by Myra Ray | Jan 22, 2022 | Entrepreneurship, Web Design
Taxes are probably the most confusing aspect of business management — their numerous types, requirements, ever-shifting rates, and subject-to-change laws are enough to make any business owner go haywire. That said, knowing all tax obligations accurately and paying them on time is crucial for every business owner. This is true for both novice entrepreneurs and well-established business leaders — it is the only way to avoid costly penalties and legal punishments.
To save you from making pricey tax mistakes and tainting your business reputation, here is a list of the types of small business taxes:
Income tax
This is the most common type of tax that almost all business owners are aware of. They must pay income taxes on their annual net income, tips, unemployment benefits, profit from a property sale, investment, and wages.
Payroll tax
The payroll tax, also called employment tax, is levied from businesses with a set of employees. The payroll tax is withheld from each employee’s salary and remitted to the government. While income taxes go into the government’s general fund, the payroll tax is used for specific programs and to fund Medicare and Social Security.
Self-employment tax
As the name implies, the self-employment tax is paid by self-employed people, including freelancers and independent contractors. Every independent worker with yearly net earnings of over $400 is liable to pay some part of the earnings to the federal government.
Excise tax
An excise tax is charged on purchasing specific goods and services, including tobacco, fuel, and alcohol. If your business operations include purchasing these products or services, you are bound to pay the excise tax on all such transactions.
Property tax
Business owners have to pay property taxes if they have a brick-and-mortar store. It is an ad-valorem tax — taxes based on the assessed value of an object — calculated by the local government, and a business owner is liable to pay the said amount.
Save money through tax deductions
The list mentioned above includes major taxes that every business owner must know about — there can be more types of taxes that you may have to pay depending on your local laws. This means businesses worldwide have to reserve a significant chunk of their profit for taxes, which is disappointing — it is disheartening to see your hard-earned money flee!
Therefore, business owners try to save their money through tax deductions. Tax deduction refers to the reduction of the taxable income to lower the tax liability — it is a lifesaver for business owners, as it significantly reduces the amount they pay on taxes.
One of the most common business costs that qualify as a deductible business expense is marketing — yes, the business aspect you probably spend the most on can help you save your money. Lately, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) declared that the business expenses that help you build a positive public reputation would be considered as a deductible expense — so you don’t need to worry if you are opting for slightly expensive Triangle Web Design, Print Design, or Infographics Design Services, after all, it is helping you pay fewer taxes!
After talking to an expert, you can subtract the marketing expenses from your current income, thereby reducing your taxable income. In other words, if you earn $50,000 per annum and your marketing expense is $2,000, you can subtract the $2,000 from your total income and pay taxes only on the remaining $48,000.
We are listing the marketing costs precisely for your convenience so you can claim tax deductions.
Website
As we know, websites are virtual gateways to a business that allows people to understand what the company offers — engaging and customer-centric websites have higher chances of conversions. Therefore, North Carolina-based businesses invest in Durham Web Design Services or Sanford Web Design Services.
Related Blog: Website Design Process for Clients
Website creation and management costs are higher, especially for well-established firms. Fortunately, it counts as a deductible expense. If you hire a digital marketing agency in North Carolina to handle your brand’s marketing and website, you can apply for a tax deduction.
Advertisement print material
You may not realize it, but the cost of printing adds up fast, eventually becoming a huge business expense. And if you go for colored prints with a gloss finish, it may even cost you a fortune — let alone custom printing!
Here is good news, though: all promotional print materials are eligible for a deduction. So, opting for high-end companies in NC offering brochure design and magazine design should not worry you.
The tax-deductible items include:
- Postcards
- Business cards
- Direct mailers
- Flyers
- Product brochures
- Tradeshow displays
Digital marketing campaigns
Most businesses invest in digital marketing campaigns to expand their outreach, be more visible, reach their target audience, make conversions, and maximize profits. These campaigns are a significant part of most NC-based businesses, as it helps increase revenue. Here is a list of common digital marketing campaigns that are tax-deductible:
- Social Media Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Influencer Marketing
- Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Campaign Ads
- Google AdWords and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Campaigns
Marketing software expenses
Today, there are many marketing software conducive to successful business management. They are designed to automate common business processes, such as lead management, to boost efficiency and minimize human errors. Companies usually buy monthly or yearly subscriptions to such software. Now, you can easily add them to tax deductions and yield financial benefits.
Common software that businesses in North Carolina use, which are tax-deductible, include:
- Hubspot
- MailChimp
- Hootsuite
Start-up marketing expenses
Gone are the days when establishing a business was a mere pipe dream for budding entrepreneurs — the expenses made the venture seem impossible. Today, you can easily set up your small business in North Carolina without having to pay a huge sum of money as tax.
The IRS declared that you could add many business marketing expenses to the tax-deductible list. You can deduct the costs you pay before launching your business from your annual income, thereby reducing your tax amount.
Conclusion
Now that you know you are, in a way, saving when you are paying for that company offering brand design services, infographic design, or magazine design, why not hire one? If you are looking for “Triangle web design” or “Sanford web design” on Google, Print and Web Designer is here to do the needful. We are an NC-based digital marketing company offering marketing solutions — everything from graphic design to keyword research. If you are motivated to scale your business, give us a call at (336) 684-6505 or write to us at info@PrintandWebDesigner.com today.
by Myra Ray | Oct 26, 2021 | Services, Web Design
Imagery has a big influence on a reader. When blogging, though, you may assume that your words are the most important factor to consider. However, that is no longer true.
“Isn’t blogging a text-based medium?”
Well, not really!
People retain more information when a relevant image is paired with a piece of information than when the information is exclusively text-based. This is called the “Pictorial Superiority Effect.” In other words, images are an integral ingredient of a great blog. Every great book needs a great cover, and every great blog post needs a great image.
Even if you are a skilled wordsmith, you should consider using quality images on your blog. Here are five reasons why:
1. Images make the blog more visually appealing.
This is obvious: high-quality images are visually pleasing.
When you incorporate images in your blog entries, you create a “narrative” for that part of the blog.
Aesthetically appealing images keep your reader from scrolling, and as previously stated, people are more likely to retain more information when presented with an image.
The right image can communicate a powerful message to a reader—after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. If a part of your blog is hard to grasp, adding a relevant image can help simplify the concept and make it easier to understand.
2. Blogs with images are more likely to be shared on social media.
Social media marketing can help you spread the word about your content and drive traffic to your blog—and thus your website.
And because social networks are getting more visual, sharing blogs on social media with images reach exponentially higher levels of engagement (with more shares), which can help bring more visitors to your site.
- Tweets with images are 35% more likely to be retweeted. (Source)
- 87% of Facebook’s top posts feature images. (Source)
Related Blog: How To Keep Your Brand Consistent Across Social Media
3. Images support your message.
Not only can the right image be appealing to your readers and used on social media, but it can also bring actual value and insight to your piece.
Even better if you can find an image that is unique, interesting, and not [always] tied to your blog topic. The reader will instinctively pause to analyze the image you chose and why you chose it.
Getting readers to pause and reflect is something that every blogger should strive for!
4. Images help break up text into more bite-sized chunks.
Have you ever read a blog post where the writing seemed to stretch on indefinitely with no end in sight? Couldn’t you feel your frustration swelling inside you as you scrolled and scrolled—and still no conclusion?
Long paragraphs and large slabs of text, especially in long-form content, can discourage readers from finishing your blog post.
Using images in your blogs can help break up long chunks of text and make your content more palatable.
5. Images can help improve your SEO.
You may be new to blogging and have no idea that you can add text to your images.
Well, you can add “alt text” to any image you upload within your blog on practically all blogging platforms and websites. This can help you improve the performance of your search engine optimization or “SEO” campaigns.
While readers cannot see the alt text you write, search engines bots crawl all of the text in your blog piece—including the alt text. So, instead of uploading your image as “Screenshot 2021-31-08 at 9.41.12 PM,” optimize the text with your targeted keywords.
Tips on Using Images In Your Blog
1. Make sure that the image is related to the content.
You would be perplexed if you were reading an article on making an audiobook and then came across an image about producing videos, would you not? Always make sure that the images you choose are relevant to the surrounding content. A blog post about top website trends, for example, should include screenshots of websites that follow those trends, whereas a piece about web design best practices should consist of images of people coding.
2. Include an eye-catching featured image.
Your featured image is the first image readers see when they open your blog entry—it is front and center. Furthermore, when a blog is shared on social media, the featured image is often displayed. Therefore, you must choose a featured image that accurately represents the subject of your blog entry.
3. Make sure your images are the correct size.
Image quality is just as important as image relevance. Ensure that you are not stretching your images beyond their original sizes. Also, consider that the larger the image, the longer it will take for your page to load. A slow page load time can hurt your site traffic, so make sure your images are correctly sized.
4. Make the blog more lively by using GIFs.
GIFs are an exciting way to add a video-like visual to your blog. You can be a little more fun and creative with GIFs, allowing you to put a lighter spin on a blog topic. However, be careful when using GIFs. Animated visuals are so effective at catching attention that they can be annoying.
With these advantages of adding images to your blogs and best practices in mind, you will be ready to start looking for great images to increase your content, shareability, boost your SEO and drive traffic to your site.
Professional Design Services in Raleigh, NC
Print and Web Designer offers top-notch brand design services to boost your content marketing efforts. We can help you create incredible images for your blog to attract traffic and drive engagement on your posts. We can also handle other aspects of your brand design needs, including brochure design, print design, magazine design, and web design.
So, stop searching for “Triangle web design services,” “Durham web design services,” or “Cary web design services,” and give us a call at (336) 684-6505 or write to us at info@PrintandWebDesigner.com today.
by Myra Ray | Apr 30, 2021 | Web Design
Google Analytics is a very important online marketing tool. Unfortunately, it is seriously underestimated by most businesses in the Triangle area, NC. This FREE web analytics tool developed by Google allows businesses to measure the results of their individual inbound marketing campaigns in real-time, compare the results to previous campaigns, and so much more.
As a dynamic and customer-oriented small business in the Research Triangle, you cannot disregard the importance of Google Analytics. There is a laundry list of reasons why you should use Google Analytics to measure your website performance. Here are a few of those:
1. Get an overview of all your marketing channels.
With Google Analytics, you can uncover valuable insights about your audience to see which marketing channels and sources drive the most traffic to your website—organic search (SEO), paid search (PPC), social media, referrals (backlinks), or direct traffic. Being able to monitor all online marketing platforms allows you to review what is working well and what is not. For example, if 80% of your total website visitors landed on your website through your social media campaigns, while your paid search campaigns only drove about 20% of all visitors, you know where to put your money in to maximize your earning potential and stay ahead of the game.
Related blog: Tips to Boost Your Web Traffic
2. Know your target audience.
It is good to know exactly how many people have visited your site and where they came from, but these metrics are not very valuable by themselves. Knowing your user demographic (e.g., their age, gender, geographic location, and interest topics), on the other hand, can be conducive to identifying who your core audiences are on the Internet. For example, you might discover that more than half of all your site visitors are men aged from 20–30 in East Coast Cities (Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, Portland, OR). That is extremely useful and actionable information about who you should be targeting with your online marketing strategies.
3. Track your conversions.
The overview of your marketing channels and user acquisition data can serve as a guiding compass for your online marketing strategies and activities, but how do you know if these strategies and activities actually do work? Regardless of the characteristics of your website visitors, such as the marketing channel they use and their demographic details, you need to know that this traffic is converting. Google Analytics allows you to set goals to track when a user completes a specific action on your site—whether clicking on the “Buy Now” button, requesting a quote, or subscribing to newsletters.
4. Analyze your site visitor engagement.
Google Analytics has a bunch of metrics that allow you to review how well your site visitors interact with your Triangle web design and content. These metrics include:
- Bounce rate: The percentage of visitors that viewed only one page and then navigated away from your website without further interaction.
- Pages per session: The average number of pages each visitor has viewed during a session on your website.
- Average session duration: The average amount of time each user has spent on your website.
You can also analyze these metrics for individual web pages, gaining a clear insight into which pages are performing well and which are not. Based on your findings, you can then smooth out the user experience on the problem pages so that users can move seamlessly toward converting to paying customers with minimal friction. For example, if your site visitors land on your “Contact Us” page but navigate away from your website without filling in the form, you know where you have to make improvements to keep your site visitors engaged.
5. Find out what devices your customers use.
Considering that mobile-friendliness is a ranking factor in Google’s algorithm, your Durham web design now needs to be mobile-friendly if you want your website to be ranked in the top positions in search engine result pages (SERPs). Google Analytics allows you to monitor which devices your users are using (e.g., desktop/laptop, mobile phone, tablet, or smart wearables). This will give you some indication as to how well your mobile site is performing compared to the desktop version. This can also push you in the right direction in terms of your website optimization—if you receive a similar number of visitors on both mobile and desktop versions but fewer conversions on your mobile site, it may be an issue with the user experience on that version of the site.
6. It is free.
You have heard of the saying, “nothing in life is free.” However, In the case of Google Analytics, it really is free. Unlike other web analytic tools out there, Google does not charge you anything for using this product! Even though there is a paid version called Google Analytics 360, which provides some extra features in terms of reporting validity and sample size, it is primarily for websites that receive more than 10 million page views per month.
Why Should I Use Google Analytics?
If you are not already convinced, let us summarise. Google Analytics allows you to measure the effectiveness of your online marketing campaigns and gives you insight into your customer’s demographic and behavior as well as your site’s user experience, online content, device functionality, and more. All these metrics show you what is working well and—more importantly—what isn’t. Once you identify any issues your website may have, you can take the appropriate action to fine-tune the success strategy of your business in the Triangle area, NC.
Professional Web Design Services in Raleigh, NC
At Print and Web Designer, we can help you deliver a high-quality website to your customers that drives conversions. Once your website goes live, we can also set up and install Google Analytics on it so you can get all the information you need regarding your website statistics. In addition to web design, we also offer high-quality digital and print design services. Whether you need brochure design, magazine design, or brand design, we have got your back!
Call Print and Web Designer at (336) 684-6505 for all your web design needs.
by Myra Ray | Mar 18, 2021 | Print Design, Web Design
Web design is closely linked to world events. 2020 transformed lifestyles all over the globe as COVID-19 changed the way we viewed and interacted with the world.
Lockdowns and work-from-home rules made digital media more important than ever. Here are some latest design trends that have emerged after events of the past year:
1. Retro Vibe
The pandemic has triggered a sense of collective nostalgia where people look back fondly at more “normal” times. In the same spirit, retro designs have made a loud comeback.
Retro style fonts and color palettes are back on the internet, providing a sense of familiarity and comfort in this era of uncertainty. As the pandemic relentlessly dominates the headlines, the popularity of vintage designs is growing everywhere in the world.
2. Muted Color Palettes
While bright and bold designs trended in 2020, muted color palettes are more in vogue in 2021. Muted colors are essentially vivid hues that have had their edges removed and are complemented by black, white, or any other suitable color.
These colors evoke relaxing vibes and are a welcome change from the loud, confusing designs in the previous years. They make you feel safe, and are a throwback to earlier eras. LinkedIn is a good example of a popular website that continues to use muted hues. Click here for tips to boost your website traffic.
3. Symbols
Symbols have been historically effective in evoking different emotions. A simple example is how a red octagon can save lives at a bustling intersection.
Graphic designers are experimenting with symbols to signify growth, resilience, and empowerment. Symbols are useful for expressing a concept and for amalgamating two or more ideas in a single illustration.
4. 3D Design
3D design utilizes technology and software to its optimum. The emergence of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has transformed the user interface of websites and mobile applications. The growth of VR and AR industries are expected to surge considerably in the coming years.
There is likely to be a move towards hyper-real graphics that bring the digital and physical world closer than ever. 3D elements are set to dominate pages rather than being displayed as minor visuals. Graphic designers often combine 3D photos with 2D images or animate them.
5. Geometric Shapes
Abstract shapes and flowing designs were popular last year, but they no longer remain in vogue. Brands are increasingly using geometric shapes to market their products and services.
Geometric designs are much easier and quicker to create. They add a sense of consistency and structure to visuals. Geometric images are not always uniform in style, but still look alike due to similar patterns. They have the added advantage of blending in well with muted colors.
This year graphic designers have generally reverted to trends inspired by the previous decades. There is an air of positivity as 2021 is seen as a step towards the restoration of normalcy. Print and Web Designer offers efficient print and web design services for your website, magazine, and brochures. If you are in Durham, Cary or Raleigh, and looking for a digital marketing strategy to transform your business, explore our website or call us at 919-891-0545 today!
by Myra Ray | Feb 4, 2021 | Web Design
First Site Guide defines Joomla as a free and open-source content management system used to post content on the web, similar to WordPress. The basic difference between WordPress and Joomla is that Joomla is basically meant to serve specific websites, whereas WordPress was only introduced as a blog posting platform. Let’s take a look at how well both platforms work by comparing some of their features.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Joomla has an advantage when it comes to search engine optimization as it allows you to add meta descriptions and keywords for articles. WordPress, on the other hand, does not have this option. The true capability of SEO cannot be determined unless we delve deeper into the plugins or extensions used for it.
For example, WordPress uses the Yoast SEO plugin, which is great and offers a lot of features. However, Easy Fronted SEO, a plugin for Joomla, is equivalent to Yoast (and slightly better) as it enables users to explore many features and even has an automatic mode to generate data without any input.
Content Flexibility
While using WordPress, you get the same basic layout on every page with the same design theme. Joomla, on the other hand, allows you to use multiple templates on your website. For example, you can choose a different design for your blog and a different one for your webpage.
Moreover, Joomla also provides the flexibility of modifying and mixing up the content types. WordPress usually has restrictions on the content type and its placement.
Security Standards
When it comes to security, WordPress is equipped with thousands of plugins, which means that each WordPress install is unique. However, it is difficult to ensure that every plugin follows the correct safety standards. It is also difficult to ensure that the safety standards remain consistent with new versions of the platform too. Joomla offers its own set of security extensions, and a separate list is maintained by the developers along with its shortcomings.
Ease of Use
When we compare Joomla and WordPress, the latter option is better when it comes to ease of use. It is straightforward and convenient for users to navigate, edit, and add new content. WordPress also provides a high level of quality and support to its users for every feature. Joomla is not as flexible to use at first, but once users get the hang of it, it becomes quite easy to use.
Organization
While using WordPress, many users find it difficult to figure out how to make an article appear on specific webpages. Sometimes, a lot of coding is required to simply add an extra menu on your webpage. With Joomla, the backend organization is quite easy, and the options available are also very straightforward. Even if you want to add a menu, you can find simple options for it without having to waste time and energy on extra coding.
Which is better?
WordPress and Joomla both have many advantages and unique features of their own. However, in some ways, Joomla is much better than WordPress. It is a great CMS that is not only easy to use and manage but also provides a very strong platform to produce any type of website and content. According to Kinsta, Joomla powers around 3% of all websites and holds 5.4% of the content management system market. It also lets you customize your website without needing any extensions.
If you are looking for ways to have a professionally designed website, check out our Print and Web Designer services. We are skilled in offering inbound internet marketing solutions as well as web-designing and maintenance.
by Myra Ray | Jan 12, 2021 | Web Design
Web users prefer visiting websites that are more aesthetic and pleasing rather than plain and simple. Therefore, web design is an integral part of any marketing strategy. According to Research Gate, web design has been identified as a key factor for the acceptance and success of many e-commerce websites. This blog provides a simple guide to effective web designing.
Inbound Marketing
The chances of increased web traffic go up when you couple inbound marketing with a website specifically optimized for such an endeavor. There are a few key elements for this process:
Keep It Simple
Users sometimes leave a website when they can’t find the content that they are looking for. The concept here is to use less content in order to avoid clutter. Also, get to the point as quickly as possible. Don’t let your visitors look around for too long.
Make It Dynamic
Use interactive features such as enhanced colors and drop-down menus to really enhance your site and personalization options. This ensures that visitors stay longer on your website.
Call-To-Action
A CTA is very important – especially if you’re looking to increase your conversions. The placement of CTA is equally important too. It should be appealing (not too bright or dull) and easy to find. An example of a good CTA is “for more details, please click here.”
A Few Simple Steps for Web Designing
There are so many people out there who can easily design a website for your business. However, it takes an expert to design a website that is not only detail-oriented but also provides a good user experience. Here are a few steps you need to consider while designing a website for your clients:
1, Strategic Planning
Every project starts with an end result in mind, one that involves a lot of research, strategy, planning, and goal setting. There are many factors that you need to keep in mind. For example, you need to think about the target market, conduct research on the products and services, any problems that the users could face, competitors’ website design, etc.
Keywords
An important element of strategic planning is keyword research. For your SEO project to be successful, you need to know what keywords customers are using to search for a product or service.
2. Design and Develop
This stage is a little complex. It involves gathering all of the ideas discussed in the first step and taking it to the next level. You basically create a framework and convert your ideas from the thinking process to reality. It also involves the structure of the site and the visual representation.
Coding
This involves writing the HTML and CSS codes for the basic website. You don’t have to work on complicated coding at this point. For now, just focus on the basics.
Programming
You need to refer to what you originally planned for the website in order to start programming work. This stage includes developing the final framework of the site, such as code templates, special interactive features, links and content, etc.
3. Testing
The testing stage involves rigorous testing of all of the features of the website, starting from keyword search all the way to special features and content. You also need to check the website through code validators, broken link checkers, web health checks, spellcheck, etc., before going live. Also, test the website by using multiple browsers and platforms before launch.
4, After launch Checks
Once the website has been launched, there are a couple of things you need to check.
Indexation
The website should be under indexation by Google or Bing. It could generally take about a week to completely index a website.
Webmaster Tools
Check out Google and Bing webmaster tools to identify any errors. One common error that is found on websites is the 404 error.
Web designing is an integral part of any business that wants to be successful. It should not be taken lightly, as it can eventually lead to more conversions and leads. The most important aspect of web designing is that it enhances the user experiences and allows them to easily navigate your website.
If you are looking for efficient web designing services, please visit our website or contact us here. Looking for an excellent design for your website, brochure, magazine, or your brand, Print and Web Designer is here for you.
