Web Designs for Small Business

Local waterfowl artist Wally Makuchal, Jr. has announced the sale of a limited number of 2009-2010 Maryland Duck Stamp prints. The prints depict a pair of Blue-winged Teal enjoying a quiet winter morning alongside a partially frozen Delmarva pond. The original work took top honors at the 2009-2010 Maryland Migratory Gamebird Stamp Design Competition held in Laurel, MD, also known as Maryland’s ‘duck stamp contest’. The Maryland duck stamp program is the fourth oldest of it’s kind in the U.S. and is in it’s thirty-fifth year of raising funds to preserve and restore precious waterfowl and other wildlife in the state.

The edition size is limited to 1400 standard and 160 artist proofs reproduced in fade resistant inks on acid-free paper. The image is approximately 7 by 9.75 inches and overall paper size is 12 by 14 inches. Prints are signed and numbered by the artist, and enclosed in an acid-free protective folder. Original pencil and color remarques will be available on either edition. Prints will be available in early October of 2009. Please call 410-632-2825 to place an order or visit the website to see other artwork available for sale.

The artist’s paintings have won several state stamp competitions. He won the Maryland Migratory Gamebird Stamp Design Competition in1999, the Florida duck stamp in 1996 and in the same year, the Maryland trout stamp. Wally owns and operates Makuchal’s Signs in Girdletree, MD and paints in his spare time.

A photo gallery of the latest duck stamp print as well as earlier prints is available at www.makuchalsigns.com.

Before launching a website to represent a charter boat or guiding business, owners may want to learn the basics of website layouts, how to target keywords and phrases, and how to rank highest in search engine rankings.

Setting up a website for your charter boat or guide service is one of the most important decisions of your business. The key aspect of a charter boat or guide website is its ability to be found by your customers. Before selecting a web design company, the business owner should learn the basics of keyword research, create a list of important search terms that relate to their business and choose a specialist that can create a successful site.

Not all web design companies specialize in search engine optimization, so it is important to review past examples of success when choosing a web design company. Do they have existing clients that rank high in search engine results? Are they up to date on the latest technology?

A reputable designer can explain all the factors that influence a website’s search engine rankings, suggest which key phrases might be important and offer services to help your site perform well on Google, Bing and other search engines. After all, the most exquisite and artful website in the world cannot put paying customers on your boat unless they can find you online.

Once the business owner has a clear set of goals for attracting customers via the internet, a good idea is to create a list of features that are needed for the website. A blueprint of the site may include only a single page or a menu which includes several pages. Essential to any charter boat website is the home page, which may feature a few photos and a brief description of services. Larger sites will have a full menu on the home page, listing all the important sections that clients may need to access.

Many charter boat owners will need a photo gallery which accurately depicts the types of charters they will provide. For fishing charters, this may include a collection of photos and videos that show the types of fishing and species caught. Other charters such as nature cruise and sailing charters may need images that focus on local scenery, events and aspects of the boat.

Many charter boat owners will include sections on rates, types of trips, what to bring, driving directions and other important information. These sections can eliminate mix-ups and provide customers with a clear understanding of the services available.

Some charter services include a blog on their website. Blogs, news pages and fishing report sections are extremely popular among audiences and can be a vital tool for building a portfolio of repeat customers. Some blogging tools combine a Captain’s entries, photos and guests comments to create an interactive experience that attracts a loyal following of readers throughout the season.

A charter boat or guide website can also be an important sales tool. In addition to traditional services such as fishing charters, cruises and tours,  many top charter boat operators and guides offer t-shirts, sweatshirts, custom tackle and other accessories. A good website can increase sales of gear which has become a valuable source of income for many businesses.

Once the website is launched, a specialist can show you cost effective ways to improve your search engine ranks, target specific search terms and bring more readers to your site. The end result of these steps should put more paying customers aboard your boat.

For help with setting up a charter boat website, improving your search engine rankings or local, national and international advertising, visit Daybreak Web Designs.

Social media includes the use of tools such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other web 2.0 sites.

Social media is becoming an essential tool for area businesses and can be a very efficient method of reaching and communicating with your customers.

In addition to bringing new customers to your business, using social media is a cost effective way to retain existing clients, publish news and special offers and network with other businesses.

If you have thought about using social media for your business or organization, please contact us for a free consultation.  We offer courteous service and reasonable pricing on a wide variety of social media services.

At Daybreak Web Designs we tend to shy away from offers that boast about miraculous improvements in website rankings with Google and other search engines. While a long term strategy is important in developing website traffic and search engine position, it is important to realize that continued refinement of search engines such as Google and Bing has made it possible for sites to claim top listings overnight and sometimes faster.

The key to success usually includes a well rounded effort to gain backlinks and optimize pages in such a way as to present the best web resource possible to popular search engines.  For businesses that rely on website traffic, implementing a search engine optimization plan can be well worth the investment.

A local artist and aerial photographer from Chincoteague Island Virginia has announced a new online photo gallery of the 2009 Chincoteague Pony Roundup.The online gallery includes aerial photographs of the 2009 Chincoteague Pony roundup as the ponies were moved down the coast of Assateague Island from the northern corral to the southern corral in preparation of the 2009 Chincoteague Pony Swim.

The 2009 roundup was the first time this famous event was captured by aerial photography. The pictures were taken after an extensive permitting process by the National Park Service and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

The wild ponies are the property of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company whose famous “saltwater cowboys” round up the horses annually during the Pony Penning on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July. The ponies swim across Assateague Channel at slack tide on Wednesday, then auctioned off on Thursday. This “pony swim” is the highlight of the summer season on Chincoteague Island.

Each image shown in the gallery is available as a high quality print. The photos are offered in a variety of sizes on high quality paper and permanent vibrant inks. Each print will be signed by the photographer and are certain to retain their value for many years to come. Highcamera Aerial Photographic Service offers these images as well as images for real estate, construction progress and advertising on demand.

Visit highcamera.com to view aerial photographs of the 2009 Chincoteague Pony Roundup.