WSI Marketing, Surf, Search and Social

What really defines Social Media (Web 2.0)? Is it just the technology or the human side? We usually tend to always talk about the technology that is involved with Web 2.0 such as Blogs, Wikis, RSS, AJAX, Api’s, XML, etc.  Although it is the technology that makes Web 2.0 work, this transformation is really sparked by basic human needs.

Social media/networking is about collaboration, connecting, sharing, interacting and expression. With Web 2.0, the online world is being woven in the social fabric of today’s technology driven lifestyle. Web 1.0 was really more about technology trends and Web 2.0 is about the integration of this technology in the basic needs of our daily business and social lives.

Collaboration

Rather than working all alone, tools like Wiki’s and CMS (Content Management Systems) allows for people to work seamlessly together. Other social media tools allows companies to communicate and develop procedures and policies to collaborate with customers and partners.

Sharing

You don’t have to read a blog, news feed or online magazine alone.  The Web 2.0 web allows for interaction and the sharing of information with others. Sites today allows easy sharing of opinions (blogs), videos, images and even your favourite web links (social bookmarking.

Connecting

The technology tools of social media allows people to interact and connect in their common interests.  Social networking sites allows users to connect and collaborate in real-time.  It’s all about connecting people and developing a network approach to business.

Expressing

Blogging has always been a way for human expression.  People can express their opinions on just about anything.  The web 2.0 spaces such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to name but a few allows for easy expression, representation and participation.

Interacting

People always want human interaction.  Social media has brought in conversational marketing.  Companies now holds a two-way dialogue with their customers through real-time chat, instant messaging and blogs.

Getting a fully functional, effective website isn’t something that “just happens” after you sign a deal with a client. Clients can get extremely excited about the idea of having a new website and if they’ve bonded with you, they’ll assume you know exactly what they are expecting. Re-doing work because you didn’t ask the right questions in the beginning is a time-consuming mistake.

Here are some things to ask from your client before you get cracking:

High resolution pictures

You may have access to a bunch of generic pictures, but you will often see this pictures used on another site. If you are designing a website for an architecture firm, roof installers, make-up artist or any type of company that can show visual proof of their services, ask for some pictures of past projects. This will not only help you incorporating some great “Case Studies” or “Past Projects” pages, but also help to get your creative juices flowing.

Created by link

Many websites have a “Designed by”, “Created by” or “Maintained by” link at the bottom of the page. A client may be reluctant to give you this credit on their website (especially the larger corporate clients), but you may be able to negotiate if you show them how small and unobtrusive the link is. Your logo or a link to your professional site can help get you business in the future.

More business

Website design can be lucrative, but an ongoing relationship with a smaller amount of hand-picked clients can go a long way too. It’s important not to blindly call up old clients to find out if they “are still happy with their website” or “need work done”. Rather send an e-mail out once or twice a year offering a follow-up service (such as incorporating a blog onto their sites for SEO purposes or a discount on bulk business card design).

Correct copy

Very few website designers want to be stuck with the copywriting part of the website. Give a list of all the information you will need to the client (such as a company profile, full contact details, testimonials, product descriptions) etc. It is good to have a standard template that you can send to each client before you start a design job.