Are You Looking for a WordPress Web Design Agency in Cornwall?

It seems like doing business online gets more complicated every year. Customers expect great website design and clear branding, but that is easier said than done. Building an online presence can feel overwhelming, especially if you don't have a big marketing team.

The good news is that Fortico, our WordPress web design agency, is here to help! Our Cornwall digital agency has over ten years of experience making websites for all kinds of companies. We even handle branding so your business looks its best online and off.

This blog will teach you:

What Makes a Good Web Design Agency?

There is much more than one web designer in Cornwall, so how do you pick the right option? Ideally, you should pick a provider that:

Has Plenty of Experience

You want an agency that has built lots of websites. It takes skill to make sites that are not only nice to look at but also easy to use. Fortico has designed hundreds of sites for big and small brands over 10+ years.

Our team has expertise across various industries, including retail, healthcare, hospitality, financial services, and more. No matter your business type, we have the experience to create an effective website. This experience also extends to our knowledge of the latest design trends and technologies, ensuring your site is modern and competitive.

Offers Custom Design

Pre-made templates might be cheaper, but they won't stand out. They also limit your site's flexibility and make it difficult to truly represent your brand. A custom site matches your brand and works for your business needs.

Every Fortico website is built from scratch just for you. We don't take shortcuts by using templates. That leads to a cookie-cutter site that won't resonate with your target audience. We dive deep into understanding your brand identity and goals, then design a fully customised site to bring that brand to life online.

These custom designs can also be tailor-made for your team. It should be easy for you to make changes on the fly or add content to your website.

Handles More Than Websites

Your website should match business cards, packaging, and more. Fortico's branding services create a consistent look across all touchpoints. We not only design cohesive websites but ensure seamless integration across other marketing materials, from business cards to brochures to trade show booths.

Consistent branding is key for making a memorable impact on customers.

Provides Ongoing Support

Technology changes fast. Your agency should check for needed updates and monitor site visitors' behaviour over time. Fortico handles all backend work so you can focus on your business. We won't just build your site and then disappear - we provide continuous support after launch.

That includes staying on top of WordPress and plugin updates, optimising site speed, fixing any issues that crop up, and monitoring visitor analytics so we can make improvements. Consider us an extension of your team.

Why Consider Fortico for Cornwall Web Design?

As a Bude agency with a studio in Cornwall, Fortico offers blended talents:

We're Local and National

Our Cornwall headquarters keeps us connected to the community. Yet our network of pros allows us to serve brands across the UK and beyond. With deep Cornwall roots plus national reach, we understand local business needs and broader industry trends. This unique blend empowers us to create locally optimised sites that draw visitors across Britain.

We Offer Boutique Service

Our team gives each project lots of attention. We act like an extension of our client's staff. This hands-on approach leads to great outcomes. We provide the white-glove service you'd expect from a small boutique agency, not a giant impersonal firm.

You'll work directly with our designers and developers throughout the process - no account managers or hurdles standing in the way. This facilitates better collaboration and, ultimately, a better website.

We Handle All Digital Needs

From web design to photography, Fortico can execute your full online strategy. And we'll support you before, during, and after launch. We are a true full-service digital agency equipped to not only build your website but also handle:

This consolidated approach creates synergy across all aspects of your online presence.

How Fortico Creates Effective Websites

We don't just make sites that look nice. Our custom web design process leads to measurable business growth.

Planning for Success

First, we learn all about your brand, target audience, and goals. Then, we design a website optimised for actual users—not imaginary ones! We won't just design something we think looks cool - we'll carefully plan a site mapped to your target demographics and success metrics. It includes competitor analysis, keyword research, persona development, and analytics goal-setting even before we start designing.

The result is a strategic site engineered to reach the right people and move key metrics for your business.

Built for Engagement

We pay attention to details like loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and ease of finding information. Visitors will love navigating your site. We build sites for visitors, not for our own egos. We're known for sweating the details that facilitate happy site visitors - sub-second loading speeds, intuitive navigation, mobile optimisation, striking visuals, and compelling content.

These elements boost engagement metrics and position your brand as an industry leader.

Launching and Beyond

Our work doesn't stop at launch. We monitor site analytics to showcase your return on investment. And we keep websites updated as technology evolves. Post-launch, we provide performance reports highlighting successes and areas for optimisation.

We also stay vigilant about updates - if the latest WordPress version has cool new features, we'll help you implement them.

Ready to Get Started?

By now, we hope you see the Fortico difference for custom WordPress web design in Cornwall. To learn more or kick off your project, get in touch today. We offer free consultations to discuss your brand's web needs.

Let's chat! During a free session, we'll dive deeper into your goals, audience, competitors, and more to develop a high-level strategy. We look forward to learning all about your business!

Building Your New Brand in 2023

You know your company better than anyone else. You’ve spent countless hours refining your products and services, studying the market, and acquiring the right people, processes, and technology to launch your business and start driving revenue. But how much thought have you given to your brand?

Far from just a marketing catchphrase, your brand is the identity of your business at its very core. It’s how your customers think of you and what will drive them to connect with you instead of your competitors. An experienced design agency like Fortico can help guide you through creating a strong online brand that will stand out. Here’s how.

Research and discovery

The first step in brand creation is to get to the heart of how you view your products and services and the unique value they offer to your ideal audience. When you describe your business to someone, what words do you use? How do you differentiate your business from others in the market? Second, it’s critical to understand how your competitors are branding themselves and how well it resonates with potential customers. Branding is equal parts art and science. With the proper data, we can craft a brand proposition that will serve as the heartbeat for your business.

Cornish Brand proposition

Think of your brand proposition as the promise you make to your customers. What can you offer them that no one else can? As we explore the competitive landscape to reveal your brand differentiators, we can begin to craft that unique promise as the foundation for your creative presence online.

Visual identity

As part of the creative branding process, we’ll create possible themes and associated logos that help illustrate your brand proposition and the visual identity you want to create for your company. Your brand should be recognisable and consistent, no matter where your customers find you or what device they use. From your font and typography to your company logo, to the graphics and icons you use for presentations and social posts--we will help you build a cohesive identity that instils trust and credibility with your audience.

Brand guidelines

Brand guidelines play a large role in the effort to ensure consistency for your new brand. We will create a guide for your chosen brand identity that will make it easy for current and future employees to conform to your logo and font styles, colour palette, tone of voice, and more.

Experience matters

As you build your new brand and image in 2023, rely on an agency with the expertise to help your business stand out from your competitors. As a design agency in Bude, Fortico serves brands locally and nationally. We deliver high-quality design and marketing materials that reflect your brand’s authentic voice and ensure an exceptional experience for your customers, whether they find you on their desktop or mobile device.

Why a Custom-built WordPress Website Will Help Your Business in 2023

It’s no secret that your website is the door that leads your customers to your products and services – and you want that door to have excellent curb appeal to attract and hold your audience's attention. Most consumers visit a website multiple times before considering a purchase or making contact with the vendor, and 75% of consumers will judge the credibility of your product or service based on the design and functionality of your website.

With so many web design options available, choosing the right one to attract the right attention may seem daunting. While it may seem simple enough to select a basic WordPress template and hit “publish,” a better, more effective option will draw your visitors through the door and into your site. Here are a few ways a custom-built WordPress site will help your business succeed.

A tailored fit

WordPress is known for its simple content management features and intuitive templates. But it’s also easy to tell when browsing on a plug-and-play WordPress site straight from the box without customisation. A custom-built site retains all of the ease and simplicity of WordPress but with the features and design elements that pertain directly to your business.

For example, if you have a property rental business and you’d like to include a virtual tour to capture the uniqueness of your rental, a custom-built site can use your photos and videos as the centrepiece, drawing visitors into the imagery instead of losing them in blocks of text.

Likewise, if there are website features you don’t wish to include, you can streamline your site to offer only the content and functionality most relevant and appealing to your ideal buyer.

Less maintenance

A custom WordPress site is built to your specifications. You define the features and functionality you want to include, and an experienced website services company will develop your site to meet your needs. With an off-the-shelf template, you’ll need multiple plug-ins to achieve your desired look and functionality. Those plug-ins are at risk of breaking and needing frequent updates. Instead of tacking on features and functionality piece by piece, a custom-built site uses simple functions and commands to create a strong foundation with fewer moving parts and much less risk of malfunction.

A better mobile experience

We live in a mobile-first society. Consumers are constantly shopping on their tablets and mobile devices, and they expect the same experience on the go or at their desks. A custom-built site can be mobile-optimised and thoroughly tested to create an exceptional experience for your customers no matter where they find you.

From better SEO to streamlined content management, a custom-built WordPress can elevate your online presence and help you connect with your audience more effectively. As a web design company in Bude, Cornwall, Fortico has over 10 years of experience in web design for companies in Cornwall and throughout the UK. Contact us today to discuss an affordable, custom site that is purposefully designed for your business.

How to Increase your Business’s Visibility for Local Searches

Competing with larger companies for rank on search engines can be hard for a small business. You may not have the budget to focus on broad, highly competitive keywords.

However, you do have a superpower — you’re a local company. For many services, a customer can’t choose just any business. They need one nearby who can take care of their needs. Also, many people prefer to support local companies.

How can you use your local business “superpower” to improve your search rankings? By leveraging local search engine optimisation (SEO).

Here’s what you need to know.

Use Locally Focused Keywords

The first keywords many people think of when they want their business to rank well are short and broad. For instance, they may want to focus on “web design.”

What’s better, however, is to add a few words to that keyword to create a long-tail, locally-focused keyword. You might say, “Web Designer in Bude” or “Website Designer in Bude”, or even "Web Design in Cornwall".

By including your city, neighbourhood, or even prominent street names, you can help your business rank highly for those who look for services using those terms. You’ll also do well for those nearby who search for “Web designer near me.”

Claim Your Google My Business Page

The next step is to claim your business on Google Business Profile. There are so many benefits to having this profile completely filled out that they are hard to list.

First, a Google Business Profile page immediately boosts your reputation with Google, the premier search engine in the world. Having a fully completed profile improves your professionalism and reliability in Google’s eyes, helping your rank more highly.

Secondly, your Google Business Profile page includes essential information for your customers, including your hours, contact information, and details about your products and services. You can also post photos and videos.

Finally, a Google Business Profile page gives you a chance to show up in Google’s Local Pack, a sidebar of search results in the local area. This shows businesses on a map, along with their contact information and reviews.

If you want to do well with SEO, you have to have a Google Business page!

Improve Your Business Visibility Today

Having a small business can make it hard to get noticed, but local search makes a big difference. You can make a big impact by using local keywords and maximising your Google Business Profile page.

Interested in learning more about how to market your business? Contact us today!

5 Reasons Every Business Needs Professional Photos

How do you get customers to notice you? You put something before them that catches their eye.

Most people won’t take the time to read everything they see, but a captivating image effortlessly draws the eye. Plus, the human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text! Images are like putting your content in lightspeed mode!

Using stock photos is an easy way to add visuals to your online and in-print marketing, but is it the best way?

Here are five reasons why you need your own professional photos.

1. People Want to Get to Know You

Stock photos might do okay at catching people’s attention. After all, there are some amazing artists out there who contribute to stock photography.

However, there will always be one thing missing — YOU!

Customers these days want to know who they’re buying from. They want to see photos of you and your employees or your business process — not some random people from the Internet.

2. Photos Represent Your Brand

Furthermore, your photos represent your brand. Using stock photos can only approximate what really goes on in your business. When you take your own photos, you have full creative control over what appears in the image. You can thoroughly customize it, right down to incorporating your business’s colours and identity in the photo.

3. Social Media Is a Powerful Tool

Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are powerful methods for reaching a new audience. However, posts will get lost in the shuffle without an image.

On average, Facebook posts with images get 2.3x more engagement, and Twitter posts with images get an astonishing 150% more shares!

4. Professional Photos Are Better

Smartphones take some amazing photos these days, why do you need a professional? The gear that a photographer uses is a higher quality and will mean that you have a better end result, sharper, cleaner images that you can use from social media up to printed advertising.

5. Professional Photographers Are Better

Furthermore, there is far more to the art of photography than just pressing the shutter button. Lighting, composition, camera settings, and more go into making a 'simple' photo.

Professional photographers have developed an eye for what makes a good image. They’ve studied the rules of composition, learned how to create with light, and know how to get their camera to capture the vision they carry in their head.

Everyone might play at being a photographer these days, but not everyone has the experience and creative vision to back it up.

How to Get Professional Photos

At Fortico, we work with high-quality local photographer in Bude for your social media, marketing material, media kits and website to ensure your brand shows off your persona, rather than using stock images. This is particularly important if you are producing your own products, or have your own guest house or rental property. Still, even if you are delivering services — quality headshots or photos of your office or workspace are important assets.

Contact us today to get started!

Logos and How They Are Used to Identify a Company

Cadbury, Range Rover, Kit-Kat, and of course, the BBC. These are all famous British brands that are recognisable as soon as they are mentioned.

That’s because each of these brands has well-established and well-designed logos that have been instilled in our minds over the years and decades. How could we forget them right?

Of course, “A logo is a graphic mark, emblem, symbol, or stylised name used to identify a company, organisation, product, or brand. It may take the form of an abstract or figurative design, or it may present as a stylised version of the company’s name if it has sufficient brand recognition,” according to the website Investopedia.

Other memorable logos that might come to mind include the iconic wave-like lettering on a Coca-Cola bottle, or the bold white letters spelling out “Heinz” on a can of British baked beans, How about the two famous Rs that make up the Rolls-Royce emblem placed underneath its Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet ornament?

Don’t forget the UK's well-known biscuit the McVities Digestive revered for its sweet, wheaty taste, crumbly texture, and always perfect for dunking in a cup of tea at high noon. 

Whether you read about these brands here or on a billboard, in a magazine, or see them on the television, they visually pop into your head. That’s because brand logos if done correctly, can make or break a company. A good, designed logo is easily recognisable, memorable, and of course, represents your vision.

If you’re starting a business, a brand, or a company you should consider having a well-developed brand logo created. The right logo will help your target market and/or audience identify with what you are trying to sell to them.

However, a logo is much more than a colourful graphic, and perfect lettering, it’s part of a bigger picture that helps build brand identity and what people will see. It can also ultimately build brand loyalty from your target market, audience, and beyond, as this is the goal.

Long Ago

Logos are surely nothing new and have been around for centuries as some suggest, “… history of logos goes back to ancient family crests, hieroglyphs, and symbolism. Early versions of logos developed in the Middle Ages (around 1300 AD), as shops and pubs used signage to represent what they did. The first modern logo designs were created in the early 1900s, evolving alongside mass printing.”

Bottom-line your well-designed logo must represent your brand identity exactly from the get-go as it will set your product apart from the rest of the crowd.

If you need help creating your perfect brand, contact Fortico today and let's see if we can help you with your Cornish brand.

Your Remote Marketing Agency

It's easy to say that the past few months have been difficult for many businesses. Coronavirus has meant that many organisations are in a state of flux; their marketing and business plans are paused at best or, at worst, in the bin.

This can be scary and we've not been immune from this either.

However, we're here to help clients in every way possible to not only survive during these times but hopefully to thrive. Not only have we adapted to the "new normal", but we've also taken several new approaches to ensure that whatever is thrown our way, we can deliver for our clients and be your outsourced in-house remote marketing agency. Whether that is to prepare to get back-up-and-running following lockdown, adapting websites to focus more on e-commerce rather than bricks and mortar stores, or adjusting campaigns to maximise return on investment, we're here to help you.

Prior to lockdown, many of our team already worked from home, ensuring we can be proactive in responding to clients' needs while maintaining a healthy work/life balance. As a result, we are well accustomed to operating in a digital space. Since lockdown, we are engaging with clients over video conferencing software too, and this has led to a significant improvement in information flow, enabling us to become a bigger part of our client's day-to-day operation.

Alongside video conferencing, we've been working with clients to understand how coronavirus has affected their business. This involves analysing their current strategy, whether it is fit for purpose during this period and, if not, working with them to develop new strategies to either temporarily run during the lockdown, and what those plans may look like on the other side of this.

We've then reacted diligently and executed new marketing campaign creative, website design in Cornwall, social media campaigns, blogs and PPC in response to those new strategies.

We hope we're through the worst of the epidemic in the UK. As the economy comes out of hibernation, we're ready to help our clients reopen to and maximise every opportunity that presents itself. We're your remote marketing agency.

If you need a new marketing strategy, new media representation or a new website constructed, contact Fortico Media now and let's have a virtual coffee!

Creativity, collaboration and the benefits of technology

On both a professional and personal level, a lot has changed for me. For now at least, as a company, we are doing what we need to, taking care of ourselves and our loved ones, adapting to a different way of living and most certainly a different way of working.

The entire team at Fortico Media is working remotely. We are no longer together in the same office, sharing the same space, thoughts and ideas in one remarkable creative setting.

What has replaced that is an arsenal of tools that allow us to work differently. Much like the rest of the world, we too have embraced apps such as Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams to make sure we can meet in ways that embrace creativity. We also keep in constant touch via Skype, Slack and WhatsApp. At the same time, our recently launched custom project management tool enables us to keep track of ongoing projects even more efficiently.

You might think that so much change would knock us off our stride or force us to take our eye off the ball. Yet we haven't just embraced change, we are thriving on it.

Working remotely is working... It's working because, for us, creativity is and always will be a collaborative process. Coming together to solve problems, deliver the best possible results and use the very best of each person's strengths and qualities is something we've always done. It's part of our ethos and our DNA.

When it came to the challenge of maintaining that during a time when we weren't all together, well... It was always going to bring out the best in us. It has, and I couldn't be more proud of the team and those who are a part of it.

Of course, we miss our offices in Central London; we miss the faces, the coffee shops, the sights and sounds of the place we (at least in a professional sense) call home. But, we don't miss each other, thanks to the technology at our disposal we can all collaborate, meet, talk and manage projects more efficiently than ever...

For the time being, we are staying put, following the advice and guidelines given to us. There's a whole world out there doing much the same. Organisations like ours are now working differently, making plans, creating ideas and adjusting to a new kind of normal.

Our experience has taught us a lot and has stood us in the best possible stead to help companies look at new ways to communicate.

If you have a project, contact me, perhaps we can meet for a coffee over Zoom!

Take care, stay safe.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, is it true?

You might have the best idea in the world, the best business or the finest service in your field, but if the quality of the imagery you share isn’t up to that same standard, then it can all be for nothing.

You might think professional photography and the very best quality images it can deliver are a luxury, an unnecessary expense. You might think about taking them yourself, or using stock images, if it’s good enough for your competitors, why not you?

The fact is, a professional image created by someone who has taken the time to know and understand you and your brand is priceless. High-quality photography can engage your audience in a way that nothing else can. It can build your brand and contribute to success quickly. If your competitors aren’t doing it, right there and right now there is an advantage to be had, and it’s a big one.

Why waste those thousand words describing to your audience what you can do when one professional photograph can show them?

Your online presence, particularly on social media is representative of your brand on a deep level, isn’t it worth investing the time and care with photos as good as they can be?

Bespoke, personal photographs enable your customers to get to know the real you, your company, your ethos. Try getting that same effect from a stock photo.

Boost your search engine optimisation (SEO) and draw people to your pages for longer with optimised images that are an important part of SEO.

Images are assets! Your images can be used across brochures, marketing campaigns, social media posts, building familiarity and driving engagement time and again.

Whatever your industry, successful promotion and marketing always start with professional imagery, the most vital ammunition in building a successful online presence.

If it’s visual content you need, we deliver.

4 Great Tips for Celebrating Niche Holidays On Social Media

It seems like every time you go on Facebook or Twitter that someone is celebrating an obscure holiday. At the time of writing, it’s ‘celebrate your unique talent day’. So, I am – with a blog post about how social media marketers can use these niche holidays to their advantage.

No matter what industry you are in, whether it is retail, telecoms or even something as bland as insurance, these niche holidays is a great way to engage and connect with your customers and target audience. These holidays are universal (either humorous, silly or informative) and can easily be incorporated into your branding. This can result in some great engagement for your social profiles, such as increased followers, sales and brand perception – which results in a healthy bank balance.

So how can you utilise these holidays to their full potential?

Research of Your Audience and Industry Goes a Long Way

Like any marketing and branding exercise, knowing your audience is fundamental. Research your industry and find out the holidays that are relevant and universal. Websites such as daysoftheyear.com will be helpful to find many niche holidays. While most of them will not be related to your brand or industry, they can be tweaked in your favour. It is also important not to celebrate holidays that will have a negative impact on your brand.

For instance, a dentist should be active on ‘Flossing Day’ (25th of November) and reflect the importance of flossing. On the other hand, a dentist would be unlikely to celebrate ‘Junk Food Day’ (21st July) – due to the majority of junk food causing cavities.

That said, a dentist shouldn’t go out and denounce ‘Junk Food Day’ as they will likely come off as a ‘party pooper’ and likely hurt the brand.

Use Niche Holidays as An Excuse For…

Personality

Social media is built for personalisation and many brands are great at giving an inside view to their company. Niche holidays only enhance this personalisation. On ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater Day’ (16th December), the dentist can come in their most hideous Christmas jumpers and take a photograph for social media.

Because other people will be celebrating the day in some way, it brings a common interest and value – making your brand feel authentic and more relatable.

Deals & Competitions

Christmas is the busiest time for many industries, especially retail. After the Boxing Day sales, revenue drops and there aren’t many other major commercialised holidays to conduct sales – especially in summer.

By using deals that are only available on specific niche holidays, it gives you the element of surprise. Your audience won’t be expecting a discount code on ‘Flossing Day’ and, by creating urgency for a discount for a single day, your audience will share it with their friends and drive traffic to your website.

On top of single days, there are also niche holidays that last weeks and months. These give much more leeway for bigger promotions. For example, a dentist may post a puzzle a week during ‘Brainteaser Month (April 2016) and run a promotion, such as a discount, for the winner of each teaser.

Gain Exposure on An International and Local Level

The great thing about these niche holidays is that those who are interested in the same holiday as your business will be more likely to find you. For example, those who are interested in ‘Floss Day’ will likely be interested in dental health. For a dentist, these are the exact people they would want to target.

However, while these niche holidays are universal and internationally celebrated on social media, a brand shouldn’t neglect those holidays that are local to their business. For example, a dentist in Newcastle may want to post about the Great North Run during the event to increase exposure to the local population.

Take advantage of these opportunities to connect with your audience and your rewards will be an increase in engagement and revenue. We can’t tell you what holidays you should celebrate and what you should do for them, but what we can tell you is that you shouldn’t ignore them – it’s a missed opportunity.