Earlier this year I decided it was time to update my company’s web site. It had been a task on the to-do list for several years, as our previous site had been a static 4 page brochure type site.
I met Jonan Castillon of Online Writing Niche. Several discussions with Jonan showed that he understood what I was trying to achieve and was bringing a wide range of good ideas, and in depth knowledge into the mix to improve our internet presence.
Waugh Infrastructure Management is an expert and specialist niche consultancy – we work in the field of infrastructure management. Our skills are well known in New Zealand so most of our work comes from existing clients and client referrals.
Upgrading our website wasn’t particularly about winning work or generating revenue right now. It was more of a chance to share information we wanted to, maintain an internet presence, communicate effectively with current and future clients, and to build reputation and create future work opportunities.
Online Writing Niche produced our updated website, which included a blog.
Populating the Waugh Blog
On May 20th, I wrote my first post on our new website.
I set myself the goal of writing 2 blog posts per week to keep a level of interest in the site.
To achieve this I have kept a list of ideas, articles and links as I come across them so I always have a starting point for a blog post.
Sometimes I will blog on the ideas I have listed. Other times I read something that day then blog on it straight away.
Last week (22-26 July), I blogged every work day, which is a new milestone, and not a pace I think I can sustain.
A week before last week, I was at a series of seminars and didn’t blog at all – it was a very busy week.
So I started this week falling behind in my objectives, and wanting to blog some more. Monday, Tuesday blogs were produced. Wednesday – I nearly didn’t but decided I would.
Jonan then challenged me to do a blog post every day this week, and the challenge got the last 2 done, although blogging on Friday night after a busy week was a challenge.
My list of posts is great help. I have a good idea sitting and waiting, which I was able to choose, write quickly about it and with too much effort.
Blogging has been an adventure, and I am still learning all the time.
How the website is faring
You might ask, how has the web site been going.
Now at the end of July, and two months after we re-lunched the website I can say that it has massively exceeded my expectations.
We have had site visitors from 42 countries, with 312 from New Zealand our home market.
The site has had 3,788 page views, and 1939 visitors.
People are clearly following the blog posts. On Thursday (25 July), we had 22 visitors at one moment after publishing of the day’s post.
Jonan’s company has also put a lot of SEO work to the site.
On our core search term ‘infrastructure management’ after starting from scratch two months ago, we are now the number 5 listed site, on the top half of the first page of Google (google.co.nz) search result pages. This is without advertising or paying Google anything.
This is an outstanding result, and I am very happy.
For a small specialist company in a small niche, I think that these results are outstanding over a two month period, and I can put it down to a well-designed site, good content, and mostly to the blog.
That in itself is encouragement to keep the discipline of blogging regularly.
I can recommend Jonan Castillon and Online Writing Niche without reservation.
The investment I have made on my website over the past 4 months has achieved the best return on investment so far.
The dividend I will receive in terms of profile, professional reputation, and future work opportunities will continue to be paid back for years to come.