Having traded for 12 years under the name AM Communications within the new media arena it was felt the message was sometimes mixed when it came down to services supplied.  Communications is often associated with telcoms and not always associated with marketing and digital design.  Which is where our strengths lie.

Website design, Website Development are two very ill defined areas for clients and whilst the community of web developers and web designers may be able to explain the differences the service providers often skate between thin lines when talking to clients.

Design of websites can be architectural and not arty for example. Development may be coding but also hands on project management.

The new company is to provide a clearer message to new clients as existing clients often know what we can do.  Leading the company into new times will be challenging as the market for website designers and developers is over grown.

The vision for simplicity in design whilst ensuring a sales and marketing message is clear will be the focus for moving forward with new clients.

Also recent new website designs has involved taking a closer look at mobile technology.  Historically AM Communications would take clients through from concept to design and into full management of a website but clients need more than just a new website.

The new company will be fully launched on the 1st May 2012

Think Cloud Studio

Action Hardware the UK wholesale supplier to the Pro Audio industry has had a new website design.

The redesign comes after months of planning and the new design is hoped to attract more visitors from across Europe.

The UK AV parts supplier launched a new printed catalog in 2011 whilst attending the Pro Audio Video show and whilst a print catalog could be seen as old fashioned the company had laready planned a new website.  Bring the old website up to speed and socialise online through social networks was the number one priority for 2012.

In the past the B2B environment of the Audio Video industry has not involved much use of the internet technology and that includes having a functional website.

Yet with the Pro Audio manufacturers Switchcraft Audio using facebook the game has changed.  Seen as a new way to engage with customers and fans the Switchcraft is clearly visible on facebook.  It only made sense for the UK distributor for Switchcraft to be more visible online.

The old Action Hardware website focused on the online catalog, whereas the new website has been designed to provide more information around the product ranges.

AM Communication led the project with a clear path non technology based strategy.  By using existing solutions there was no need to reinvent the wheel.  WordPress is an excellent platform for the CMS frontend and the plug-ins available will facilitate being able to provide rich information around the product lines.

Access to the online shop is a big consideration but the priority for Action Hardware is to provide customers with a user experience and high level of customer service first.

During the next 6 month the new website will start to come to life with new content added around the products.

AM Communications provided the website redesign, hosting and marketing for Action Hardware.

This is why it is imperative to ensure the strategy takes into consideration how your business operates.

Call or use the form to contact us and discuss your requirements.

Bespoke / unique web design
Website design based on a template
Mobile / mobile website design
Website design for CMSes (Drupal, WordPress etc.)

Bespoke Web Design that Works

We design websites to match your requirements with specific attention to the needs of your target audience.

Effective web design with a Internet marketing strategy will help expand your business.

We offer creative web design services and Internet marketing solutions.

We offer professional web development services, innovative web design solutions, Internet marketing and website optimization built in from the start.

AM Communications provides web design and Internet marketing solutions ensuring that your business expands through building a strong online presence.

Web design and Internet marketing strategy will expand your business quicker than you can imagine.

Simple web development, Simple web design and Simple Internet marketing with results!

We provide simple yet bold and innovative web design solutions ensuring you expand your business through building a strong online presence.

A new full time graphic designer and a software programmer specialising in mobile and app development were taken on at the end of 2011.

The changes have been necessary so that we can continue to grow as an internet services business providing predominately website design and internet marketing services direct to our clients.

New businesses are much more aware that the internet is no longer a fleeting fancy compared to older businesses.  New businesses see opportunities to win new business 24/7 through their website but just need to know how to market efficiently.

Because businesses have woken up to the fact that their business can grow inline with a strong internet presence they are prepared to invest more time into the right internet marketing and that doesn’t mean just having a good website design.

A good combination of internet marketing with the use of additional social networking platforms can transform a business’ fortunes in a relatively short period of time.

As a celebration of success over the last 12 years AM Communications will launch a new service for business owners who want to know more about internet marketing but pay less.

A series of short courses aimed at small business owners and start up internet marketers will be introduced through a sister company SEC1 Search Engine Competition 1.

The course will take subscribers through the fundamental basics to the core principles of how to succeed with their internet business, businesses competing on the search engines for the same keywords has become a very sophisticated profession but still presented as an industry operating with smoke and mirrors.

Being seen is one thing, being found on the search engines is another.  The mission for all businesses with a website should be to be found and convert website traffic into customers.

AM Communication actively promotes the use of Google.  For example, Google Adwords is a very powerful advertising and internet marketing tool combined with Google Analytics.

Every business with a great product and service should understand how to leverage traffic for their business by using Google.  But then, any business should also be aware there are at least 2 other channels for considerations, Yahoo and Facebook.

The short course from AM Communications will be subscription based and cost £175 + vat a month with an option to buy all 8 modules at a one off fee £950 + vat.

The course has been designed and developed around the extensive working knowledge during the last 12 years.  The rules haven’t changed too much during the last 12 years but the playing field has increased considerably with the goal posts now much wider.

In the very beginning everyone wanted to know what ecommerce was all about so they could sell products.
Then everyone wanted to know the best products to sell on the internet.
With the pitfalls covered and the ecommerce website in place, the success wasn’t always guaranteed for most people trying to dabble with the internet.

Around 2005, big business had joined in the big internet ecommerce party and after numerous attempts they got their online shops working efficiently enough to create satisfied customer experiences.  The internet was steadily taking shape and gaining trust which made other businesses pay more attention.

AM Communications provided guest lectures on ‘Formation of Strategy – Design and Implementation’ to under-graduate business students in 2000.  The same principles underlying these strategies still hold true today and are often echoed by big names in communications at large internet industry conferences.

Back then the under graduates were people who had ideas but not real businesses.  At the time real businesses failed to pick up the tools technology was developing to use for selling and marketing.  Now the tools are maturing and getting better.  Yet new businesses are still finding if difficult to understand how to use these tool.

The series of new short course is broken into 8 modules and all are bite sized stop / pause and move forward at any pace.

The fact is, anyone taking up the course will be armed with the core principles to succeed with internet marketing and is a great way to take 12 years of experience and master the understanding of Internet Marketing in less than a week.

The result will allow business owners to make decisions with confidence, whether that is by deploying an internet marketing strategy on their own or commissioning an experienced digital marketing agency to carry out the necessary work to see results from their website.

AM Communications is a digital marketing agency providing website design, hosting and internet marketing for small businesses.

How much do you rely on your website as part of business sales.

Sales indirect and direct (know the difference?).

Following on from the last question, do you know how much business your website generates from your website?

The questions can continue and the answers will reveal how much you are loosing in revenue.

Even if you are making a lot of money from your website, does it mean you have hit peak or is there more that you simply haven’t seen.

It is a fact that your website is an integral part of your business growth.

That is, if you want your business revenue to grow.

Do you want more business and increased sales and revenue.

I can imagine business owners saying they don’t want more business during a sales bout with an advertising sales person but this is not that situation.

The only argument an advertising sales person has  is more people will be looking at your products during the ad being run.  Websites can be found 24/7 without advertising (if the SEO has been done correctly).

It was difficult to measure results before the Internet.  Now we live in a World where we can measure our advertising campaigns.

How many businesses still fail to measure their campaigns?

Measuring the traffic to your website. Specifically in relation to your advertising & marketing campaigns.

Look at recent developments in website internet marketing.

Traditional SEO is alive and kicking with an added mix of social networking traffic is everywhere. 

Have you ignored SEO?

Is your traffic worth talking about and your website is working for your business?

The investment in your website and on-line presence as a business should be showing a return.

Getting started or starting to measure traffic and campaigns is the key to success for you business.

The success of any campaign is by measurement.

Are you using measurement tools and reviewing your website at least once a week?

If you don’t have time to review your website traffic call us on 01827 714753.

Need to know what your competition is doing on the internet?

All you need is the right tools to monitor the competition.

Give us a call today 01827 714 753 or fill out this form and we’ll get back to you shortly.

What are you waiting for, call us now 01827 714 753.

Whether you have an existing domain name (website) or need a new domain registered we can take care of everything.

State of the art hosting, slick website design, easy to follow instructions for up-dates.

One fee followed by very reasonable annual hosting.  Easy peasy lemon…

The Millstone Pub in the Northern Quarter of Manchester is vibrant with a very local friendly feel to the pub whilst above the pub is a modern fresh hotel with 12 bedrooms mostly en-suite.

The Bankes Arms has 7 bedrooms above the main pub and the pub focuses mainly on dining and the restuarant so it’s different in the sense the pub is food focused.

We also set up the facebook page.  The design focuses on the accommodation provided by the Bankes Arms.

Most of the websites we have designed for pubs, hotels and B&Bs have been designed from existing photographs provided by the client.

In some cases venues have been visited and reviewed to get a broader feel.  Usually this is part of a wider strategy for future marketing purposes.  To get your website design right along with future marketing success call 01827 714753 and see how we can help.

Bed Breakfast website Hay-on-Wye

The Bridge Bed and Breakfast Hay-on-Wye

“Just a quick note to say thank you for redesigning our website and transforming the amount of business that we receive from it.

Time and time again new and existing customers are calling with complimentary remarks about the site which has resulted in a marked increase in business.’”

Regards
Johnny Kramer
The Bridge
www.thebridgehay.co.uk

If you have a Pub, Inn, Hotel or accommodation business and would like a new website design contact us and we’d be more than happy to help you.

Notes for consideration for a new website design

It’s always a challenge for a business to represent their core services and friendly smiles of their venue through a website.

In recent years this has been made easier through a combination of advances in internet technologies.

Hi-speed internet connections and the rise of social media platforms.

Website designs now include better imagary which previoulsy was a challenge for designers as larger images slowed down websites.

Not any more although optimised images do speed things up for the visitor and now mobile phones are used more frequently a website should also be optimised for mobile smart phones.

Above are two recent examples of wesites designed for Pub / Hotels both have had facebook pages created to interact with their customers and engage with new customers.  Both are taking booking enquiries direct only because of their website, no website no direct enquiries FACT.

The Millstone Pub Hotel in Manchester and the Bankes Arms Hotel in Corfe Castle.

Both venues have similarities in their business approach and style but both also differ in the target market.

Both pubs have won awards recently and felt their websites should be simple and easy to use with the main focus on being contacted easily.

Both websites have built in booking forms so people can contact the pubs directly.

As the marketing for both pub websites continue there will be more information on events and menu changes added directly by the owners.

The contact form on both these website design solutions show a clear increase in bookings direct by vistors to the website.

Crucially every business who decides to have a website has to consider some core principles of website creation.

Hosting
Design
Platform (CMS)
Marketing

The platform the website design template sits on can make or break the marketing, just as the hosting can determine whether the vistors to your site actually see the website.
The marketing can be simple if you understand that all you have to do is tell people about your website. Tell them about the website and ask them to interact with it.

There are so many systems out there now that allow business owners to create their own website is minutes (MrSite to name but one). These types of WYSIWG systems have so many restrictions and you end up with a design framework that restricts the potential of the website.

Most small business websites simply need a flexible content management system with a fresh design that integrates with social media platforms.

The Corfe Castle website is a good demonstration of a clean design and with good calls to action for sharing on social media channels such as facebook.

If you are reviewing your current website design or need a new website or you simply want to ramp up your internet marketing call us today on 01827 714753

For website re-design or new website design call 0845 388 1071

New websites often don’t get found on the search engines immediately unless using CPC

Our website design solutions take into consideration SEO from the start.

We encourage business owners to embrace the multi-channel approach to internet marketing to maximise exposure for their new website and business.

Hadley Green is an ecommerce shopping cart website for the clothing brand Hadley Green Clothing.  Additional design and marketing included promotional print and branding for social networking sites Facebook Google +1

Our range of graphic design services can support all your sales & marketing campaigns.

Eg, Facebook page banners and promotional graphics and Google Adwords image packs for your image ad campaigns.

Website work carried out for Hadley Green was a combination of graphic design for the theme on the ZenCart system.

Integrated SagePay payment gateway was installed.

Extensive experience with SagePay previously called Protx.

Please call on 01827 714 753 to see how we can help you with your existing website or learn how we can design and create a new website quickly.

A new website can be designed and made live within just a few days.

New website designs for Puncture Safe North and a Micro Brewery in Manchester – Hornbeam Brewery.

Drupal & WordPress Theme Designs

We produce Custom theme designs and custom code for specific projects.

Contact us and let us help you with your business website design.

To learn more about graphic design and internet marketing services call

01827 714 753

Guess what. 
There is no need for confusion. 

Setting up a system that sells your products is very simple.  Besides there is always more than one way to skin a cat (please don’t take this literally we build website solutions not skin cats).

Depending on what it is you want to achieve in the short term and long term we are able to help put the ground work in to ensure a successful business is the result.

Examples of websites we have created over the years range from going live and taking over £100k in the first year to sites that are now taking over £500k just from on-line transactions.

The proof is in the pudding and whilst selling cakes on-line is now big business the need for traffic to your website should not be under estimated.  Think about it.

Situated in a busy shopping mall (yes we do call them this in the UK now) is better than being in a back street.

It’s all about being found and being busy enought to make it all worth the while.

From existing websites that want to improve their traffic and conversions to new website businesses selling on-line.  We have the know-how to get you up and running in a very short time line.

Call us today and let’s give you a cost that wont break the bank.

So many check boxes and options yet all very simple and straightforward you you know how.

So no matter who you bank with or how many products you have, we have a solution that will work fro your business.

Sage pay (Payment gateway)
HSBC (Merchant Account)
Oscommerce (Shopping Cart Software)
Zen cart (Shopping Cart Software)
Worldpay (Payment Gateway No Merchant needed)
Google Checkout (Payment Gateway No Merchant needed)
SSL cert the padlock symobol (Keeping transactions secure)
Paypal (Payment Gateway No Merchant needed)

If you are looking for little tweaks for your existing shopping cart then we are able to jump on it quickly without any distruptions. Installing SSL for your website for example or adding extra user enrichement features. EG Add to wish list or One Click buy now. We’ve recently added a send to Mums email to pay as a feature on a website.

Give us a call and we’ll help you get selling on-line quickly.

A business should consider how they intend to publish content and ensure they have a carefully structured website.

There are numerous authoritive guides online including tools published by google, so make sure you sign up to google’s Webmaster Tools if nothing else.

Whilst SEO may in simple terms mean more traffic after the work, this is not strictly true!

During the last 10 years SEO has changed significantly on the one hand whilst remaining very boring on the other.

What is meant by this?  Simple.  No tricks, just good content and good distributions methods.

So, if you are happy that you fully understand what SEO is and you haven’t been misled by unscrupulous companies promising what they cannot deliver read on.

No point in having a website if it’s not being found.

Do you know all the words (keywords) used by people searching for your business, your products and your services?

It’s mostly common sense but there are tools that will help decide which words are worth investing in for being found, so why not use them.

To get the most from your website and to increase business through high relevancy keyword search results call us today (this is not to be confused with the trend to create niche keyword traffic).

Call today on 0845 3881071 and discuss how your business can realise

- more traffic

- more enquiries

- more sales on-line.

Every business wants the above 3 to happen as a result of having a website.  But please bare in mind, SEO is not a magic wand to driving relevent traffic to your website.  SEO is a multi-faceted discipline and it’s ongoing.  Abide by the rules, do good things and you’ll achieve good results.