• I added template-based WordPress installs using StudioPress templates and the Genesis Framework to my services line-up. This allows me to offer several new website options at a significantly lower price. (I am still doing custom designs for those who are interested in those as well though!)
• The new website for Life Choices Pregnancy Support Center went live earlier this month.
• Thanks to the amazing design talents of Stacey Gamble, we created a SnapChat GeoFilter for the Winchester Downtown Program Corporation. (More on that in the coming days!)

Reading Roundup

For this last week of January, there were lots of great articles around the web with heaps of information about websites and online marketing for small and local businesses. Here are a few of my favorites:

Facebook Professional Services: How Your Local Business Can Rank – Social Media Examiner
By: Kristi Hines
Facebook Professional Services, is Facebook’s recently launched directory listing top local businesses and services … a potential competitor to Yelp. This article from Social Media Examiner gives a great summery of this new directory and includes an easy step-by-step guide to setting up your profile.

Email Marketing Basics for Local Businesses – LocalVox
Email marketing is a fantastic way for local businesses to reach out to current and potential customers. Whether you are using email to highlight a recent blog article; share coupons; or announce news, an event, or a new program, email marketing can be a highly cost-effective way to share your business. This email from LocalVox breaks down the types of potential email messages you can send, the key qualities of effective messaging, and the analytics you’ll want to track.

Why Local Businesses Need Online Marketing – Inc.com
By: Peter Roesler
Having an online presence can be a huge benefit for local businesses – even if you don’t have a single thing for sale online. Modern consumers use the Internet not only to find out where to shop or dine locally, but they also use it to compare goods and services, read product and restaurant reviews, and check for the best prices. All of these uses are backed up by empirical data – and Inc.com boils it down nicely for us in this article.

The post Reading Roundup: Facebook and Email for Local Biz and more appeared first on Linda Curty Web Design.