Website Essentials for Business Success

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Welcome back to the business ignite podcast, where we light the fire

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for business growth and marketing success.

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Your hosts, Ethan Walker, Samantha Reed,

bring you the latest trends, expert

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insights, and actionable strategies

to fuel your business journey.

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Let's ignite your potential.

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Ethan Walker: All right.

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Welcome in deep divers ready

to make those websites shine.

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Samantha Reed: Let's do it.

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Websites are the digital

front door, right?

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Got to make that first impression count.

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Ethan Walker: And today's deep dive is all

about unlocking those must have elements

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that will make your site a total knockout.

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We're taking cues from 95 visual.

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They're a digital marketing

agency, really know their stuff.

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Samantha Reed: They've

got some great insights.

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Five key things every website needs.

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Ethan Walker: And first one,

it's all about keeping it clean.

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Samantha Reed: Ah, the

classic less is more approach.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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Think about your website's homepage.

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It's the prime real estate.

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You don't want it to feel like

a cluttered storeroom, right?

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Samantha Reed: Absolutely not.

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Yeah.

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Visitors should be able to immediately

get a sense of who you are and what

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you offer, without feeling overwhelmed.

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It's about clarity and impact.

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Ethan Walker: Like imagine walking into

a shop and there's just stuff everywhere.

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Chances are you're

turning right back around.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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95 Visual actually found that people

decide whether they like a website

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or not in a fraction of a second.

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Ethan Walker: No pressure, right.

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Samantha Reed: None at all.

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But that's why a clean,

organized homepage is so crucial.

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It's about making navigation effortless

and inviting people to explore further.

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Ethan Walker: So we've decluttered.

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We've created a space

that's visually appealing.

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What's next on our website checklist?

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Samantha Reed: Well, let's talk about

something that often gets overlooked.

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Location, location, location.

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Ethan Walker: You're telling me I

need a giant map on my homepage?

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Samantha Reed: Not quite, but close.

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You'd be surprised how many people

go to a website simply to find

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out where a business is located.

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Ethan Walker: Makes sense.

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It's like, okay, you've got

my attention online, but where

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are you in the real world?

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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Don't make them hunt for

that address or phone number.

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Make it prominent, easy to find.

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Maybe even consider adding a Google

Maps link for extra convenience.

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Ethan Walker: Oh, that's smart.

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Saves me from having to open up a separate

tab and do a whole separate search.

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Streamlining, I like it.

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Samantha Reed: It's all

about that user experience.

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Ethan Walker: Okay, so

location is locked in.

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What else should we be thinking about?

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Samantha Reed: Now it's time

to dive into the detail.

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Okay,

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Ethan Walker: let's get specific.

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Samantha Reed: Think about what

you offer your services, your

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products, your unique approach.

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This is your chance to really

showcase your expertise and build

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trust with potential customers.

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Ethan Walker: It's giving transparency.

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Right.

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Being upfront about what

you bring to the table.

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Samantha Reed: Absolutely.

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95 visual use the example of

a carpet cleaning business.

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Break down the process.

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What steps are involved?

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What kind of equipment do you use?

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What makes you stand out

from the competition?

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Ethan Walker: It's like giving

people a peek behind the curtain.

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They see you're not hiding anything

and that builds confidence.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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Transparency goes a long

way in the online world.

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Ethan Walker: Okay, we're three for

three on those website must haves.

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A clean homepage, easily

accessible location info, and

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detailed service descriptions.

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Samantha Reed: We're just getting started!

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Ethan Walker: Alright, so we've got a

website that's clean, easy to navigate,

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and tells people exactly where to find us.

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What's next on our website makeover list?

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Samantha Reed: Well, in today's

digital age, we can't forget

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about the power of social media.

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Ethan Walker: Right.

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Got to have those little icons, right?

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Facebook, Instagram, the whole nine yards.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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But they're not just there to look pretty.

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Those icons are like bridges

connecting your website to

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your social media platforms.

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Ethan Walker: It's all about

expanding that online presence.

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Samantha Reed: Precisely.

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Your website is your home base.

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But social media is where you can really

let your personality shine through.

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Share behind the scenes content,

engage with your followers, maybe

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even show off your sense of humor.

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Ethan Walker: Because, let's face it,

nobody wants to see a boring website.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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And 95 Visual really emphasizes having

those social media icons visible

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on every single page of your site.

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Make it easy for people to connect

with you wherever they are.

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Ethan Walker: Makes those impulse

follows more likely too, right?

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Yeah.

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Someone's reading your latest blog

post, they're loving your insights,

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and BAM, they spot that Twitter bird

and decide to give you a follow.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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It's seamless experience

for your audience.

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They can easily jump from your website

to your social media and back again.

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Ethan Walker: Okay, so we've

covered a lot of ground here.

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Clean home page, location,

service details, social media.

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What's the final website

must have on our list?

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Samantha Reed: This one might seem

like a no brainer, but you'd be

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surprised how often it gets overlooked.

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A dedicated contact us page.

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Ethan Walker: Wait, really?

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But that seemsbasic.

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Samantha Reed: You'd

think so, wouldn't you?

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But you want to make it as easy as

possible for people to get in touch.

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Ethan Walker: Because if they're on your

contact page, they're already interested.

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You don't want to create any

roadblocks at that point.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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95visual actually found that the Contact

Us page is often the second most visited

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page on a website right after the home

page, so it's crucial to make it count.

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Ethan Walker: Okay, so spill the tea.

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What makes a Contact Us

page really stand out?

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Samantha Reed: Well, first and

foremost, make it easy to find.

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It shouldn't be buried in some

obscure corner of your site.

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Make sure it's clearly linked

in your navigation bar.

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Maybe even in the footer of every page.

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Ethan Walker: Yeah, like you said,

it's one of the most visited pages.

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Don't make people hunt for it.

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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And once they're there, give them options.

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Some people prefer to pick up the phone.

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Old

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Ethan Walker: school.

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Samantha Reed: Right?

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While others are all about that email.

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Ethan Walker: Email or live chat hitting

that send button is so satisfying.

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Samantha Reed: It is.

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So provide a phone number, an

email address, maybe even a

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contact form, so they can fire off

a message right then and there.

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Ethan Walker: And if we really want to

go above and beyond, that's where that

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Google Maps link comes in handy again.

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Samantha Reed: Absolutely.

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Especially if you have

a physical storefront.

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Make it easy for people to find you.

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Ethan Walker: Because sometimes

There's just no substitute

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for seeing things in person.

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Okay, so we've got a beautifully

designed Contact Us page.

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It's easy to find, it's

got all the options.

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Anything else we should keep in mind?

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Samantha Reed: Oh, I've got one more tip.

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And 95 Visual actually

touched on this too.

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Don't forget those social media

icons on your Contact Us page.

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Ethan Walker: Right, because why not

give people another way to connect?

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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It's all about casting a wide net.

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Some people might DMs on Instagram

rather than composing a formal email.

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Ethan Walker: It's about giving people

options and meeting them where they are.

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Samantha Reed: Precisely.

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Ethan Walker: Wow.

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This has been such a crash

course in website optimization.

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We've covered so much ground, a

clean homepage, that all important

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location information, breaking down

those services, harnessing the power

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of social media, and of course,

crafting the perfect contact us page.

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Samantha Reed: It's all about

those little details, right?

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They might seem small, but they

can make a big difference in how

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people perceive your brand online.

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Ethan Walker: It's like, you might have

the best product or service in the world.

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But if your website is difficult

to navigate, or doesn't make

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a good first impression,

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Samantha Reed: You're missing

out on potential customers.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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Samantha Reed: So think of your

website as an evolving entity.

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Always room for improvement.

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Always room to experiment.

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It's

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Ethan Walker: a journey,

not a destination, right?

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Exactly.

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Well, on that note, a huge thank

you to 95 Visual for providing the

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inspiration for today's deep dive.

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And to you, our amazing

listeners, thanks for joining us.

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Now go out there and create

those website masterpieces.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for tuning

into the Business Ignite podcast,

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where we fuel your business

growth and marketing success.

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If you enjoyed today's episode,

be sure to rate and review us.

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It does help others find the show.

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Don't forget to follow us on social

media at Business Ignite podcast and

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share this episode with a friend.

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Keep the fire burning and remember,

your success is just one strategy away.

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Until next time, stay ignited.