Frequently Asked Question
How do I build out my new Roostersite?
Last Updated 9 years ago
Don't worry, we have a complete guide to show you step by step on how to do it yourself. By the time you get done you will be a pro at building websites. Heck, ...... we may even have to hire you!
TAKE A LOOK BELOW TO GET STARTED!
Website Owner Handbook & Reference Guide
Congratulations on the launch of your new website! You are making a very wise investment in the branding and marketing of your business. Together, we will help you get found by current and potential customers, provide you with the digital presence your company deserves, and grow your small business.
This handbook includes important information about your new site including login details, instructions, strategies & best practices for making updates and marketing your business online. Of course, we’re always here to help if you need us.
_____________________________________________________
(Business Name)
_____________________________________________________
(Website URL)
Logging in to edit your website
Click “Login” on the bottom right of your website and use these credentials:
_____________________________________________________
(Email Address)
_____________________________________________________
(Password)
SECTION 2: Content Management
Pages:
This tab has all of the Pages that are on the top of your website (on the navigation bar). It allows you to add pages, rename pages, delete pages, and rearrange the order of pages on your site. You can even choose to hide/show certain pages on the navigation bar. Note: Once a page is deleted it cannot not be restored.
Settings:
You won’t have to use this tab very often. We will take care of domain name set- up, and initially, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) words, and your email settings. Making changes on this tab can affect your website, but if you feel comfortable doing so, then you can. We will create, monitor, and adjust your SEO settings over time to help increase your search results as needed. You may use this tab, however, to change your login password, if you need to.
Stats:
This tab shows you the statistics for how many people come to your site and how it’s performing in search engines. Hover over any of the pink question marks to get definitions of any of the terminology you see on this screen. We will help you continue to improve on your SEO words by monitoring the stats page and discovering which keywords drive the most traffic to your site.
Preview Site (located right of Stats tab at top):
By clicking on this link, you can see up-to-the minute updates after you have added, removed or changed content on your site.
Save All (located right of Preview Site at top):
Click “Save All” when you are sure you want to keep any changes you made to the Pages or Settings Tabs. (You will be prompted to do so if you forget.)
Log Out (located right of Save All at top and on bottom right of site):
When you are finished making changes you may Log Out. You will need to Log In again if you wish to make further changes.
Adding & Editing Content on Pages
When logged in, you can Add, Edit, Hide or Delete any content on any Page of your site. Choosing to “Hide” a block of content will keep it accessible for future use/ reference but is not visible by the public. You can also reorder content by choosing “up” or “down” when you hover over a post. Note: once deleted, content posts cannot be restored.
To add Text to your site:
Select the Page you want to work on. Click on Text icon.
Type in a Title.
In Content Area, type or paste in the text you would like to add. Click Post to add to site.
To add an Image to your site:
Select the Page you want to add an image to. Click on Image icon.
You can select from the images already uploaded to your site by clicking on one of the photos.
If you would like to add a photo from your computer, select "Upload New". After choosing a photo, you can type in a Title, add a Description, and add an Image Caption.
Click Post to add to site.
To add a Photo Gallery to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Photo Gallery to. Click on Gallery icon.
Select multiple photos from photos currently in your Photo Library by clicking on multiple photos.
If you would like to add new photos, click on "Upload New" tab and upload photo(s) to site.
Once photos are selected, hit “OK”. You can then add a Gallery Title and Description.
Click Post to add to site.
To create a Slideshow on your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Slideshow to. Click on Slideshow icon.
Select one or more photos currently in your Photo Library.
If you would like to add a new photo, click on "Upload New" tab and upload photo(s) to site.
Once photo(s) are selected, click “OK”. You can then drag & drop to re-order photos, add a Slideshow Title and Description, and even Link the Slideshow to another page.
Click Post to add to site.
Note: Click “Edit” next to the photo you wish to use to open the Photo Editor. Here you can customize, enhance, crop images and more. Click “Crop” and use the preset Slideshow option to perfectly resize slide images every time. Don’t worry, saving changes will still keep an original version of the photo.
To upload Video to your site:
Select the Page you want to add video to. Click on Video icon.
Copy and paste your Youtube or Vimeo URL into the top box.
Video Title and Description will automatically be pulled from the Youtube or Vimeo information. You can change this if you want to.
Click Post to add to site.
To add a Testimonial to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Testimonial to. Click on Testimonial icon.
Add text for Testimonial Quote and Who Said It. Click Post to add to site.
To add a Coupon to your site:
Select the Page you want to add Coupon to. Click on Coupon icon.
Add Coupon/Offer Title, Description of Offer, and the Terms. On the right side, add a valid From and Through date.
Click Hide coupon or Delete after expiration. Coupon will be removed from public view when it expires, but you can decide whether to hide or delete it. Click Post to add to site.
To add an Event to your site:
Select the Page you want to add an Event to. Click on Event icon.
Type in Event Title, Start & End Date, Event Location, and Event Description. Select whether to hide, delete, or keep live after event is over.
Click Post to add to site.
To add a Menu to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Menu to. Click on Menu icon.
Type a Menu Title and Description. (Example: Dinner / Served after 6 p.m.) Type a Section Title and Description (Example: Burritos / with or without meat)
Type the Name, Description and Price for each Item (Example: Bean and Cheese burrito / freshly baked beans and melted cheese / $5.95)
If you would like to add a new section, click "Add New Section" Click the + and - icons to add or remove items.
Click Post to add to site. All Menus are saved in the system for use on other pages or in the future.
To add an Email Form on your site:
Select the Page you want to add an Email Form to.
Click on Email Form icon (may have to click on the right arrow to get to it). Type the Email Form Title (Example: “Contact Us").
Add Subtitle/Instructions (Example: “We will get back to you shortly”). Add the Destination Email (This is where all messages from users will be delivered to).
Choose which fields you want to require the user to fill in. Click Post to add to site.
To add a Document to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Document to.
Click on Document icon (may have to click on the right arrow to get to it). Click the Browse... button to upload a document from your computer. (Example: PDF, Word doc, .zip, or Powerpoint, etc.).
Give it a Title (Ex: Download our Catering Menu). Add Description of Document.
You have the option of renaming the filename (Ex: Catering-Menu.pdf). Click Post to add to site.
To add a Facebook or Twitter feed to your site:
Select the Page you want to add the Social Media feed to.
Click on Facebook or Twitter icons (may have to click on the right arrow to get to it).
Add Title of Post (Ex: "Like Us" or "Follow Us").
Paste in your Facebook URL or
Type in your Twitter username (no @ required). Click Post to add to site.
To add a Blog feed to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Blog to. Click on Blog Icon.
Add your Blog RSS Feed address (URL) to top line.
Add a Blog Title if you wish (Example: “Recent Findings”) Click Post to add to site.
Adding & Editing Right Sidebar Content
You can edit the Right Sidebar Content by clicking “Edit” when hovered over the right side. A pop-up panel will allow you to edit the basic content for your business such as:
Remember: Click “Save Changes” after desired changes are made. Click “Cancel/Close” to disregard changes made.
Your website is the primary gateway for prospective customers to learn about your company. The primary goal of your website is to drive qualified leads by online form submissions, in-person visits, or phone calls. As such, the website must provide visitors with the right amount of information about your products, services, and experience to drive them to take these actions.
What and When to Post: search engines like Google will rank your website higher if content is added or refreshed at least twice a month.
Content Suggestions: post new content, photos and videos to the site on a regular basis. Include new testimonials that you capture from Yelp, clients and other sources.
Note: Be careful not to add much more content on each page or create many more new pages because you don’t want to overwhelm visitors with too many options or too much information. Focus on creating new content that quickly and efficiently delivers your message.
Data-informed Decisions: Using your website's built-in analytics tool, called “Stats,” monitor inbound traffic referrals (ie., Facebook, Yelp, YouTube, affiliates) each month to see which channels can be attributed to driving the most traffic and leads. This will tell us which channels to pay more attention to. Also, look to see the most popular pages to focus your attention on adding new content, as well as number of Visitors, Visits, Page Views, etc.
Facebook:
This social network presents your company with an opportunity to speak candidly with friends, prospects and past customers. It's through this honesty that a corporate voice begins to emerge, that brings with it an immediacy and relevancy to those who follow you. If well-maintained, our expectation is that this channel can drive 10% of your leads this year. Be sure to add your website url to your Facebook page.
What and When to Post: it is important to post new content at least twice a week. This can be in the form of status updates and uploading photos or video.
Content Suggestions: When possible, try to write posts that link back to your website – remember, your website is where a lead is most likely to take place. Avoid at all costs the use of foul language, negative or personal points of view.
Invite Friends: Leverage your personal account to invite friends to "Like" your page. This includes rallying younger members of your company’s family and extended, who are already masters of Facebook. This initial enlisting of Likes will be critical to getting this community off the ground and activating it as an effective marketing tool. Also be sure to build a network among current and even potential clients.
Twitter:
This social network gives your company the opportunity to broadcast short, concise messages, thoughts, and images to your audience. There is a strict 160-character limit on the length of your posts.
Build your following, reputation, and customer's trust with these simple practices:
Content Suggestions: Same as with Facebook, try to write posts that link back to your website – remember, your website is where a lead is most likely to take place.
Special Tip: We built your site to be fully compatible with Twitter. Try this: Log into your business Twitter account and before you log out, go to your website. On any post, click the Twitter “Tweet” button and that content will automatically get sent to your business’s Twitter account. Wow! It’s a big time-saver when you’re short on time to write new content specifically for Twitter.
Mobile:
Your website is fully responsive and has a mobile version, which loads automatically when being viewed on a tablet or smartphone. We’ve designed the small-screen experience to deliver all the content of your regular site, but in a format that’s specifically designed for people on the go. This means that you don’t have to worry about what information you should put on your mobile site, or how it will look...we take care of that for you. And, every time a new mobile operating system version comes out for these devices, your site will automatically be compatible, so no need to worry.
TAKE A LOOK BELOW TO GET STARTED!
Website Owner Handbook & Reference Guide
Welcome & Congratulations!
Congratulations on the launch of your new website! You are making a very wise investment in the branding and marketing of your business. Together, we will help you get found by current and potential customers, provide you with the digital presence your company deserves, and grow your small business.
This handbook includes important information about your new site including login details, instructions, strategies & best practices for making updates and marketing your business online. Of course, we’re always here to help if you need us.
SECTION 1: Account Logins & Passwords
_____________________________________________________
(Business Name)
_____________________________________________________
(Website URL)
Logging in to edit your website
Click “Login” on the bottom right of your website and use these credentials:
_____________________________________________________
(Email Address)
_____________________________________________________
(Password)
SECTION 2: Content Management
When logged into your website: Pages, Settings, and Stats tabs are on top.
Pages:
This tab has all of the Pages that are on the top of your website (on the navigation bar). It allows you to add pages, rename pages, delete pages, and rearrange the order of pages on your site. You can even choose to hide/show certain pages on the navigation bar. Note: Once a page is deleted it cannot not be restored.
Settings:
You won’t have to use this tab very often. We will take care of domain name set- up, and initially, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) words, and your email settings. Making changes on this tab can affect your website, but if you feel comfortable doing so, then you can. We will create, monitor, and adjust your SEO settings over time to help increase your search results as needed. You may use this tab, however, to change your login password, if you need to.
Stats:
This tab shows you the statistics for how many people come to your site and how it’s performing in search engines. Hover over any of the pink question marks to get definitions of any of the terminology you see on this screen. We will help you continue to improve on your SEO words by monitoring the stats page and discovering which keywords drive the most traffic to your site.
Preview Site (located right of Stats tab at top):
By clicking on this link, you can see up-to-the minute updates after you have added, removed or changed content on your site.
Save All (located right of Preview Site at top):
Click “Save All” when you are sure you want to keep any changes you made to the Pages or Settings Tabs. (You will be prompted to do so if you forget.)
Log Out (located right of Save All at top and on bottom right of site):
When you are finished making changes you may Log Out. You will need to Log In again if you wish to make further changes.
Adding & Editing Content on Pages
When logged in, you can Add, Edit, Hide or Delete any content on any Page of your site. Choosing to “Hide” a block of content will keep it accessible for future use/ reference but is not visible by the public. You can also reorder content by choosing “up” or “down” when you hover over a post. Note: once deleted, content posts cannot be restored.
To add Text to your site:
Select the Page you want to work on. Click on Text icon.
Type in a Title.
In Content Area, type or paste in the text you would like to add. Click Post to add to site.
To add an Image to your site:
Select the Page you want to add an image to. Click on Image icon.
You can select from the images already uploaded to your site by clicking on one of the photos.
If you would like to add a photo from your computer, select "Upload New". After choosing a photo, you can type in a Title, add a Description, and add an Image Caption.
Click Post to add to site.
To add a Photo Gallery to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Photo Gallery to. Click on Gallery icon.
Select multiple photos from photos currently in your Photo Library by clicking on multiple photos.
If you would like to add new photos, click on "Upload New" tab and upload photo(s) to site.
Once photos are selected, hit “OK”. You can then add a Gallery Title and Description.
Click Post to add to site.
To create a Slideshow on your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Slideshow to. Click on Slideshow icon.
Select one or more photos currently in your Photo Library.
If you would like to add a new photo, click on "Upload New" tab and upload photo(s) to site.
Once photo(s) are selected, click “OK”. You can then drag & drop to re-order photos, add a Slideshow Title and Description, and even Link the Slideshow to another page.
Click Post to add to site.
Note: Click “Edit” next to the photo you wish to use to open the Photo Editor. Here you can customize, enhance, crop images and more. Click “Crop” and use the preset Slideshow option to perfectly resize slide images every time. Don’t worry, saving changes will still keep an original version of the photo.
To upload Video to your site:
Select the Page you want to add video to. Click on Video icon.
Copy and paste your Youtube or Vimeo URL into the top box.
Video Title and Description will automatically be pulled from the Youtube or Vimeo information. You can change this if you want to.
Click Post to add to site.
To add a Testimonial to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Testimonial to. Click on Testimonial icon.
Add text for Testimonial Quote and Who Said It. Click Post to add to site.
To add a Coupon to your site:
Select the Page you want to add Coupon to. Click on Coupon icon.
Add Coupon/Offer Title, Description of Offer, and the Terms. On the right side, add a valid From and Through date.
Click Hide coupon or Delete after expiration. Coupon will be removed from public view when it expires, but you can decide whether to hide or delete it. Click Post to add to site.
To add an Event to your site:
Select the Page you want to add an Event to. Click on Event icon.
Type in Event Title, Start & End Date, Event Location, and Event Description. Select whether to hide, delete, or keep live after event is over.
Click Post to add to site.
To add a Menu to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Menu to. Click on Menu icon.
Type a Menu Title and Description. (Example: Dinner / Served after 6 p.m.) Type a Section Title and Description (Example: Burritos / with or without meat)
Type the Name, Description and Price for each Item (Example: Bean and Cheese burrito / freshly baked beans and melted cheese / $5.95)
If you would like to add a new section, click "Add New Section" Click the + and - icons to add or remove items.
Click Post to add to site. All Menus are saved in the system for use on other pages or in the future.
To add an Email Form on your site:
Select the Page you want to add an Email Form to.
Click on Email Form icon (may have to click on the right arrow to get to it). Type the Email Form Title (Example: “Contact Us").
Add Subtitle/Instructions (Example: “We will get back to you shortly”). Add the Destination Email (This is where all messages from users will be delivered to).
Choose which fields you want to require the user to fill in. Click Post to add to site.
To add a Document to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Document to.
Click on Document icon (may have to click on the right arrow to get to it). Click the Browse... button to upload a document from your computer. (Example: PDF, Word doc, .zip, or Powerpoint, etc.).
Give it a Title (Ex: Download our Catering Menu). Add Description of Document.
You have the option of renaming the filename (Ex: Catering-Menu.pdf). Click Post to add to site.
To add a Facebook or Twitter feed to your site:
Select the Page you want to add the Social Media feed to.
Click on Facebook or Twitter icons (may have to click on the right arrow to get to it).
Add Title of Post (Ex: "Like Us" or "Follow Us").
Paste in your Facebook URL or
Type in your Twitter username (no @ required). Click Post to add to site.
To add a Blog feed to your site:
Select the Page you want to add a Blog to. Click on Blog Icon.
Add your Blog RSS Feed address (URL) to top line.
Add a Blog Title if you wish (Example: “Recent Findings”) Click Post to add to site.
Adding & Editing Right Sidebar Content
You can edit the Right Sidebar Content by clicking “Edit” when hovered over the right side. A pop-up panel will allow you to edit the basic content for your business such as:
- Business Name
- About (Brief description of your business)
- Location/Map
- Phone Number/Fax/Email
- Hours of Operation
- Forms of Payment Accepted
- Contact Form
- Photos
- Social Connections (Such as Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, YouTube, Foursquare, etc.)
- Keywords (SEO)
Remember: Click “Save Changes” after desired changes are made. Click “Cancel/Close” to disregard changes made.
SECTION 3: Website Maintenance & Best Practices
Your website is the primary gateway for prospective customers to learn about your company. The primary goal of your website is to drive qualified leads by online form submissions, in-person visits, or phone calls. As such, the website must provide visitors with the right amount of information about your products, services, and experience to drive them to take these actions.
What and When to Post: search engines like Google will rank your website higher if content is added or refreshed at least twice a month.
Content Suggestions: post new content, photos and videos to the site on a regular basis. Include new testimonials that you capture from Yelp, clients and other sources.
Note: Be careful not to add much more content on each page or create many more new pages because you don’t want to overwhelm visitors with too many options or too much information. Focus on creating new content that quickly and efficiently delivers your message.
Data-informed Decisions: Using your website's built-in analytics tool, called “Stats,” monitor inbound traffic referrals (ie., Facebook, Yelp, YouTube, affiliates) each month to see which channels can be attributed to driving the most traffic and leads. This will tell us which channels to pay more attention to. Also, look to see the most popular pages to focus your attention on adding new content, as well as number of Visitors, Visits, Page Views, etc.
SECTION 4: Digital Marketing Maintenance & Best Practices
Facebook:
This social network presents your company with an opportunity to speak candidly with friends, prospects and past customers. It's through this honesty that a corporate voice begins to emerge, that brings with it an immediacy and relevancy to those who follow you. If well-maintained, our expectation is that this channel can drive 10% of your leads this year. Be sure to add your website url to your Facebook page.
What and When to Post: it is important to post new content at least twice a week. This can be in the form of status updates and uploading photos or video.
Content Suggestions: When possible, try to write posts that link back to your website – remember, your website is where a lead is most likely to take place. Avoid at all costs the use of foul language, negative or personal points of view.
Invite Friends: Leverage your personal account to invite friends to "Like" your page. This includes rallying younger members of your company’s family and extended, who are already masters of Facebook. This initial enlisting of Likes will be critical to getting this community off the ground and activating it as an effective marketing tool. Also be sure to build a network among current and even potential clients.
Twitter:
This social network gives your company the opportunity to broadcast short, concise messages, thoughts, and images to your audience. There is a strict 160-character limit on the length of your posts.
Build your following, reputation, and customer's trust with these simple practices:
- Share. Share photos and behind the scenes info about your business. Even better, give a glimpse of developing projects and events. Users come to Twitter to get and share the latest, so give it to them!
- Listen. Regularly monitor the comments about your company, brand, and products.
- Ask. Ask questions of your followers to glean valuable insights and show that you are listening.
- Respond. Respond to compliments and feedback in real time
- Reward. Tweet updates about special offers, discounts and time-sensitive deals.
- Demonstrate wider leadership and know-how. Reference articles and links about the bigger picture as it relates to your business.
- Champion your stakeholders. Re-tweet and reply publicly to great tweets posted by your followers and customers.
- Establish the right voice. Twitter users tend to prefer a direct, genuine, and of course, a likable tone from your business, but think about your voice as you Tweet. How do you want your business to appear to the Twitter community?
Content Suggestions: Same as with Facebook, try to write posts that link back to your website – remember, your website is where a lead is most likely to take place.
Special Tip: We built your site to be fully compatible with Twitter. Try this: Log into your business Twitter account and before you log out, go to your website. On any post, click the Twitter “Tweet” button and that content will automatically get sent to your business’s Twitter account. Wow! It’s a big time-saver when you’re short on time to write new content specifically for Twitter.
SECTION 5: Notes About Your Site
Mobile:
Your website is fully responsive and has a mobile version, which loads automatically when being viewed on a tablet or smartphone. We’ve designed the small-screen experience to deliver all the content of your regular site, but in a format that’s specifically designed for people on the go. This means that you don’t have to worry about what information you should put on your mobile site, or how it will look...we take care of that for you. And, every time a new mobile operating system version comes out for these devices, your site will automatically be compatible, so no need to worry.
Need More Assistance?
No worries, we can help!
Give us a call and schedule a one on one with a design specialist.****Additional charges may apply