Week 3 Part A: Aesthetics, Design, and Branding

Best Electronics

 https://best-electronics-ca.com/

Where do I begin with Best Electronics? My first thought was "What a jumbled mess!" There was a lot of large, bold print and it was difficult to separate what was what. There also was endless scrolling with no back-to-top link. In addition to a lot of bold print, they used multiple colors which were distracting and would switch from left alignment to centered for each section.

I do not believe this website was professionally done. The page does not feel cohesive. Although it is a a reference to the Atari 8 bit family, I think that the website would benefit from more separation between headlines and the subjects. The fonts should also be the same color and the headline in bold, placed above the text. Customer feedback would look better in a grid, perhaps with a different colored background as well as a smaller, non bold font.

Gates N Fences 

http://gatesnfences.com/

Gates N Fences had some positive aspects, but overall it was drab. The website lacked contrast and seemed small and scrunched together. The pictures of their work were spread randomly throughout and not the best quality of photography. There was not much separation between sections and the headlines were in blue font, the same size as the fine print.

It appears that a semi professional designed this website. The logo was consistent in the links, and there was left side navigation. The page logo and banner represent what the company is about. I would work on more separation between headlines and better quality photographs. I would also use a grid to separate the photographs and the type of gate or rail groupings. Headlines should use a larger, bolder font.

National Park Service

https://www.nps.gov/index.htm

This was the first website I clicked on. I had no idea what NPS stood for! I was drawn in immediately with the bold contrast of the beautiful pictures. The first link I went to was the 20th observance of September 11th. The contrast and simplicity drove me to want to explore more of the website. The logo was a little small, but represented on each link. Every page link contained a short description and photograph that made me want to explore what it contained. This page was definitely professionally done, but then, money buys a better product. It contained bright, clean pictures, a three column grid and good separation between each. At the top of the screen there was a search option as well as a pull down menu.

Apple

https://www.apple.com/

Apple's website was crisp and simple. Their concept was fulfilled. The Apple logo was in the top left corner along with links to products, services, support and your shopping cart. There was room to breathe with plenty of separation between headlines. There was plenty of color contrast between each headline by the usage of light and dark, as well as bold colors. The entire website was easy to navigate and it also included a sitemap in the footer. Once again, I would say this was a professionally produced website with all of the bells and whistles!

The design of a website makes a huge impact. It was easy to be drawn in and comment on Apple and the National Park Service. Simplicity and bold contrasts make a more engaging experience. I also realize that quality photographs help to reinforce the brand. It is also important to have easy navigation when there is a lot of content.

 Business Research - Week 2 Part B

Social media is an essential way to drive interest and revenue for any business. As an accounting major, I found it informative to see how accounting firms, small and large, use social media to enhance their business.

Lawrence Lathrop, CPA

http://www.nautiluswealth.com/

Lawrence Lathrop has been a CPA since 1981 and is the sole owner of Nautilus Tax and Wealth Solutions. He founded his business in 2006 and serves the local community of Canyon Lake and surrounding areas. The website contains multiple pages but no links to social media. The business would benefit from a social media presence.

J & T Accounting Services 

https://www.jandtaccounting.com/

J & T accounting services is a two person firm. They have served the local community for five years and have ten years of experience. I was able to find 15 Yelp reviews. The social media icons at the bottom of the page link to Wix, a website builder. The business would benefit from a social media presence and not a link to their website builder!

Hughes Ferguson Grigg, LLP 

https://hfgcpas.com/

Hughes Ferguson Grigg, LLP has two locations located in El Cajon and Lake Elsinore. It consists of three certified public accountants and has been in business since 2006. The top of the website contains links to their blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Facebook  -  3 followers. The page was created in October of 2020 and contains five posts, the last being August 25,2021.

LinkedIn - 7 followers. No posts.

Twitter    - 0 followers. Since the inception of their Twitter profile in 2020, there have been three posts,  all related to business and personal tax suggestions.

Hughes Ferguson Grigg, LLP does not utilize social media very well. The posts were the same on Facebook and Twitter , but the number of followers and posts were very low on all platforms.

Withum

https://www.withum.com/

Withum is a national CPA firm founded in 1974 with 1,300 employees. Their website has multiple pages and at the bottom of the main page are links to their social media pages, as well as their blog and podcasts.

LinkedIn - 16,436 followers. The last post was September 1st with a link to their Podcast and other posts. There are multiple posts weekly.

Twitter - 2,530 followers. The last post was September 1st. Withum has posted 6,350 tweets.

Facebook - 2,663 followers. The last post was September 1st.

Instagram - 1,636 followers and 1,599 posts. 

Withum has a strong social media presence, but not a lot of followers. The posts range from recruiting, podcast webinars, work culture, diversity, and business technology and are consistent throughout the platforms.. Their social media seems more focused on the employees and their support and culture. The most informative information for businesses would be from the podcasts.

Deloitte

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en.html

Deloitte is one of the Big Four accounting firms. Founded in 1845 and now having 334,800 employees, they provide multinational professional services. Links to their social media can be found in the bottom left corner of the main page.

Facebook - 1,537,511 followers. Their page is well used and consists of multiple posts, the last being September 7th.

Twitter - 132.2K followers. Deloitte connects with many topics over their 18,000 tweets. The last tweets were September 7th. They post multiple tweets daily.

LinkedIn - 8,273,794 followers. Most of the posts are business related , with a strong focus on business  and AI. There are multiple posts daily.

Instagram - 36,000 followers. This page is about life through the employees eyes.

Deloitte has a large following in social media. LinkedIn provides more business geared information, where the other platforms provide more of a personal touch. Facebook and Twitter are consistent with the content on both platforms and post regularly.

In my overall research I discovered that the bigger the firm, the more social media is used. Larger firms provide a mix of information and add a personal aspect by spotlighting employees and activities. By doing many posts, they keep followers engaged with the new content. If professional information is required, LinkedIn is the best source for businesses.

The medium sized firm that I researched uses social media, but does not have many followers. Ferguson Hughes Grigg, LLP only started using social media last October. While they have a presence, they only have a few posts ( 3 and 5 to be exact). The posts are business related and ways to help small businesses but they could really post more information to help draw in potential clients.

The small local firms are those needing  better usage of social media. This is a way to help showcase their knowledge and expertise for small businesses. A small CPA firm today cannot rely solely on word-of-mouth. It is important to get their information out there and draw in more clients.

I think that it is important for a business to keep their clients engaged and wanting more. Small CPA firms could take a from larger firms and post content that not only educates clients, but also puts a personal spin on content. 

Week 2 part A : Business Communication with the Consumer

 Social Media has redefined how businesses communicate with consumers. In the past, a business would rely on direct marketing or word of mouth. Social media has given the consumer a powerful voice that reaches many. Businesses can use this voice to determine the consumers' wants and needs as well as address any dislikes or complaints. It provides a focus group that is available 24/7 and can help to grow a business and increase its revenue. Engaging consumers through social media helps strengthen the relationship and create a buzz around the product or service.

I don't really like to go out and shop anymore, so much of my shopping is done online. I researched reviews for two of the local places I do like to shop at Aldi and Costco.  Yelp was my primary source of reviews. Aldi was mostly positive reviews. Customers commented on the prices and staff, good-tasting food, and the fact that it was clean and well-stocked. It appeared obvious to me that Aldi monitored the reviews because in the first year there were more negative reviews regarding long lines and cashiers with bad attitudes, but these reviews decreased significantly. Costco reviews were interesting. there were a lot of complaints about the tire shop and the food court. I have to agree that service at the tire shop is lacking! But, you can get a great deal on tires and a pretty decent warranty. Most of the complaints were during Covid and in my opinion, kind of silly. Everyone seems to have extreme opinions when it comes to Covid issues.  Most people appreciated that it was less crowded and less busy than Temecula and other stores, as well as good customer service. I take reviews with a grain of salt because everyone has different opinions.

I generally do not leave reviews. If I do leave one, it is positive. I believe that good service or a good product should be rewarded. People in customer service put up with a lot and hear more negative than positive. I do like to read product reviews. Reviews help me determine whether the sizes are accurate or if the quality is good. If the positive outweighs the bad then I am more likely to purchase that product!

For my own business, I would listen to the reviews. I feel that it would be important to thank those that provide positive reviews and to research those with negative reviews. Following up with issues by reaching out to those that are dissatisfied and trying to resolve them could create a good experience and my business would be rewarded.

I left Yelp reviews for the Lake Elsinore locations of Aldi and Grocery Outlet. I think that the service has been good and I find unusual items at both stores. I like that both stores are a treasure hunt and you never know what you will find!