We recently went live with a redesigned website for CFS Engineering. CFS Engineering was founded by Clark Stoner as a specialty service civil and environmental engineering firm dedicated to helping their clients achieve their most challenging objectives. 
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Let's talk a little about copywriting for your website.

What is copywriting? When talking web design, it's your site's content... what people read. This includes Headlines, Subheads and body copy. Writing is always difficult (for most people anyway). We tell each of our clients to estimate the amount of time you think it will take to write copy for your site, then DOUBLE IT! Internal content creation always takes longer than you expect!

Right now, we have 5 websites that are completely finished, beta tested, layout approved, all ready to go... but WAITING for finalized copy. It's always copy that holds up a website launch!

My minor in college was Journalism. I didn't know how to write very good at all. One of the first classes I took was on writing. My professor actually asked me if wanted to change my minor and do something else! At any rate, I learned how to write. I wasn't the star student, but I powered my way through it and learned a lot. So can you!

Here's some help for those of you who may need some help, here is a great article: The Art of the Paragraph.

The www.copyblogger.com is a great website to learn how to write and to bring out your inner writer. Read the articles. Learn.

Keep your fingers crossed that we get the copy soon. We have some awesome sites to unveil, stay tuned! 
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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of analyzing and enhancing your website to help potential customers find it on Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines. SEO is a process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a website from search engines via "natural" or unpaid search results (defined by Reno SEO companies as "organic" search results).

The term "search engine marketing" (SEM) deals with paid search. Search engine marketing seeks to increase the visibility of a website by promoting that website with the use of paid ad placement, contextual advertising and paid inclusion. Search engine marketing includes the use of Google Adwords, contextual advertising and other forms of online advertising.

Having your custom website design optimized for search is important because the higher your website appears in the search results list, the more traffic your website will receive from the various search engines. Website traffic is key if you want to have a successful online business!

Search engine optimization includes a lot of different kinds of search strategies in addition to your keyword search strategy. Image search, local search and video search are all components that should be included in your search engine optimization. By incorporating all these strategies in your SEO, your website will have a much better web presence, thus more traffic!

As part of your internet marketing strategy, SEO tactics should be incorporated into custom website development and design. Valid code is the foundation for effective SEO strategies.

Search engine optimization focuses on how search engines work and what specific terms people search for. SEO efforts should start at the bottom level of your website. That is, your HTML code!

The majority of web pages on the Internet are written in computer languages (such as HTML). This allows web designers and web developers the ability to structure text, images, multimedia content and more on a web page.

All software and applications written with computer languages are supposed to follow rules. This includes websites and web pages! A common mistake made by many web developers and designers is to NOT follow these rules. This is a huge mistake if you want quality search engine results.

Optimizing a website for search begins with valid HTML code. Quality, valid HTML code will remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines and make your online business search engine friendly. All of our Reno web design clients have websites built with quality code. In addition, we send an xml feed every 24 hours to all the major search engines, which helps our clients tremendously with their search results!

The term "search engine friendly" describes the overall layout and design of your custom website. Designing search engine friendly websites begins with valid HTML code. That code powers your overall layout and design, including: navigational menus, content management systems, images, blogs, forums, videos, shopping carts, and other elements that make up your online business.

In today's competitive business environment, proper SEO is critical to the success of any website. Whether you want to optimize your site yourself or want a professional Reno SEO agency to help you, Search Engine Optimization should be a keystone of your online marketing strategy.

The goal of your search engine optimization strategies should be to gain more visibility on major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines. Increasing traffic to your website is the only way to grow your online business.

If you need help with your SEO, SEM or your website design and development, contact Bullsprig today! We are a Reno web design and Reno SEO website design agency. But, Reno Nevada is just where we call home... we have a lot of clients all across the US and would love to work with you wherever you live! 
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The design and development work involved in creating a highly effective website begins with the first client review and continues until the site goes live. Unlike any other industry, custom website design is open to criticism by anyone. To streamline the creative review process, it's important to follow your initial business strategy for your website. That is, what exactly do you want users to do... what is the number one function for your website?

Do you want users to purchase your products on your online shop? Are you trying to generate leads for future sales calls? Are you trying to build a community around your products and/or services?

Getting the best creative results are found when you follow your initial business strategy. Strategy and business initiatives are key.

At the beginning of your web design process, you had certain goals and business objectives. During your website reviews, your main concern should be focused on hitting these goals. Will the design and layout help increase newsletter sign ups? Have we given users easy access to purchase the products we offer? How does the layout influence users to fill out our forms so we can follow-up on the information? And so on.

During your creative reviews, you should ask your web design agency questions that will help articulate your business goals. How will my customer purchase products from my site? Does the look and feel of the site reflect my company's brand values? Does the look and feel of the site appeal to my customer? What graphic elements have you used in the design to lead customers to what we want them to do? What benefits are we giving customers with this site? Will customers know exactly what business we're in by viewing the home page?

Communication is key. Does the website communicate your business goals? Does the design support a unique experience? What value is being communicated? Are your goals being met?

If the answer to any of the above is no, tell your website design agency. Be honest. Any agency dedicated to their client's business success with take the criticism seriously and change the work to meet your goals. You should never approve creative that does not meet the business goals you have set for your online business.

When you give your web development and design agency concrete strategic design direction, they can create a site that will meet and exceed your business requirements.

If not, it's time to choose a new web design agency. 
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We just went live with a new website for Reno real estate agent Brooke Sullivan. Brooke specializes in luxury real estate and Montreux real estate in Reno, Nevada. The design and development of this website went incredibly fast, at only 8 total days! (That includes beta testing and debugging!) 
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With every custom website design project we undertake, we stick to specific guidelines to complete the project on-time and on-budget. That is, of course, easier said than done.

With every client wanting the absolute best work for their online business, it's best to stick to your project management guide or your design contract to fulfill your end of the bargain.

The absolute most important point in your contract is the one defining the scope of work. In our web design contracts, we are as detailed and precise as possible when dealing with project scope and reviews/revisions. If you let the project get out of control with client revisions, your project will be drained of any profit you calculated in. Nothing drains more dollars than unnecessary client revisions.

Stick to your project goals. What was the original business goal for this project? Sometimes we have clients try to make changes after they have approved the original design. This happens. More often than not, the original design was the correct decision. We always go back with our clients and review the project goals and articulate the logic behind the original design decision.

Sometimes client revisions are due to another, higher-level manager in the company. It's vitally important that you get the names and information of each key decision maker on the project, and involve them!

How important is client involvement? There are several phases of web projects where client approval is necessary to move forward. We let clients know how many revisions are budgeted in the project scope. And, when formal revisions take place, we always get a signature for approval.

It's important your web design agency takes the time to educate clients on the web design process and business goals that will be solved via your custom website design. If you're working with a web design agency, you've probably chose them because you liked their work. Trust them! At Bullsprig, we're in business because our clients trust our judgement when it comes to the design and layout of websites.

At Bullsprig, our clients are responsible for providing constructive feedback at each revision cycle. Each revision cycle is designed to move the project forward, to solve business goals as specified by the client.

At each milestone in the web design process, we insist on client approval and involvement. The website design and development should be completely 'client approved' prior to launch. This will prevent last minute delays and unexpected costs due to revisions.

After the site is launched, the education process continues. Clients need to know how to use their website, how to get traffic and how to evaluate strategy moving forward. Successful business owners know that in order for their website to gain traffic, convert visitors, and solve important business goals, the website has to be constantly updated, reviewed, tested, linked and maintained.

We build all our websites on an advanced technology infrastructure that makes it easy for businesses and individuals to maintain and grow their online business. After the launch of any website, we train all our clients how to use this platform. The Bullsprig platform boasts a wide array of powerful modules for empowering your website.

If you have a business in Reno Nevada, and are looking for a Reno web design agency, let's get in touch. 
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Let's cut right to it: First impressions matter. A lot. Both personally and in business. In this article we're going to talk about the importance and impact of your marketing design... both online (custom websites) and offline (your print marketing materials).

We just finished a huge project for DirecTV. It's just the beginning. We created a 50 page capabilities presentation for their VP of marketing to review. Getting this right was super important. Presenting the ideas in the best possible light was worth all the extra time and effort.

But, let's step back for a moment. You might be wondering how a Reno web design agency located in Reno Nevada could get the opportunity to present concepts for a huge company like DirecTV. The answer is great design.

So what is great design? Design is like art, it is subjective. At Bullsprig, we classify great design as work that solves business objectives... and so do our clients. Every single one of our clients has come from word-of-mouth marketing. These businesses love our work, and they tell their colleagues. It's pretty neat to see... overwhelming at times.

Just this week, we're received 3 requests for proposal. "How'd you hear about us?" we ask. "Oh, a friend told me about you. We looked at your website and really like the work." Boom.

We got the lead from word-of-mouth. But the connection happened when they visited our website and looked at our work. First impression. Well maybe second impression, but you get the idea--first impressions count.

Presenting your business in the best possible light is well worth the investment. It is worth the time, effort and money to get it right. Your website is the connection between your customers and your business. The quality of a site's design and functionality tell a lot about a company and its values.

What about your print marketing? Same thing. We educate all our clients about the right way to design print materials. More than 90% of our interactive clients contract Bullsprig to handle their print materials. If you are looking for a Reno design agency (or any design agency) ask them if they can handle both print and online marketing. It's super important to have all your marketing materials come from the same place. Using this strategy will insure your brand's integrity.

The quality of a company's graphic design and interactive design speaks volumes and builds trust. It's important to contract with an experienced design agency when putting together your website and building your print marketing materials. Quality design is critical for a company to get results and solve business objectives. 
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Every week we receive emails from prospective clients about web design and development. The number one question from 90% of clients is, "How much will a website cost?"

The answer is what you'd expect: "It depends." Ultimately the price for website design and development is dependant upon the amount of time spent on the project. One must realize, design is a premium service. A luxury good. Businesses who value good design have an advantage over those who don't.

Any credible design agency will follow a process for estimating web design work. We respond to inquires with a request for proposal document (RFP). This document is filled with important questions pertaining to your business, your online business goals, key business indicators, website functionality and look and feel.

For example, do you need a content management system? A blog? An online forum? Are you going to sell products on your website... and so on. All of these questions help your design agency determine how much time they need to spend on your project. Once that is determined, an estimate can be accurately submitted.

One of the questions we ask is, "Have you worked with a design agency before?" This is an important question because the answer will tell us how much we have to educate the client on process, prices and expectations. Most clients have not worked with an interactive agency before, and therefore we spend a lot of time educating them on what to expect.

Often times, when we present our estimate for custom website design, clients experience "sticker shock." Scary thing is, our prices are reasonable by comparison, and actually lower than comparable design agencies. Some prospects even say, "I can get (insert cheap company here) to design a site for $10 a month." Yup, you absolutely can. But, in 6 months, you'll come back to us for the solution you needed in the first place.

Our competitive advantage is our completeness, creative vision, client service and commitment to your ongoing success. Our clients are partners for life. We want you to succeed, it makes us look good. And, we get and keep more and more clients through word-of-mouth.

It's been said, making the complex look simple is one of the greatest skills. That is absolutely true with web design and development. Website design is a process. There is a lot of work and time put in behind the scenes. Work and time the client never sees.

Here's a quick study on what to expect from a reputable design agency. This is what you're paying for:
Client, Industry, and Competitive research;
Graphic Compositions in Photoshop;
Client Reviews and Revisions;
Taking the Approved Comps and Mapping them to a CSS / XHTML Grid;
CSS / XHTML Production and Testing;
Content Management Database Design;
eCommerce Functionality and Testing;
Search Engine Optimization;

These steps require professionalism and expertise to produce a robust solution. Most first-time clients have no idea what it takes to produce this work. Website design and development is very complicated. Making the complicated look easy is what your web design firm should do, and do well. 
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We recently went live with a new website for Advanced Dentistry by Design. This Carson City Dentist has been in business for over 30 years in Carson City. Advanced Dentistry by Design offers many dental services including: Cosmetic Dentistry, General Dentistry, CEREC Technology, 6 Month Smiles, Dental Implants, Porcelain Veneers and Sedation Dentistry. 
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Every business must recognize that their web site is an extension of their brick-an-mortar business. Sometimes, even more so! Your web site should be the center of as many activities as possible. Business owners should use their web site for many more items than they currently do.

Getting results online begins with getting your employees and your customers to regard your web site as something of great value. Your web site should be seen as an online business. Something that is constantly evolving, changing... getting better. Something that is working for you all the time.

Your web site should be the center point of all your communications, internally as well as externally. Need to tell clients about an important product upgrade? Post it on your web site and refer to it often. Do you find that certain questions are being asked by your customers? By employees? An FAQ page is a great spot to put all the answers to these questions. Do you have print materials about your company? Great! You should. They should be on your web site as well, available for download in pdf format, or Word doc, or CAD drawing, anything. If clients and employees are looking for a document, they should find it on your web site.

Another important aspect of your online business is your support center. Your web site should be the first place customers look for support. You need to train your clients to do this. Instruct your employees to mention the web site all the time to people. Get your staff in the habit of referring everyone to your web site. As a business owner, you need to do everything to keep your employees and your customers thinking of your website as the place to find the information they need.

One great tool of custom website design are online forums. It's a great idea to let your customers talk to each other--get the conversation going about your products and services. You should also have interactive forms where users can fill out to request support or to be contacted. Online blogs are also a great tool in creating a community around your online business. Your web design company should help you determine what web services can be used effectively on your web site.

Your business will have lots of additional needs. One of your marketing tools should include email marketing design. This is a great way to stay in-touch with your customers, and your staff! Email marketing should go hand-in-hand with your web site, they should work with each other. This is a great tool to get more business from your current client base.

Now, you're probably thinking, "sounds great, now what?" Well, you need to find a website design and development company. You can always start locally. Let's say you live in Reno, Nevada. You could start a web search for reno web design and see what comes up. Or, search website design reno. Additionally, if you really like a certain web site, find out who designed it and talk to that web design company.

One of the best things about the internet is the world-wide reach. Custom web site designers can be found everywhere. At Bullsprig we have clients all over the country. The majority of our clients are in the San Francisco / Bay Area and Los Angeles. We're bidding a website now for a client in New York City! The power of the internet has allowed this great opportunity.

You need to use the web to reach your customers, and create value behind your web site. It takes work, but people are doing it every day. Our clients have been having tremoundous success with their web sites. Each website powered by the Bullsprig Platform.

The Bullsprig Platform is a high-powered, user-friendly web infrastructure, designed to help companies with their online web sites. We use this technology infrastructure on every website we design and develop. This technology allows us to deploy custom web sites in a short amount of time. We design custom web solutions that not only look good, but function seamlessly.

If you need help designing and developing a custom web site, let's talk. 
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