Tip #1 – FREE ONLINE TASK MANAGEMENT TOOLS The following are easy-to-use online task management, to-do list, and project management software that can help make your business (and your life) more organized.  The following tools offer free and paid membership services.   You must be thinking,

Producteev is an easy-to-use task management program that helps you organize tasks and projects to get more done; access, interact, and update from anywhere (use your iPhone, Android phone, laptop, desktop MAC and PC friendly); takes your e-mails and IM's and turns them into tasks for you.  Producteev offers FREE MEMBERSHIP options and paid membership for additional/unlimited workspaces, based on your specific needs. 

HiTask is an online task manager, to-do list, and project management software that helps individuals and businesses effectively organize their projects and tasks

We are not affilated directly with Producteev and are not being paid to endorse their product but they are a great option to consider for managing your tasks.

Ultimately you can save yourself time by being more organized and having access to your task management tool from whereever you are.

Photo courtesy of ok2bconfused

Social Media is an awesome tool for business (and personal use) but in truth, can consume a lot of time out of your day.  Although majority of social networking is free, the price you pay is time, because remember folks, time is money.

Here are a few great tips and tools you can use to help you manage your time while still increasing your productivity while using social media.

1. Google Reader is an awesome tool that allows you to stay up to date with your favorite websites and content all in one place.  Google Reader is a great RSS feed manager, pulling the content from your favorite blogs and websites and putting them all in one location for your viewing pleasure.  (www.google.com/reader)

2. Set A Timer Although it may seem overly simplistic, setting a timer is a great way to manage the amount of time you are spending on social media websites or any other tasks for that matter. Set your timer for 30 minutes to spend on LinkedIn or Facebook, for example, and once that timer goes off– log off the site or close your browser and move on to your next to-do / task.  

3. Hoot Suite lets you manage your Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook profiles in one easy-to-use dashboard.  You post to all profiles or selectively post, schedule posts, filter streams, and has an analytics tool.  The Basic Membership is FREE and there is a Pro Membership for only $5.99 per month.  (www.hootsuite.com)

4. Producteev an online task manager that allows you to manage your schedule, tasks, and calendars–you set up alerts, reminders, emails and access from any internet connection.  (www.producteev.com)

5. Gmail is a fantastic tool to synchronize your emails, multiple calendars, and access your contacts all in one location.  You can also use additional gmail tools and plugins on your computer and your smart phone, making accessibility that much easier!

Remember that your time IS valuable!  Work smarter, not harder!

One of the main complaints I get from local San Diego businesses is that designers just don't listen to what there needs are.  If you run across a designer that wants to express his/her needs over yours then it's probably not a good fit. Good web design in San Diego means both parties working together to get the best website possible.

The second largest complaint I get is price. Another good thing to remember here, is that you are not trying to reinvent the wheel. If you find someone doing web design in San Diego that says it's going to between 4,000 to 5,000 dollars for a decent but basic business website then they could be charging you for overhead and a staff.

Likewise if you find someone charging you $99 – $500 for a full bells and whistle website then it's probably lacking some important key features such as  the search engine ranking you require to make any money. You have to remember it's not just having a good website, but also getting good traffic to the website that makes someone/a company good in web design in San Diego.

So depending on your budget, a simple good web design in San Diego with a bell or two should be priced at around $500-$1500.  A medium sized web design in San Diego with a couple of bells and whistles should be between $800-$2500.  A large site with a handful of bells and whistles should be $3000 -$20,000.

Each of these packages should come with some type of on-site and off site SEO and SEM and keyword research. This is what separates good web design in San Diego and just a website. Anyone can build a website, some people can build great ones, but what difference does it make if you're the only one going to the site. Your website should work for you at the very least. If you have an out dated website it's probably working against you.  If the web design does not include keyword research, directory submissions, social media account creation and on-site optimization then your website will be like an undiscovered island.

So now that we know what good web design in San Diego is how do we find and validate prospects. One of the best way to find good low-cost web design in San Diego is to post an ad on Craigslist detailing exactly what you need and include your budget. So a good ad on craigslist would look something like this.

Need a Good Web Design in San Diego along with SEO and SEM

I'm looking for local Web Design in San Diego that offers:

• 5-7 page website 

  

• 2 small forms for collecting info

• incorporate 2 youtube.com videos

• back-end access for easy editing

• Minor SEO                          

• Minor social network
  account creation

• Keyword research

I need all of this for $600 dollars and done within the next two to three weeks.  I have all of the photos, text, videos and logo.  Please contact me with why you'd be the perfect fit for the position and some samples of your work.

Thank you,

<>

Once you post this reply's will start flying in. So how do you validate their work? validating their work can also be a little tricky. Most web design companies in San Diego will place links on their work that links back to their websites. However I've had some clients that didn't want any outside links on their web design. I've found that after a potential client has narrowed it down to a couple of prospects it's usually due to the back and forth communication and the designs that that they have seen. At this point a rapport has started to build between the two parties even though a final decision has not been made yet. During this time it's appropriate to ask the web design company or individual to provide you with some case studies. These case studies can be via the internet, or via verbal communication a good web design company should have at least a couple of them. Some good questions to ask them after you've explained you web design needs would be:

Can you give me an example of web design that you created that helped a company drive in more business?

What kind of SEO would you perform on my site to help me generate more traffic?

What type of things do you look for when comparing my site to my competitors?

How long do you think it will take for me to see an increase in traffic?

These are just some of the questions you should ask to narrow your prospects down to the final designer. Jigawattz offers great web design in San Diego. So please feel free to contact us for a free quote.

Web Design in San Diego
Web Development in San Diego

"Google update." These two words can strike a chord of fear into the heart of any business owner that runs their own website. Not to mention send an entire team of search engine optimization specialists scrambling.

Sometimes when Google tinkers with its infamous search algorithm, certain websites may be left in the dust.

This newest update brings along an important warning: if you don't update your site regularly, you might be seeing a sudden drop in your web traffic.

Broken down, here's what you need to know to help your website:

• What Google says about the update: The Internet giant says that their newest update will specifically impact searches for recent events, hot topics, regularly occurring events and information that changes regularly.

• How much web traffic the update may affect: The previous "Panda" update affected around 12% of searches. Entrepreneur reports this newest update will impact around 35% of searches.

• What this means for your website: If you operate in an industry where things are constantly changing, you might need to maintain fresh content on your site in order to keep on top of the search rankings. For example, if you deal with electronics, where new products and new technology are always coming in, you likely can't keep a stagnant web page.

So, what exactly can small business owners do to maintain their rankings?

• Create a blogs section: Company-run blogs can help you and your customers keep abreast of recent updates in your industry. And it can create the kind of timely content necessary to stay on top of the rankings, according to Matt McGee, the executive news editor of Search Engine Land to Entrepreneur.

• Update products or maintain a news section: Putting up news-based stories on your website might also satisfy the requirements of the new algorithm.

Of course, the costs of updating your site constantly is something that businesses should consider. The Google update may put a focus on "fresh" content for certain searches. But be aware: there are some industries that don't experience many changes that probably won't be affected at all.

Related Resources:

• Google Gets Fresh with Algorithm Update Affecting 35% of Searches (Search Engine Watch)
• Lessons Learned from Target's Missoni Fiasco (FindLaw's Free Enterprsie)
• Can Your Business Buy Rave Web Reviews for $5? (FindLaw's Free Enterpris

If you are a little more technical and bent up on where exactly things are placed on your website I'd go with Joomla.

Joomla runs on modules and depending on what template you picked you can have 30 of them in different places on the site. You may want a calendar on the front page in module one, but on the form page you may want an ad or a picture. Joomla makes it very easy to place objects where you want them and on which pages you want them. The other cool thing is that each article already comes with a place to put meta tags and descriptions.

There are about 30,000 + modules and components that you can use with Joomla.   What I have found is that some of Joomla scripting can be loose and some modules and components can conflict with others.  Most of the time it's and easy fix. If it's not try finding a similar component are module.  After installing any new code on Joomla, go back through the site and make sure everything functions normally. 

Unlike WordPress, Joomla will let you install new code that conflicts with the rest of the site and you'll get some very scary .php code running at the top of your page that will trip you out. However if you just uninstall the module/component/plugin then all will return to normal.

WordPress is the newest craze to hit the web, it's a blog first and a website later.  WordPress dosent give you as many options to place things where you want as easily as Joomla however you can you can pretty do as much as you can with WordPress as you can with Joomla.  WordPress runs on plugins and widgets. The cool thing about WordPress is that you can find and load widgets from within the install. It also will disable a widget if it tries to take down your site. 

One of the best features is that it is extremely easy to use.  I would suggest getting a self hosted WordPress site, installing it at WordPress.com limits your functionality significantly.  WordPress also has 30,000+ plugins.  I have that found WordPress is just not as robust as Joomla, but most people don't need robust, they need easy and quick.  If that's you then go with WordPress. If you creating a league type of site that's going to have a bunch of stats and schedules, team and member profiles then I would go with Joomla.

I have reached top rankings with both Joomla and WordPress, and have used both for e commerce. So it's really going to depend on your individual needs and your learning curve. If you have the time and the knowledge I would go with Joomla first. Going from Joomla to WordPress is a breeze, but going from WordPress to joomla is like climbing a mountain. Way more code with Joomla and sometimes the site doesn't look as expected if you do not use all of the modules that the template used  often leaving gaps on the screen.

If you are like me, then you already know what the end design will be to your site.  You know the categories and about a dozen pages that can go in each. But…..how do I get there?  This is the question you’re probably asking yourself.  After 8 years I can tell you it doesn’t start on a computer, but rather on a piece of paper.

Before you even begin to understand a website, you need to understand your customer and the market your customer is in. Then you can position yourself where you fit in that market and the opportunities you have on each side.  You may want to do one thing but after analyzing your situation you may be better suited doing another.

Before you waste a whole lot of time, figure out what it is that you are good at and create a plan on how to exploit it. Don’t chase after he say she say, but rather act on what ‘you say’.  You know what you like to do and what you’ve made money on so far.  So instead of chasing after the next star, chase after ‘your star’.   Here are few key questions to ask yourself.  What did you do to make that last buck?  How can you do it over and over again?  Now this may not be something you want to do forever but turning some profit is better then turning no profit.  See it through, grind it out and then sell it– or farm it out and create some residual income for yourself.

Don’t waste your time on creating a design that is going to confuse your potential customers due to inconsistencies. Confusion starts by having categories that don’t exist. It’s better for you to understand your potential customer and know that he/she is looking for that one particular thing you offer and build off of that.

Web design in San Diego can be tricky. Like many other major cities, San Diego has a plethora of different companies that can build a website for you. We always recommend that you do a little research before hiring a web design company in San Diego. You’ll first want to have an idea of how many pages of content that you might need. You’ll then want to ask yourself these questions:

Do I have a Logo?

Do I want to be able to update my own pages?

Will I be selling anything?

Am I going to compete with other business on a city, state or nation level?

Do I need any online forms?

Do I have all of the pictures needed for the site?

Do I have the text ready for the site?

What is my competitors website URLs?

Do I need a Calendar of events?

Will clients need to download information?

Will I be using video?

How many pages of content will I need?

What’s my budget?

After answering these basic questions you are ready to find someone local to do your web design in San Diego. So where do you start? How do you find the best person or company that does web design in San Diego. This part can be tricky. Finding someone that you can work closely with that you can communicate with effectively is one of the main keys to finding good web design in San Diego.

One of the main complaints I get from local San Diego businesses is that designers just don’t listen to what there needs are. If you run across a designer that wants to express his/her needs over yours then it’s probably not a good fit. Good web design in San Diego means both parties working together to get the best website possible.

The second largest complaint I get is price. Another good thing to remember here, is that you are not trying to reinvent the wheel. If you find someone doing web design in San Diego that says it’s going to between 4,000 to 5,000 dollars for a decent website then they could be charging you for overhead and a staff.

Likewise if you find someone charging you $99 – $499 for a full bells and whistle website then it’s probably lacking some important key features such as  the search engine ranking you require to make any money. You have to remember it’s not just having a good website, but also getting good traffic to the website that makes someone/a company good in web design in San Diego.

So depending on your budget, a simple good web design in San Diego with a bell or two should be priced at around $500-$1000. A medium sized web design in San Diego with a couple of bells and whistles should be between $700-$1800.  A large site with a handful of bells and whistles should be $2000-$10,000.

Each of these packages should come with some type of on-site and off site SEO and SEM and keyword research. This is what separates good web design in San Diego and just a website. Anyone can build a website, some people can build great ones, but what difference does it make if you’re the only one going to the site. Your website should work for you at the very least. If you have an out dated website it’s probably working against you.  If the web design does not include keyword research, directory submissions, social media account creation and on-site optimization then your website will be like an undiscovered island.

So now that we know what good web design in San Diego is how do we find and validate prospects. One of the best way to find good low-cost web design in San Diego is to post an ad on Craigslist detailing exactly what you need and include your budget. So a good ad on craigslist would look something like this.

Need a Good Web Design in San Diego along with SEO and SEM

I'm looking for local Web Design in San Diego that offers:

5-7 page website 

2 small forms for collecting info

incorporate 2 youtube.com videos

back end access for easy editing

Minor SEO

Minor social network account creation

Keyword research

I need all of this for $600 dollars and done within the next two to three weeks.  I have all of the photos, text, videos and logo.  Please contact me with why you'd be the perfect fit for the position and some samples of your work.

Thank you,

Once you post this reply’s will start flying in. So how do you validate their work? validating their work can also be a little tricky. Most web design companies in San Diego will place links on their work that links back to their websites. However I’ve had some clients that didn’t want any outside links on their web design. I’ve found that after a potential client has narrowed it down to a couple of prospects it’s usually due to the back and forth communication and the designs that that they have seen. At this point a rapport has started to build between the two parties even though a final decision has not been made yet. During this time it’s appropriate to ask the web design company or individual to provide you with some case studies. These case studies can be via the internet, or via verbal communication a good web design company should have at least a couple of them. Some good questions to ask them after you’ve explained you web design needs would be:

Can you give me an example of web design that you created that helped a company drive in more business?

What kind of SEO would you perform on my site to help me generate more traffic?

What type of things do you look for when comparing my site to my competitors?

How long do you think it will take for me to see an increase in traffic?

These are just some of the questions you should ask to narrow your prospects down to the final designer. Jigawattz offers great web design in San Diego. So please feel free to contact us for a free quote or fill out the free quote form online here.

Web Design in San Diego
Web Development in San Diego

Before spending any money, research what the new trends are for Search Engine Optimization. Algorithms can change frequently, and at the drop of a dime.  This is why it is very important to check out all the best SEO practices before buying any types of books or reading up on any so called gurus and especially buying software.

When buying books try not to by books that are more then a year old.  These books usually have good basic information on site SEO, but lack any new secrets that ultimately get you to the top relatively quickly. New strategies turn up on the internet first usually in forums, but even these secrets have been used a couple of months before you hear about them.

One of the secrets I've found is through some online marketers, or affiliate gurus.  These guys are pretty slick and these guys are usually the people making all the money.  They'll send you tips, and other important information trying to build your confidence so they can through an onslaught of cheap SEO software at you.  Yes, some of the software is very enticing and some of the news and secrets are of great help. However the secret to finding the next great product is when all of the affiliate marketers are pushing the same product at the same time.  These type of products are the ones to look at.  If it jives with you then purchase it, just try not to become a program hoarder.

If you have the time and money to do the SEO yourself sign up for my newsletter and I can give you a list of some of the programs I use. If you don't have the time and you've done as much as you can then you are ready to find someone who can market your product or services

After you've read up on current trends, you need to optimize your site.  This can be a little tricky if you don't have any web design experience and your web site is built on straight .html tags.  I would recommend going with a CMS like WordPress or Joomla. Once these type of sites are built they allow you an unlimited amount of tools that add functionality to you site without having to have to much coding knowledge if any at all.  These type of websites make it easy to implement site wide changes rather then going page to page.

Text messaging has become the next wave of communication. it started with the internet allowing you to view advertising when you wanted giving you the ability to search and find exactly what you were looking for at the time you were looking for it. Text messaging allows you and others to communicate to each other at the most inconvenient times. It allows you to say “hi”, “hello”, “happy birthday”, or the “meeting has been canceled”, during times when picking up the phone is just to inconvenient.

So where does social media marketing fit in? Social media marketing much like texting started of with the 18 and under crowd. I mean who would want to talk to the same people you do at work, school, the dreadful in-laws or even the group that’s been texting you all day.

Social networking is very similar to texting except it has not just one system of getting messages across, but several that allow you to use smaller amounts of brain power to get some of the daily tasks done. Some that you just can’t remember or have little time to do. A big tasks for me was, who’s birthday is it. I can barley remember my families birthdays let alone all those friends. The next major task for me was to stay connected. Not just connected to all my friends but also all my hobbies, like technology, the comic-con, gaming, up coming movies and politics. All of this information comes to me in a well organized stream that I can access when I need to and ignore it when I don’t. having this option alone makes each one of a social media marketer. We post what we did this week, where we went, where we are going the clothes we bought.

When you ignore social media marketing, it doesn’t go anywhere, you don’t miss out. It’s not like you realized it was Tuesday and you missed all the Sunday coupons…nope the what’s happening is still in your box or on your wall.

Unlike texting you are not committed to just one phone number that receives text. You can have different accounts on different types of social media marketing sites. Some social sites are for video, some are just for education, some for musicians and some are for everything. It’s really up to you find what it is that you’d like to do with your social media accounts.

Social Media Marketing On Social Networks

If you’re a business or in the business of blogging you will want to create accounts on all of the niche sites that are in your field. Creating accounts and submitting articles helps you build backlinks and ranking relatively fast. Social media marketing on social accounts is relatively easy. You would find as many friends and peers as possible and then submit some type of text and a link back to your money blog or money website.

Here’s an example of an auto detailing service social network text:

Hey guys and gals I’m offering a full service car wash for $XX.XX. Click on the link or call me at XXX_XXX_XXXX for more details.

If you had several different social media accounts you could market on all of them. You might have an account at HotRod.com, AutoGeek.com, SanDiegoAutos.com, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace. Facebook, twitter and MySpace would be consider main social media marketing accounts. Most people usually have facebook and twitter accounts so your approach would be a very general one if you were to market on these social networks.

Social Media Marketing on Forums

Forums are another form of social media marketing. Forums are great because you will find a large amount of account holders in a certain niche like cars, beauty products, sports, etc. most forums don’t allow you to post links in the body of your forum, however they usually let you put links in your signature. Also good forums usually have a high page rank that you can use for your social media marketing campaign.

Here’s an example of an auto detailing service forum signature:

Tom Johnson
For the cheapest Custom Hod Rod detailing in Southern California
Call: XXX_XXX_XXXX or visit thehotrodcleaner.com
Save 50% on our car club special

Social Media Marketing on Article Directories

Social Media Marketing on Article Directories can be one of the most beneficial acts that you can do to support your online business. Submitting a well written article to an article directory allows others to use the article on their website as long as they do not change the article or remove any links that you place in your article. You should try to add two links to your article preferably at the bottom of the article. If it’s a good article it could be on hundreds of different websites with links pointing back to your website.

So in conclusion social media marketing is the way of the future of online business and a new way of life for bloggers or anyone else that has a voice. you are not just confined to one account or just one website. You can market online by creating social network accounts, by positing on forums or submitting article to article directories it really just depends on the amount of time and effort you’d like to put into it.