Crawford Designs will build a beautiful mobile-responsive, SEO-friendly website for your business. You provide the content and tell us your vision, and we work with you 1-on-1 to build you a successful new site.

All of our websites include:

• Mobile-responsive design
• Hosting and a custom domain (e.g. www.yourcompany.com)
• Call-to-Action buttons to drive lead capture
• Lead capture forms
• Basic SEO: Keyword-optimized meta information for top-level navigation menu items
• Stock photos, if needed

For our very transparent and reasonable pricing, click here to view our rates.

1. Increase brand awareness (video marketing is the easiest way!)
2. Drive traffic to your website (your current website may need some updates to help rank higher.)
3. Generate new leads
4. Grow revenue, signups, and sales (through email marketing!)
5. Boost brand engagement
6. Build a community
7. Increase press mentions
8. Social listening
9. Reach customers both ONLINE and OFFLINE (try a postal mailing to reach clients off of their computers for something unique.)

​Click on our highlighted tips for ideas, or contact us today for a free consultation to help with your 2017 Marketing Goals. And remember... Choose ideal platforms for your business; Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are a few of our favorites! Develop a strategy for those platforms and be consistent. (You don't have to run them all at once; choose 1 or 2 of your favorite platforms, then become a rockstar at promoting your business on each. Post quality content, and update regularly. Encourage people to like and share and this will lead to trust. Don't focus too much on selling. Use the 80/20 rule; 80% about your clients and their needs, and 20% about you and your business. Be patient! Have fun with these platforms, and know that it will take some time to build your networks. 

When a new visitor arrives at your site, they aren't looking to learn all about you. They want to know how you can help them. Your site should be about the visitor and what they need, and how you can solve their pains and problems.

​Take a look at your homepage and answer these questions…

• Would a first time visitor know where to start?
• Am I distracting people from what I want them to do with too much clutter?
• Is all this homepage content really relevant to people when they start?

And if you don’t know WHO your ideal visitor is, then that’s a problem in itself. You need to define that first.

Simplifying a homepage is not about leaving anything out, but focusing on THE most important thing you want people to do. Always think about what your audience would need most when they arrive. Keep it simple and offer a very clear message. 

Wondering how your site stacks up online? Check out your site results with our FREE checkup here. 

Here are a few of our favorite tools:

1. Acuity scheduler:  I have tried a few different scheduling tools and I found them to be difficult and their customization tools were less than stellar. What I love about Acuity is they make it super easy to use and embed right on your website. Your follow-up emails are customizable with the ability to add links etc. There is a free version as well as paid options.  I would give this 4.5 stars out of 5 simply because there is no such thing as perfect. 
2. Canva: I love the ease of use and the one stop shop features. Meaning you can use their stock photo's and add special features all within Canva. With that said I would give them 4 out of 5 stars due to the fact that their stock photos are very stock photo looking. Which brings me to my next favorite tool. 
3. Fotolio.com: What I love about Fotolio is that they don't charge you insane prices for their stock photos. You can buy a set number of credits and then purchase photo's as needed. Having looked into several stock photo company's I was blown away at their outrageous subscription fee's. Fotolio makes it affordable for all and their photo's are awesome. I give them 4.5 out of 5 stars!
4. Freeconferencecall.com: I truly can't believe this is FREE but it is and it's fabulous. You have the ability to have one person or several on at one time. Each call is able to be recorded and a link is generated for you to share with clients or attendee's. I use this daily in my business. I record every coaching call I do and send a link to my Go Getter's so they can play back all the valuable information we covered. This is an excellent tool. I would give this 4.75 Stars out of 5 ;) 
5. iPhone: Seriously, it reminds me of everything. I put all my appointments and must do's in my calendar and get reminders throughout the day. I also use my notes in my iPhone for blog idea's or anything that comes to mind while I am away from my office. When I am driving I use voice memos to record what I have on my mind. So my iPhone is probably the tool I use the most - not free, but definitely an excellent resource! 4.99 out of 5 stars :) 
6. Site Checkup: Wondering how your website stacks up, and curious about any types of online updates that you may be missing on your site, social, and seo efforts? Check out your site results with our FREE checkup here. 

There are so many amazing tools out there helping us level up in our business and helping us get stuff done in less time. 

The First Impression:

• Proper use of colors: Use the right colors for your audience and to draw attention to select elements. Don’t try to make everything jump out. The result will be just the opposite – nothing will stand out. Avoid a chaotic mix of colors on your website and instead pick two to four colors for your template and marketing materials.
• Animations, gadgets and media: Avoid anything unnecessary. Using Flash animations because they look cool is the wrong strategy. In most cases it’s best not to use animated background or background music. Only use media and animations to help support content and information.
• Layout: Create a clear, user-friendly navigation structure and organize page elements. Don’t be afraid of white space and avoid clutter!
• Typography: Make sure your website is legible. Use fonts, font sizes and font colors that are easy to read. For easier page scanning, use bullet lists, section headers, and short paragraphs.

While design is important, don’t forget that offering great content is what your visitors are ultimately looking for. A well-designed website might convince visitors to take a closer look but they won’t look twice if the content isn’t useful and well organized. After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

A visitor comes to your website to collect information or to research details that are of benefit to them. Your website should anticipate those needs and quickly and clearly address them. There is one person at the center of your message, and that is the visitor. Not you. Not your company. Not your product or service. What are your clients' pains, and how are you the go-to business to fix those problems? Offer clear solutions.

Your website should communicate how the customer will win or benefit by becoming your customer. It should clearly describe how your visitor has found the perfect solution to their issues. Any other approach sounds boastful, out of touch, and buries the information that your potential customer is looking for.

Use our free online tool to review key metrics like performance, mobile readiness, SEO, and social networking. Click here for a FREE website checker.

Over the years as we've been growing our business, I am constantly seeking out inspiration, ideas and advice from experts that have already made it happen. One of the 'tools' I use to stay on top of best practices, new trends, and big ideas are podcasts. There are hundreds of thousands of them to choose from, but I have identified a few that literally change my day, and sometimes even the entire course of our business. Next time you're driving, instead of talking on the phone or rocking out to the radio, tune into one of these podcasts with the true intent of listening and implementing. They can be game changers!

1. EOFire by John Lee Dumas - http://www.eofire.com - I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this show is! 7 days a week, 365 days a year JLD interviews the countries best entrepreneurs and every one of them has so much to offer. This is by far my absolute favorite and has provided me with so much value I can't begin to share it all!

2. Online Marketing Made Easy by Amy Porterfield - http://www.amyporterfield.com/category/podcast/ - Amy is an absolute ROCKSTAR. True game-changer!

3. The GaryVee Audio Experience https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/the-askgaryvee-show-podcast/ with Gary Vaynerchuck - Hands down Gary is the hottest thing happening in Digital Marketing. He's an absolute genius! www.garyvaynerchuk.com/the-askgaryvee-show-podcast/

4. Smart Passive Income by Pat Flynn - https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/podcasts/ Pat also interviews successful entrepreneurs who have a story to share and tons of value to throw your way, all you have to do is tune in!

5. The Agents of Change with Rich Brooks - www.theagentsofchange.com/podcasts/  Rich is an incredibly talented web designer/ SEO master. He speaks with industry leaders and offers you expert advice on how to improve your SEO, mobile marketing, and social media. 

We are sure you’ve heard of Google Analytics and the Search Console (formerly Webmaster Tools), and probably use them. But I’d like to share the tools I’d also suggest.

Ahrefs. Want to know which sites link to your site?  Which links are keepers and which are clunkers?  Who links to your competitors?  Ahrefs is the best backlinks checker and analysis tool.  I use it every day.  It’s $79/month - which may sound expensive if you’re not a full-time SEO-er - but the intel it gives you is priceless.

Moz Local.  The free scan is gives you a rough picture of which major local directories you’re listed on, as well as how many of those listings have the correct info.  The paid version ($84/year) will actually create listings on those sites for you - and the listings in its network often are a pain to claim/fix or create manually.  I use the free version every day and use the paid version for a good chunk of my clients.

NAP Hunter Lite.  A Google Chrome extension that finds incorrect business listings, so you can fix them.  Free.

Whitespark’s Local Citation Finder. Tells you which local-business directories and other “local citation sources” your competitors are listed on.  That allows you to list your business on those same sites, too.  That’s an advantage you can neutralize.  The “Small Business” version is $20/month, but the free version is pretty good.

CrazyEgg.  It shows you a heatmap of exactly where your website visitors click and scroll.  You can study the heatmaps and understand how to make your site better at converting however much traffic you get.

Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.  Tells you whether your site is technically mobile-friendly.  (It can be technically mobile-friendly but still not very good, so in some senses that’s a low bar.)

Review handouts.  One-page PDFs that you give to your customers to walk them through how to post a review on Google. You can generate a free PDF over at Whitespark. 

Asana.  The project-management tool I and my helpers use to get things done.  The free version is probably all you need.

Wondering how your site stacks up online?
Check out your site results with our FREE checkup here. 

The cutting edge approach has been the more popular choice in many towns, however in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania the rules are somewhat different. The main reason for this is the town’s rich historical past. Gettysburg has, and will always have a prominent place in American history.

Given the great value bestowed upon heritage and history, should Gettysburg, PA web design be cutting edge or more traditional? While there are companies that stick to more traditional web design options, some choose to be more hip and trendy. Portraying an online presence that is contemporary and high tech is quite acceptable given the nature of the company’s business. Many commercial establishments exercise the freedom that they have in choosing a modern look to portray their online identities to Internet users.

However, it is quite clear that many Gettysburg PA websites often imbue the design with traditional themes, showing how much the people value the region’s place in American history. For instance, companies engaged in tourism choose a more historical approach in web design elements. Some good examples of trades that maintain a traditional image are tour service providers, souvenir shops, bed and breakfasts, and local restaurants. It is rather obvious why this becomes the choice for most companies in these trades. Local and international tourists visit Gettysburg to experience its historical value. If the design leans toward this concept, visitors might become more engaged and more interested in what the business offers customers who take the time to explore their online offers. 

Choosing a more traditional look over modern, cutting-edge style will not in any way put the company at a disadvantage. On the contrary, it would be a better choice in many respects. 

These days, most companies go for the contemporary approach, making web design using traditional elements the alternative. Advanced designs have their own advantages, but the same is true for a historical point of view. Contrary to popular belief, a historical theme could be exciting as well. In the hands of the right web designer it would not come out boring as people usually expect. With the right vision, a great mix of modern and traditional elements would definitely put a website at a prominent spot.

What makes traditional design very special is that it has the ability to remind visitors of their historical origins. In this day and age, many people often forget, being consumed by consumerism and exposed daily to the conveniences of technological innovations. Historical themes in web design have the potential to remind people where they came from and the values that have propelled their communities to where they stand now. Web design can help instill pride in one’s roots.

The web site might have a traditional look and feel, but it must have all the high tech attributes that Web users are looking for and have been accustomed to. The designer might even find himself shifting from one element to another as balance and harmony are sought in the process. Nevertheless, once everything is in the right place, what comes out at the end is a web site that piques the user’s interest and projects the values intended by the designers.

The important thing is to get a head start now. There are many solutions and resources that could be accessed in order to pull off an effective historical approach to web design for Gettysburg, PA companies. The same principles apply to other locations with similar historical significance. What matters is that you establish an online presence at the soonest possible time.