Your SEO strategy may not necessarily NEED a CMS. However, using the two together sure does make things a lot easier when it comes to Internet Marketing. A CMS, which stands for Content Management System, has been tagged as one of the first steps in any full comprehensive online marketing strategy, along with solving a lot of Internet marketing roadblocks. The CMS’s easy-to-use and customizable features allow websites to take SEO to the next level. Here are a few reasons why you should consider using a CMS to boost your SEO campaign.

1. Static is stupid - One of the most important factors of SEO, also known as Search Engine Optimization, is to avoid a static, stand still, boring website. Think of it this way – plants need sun and water so that they can get the nutrients they need to grow. If they don’t get either, they won’t grow. Now lets look at SEO. With SEO, in order for your website (a.k.a the plant) to rise in the rankings, you need your site to be seen (a.k.a get some sun). In order to get traffic you need pure, original content (a.k.a water). A CMS allows you to create vibrate and dynamic websites that are constantly changing with events, news, blogs, and more. This will allow your website to stay current and interesting. Otherwise you will either need to go into the files every day, pay someone to do it for you, or not update your site at all… Boring! Google thinks so too!
2. Meta is mighty – With a static website you’d have to go into the code and into every single page in order to change the keywords (Yes, I know maybe your programmer made it so that it’s all one page and it pulls it dynamically). But still, you have to go into the code. A lot of the time, I’m changing my keywords and page content around trying to see what works. How annoying would it be if you had to download each page? Using a CMS, allows you to easily change your meta tags, headers, and content. This makes your job less painful, and your goals much easier to accomplish.
3. Integration is important - With CMS’s it easily allows you to install modules or plugins that lets you install Google analytics. This easily allows you to also track certain pages differently, if needed. There are a ton of really cool modules for the major CMS systems that allows you to track your SEO right through your website or give you an SEO checklist of things that you can’t forget.
4. Sitemaps are serious – Ever try to maintain a sitemap of a site that changes content everyday by hand? Um, if you have that’s crazy. Especially because, a CMS will do everything for you. Just install the plugin and it will take care of the rest. No more worrying about keeping that thing up to date!
5. Redirects are ridiculous – If you’ve ever gone into the htaccess file it’s extremely easy to make a mistake and break your site. So now not only do you have your files, meta tags, sitemap, but the CMS lets add redirects to the maintenance list. So now you are spending all your time doing the tedious work that a CMS already does for you.
6. Clean is clever - CMS’s allows you to have clean beautiful URL’s that are easy to use and makes people remember. Instead of doing siteurl.com/thispage.php you can just have siteurl.com/thispage. This is much easier and better for the average user, who has no idea what PHP even is. Most people will probably forget it and type in html or just not go at all! Again, CMS makes SEO much easier!

There you have it. Six good reasons to use a CMS, especially if your doing SEO. While, I’m sure there are more reasons, these are the 6 I came up with. As I have written above, Content Management Systems such as Drupal and WordPress make  doing Search Engine Optimization a million times easier. It takes all the tedious and time consuming work away to allow you to focus on other important aspects of your website responsibilities.

One of the most indispensable trends in the technology industry today is web design. Creating aesthetically pleasing layouts for websites or catchy logos and social media pages helps to establish and expand one’s web presence in a number of ways. Very much like the rest of the technological or digital world, new concepts and trends arise fast and frequently. Before we miss the next trend in all things online art, let’s take a look some hot  new techniques that exist in the world of web design today.

A popular website design trend that is very much in demand right now is using texture. Texture serves either as an add-on or as a part of the inner area of the design. Although they say that texture only gives vigor or intensity to the design, it may also be used in numerous ways, like giving a page backdrop to an individual element in a text or picture. Texture might be one of today’s must-haves when it comes to designing the latest web layouts, but don’t be fooled by all of the recent hype. The use of texture in website design has been around almost as long as websites themselves. Texture has always been an essential part of web design. However, it seems as though this technique has undergone a bit of a makeover, being used in a lighter and a softer mode as a means of alluring the eye of the viewer.

Another popular trend in web design is the use of web shadows. Web shadows are known as one of the most recent fads in web design on an international level. Drop shadows help boost the perceptible face of the design and give impression on the surface being used. Keep in mind, however, that web shadows tend to work best when they are subtle. So remember that less is more when it comes to this latest design trend.

Next in line in web design trends are the use of larger fonts. Although smaller fonts were used years back, larger fonts gave web design more style and legibility for the benefit of readers. This also makes the page of every website easier to scan and read. Web designers tend to use larger fonts that work to grab the attention of visitors or provide an easy to read introduction or announcement on a page.

The use of white space has also fallen into the online art world’s spotlight lately. Originally, web designers considered it an unnecessary part or space in the scheme of web design layouts. However, in more modern times, this notion has changed. Website design experts realized that white space actually makes the page simpler, cleaner and more readable for the general user. As a result, we tend to see increasingly greater use of white space to help provide greater clarity for the reader.

New web design fads can come and go quickly. The effects of using these types of designs for your website, however, can help lead to lasting effects, in regards to the success of your website. Remember to keep your website design looking fresh and modern at least every couple of years. Doing so will show your visitors and your target market that what you’re offering is cutting-edge and up to speed with the times.

Are you a woman and have thought about perhaps starting your own business? In the working world today women have risen and have almost begun to outnumber the amount of men in the corporate world. Not only have women started to take a strong presence but they have continue to measure up and out perform men in business. With all the readily available resources today, women can take their entrepreneurial spirits and turn it into another Woman owned business success story.

Start to get those wheels turning sister…

Not sure where to start? First ask yourself what your business goals are and start to create a business plan. Having a well thought-out strategy plan at first may not seem very important, but when you are 2-3 years down the line and don’t have any of these you will begin to face challenges not having these from the beginning. Not only is putting your plan in writing a smart idea, but it makes you have a higher percentage to actually stick to those goals and plans.

Hey Girl, There’s an App for that…

Of course we are in the world of technology, but still a lot of people don’t utilize all the tools that are out there for them. Once you finish your goals and plans for your future, you  need ot start to think about fiscal planning, operations management, marketing, and just the nitty-gritty daily business tasks you will need to do in order to be successful. Automation is the name of the game, so make sure you do everything possible to automate your business. You can easily automate emails to customers/clients, your expenses, project tasking, inventory management, and more. If you cannot find a good application for what you are looking for find a good application developer to create it for you! It may be a little pricey up front, but in the end I guarantee it will save you time and energy.

Ladies you have to know how to get what you want…

Knowing where to get your information is just as important as the foundations of starting a business, if not more important. It is essential to be able to know what you need and to know where to look for it. With the rise of women owned businesses, many small business and entrepreneurial organizations have begun to develop over the past 5 years. Make sure to consult these groups for help or just to network. Networking is the new centuries biggest tool in being successful. The saying “You are who you know” will forever be used, especially in today’s down economy. If you know the right people and if you are a driven professional, you will always do well. Here are few good resources for you:

1. SBA (Small Business Association) Office of Women’s Business Ownership
2. Ladies Who Launch
3. NAWBO – National Association of Women Business Owners

That’s a brief little speech about being a successul woman business owner. We love to hear from people and hear what they have to say. What other resources or advice do you have?

The original artcle written by Black Rhino Solutions, Inc is here: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Technology/6707/How-to-Get-your-Woman-Owned-Business-into-Gear.html