Inbound Marketing Blog

You won't find any Jets or Sharks struggling for control of this domain. (Musical theater fans? Anyone?)

No, this website story is about inbound.tributemedia.com, a new Tribute Media project spearheaded by our founder, Corey Smith. It is a demonstration of what it takes to build a web presence following the principals of website optimization (otherwise known as Growth-Driven Design) and the philosophies and techniques of inbound marketing.

As an aside: is anyone who knows Corey surprised to learn he has a side project?

Sometimes, business people think of their website as an ornament or an accessory. Everyone else seems to have one, so they decide to get one too.

They build the website—or they hire someone like us to build it—and once they have gone through it with a fine-tooth comb and analyzed all the minute details to make sure it is absolutely perfect, they take it "live." The average length of one of these website build projects is about 12-16 weeks, though sometimes it can last much, much longer.

After the site languishes on the internet for a year or two or five, these business owners might decide to update it. So they start from scratch (trends and user behaviors change a lot in half a decade). They throw away the old and start the whole 12-16 week process over. The new site goes live again and and sits for another stretch of time. And then the process starts all over again.

As you may have sensed already, there are some major problems with this approach to web design. Here are some things you should know about your website and what it means for your business.

I know, I know. That title makes it seem like I'm telling you that the only marketing agency you should hire are those where your budget will explode. But, that's not the case at all.

When shopping for web services (web design, web development, digital marketing, search engine optimization -- you get the idea), you might find it nearly impossible to compare providers. You'll have one provider that will build a website at $700, another at $7,000, and yet another at $17,000. You'll have an SEO provider suggest that they can get you all the business in the world for $100 per month but someone else might say that $1,000 is the minimum.

Over the years, I have thought a lot about the right way to offer web services to our clients. How should we make sure that we charge the right amount for the services that we offer?

As a consultant, I like to pride myself in keeping an open mind and just listening to clients problems in hopes that we can provide a solution. There is one question I have been asked more than once, and it still gives me pause because I truly want to give an unbiased answer; "Does my business really need a website?"

This is truly a very good question, one many business owners have asked themselves since the inception of the Internet. Everybody has an opinion and I am sure if you are a business owner there are plenty who will offer you that opinion.