It is not just the image itself, but the colours, the font and the overall impact of the logo all come together to make the logo memorably. Research has discovered, for instance, that different colours have varied effects on people. For example, walk around any supermarket and take note of the widespread use of red in food packaging. Red, it seems, is a memorable colour, and it makes an appearance in many a company logo.

The business that you are in also has a natural impact on how your logo will look. You want it to portray at least an element of what you are all about. Take one of the most famous of all logos, the Nike ‘swoosh’. It is instantly memorable, simple and stylish, and portrays a sense of movement – perfect for the sportswear makers’ image.

The expertise of graphic designers in creating logos cannot be undervalued, for there is something about logo design that makes it a specialist area of work. It’s about bringing together all the elements of the company involved and creating something by which they will be remembered. It’s also about giving the company an identity that makes it stand out in a crowd. Use the experts, and get a logo that says what you want to say.

In all areas of business – online and otherwise – there are peripheral businesses that will be aligned to yours. For instance, carpet suppliers will be of interest to carpet fitters, and vice versa. The trick is to make sure that you indulge in conversations with people in business that may be beneficial to yours.

This sort of cross-border marketing is vital, and helps to build business relationships: you talk about them, and they will talk about you. Think about this when using such as Facebook, too, for if you can help get others known it is more likely they will do the same for you.

There is also much to be said for getting involved in conversations on blogs that may only be vaguely related to yours. Using the carpet supplier again, interior designers, house renovations, anything to do with furnishing a home – get on with blogs that are popular in these areas and you spread your name around.

The key phrase here is ‘get involved’. Simply setting up a blog or page and leaving it to do the job itself will not bring you any success. Take the time to get involved, and you may find that the rewards far exceed the time you put into it.

The truth is that not everybody is a great writer; in fact, few people are. Furthermore, this is not about writing a story, it’s about engaging the reader and informing them about the goods or services offered on the website. In addition, it’s also about keeping the search engines happy – over-reliance on keywords can lead to penalties that render your work pointless.

Being able to look at the information provided and translate it into a relevant article, product description or web page is a skill that is worth paying for. Writers who specialise in the world of website content offer a skill set that provides the user with exactly what they need. In an age where internet marketing is no longer a novelty – indeed, it is very much a necessity – having an expert write your content for you is an efficient use of available budget.

The trick is to be able to write for two different audiences: your potential customers and Google. With good quality content that grabs the attention of the reader and appeals to the search engines you are addressing both the main focal points, and with expertly written copy you are getting the best of both worlds.

So what is Penguin, and what does it mean for website owners? Well, the first thing to say is that it is not – as has been trumpeted by some doom-mongers – the death of SEO. Google will always rank sites in a methodical and often complex way, so SEO will always be part and parcel of marketing online. What Penguin does mean is that SEO experts are even more important than they were before.

Understanding what Google does and does not like is part of the game; the last update – Panda – made clear that ‘keyword stuffing’ was frowned upon and the indications are that Penguin refines this area of the subject to a greater degree. We also expect a tighter view of content – quality counts – and also a new way of cracking down on ‘paid for’ low quality backlinks.

All of this, and more, is best left to the experts, for the world of SEO – although not a mystical dark art – can be complex when it comes to understanding how to best optimise your site for Google. Leave it to the experts to get to grips with Penguin and you will get a head start over those who are scratching their heads and wondering why their sites have tumbled down the list.

How do you use a blog as a marketing tool? It is actually a simple concept that ties in with a website. A blog can be thought of as a diary or daily journal, and has its pre-internet equivalent, perhaps, in the traditional company newsletter. Many people still use the print method but with rising numbers of consumers searching and shopping online there is a sense of urgency to getting a viable online profile.

Think of a blog as an extension of your website, and be careful not to make the common mistakes that many people do. Some bloggers make the mistake of only talking about the product or service they offer; instead, talk about off-topic subjects that might encourage others to get involved with the conversation.

This leads us to the second big mistake: you need to make it interesting for others to engage in conversation, and be willing to take the time to do so. In a future entry we will have a look at more advice on how to make a blog work for your business – it really is a very important issue these days.

Of course, it is sensible to update your look every now and then, but it cannot be stressed too highly how important the smart phone has become. Think of the hotel industry, for instance: customers want online booking, 3D viewing, SMS text message confirmation and more, and all sent to a hand held rather than a computer. This is what cements the importance of the mobile in the current world of website design.

It is not just the hotel industry that benefits from optimisation for hand-helds, for many other industries are using these handy and powerful devices to further their profile. Modern day web designers understand the way certain fonts, colours and styles are best used for smart phone optimisation, and it is worth asking the experts for their advice on your needs.

Using a professional is recommended as not everyone is adept at knowing the market; you may not be a designer, and you certainly need one if you are going to get the best out of your website. Overlooking the mobile phone market means ignoring millions of potential customers, so consider your options carefully.

It is important, however, to remember that Facebook users, for example, use the site primarily for entertainment. This is why you should use it as a tool to publicise your product or service by creating a Fan Page. People who ‘like’ your page increase the company profile online, and with a link back to the website you are encouraging the all-important backlinks that Google loves so much.

It’s not enough to simply create a page and leave it, and the same can be said for a Twitter account. You need to keep active and up to date, but – and this applies to Twitter more than anything else – it is easy to overdo things. Keep your tweets regular, interesting but not too frequent.

The beauty of social networking sites as marketing tools is not to be underestimated, and there is plenty of scope for advancing your company profile by using the right methods. It may be best to consult an expert in the world of online marketing, one who can guide you in the right direction. Remember, your marketing budget is a vital part of your strategy, but to waste it is costly.

The first thing to consider when designing a logo is how it will look in different situations. For instance, you will most likely incorporate colour into your logo, but there will be instances where it is reproduced in monochrome. It needs to look good without colour, as well as in its full colour scheme.

Furthermore, no logo is ever going to be reproduced in just one size; how does your logo look when pictured in smaller- or larger – scales? Another point to ponder is this: is the logo memorable? The logos that stick in the mind are those that are simple, yet effective. Usually they represent something that is relevant to the product or brand they are aligned to.

Professional graphic designers look at all aspects of the job with an understanding of what is needed. There is more to designing a logo than just imagining a picture and putting it on screen. It takes expertise and experience to come up with a good logo – but it is just as easy to come up with on that does not work!

In the early days competition was a small part of the game; having a website was enough. These days, everyone is competing against the rest of the world. The goal posts have moved, and the emphasis now is on quality, relevant and current content that keeps the reader interested.

There are many do-it-yourself kits available offering the chance to build your own website. These are affordable and come with full help. However, there are some aspects of website design that may well be best left to the experts.

Different industries need a different approach in terms of graphic design, fonts and content delivery, while the subject of search engine optimisation (SEO) is one that needs to be dealt with by someone who understands exactly how the search engines work. This is one area that can be complex for the layman.

Furthermore, there is the subject of content. Not everyone is a great writer, and there are people available who can create quality content for you at a very reasonable price. Bringing the whole website together requires many different areas of expertise, and that’s why engaging the professionals can be a sensible decision, especially if you are working to a tight budget.

The first thing to say is that it is not a dark art at all: SEO is simply about making sure your website gets noticed by the search engines and, in particular, by Google. Google recently introduced an upgrade to the method in which it ranks websites, known as Panda. In a post-Panda world it is essential that online businesses have access to professionals who can keep their site in the spotlight.

Think of the last time you searched for something using a search engine: did you scroll down further than the second page of results? Very few people do, and this is why it is vital to keep your site up at the head of the queue.

It is done by a mixture of practices that include the following: using the right ‘keywords’ in the right places; keeping the content fresh and relevant; attracting backlinks by alternative marketing methods, to name just a few.

The wrong saturation of keywords or poor quality content can be the death knell for a website, as Google will mark it down and place it behind others in the search lists.

Of course, this is very much a simplified explanation of how SEO works, but it should give you an idea of just how important it is to make sure you have expert helping developing your SEO and online marketing strategy. The wrong decisions can mean a wasted budget.