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The goal of our Cash for Web Clunker program is to make it easy for business owners to get that new 2010 model website. By now all business owners realize that their website is the vital to their success. And our aim is to reduce the economic barrier that might have created a roadblock in the past.

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I recently hooked up with an old college mate in LinkedIn who has his own design agency. His website was designed in Flash. The site was gorgeous, well designed, clean, simple, great typography and showcased his product offering elegantly. BUT, there was not a hint of optimization to be found.

I recently went to a well-known SEO guru’s website who must get a gazillion hits per month and was visually-offended by the lack of design on his site. Design was such an afterthought on this site that any respectable designer would puke. BUT, the content was amazing and is now bookmarked on my computer.

So who is more successful? The beautifully-designed website or the beautifully-optimized website? Can design and SEO co-exist?

It is in this designers opinion YES.

Content is king in this day and age. And good content is a balance between quantity and quality. Quantity is beneficial to robots (search engines) and Quality is beneficial to humans. And good design, especially good typography, assists the reader in reading your great content.

Good design orchestrates the entire process. It navigates the reader, it speaks. For example, if you we’re having a human conversation and spoke in a monotone manner how would you be perceived regardless of your content. On the other hand, if you ever listened to a dynamic speaker like Tony Robins, you will notice that his delivery is anything but monotone. The variations in his delivery reinforce his message. He raises his voice, he lowers his voice, he weaves and bobs, he pauses. This is all to reinforce his message. This does not mean the monotone guy has nothing important to say, it means that Tony Robins or a Tony Robins-like delivery resonates better.

So effective design and SEO are inextricably linked. And isn’t the point of great content to be read. Imagine the best of both worlds where you have great content, optimized with killer SEO married with great design. AWESOME.

In an age of new technology we don’t have as many business lunches, golf outings, and other traditional networking events like we used to, but that shouldn’t stop your clients from talking you up to their friends, coworkers and beyond, should it?

We’ve all heard from SEO experts (like myself) that getting listed in online directories such as Yahoo!, DMOZ, and others will help to improve your search engine rankings; but there are some other places to be listed that can work twice as hard for you, if you put in a little time. A few of my favorite places are listed at the bottom of this post. Take the time to ensure your listings are correct then take it one step further….ask for some help.

The three sites I list all have the option to let people review your products/services. Every review or recommendation can set you apart from your competition. So go back to your best client and ask them for a few minutes of their time to rate, recommend, and/or praise you. I’m sure that if you have forged a good relationship with this client they won’t mind helping you out, even better, offer to help them to by writing a review in return.

These personal recommendations get added to your listing and the next person who comes across you will take what is said into consideration. This concept works just like social events where people can interact and talk about you only now you supporters can touch every interested person in the room instead of just one or two. With praise coming from current clients you’ll be guaranteed to capture more awesome clients without ever leaving your office. So in this competitive market, remember to get by with a little help from your friends!

What are you waiting for? Get listed!

Google Local Business Listing – http://www.maps.google.com
To have clients write a review on Google Local Business map listing pass them the exact link where they can review you.

To do this: Search your company name on Google maps, click the send link towards the top right of the page, follow the instructions and send the link to yourself. Now keep it in a safe place and pass it along the next time you get a compliment from a client. Instruct them to click on the link “Write a Review” below your companies name. They will need a Google User name but if they use Gmail or Adwords, or are just an avid google user they will already have one. If not the setup process is quick and painless.

Yelp – http://www.yelp.com

YellowPages.com – http://www.yellowpages.com

Both Yelp and Yellowpages.com often have standard listings on companies but to enhance your presence on the web and give your potential clients more info on you, create a username/password then add to your listing. To have clients write a review on either just pass along the link from your direct page.

What tactics do you currently employ to get new clients interested in you? Share with us!

Just like the Internet itself, social media is here to stay. However, as with clubs or hairstyles, what networking sites are the “in” sites will likely always change. Social networking and sharing online will be a constant, just a continuously evolving one. And since consumers are spending time online, business are adapting and hanging out virtually as well. But what’s the right amount?

According to The Small Business Advocate blog, small business owners can easily get sucked into spending too much time socializing online, leading them to neglect “tried and true” traditional marketing efforts that are, in fact, working. While it’s definitely possible that online networks can lead to new clients, one may not see immediate gains, or any at all if it just doesn’t work for your business. Therein lies the secret, except that the secret formula for the ratio of social media to traditional marketing is going to be different for every business.

As for the scientists’ warning that the overwhelming speed and volume of tweets “could harm [one's] moral compass”… I’m not sure I want to think about that just yet. We’re all experimenting, and businesses (and people) have to figure out what works for them. But you’ve been warned.