Avallo's Blog

Selecting a Web Development Company

Selecting a web development company is a crucial decision that can significantly impact the success of your online presence. Here's a list of reasons why you should choose Avallo over another company:

Expertise and Skills: Avallo is a 28-year-old company with a proven track record of expertise in web development. The team's skills in programming languages, frameworks, and technologies will always be a good fit. Otherwise, we will let you know and give you a referral.
Portfolio and Previous Work: Avallo's company's portfolio shows the quality of our work. We are custom web developers. That means, you will get exactly what you want and need. We have hundreds of websites from all kinds of companies and nonprofits.
Technology Stack: We design and develop in the best CMS for your project.
Customization and Flexibility: We do not just use templates. We custom design a website that fits your needs. We are flexible and easy to work with.
Industry Experience: Avallo has been around longer than Google. We keep up on the newest technologies. That is the fun part!
Client Reviews and Testimonials: We have clients that have been with us for decades. We are there for the build and after. And the next build too.
Communication and Collaboration: We answer the phone!! I know it seems simple. We also answer emails and texts promptly. We collaborate well with your inside or outside marketing teams.
Scalability: Our websites scale as your business grows without major reworks.
Budget and Pricing: Our pricing structure is transparent and we ensure there are no hidden costs that we have not talked about.
Timely Delivery: We get websites done on time - sometimes ahead of schedule. Once the website is paid for, you own the code.
Post-Launch Support and Maintenance: Unlike companies that use a lot of freelancers, we will be there after launch for any upgrades or changes. We can do maintenance agreements but we usually just do changes by the 1/4 hour. You will only pay when we do work. To us, that is good business.
Security Measures: Security is paramount in web development. Avallo follows best practices for securing websites and applications. This includes measures such as data encryption, secure coding practices, and regular security audits.
User Experience (UX) and Design: Avallo creates visually appealing and user-friendly websites which is essential for engaging visitors and achieving business goals.

Now that you know a little more about Avallo Web Development, contact us for your next website project or other marketing projects!

The Primary Goals of Good UX Design

User Experience (UX) for websites refers to the overall experience that visitors have when they interact with a website. It encompasses all aspects of the user's interaction, including their perception, feelings, and behavior while navigating and using the website. The primary goal of a good UX design is to create a positive and enjoyable experience for users, making it easy for them to find the information they need, perform tasks, and achieve their goals efficiently. Here are some key elements of UX we use for Avallo websites:

Usability: The website should be easy to use and navigate. It should have a clear and intuitive layout, with well-organized menus and content. Users should be able to find what they are looking for without unnecessary confusion or frustration.

Visual Design: Aesthetics play a significant role in UX. The website should have a visually appealing design, with a consistent color scheme, appropriate typography, and a balanced use of white space. Visual elements should complement the content and not distract or overwhelm the user.

Accessibility: A good UX considers the needs of all users, including those with disabilities. The website should be designed to be accessible to people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. This may involve using alt text for images, providing captions for videos, and ensuring proper keyboard navigation.

Page Load Speed: Slow-loading pages can lead to a poor user experience. Optimizing website performance and reducing load times are crucial for keeping users engaged and preventing them from abandoning the site.

Mobile Responsiveness: With a significant portion of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, it's essential to have a responsive design that adapts to various screen sizes. Mobile users should have the same positive experience as desktop users.

Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Well-defined CTAs guide users to take specific actions, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or contacting the company. CTAs should stand out and be easy to understand.

Consistency: Consistency in design and navigation elements creates a sense of familiarity and helps users feel more comfortable and confident while exploring the website.

User Research: Understanding the target audience's needs, behaviors, and preferences is vital in crafting a user-centered design. User research can involve surveys, interviews, and usability testing to gather valuable insights.

Error Handling: If users encounter errors or make mistakes, the website should provide clear and helpful error messages, guiding them to the correct path without causing frustration.

Feedback and Validation: Providing feedback to users when they complete actions or submit forms helps reassure them that their actions were successful. Visual cues and validation messages can contribute to a positive UX.

User Journey Mapping: Understanding the user's journey through the website helps identify pain points and opportunities for improvement. By optimizing the user flow, the website can be made more efficient and user-friendly.

By prioritizing the user's needs and expectations, our clients will have e a satisfying and memorable user experience, leading to increased user engagement, higher conversion rates, and improved brand perception. Want to chat about the user experience on your website? Call Avallo

Marketing to Seniors

Avallo specializes in marketing for business that have older adults as clients, customers and patients. Marketing to seniors online requires a strategic approach that takes into account their unique needs and preferences. Here are ten effective ways to market to seniors online:

  1. Simplify website design: Create user-friendly websites with clear navigation, large fonts, and easy-to-use interfaces. Seniors appreciate simplicity and ease of use.
  2. Utilize social media: Develop a presence on social media platforms that are popular among seniors, such as Facebook and Instagram. Share relevant content, engage in conversations, and provide valuable information.
  3. Provide educational content: Seniors appreciate informative and educational content. Create blog posts, articles, and videos that address their specific interests, concerns, and needs.
  4. Email marketing: Build an email list and send out regular newsletters or updates that provide valuable information, special offers, and discounts tailored to seniors. Make sure the emails are easy to read and navigate.
  5. Online advertising: Utilize targeted online advertising platforms, such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads, to reach seniors who are searching for products or services related to their needs. Tailor your ads with specific messaging and visuals that resonate with this audience.
  6. Video marketing: Create engaging videos that showcase your products or services. Seniors enjoy watching videos and are more likely to engage with visual content. Consider hosting webinars or tutorials on topics of interest to seniors.
  7. Offer discounts and promotions: Seniors appreciate discounts, so consider offering special pricing or promotions exclusively for this demographic. Highlight these offers prominently on your website and in your marketing campaigns.
  8. Encourage online reviews and testimonials: Seniors value the opinions of their peers. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and testimonials on your website or review platforms. Positive feedback from fellow seniors can greatly influence their purchasing decisions.
  9. Emphasize security and privacy: Seniors may have concerns about online security and privacy. Assure them that your website and online transactions are secure. Highlight any security measures you have in place, such as SSL certificates or trusted payment gateways.
  10. Partner with senior influencers or bloggers: Collaborate with influential bloggers or social media influencers who cater to the senior demographic. They can help you reach a wider audience and establish credibility with seniors through their recommendations and endorsements.

Avallo can help continuously monitor and evaluate your marketing efforts to understand what resonates most with your senior audience. We will adapt your strategies based on feedback and preferences to ensure effective engagement and conversion rates.

See our senior portfolio here! 

Importance of a Social Media Presence for Businesses

Social media is constantly growing in popularity and is a great resource for any kind of business to gain awareness. With an immense amount of people on social media each day, the opportunity to grow your business and be seen is possible with the right strategies.

Benefits to your business

Having a social media presence will help establish your business and brand. With the amount of people on social media, you can get your business noticed and build awareness. Depending on your type of business, this can yield potential customers and clients. Having social media pages can help to establish your business and gives customers/clients another way to get to know you. People are looking for a personal experience with businesses and being active on social media platforms builds trust and relationships. With this, the opportunity of an increase of sales and business growth is attainable. Another benefit is being able to know your customers and audience better by seeing their reactions and engaging with them online. Lastly, paid advertisements through social media can be helpful in gaining new followers, website traffic, leads, and more.

Strategy

The most popular social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter. Depending on the type of business you have and where your audience is will determine which one(s) are the best option. For example, if your business serves only seniors, Facebook would be ideal whereas Instagram would not be very successful in getting to that audience. Regardless of what platform you are on, setting up your profile looks the same. If you include a bio, keep it short and simple of what your business is and what you do along with your logo as the profile image to build up your brand awareness.

It’s important to know your audience in order to make the best impact. This will impact what type of content you should post and how to engage with your audience. The older generations mostly prefer videos, content explaining how the product or service can improve their life, and real stories or testimonies from customers. The younger generations can be influenced by celebrities, new trends, and engagement with followers. If you have a mixed audience of ages, a variety of content will help reach everyone. Setting up a posting schedule would be helpful to ensure each post is different and that you remain active. With careful planning ahead of time, remaining active on social media can take a small amount of effort and help your business grow!

Why Branding is Critical to the Marketing of your Business

Branding is everywhere. It permeates our daily lives: when we shop, drive, watch TV, are online, at sporting events and reading magazines or newspapers. According to Statista, over 240 billion dollars was spent on media advertising alone in the US in 2019 with digital ad spending accounting for over half of that. Marketing can be a costly adventure for most companies, which is why getting it right and receiving value for your investment is ever-increasingly important to your business’s bottom line. Not to mention its image. Here are some key points regarding branding, whether assessing a current brand in need of updating, or creating an entirely new one.

Making a memorable impression

Your brand is your potential customers/client’s first impression. It elicits a reaction, often even subconsciously. Ideally, it should convey your business, its values and stand out as unique.

Think of all the iconic brands that have stood the test of time. There are ones that really stand out. We fondly recall those from our childhood: Disney® or Legos® perhaps. Remember that first new car you bought? How you excitedly picked out that very make and model and how it made you feel the first time you drove it. Remember those groundbreaking, iconic Apple® commercials. Some brands really hit the bullseye—and not by accident—a lot of preparation, thought and creativity goes into it.

It can all sound quite overwhelming—and expensive—but it doesn’t have to be. Even small businesses can shine with an effective brand all on its own. It just requires understanding the basics of how to get there.

Your brand should not just make a great first impression, it should also make a lasting one. Through repeat exposure, a customer should come to know what to expect from your business, that their needs will be met in a reliable and satisfying way. Your brand is your representation of a promise to them. All of this is why having brand standards with consistency of visual imagery and tone of message are important.

Wrangling all the little details

There are many aspects to creating a strong, durable brand.

  • Type, fonts, colors and visual imagery are of vital importance. These elements must blend together perfectly to set the stage for all other information. They are like an invitation to come in the front door and see what is inside.
  • The messaging is equally important as it tells customers who you are as a business, what your purpose is and the legitimacy in which it operates. Less is more. It should clearly and succinctly state how you will fulfill their needs and compel them to feel good about you doing so.
  • Tone is something to carefully consider and should be appropriate to the unique nature of what your business is offering them.
  • Once visuals and tone are determined, it can be applied across marketing platforms. Consistency and simplicity of application are of upmost importance. Whether it’s your website and social media or printed brochures and ads, there should always be a standard applied to all aspects of your brand.

Signs your brand needs an overhaul

Often business owners can be emotionally attached to a brand that they have had for a long time, but there are many reasons to rebrand completely or even just refresh or establish consistency.

  • Your logo is outdated. Perhaps your business has grown in size and scope over time. In which case it is possible the original has simply outgrown its effectiveness for your current marketing needs.
  • It wasn’t that great to begin with. Logos and overall branding can be slapdash in the beginning stages of creating a company. There are often more important, immediate issues at hand: financing, personnel, organizational structure or other challenges. It is never too late to take a breath and stop to truly assess your logo and branding strategy.
  • You are not attracting the right audience. Always remember that the branding is not for you personally, it is for those you wish to attract. It should appeal to them and their needs. How do they feel, what are their concerns, what motivates them? The more you know about them, the better equipped your brand is to hit your target audience.
  • It is hard to express what your brand is and what it does. Your brand should never be confusing, it should be easily understood. Taking time to really drill down to the essential nature of what your business does and how it does it is a good place to start. It can then be rebuilt into a crystal clear, easy-to-understand and easy-to-communicate manner.
  • Your online and offline branding have never met. This is a common mistake. All channels of branding should follow a cohesive branding strategy with a consistent visual standard and written tone.

A clear brand strategy that is well thought out and consistently implemented helps your business create clarity of mission and stay focused on its marketing goals. A strong brand, when properly applied, is of immense value to your business as a whole.