You may have a website already, in which case, this article is for you, if you don’t have a website yet, kudos to you for doing some research ahead of time!
Sometimes decisions are solely based on budget alone and that’s okay, so sometimes, it’s great to be able to do things yourself before bringing in the professionals.
The website hacks we’re going to outline below won’t suddenly launch you to the very top of Google, nor suddenly land you thousands of sales. But they will contribute and will get you into the mindset of your audience.
So, get that coffee and let’s begin!
Think from your user’s perspective
This sounds like an obvious one but don’t scroll past this one, here us out. What are your users looking for when visiting your website? Is it your value? Your contact information? Your pricing?
When you get a phone call from a new prospect, what are they typically asking for? Can you find this information on your website?
You need to make sure that information is easy to find on your website and not hidden away – even if it’s content further down the page, you can still link them to it to speed their journey up.
If you’re paying less than £5 a month or less than £60 per year for your website’s hosting – you need to invest more if you want results.
Now, we’re not talking bank breaking amounts here. A good website hosting provider is essentially your website’s foundations. It’s a pointless exercise to invest in improving your website’s user experience when it’s your hosting provider slowing you down.
If you check your current website over at https://pagespeed.web.dev/– what does it score?
If you’re scoring low, it may be that your current hosting provider has you on a shared platform. Whilst simple brochure sites aren’t necessarily demanding, you could be being hosted on an underperforming server to save cost.
Don’t slow your visitors down
To put things into perspective, we pay a little extra for our web server to bundle LiteSpeed Cache (amongst other improvements) – the result? Performance.
If you’re considering putting a pop up on your website, even if it’s just a one-off. I’d like you to visit this website first: https://how-i-experience-web-today.com/
Don’t be mad at me – that’s what your users have to face whilst they’re looking for someone to solve a problem. Stand out by NOT bombarding them with pop ups.
When users visit a website, they’re on a journey following you designed path. By introducing a pop up, you’re actually interupting them and distracting them.
It’s akin to whilst I’ve been writing this article, my phone has pinged several times – 4/5 of the notifications have been absolute nonsense. Go away! The same frustrations apply to your website.
There are so many free tools at your disposal, so before you get your wallet out from from within the sofa, consider some of these handy free tools:
Stop cluttering up your website and embrace whitespace. By reducing clutter and ensuring a good whitespace ratio, you maximise user focus. White space can also make your website feel ‘fresh’, modern and professional.
If you have a lot of content and not a lot of space, consider alternative solutions like accordions or modal pop ups (not to be confused by the earlier intrusive pop ups above).
If you utilise the above guidance of using white space, your calls to action are suddenly going to have a lot more attention on them. Don’t waste this undivided attention with a button that says “Click here”.
Instead, crack open the dictionary and throw down some terminology that’ll get the user clicking. Wording like “Get started now” or “Sign up for free”. Wording like this implies time-sensitivity and/or the value.
There you have it! Some quick website hacks to improve your website, you’re now a pro! Of course these are just 6 quick ‘hacks’, there’s plenty of other improvements that can often be easily applied but they usually depend on your audience and your website’s goal(s).
If you need a hand or would like anything clarified/expanded on, please do feel free to reach out. 👇
saintnicks has been appointed by Ascot Racecourse following a successful competitive pitch process. The win bolsters the agency’s strong start to 2024 alongside retained client growth.
Founded in 1711 by Queen Anne, Ascot Racecourse is arguably the nation’s most revered racing venue, welcoming just shy of 600,000 visitors annually across its 26 race day events. Royal Ascot which takes place 18th – 22nd June, is the most prestigious horse racing event in the UK calendar with more than 300,000 visitors over the 5 day period. Steeped in heritage, Ascot Racecourse is a true British institution and revered national brand.
The two-year contract, which starts with immediate effect, will see saintnicks responsible for Ascot’s overall social content strategy as the brand looks to enhance its reputation further as a global ‘lifestyle’ brand.
Retained as the brand’s lead social partner, saintnicks will work closely with Ascot’s brand, social and content teams supporting with content strategy, content creation and social media management.
Fraser Bradshaw, Founder and CEO of saintnicks says: “We couldn’t be more delighted to partner with Ascot Racecourse and help support their business growth strategy. It’s a brand and business we’ve come to know well over the last few years and we’re invested wholeheartedly in supporting such an iconic national brand as their long term partner.”
Alexandra Bertram, Brand & Creative Lead at Ascot says: “We’re thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with saintnicks as our Social Media Marketing agency. With their expertise and dedication, we look forward to elevating Ascot’s presence in the digital realm. Here’s to a fruitful partnership ahead!”
The appointment follows the re-positioning of the Ascot Racecourse brand and subsequent brand voice development undertaken by saintnicks in 2022.
In an era where businesses are increasingly expected to prioritise social and environmental impact alongside profit, Disruptive Thinking has taken a bold step forward by achieving B Corp certification. This certification marks a significant milestone for team Disruptive, reinforcing their commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, minimising their environmental footprint and dedicating themselves to ongoing improvement.
Disruptive Thinking’s Founder, Yiuwin Tsang said “When founding Disruptive Thinking, I knew I wanted the business to be a force for good. Our company motto is “Good work for good people” and it’s really nice to join the ranks of other businesses who share the same vision, under such a well-regarded standard.”
“The decision to pursue B Corp certification was driven by a deep-seated belief in the power of business to drive positive change. As a team who pride ourselves on being forward-thinking, becoming a B Corp aligns so well with our core values of empathy, integrity, and sustainability.”
“One of the key benefits of being a B Corp is the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded businesses and organisations. We can’t wait to meet other B Corp organisations at local meetups – come over and say ‘Hi’ if you spot any of the team!”
About Disruptive Thinking
Disruptive Thinking is a small team with deep expertise in Marketing, Business Growth and CRM. Our team take on a variety of projects, from designing marketing strategies and executing delivery, to establishing sales processes, to delivering workshops and events.
We’ve worked with accountancy firms, agencies, startups, law firms, publishers, universities, the creative industries and healthcare providers – supporting them on strategic planning and execution across their sales, marketing and delivery efforts.
We work with any size of organisation, from large corporates through to startups, plus public bodies and not-for-profits. Our motto is doing good work for good people. We’re proud of the quality of work we deliver, and ultimately want to work with clients who are also passionate and driven about what they do.
Got any questions? Just want to connect? Reach out to the team at [email protected]
Carnsight Communications, a boutique PR and social media agency based near Bath, has welcomed Laura Witte as its new Social Media Manager. Alexandra Johansen, who joined the business in 2023, also celebrates a promotion to PR Account Manager. Carnsight specialises in working with agencies and founder-led businesses.
Laura Witte builds on Carnsight’s global perspective having relocated to the UK from Germany in 2019, and brings with her extensive experience in content creation, e-commerce and social media. Johansen, who joined the business in 2023 having made the move from Australia, quickly worked her way up the ranks, proving herself an invaluable asset to the company.
Founder Jessica Morgan comments, “Laura has already proven herself an asset to our company and it’s been a joy to see her gel with the team and our clients. Her dynamic skills and extensive online and SEO expertise bring an exciting new string to our bow. Alexandra’s promotion is a testament to her talent and competence, not to mention her brilliant attitude.”
Having moved into digital marketing following a career as an equine midwife, Witte’s skillset is diverse, as she holds a bachelor’s degree in equine science and business management. Most recently she worked in digital roles for equine business, Le Mieux.
She comments, “It’s great to be joining such a dynamic team and real-world agency like Carnsight. I’m excited to expand on the company’s capabilities and deliver results for a compelling roster of clients.”
Johansen adds, “Working with Carnsight has been a dream. The opportunity to share clients’ compelling journeys with the world and elevate their success has been incredibly rewarding.”
Continued growth and expansion are also on the horizon for Carnsight, which recently joined the Living Wage Foundation. Two additional positions, a work experience placement and an internship, are slated for the summer.
Founder Morgan, who has been shortlisted in the Business Desk South West Leadership Awards this year for her mentoring, continues to support and nurture new talent. She is a big proponent of supporting young professionals and creating opportunities for them to get a foothold in the industry.
Carnsight has worked with a wide range of businesses across the country including Air Landline, Sulis Hospital, The Treatment Rooms London, The Flexible Space Association, and UNLIMITED Group.
The team recently launched Practically Powerful PR, an eBook and accessible guide to the art of communications aimed at helping small businesses take on this key business function with confidence.
Since 2019, Square Works has become the byword for luxurious serviced offices and co-working in Bristol. We started with the aim of building a community where professionals could work, network, relax and socialise in an environment that offered the very best – from an exciting events calendar to a light and airy workspace that members can truly enjoy.
Situated on the beautiful Berkeley Square, a ten-minute walk from the city centre, Square Works is spacious, airy and filled with contemporary art and natural light. This unique workspace is spread across three elegant Georgian townhouses, with a range of conference and meeting rooms, communal spaces, kitchens and a fitness suite.
As a BCI member you can get 10% off memberships and meeting rooms at Square Works, contact our reception at [email protected] to take advantage of this offer.
Professional Apprenticeships are thrilled to unveil ApprenTech, our latest leap forward in cultivating the next generation of technology professionals through comprehensive apprenticeships. We have always strived to bridge the gap between aspiring tech talents and the industry’s evolving needs. Today, we’re excited to announce an initiative that not only continues this legacy but also takes it to new heights.
A New Era of Apprenticeships
ApprenTech is designed to be more than just a program; it’s a movement towards creating a sustainable, skilled workforce that can navigate the complexities of the technology landscape and solve the skills gap!
With our Ofsted Outstanding rating as our backbone, we’ve crafted two new distinct pathways: Software Developer Level 3 and Level 4 Apprenticeships. These programs are tailored to meet the industry’s demands – whether it’s nurturing new entrants with foundational skills or elevating existing employees to software savants. This is in addition to our existing offering of Marketing, IT and other apprenticeships.
Why ApprenTech?
Our initiative stands out for several reasons:
For Companies: ApprenTech offers a unique opportunity to cultivate your in-house talent, reducing recruitment costs and fostering a culture of loyalty and innovation. It’s not just an investment in skills but in the future of your organisation.
For Aspiring Tech Professionals: Embark on a journey that promises not just skill development but a clear path to career advancement. With ApprenTech, your ambitions to progress are a reality.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
As we launch ApprenTech, we extend an invitation to tech companies and aspiring professionals to join us in this transformative journey. Together, we can redefine what it means to be equipped for the future of technology.
For more information on how to get involved, pop our team a message at [email protected]
Together, let’s build a future where technology and talent converge to create endless possibilities.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we are officially funding a second round of creative and marketing support to businesses dedicated to levelling the playing field for women.
Last year we offered creative support to a local business dedicated to making a positive impact for women in the South-West. The Women’s Work Lab based in Bristol, addresses the motherhood career gap by providing skills-based training to mums on benefits, enhancing their employability. Headed up by an all-female team here at Oakwood, we reviewed their brand identity and created evolved messaging and a new visual look.
Once again, we are interested in hearing from individuals, organisations or businesses who are led or owned by women who are committed to celebrating women’s achievements, championing women empowerment, calling for positive change to advance women, taking action to educate and raise awareness of women’s equality and those who are actively fostering and creating more inclusive workplaces, communities, or practices for women; to help drive forward the important message of this year’s International Women’s Day around inspiring inclusion.
If you think this sounds like you, please apply here: https://oakwoodagency.com/insights/iwd-2024
And don’t forget to spread the word!
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new website for Nebula Design (www.nebula.design)! This brand refresh serves as a comprehensive resource for businesses and other agencies. Whether you’re looking to fortify your online presence or exploring service packages for your clients, we’ve got you and/or your clients covered.
Compared to the old website, the newly launched website focuses more on content delivery that reflects our new services and enables us to showcase our expertise in various services, including:
Web Design, Development, Digital Marketing, Website Security, Maintenance & Website Hosting
“We are thrilled to launch our new website, which reflects our commitment to providing our clients with the best possible digital solutions,” David Pottrell, Head of Digital. “The new website is designed to be informative and user-friendly, allowing potential clients to learn more about our services and how we can help them achieve their online goals.”
Over the years, we’ve also seen an increase in other agencies requesting support around website security and maintenance for their clients. This is one of the reasons we’ve began marketing our WordPress maintenance packages towards other agencies as well as clients.
We invite businesses and fellow agencies in Bristol to explore our new website. Contact us for a free consultation to discuss any digital or website needs you may have.
Mentor Digital is delighted to announce an expansion of our Digital Marketing services and the launch of a newly designed section of our website to showcase our new and improved offering across SEO, PPC and analytics.
Since adding ex-Google Strategist Dan Watt to our ranks as Digital Marketing Director last year, we have seen fantastic growth in both the amount and scope of digital marketing projects that we are working on for our clients.
Whilst delivering best-in-class, SEO optimised websites in Umbraco has been part of Mentor Digital’s offering for many years, our expanded offering sees us providing expertise across the entire digital marketing spectrum. Our services now include:
Paid media: including media planning and forecasting, campaign auditing and campaign build and management across paid search, paid social, video and display.
SEO: including website auditing, technical SEO, content strategy and production, inbound marketing and SEO migration consultancy.
Analytics: including Google Analytics 4 auditing and setup, Google Tag Manager auditing and tracking implementation and bespoke, real-time Looker Studio reporting dashboards.
We’re excited about what the year ahead will hold for our digital marketing team and our clients alike as we continue to expand our portfolio of work. If you would like a no obligation appraisal of the current SEO performance of your website, or an expert assessment of whether you could be spending your digital media budget more effectively, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Dan and his team.
Bristol-based communications and marketing firm Purplefish has become employee owned. Joanna Randall, who formed the award-winning business in 2012. has sold 100% of shares to the new trust.
The Living Wage business, located in Bristol’s creative business community at Paintworks, was awarded B Corporation certification two years ago and becomes the first PR agency in Bristol to make the transition to employee ownership.
As part of the transition, a new board has been appointed and Joanna Randall will remain an active executive board director of the business which sees associate director Lucy McKerron promoted to the role of managing director. They are joined by two employee trustee directors, senior account manager Jonathan Adams and account manager Zoë Fawcett.
Working across technology, property and leisure sectors across the South West, nationally and internationally, the business joins the ranks of a growing number of UK businesses making the move to employee ownership.
As an employee-owned business, the team will have greater input into the running of the business and its future, benefiting from a share of the profits.
The company is also celebrating a clutch of new client wins in recent months including experience business Yuup and agency collective firm Istoria.
The move is celebrated with a new website for the business which reflects the value of harnessing emerging and generative AI technologies while maintaining a human-centric approach to communications and marketing.
Commenting on the move, Randall said: “This is a really exciting time for the business. As a sole owner and shareholder it can often be an isolated role so I’m really looking forward to being part of the new management team in defining our future direction.
“I believe our traditional business structures are becoming outdated where companies are run for the sole benefit of owners and shareholders – employee ownership offers a more authentic way of running a business where commercial growth is still a focus but the benefits can be shared more equitably.”
New managing director Lucy McKerron said of her new role and the future direction for Purplefish: “I’m incredibly excited to be stepping into the role of Managing Director here a Purplefish, an agency I’ve come to know so well and love in the last two years since joining the team. The business is perfectly aligned with my personal values of integrity, creativity, and compassion, providing rewarding work for both myself and the wider team – something which will only be emphasised as we move into our EOT model.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to innovate as a business, both for our existing and new clients as we grow and evolve. We’re committed to leaning into the opportunities emerging technologies can bring while maintaining our human-centric approach to creativity, our connection to the issues that matter, while continuing to help our clients stand out and thrive.”
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