Do you sell products or services that would appeal to the over-50 market? Do you believe that Facebook is only for youngsters? Well, maybe you should think again.

According to a survey many more over-50s are now using Facebook regularly – and so this could be a great place to widen your social marketing drive.

Hopefully you already have a business website (if not you might want to check out the stunning possibilities on WebCreationUK’s portfolio), and you’ll know by now the merits of social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
Now it’s time to wake up to a few lesser known stats about Facebook:

* Facebook is massive – 500 million users at the last count – and therefore makes a great place for reaching potential customers

* A lot more people over 50 are now using Facebook. Some quarter of this age group now use social media websites, with Facebook being the most popular.

* 49% aged 50 to 64, and 40% all adults 50+, consider themselves extremely or very comfortable using the Internet.

So while all businesses would be wise to use Facebook as an important marketing tool, it’s now clear that the over-50s customers can also be targeted on this fast-growing social media site, too. Why miss a trick?

A new survey has revealed that the majority (64%) of businesses in America say that they now prefer to use on-line teams instead of hiring more people on-site.

The research from Elance also found that 87% believe that on-line hiring is a vital business strategy to improve profitability and competitiveness.

A spokesperson said: “Businesses report that while they are not adding many new employees on-site, they are opting to hire and distribute work to on-line teams as a core strategy to help them do more with less.”

The top criteria for hiring people on-line include:
•    Rate of pay.
•    Access to previous employment references
•    Portfolio of work

If you’re a freelancer maybe now is the time to update you business website. Remember that WebCreationUK has a great deal of experience in creating SEO-charged websites for all kinds of businesses.

Blogging is on the rise – and many more businesses are recognising the importance of blogging for business purposes. As you’ll have learned through our own blogs, it takes time, energy and creativity to write a successful blog.

A successful blog isn’t just a great chance to build links and include keyword-rich relevant content, it’s also a great way to boost your company’s reputation.

Here is the first in our two-part series on starting a successful blog. Look out for the second part next week.
Headers: Not only should this engage the reader, but a header should also pay attention to search engines, which pay a lot of attention to header words and titles. Forget cryptic headlines; just go for something simple and explanatory.

Keep blogging: You should be aware that blogging takes time and energy. To be effective, you blog must be updated regularly. Google and other search engines are forever on the look for new content so to stay in the SEO game you need to be writing a lot – and with relevancy.

Think of your audience: Make sure your blogs will appeal to the type of person/customer that you want to engage.

Be kind to the eye: People skim read internet words, and especially blogs, so make sure you keep the look of your blog simple. Use short paragraphs, lots of sub-heads, bullet points etc. Anything that makes the writing easier on the eye.

Go guesting: Guest blogs are blogs that you offer or are invited to write for other blogs. They will include a link back to your website so they offer a great outlet for marketing your website and for backlinks (backlinks are important SEO tools).

Get social: Use Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites to promote your blog. You’ll soon find that people get to know about you.

Happy blogging! And why not talk to WebCreationUK about up-dating the look or style of your blog? Design is important – just like content.

Virgin Media is set to offer broadband speeds of up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps). The global company says that 400Mbps-ready modems and routers “in the pipeline”.

400Mbps data transfer is fast enough to download an album in one second, or a high-definition movie in two minutes.
Virgin Media believe that more consumers will be demanding faster speeds from their connections. A spokesperson is reported as saying: “The crunch point is coming. There is a step-change in what people are trying to do with their broadband connection.”

The company is pledging 100Mbps by the end of 2010 for millions of customers and 400Mbps to come…

Latest news from the car sales industry is that Ford Retail has launched a dedicated ecommerce website: FordOnline.co.uk

While many potential car buyers will start their search on-line, the most traditional approach to actually buying a car is to then go to a car sales forecourt.

But FordOnline.co.uk are keen to capitalise on the numbers of potential customers by offering cars for sale on-line, and not simply use the internet as a place to advertise their cars for sale.

These days there is a wider trust of buying on-line and with the backing of established brands there is a belief that customers are willing to use the internet for these types of larger purchases.

The FordOnline.co.uk ecommerce site has been set up to be transaction-oriented. The target is customers who have identified the product they want to buy and are ready to find out more about the deal. They also plan to launch a customer review section.

It will be interesting to see how this new website will be welcomed by customers.

WebCreationUK offer a full range of ecommerce packages and website design for great prices.

A couple of surveys have revealed that a rising number of people are abandoning on-line shopping carts for a range of reasons.
A report by Forrester shows that increased customer expectations and comparison shopping are part of the reason why an increased number (88%) of on-line shoppers leave their shopping baskets before completing a sale.

The top five reasons for doing so are:
.    44%: High shipping costs
.    41%: Not ready to purchase
.    27%: Price checking
.    23% Price too high
.    24% Saving products for later.

Meanwhile, a survey of more than 1000 visitors to Webcredible’s website found that hidden charges and registration were the most common reasons for abandonment.

While it is impossible to control customer expectation (other than to offer the best products at the best prices) there are a number of straightforward tips that ecommerce business owners can embrace.

•    Offer clear delivery charges on product pages and elsewhere.
•    Do not have hidden charges or fees at the point of checkout.
•    Try to avoid asking for compulsory registration at the point of checkout.
•    Make it easy to save a basket of shopping for another day or offer a wishlist facility.
•    Make it easy to resume a shopping session on the next visit.

WebCreationUK has a wealth of experience in creating successful ecommerce websites. Why not call them today to find out more about web design and top ecommerce website tips?