Category: Marketing

Studio Hill Design in the News… Albuquerque Business First interviews Sandy Hill

Posted on March 25, 2015

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Mike English of Albuquerque Business First took a left turn into our Downtown Albuquerque studio office to find out what it takes to make a perfect website and what it takes to make a successful 30 year career in marketing and branding. The interview can be read in the current issue of Albuquerque Business First or online via the link below.

Here are some excerpts from the article:

Sandy Hill’s marketing career covers more than 30 years in Albuquerque. As the owner of Studio Hill Design, which she started in 1986, she guides the company’s branding and web design efforts as well as everything from logos to interior design. She spoke with Business First about how her company helps clients discover the core of who they are and what they want from their website.

Your design career predates websites, if I might note. How does web design relate to other kinds of design?
It’s true. We not only predate websites, we also predate computers — think Xacto knives and rubber cement. But basically, the same principles still apply and they apply across all mediums. What I tell our web-design clients, who might be comparing us to other tech firms, is that we’re a marketing firm and a design firm. Our goal is to go in and see what is unique about the client, learn about their target audience and make a connection. Websites are just the vehicle that carries the same kind of messaging that we’ve always created.

What makes a good website, here in 2015?
All of the above: making a connection, providing value, speaking to the viewer and not just yourself. There’s a book around here we all had to read called “Don’t Make Me Think.” It explains that if someone needs to muck around on your website to find things, that’s not good. It needs to be simple and straightforward, easy to understand, easy to navigate and it needs to make a dynamic connection with the viewer right away.

How do you work with clients to identify what they want from their website?
We run everyone through our branding questionnaire, which is probably 12 questions, from asking them to describe their company in one sentence to what their target market is, what their goals are, all of that. The magic comes when we can get to their unique value. That’s why we do so much listening. It’s just like human beings: When we look in the mirror we cannot see ourselves objectively. Companies are that way too. We’re too close to see ourselves. I think that’s the beauty of having a company like ours come in, because we know how to look and listen and sort and separate out the magic of a company compared to what all their competitors might be doing. That’s the core truth we build the marketing message on. The super fun part then is to figure out how to communicate that.

Read the full interview here…

Studio Hill Design Ranked Top Web Design Firm – Again

Posted on October 7, 2014

In 2013 Studio Hill Design was again reported by Albuquerque Business First to be one of the top grossing web design firms in New Mexico. How does this happen to such a small company? Offering a combination marketing-based website design, graphic design, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and video production for websites is common place among good web design firms. But we add a little something special. We make connections. Using what our clients have referred to as insightful questioning and intuitive understanding, Studio Hill Design has developed an expertise in discovering and understanding each client’s potential. With this understanding we design websites that create positive, meaningful experiences … that’s how.

Is my website working for or against me? Get the website design you deserve.

Posted on June 4, 2014

An estimated 8 out of 10 consumers who are dissatisfied with the performance of a website are unlikely to return. While the reasons for their dissatisfaction can be as numerous as there are connections to Kevin Bacon, the number one reason is due to poor design. Poor design could mean that the site is simply outdated or it fails to reflect the core character of the business it was meant to represent. It fails to communicate. In other cases, the site might be difficult to use due to underlying technologies that slow the site down or generate an unreasonable number of errors. It could be poor architecture, meaning the site is difficult to navigate and find what you want quickly.

Here is a closer look at some of the numbers according to the Online Marketing Institute;

• 85% abandon a site due to poor design
• 83% leave because it takes too many clicks to get what they want
• 62% gave up looking for an item while shopping online
• 50% of sales are lost because visitors can’t find content
• 40% never return to a site because the content was hard to use

In addition to the obvious revenue that could be lost due to a poorly designed website are the potential costs of fixing such a site.

Often placing a “band aid” can be a far from ideal solution and can sometimes cost nearly as much as the initial investment. This leads to the inevitable conclusion that it is well worth your while to plan properly before designing a website and hiring a website design firm.

Here are some questions you should be asking your web designer before beginning your next website.

How much time do you spend planning and researching?
Designing a successful website requires planning and research long before a single line of code is written or a layout is considered. On average, Studio Hill Design spends 5 to 10 hours diving into the backstories and histories of our clients, learning about how they got to where they are and where they want to go. That might seem like a lot of time. But we take this knowledge and leverage the information into clear and measurable strategies that support our clients’ goals. We need to know who you are to take you to where you want to be. That is how we make good design. That is how we make successful websites.

Do you create wire-frames and site maps before designing a website?
Website wireframes and site maps are visual representations of where the content on your site will be placed. They don’t contain any design or content. They simply explain visually where content can be found. It manifests a mutual understanding between us and our clients as to the scope and expectations of the site. It clarifies and simplifies the viewer navigation experience. It presents an opportunity to consider additional value-added content. Wireframes and site maps are vitally important to creating a website that is useful to its audience and that accomplishes the goals that the research has identified, while staying on budget and on time.

How much do you charge for web design?
This might seem like an obvious question to ask, but the surprise comes in how you react to the answer you get. Website design that is results-oriented takes a generous amount of time and expertise. You might find an inexpensive web coder, but why would you trust your main marketing tool to someone without a design background? Studio Hill Design is a design and marketing company who understands how to make deep connections between you and your customers. Thoughtful website design is the key that helps our clients make that connection.

Is search engine optimization incorporated into the website?
The intent of a powerful, targeted and well designed website is for it to be seen. We incorporate search engine optimization (SEO) organically from the very beginning of the project to maximize every opportunity for search engines to find your site. Little details in the content and coding of your site make a big difference in your SEO rankings. Studio Hill Design can take this even further by offering you enhanced SEO options to drive even more traffic to your website.

So Now What?
Talk to Studio Hill Design. And talk to some web geeks. See who you feel comfortable trusting your company’s brand and reputation to, when you understand how important your online presence is. Then let’s get started promoting your company online and on target.

You do not measure up to this goldfish. Now get some video on your website, improve your SEO and engage your visitors.

Posted on March 3, 2014

The average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds. Your attention span? A paltry 8 seconds, down from 12, as recently as 4 years ago. Heck, you probably can’t even remember what you had for breakfast, let alone something from 4 years ago.
This statistic might seem alarming to you. But this is the world we live in, where a constant barrage of distractions are hitting us from every direction. Right now, within in your immediate vicinity there is probably a cell phone and an office phone where you can be reached, two email boxes that need answering and a text message coming in from your daughter who needs a ride. Distraction is everywhere. Add to this the fact that you have the entire world-wide-web at your fingertips right now. FlappyBird much? Facebook much? The average office worker checks their email an average 30 times an hour. Wow.

Still with me? I have another number for you – 2.7 minutes. What’s this you say? The entire history of the world? That my friend, is the average length of time that internet users are willing to commit to watching a single video on the web – 2.7 minutes. Compare this to the Neilsen Norman Group’s report that the average page visit is less than a minute, or that the average television commercial is 15 to 30 seconds. Think of what you could do with a 2.7 minute engagement from your website visitors.

Video is your best oportunity to communicate a lot of information quickly. Viewers can see what your products or your services look like and make a meaningful connection with you and your company. A short punchy video can convey in just a few moments what might take 200 words to say. That is powerful.

Further, with yin yang symbiosis, video can improve your SEO. You see, not only does Google index and direct traffic to your video, but once it sees that people are spending a lot of time on your web pages, it increases your SEO page ranking. It’s a win-win.

So if you have made it this far, the next thing you are probably asking is “How do I make a video?” That’s simple. Call us.

As far as goldfish are concerned… wait… what was that about the goldfish?

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What makes a successful social media brand?

Posted on January 30, 2014

Let me share a little secret with you. You know that social media campaign that your competitor just launched? The one that keeps popping into your customers’ inboxes and social media feeds? The one that has you scrambling to play catch up? Well here is the secret – the intern didn’t do it and neither did the company CEO. No, really. That insightful blog post, the ingenious timing and motivating call to action, the one that got even you to almost press the share button on your Facebook page – they didn’t do that in house. It was written by an advertising and marketing company. The same folks who produce the best advertising, the best billboards, the best print campaigns, and the best brands also produce the best social media content. In the same manner that you went out of your way to hire the best bookkeeper you could find, they went out of their way to hire the best social media expert they could find. And they are kicking your butt.

So what do you do? First you should understand exactly what a social media campaign is. It is building relationships over time backed by a game plan to maintain those relationships. Effective social media is not just posting every other day, tweeting a few times a week and then counting Followers and Likes. Instead, it is publishing engaging useful content on a consistent basis combined with excellent customer service and expertise in your particular industry. What does it get you? More sales. Over time, the cumulative effect of meeting and perhaps exceeding the expectations of your readers, your customers and even your vendors will have them talking. Word gets around.

So is it that simple? Do you just hire someone, give them access to your Facebook account and set them free? Not quite. Think of it like this. In the same way it would be unwise to have nothing more than a New York Times strategy it would be unwise to have a nothing more than a Facebook strategy. Your social presence needs to be a cohesive, integral part of your overall business plan along with your website, brick and mortar, company advertising, marketing and public relations. All of these reflect your company’s philosophy and unique value. To be successful, your social media voice must combine a deep knowledge of your business and offer valuable content delivered with the appropriate tone and an art for persuasion through beautiful creative and branding.

So the secret is out of the bag. Great social media brands don’t just happen. They are created through careful and deliberate planning by experts. Sort of like what your bookkeeper does. If you understand that kind of thing.

Before the design – Choosing a URL for your website – 7 Simple Guidelines

Posted on November 21, 2013

th-2 Choosing a domain name can be a big deal. Strike that. It IS a big deal. It is akin to choosing your first child’s name or deciding what color to paint the office – Antique White or Dashing Yellow. Because whatever you choose, you, or at least your child, will have to live with it. And in the case of a URL, it can be the difference between pearls and swine. Here are a few quick quidelines to help assure that your website climbs to the top of search results and receives the traffic it deserves.

K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Silly – Euphemism aside, your domain choice should be short and easy to hear in a crowded bar – over martinis ideally. Don’t choose something you need to explain. Make it easy for your visitors to type on their mobile devices. Inebriated thumbs and complex domain names are a curse for getting people to your website. The shorter the better.
Use Keywords – The presence of keywords in a domain name affects its page ranking. Sit down and make a list of 5 main keywords and then research them them using the <link> Google Keyword Tool. </link> If you can incorporate a valuable keyword into your domain NATURALLY by all means do it. But not at the cost of making it too complex or too long.
Use .COM – If for some reason your organization requires a .NET, .ORG or any other extension, make sure that you can acquire the .COM as well and redirect it to the domain you would like. Many people, even techies, almost always assume a domain is .COM first and some of them won’t even think of trying another extension. Don’t lock out traffic from these folks. Traffic is vital to the success of your overall business plan.
Make it Intuitive – Create and fulfill expectations. When you tell someone your domain name they should be able to easily and accurately guess what they will find when they get there. Think of your domain name as your road sign. If you are selling donuts, let people know. Advertise it.
Avoid Hyphens and Numbers – It is just too complicated to explain that ninetofive is really 9to5 or nine-2-five. Spell it out.
Avoid Trends – You need to look at your domain name as an investment over the long term. The equity that you build into it over time needs to be considered. Selecting a URL with vernacular of the moment, that in time will become meaningless, might have you “lol ‘ing” right now, but you’ll be better off with something that will outlast current trends.
Read Between the Words – Seriously. Just learn through example on this one. http://www.boredpanda.com/worst-domain-names/ One of my favorite examples is whorepresents.com, as in Who Represents. Hilarious.

When choosing a URL for your website it is important to keep these basic ideas in mind. But just like anything there is always a caveat and to every rule there is an exception. So if you are getting all worked up and not sure where to turn when it comes to choosing a fitting URL for your business or if you need a fitting website design to go with the awesome domain you just created, let us know. We’d be happy to help.

Whatever you do, don’t name your boy Sue and don’t paint the office Gerbera Mauve.

You will regret it.

Seattle Fish Company of New Mexico launches NetFish

Posted on November 6, 2013

For 25 years, Seattle Fish Company of New Mexico has provided high quality seafood to restaurants and retailers. When they decided to offer their products online to home consumers, they chose Studio Hill Design to create the new company brand.

We coined the name NetFish, along with the tagline “Catch the Tastiest Fish Online.” A cyber bitmapped fish image was developed as the logo, and applied to packaging, a market booth, t-shirts and trucks.

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Define, Refine and Manage Your Brand

Posted on November 5, 2013

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Impressions count and people talk. People want to talk about new exciting things and a huge part of getting people to talk about you is walking the walk.

If your website has not been overhauled since 2008, there is nothing to talk about. It is that simple. In order to generate buzz you need to create it. Hardly a day goes by that you do not head out your front door without thinking about the kind of impression you are going to make. This is exactly how you should be thinking about your business.

If you fail to define, refine and manage your brand, like it or not, the world will do it for you.

But don’t limit this way of thinking to just your website. This concept applies to all of your social channels and your brand’s public persona. This includes your logo, your collateral, your social media and your branding. You need to be regularly evaluating your customers’ expectations and their experiences associated with your company. Are they finding the value and the meaning behind your products or services that you intend for them to see? Or are they seeing something else? Are they seeing something good or something bad? Helpful or neutral? And how can you get them back on track if they have mistranslated your brand?

Once you identify areas where your brand has gotten off track, you can take steps to shift all channels into alignment. You can strengthen your brand message and educate your customers about the value you have to offer. After all, this isn’t 2008 anymore and at some point, every cobbler needs a new pair of shoes. How do yours look? Do you need a polish or a new pair?

New Website Design Launch – Albuquerque Nob Hill Acupuncture

Posted on October 22, 2013

Studio Hill Design is proud to launch a new website for Albuquerque’s Nob Hill Acupuncture. Nob Hill Acupuncture combines ancient wisdom with cutting-edge modern science to maintain and restore health. We designed the website with a warm and comforting color palette that invites visitors to learn how integrated medicine and acupunture combine to create balanced, healthy, and satisfying lives. With the website designed, developed, and launched, we will be turning our effort towards Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Albuquerque Website Design at it’s finest; from none other than Studio Hill Design.

Albuquerque Website Design By Studio Hill Design