6 | Tees Business
/ ADVICE
Cleveland Centre manager
Graeme Skillen with Iftikhar
Hussain and Ismini Tattou from
Lily & Co.
WHY CAN’T YOUR
CUSTOMERS FIND
YOU ONLINE?
Three common issues that could be
holding your business back:
1. Website limitations
The first step of any digital strategy
starts with a website audit to reveal
technical faults hindering your site.
Poorly written content, bad structure,
slow loading times and poor keywords
are all common issues. To your
customers, some of these problems
can’t be seen, but to Google these
limitations are essentially saying
“Ignore me, I don’t want to be found”.
You may think you’re exempt if
you’ve had a new website built, but an
amateur job will be plagued by these
problems, making it impossible to be
found.
2. Poor user experience
User experience should be at the core
of any website project. You might be
impressed with how beautiful your
website looks, but if it doesn’t convert
traffic, it’s as good as a phone that is
always ringing but never answered.
Your website should be designed
to maximise your business goals; if
different users land on the homepage
with different goals then they must
be catered for. Strong calls to action,
with well written content, placed in
appropriate places is what counts.
3. No-one knows you exist
So you’ve put your website live, but you
need to make sure you have resources
to market it.
SEO will ensure you’re found
through search engines. PPC will allow
you to pay for instant traffic. Social
will help build a following, and email
marketing allows you to directly target
individuals.
Think of a website as a shop.
A well informed strategy will get
your customer from their home, to
the checkout with a trolley load of
groceries.
Danielle Bloom
Calm Digital
New stores follow centre’s Disney boost
M
iddlesbrough’s Cleveland Centre is
celebrating the opening of two new
independent stores just weeks after
confirmation that Disney has signed a long-
term extension to the lease of its popular
pop-up store.
The town’s largest shopping centre has
welcomed the opening of women’s fashion
store Lily & Co and national book shop New
Stories.
Cleveland Centre manager Graeme Skillen
believes the new stores will provide a further
boost to footfall supported by the Disney
store’s ongoing success and the forthcoming
arrival of Flannels, Sports Direct and USC on
the site of the former BHS.
“Both new stores are already proving
popular, with Lily & Co sealing a prime spot
close to both Psyche 2 and Lush,” he said.
“We were absolutely thrilled that Disney
chose to retain its worldwide brand as part of
the Cleveland Centre, which I believe is a real
coup for Middlesbrough.
“Disney’s decision to stay, the recent
arrival of a large Poundworld store combined
with the planned opening of Flannels, Sports
Direct and USC over the summer gives every
reason for positivity, but it’s always important
to attract independent stores such as Lily &
Co and New Stories.”
Lily & Co has opened in a 1,600 sq ft unit
in Wesley Mall, while New Stories’ unit, close
to the Disney store, is 3,800 sq ft.
Lily & Co, which is owned by Pakistan-
born Iftikhar Hussain, specialises in women’s
fashionwear including party dresses,
handbags and footwear.
Hussain, who has employed three new
staff at the store, said: “We’re excited to be
in the Cleveland Centre, especially with such
high profile neighbours as Psyche and Lush.
“Fashion isn’t just my business – it’s my
hobby, too. I’m passionate about it. I pride
myself on providing a personal service to our
customers, some of whom have nicknamed
me Gok Wan!”
GREEN LIGHT FOR CENTRE SQUARE
OFFICE DEVELOPMENT
M
iddlesbrough Council has approved
plans submitted by developer Ashall
Projects for a key redevelopment site
in central Middlesbrough.
The announcement comes as national
restaurant operator Bistrot Pierre confirms
it will open a restaurant at Centre Square in
September this year.
The Centre Square East development
will see Ashall Projects transform the
land around Centre Square to create and
deliver circa 210,000 sq ft of Grade A office
accommodation, enhanced public realm
and landscaping with additional food and
beverage outlets.
Ashall’s plans form part of Middlesbrough
Council’s £700m Investment Prospectus
which was launched to the public last month
and includes plans to create 5,000 jobs
across the town.
Up to 1,500
jobs will
be created
throughout the
Centre Square
development
alone.
“We are
extremely excited to have the opportunity to
transform the business offering within the
town centre,” said Ashall Projects director
Mark Ashall.
“Centre Square has the potential to be
a centre for business activity capable of
providing the best office accommodation
between Leeds to the south and Newcastle
to the north, providing a significant boost to
the local economy.”
Go to page 51 to read more about
Middlesbrough’s property renaissance.