of the factors Google uses when ranking websites, so it's important for your end-users, as well as your search engine rankings.

It is not responsive.

A responsive website means it scales to any device it's being viewed on. This means it is easy for website visitors to use on mobile, on a tablet, or on a desktop. Being responsive on any device is very important for user experience. It's also a factor used when Google ranks websites.

If any of these reasons for a website redesign near Lake of the Ozarks sounds familiar, it's time to call the pros! Here at MSW Interactive Designs, we can offer an analysis of your current website and ways we can make it better with a redesign. Contact our team of ROCK STARS today!

MSW Interactive Designs

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Phone: 877-211-5492

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Why Instagram is an Important Social Media Platform for Business

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 May 2020 13:28:00 +0000

Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform and it's a fantastic place for businesses to share content. When used correctly, this platform is a highly effective way to reach customers. There are many perks of posting to Instagram and our social media marketing business in mid-Missouri is here to showcase why your business should be on this platform.

Great Potential for Reach

Instagram has 112.5 million users in the United States. The potential for reach is huge! Ensure your message is being seen on this platform for the best chance of exposure for your business.

Showcase Creative Side

Get creative with your posts on Instagram. This is your chance to show a more personal side to your business. Consumers like to do business with people and your business can showcase your personal aspects with your content.

Attract a New Demographic

Instagram has a wide range of users but for the most part, it's a younger demographic. Reaching this age range is impactful for many businesses. This can help you gain new customers that you may not have been reaching before on other platforms.

Strengthen Customer Relationships

Instagram is a platform where interactions with customers are encouraged. You can direct message or comment back and forth with your followers to help grow the bond they have with your business. This kind of interaction helps you become more memorable for your potential customers, as well.

Create Fun Content

Instagram is all about fun. Eye-catching images, exciting content, emojis, and hashtags are all common on this platform. Have fun with your content creation and make your account an exciting place for followers to check out your business!

There are many perks of posting to a business Instagram account. Our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri has noticed a great spike in interest and use of this platform. If your business isn't posting to Instagram, now's the time to explore ways to extend your reach to keep your business top of mind. MSW Interactive Designs is here to help put the web to work for you!

MSW Interactive Designs

We Put The Web To Work For You!

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www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Phone: 877-211-5492

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The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 May 2020 20:34:00 +0000

Videos have taken over Facebook. You may have noticed Facebook newsfeeds are infiltrated with video and there's a reason for that. Facebook knows that the majority of users enjoy watching videos more than looking at a stagnant image or a post with no image at all. This type of marketing strategy can help your business get more views for your content. Check out a few ways you can use Facebook to market video content.

Uploading a Native Video

Posting a video by uploading a file is one of the most impactful ways to share video content. This method allows the video to auto-play for viewers scrolling through their newsfeed. This can quickly grab the attention of your viewers and draw them in to see your message.

Going Live

Live is one of the more popular video content sharing methods. When someone goes "Live", they are live streaming from their camera view. This is a great way for your followers to see your authenticity. There is no editing or uploading required; simply tap Live and start your video! Your viewers will get a notification as you go Live, which can help increase the number of people who see your video.

Sharing Links to Videos

Another way to share video content on your Facebook page is to post a link to a video from another website. Many videos, like YouTube videos will populate a thumbnail and prompt the viewer to hit play or click out to the original video source. This can be a quick and easy way to get existing content in front of your Facebook followers.

Tips for Creating a Video for Facebook

Creating a successful video requires a plan. Here are a few suggestions we can provide to get you started:

1. A successful video ad starts with professional photos, video clips, and/or text that promotes your specials, offers or events. This content has to be royalty-free so you are protected from copyright issue.

2. You’ll want to consider the music that is set to your video ad. While most users don’t listen with sound, you still want to have some there for the ones that do. Be aware - only use royalty-free music to protect yourself from copyright issues.

3. Keep the length in mind for your Facebook Video Ad. We don’t recommend that it’s any longer than 30 seconds. Short and sweet is the most effective way to utilize your video ad.

Tips for Going Live on Facebook

Going Live on Facebook is a fun and impactful way to share your message. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Think about your environment. Is the lighting adequate for what you want to accomplish. What does your background look like? Could background noise be distracting for the message you're trying to portray?

2. Get comfortable on camera. Don't be nervous as you hit the Live button, just be yourself! This is your chance to show off the personal side to your business and is a great way to connect with your followers!

3. Make your message valuable. Don't go Live just for the sake of going Live. Try to have something relevant to share with your followers when you choose this video platform. People will be excited to see what you have to say and will likely come back to your Facebook page for more information about your business!

Now that you know the different types of video marketing you can do with Facebook and some tips on creating video content, you're ready to take a step into the video marketing world! Video is a fantastic tool to capture audience, share your message, and make a memorable impact on potential customers. If you're looking to up your online marketing efforts, MSW Interactive Designs is here for you!

MSW Interactive Designs

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Phone: 877-211-5492

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Top Strategies to Get More People to Sign Up For Your E-Newsletter📧

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 May 2020 18:30:00 +0000

An email newsletter is a highly effective, and oftentimes underused marketing platform many businesses have available. If you collect email addresses of clients and potential customers, you should be sending out email newsletters. Regular newsletters can keep your business top of mind, remind current customers of other products/services you have available, and showcase what your business is up to. According to Marketing Sherpa, 61% of customers say they like to receive promotional emails on a weekly basis. If you're looking for effective ways to grow your email marketing list (and you should be), check out our tips below!

Make it Easy

Consumers aren't going to take too much time filling something out and the second it gets complicated, they will hit the exit button. Whether you're collecting emails at an expo or on an online form, it's important that it is user friendly in order to get more subscribers to complete the subscription process.

Offer Something in Return

People don't like giving away their contact information for "free". The subscriber will be more inclined to input their email address if they get something of value in return. You can get creative with this -- a free resource guide for something that pertains to your business or a gift card to your business are both effective strategies. You can even test out a few different items and see which offer gets you the most new subscribers.

Keep it Simple

Just like making it easy, consumers don't want to input a lot of personal information -- sharing their email address is likely enough for them. We recommend keeping the input form as short as possible to help keep potential subscribers interested.

Promote Sign Ups on Other Platforms

Gain more subscribers by promoting your newsletter on your other platforms. You'll likely want a sign up form on your website. You can easily promote sign ups by making social media posts about subscribing. Helpful tip: Link to the web page your sign up form is on to make the transition even easier for people who want to subscribe.

Make it Shareable and Worthy of a Share

Most newsletter platforms offer an option for subscribers to share the content they are reading. Invite them to do so. If they like what they read, they may have someone in mind who would enjoy similar content, as well. This means your content has to be worthy of a share, too!

Now that you know some impactful ways to get more subscribers to your email newsletter, you're ready to start implementing these changes to your email marketing strategy! If you're curious about e-newsletters to promote your business, our internet marketing company is here to help. Contact MSW Interactive Designs today. We want to hear what you'd like to accomplish with your newsletter and we can help find the right options to meet your needs!

MSW Interactive Designs

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Phone: 877-211-5492

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What Our Rock Stars Have Been Up To While Working From Home😎

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 May 2020 21:16:00 +0000

Our MSW Interactive Designs rock stars have been working from home for about seven weeks now. We thought it would be fun to see what everyone is up to (besides working hard on website design, social media engagement, and other internet marketing services)! We asked our team some questions about working from home. Check it out:

Rebbecah Sansom:

What do you like most about working from home?
I'm saving a ton of money on gas, daycare and generally not going to the gas stations/grocery stores every day!
I also LOVE being able to spend more quality time with Wesley.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
While being home more with Wesley has been an absolute blessing, it's also been a major challenge. Wesley doesn't quite understand that mom is working and just wants me to play with him all day. Some days are better than others, and he does a great job at entertaining himself for short periods of time so I can get some work done. Other days, I've got to work really strange hours just to work around his schedule and get all my work done.

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
I'm a planner. I've got everything I need to do for the day written down on a calendar. Working from home with Wesley, I've had to learn to be okay with my plans changing. I'm getting better at 'going with the flow'.

What extra task or project have you been able to work on while working from home?
Since I'm not spending nearly 2 hours of drive time every day, I've been able to stop working and immediately start spending more time with the family. We've been spending a lot of time outdoors trying our hand at gardening (which we're learning we're not very good at), working around the yard and farm, training puppies (or trying to), and we've even got to witness the birth of 3 of our 5 new calves!

Now that you've been working at home for 7 weeks, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
I would tell myself not to get too worked up about minor setbacks. Working from home has some hardships, but we're adaptive and quickly learning to work through them - so just enjoy it while you can, and learn to roll with the punches.

Deanna Powell:

What do you like most about working from home?
The flexibility that allows me to arrange my work schedule around the other projects I am currently a part of.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
Most of the time my work hours happen while the house is empty but since everyone is having to stay at home right now, the most challenging part is getting them to remember to keep quiet when they are near my office door. The family doesn't always understand that even though they are off work and out of school right now, I am still working.

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
I have been working remotely for a couple of years now, so I had my working-at-home schedule pretty much nailed down a while ago. Since the entire team is currently working from home, the 3 weekly online meetings are the biggest change for me but I really like them because I get to see everyone a lot more often than usual.

What extra task or project outside of work have you been able to work on while working from home?
I started working from home when I moved to Springfield where I also co-own Playco Games, a board game publishing company. We are in the process of fulfilling a Kickstarter that recently funded & I'm in the process of getting a new Kickstarter game ready to go online, so that has taken up a lot of the "free time" I have.

Also, I volunteer for Visioncon, a non-profit Pop Culture Convention here in Springfield. (I am a huge comic book nerd!!) Our May 1-3 convention had to be postponed but we didn't want everyone to miss out on the fun, so we quickly did our best to put together a "Virtual Visioncon" to host online to boost the visibility & products of the vendors, artists, guests, and panels that would have taken place at the in-person convention. So in other words... the exact same projects I would have been doing without the quarantine, just executing them in a slightly different way!

Now that you've been working at home for about 3 years, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
Don't panic, it's all going to get done!! (It always does.) Having a plan early in the week and doing my best to stick to that helps a lot but most importantly, going with the flow when something interrupts that plan makes life a lot easier to handle. (In other words, don't panic!) It's nice with MSW Interactive Designs because if there is ever a big wrench thrown into the works, we've got an amazing and supportive team always at the ready to back each other up, so unexpected issues are usually easy to get taken care of quickly. If I do happen to panic, they calm me down right away!

Karen Horsman:

What do you like most about working from home?
I enjoy being able to spend more time with my husband and our son. I also like saving money and time not commuting to work.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
I miss my dual monitors! I didn't know how spoiled I was in the office with two screens. I also miss our office environment! We all work together really well and bounce ideas off one another throughout the work day. It's a really fun environment to work in!

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
I have extra time in the morning before my work day starts. I've been using that time to relax with the family before starting work!

What extra task or project outside of work have you been able to work on?
We've been working on finishing our basement on weekends here and there for about a year and the last 7 weeks we've been able to make some major progress! We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! We've also been able to play outside more than normal and go for walks almost every day. I've been loving this extra time with my family and trying to soak it all up!

Now that you've been working at home for 7 weeks, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
Don't stress about things you cannot control!

Amanda Rowden:

What do you like most about working from home?
1. I save an hour a day in drive time.
2. schedule.
3. Being with my dogs all day.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
I think the most challenging part is very little human interaction. Missing my peeps.

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
Start time - I seem to get up earlier now and go straight to work.

What extra task or project outside of work have you been able to work on?
We have been working on the RV remodel, gardening, and perfecting my corn hole game.

Now that we've been working at home for 7 weeks, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
This may take a little longer than you think, look over your desk again and take everything with you.

Chasiti Begley:

What do you like most about working from home?
Although our team is still working full time as usual, I LOVE having the extra time that I spend driving into the office. I drive 45 min one way, so it really does give me some extra time to work on projects at home. I also have found myself being more productive because after being on the computer all day at home, I’m ready work on projects once I’m done working.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
Technology is different at home — internet isn’t as fast and I miss my duel monitors tremendously. I also miss seeing everyone in the office! We have a great culture at MSW and things just aren’t the same on our Zoom calls!

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
My morning routine has probably changed the most. Since I have no one to impress at home, no need to do my hair or put my make up on! (Hello time saver!) I was also accustomed to getting up early to go to the gym before work, and now I’m working out at home instead. I have more time to relax and drink my coffee in the morning before I begin work, which I enjoy.

What extra task or project have you been able to work on while working from home?
I’ve always been one to work on projects off the clock, so not much has changed for me as far as quarantine goes. I’ve been planting a garden, working on craft projects, building furniture, taking my dog Higgins kayaking at Ha Ha Tonka, having bonfires during the week just because, trying to convince my two dogs that they don’t need a snack ever time I have one... oh, and I got a new duck — her name is Gertrude, Gerti for short!

Now that you've been working at home for 7 weeks, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
I would have told myself to pack up my monitors from work!

Krysti Rice:

What do you like most about working from home?
I HAVE THE CUTEST LITTLE OFFICE ASSISTANT EVER! Getting to work with him is something I enjoy when it comes to working from home. If I am feeling stressed about something, I can just look over at him and somehow things can just feel better. Everyone should have a Gizmo in their life, but if you don't - just look at him, consider this your dose of cuteness for the day! 😊

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
I've worked from home for about a year and a half now and I enjoy the flexibility for sure! One of the things that can be challenging about working from home for MSW is recreating the fun environment that exists in the office. However, we all still enjoy sending some funny GIFS and comments to each other on Facebook messenger and that can always be good for a laugh!

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
I don't think my schedule has really changed that much other than just having more flexibility and there's no drive time, which is AWESOME!

What extra task or project have you been able to work on while working from home?
I don't really have any extra tasks or projects as I have worked from home long before COVID-19 started. 😊

Now that you've been working at home for about a year and a half, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
As I said earlier, I have worked from home for about a year and a half now. I know working from home now is pretty new for a lot of people, so I'm going to say this is what I advise for them - stick to your normal schedule. For example, if you would normally wake up, put makeup on, get ready and eat breakfast before work - do that. The normal routine may do you more good then you realize. 😊

Keith Lucas:

What do you like most about working from home?
Do you mean other than wearing a tee-shirt and sweatpants everyday? Less distractions and more time. I don't feel as stressed.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
I don't know; I have really grown to love working from home. I'm lucky as a web designer to have a career that I can do from anywhere. The challenge is that my kids are also home 24/7 with the school closure so I have to help them with school work and like feed them and stuff.

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
I don't have to waste an hour in my car. My wife and I see each other more because I am home when she is not at the pharmacy working.

Now that you've been working at home for 7 weeks, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
Be patient and don't worry about it. Make a new normal.

What extra task or project outside of work have you been able to work on?
Taking walks for exercise, spending more time with my family, and saving money. I've also been building an AR-15 rifle "from scratch" so to speak. Ordering each part separately, and building a custom Operation Iraq Freedom engraved firearm that will hopefully be a family heirloom for generations.

Alycia Conrad:

What do you like most about working from home?
I love being able to see my husband more often. We are on opposite schedules for half of every month, so being able to work from home has allowed us to spend a lot more time together. I also love being with my two doggos all day... It's hard to leave those puppy eyes every morning on office days.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
It has been an adjustment to use different technology at home. I miss having two screens!

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
I've been able to take the time to eat healthier and more regularly at home. Instead of rushing breakfast and packing a lunch or eating out, I have my whole refrigerator to choose from every day!

What extra task or project outside of work have you been able to work on?
My husband and I have been able to get a lot of yard work and home renovation projects done like reseeding the yard, staining our deck, installing and fixing up a swim platform, and reinforcing our retaining wall.

Now that you've been working at home for 7 weeks, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
I would tell my one-week self, "Use your extra time for creativity instead of worry. You might even fall in love with working from home. And get some sunshine!" 😎

Laurel Leurquin:

What do you like most about working from home?
The flexibility to stop and enjoy lunch with the kids or go on a walk if the weather is nice.

What is the most challenging part about working from home?
Tuning out distractions and staying focused, probably.

What about your daily schedule has changed the most?
The biggest difference in working at home and working in the office, for me, is cutting out that really long drive time! Though, sometimes I kind of miss listening to audiobooks and podcasts while it was “nap time” for kids :D.

What extra task or project outside of work have you been able to work on?
We’ve been able to install our bee hive! (photo attached)

Now that you've been working at home for about two years, what advice would you give your week 1 self?
Start the day with a good breakfast - it helps curb the munching all day long, LOL.

It looks like our team has been very busy! The MSW Interactive Designs rocks stars continue to make us proud as they adapt & make the best of any situation!

MSW Interactive Designs

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TIPS FROM THE PROS: Ways to Effectively Market During Uncertain Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 14:09:00 +0000

We are certainly experiencing uncertainty! No one knows when things will be back to "normal" (is normal a thing in the business world?). It can be tempting to halt your marketing efforts but we're here to show you why you shouldn't. We understand times are tough and we don't know how long this will last but stopping your marketing messages all together may actually make things worse for your business. Our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri is here to help guide you through ways to better market your business during difficult times but most importantly, don't stop marketing altogether!

Be Present

Communication is key, especially in a world of uncertainty. Having your messages present can easily keep your business top of mind.

Evaluate Your Message

Ensure your message is in good taste. Would your typical customer think the content you're sharing is appropriate? That answer depends on your consumer, but keep your customer in mind when creating content, especially right now.

Express How You Can Help

Consumers are constantly looking for solutions and it's your job to tell them how your product or service can help. Showcasing how your product meets a need or want can connect the dots for potential consumers who are looking at your marketing message.

Be Transparent

Transparency is highly important right now. Keep consumers in the know with what's going on with your business. Are your hours changing? Are you taking extra precautions to keep consumers and employees safe? Are you temporarily closing down? This information should be clearly present for customers. If you aren't informing your customer base, they may have unanswered questions and move on to your competition for their answers.

Show Empathy

This is the time to showcase the human side of your business. It's a terrible situation and being empathetic to what's happening across our city, our state, our country, our world is of high importance right now.

Keep It Positive

People are on social media now more than ever and most are craving some positive messaging -- be that bright spot for your consumers! Consumers remember how you make them feel over all else. Make a positive impact with your messaging in a scary and uncertain time!

During times of uncertainty, it's best to over-communicate with your customers and social media is an impactful touchpoint as many consumers spend a big chunk of time each day online (even more now).

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SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE SKYROCKETS: Are You Keeping Your Business Relevant?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 17:14:00 +0000

The number of people using social media during the COVID-19 crisis is through the roof. That's not really a big surprise as more and more people are spending time at home. Our internet marketing firm in mid-Missouri knows social media is a fantastic place to stay connected to your friends and loved ones, as well as businesses you care about. With more active users than previous months, now is the time to focus in on your business's social media marketing strategy. Check out a few stats about the increase of users and how your business can stay top of mind through social media!

Social Media Stats During COVID-19 Crisis:

Facebook had 5,700,000 more active users in March 2020 versus February 2020, in the United States.
People are spending 20% more time on apps during the crisis.
Of participant interviewed in early March, 43.1% said they would use Instagram more, if confined to their homes. YouTube and Facebook were also top platforms users expected to frequent more.
In 2019, the average time adults spent about 144 minutes a day on social media. On March 24th, Facebook announced that the usage increased by more than 50% since the COVID-19 crisis began!

Ways to Amplify Your Message During Crisis:

There are more active users on social media across the country and across the world right now. We've provided a few tips for social media marketing to help your business stay top of mind for your potential customers during this time:

Keep posting across your social media channels.
Share important updates about your business.
Continue boosting your messages, when appropriate, to reach your target audience.
Remind followers of any changes you've made (they may not have seen the first update you made).
Consistency is key -- try to post as frequently as you did before.
Be thoughtful about your messages.
Use this time to improve your social media marketing message.

Keep posting social media messages for your business. This is one of the most effective ways to stay top of mind, especially now that social media usage is climbing. Even if your business isn't open right now due to seasonality or having to temporarily close your doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, keep posting to your social media accounts! This is one of the few ways to keep your business in front of your potential customers.

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Facebook Changes Aimed to Help Small Businesses During This Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 16:24:00 +0000

Many small businesses are facing challenges in this unprecedented time. Facebook has stepped up and is offering a few ways to better support small businesses during this time. Social media marketing is an effective way to get your message to your target audience. It's important to keep up with your social marketing as this is a way many customers are consuming information these days. Ensure your message has a good chance of being in their newsfeeds over the next few months. Consumers are eager to learn more about businesses and silence is NOT the way to accomplish that! Learn about the changes Facebook has recently made to make communication and the financial struggle a little easier for many small businesses:

Ability to Sell Gift Cards On Facebook

Facebook now provides a place for businesses to set up digital gift cards. People can purchase gift cards for themselves or for others to use at a future date. The income stream from the purchase of gift cards can help many small businesses stay afloat.

New Fundraising Capabilities

Business owners are now able to create a personal fundraiser on Facebook and invite their business followers to participate. This fundraising option can come as a big opportunity for financial relief for businesses facing a time of crisis. Many non-profit organizations rely on donations to function and social distancing has caused many of those efforts to come to a halt.

Small Business Grant Program

Businesses are experiencing many disruptions with the COVID-19 crisis spreading across the world. Facebook has taken a stand to relieve some of the financial devastation with cash grants and ad credits to help lessen the burden during this challenging time.

More Options to Communicate Business Changes

There are now more service options available for a business Facebook page. Details like pickup, delivery, and online services are now options for businesses to select on their business profile. These additional changes allow businesses to best communicate their current situation to customers. Communication is key on a normal basis and even more important throughout this pandemic as businesses make changes on a regular basis to best adapt to the current situation they face.

If you've not been focusing on the social media presence of your small business, MSW Interactive Designs is here for you! Our team helps many small businesses create and maintain a professional and impactful internet marketing presence. Contact our social media marketing company in mid-Missouri today to learn how we can help grow your small business!

MSW Interactive Designs

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A Little Different Perspective on “Branding”

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 19:54:00 +0000

The word, “branding,” can be confusing for small businesses. Some people think it’s your advertising. Some people think it’s your logo. But it’s neither. While there are technical definitions of “branding,” I recently came across a little different perspective on branding that I really like.
It’s by Allan Dib, author of “The 1-Page Marketing Plan.” It goes something like this.

Try thinking of your brand as the personality of your business.

Literally, think of your business as an actual person and answer these questions about it. As you answer them about the “person”, try to think about the mental and emotional picture it creates of your “brand.”

So, if your business was a PERSON:

1. What is the person’s name?
2. What does the person wear?
3. How (and how well) does the person communicate?
4. What is the person’s core values? And do they live by them in all cases?
5. Who does the person associate with?
6. Is the person well-known? And by who?

As you think about the mental and emotional picture created by your answers, you begin to get a sense of your brand. Now, most likely you answered these questions from YOUR perspective. Here’s the real gold … ask one of your best customers to complete this exercise for your business. The difference in the answers is the gap and it give you an action plan to close the gap, from what your brand is right now (the customer’s perspective) to what you want it to be (your perspective).
The take-away is this. Your branding really occurs AFTER the sale. It’s not something you do to entice people to buy from you. It’s the experience they have with your business and how they talk about that experience to others over time.

~ Sandy Waggett, Co-Owner MSW Interactive Designs LLC

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Features Every Effective Website Should Have

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 14:37:00 +0000

It can be intimidating to decide what should be featured on a website. Our experienced website designers in mid-Missouri hear this a lot from our clients. A website should be a source where consumers can find a solution to their problem. If you're struggling with what to put on your website or are simply wanting to ensure your website is as updated as possible, it's a good idea to check that your site contains the following features. Take a look:

Eye-catching Graphics

If your site doesn't grab your viewer's attention within seconds, they may move on. It's important that the visual aspect of your website conveys the right message to your potential customers. The graphics should be professional, eye-catching, and do a great job of explaining what your business does. The graphics you choose may be even more important than you realized!

Clear Call to Action

What do you want website visitors to do? If the action you want potential customers to take isn't clear, they may not know what to do or how to contact your business to learn more. Do you want consumers to download a guide? To email your business? To call your team? Ensure you have easy to understand communication about what consumers should do. If they guess how they should contact you, they may be wrong or leave your site altogether.

Content About Business

Content is one of the most important aspects of your website from both a consumer and an SEO standpoint. Consumers visit your website because they want to learn more about your business. The content on your site should be able to easily convey the purpose of your business to potential consumers. Another factor that makes content vital is that Google has bots that crawl websites and "read" the content to decide what relevant search result the site should appear for. Your website content has a direct impact on your search results.

Showcase the Solution

People who visit your website have a problem and they are hoping your website has the solution. Make sure it does. A highly effective website showcases the problem that your business helps solve to make it obvious to consumers that your business can help with their issue. This type of communication via the website can help potential consumers feel more at ease as they struggle with whatever problem it is that you can help solve.

Key Search Terms

As mentioned above, Google indexes websites to determine which search results would be relevant for the website to appear. Key terms are a huge part of that algorithm. If your website doesn't have on-page SEO terms that you hope you would appear for in a search, you may be missing out on impactful organic web traffic.

Now that you know what your website should include, you can get busy creating content to meet these goals. If you don't have a website (and every business should) or you're wanting to have your site redesigned to freshen things up, our website design company at the Lake of the Ozarks is here for you! Contact the rock star MSW Interactive Designs team today to learn how we can help you better showcase your business online through a visually stunning, highly effective website.

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Secrets for an Effective Online Business Presence

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 16:46:00 +0000

Getting found online is a way many businesses drive success. The ability to get people to your website and to increase awareness of your business is key. Our online marketing company in mid-Missouri is here to help! We're showcasing a few of the things you can be doing to put the web to work for your business.

Have an Effective Website

Your website is your hub for all online activities. When a potential customer is searching for a solution to a problem, your website should be able to help them solve that issue (if it pertains to your business). It's also important to have a clear call to action across your website. How should someone contact your business to make a purchase? Is there an online store, a storefront to visit, a phone number to call, and order form to fill out... this kind of information should be easy for potential customers to view and understand.

Be Active on Social Media

Social media is a highly effective way to reach and communicate with potential customers. Bring awareness to your business through regular social media posts. Having a strong social presence can also lend a hand in improving search engine rankings when platforms are used correctly. Your customers spend their free time on social media and they are more receptive to your messaging when doing something they enjoy -- capture their attention on social media and make a lasting impression.

Monitor Online Reviews

Online reputation is not something that should be ignored. You should be keeping tabs on every review platform that makes sense for your business. Replying to reviews is an important factor in building credibility and trust with potential customers. Google likes to see this kind of reputation activity and it is a factor that's used when ranking websites. Get active and stay active with your online reputation.

Gather Contacts & Use That Intel

There are many ways to gather contacts of current customers and potential customers. Whether it's having a giveaway at a trade show or gathering contact info as a new customer is entered into your system, use this information to market your business. There are a ton of businesses who have extensive email & phone number lists but do nothing with it. That's a huge missed opportunity for reaching contacts you could be sharing regular updates about your business and products with!

Consistent Information Across All Platforms

Ensure your online directories are up to date and accurate. Taking the time to do this can help avoid a frustrating circumstance when a potential customer is trying to find your business, gets frustrated with inaccurate information, and goes to your competitor. It's also another factor that's taken into consideration when Google ranks websites. Having information that's not consistent is confusing for Google and your customers!

There are many strategies to take into consideration when creating an effective online presence. Here at MSW Interactive Designs, we offer a wide range of online marketing services for clients nationwide. If you're wanting to improve your current marketing strategy and have a more robust online presence, contact our internet marketing firm at the Lake of the Ozarks today! We'd love to chat about your business and come up with the best ways to market your message across the right platforms for your business!

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Boost Your Business with Smart WiFi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 21:57:00 +0000

Every business looks for ways to improve and be more successful. How do I bring more people in my door? How do I keep customers here longer? How do I bring existing customers back? If you've wondered similar questions yourself, it's time to consider Smart WiFi for your brick and mortar location! Our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri uses a unique Smart WiFi platform that can help you make the most of your existing customer base. From remarketing to reputation management, MSW Interactive Designs can help you do it all! Learn more about our Smart WiFi and how you can best use it for your business.

Why Smart WiFi?

5x faster (automated) customer data collection.

When a user signs into your business WiFi, they will be prompted to create a log in or use an existing account log in (like Facebook or email). Once a user logs in, your business receives this contact information. This allows you to automatically gather customer information. Now you can remarket to your existing customers to help bring them back through the doors!

Monitor online reputation.

A review prompt will be given to someone who logs into your WiFi. This gives you the chance to handle a negative experience with the customer in a timely manner. You can also choose to set reviews to automatically publish across your social media or website platforms. Google likes to see this kind of online review activity going on with your online presence.

Customers return more often.

A customer is more likely to come back once a remarketing material piece is received. Once entered into your customer database, you can send regular updates to let your customers know about promotions or specials you have going on. You can even target it down to send a coupon to someone who hasn't been to your location in over a set amount of time. This tool is really powerful when it's used correctly to market a business!

Track customer habits.

Whenever an existing customer who has been to your location visits again, the Smart WiFi will pick up on it. As a business, you can track how often customers come back to visit and also if they've visited after opening a remarketing piece from you (showing the effectiveness of your marketing campaign).

Smart WiFi is a game changer for brick and mortar locations! Whether it's a restaurant, car dealership, insurance agency, winery, or hotel, Smart WiFi is a fantastic marketing option for your business. If you'd like to learn more ways our Smart WiFi can help boost your business, contact our internet marketing firm at the Lake of the Ozarks today!

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Why Every Small Business Should Be Boosting on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 19:45:00 +0000

Social media is a highly effective platform in which your business message can reach the masses. While getting your message in front of many potential consumers is vital to your business success, it’s even more important to get it in front of the RIGHT people. Our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri is here to help point out some of the benefits of boosting social media posts on Facebook and some best practices for business Facebook boosting.

What is Facebook Boosting?

Boosting on Facebook is when you pay Facebook for your business posts to appear in more users’ timelines. This can significantly increase the number of potential customers who see your post. These pushed posts are shown in the newsfeed of people in your target market (which you can adjust with each boost you create).

Benefits of Facebook Boosting:

Reach More People

According to the most recent Facebook algorithm update, only about 2% of your Facebook followers are organically seeing your social media business posts. To extend your reach, it’s vital that your business put some boosting dollars toward your posts. In addition to boosting posts, we also find it very important to grow your follower base, which can also be accomplished by a page promotion boost. Finding the right budget mix of page promotion and post promotion can be beneficial to your business reach. It’s important to continually grow your following and reach with Facebook boosting.

Target the Right Consumer

Facebook allows promotions to get very specific. You can target specific geographical areas and even as far down to neighborhoods with a Facebook boost. A boost can also be targeted toward special areas of interest and even job titles. This can be a super powerful tool for businesses when used correctly. Maximize your Facebook boosting budget when you narrow your budget down to the right potential audience.

Be More Memorable

The more often a potential consumer sees your message, the more brand awareness you’re raising for your business. Help your message appear in more Facebook newsfeeds across your target audience. This can quickly increase potential consumers being able to recall your business information. Even if someone isn’t ready to make a purchase today, the more often they see your messaging, the more easily they will remember your business when it comes time to make a purchasing decision.

See Instant Results for Marketing Budget

Every boosted post created on Facebook has insights available. As your budget is spending, you can log into the insights portion of your account and see the results you’re getting in real time. You can also adjust the boost budget, duration, and target audience at any time during the boost. This can help you react in real time to make the most of your marketing budget.

Here at MSW Interactive Designs, we offer all around internet marketing services and one of our most popular products is social media marketing in central Missouri. Our team creates both visual and text content and makes regular social media posts on behalf of our clients. In addition to the creative work, we boost almost every post we make. We know boosting is so important to the success of our clients that we encourage everyone to include a boosting strategy budget along with their social media posts. If you’re curious about how our social media marketing business at the Lake of the Ozarks can help your small business grow, give one of our rock stars a call today!

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9 Popular Ways to for a Business to Use Text Message Marketing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 16:33:00 +0000

Text message marketing is a highly effective way to reach your customers. Start expanding your reach and getting your message in front of your loyal customers on a regular basis. Text message marketing is one of the most popular new marketing platforms and it's a fantastic marketing medium. Our online marketing company in mid-Missouri knows how important it is to find the right marketing strategy to work for your business, within your budget. Learn about some of the ways your business can use text message marketing to grow your business.

1) Feature Specials

Send your text fan club updates about your business specials. Whether it's a special for anyone to use and you want to get the word out or you want to send a special treat to your loyalty members, a text message is a great way to get immediate information out.

2) Send Wishes

Make your text recipient feel special when you acknowledge their birthday or anniversary. It's a great chance for you to give them a little something special that will bring them into your establishment and help increase their loyalty to your business.

3) Notify Weather

Do you have a business that's directly impacted by the weather? Send out weather alerts to your text subscribers. If it's a great day to get out and enjoy your business, let your fans know! If bad weather may cause a business closure, that's something you should inform your fans of, as well.

4) Event Reminders

If you have a big event coming up, help bring more awareness to the event via a text message. Send out regular updates leading up to the event that way your potential guests are sure to remember and mark their calendars.

5) Send Important Updates

Does your organization ever need to close or cancel an event at the last minute? A text is a perfect way to reach people who need to know about the status.

6) Showcase Entertainment

Easily get the message out about your upcoming entertainment. Often times a consumer will choose your establishment over another if they know they will receive an extra bonus, such as live entertainment. Make sure your fans know that way they don't miss out!

7) Feature New Product

Highlight your products and services via a text message. You can also feature a new product that your current customer base may be interested in learning more about.

8) Appointment Reminders

Does your business book appointments? Send out reminders about upcoming appointments for your clients. This can help cut back on no-shows due to someone forgetting about an appointment.

9) Host Contest

A contest giveaway is a great way to gather more relevant contacts that are interested in your business and keep you top of mind.

Text Message Marketing with MSW

MSW Interactive Designs is excited to feature our affordable text message marketing service. If you're curious about how you can best use this marketing strategy for your business, contact our internet marketing company in Missouri today! We specialize in helping small to medium size businesses grow and text message marketing is a highly effective way to do just that!

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5 Not So Obvious Perks of Keeping a Website Up To Date

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 19:19:00 +0000

A website has a direct reflection on how your business is perceived. Ensuring it is 100% accurate at all times is important for browsers on your website. If someone is on your website, they are likely very interested in learning more about your business. It builds credibility when the information on your website is accurate. Ensure your website gives a fresh and professional look when you make regular updates. Check out a few of the hidden perks of keeping your website updated on a regular basis.

1) Give Your Customers Accurate Information

Inaccurate information on a website can give your business a bad reputation right off the bat. If a potential customer is looking at information on your website and there's conflicting information or different details when they actually contact your business, it can be unprofessional. Ensure your best image is being portrayed with accurate website information.

2) Keep it Interesting

Website visitors like to come back and check out new information. Even existing customers will visit your website to learn about a different product or service you may offer. Keep your website content and visual aspects fresh. This can make it more interesting for website visitors to frequent more often.

3) Fresh Content can Impact SEO

The more content updates you make to your website, the better. Google crawls websites gathering information when deciding how to rank a website for a certain search result. Help boost your chance of ranking higher when you make regular website updates. This shows that your website is up to date with current information. Google likes to display websites that will accurately answer searchers' questions.

4) Take Time to Evaluate Your Message

Constantly re-evaluate your message. While the main purpose of your website will likely not change, the way your consumers want to read about your products may. Try browsing through your website with the end user in mind. What do people who visit your site want to learn about your business? Taking a different angle can help you realize what tweaks can be made to make the end user experience even better.

5) Be Seen as a Credible Business

If your website information is out of date, someone may completely write off your business before reaching out and giving you a chance. A website is often the first thing potential customers look into when thinking about buying a product or using a service. Take time to make sure your website is accurate to convert more website visitors to buyers.

Our website design company in mid-Missouri encourages our clients to make updates. We know how impactful keeping content up to date on websites is that we include free and fast updates in our monthly hosting fee. If you have a website with MSW Interactive Designs and haven't made an update in a while, it's time to look over your site and send in any updates you think would benefit your website and overall business!

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Are Online Reviews THAT Important? 5 Reasons to Pay Attention to Online Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 21:22:00 +0000

YES! Online reviews have a big impact on a number of areas of business. Search engine optimization, customer retention, and free marketing material are just a few of the reasons it's important to monitor your online reviews. If you're not monitoring your online reputation....who is? Your clients and potential customers, that's who! Make sure you're giving the best impressions of your business to help draw in more clients and hopefully make more money.

Google Likes Reviews

Online reviews are a heavily rated factor in search engine rankings. Google is in the business of providing answers and high quality answers, at that. This platform helps to provide the best results for the end user and peer reviews are important to searchers, so that's what Google uses as a factor to help provide relevant information to searchers.

Impactful Marketing Material

Positive reviews are a great way to promote your business. It can help showcase the experience others have had with your business, which is exactly what potential customers want to know. Consumers want to know what they expect when they choose a business and having reviews used as marketing material can help amplify that message.

Send Social Signals

The more online reviews that are written about your business the better. Online searches like to see interaction with your business online. The more reviews you have on various review sites, the more social signals are being sent online about your business. These kind of signals are great for search engine results.

Be Seen as a Credible Business

When consumers are interested in making a purchase, it's important to showcase your business as a credible choice. Posting reviews left by customers on your website can help interested customers easily find your reviews. This can help give potential customers the extra push they need as they are already considering your product if they are on your website. Show interested parties that your business is the best choice via your reviews.

Make More Money

A 1-star rating improvement can result in a 5%-9% increase in revenue, according to BlueJay Reviews. The more positive reviews written about your business, the more likely you are to draw in new customers. You can help improve your overall star rating and hopefully increase revenue.

Have you had an experience with MSW Interactive Designs? We'd love to hear from you:
Leave us a review!

Start improving your online reputation with the help of our online marketing company in mid-Missouri. We have an effective and easy to use platform available that can help you easily monitor your online reputation. From prompting new reviews to responding to current reviews, easily keep tabs on your online reviews. Contact MSW Interactive Designs today to learn more about our online reputation monitoring service.

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Refine your Marketing Message with These 3 Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 18:49:00 +0000

Marketing messages influence how others perceive your business -- how current customers, prospects, and even your competition views your business. That's a lot of people who are drawing conclusions about your business based off of your marketing messages. It's important to put thought behind the marketing messages you're putting out because you're leaving impressions with every message sent. Learn how you can better refine your marketing message with these three easy tips to implement today.

1. Simplify & Stand Out

There's a lot of messages out there. Everywhere you look, there's marketing messages trying to get your attention. Ensure your message is simple and easy to understand. A confusing message may just add to the marketing noise and go unnoticed or be written off at a first glance. You have to find out how to grab the attention of your ideal audience and hold that attention until you can share your full message.

2. Showcase Business

It's important that those receiving your marketing message know exactly what you do. While you can come right out and say what line of business you're in, it's best to take it a few steps further. Think about a few questions as you come up with this portion. Who do you help? What do you help them achieve? For example, our online marketing company at the Lake of the Ozarks helps businesses (who) get found online (what we help them achieve).

3. Be Relatable

Showcase the personal side of your business in your marketing is a highly effective way to be relatable. Relatable businesses are memorable businesses. Strive to make your message captivate your audience even after they're done viewing it. That is when your marketing is even more effective and actually sticks!

Our online marketing agency in mid-Missouri is here to help utilized your refined message to reach the RIGHT people. Social media marketing, website design, email newsletter marketing, text message marketing, among other of our services can all help your message get in front of the people you want to reach. Now's the easy part -- contact MSW Interactive Designs and we'll go over the various techniques we use to help your message be seen by your ideal customer!

MSW Interactive Designs

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Be Intentional With Your Online Business Presence in 2020👊

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 22:14:00 +0000

Getting the most bang for your buck out of your marketing budget is a top priority for all business owners. Online marketing is a highly effective way to do just that! Instead of throwing around money hoping something with your marketing sticks...find out what works and focus on those methods.

Highly Effective Website

A website is the center of your online universe and one of the only platforms that your business actually owns. Our custom designed website can help shine the spotlight your business deserves and be a space to show off your venture. We have over 20 years of experience in the website design realm of online marketing and we're really good at creating visually stunning websites that tend to rank well and help your business stand out online!

Robust Social Media Campaign

There are a ton of users on social media and there's a great deal of business and personal posts competing to be in newsfeeds and be seen. We've been helping clients grow their social media platforms and create interesting, original content that your consumers want to read. Help your social media presence stand out among the competition with the experts on your side.

Targeted Email Newsletter

Email newsletters are an effective way for your business to keep in touch with your customers and potential prospects. Email newsletters are still one of the most popular ways for consumers to receive information about businesses. According to Marketing Sherpa, 72% of consumers say that email is their favored conduit of communication with companies they do business with and 61% say they like to receive promotional emails weekly. Don't miss this impactful way to stay in touch with your customers.

Impactful SMS Text Messaging

Text message marketing gets the highest read rates of any marketing platform. You likely read a text within a few moments of it coming in and your customers are the same way! Think of the power your business has when you use this type of marketing to grow your business. It's pretty exciting to think of the impact text message marketing can have!

Accurate Online Directories

There are a ton of online directories out there -- many that your business may have never even been on. But there's a good chance your business IS on there! If you aren't physically entering your directory information yourself (which can be quite time consuming), how can you ensure it's 100% accurate? The truth is, you can't. Online directories get inaccurate information a lot and we can help ensure your online listings are accurate with our online directory corrector tool. By the way, Google finds it easier to index accurate information so it's a benefit for your search engine ranking, as well.

What are you waiting for? Make 2020 the year you and your business presence stand out online! To learn how MSW Interactive Designs can help with your small business online marketing strategy, contact us today!

MSW Interactive Designs

We Put The Web To Work For You!

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www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Phone: 877-211-5492

Info@MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Stay Top of Mind in Social Media Marketing in 2020

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 19:55:00 +0000

A consistent message can keep your business name and information in front of potential customers. A highly effective way to do that is through social media. On average, people spend 142 minutes on social media each day (that's over 2 hours every day). Clearly people are on social media and if you want to reach people, it's an impactful way to do so. If you want to stay top of mind (and we're pretty sure every business owner does), trust your social media marketing for your small business to the professionals! Our MSW Interactive Designs team has provided some helpful tips for ways you can stay top of mind in the social media world. Check it out:

Consistency is Key

Making regular social media posts is key to staying top of mind. The more often your message is seen by a potential customer, the better. The future customer may not be in need of your product or service today, but they are more likely to recall a business they see on social media when the time for your product or service is needed.

Offer Helpful Information

It can be easy to fall into the "sales, sales, sales" posting strategy. As a business owner, that's the natural thing to do -- push your products or promotions. People don't like to be sold to. Try to offer up some helpful information, showcase how a product solves a problem your customer may have, and feature your business personality. People like doing business with people and this is your chance to showcase your personal side!

Be Memorable

Don't let your message get lost in the mass of messages floating around out there. Keep your message short, sweet, and focused on your goal. A message that's memorable can be much more easily recalled in the future -- which is exactly what you want your potential customers to do with your brand!

Brand Your Message

Ensure your branding is featured on your social media posts. This can help subliminally tie in your business to every post you make on your business accounts. Ensure your followers know who is making those great posts by including your branding on every message that goes out.

Keep Sights on Target Customer

Who is your ideal client? You know, the one you go out of your way to ensure a great experience. Work hard to make sure your message reaches your target audience. A message that's geared toward the wrong audience is a wasted message as it's not reaching the right people to convert into customers.

Be Responsive

Social media is becoming one of the most popular ways to communicate with businesses. Sending a social media message is much more appealing than making a phone call, for many of today's consumers. Ensure you're keeping up with your social media messages and comments. You may just find your next big lead in the comments of a recent post!

As business owners ourselves, we understand it can be difficult to keep up with your social media presence while you're handling your day-to-day tasks that come up. Often times, social media gets pushed down to the bottom of the priority list -- sometimes off the list altogether. That's where MSW Interactive Designs can help! We have social media coordinators who are passionate about helping our clients grow their businesses. If you'd like to learn more about how we can help keep your business top of mind on social media, we'd love to tell you more!

MSW Interactive Designs

We Put The Web To Work For You!

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www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Phone: 877-211-5492

Info@MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

The #Hashtag Takeover: Best Practices for Growing a Brand with Hashtags

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 19:23:00 +0000

Hashtags are becoming more and more common. A mere ten years ago, this symbol was known as a pound sign. Our internet marketing company in mid-Missouri has 20 years of experience and we've seen the transformation of hashtags over the past years. Traditionally, hashtags were introduced on Twitter to help connect posts by indexing keywords for easy search results. This week, hashtags are taking over our blog as MSW Interactive Designs dives deeper into the benefits of using hashtags across your social media and best practices for using them.

The History of Hashtags:

The first hashtag was used in 2007 and has since evolved and changed the way we communicate on social media. Hashtags began helping to connect ideas surrounding specific topics. People from all over the world can connect and share ideas and thoughts via a hashtag. World-wide movements have been sparked and gone viral, all connected by this powerful symbol.

Benefits of Using Hashtags:

Extend your brand's reach.
Build business following.
Connect with your audience.

Best Practices for Marketing with Hashtags:

Create a Unique Hashtag

Having a specific hashtag for your business is a great marketing strategy. Anytime that hashtag is used, your business posts will appear. It's a great tactic to help subtly push your brand as you make regular posts across various platforms that support hashtags.

Get Specific for your Audience

Try to narrow down your niche audience or ideal client through your hashtags. Instead of a generic term, try to make it more specific about the type of person you're trying to reach with your message. For example, instead of targeting all "college graduates" (that's a wide range), you can target "new college grads" for a specific product or service you may offer to assist a person who falls into that category.

Match Hashtags to Each Platform

Find and use the appropriate hashtag types and the number of hashtags, when posting to each platform. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all optimize for between 2-5 well thought out hashtags that are targeted to your message or brand. On Instagram, it's more freely targeted as you can use many more hashtags (it's even encouraged) and you can target a specific demographic with your hashtags to get in front of specific audiences.

Hashtags are an effective marketing strategy to help your message reach more of the right people for your business. Social media can be an overwhelming task for many small businesses and our online marketing company at the Lake of the Ozarks helps a number of local and national businesses run highly effective social media campaigns and we'd love to help you, too!

MSW Interactive Designs

We Put The Web To Work For You!

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www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Phone: 877-211-5492

Info@MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Keys to Help Businesses Get Found Online

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 18:01:00 +0000

There are over 200 factors that go into website rankings on Google. Among those many factors, some are more heavily weighted than others. As an experienced internet marketing company in mid-Missouri, we help our clients get found online through a number of effective strategies. Learn how MSW Interactive Designs can make it easier for your potential clients to find your business on the web!

Get Strategic About Social

Social media is a huge marketing arena and it can be tough to navigate this space on your own. There are many different platforms with different demographics and it can be tough to know which platforms your business should be on. Think about your potential client and where they spend time -- make sure your on the platforms with those demographics. Being on the right platforms is not impactful if you're not making regular posts. Having these social signals surrounding your business has been proven to be beneficial for helping online searchers find businesses.

Have an SSL Certificate Installed

An SSL or Secure Sockets Layer is an added layer of protection to help your business appear as secure in the eyes of your website visitors. Google has stated that having this certificate displayed on a website will be a factor in rankings, as well.

Ensure Website is Mobile-Friendly

The majority of searches are conducted on a phone. In fact, about 60% of Google searches are done on a mobile device. If your website does not appear well on a mobile device it likely won't show up as a search result on a phone. Google is all about the end user's experience and having to pinch and squeeze to read information on a website is not friendly for the user. Google has taken it a step further by stating that it is taking this factor into consideration when ranking websites. If your site isn't easy to read on a phone, it may not show up for a search result at all, especially on a mobile device.

Think Local SEO on Website

Location is a big factor in search engine optimization. If your business services a specific area, region, or city, that information should be included prominently on your website. The more your location appears in the text of your website, the better. Google has bots that crawl the internet and "read" websites to decide if they are relevant for certain searches. The more clear your locality, the more accurate of a search result your website will appear in the eyes of Google.

Claim a Google My Business Listing

A Google My Business page showcases business information for Google searchers. If you haven't done so already, you should claim your business listing that way you have complete control over the information that is published. Once you have possession of your listing, ensure your business information is 100% accurate and 100% complete. Google My Business rolled out a new feature in 2019 that allows businesses to make posts to their Google My Business listing. This is highly encouraged to send more social signals and interactions. Being active on a Google owned platform is especially beneficial for rankings!

Let's put the web to work for you!

We work hard to help our clients be more easily found online. Our team uses products that makes sense for each of our clients and their goals for online presence. Give our internet marketing company at the Lake of the Ozarks a call to learn how we can help your business get found online.

MSW Interactive Designs

We Put The Web To Work For You!

Like Us on Facebook

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Read Our Blog

www.MSWInteractiveDesigns.com

Phone: 877-211-5492

Info@MSWInteractiveDesigns.com