We all remember those websites from five or more years ago that relied heavily on Flash technology to give them a little extra ZING. Unfortunately, that zing will now make a website virtually invisible to search engine crawlers! Times they are a-changing all the time in the world of web design and especially SEO, and it's essential that when you consider your own website you look seriously at web design vs. usability and visibility. Putting an effective website on the net today involves so much more than just a pretty face: it has to keep the needs of the user plus SEO in mind at all times. Here are some guidelines: 1-2-3.

• It has to load fast: Besides the whole SEO thing, Flash sites are notoriously slow to load. In fact, they can be downright annoying. No one wants to wait anymore to access a site. No one. Even with a super-fast connection! So if your existing web design relies heavily on Flash, it's time to contact the Utah web design experts at WIworks and make an immediate change.

• It has to be easily navigable: Your visitors need to find what they came for NOW. They need to be able to move around your site easily and access subpages from logical places. The navigation conventions that people expect must be an automatic part of your site's architecture. If you sell products on your site, include plenty of product photographs and make your check-out system secure and simple. All the design bells and whistles in the world simply cannot make up for a lack of basic, down-to-earth usability.

• It has to be visible: SEO-rich content and an SEO-friendly layout are absolutely essential components of website design. The right keywords in the right places along with other strategies could mean the difference between ranking on Page One of search engine results pages or total failure. Most business owners haven't a clue how to use SEO to their advantage nor do they keep up with the latest changes: with the help of Utah SEO, your site will have maximum visibility. And that's the name of the game. Period.

You really can have an attractive and modern site without sacrificing that all-important usability. When you find just the right combination of both, the sky's the limit!

WIworks recently announced a new Facebook contest directed at 501c 3 charities. The premise of this contest was to have loyal followers recommend a charity for entry into the contest, We featured that charity on our Facebook page and then created a custom application in order to begin tabulating votes for each one, real time and showcasing the results in almost a leader board fashion.  This custom voting program can be seen at http://apps.facebook.com/wiworks/fb_contest_vote.php. The charity then rallies all of their followers, board members, donors and anyone that is a supporter and has them vote and then spread the word.

The charity at the closing of the contest on May 31, 2010 wins a $10,000 web design package or SEO marketing program. In the space of only 5 weeks we have added over 1,700 (fans now likes) and the momentum continues to pick up. 4 charities are clearly competing for the top prize and way ahead of the other 24 that have been nominated. So far the friendly competition between them has been fun to be involved with.

Any business looking to find a way to increase their following can use very effectively this type of marketing, whether the contest is the cutest puppy, strangest place to use a companies product, best slogan submitted or marketing jingle or even a tip of the day or gift certificate give-away. Each of these marketing programs are designed to bring new fans, friends and followers to your Facebook site and then to your other corporate offerings and services.

Care needs to be taken however to resist the temptation of turning any of your social sites into spam or heavy self promotion programs. Friends, fans and about anyone will move away from you as fast as possible. Patience in this setting is truly a virtue that will pay off handsomely in many ways to the savvy business marketer.

The past 3 years have brought unprecedented change to every business in America and around the world. Financial meltdowns, no-confidence votes and about every other conceivable variable has been thrown at us. In the face of this sweeping "change or die reality" each of us has been required to step out on the edge of our comfort zones and go places we have never been before.

One industry that has grown rapidly is the wonderful world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) which is the process of getting your website found on a search engine. This, by the way, happens to be one of those uncomfortable places just mentioned. After all, if you don't have the kind of visibility on Google, Bing or Yahoo that allows new buyers to find you: you're done! Game over, doors closed, and the vultures start circling. You need to get in the game!

 However, SEO in Utah is like any growth industry in that there seems to be an "EXPERT" on every corner. From the recently-laid-off guy who likes the internet and thinks he understands it, to one of your employees who built his own computer so he must be an expert in marketing. Effective SEO is not for amateurs: it is a science that requires experience in order to be done correctly. Even high-end website design companies are not necessarily the best choice for SEO service if it is not their area of expertise. In the SEO world the meaning of the term "BUYER BEWARE" becomes painfully clear if a poor choice is made up front.

No matter what your motivation, it is a given that the Internet is now the preferred vehicle of choice for finding everything from heavy equipment to bobby pins. Every industry is now being impacted by the net. If you're not playing the game well you may end up as a very real casualty. Reality check: your Yellow Page ad is not the draw that it used to be. It hasn't been for a long time, and this holds true for most traditional forms of advertising.

It's time for every business to create a viable and well thought-out internet strategy. Part of that process is finding the right advisor. Ask around, consult with trusted clients or vendors who have had success online, or use search engines and select from the web marketing experts that are found on the first page of results.

Bottom line - DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Your future is at stake!