How to Publish Your First Book?

So, you want to publish your first book? That’s amazing! Congratulations!

Writing a book is no small feat, and it’s an even bigger accomplishment to have finished it. Now, you’re ready to share it with the world. But where do you start? How do you get your book out there? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

At Harmonia Media, we believe that everyone has a story to tell. And we want to help you share yours with the world. We offer a comprehensive book publishing service that takes care of everything from editing and formatting to cover design and distribution. Our goal is to make the publishing process as easy and stress-free as possible so that you can focus on what you do best – writing!

Let’s cut through the BS and show you exactly how to get your book published. We’ll go step-by-step through the publishing process so that you can hit the ground running and put your work out there.

Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Decide what and why you want to publish

This is perhaps the most important step in the book publishing process. What’s your why? What do you want to accomplish with your book? Are you an entrepreneur who wants to build authority and credibility in your industry? Are you an artist who wants to showcase your work? Or are you a potential author who just wants to share your story with the world? Having clarity on your purpose will help guide you during the entire publishing process.

Step 2: Write your first draft

Your first draft acts as the foundation of your book. It’s important to take the time and make sure it’s well-written and all of your ideas are articulated effectively. Develop an outline and decide how you want to structure your book; this will make the writing process much easier.

Step 3: Revise and Edit

Before you even think about publishing your book, you need to make sure it’s the best it can be. Take the time to revise and edit your manuscript. Get feedback from beta readers and a professional editor. The better your book is, the more likely it is to be successful.

Step 4: Choose a Publishing Route

There are several publishing options available, including traditional publishing, self-publishing, and hybrid publishing. Each has its pros and cons, so do your research and choose the route that’s best for you and your book.

Self-publishing on your own allows you to have complete creative control, faster publishing time, and higher royalties. However, it can be expensive and time-consuming (unless you are working with us of course! 🙂). Traditional publishing offers you the benefit of expert guidance and support from a publisher, but there are drawbacks, like long lead times and very little control over the finished product.

Hybrid publishing solutions provide you with a boutique experience that combines the best of both worlds – you get access to industry professionals while maintaining control over your book and its publishing timeline. At Harmonia Media, our hybrid publishing model gives you the personalized service and careful attention to detail that you need to make your book a success.

Step 5: Get a Professional Cover Design

Once you’ve chosen a publishing route, it’s time to get creative. Designing your book cover is an important part of the publishing process and will help it stand out from the crowd. Choose a cover design that captures the essence of your book, create an enticing summary, and make sure you have professional-looking formatting.

Your book cover is the first thing readers will see, so make sure it’s eye-catching and professional. This will make all the difference in getting readers to pick up your book.

Step 6: Formatting and Layout

Once you have a final manuscript and cover design, you need to format your book for print or ebook. This can be a tedious process, so it’s best to hire a professional to handle it for you. Our book publishing packages include basic editing, eBook production, book cover design, and out-of-the-box branding that will bring more readers to your work.

Step 7: Getting your book on Amazon

Setting up your book on Amazon involves several steps that need to be followed carefully. Firstly, you need to create an Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account, which is a free service that allows you to self-publish your book on Amazon. Next, you need to prepare your book for publication by formatting your manuscript for Kindle, creating a cover, and writing a book description. Once your book is ready, you can upload it and the cover to KDP.

To preview your book and see how it will look on different Kindle devices, you can use Amazon’s online previewer. When you’re happy with how your book looks and its price, you can publish it on Amazon. However, it’s essential to note that promoting your book is equally important to its success. Amazon provides several promotional tools such as advertising and Kindle Countdown Deals to help you promote your book and get more sales.

It’s worth noting that setting up your book on Amazon can be a complicated process, and you may want to research more about it or seek professional help to ensure that your book is set up correctly and marketed effectively. By following the above steps and adequately promoting your book, you can reach a broader audience and achieve greater success with your book on Amazon.

Step 8: Marketing and Promotion

Once your book is published, the work doesn’t stop there. You need to market and promote your book to get it in front of readers. This can include pre-order launches, book signings, social media, and advertising.

Your digital strategy should also include custom email campaigns, website design, and SEO optimization to help you reach more readers. At Harmonia Media, we work with authors working on their first book to craft a unique targeted digital strategy that fits the needs of their books.

More Than Just a Book

Your book is more than just words on a page. It’s an expression of your passion, creativity, and experience. This is why it’s so important to take the time to understand the publishing process and find a team of experts to ensure a successful launch.

At Harmonia Media, we provide more than just book publishing services. We provide expert guidance and advice on the entire publishing process – from writing to marketing and promotion. We want your book to be a success, and we’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

We are not just any other book publisher; we are a team of creatives and professionals who are passionate about helping authors succeed. We are known for our “Harmonia Difference” which is all about:

  • Fair and Reasonable Pricing
  • High Level of Customer Support
  • From Pre-Manuscript to Post Publishing
  • Ongoing Marketing and Support for our Authors and Their Books
  • 1-to-1 Coaching for Authors
  • Compassionate and Professional Publishing Customer Service

Get Published Today!

Potential authors go through multiple setbacks, rejections, and mistakes before they can get their books published. At Harmonia Media, we help authors overcome these challenges by taking the guesswork out of the publishing process.

We have a team who work with you throughout the entire process, from editing and cover design to marketing, promotion, and distribution. Our team of professionals is passionate about helping authors like you share their stories with the world. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and let’s get your book published!

~ Matt and The Harmonia Team

 

Latest and Greatest for SEO in 2023

SEO, Search Engine Optimization in layman’s terms – what is it and how will it help my company’s website? That is the billion-dollar question businesses around the globe ask themselves each day!

If you are a small to medium sized business trying to increase the number of eyeballs on your company’s website, SEO is how you facilitate doing this. In 2023 optimizing how your business may be found online should be an essential part of your marketing Strategy.

Maximizing SEO for a website is complicated for the inexperienced. If you need help figuring this out be sure to click here. To advise on best practices on the latest and greatest strategies on optimizing your company’s online footprint, we decided to interview an outside colleague for 3rd party representation, Front End Web Developer Typhaney Bennett of Sandoval Agency has shared five sage SEO tips. Thanks for your knowledge Typhaney!

1. Keywords

The majority of websites ranking their content have keywords in their title tag as well as in their content. This helps search engines decide whether the content is relevant or irrelevant to the public. Title tags should be clear, contain relevant keywords and be approximately 60 characters. This will be what the user sees as the title of the page in search results. Keywords should be added naturally to fit semantically into the title. Keyword research is vital in 2023.

2. Content is King

The more content on a page, the better. Search engines, such as Google, want to know that the content that someone is clicking on will be a valuable resource to them. If a user clicks on a webpage and they exit the page in just a few seconds, that is a negative flag and the search engine will lower that page’s rank. Conversely, if someone clicks on content and they stay and they read, that will algorithmically boost the webpage’s ranking because the search engine sees that the content was valuable to the user.

3. Optimizing Images

Speed is extremely important, so you want to make sure the picture files you use on a webpage are optimized for size. You also must properly name your images and have the proper keywords listed as well as for accessibility. Alt tags are metadata that offer text descriptions of the web image you are using – a simple description of the picture (if you use a picture showing the skyline and the beach of Miami, Florida, the summary of the image would simply be “Miami skyline with the beach in the background”).

4. Website Speed and Mobile Responsiveness

Make sure your website loads quickly. A slow website will drag down your page rankings. As noted in the previous paragraph, properly sizing and tagging images is vital. Time is of the essence and search engines have a need for speed!

People want to access websites whenever, wherever and on whatever type device they please. Your website must be easily viewable on a mobile device. According to Statista, in 2021, the number of unique mobile internet users globally was 4.32 billion — over 90percent of the internet population! Mobile technologies, such as phones and tablets, are becoming more affordable, so the number of users should continue to rise. As of 2022, mobile internet traffic accounts for 55 percent of total web traffic.

5. Backlinks

We wrote extensively about the importance of backlink strategy in 2018. Backlinks help spread content out around the web, getting word out about a business and helping search engines recognize that the content coming from a particular website is providing valuable information – because of “social proof”. In other words, the more places the website is showing up online, the more it is recognized in search engines.

Your website is now SEO ready for 2023! According to Google Search Essentials, “It doesn’t cost any money to appear in Google Search results, no matter what anyone tries to tell you.” If you’re not paying for advertising, SEO best practices are vital. How vital? According to Brightedge Research, organic search remains the dominant source of trackable web traffic, a whopping 53.3%!

~ by Marc Kravitz

3 Tips to Help Nurture Your Clients So They Love You Back

The most beneficial way to attract new customers is by turning to the customers you already have.

– The ones who have previously used your product or service are more likely to come back if they were satisfied and had a good experience during their last purchase.

– They are also more likely to talk about your business with friends and family. A word-of-mouth referral is still the best and most trust-worthy way people learn about businesses.

By nurturing relationships with those of your existing clients, you can build client and brand loyalty that will contribute to growing your business in a cheaper and more efficient way. Harmonia Media wants to help you nurture your clients so they love you back. Contact us for details on how we’ll help you do just that!

What is Client Nurturing?

Client nurturing is the practice of building sustainable, mutually beneficial long-term relationships with your customers. One thing is for certain, when it comes to client nurturing, there is always more you can do. Here are three tips to help you reach out and touch…

Use Analytics:

Getting to know your clientele is key in developing strong relationships. Learning why your customers are interested in your products and services will help to inform your marketing efforts. You should always get ranges of your audiences’ age, gender, location, profession, demographics, etc.

In a world where people don’t buy products or services as much as they buy solutions, knowing the wants and needs of your current clients can help you answer their questions before they even have time to ask.

Get Social:

If you have a platform online with an audience, you should spend time interacting or engaging with the people who follow you. Social media is not just for paid promotional posts, sharing the latest news, or linking your most recent work.

It is also a critical tool for networking and conversing. Replying to direct messages, setting up “Ask Me Anything” or Q+A Instagram allows you to reach out to your followers in a great way to get to know your audience on a personal level organically. Your clients and audience will feel connected, heard and appreciated which is one of the best ways to further nurture your relationships while fostering new ones.

This is also a great way to get them to spread the good word about your company!

Don’t Forget Email:

Email nurturing campaigns are one of the most powerful ways to communicate and engage with clients. It is super direct while being personal. The rule of thumb is if a client consented to giving their email, they have already been exposed to your product or service and are willing to correspond with you. This is important because you want to stay in front of clients so when they need you, you have become unforgettable.

For client nurturing purposes, try to keep emails simple and to-the-point to the interests of your audience. People don’t have the time to read paragraph-filled emails. Be quick, clever, engaging and informative. If you succeed, you’ll get more opens (and hopefully clicks) each time you send an email.

And don’t forget to keep an eye on click-through/open rates. Remember what we said about analytics. You can receive valuable insight into which strategies and analytics work best for your clients by examining how they respond to your emails.

Harmonia Media Can Get You Started with a Rockin’ Email Nurturing Campaign

Ready to knock the socks off your clients with fun and compelling emails? Harmonia is here to help. Whether you are looking to just keep in touch or engage people on a regular basis, we will design an email campaign for your company that keeps your brand top of mind with clients—and may encourage not only repeat business but referrals!

Contact us to schedule a phone call consultation about creating an email campaign or any other digital marketing strategy. We are here to help you get your brand out there and drive traffic to your website.

Retain Customers with Nurturing Emails

Maybe you have heard email is dead. In fact, if you Google email marketing you can read countless articles about how it’s not working anymore. But you can also read three times as many that say email marketing is quite alive, well and truly effective.

If you haven’t tried to get in contact with past customers with a targeted email nurturing campaign, you are leaving money on the table. As you know, it’s so much easier to retain a client than to attract a new one–in terms of time and certainly money.

The Power of Retention

There have been countless studies. And the research makes sense. It’s cheaper and easier to catch the attention of someone who has already purchased from your company than it is to go out into the big world and find new customers to buy.

1. Companies are far more likely to get a repeat sale than to get a new customer (statistics say 60 to 70% more likely)!

2. Further, you have to spend seven times more to attract a new customer versus nurturing one already in your fan base.

An email campaign aimed at sharing news about new products and services or simply touching base with some news they can use isn’t intrusive. People will open the emails they are interested in–whether or not you email them. So why not be in the mix?

You never know when someone needs exactly what you are selling. Or, perhaps more importantly, they know someone who needs what you are selling. Now one email interests two customers! 

Creating compelling email campaigns is a cost effective way to stay in touch with people who have already purchased from you, or have at least kicked the tires on your website. Now we just have to bring them back for more!

At Harmonia Media, we specialize in creative email marketing campaigns.

Need Help with an Email Marketing Campaign?
Contact Harmonia Media for Budget Friendly Help!

We already know how powerful email marketing can be, especially when you have a solid customer email list to contact. Further, you can not only re-engage past and current clients but you can also acquire new customers.

Ideas for Retention Emails

1. Send a newsletter! Touching base weekly, bi-weekly or monthly keeps your brand in front of customers’ eyes. 

– You can share information about new products and services.
– You can link to blog posts that offer timely tidbits of information customers can use in their own lives.
– Share articles that position your company as a thought leader in your space, thereby encouraging continued allegiance and perhaps another visit to your website.

2. When someone has made a purchase, try to continue the conversation. Send a followup email to get their opinion on their purchase and maybe even give them a reason to post a good review.

Of course, and this is crucial, if they didn’t have a good experience, take care of it immediately!

3. Share “insider” news about flash sales or customer loyalty programs.

4. Introduce customers to other items you sell. If they were happy with the first purchase, they might very well be convinced via an email (perhaps with a coupon code?) to buy again.

Digital marketing involves an entire toolbox of strategies to win and keep customers. It’s important to keep all of your tools sharp and use them well. You’ve heard the old saying about using the right tool for the job? 

Email marketing is often a great tool when it comes to staying top of mind with customers. But sending out emails without a strategy won’t get you very far. Work with Harmonia Media to plan out a strategic email nurturing campaign to keep your customers coming back for more. 

Contact us to set up a free phone consultation.

Let’s Turn Tire-Kickers Into Buyers with a Website Update!

There is always some new widget or service being offered to up your online marketing game. But, does your site need that thing or could you use something else to attract more business online?

It’s hard to know until Harmonia Media analyzes your online assets–website and other online platforms (blog and social media, for example). But suffice it to say that you don’t need every bell and whistle out there.

If you aren’t sure if you need to refresh your website, check out Part 1 of this blog: 4 Dead Giveaways that It’s Time to Update Your Website. Then come back here to find out how Harmonia Media can help you get the job done within your timeframe – on your budget!

Contact Harmonia for a FREE Consultation
to Find Out If Your Website Needs an Update!

What’s new today might be old tomorrow. 

And certainly what was slick and new last year can look outdated–and scare prospects away–today!

Don’t panic. You don’t need to throw everything at the wall to see if it sticks. You just need to be sure that your online brand is accessible and user friendly.

Perhaps you have heard the term “UX?” 

UX means user experience. You want every user to be able to easily navigate your website, get the answers to the questions they seek and be pulled like a magnet to your “buy now” button.

When it’s done well, the UX turns tire kickers into buyers. If a user’s experience on your website creates confusion or frustration, you are likely sending customers away to shop the competition.

Begin at the Beginning

Get a FREE in depth website audit to find out what aspects of your website need help from a technology perspective. If your website looks wonky on mobile devices, you are most certainly losing business. Are your call-to-action buttons attractive and do they get prospective customers to click? No? It’s time for some digital marketing love.

These are important things to check from the start:

1. Is your content readable and up-to-date?
2. Are you in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act?
3. How does your analytics report look? This will tell volumes about the back end of your site and what needs to be upgraded.
4. Is your navigation modern-looking?
5. What does your competitive analysis look like?
6. Is your Search Engine Optimization updated?
7. The list goes on and on…

Request your FREE website audit from Harmonia Media NOW! 

Next Steps…

You know there is some housekeeping that needs to get done on the back end. We suggest you focus on your core business and customers and hire Harmonia Media to take care of those things.

But before anything else, you should take a good, hard look at your website. Do you even like it anymore? You loved it (or maybe not!) when you launched it years ago. But times change. Best practices change. Tastes change. Perhaps that brown/gold combo you chose then looks hideous to you now. We can change it!

So look at it from a web visitor’s point of view and consider the following:

Design: This means we look at colors, templates used for the entire site, call to action buttons and navigation. There is so much that goes into design as it relates to “user experience.” When you are re-doing your website, take these points into consideration and make sure your updated website reflects modern best practices and your brand personality.

Content: If people can’t understand your website messaging, what’s the point? Both users and Google demand easy-to-understand and easy to find information. If people have to read a paragraph twice…they will bounce.

Make sure your content answers their questions and helps alleviate their pain or overcome their challenges. Bad content makes an out-of-date website even worse!

SEO: If your website is your online home, SEO (search engine optimization) is the roadmap to get there. If your SEO isn’t set up correctly, updated and managed frequently, or doesn’t go head-to-head with your direct competition, then people will not find you.

If they don’t find your website…cue the dismal music…no sales for you. Further, great SEO allows Google to return your company higher in search rankings and, in turn, people find you easier!

How well is your website performing?
Request your FREE website report card and find out.

You have no choice. Your company has to be loud and proud and come up high in Google search. That’s how people conduct business these days. Don’t get left out because your website is outdated, slow or frustrating to navigate. Harmonia Media will help.

When it comes to digital marketing, we got this. We’ve done it for countless other companies and we can do it for yours–at a price you can afford. Plus, we are cool people to work with! Contact Harmonia now here or call (888) 683-5199. Let’s do this!

4 Dead Giveaways it’s Time to Update Your Website

I know. I know what you are thinking. “We just re-did our website and marketing materials five years ago! It cost time and a lot of money. Why do we need to go through that again?”

Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t–at least, not yet. But let’s take a closer look. At Harmonia Media, a boutique, client-centric digital marketing firm, we don’t believe in fixing things that aren’t broken and we don’t charge for work we don’t perform or, worse, that didn’t need to be done in the first place!

Contact Harmonia for a FREE Consultation
to Find Out If Your Website Needs an Update!

First things first. When you truly need a website refresh, you don’t have a real choice. If you don’t “get with the times,” your customers will be passing you by and buying from your competition. No one will spend money with a company that isn’t putting its best foot forward.

And, make no mistake about it: online, your website is your “home.” You want people to visit and stay a while. Chasing them away isn’t going to increase sales.

Secondly, you already know how fast the digital world works. What’s new today will be outdated by next week. (In some cases, sooner!) How often does a new model of the iPhone get released? Exactly.

So, it’s time for a website refresh if you say “yes” to any of these things:

1. Your website looks outdated. The design looks like the equivalent of a puffy shouldered jacket from 1984. Your logo is too big or too small on the page. Your design incorporates colors that were fashionable 10 years ago. The site doesn’t show up correctly on mobile. Things are buzzing or flashing around. Maybe you just aren’t in love with what is now an old site anymore.

A brand refresh will help modernize not only your site but your public persona. Harmonia Media can help you take what’s old and make it brand new again!

2. Your website is confusing and difficult to navigate. Times have changed. Navigation menu designs are very different nowadays than even a year ago. This goes back to user experience. People don’t have the time or patience to do a deep dive to find your contact information on your website. They want answers to questions and they are searching for FAQs. They want to read reviews and your site doesn’t have any.

Harmonia Media can help you update your brand identity online so that customers who find your website are confident enough to take action.

3. You’ve changed your business model/products/services offered and your website doesn’t reflect the changes. This happens all the time! Companies evolve and grow with the times. The product featured on your homepage is no longer your top seller. But your new flagship product is buried on the site and not easy to find!

This obviously needs to be fixed. Some simple page redesigns may do the trick. Harmonia Media has plenty of tricks in its bag to spotlight specific offerings to you current clients and prospects.

4. Content: it’s horrible, there’s not enough or there’s too much. If your content is not on point, you won’t attract and retain a website visitor’s attention. Nobody has time to try to decipher bad content. People are looking for information or to buy something NOW. If you confuse them with jargon or poorly written copy, your website will do the opposite of what you created it to do. And your competitors will thank you!

Harmonia Media will supply you with content that not only provides excellent UX but that attracts “Google Juice” and helps your site appear higher in web search results. (Google LOVES high quality content.)

Honestly, take a look at your website. Would you buy from your company? Or would you bounce and click to look elsewhere?

Finally, don’t get overwhelmed. It’s important to note that you don’t have to take on the entire rebranding process all at once. You can bite off chunks to make the budget spend more palatable.

Another option, if you like your current website but want to try something new with your brand, Harmonia Media can introduce you to some new strategies that will build business. Perhaps we can redirect attention toward a user friendly and welcoming email campaign that puts your company top of mind for customers–only and new. (Think: get people to look at the new lamp and not the old carpet!)

When it comes to digital marketing, we got this. We’ve done it for countless other companies and we can do it for yours–at a price you can afford. Plus, we are cool people to work with!

Contact us now here or call (888) 683-5199. We are ready when you are!

Guaranteed Solution to Make Your Google Business Profile a Customer Magnet

If you have a business and you want to find customers online, it’s extremely important to claim your business profile page on what most people still call Google My Business. The company recently updated the name to avoid confusion. Google My Business is now called Google Business Profile.

Click NOW to
Get Found Fast on Google!
GUARANTEED!

With your business name, location and category, you can claim your profile page.  Once claimed, your page will appear in Google Maps.

It’s not until you put in some time and effort to make the most of your Google Business Profile that it will truly help guide customers to your online “door”—your homepage.

Who Needs a Google Business Profile?

Research reveals that 97 percent of consumers do a Google search to find out about local companies before hiring anyone. Further, when it comes to finding out details about a local business,64 percent use Google Business Profiles.

Most exciting, 16 percent of service companies say more than 100 calls received every come from consumers after checking a company’s Google Business Profile.

In other words, managing your company’s Google profile page is especially important for service companies looking to attract LOCAL customers–companies like plumbers, Heating & Air Conditioning repair, lawn care, bakeries, various types of restaurants and so many others.

Google Business Profiles are also a key marketing tool for professional advisors including accountants, financial advisors, lawyers, doctors, etc.

The world becomes “flatter” by the day, according to New York Times journalist and author Thomas Friedman, because the Internet makes it easy to buy from and interact with people on the other side of the world instantly.

Even so, most people like to hire local companies. In many cases, theyhaveto hire local; why would you hire someone to install a fence if their store was in another state?

It’s not feasible economically nor is it realistic to outsource local work to companies that are not local. This is especially true with today’s gas prices and the current supply chain challenges being experienced across the country.

When you need to hire someone to do something, what do you do? You Google it!

If you want your company to be at the top of the list when someone searches for the service you sell, allow us to pay attention to your Google Business Profile!

We Got You Covered!

Oh, and did we mention, claiming and updating your Google Business Profile is FREE? It’s true!

But the cost may be irrelevant if you are not tech savvy. And most people who are great at what they do don’t keep up with digital marketing best practices. Why would they?

Now, before you get tech-frustrated, it’s important to know that companies like Harmonia Media will not only manage your Google Business Profile but we will take additional steps to continuously update it so your website gets a whole bunch of Google love.

In other words, if Harmonia Media is managing your Google Business Profile, your company will come up at the top of Google results when anyone searches for a business like yours located near them.

Once we help you claim ownership of your company’s page on Google, a world of opportunity will open before your eyes. Local customers will find your website much faster than without a Google Business Profile that is optimized for search. That means MORE SALES!

We will add tons of content to your page and make sure people get all the information you want them to see when they come to your Google Business Profile. This includes your logo, photos, social media links, customer reviews and much more. We will also use this page to maximize search engine optimization (SEO)—another shot on goal to claim customers in your very competitive market!

Rest assured, we will keep Google happy with high quality content so your company gets the attention from prospective customers it deserves!

It’s time to learn what you don’t know about Google Business Profiles! Reach out today!

Hire Harmonia Media to Maximize Your Google Business Profile!
Results Guaranteed!

The 5 Ws & H on Website ADA Compliance

This is the second blog post in a two-part series about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its impact on digital marketing: a.k.a. your website! Read the first article in this series here.

Who needs to be worried about ADA Compliance? 

YOU! If you have a website, don’t stop reading this article!

What is the ADA? 

The ADA is the acronym for the American Disabilities Act. It’s a civil rights law that makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities. It first became law in 1990 and an amended version went into effect on Jan. 1, 2009. The amended version redefined the concept of “disability.”

Of course, the ADA protects people on the basis of race, age, color, sex, religion and national origin. When it comes to employment, public places, transportation and government buildings, all people who define as disabled are entitled to accommodations.

Most people know all of this as it relates to elevators and ramps and other brick and mortar accommodations. Here’s what you may not know…

Why should companies care about the ADA?

There is another market sector impacted by the ADA: telecommunications.

Simply put, if your website and other electronic means of communicating with the public are not ADA compliant, your company can be fined significantly.

The “why” your website needs to be ADA compliant is easily answered. To avoid hefty fines and, quite frankly, not being of service to a presumably large number of potential customers, it’s important to make sure your website is ADA compliant.

How can I upgrade my website so it’s ADA compliant?

The best way is to engage a digital marketing firm, like Harmonia Media, that has the experience and knowledge to make sure the transition to ADA compliance is a smooth one. You also want it done correctly so hiring someone who specializes in this work is a great idea.

Contact Harmonia Media about ADA Compliance NOW

Harmonia Media will make sure your website includes closed captioning capabilities for videos for the hearing impaired, text-to-speech capabilities for people who are unable to type, screen reader compatibility options for those who are visually impaired, etc.

According to the ADA’s written instructions, here’s what you need to do to your site to make sure it is in full compliance with the law:

  • Make it easy to use a keyboard to navigate your site
  • Create subtitles that appear when videos play
  • Make it very easy to find information on your website with a sitemap that can be read by screen reader technology.
  • Make sure content, design and development are easy to consume and use

When should I update my website to make it ADA compliant?

Yesterday. The Americans with Disabilities Act is the law of the land. If you haven’t been fined for disregarding it yet, count yourself as lucky. If you are creating a brand new site or refreshing an existing one, make sure ADA compliance is on your “to do” checklist.

Don’t forget to test compliance before you implement it. Can you imagine the frustration someone might experience if they saw the insignia for ADA compliance but couldn’t make a function work properly? In the customer’s eyes, it might even be worse than no compliance at all!

When it comes to testing, Harmonia Media won’t let you get caught with your pants down! We will test each aspect of ADA compliance as it’s added to your website and continue to do this until the job is done

WHERE is the easiest part of all!

By where, we don’t mean where you should be focused on ADA compliance. That’s easy: your website!

But there’s another “where: to think about. While getting up to speed on ADA compliance isn’t expensive, there are many reasons beyond “it’s the law” for why you should get it done sooner rather than later. A great one is that you can include the fact that you are ADA friendly in your marketing materials. Every bit of positive PR helps your bottom line!

An Extra B…

Bottom Line: At the end of the day, ADA compliance is the right thing to do and it’s also the law. But, if you are worried about the small expense of getting it done, may we suggest the following: ADA compliance, like so many other things, is the price of doing business these days. Keeping customers happy so they refer you and come back and buy again is the name of the game in today’s ultra competitive marketplace.

So, bite the bullet and contact Harmonia Media. We will make ADA compliance budget friendly and painless! 

Get People to “BUY NOW:” Use Chatbots to Upgrade UX

When you get the urge to buy something, whether a new gadget or food or a replacement part for your stove (or absolutely anything else!) — where do you turn? Google or Amazon, right?

And, then, with a few keystrokes, you poke around, hopefully find what you are looking for and, if the price is right, you BUY NOW!

But, what if you have some questions? 

What if you cannot find what you are looking for when you click to get some more information on the product in your cart? 

What if the company’s website is difficult to navigate? 

Worse yet, what if you can’t figure out how to contact the company?

What do you do then? That’s easy! You bounce.

Enter Chatbots

You know ‘em. You love ‘em. Well, maybe not. But they are incredibly helpful and all research points to the fact that more customers will stay on your website and buy from you if you install a chatbot feature on your site. 

Top Reasons Your Website Needs a Chatbot Feature 

  • You can answer customer questions fast
  • You can personalize the user experience on your site–and people love that!
  • Chatbots make people feel like they are able to help themselves in the moment
  • Reduce call times and workload on your agents
  • MORE SALES!
  • Bottom line: your customers will be happier and less frustrated
  • Smart chatbots are available when your live agents are not!

Life Without Chatbots

On the other hand, without a chatbot on your website, here’s the customer scenario:

They get frustrated when they can’t get answers to their questions. Then they leave your site and find another company selling the same thing, or something similar. And, if shipping is free and fast–woo hoo, you are delighted and practically standing by the mailbox waiting, right?

Get the Facts!

According to a recent report released by Drift, there are many reasons people get upset with companies and choose not to buy from them. The top three, the ones you can absolutely attend to and fix are these:

People hate it when…

  • They can’t get immediate answers to seemingly simple questions.
  • They get frustrated with the user experience of the website itself–this confusing navigation, slow loads, etc.
  • They can’t easily find a phone number or way to contact the company.

The report makes one thing very clear. People don’t want to wait at all! They want information and they want it Right. In. The. Moment.

Which brings us back to chatbots!

This is not rocket science. Think about your own experience when you are shopping online. More often than not, you are not just “kicking tires.” You want/need to make a purchase. And if you have a question, you want an answer now.

On the other hand, let’s say you are just window shopping and need information to help propel you toward a decision. Then, you have questions and you want answers now.

Bottom line, people want to be able to easily find the information they need or contact you quickly to find out. And gone are the days when anyone is willing to send an email and wait. Today’s online shoppers would compare that waiting game with a colonial ancestor waiting for Paul Revere to ride by with the mail…someday.

This goes for forms, too. When someone fills out a contact form, the wait for a response is maddening. Customers feel the “need for speed” and sometimes any amount of time waiting is too long.

Chatbot technology is far from new, but Internet shoppers, according to the Drift report, say they will use a chatbot to get an immediate response from a company.

According to Drift: “Just 11% of survey respondents expect immediate responses from forms, compared to 42% for chatbots.”

People think about chatbots like they are having a real time conversation with an agent who can help right away.

Maybe it’s time you updated your web-based communications to increase “buy now” opportunities? Give Harmonia Media a call and we will suggest several ways to upgrade your users’ experience online.

We are ready to chat. Are you? Call (800) 531-3704 to schedule an appointment.

Are You ADA Compliant?

This is the first blog post in a two-part series about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its impact on digital marketing: a.k.a. your website! 

You may be thinking: “Do you mean is my office or building ADA compliant?” And, your answer might be, “Sure…ramps, elevators…we are absolutely wheelchair accessible, etc.”

But that’s not the question. The question is: Are YOU ADA compliant? Are you communicating with customers and prospects in a way that is in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act? Specifically, we are talking about your main form of communication: your website.

YES! I Want to Be ADA Compliant!

Help Me Now!

If you have no idea what we are really talking about here, you are far from alone. Most business owners don’t know that every aspect of their companies needs to be accessible to people with varying disabilities.

On your website, blind people, hard of hearing and deaf people, anyone with a disability that requires accommodation by the U.S. government’s ADA guidelines, must be given appropriate access to the information you offer online. They must also be provided with ways to contact and interact with you.

The truth is, ADA compliance is a good thing for you and your company. It makes what you sell available to everyone!

The challenge lies in the fact that making your website ADA compliant takes a bit of work by an experienced website company. Hey, since you are here and reading this article, why not give Harmonia Media a call about getting your website ADA compliant?

Upgrade Your ADA Compliance!

Contact Harmonia Now!

Think about it this way, if you happened to have a disability that made it difficult for you to surf the net and shop, you would likely only buy from companies that took your needs into consideration. Further, it’s the law. Every website must make it just as easy for someone with a disability to listen to your videos, read your copy, move throughout your website and more as it is for someone without a disability.

Digital marketing companies, according to this article, can make fast changes that cover “all disabled categories (auditory, motor, cognitive, and visual)” and provide access for all. Call Harmonia Media to learn more at

The good news: The ADA lists compliance guidelines and standards that your website must meet to be in good standing.

The not-so-good news? If you are reported for being out of compliance, you’ll likely be facing hefty fines–like thousands of dollars. In fact, just one fine will cost you far more than simply hiring a good web company to upgrade your website to be ADA compliant.

Don’t wait until you are faced with fines!

Contact Harmonia Media Today!

What Does It Mean to Be ADA Compliant?

As you already know, buildings must be able to accommodate people in wheelchairs. Therefore, ramps and elevators are required in addition to the staircases you already have in the building. Further, handicapped accessible bathrooms and parking are required for people who have trouble walking or may need more room for their wheelchair and other mobility-related equipment,

All of this has been the law since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990.

Then, in 2010, the ADA was enhanced to enable other types of disabilities to be accommodated. For example, Braille signs and certain types of tiling on floors and walls that can be felt without looking are now required for ADA compliance.

By the way, these rules apply whether your building, parking lot, restrooms, etc., are privately owned (like an office building) or publicly owned (like an airport.)

Now, all forms of advertising are included in the ADA. This means that websites and social media platforms must meet ADA standards, as well. Not only is this a good business practice, but making sure everyone who may want to visit your website is able to have the same experience is important for your bottom line.

Plus, as we said, lack of ADA compliance denies differently-abled people their federal civil rights. The ADA expressly prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities–and this applies to limitations that can be seen and those that can’t.

While it’s true that you won’t get slapped with a hefty fine until you get reported or found out some other way, it’s also true that many judges have ruled in favor of people who file lawsuits.

The time is now! And, we can help. Contact Harmonia Media and we will do all the work to make sure your website is completely inline with all ADA guidelines. 

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