Graphic Designer Turned Web Pro - An Interview with SEO Advantage Art Director and Webmaster Gaby Zapien

University of Florida advertising/journalism student Maria Rubio contacted me recently to interview me about copywriting for a class assignment. She also needed to interview two others, so I referred her to speak with our web design team leader, Gaby Zapien, since copywriters often work very closely with graphic designers.

Here are Gaby's answers, revealing some great professional insights. Enjoy!

Maria: What does your job entail?

Gaby: Keeping all our sites and clients' websites up to date and working properly.
Posting any necessary edits, making sure the code is up to the current standards, and also that the visuals are appropriate and eye-catching.

For new projects, I research competitors and the requirements for the site, then build and test, starting with a creative concept that I work on usually with a copywriter at SEO Advantage.

Maria: Walk me through your day.

I start checking emails, because this is the way I receive all the tasks.
Then I prioritize and start tackling one at a time!

Maria: How do you feel your role as a graphic designer enhances SEO Advantage's or any other company's website?

Gaby: SEO is mostly based on content and the architecture of the site. But let's face it, no one likes an "ugly" site. I feel that if the content is presented in the best possible way, the user is more likely to spend more time browsing on the site. Graphics and photographs make content more memorable and help prospects better understand the content. In this way, graphic design supports the goals of the web site by engaging the prospect once the SEO brings the traffic to the site.

Plus, nowadays, designers should also be responsible for site usability and standards compliance. This means I have to make sure that the design and functionality works across browsers and that navigation through the site is clear and the actions we want a site visitor to take are supported by the design and layout elements.

[Ed. note: I love this about Gaby! Many designers I've worked with in the past are focused on making your site "pretty" but give no thought to usability. Gaby has a very good sense of how to direct traffic through "paths" on the site and where emphasis needs to be to achieve the business goals of the site.]

Maria: What is your favorite book? Song?

Gaby: There are too many books I like. Fortunately, some of the tasks I perform allow me to listen to audiobboks!

Maria: Do you work from home? If so, do you find it difficult?

Gaby: I do work from home in a sort of "virtual workplace". Our teams use online tools to communicate and coordinate. I really like it, but it requires a lot of discipline. And sometimes it gets lonely. It does have a lot of advantages, but I think it's not for everyone.

Maria: What computer software do you swear by to help create your best work?

Gaby: Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver.

Maria: Where do you get your inspiration for creative content? If not creative, then where do you get your inspiration to create designs that produce traffic to the site being created?

Gaby: I find inspiration online just browsing other sites. I also notice things in magazines that can give me ideas, but really, inspiration is everywhere. As a graphic designer, I naturally notice how shapes and colors are used no matter what I'm looking at.

Maria: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Gaby: Still in this field. This is something I love. I would definitely be designing, but you may see me building a bigger design group for SEO Advantage employing other designers who can help with production, while I focus more on the creative aspect.

Maria: What is your personal motto, referring to your work style?

Gaby: "Everything can be done. Some things just take a bit more time."

Maria: If you have one word to describe your personality and work style, what would it be?

Gaby: It would be hard in one word...

I think whoever likes graphic design is really lucky - it's the kind of job that doesn't feel like a job, and most times gives you the flexibility to work from home or any place you like!

Marketing in a Slow Economy - Why SEO Becomes a Priority

Several reports I've come across lately have reinforced what today's online marketers already felt to be true: when the economy slows down, look for those marketing activities that will bring in a higher return with less cash outlay.

Enter search engine optimization. If you're not already optimizing your site and every page on it, there's no better time to start.

Why is SEO a good choice in a recession?

1. SEO costs less per qualified visitor than pay-per-click ads and it adds long-term value to your site.

2. Professional optimization can start showing the effects of traffic within a few months.

3. Optimization for the search engines can benefit desired on-site actions by your site visitors. Research shows that when consumers encounter the search terms they used to find your site actually used in the copy on your site, it helps them to feel more at ease about remaining on your site and can even increase conversion rates.

4. SEO is the most cost-effective way of establishing your company as an authority (or maintaining that status). It has been documented that people automatically attribute more trust and authoritative status to those with web sites that display high in the search results. Organic search results are perceived by users to be better indicators than the paid or sponsored ads which may also appear on the page.

5. SEO lets you focus on helping people find you when you they want your products/services, rather than force feeding it to them through advertising. In today's online environment, it pays more to be "findable" naturally than to plaster your ads everywhere, which is also more expensive.

I'm sure there are more reasons, but that's the gist of why SEO becomes a priority during an economic downturn or recession.

See how SEO Advantage is helping companies market strong even when the economy isn't at its best with graphic design, copywriting, and specialized SEO services.

The Effect of Search Engine Rankings on Brand

As consumers check out their options on Google, the position of your listing can influence how they perceive your brand. Enquiro recently conducted a study with Google to test brand perceptions of Honda according to where it fell within the first search engine results page.

A few key points were discovered when Honda appeared in the top organic spot and top sponsored ad simultaneously.

a) Brand recall more than doubled versus appearing in top sponsored spot only.

b) This also resulted in a 16% greater brand association for Honda when participants were asked what brands came to mind when they thought of fuel-efficient cars.

c) Brands that did not appear in the results experienced a 42% lower brand association than Honda.

Key takeaway: By appearing in both top spots on Google's results pages, a company not only gains points but also edges out competitors in the consumer's mind.

Similar studies have long been conducted to test the effects of print advertising on brand recall and association, demonstrating that companies both advertising in a magazine and also enjoying a mention in an article in the same issue enjoyed magnified recall and favorable impressions among readers. It only make sense to see the same happen online, as humans often seek the fastest way to evaluate their choices and create that "shortlist" of options.

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