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How to communicate with your Aged Care audience

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When it comes to the wellbeing of a loved one, people need to see that providers care about their residents, not only clinically, but also emotionally, intellectually and even spiritually. In Aged Care, communication is all about trust, credibility and connection. Here are some key points of advice to help providers communicate with potential customers in a deeper, more meaningful way:

1. Keep it human

Loved ones want to see quality of life, independence, happiness and laughter, with residents doing the things that make them happy. They want to see pictures and heartfelt messages, and don’t care as much about numbers, facts and figures when picking an Aged Care home. Your branding should focus on the individuals in your community, so you should avoid using language that reduces the humanity of care. For example, it’s makes a big difference to refer to residential care as a home, not a facility or institution. A home is a place people feel comfortable and in charge of their lifestyle, while a facility sounds cold and clinical. When it comes to communication, showing your human side is key.

2. Demonstrate your values

Your future residents are looking for certain values, like love, trust, respect and inclusion as part of their decision to choose you as their Aged Care provider. But it’s not enough just to merely give these concepts a passing mention on your website, social media and brochures; you need to truly demonstrate them. The key to demonstrating your values is to show not tell: for example, providing plenty of pictures your values in practice and regularly communications via social media, and ongoing newsletters. By keeping residents’ loved ones in the loop, you can demonstrate that you follow through on your values.

3. Cover their pain points

The decision to move into aged care can be an agonising struggle for many seniors and their loved ones. Often, the decision is accompanied by feelings of guilt, concerns over money, and confusion over extra services. It’s imperative that you understand the pain points at the heart of your customer’s decision-making process and that you do what you can to offer a solution. By making life easier for residents and their loved ones during such a crucial time in their lives, your Aged Care community will become the top choice.

4. Positive messaging

Positive messaging is crucial to communicating with an Aged Care audience, especially surrounding certain key areas. For example, loved ones and residents like to see positive messaging around community, 24-hour clinical care, exceptional comfort and great food. They also love to be reminded that they’re worth it and that they deserve to be treated to a luxurious experience. By offering positive messaging around these areas, you’re likely to trigger stronger feelings and attract more interest in your Aged Care community.

5. Consistency

Sending out a newsletter or doing a quick post to social media here and there is not going to cut it in 2019, as more and more people engage with brands over online channels. You need to be consistent and have an ongoing communications plan if you wish to see results from your marketing efforts. Aged Care brands that are consistent, and have a well-established social media presence, tend to have stronger and more engaged communities, and community is the heart of success in the Aged Care industry.

The team at Merryn Bourne Creative are Aged Care specialists. We solve business problems, providing organisations with the right approach to engage audiences and deliver the bottom-line results they’re looking for. Whether you need to review your current marketing or start afresh, we will write and implement the strategy to increase your brand reputation, market attractiveness and the overall velocity of your sales. For more information, contact us today.

3 things all excellent aged care brands do

Branding is everything when it comes to selling aged care. Families simply want their loved one to go to a facility that will take exceptional care of them, treat them with dignity and provide them with quality of life. When people shop for aged care, they’re not only looking for a good price, they’re looking for human connections – nurses who smile, amenities like home, as well as an environment of laughter and friendship. Strong aged care brands understand this, not only offering exceptional care, but communicating it in a meaningful way. Here are three signs of an excellent aged care brand:

1.They’re unique

Many aged care providers struggle to stand out in such a competitive industry. Often this is because they’re trying to be it all, for example, “a luxury facility at a low price with excellent care and quality of life”. While it can be tempting to try and corner the entire market, this approach rarely works. A strong aged care brand finds its niche – its unique selling point – and focuses only on this. What does it stand for? What does the organisation value most? An excellent brand will always avoid using things like quality of care or accommodation as unique selling points – these are merely standard expectations for the industry. Instead, it will focus on an area where it truly stands out against the pack, for example, it’s community, the diversity of its residents or the specific location. Remember, it’s the unique brands that have the strongest voices, so always dare to be different.

2.They’re consistent

The aged care industry is constantly changing, which is why it can be tempting to shift your brand offering to accommodate new market demands as they arise. While being agile to change is important, a strong brand never changes its essence or its core offering. While moulding your brand entirely every time there’s a shift in the market can work in the short term, it can destroy brand reputation in the long term. After all, there’s nothing worse than a company that doesn’t keep its promises. Remember, excellent brands dictate market activity – they’re not dictated by it. Your brand identity is one of your most valuable commodities, so stand your ground and remain true to your values no matter what happens.

3.They build community

An exceptional aged care brand doesn’t just care for its residents, but also the wider community. It utilises digital channels to keep residents’ families in the loop – not just to drive traffic to its website. Strong brands avoid the mistake of using digital communications for advertising. Instead, they offer meaningful information that loved ones and future residents will want to read. They understand that adding value is essential, offering up some of their aged care expertise to their networks. For example, providing healthcare advice, telling residents’ stories or keeping the wider community informed about what’s going on at the facility. Strong aged care brands understand that providing something worth reading helps to develop a stronger voice, and they do this wherever possible, going above and beyond the competition.

The team at Merryn Bourne Creative specialise in marketing for the Aged Care sector. We solve business problems, providing organisations with the right approach to engage clients and deliver the bottom-line results they’re looking for. Whether you need to review your current marketing or start afresh, we will write and implement the strategy to increase your brand reputation, market attractiveness and the overall velocity of your sales. For more information, contact us today.

How to make the most of your marketing data

Getting access to your marketing data is simple, but the hard part is figuring out how to use it. For example, how do you combine all your data streams – your website, social media pages and sales information – to understand the big picture? Data is abundant in today’s day and age and it can be extremely overwhelming. As a result, many organisations shy away from the stats, but this is a huge mistake. Research shows companies that turn their data into insights are far better at identifying threats or opportunities, leading to much faster performance and more growth. Here are five simple ways to make the most of your marketing data:

1.Define your goal

What do you want to achieve with your future marketing campaigns? Whether you want to corner a new segment of the market, build a stronger brand community among your current clients or introduce a new product, clearly defining your goal is the first step. When you know what you want to achieve from your marketing, making sense of your data becomes far less daunting. By having a clear question in place, you cut out all the useless information and keep only the most relevant, which is why a goal-oriented approach is key.

2.Build your framework

Now that you’ve got your goals set out, the only information you need to consider are the bits that answer your question. Rank your data by how well it answers this question and how directly it relates to your intended goal. With the most important data at the top, you’ll then need to segment your data into separate groups. For example, if your goal is to increase your sales within a specific market sector, you’ll need to pull apart all the information you have about that sector, the different kinds of customers you serve and their purchasing habits for this target market. It’s this process of segmenting and filtering where you start to draw insights from the information, so always be thorough during this step.

3.Bring insights to life

With your insights in front of you, you can now profile your customer – how and why they purchase products, their interests and how they spend their time. Don’t stop here though – getting stuck on single insights can cause you to lose sight of your goals. Put yourself into your customers’ shoes. Don’t think of your customer numerically, but rather, think of them as human: who are they? what are their interests? What frustrates them? What makes them tick? Data best achieves your goal when its used to tell a meaningful story, not when it’s a bunch of numbers on a database. This is why viewing your target market on a personal level is so important.

Having the right data will allow you to think beyond the curve. You’ll be able to make business decisions with more confidence, sending you leaps ahead of the competition. Merryn Bourne Creative can help you turn your data into marketing intelligence. We solve business problems, providing organisations with the right approach to engage audiences and deliver the bottom-line results they’re looking for. Whether you need to review your current marketing or start afresh, we will write and implement the strategy to increase your brand reputation, market attractiveness and the overall velocity of your sales. For more detailed information, contact us today.

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3 ways Aged Care facilities can get ahead with public relations

In this digital age, it’s important for Aged Care facilities to stay ahead of the game with their public relations. This means creating a brand story, developing a strong social media strategy and having great communication skills. Here a 3 easy ways you can make sure your company stands out from the competition and builds a positive digital persona.

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The secret to social media success

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Successful business pages on social media have one thing in common: they use their online presence to build a real connection with their clients, as opposed to merely selling their products. This is because the old “yell louder than the other guy” technique falls on deaf ears in a place where consumers have the final say as to whether or not they see your content. Social media should engage your customers, entertain them and offer them something that might enrich their lives, otherwise they will not engage with your brand. Not sure if you’re taking the right approach to social media? Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I offer value to consumers?

If you see a company page with too much of a sales push, you’ll tune out. But if your content is engaging, helpful and shows you really care about your product or service, your customers are far more likely to follow you, regularly interact with your material and even share it with their friends. Every time you produce a social media post ask yourself: ‘If I were a customer, would I be truly interested in viewing this?’. The answer should always be yes. Remember: one overly-pushy social media post can leave a sour taste with your followers, causing them to unfollow you. This makes it essential to add value, 100 per cent of the time.

Am I always authentic?

No longer do brands have to look authentic, but they also have to be authentic. Today’s socially conscious and tech-savvy consumers expect the brands they endorse to be honest, transparent, deliver on their promises and remain true to their identities. They are far more likely to join brand communities that speak to human experiences, appear passionate about what they believe in and are willing to accept their faults. On the other hand, if these expectations aren’t met, criticism can spread like wildfire across social networks, devastating your credibility and making it near impossible to build a strong community. Remember, your credibility is one of your most valuable commodities, so use it wisely.

Do I create personal content?

We live in an era of personalisation. It’s essential to customise your content to ensure individuals only see the information they’ll be interested in. Why not tailor your message to specific individuals to ensure they get the most out of your communications? You can segment customers into groups that would benefit from a unique offering – for example, location, sector, purchase history, browsing habits or gender by reviewing the analytics data you already have about them. By feeling like your content has been tailored specifically to them, studies show that customers are much more likely to engage with your brand.

If you answered no to any of these questions, it’s probably time to reconsider your business’ social media strategy. Need help generating a soft sell approach that grows your followers? Merryn Bourne Creative can work closely with your brand to create an impressive return on investment. For more detailed information, contact us today.

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How to engage customers – eight essential writing tips for businesses

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Nothing screams ‘unprofessional’ like poorly written marketing material. From typoos, to confusing sentences and unnecessarily Capitalised Words, writing mistakes can be ugly. Companies need to write correctly – but they also need to write well if they want to build a valuable and trusted brand. Here are eight tips for smoother, simpler and more effective business writing:

Be persuasive, not pushy

Companies that write to be helpful and show they really care about their product or service have better persuasive power than those that are too pushy. People tend to block out anything that’s too salesy, so your writing should show your customers your worth, not tell them.

Get straight to the point

Less is more. When your writing is simple, clear and concise, customers are far more likely to read and engage with it. Make sure you only say what’s totally necessary to get your point across – anything more becomes waffle.

Be accurate

Consumers are savvy, hard to impress and even harder to fool. This means businesses that use incorrect facts, figures or statistics will get caught out. To protect your credibility, it’s essential to strive for accuracy 100 per cent of the time.

Be authentic

Your business should have a strong voice that aligns with your target consumers. To build a solid relationship with customers, this voice also needs to be consistent across all communications touch points.

Be thorough

Your writing should answer your consumer’s main questions immediately, in their order of importance. Don’t beat around the bush – if you give customers the information they need, they’ll do more business with you.

Be human

Trusted brands don’t only write content to sell products, they write to build personality. Consumers are far less likely to engage with boring mechanical writing and are far more likely to connect with content that appeals to them on a deeper, human level.

Use tools

There are a variety of tools out there beyond Microsoft Word’s spellchecker that can help you improve your writing. For example; Grammarly provides extra proof reading and spelling advice (even on social media), Hemmingway Editor evaluates the simplicity and clarity of sentences, while Evernote can help you manage your time more effectively.

Proof read everything

Check, double check and triple check your work. Even the most well-written communications sound cheap when they’re rife with spelling and grammar errors.

Need help developing a written voice that motivates and excites? Merryn Bourne Creative can work closely with your brand to improve communications, connect with consumers and generate real sales results. For more detailed information, contact us today.

Fish Tank Creative team

Welcome to the creative studio!

Fish Tank Creative team

In 2017, our team expanded, widening our talent pool and growing our fish tank larger than it’s ever been. We’ve made huge strides in our industry, driving brands forward, connecting with target audiences and adding value to many organisations.

Swim on in and get to know our team…

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Merryn Bourne, CEO & Founder

Merryn started Fish Tank Creative almost ten years ago in 2008, out of her creative industry experience in both design and marketing. With her passion for design, charming and upbeat personality, Merryn wears a hundred different hats in this company, balancing her role as CEO with creative strategy, accounts, HR, business sales and even dabbling in design. Plus, she somehow still has plenty of time to spend with her beautiful, young family.

How did you get into the line of work you’re in?
Natural progression. I knew I wanted to be an art director while studying 2D/3D art and social science at school. This was then confirmed by my work experience with George Paterson bates in Year 10 and later Bryce Courternay. My time at University taught me how to take artistic and creative ideas and make them commercially viable. From there, my experience in the real world, working in lifestyle advertising and corporate marketing for 20 years taught me other valuable lessons, like the fact that image is everything the skill of taking customers wants and needs and creating a solution.

What’s your favourite part of the job?
Meeting people, and showing them how the solution works to fix their problem.

What are your hobbies?
Relaxing on the beach, being with my family and laughing with my besties.

If you were a fish, which would you be?
The angel fish, all embellished and sparkly.

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Lyn Taylor, Studio Manager

The most recent addition to the Fish Tank Team, Lyn is buzzing with helpful management strategies and insightful ways to improve our processes. She has seventeen years’ experience in the creative industries and is also a well-known photographer in Sydney’s fashion and music scenes.

How did you get into the line of work you’re in?
I started in project management in the creative industry – I thought it would be a perfect combination of creative and strategy.

What’s your favourite part of the job?
Thinking of new ways to assist the FTC team and getting to know our clients.

What are your hobbies?
Photography, playing, guitar and hanging out with my family.

If you were a fish, which would you be?
A puffer fish, haha.
Mardi Lowe. design lead, pre press mastermind and lord of all things WordPress

Mardi Lowe, Digital Design Lead

Mardi combines the distinctive worlds of web development and design with a unique passion and talent for both. She’s an instrumental member of the Fish Tank team, having blessed our Chippendale studio with her cheery, friendly energy and joyful presence for three and a half years.

How did you land up in the line of work you’re in?
I knew from a young age I wanted to be in the creative industry. My first job straight out of school was a Prepress and Graphic Arts apprenticeship, which taught me the design fundamentals of print. From there, I moved from print into the design world. 

What’s your favourite part of the job?
For a long time, I’ve wanted to use my design skills for something that could help the world, even in a small way. Working in aged care has been the most rewarding for me at Fish Tank Creative. I feel good knowing our ideas have been used to help families and elderly people.

What are your hobbies?
Scuba diving, yoga, fitness and reading.

If you were a fish, which would you be?
A parrot fish. They’re just so bright and colourful!

Juliet Forsyth, Designer, illustrator and lover of birds

Juliet Forsyth, Designer & Creative Services Manager

Juliet’s background in fine art gives her graphic design work a unique edge. In the two years she’s been with Fish Tank Creative, we’re yet to see her without a sketchpad in her bag or doodles in her meeting notes. But her talents extend beyond art – she’s got a good instinct for marketing and her mind always is full of creative, out of the box ideas.

How did you get into the line of work you’re in?
I started out studying art, which slid into time-based art which slid into animation which slid into digital media which slid into design …It was a slippery slope.

 What’s your favourite part of the job?
Whenever we get a new project that allows us to be super creative and make something beautiful.

 What are your hobbies?
Drawing, dungeons and dragons and bush walking.

If you were a fish, which would you be?
A Bristlenose Catfish, obviously.

 Kira Friedman Writer of copy and content aka the Beyonce of writing 

Kira Friedman, Copywriter

Word obsessed and a bit of a book nerd, Kira just returned from six months studying literature in Edinburgh, Scotland. She loves making complex ideas sound simple, striving to help brands’ unique personalities shine through.

How did you get into the line of work you’re in?
I’ve always been interested in the art of writing, but I’ve recently discovered the art of branding. There’s something very satisfying about listening to a client and helping them build their marketing goals.  

What’s your favourite part of the job?
Getting to write cool articles like this one…

What are your hobbies?
Travelling, cooking and reading.

If you were a fish, which would you be?
A Neon Tetra, they’re tiny and look just like a regular fish, but that glowing strip always catches your eye.

 Farhan Saeed, Web developer

Farhan Saeed, Web Developer

Farhan moved to Australia just one and a half years ago from Pakistan and is now doing his Masters in IT. He’s a web development and coding whizz, constantly impressing us with his coding skills and keeping us up to date with the latest in the tech world.

How did you get into the line of work you’re in?
It was my love for technology. I started off as a freelance writer, and was not very good at it. A few months into freelancing, I started my computer science degree and saw how much I could do with what I learn in class. Then I just kept learning new things to keep up with the changing needs of clients, which was both challenging and enjoyable. Time just flew from there.

What’s your favourite part of the job?
I can work from anywhere.

What are your hobbies?
Cricket, music, movies and TV shows.

If you were a fish, which would you be?
I don’t know… I don’t even know what type of fish we have in our office tank.

Yery Yoon, Marketing intern

Yery Yoon, Marketing Intern

A qualified optometrist, budding artist and talented photographer, Yery is a bright and friendly member of the Fish Tank Team. She’s fluent in Korean, loves fashion and is always keen to extend her marketing skills. In fact, she’s headed back to school next year to pursue her passion, Media Productions.

How did you get into the line of work you’re in?
(as a marketing intern): I was working at a small independent optometry practice where we had to all participate in a bit of everything to run a business and it sparked an interest in marketing. It lead me to actively paying attention to the way brands tried to win my attention as a consumer.

What’s your favourite part of the job?
Understanding what people may be interested in and engaging with them to entertain or inform them of their needs.

What are your hobbies?
Drawing, reading, taking photos, binge watching tv series

If you were a fish, which would you be?
The Finding Nemo fish because it’s cute to look at.

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Cleo and Otto, Studio Mascots

Tasked with the important role of swimming about all day and night, Cleo and Otto are 24/7 studio security guards, supervising the team and making sure nothing un-fishy is going on.

Looking to build your branding and communication strategy in the New Year? The Merryn Bourne Creative team can develop your marketing strategy and design you a brand image that perfectly aligns with your organisation. For an obligation-free chat, contact Merryn on 02 8399 2223.

how to create meaningful content in 2018

How to create meaningful content in 2018

how to create meaningful content in 2018

Studies increasingly show that creating engaging, helpful and consistent content results in higher overall retention and profit rates in the long term. This is because truly engaging your customers enhances brand recognition, likeability and community – the key ingredients for sales growth. If you’re not investing in content, you should start now – experts predict that creating meaningful content will be vital to business success in 2018, with our economy becoming more digitalised and socially connected than ever before. Here are some tips to help you develop content that engages your customers:

Add value, don’t just advertise

Many organisations produce content solely for advertising purposes, but this often comes at the detriment of building a real connection with your client. People tend to block out advertising material, or anything they deem to have too strong of a sales push. On the other hand, if your content is engaging, helpful and shows you really care about your product or service, your customers are far more likely to follow you, regularly interact with your material and even share it with their friends. If you’re unsure whether your content is adding value, simply ask: ‘If I were a customer, would I be truly interested in viewing this?’ If the answer is no, it’s probably time to reconsider the kind of material you’re producing.

Know your audience

We live in an era of personalisation. It’s essential to customise your content to ensure individuals only see the information they’ll be interested in. If the option is available, why not tailor your message to specific individuals to ensure they get the most out of your communications? You can segment customers into groups that would benefit from a unique offering – for example, location, sector, purchase history, browsing habits or gender by reviewing the analytics data you already have about them. By feeling like your content has been tailored specifically to them, studies show that customers are much more likely to engage with you and become a part of your brand community.

Always be authentic

No longer do brands have to look authentic, but they also have to be authentic. Today’s socially conscious and tech-savvy consumers expect the brands they endorse to be honest, transparent, deliver on their promises and to remain true to their identities. They are far more likely engage with content that speaks to human experiences, appears passionate about what they believe in and are willing to accept their faults. On the other hand, if these expectations aren’t met, criticism can spread like wildfire across social networks, devastating your credibility. Remember, your credibility is one of your most valuable commodities, so use it wisely.

Need help developing a content strategy that motivates and excites? Merryn Bourne Creative can work closely with your brand to develop integrated marketing communications that generates real sales results. For more detailed information, contact us today.

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How print marketing can complement your digital strategy

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Many say that the days of print marketing are coming to an end, but we don’t believe this. After all, similar predictions were made after radio and TV were introduced and print survived both of these. In fact, many are unaware that the statistics are looking pretty good for print at the moment, with some even saying it’s being reborn: sales of e-books having slumped, magazines still in circulation, 3D printers being all the rage and sales of polaroid cameras steadily rising again. And while there’s no denying the fact that digital strategies are often the most practical, efficient and even cost-effective at times, there is definitely scope for print marketing to survive and remain relevant, even as our world becomes more and more digital.

What does print do best?

While digital media is unparalleled when it comes to providing data intelligence, targeting specific individuals and reaching the largest numbers, print clearly provides something unique, otherwise it would probably be obsolete by now. Here are some of the main areas where it has been known to out-perform digital:

Emotional connections

Studies show that people are more likely to have strong emotions toward something that’s real and tangible than something made out of pixels. Ever heard someone say they love the smell of books? These kinds of genuine sentimental connections are really unique to print.

Creating memories

Experts have found that our brains are better at retaining information from print than they are from digital sources. This is probably because print is far more physically immersive – you’re turning the page with your hands and feeling the intricate details of the paper. On the other hand, the routine action of scrolling, clicking and typing is so instinctive to most of us, that we often forget we’re doing it.

Standing out

Because consumers are so used to digital noise, they’re highly desensitised, often blocking out anything they deem to be advertising, whether that’s mentally or through an ad-blocker. Print on the other hand, is less saturated in this way. Without digital limits in place, it can catch eyes in unique and unexpected ways.

So, what’s the best way to use print in 2017?

We’re certainly not saying that it’s a good idea to rip down your socials, deactivate your website or slash your SEO budget. But having some print integrated into your marketing efforts may just broaden your reach and draw in some new business. Here are some of the top ways companies are using print to complement their digital strategies:

Variable printing

Not a whole lot of print material is personalised, despite the mass of data we have on our clients from all our intelligence. Variable printing is now better quality, more affordable and customisable than ever, allowing you to combine the personalisation of digital marketing and the immersive elements of print.

Business cards

If someone has your business card, the chances are you’ve probably met them in person. A tangible keepsake from your meeting will always be a great way to put you in your customers’ front of mind, especially as more and more communications become digital.

Finishing touches

Being able to add unique finishes to your print communications is now more affordable, customisable and accessible than ever before. Small touches can make a big difference, offering new opportunities to expand your brand image with new style, depth and character.

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your print communications:

 Be you

Your print communications shouldn’t differ too much from your digital material, so it’s necessary to ensure your style, content and energy remains consistent with your unique brand personality.

 Segway to web

Just because you’re using print, don’t forget to refer customers to your digital platforms. Always save space for email, web address and social handles to ensure you’re accessible as possible to your customers.

Triple check your work

Unlike web content, print mistakes can be very costly and time-consuming to mend. You should double ensure your content is proof-read, edited and thoroughly reviewed before it goes to print.

Need some help adding flair to your branding? Merryn Bourne Creative works closely with brands to develop unique integrated marketing communications strategies with a range of digital and physical touchpoints. For more information, contact us today.

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How to prevent the latest Google penalties from affecting you

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In a crackdown on website security, Google will now penalise sites that run without an SSL certificate, labelling these “not secure”. With seventy percent of people using Google as their primary search engine or browser, failure to comply with these changes is likely to reduce your web traffic, harming your business. On the other hand, having a safer site could enhance your clients’ trust, improving your business. So, if your website is not yet properly SSL certified, it’s probably time to make the change. Here’s what you need to know:

What is an SSL Certificate?

It may seem complex, but SSL is actually just a chunk of code that you input into your server, which encrypts your connection, making your site more secure. The impact of this can be likened to posting a sealed envelope in the mail instead of an unsealed one.

How do I know if I have an SSL Certificate installed?

You can check whether or not the code has been enabled by typing your domain name into the address bar on Chrome. If a padlock appears next to your domain name, you’re SSL certified. Another option is to check whether your site loads with the prefix “https” or “http”. If you’ve got extra a ‘s’ which stands for ‘secure’, this also means you’re SSL certified.

How do I get an SSL Certificate?

Issued by a trusted Certificate Authority, the process is usually quite simple – you’ll probably need to create a CSR and prepare some documentation before submitting your order. Just keep in mind that there are many kinds of certificates. The one that’s right for you will depend on the size of your site and your e-commerce requirements. Here are three main types:

Extended validation

The most secure (but also costly) option, ideal for e-commerce sites that require hefty amounts of personal information to be imputed. These tend to take the longest to obtain.

Organisational validation

The middle option, ideal for companies that don’t quite need EV, but still want to assure their online customers that they are a legitimate company that’s safe to do business with.

Domain validation

The most quick and affordable option on the market. These offer standard encryption and not much else, meaning they’re probably not quite secure enough for sites that request any data from customers.

Despite these distinctions, there are thousands of SSL products available at a range of price points, ranging from totally free to thousands of dollars, which means it’s important to shop around to find the best option for you.

Will all this affect my SEO rank?

Yes. Not only does having an SSL certificate ensure greater trust between you and your customers, it’s also favoured by search rankings. But it’s also important to note that because going from ‘http’ to ‘https’ does change your site address, you’ll need to take adequate precautions to ensure that switching doesn’t harm your SEO keywords. Here are some ways to secure this:

  • Ensure all your links are all aligned with the changes.
  • Make sure the ‘https’ version of your website is also updated in your robots.txt, CDN, Webmaster tools and Google Analytics, etc.
  • Perform adequate tests to ensure this is all running smoothly. There are quite a few testing tools available on the market and the company that sells your certificate will probably recommend one to you.

Need help with your digital strategy? The Merryn Bourne Creative team are experts at building websites as part of your overall brand and marketing strategy. Beautifully designed, outstandingly safe and functional, a website designed by us will give your customers have the best browsing experience possible. Why not speak with the experts? Call us now, on 02 8399 2223.