Overview of Digital Marketing and Web Development

Overview of Digital Marketing and Web Development

Digital marketing is all about promoting your products or services online. It’s like having a toolbox filled with different tactics, like social media campaigns, eye-catching content, and targeted advertising. These tactics help you reach your ideal customers and create a buzz around your brand.

On the other hand, web development focuses on building your online home base – your website. This involves everything from the technical aspects of coding and design to crafting engaging content and ensuring the website runs smoothly.

Web development creates the foundation for your digital marketing efforts. A well-developed website is like having a beautiful storefront in a prime location. People can easily find you, explore what you offer, and learn more about your brand.

Web development optimises your website for search engines. This means when people search for products or services related to yours, your website has a higher chance of appearing at the top of the results. This can increase the traffic coming to your site through search engines.

Web development builds a user-friendly website that keeps visitors engaged. It ensures your website is easy to navigate, providing a positive experience for visitors and making them more likely to stay and explore what you offer.

Web development creates a visually appealing website that creates a lasting impression. A website with a strong visual design grabs visitors’ attention and makes your brand memorable.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing involves using digital channels like websites, social media, email, and more to promote your products or services online. In the modern context, people assume it as SEO, but it’s more than that. Techniques like PPC, social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing all work together to reach your target audience, generate leads, and ultimately drive sales. 

Key Ingredients for Digital Marketing Success:
SEO: Get your website noticed in search results. A higher ranking means more visitors.
Content Marketing: Create valuable content to attract, engage, and establish your brand.
Social Media Marketing: Connect with your audience, share your story, and build relationships.
Email Marketing: Stay connected, nurture leads, and convert potential customers.
PPC Advertising: Get targeted traffic with ads displayed when people search for what you offer.

What is Web Development? 

Web development brings websites to life, like building a house online with code instead of bricks. Imagine a website as a restaurant: informative content is delicious food, while design makes you want to stay and explore.

Key Ingredients of a Website:

Front-End Development: Creating the visual elements and interactivity you see, using code like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Like chefs plating food, they make it visually appealing and user-friendly.

Back-End Development: Handling unseen tasks like storing information and ensuring smooth operation. Like kitchen staff, they make sure everything runs efficiently.

Full-Stack Development: Skilled in both front-end and back-end, these developers can handle everything, from design to coding, on both sides.

Web Design: Focusing on the appeal of the website. It involves using color schemes, typography, and imagery to enhance user experience.

The Intersection of Web Development and Digital Marketing

The role of web development in digital marketing is like building the stage for a thrilling play. Your website is the platform where your entire digital marketing performance unfolds. A well-built website provides the foundation for your marketing strategies to shine. 

Let’s delve into how web development supports your digital marketing efforts:

Creating a Delightful User Experience (UX):
User experience in digital marketing refers to a visitor’s ease and enjoyment while navigating your website. Web developers ensure your website is intuitive and easy to use, with clear menus and calls to action. This increases the likelihood that visitors will stay engaged and take the actions you desire, like signing up for your newsletter or making a purchase.

Mobile Friendly: 
Mobile devices are like the ever-present audience in today’s digital world. Web development ensures your website is mobile-responsive, meaning it adjusts to fit smartphones, tablets, and desktops. This is crucial because a website that’s difficult to use on a mobile device will frustrate visitors and hurt your search engine rankings.

Fast Loading Times:
Imagine a play with long, awkward pauses between scenes. That’s what a slow-loading website feels like! Web development focuses on website speed and digital marketing by optimising website performance to ensure fast loading times. This keeps visitors happy and engaged, allowing them to find the information they need. 

Importance of Web Development for SEO

Search engines are like powerful spotlights that help people find your website. Web development incorporates SEO-friendly web design best practices, such as clean code and clear website structure. This makes it easier for search engines to understand and rank your website, increasing your online visibility. 

Why Web Development is Crucial for Digital Marketing Success? 

Search Engines
Imagine a search engine as a librarian. They want to understand your website and recommend it to the right people. Web developers use technical SEO practices to give your website a clear structure, like a librarian loves a well-organised bookshelf. They optimise your website speed, ensure it’s mobile-friendly, and even add special codes that search engines love. This all helps search engines understand and rank your website higher, bringing in more visitors.

What Makes a Digital Marketing Agency Full-Service? – REVIEW

What Makes a Digital Marketing Agency Full-Service? – REVIEW

A full-service digital marketing agency, like Informatics, offers a spectrum of solutions under one roof. Here, we cover how this model works for your business.

Niche agencies specialize in one aspect of digital marketing, and they often do it very well. An example might be a social media marketing firm that exclusively implements organic and paid campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more. 

By contrast, a full-service agency can provide most or all of the following services under one roof: 

Digital Marketing: SEO and SEM specialists, lead generators, PPC gurus, content marketers, and social media strategists all work together in concert to achieve specific business goals. 

Web Design and Development: Experienced designers optimize websites to satisfy customers’ needs and exceed their expectations – fast, functional, and responsive to desktops, phones, and tablets. 

Managed Hosting: You can’t just find a pro to build your fancy website. You need someone dedicated to maintaining it, protecting it from and responding to cyberattacks, and making sure your valuable digital storefront is open 24/7. 

Brand and  Graphic Design: Designers at a full-service agency not only create stunning individual images but a slew of artwork that tells a consistent brand story. 

Media Production: Still photography, videography, editing, sound mixing, podcasting, animatihttps://designsbydaveo.com/our-services/graphic-design/on – all of these skills can be combined to create something better than would be possible alone. 

SaaS: Short for “Software as a Service,” a full-service agency has experts who can recommend (or build) and implement powerful tools that automate routine processes, saving hassle, time, and money. 

Consulting: Advisors provide their expert opinions on which of these services your business should strategically utilize and when, based on their deep understanding of your business’ needs. 

Each expert’s insights pool into the collective understanding and compound to produce results greater than any one niche provider could imagine achieving. 

The full-service agency is the only one capable of creating a holistic strategy. 

Full-Service Efficiency 

Digital Marketing Agency

Holistic planning is just one benefit a business can expect when opting for a full-service marketing agency, as opposed to a piecemeal approach. But what about efficiency? 

Who wants to increase the number of emails they have to receive and respond to? Businesses that choose niche agencies for separate digital marketing tasks have to serve as their own project managers in addition to being clients.  

For a social media campaign alone, your business might need to: 

  • Order images from a graphic designer, sized for multiple platforms as well as optimized for web 
  • Request a new landing page from the web designer 
  • Approve copy and budgets with a social campaign manager 
  • Coordinate with the hosting service to accommodate increased traffic 

  Each task requires multiple rounds of approvals, notes, revisions, and emails upon emails (and probably a few more emails). Full-service digital marketing agencies, however, have a dedicated project manager who funnels all of these tasks into order, tracks deadlines, and maintains brand consistency across every individual channel. 

Collaboration Equals Innovation 

An African proverb reads, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” When marketing experts with a variety of focus areas work together regularly, they can brainstorm and share insights about individual clients, but the real value is in the collective experience and efficiencies they develop, skills that can be applied to all projects.  

Let’s imagine a retailer in Cedar Rapids that focuses on industrial workwear – we have a lot of factories. The social media team’s demographic analytics indicate that women are most likely to click on a social post. This information leads the SEO team to suggest that content marketers create a blog post targeting women’s industrial wear. The media team then shifts to make sure that next month’s photo shoot includes both male and female subjects. These shifts to meet the customers who are most engaged can be made in minutes during an interdepartmental meeting, or over a messaging channel, rather than taking months as different agencies argue over tactics and eventually catch up to speed. 

Digital Marketing at Scale 

Your digital marketing needs will grow as your business evolves. The great news is that most full-service digital marketing agencies will gladly work with your business on one niche service if that’s what you currently want and can afford. But as you see a return on investment and look to keep stoking the revenue fires, more services can be added without the hassle of seeking out, negotiating with, and onboarding a completely new agency. 

Choosing the Right Full-Service Agency 

While a full-service agency offers undeniable benefits, it’s important to choose the right one for your specific needs. Look for agencies with a proven track record, a strong understanding of your industry, and a collaborative approach that values your input. 

By partnering with a full-service digital agency, like Informatics, you gain a team of experts working together in perfect harmony, ensuring your digital presence is truly exceptional. Get started by reaching out.

 

Is SEO Worth it?

Have you ever done SEO (Search Engine Optimization) work on your website?

Many business owners have utilized SEO to generate more leads and sales. However, they don’t all approach SEO in the same way.

Most business owners will work with a freelancer or an agency in a hands-off approach, trusting the expert to deliver results. Others will look to hire an SEO specialist in-house. A few will try to understand and apply SEO techniques to their websites.

SEO in the Age of Algorithm Changes

If you pay attention to online marketing, you’ll see a repeated trend. Someone always says that the latest feature or opportunity is “dead” or “no longer working.”

These suggestions become more intense when search engines, like Google, update their algorithms, reducing the visibility of some websites.

Is SEO worthwhile for your business? There’s only one question you need to answer:

“Do potential customers search for my products or services online?”

If potential customers search for your products or services online, SEO is worth while for your business.

If potential customers are looking for solutions to problems that your products or services solve, SEO is worthwhile for your business. The major benefit of SEO over paid advertising is that you don’t pay every time someone clicks through to your website. Your SEO campaign will generate more visitors and sales at no additional cost per visitor, resulting in decreased customer acquisition costs.

SEO is a long-term strategy that continues to provide results.

Finally, it’s worth remembering how important trust is in the customer buying cycle. People buy from those they know, like and trust. As a business owner, it’s your job to show visitors how you can help them with your products or services once they reach your website.

If a potential customer finds your company on the first page of the search results, it adds more credibility than a business hidden away on page 10 – many clicks and searches away.

Who doesn’t want more credibility?
As always, I welcome any questions or suggestions. Have a blessed week!

Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses

Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses

Digital marketing is essential for small businesses in today’s competitive business landscape. With the right strategies, small businesses can level the playing field with larger competitors.

Digital marketing encompasses all marketing efforts that use electronic devices or the Internet. Businesses leverage digital channels like search engines, social media, email, and websites to connect with current and prospective customers. It is crucial for targeting customers who are most likely to want your products or services.

Key Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO involves optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results, increasing visibility and organic traffic. For example, using relevant keywords in your website content, optimizing meta tags, and building quality backlinks can lead to:

  • Increased website traffic
  • Higher brand credibility
  • Cost-effective marketing

At Designs By Dave O., we have successfully implemented SEO strategies for many of our clients, which have increased website traffic and increased brand credibility.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

PPC is an advertising model where you pay a fee each time someone clicks on your ad. Running Google Ads campaigns to promote a seasonal sale, for instance, offers:

  • Immediate visibility in search results
  • Targeted advertising
  • Controlled budgeting

Content Marketing

Content marketing focuses on creating valuable, relevant content to attract and engage a target audience. Regularly publishing informative blog posts, videos, or infographics related to your industry can:

  • Build trust with your audience
  • Support SEO efforts
  • Encourage customer engagement

Social Media Marketing

Utilizing social media platforms to promote products and services and engage with your audience can be highly effective. Sharing behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram or hosting Q&A sessions on Facebook can lead to:

  • Increased brand awareness
  • Direct communication with customers
  • Enhanced customer loyalty

Email Marketing

Email marketing involves sending targeted and personalized messages to your audience to promote products, events, or offers. For example, sending a monthly newsletter with exclusive discounts or updates on new products can result in:

  • High return on investment (ROI)
  • Direct communication channel
  • Building customer relationships

Conclusion

Digital marketing strategies are essential for small businesses growing and competing in today’s market. By understanding and implementing these strategies, small businesses can connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales.

Contact us today for your free digital assessment.

Shopify vs Etsy: Which One’s Better for eCommerce?

Shopify vs Etsy: Which One’s Better for eCommerce?

Shopify vs Etsy: Overview 

Shopify and Etsy are two leading eCommerce platforms with distinct offerings. This overview highlights their beginnings, approach, and some stats.

Shopify: At A Glance

Shopify is often recognized as one of the leading eCommerce platforms. It is specifically designed for online sales and provides all the necessary tools to display products, manage your store and inventory, and grow your business. With Shopify, digital expansion feels seamless.

You can choose from over 150 e-commerce themes and use its point-of-sale app and devices. Additionally, its extensive app store offers various functionalities to enhance your store. According to BuiltWith.com, Shopify supports around 4.7 million online shops globally.

Shopify earns high marks for its simple setup, intuitive interface, and robust security features. Its users appreciate its mobile-friendly design, extensive app marketplace, versatile payment methods, scalability, and powerful SEO and marketing tools on review aggregators such as G2 and Capterra.

Etsy: At A Glance

Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items. It provides a platform for artisans and crafters to sell their unique products directly to consumers. On Etsy, shoppers can find various goods, from jewelry and clothing to home décor and art made by artisans and independents.

Statista said over 1.9 billion dollars worth of goods were sold on Etsy just last year. This opens up a tremendous opportunity for anyone looking to sell their crafts, as millions can see their products online. Additionally, Etsy offers a community for sellers to connect and share advice.

Shopify vs Etsy: Features

When comparing eCommerce platforms like Shopify vs Etsy, they thrive on their ability to offer robust features that empower businesses. This section explores the comprehensive feature sets of Shopify and Etsy, shedding light on their distinct capabilities.

Shopify Features

Website Builder

Shopify is a website builder with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that lets you easily achieve your desired design. We’ll delve into the functionalities of this editor soon. To kick things off, Shopify offers nine complimentary themes. Pick the one that resonates with your brand and tweak it to match your brand’s vibe. These adaptive themes ensure your shop looks great across all platforms – desktop, tablet, or mobile devices.

In addition to the free options, Shopify offers many premium themes. Alternatively, you can start from scratch with a blank template or upload a custom theme acquired from another vendor. Shopify’s built-in editor lets you view your store’s appearance in real-time as you make changes.

Marketing Features

Shopify offers essential SEO tools, allowing you to manage titles and meta descriptions and preview how your pages look in search results. While suitable for beginners, it may lack the control advanced users desire. For more features, explore the apps in the Shopify App Store; however, premium versions can be costly.

If you prefer not to use Shopify’s built-in tools, you can integrate your Shopify store with services like ActiveCampaign, MailChimp, or Omnisend.

Etsy Features

Website Builder

Etsy also offers a website builder called Pattern for an additional monthly cost. It is designed for existing Etsy sellers to create and customize their standalone e-commerce websites on custom domains. It is nowhere near Shopify in terms of its features. However, it is still an excellent option for anyone planning to take advantage of all Etsy features while staying professional. By default, the domain is yourstorename.patternbyetsy.com, but you can use your domain. If you don’t already have a domain name, you can purchase it in a few clicks using NameCheap.

Marketing Features

Etsy is an online marketplace that attracts millions of visitors. Although your account doesn’t have many marketing tools, your items will still be visible to Etsy’s large user base, reducing the need for extensive marketing efforts.

You’ll have to compete with other sellers within your niche. It would be best to optimize your store to rank higher in Etsy’s search results. To help with this, Etsy provides tools to improve SEO and marketing. Shop Stats and Etsy’s search bar show popular keywords for your shop. Etsy Ads and Etsy Offsite Ads promote your products on different platforms.

Use relevant keywords in your shop’s titles, descriptions, and tags to boost visibility in search results. You can do this using SEO research tools. Etsy also provides a feature in your Shop Manager that allows you to create and share social posts. You can choose from six types of social posts and easily share them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Ease of Use

Ease of use is essential when choosing an eCommerce platform, as it directly impacts the user experience for merchants and customers. This section evaluates the user-friendliness of Shopify and Etsy, examining factors such as setup processes, dashboard navigation, and overall intuitiveness.

Shopify’s Ease of Use

Shopify is easy to use, but mastering its features, creating a nice store, handling inventory, marketing, and analyzing data take time and effort. It may be challenging initially, but it gets easier with perseverance and resources like guides and tutorials.

Etsy’s Ease of Use

Selling on Etsy has a generally gentle learning curve compared to Shopify. Although its platform is more restricted in terms of customization and advanced features, it provides a user-friendly interface and a hand-held approach for setting up and managing a rudimentary online store.

Which Is Better? 

Choosing the right eCommerce platform is crucial for your business’s success. This section provides a brief analysis to help you determine which best meets your needs and long-term goals. 

Shopify Is For Business Owners Who… 

…are seeking a fully customizable, scalable eCommerce platform and have a formidable budget. Shopify provides extensive tools for inventory management, secure payments, marketing integrations, and unlimited product listings. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive analytics, Shopify empowers business owners to build a professional online presence and streamline operations as they grow. However, its price point might be a barrier to entry for independent artists and small businesses.

Etsy Is For Business Owners Who… 

…are artisans, crafters, and small businesses selling handmade, vintage, or unique items. Its marketplace structure provides built-in exposure to a dedicated customer base seeking one-of-a-kind products. Etsy’s user-friendly platform simplifies the listing and selling process, making it an attractive option for those prioritizing a community-driven, niche market experience. For all of its fees and limitations, it does provide a large, readily available audience to sell.

There is no universally correct answer when choosing between Shopify and Etsy. Shopify offers unparalleled flexibility and scalability for online merchants, while Etsy’s niche marketplace appeals to artisans and crafters with a vast audience.

Consider your business goals, product line, and desired level of control over your online presence. The platform that aligns best with your unique needs will likely be the most rewarding long-term choice.

Building an SEO Strategy: A Beginner’s Guide

Building an SEO Strategy: A Beginner’s Guide

Ranking high on search engines requires a well-planned SEO strategy.

Our search engine marketing specialists have put together a beginner’s guide for you. Every business aims to rank at the top of Google’s search results. Since half of all clicks go to the first three listings, it’s definitely a goal worth pursuing. Getting onto the first page of Google doesn’t happen by chance; it requires a carefully crafted plan. Here at Informatics, we call this an SEO strategy.

If you’re new to search engine optimization, here’s how to get started:

Identify relevant keywords.

Keywords are specific words or phrases that people use when searching for information online. They are crucial for helping search engines understand the content of a webpage and matching it to relevant user queries.

By incorporating relevant keywords into your website content, you can increase your chances of appearing in search engine results for those specific terms without having to pay for sponsored ads.

But how do you determine which keywords to use?

Identify terms worth targeting.

Once you have a large collection of terms you rank for and terms you’ve discovered, seek assistance for a deeper analysis. We can create your complete keyword list and even provide estimated monthly search volumes and keyword difficulty scores for each.

It’s important to note that the keywords you should target are not always the ones with high volumes. Striking a balance between search volume and difficulty is crucial. Highlight, underline, or bold those with significant traffic potential but lower competition scores (usually anything under 50).

Optimize and create content.

After identifying the keywords you want to target, create a plan to:

  • optimize your website’s current content and 
  • create new, keyword-rich content.

To ensure success, we develop a content calendar to help us monitor and stay on top of both tasks. Remember that your keywords should not only be included in your body copy. You should also naturally incorporate them in key spots such as metadata, header tags, and URLs.

Advanced SEO

It’s important to understand that search engine optimization is a long-term effort requiring varying commitment levels. In highly competitive search landscapes, businesses need to do more—such as building backlinks, breaking keywords into clusters, writing pillar pages, and deploying other high-level SEO tactics.

Whether you need help getting started, want to implement aggressive SEO initiatives, or are unsure, Informatics is your go-to digital marketing agency for search engine marketing services.

SEO Best Practices for Law Firm Websites

SEO Best Practices for Law Firm Websites

Optimizing Your Law Firm’s Online Presence: SEO Best Practices 

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for ensuring that your website is visible to potential clients when they search for legal services online. Here are a few key SEO strategies specifically for law firms:

  1. Keyword Research: Identify keywords that potential clients might use to find legal services like yours. These might include terms like “personal injury attorney” or “corporate law firm.” Use these keywords strategically in your content, including titles, headings, and throughout the text, but avoid overstuffing.
  2. Local SEO: For many law firms, local clientele is crucial. Optimize your website for local search by including location-based keywords, registering with Google My Business, and creating listings in local directories.
  3. Quality Content: Google values quality content that provides real value to users. For law firms, this could mean detailed blog posts about common legal issues, guides, and explanations of legal processes relevant to your practice areas. Updating content regularly can also help improve your site’s SEO.
  4. Backlinking: Establishing backlinks from reputable sites not only boosts your website’s authority but also its ranking in search results. Consider guest blogging for respected legal publications or local news sites.
  5. Technical SEO: Ensure your website has a clean codebase, utilizes structured data, and loads quickly. This helps search engines crawl and index your site more effectively.

Mobile Optimization With more than half of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-optimized website is no longer optional. Here’s how to ensure your law firm’s website is mobile-friendly:

  1. Responsive Design: Your website should look good and function well on any device, from desktops to smartphones. Responsive design automatically adjusts the layout based on the device’s screen size.
  2. Mobile-Friendly Navigation: Menus and navigation should be easy to use on mobile devices. Large buttons, accessible dropdowns, and a sticky navigation bar can enhance the user experience on mobile.
  3. Speed Optimization: Mobile users often have less patience for slow-loading websites. Optimize images, leverage browser caching, and minimize code to speed up loading times.
  4. Touchscreen Ready: Make sure that all interactive elements like buttons and form fields are large enough to be easily tapped on a touchscreen.
  5. Testing: Regularly test your website on various devices and browsers to ensure that it remains compatible and user-friendly.

By combining effective SEO strategies with a robust mobile optimization plan, law firms can significantly improve their online visibility and user engagement. These enhancements not only help in attracting more potential clients but also provide them with a superior browsing experience, reflecting the professionalism and modernity of your legal practice.

Bounce Rate…What’s that?

Bounce Rate…What’s that?

Have you ever seen the term bounce rate and not thought about what it does to your online rankings? 

In this article, we will discuss the top ten reasons visitors bounce from your website, but first, let’s review what a bounce is and what it is telling you.  Here’s a good explanation of the phenomena:

The bounce rate shows how often visitors leave the site after viewing just one page instead of engaging with the site, such as:

  • Clicking on any links. 
  • Filling out forms.
  • Navigating to other pages within the site.
  • Making any purchases. 
  • Contacting the company for quotes or information.

No matter how great of a job you did in attracting visitors to your website, you can get a high bounce rate if your visitors aren’t satisfied immediately upon landing.

Typically, they’ll bounce when they aren’t finding what they’re looking for once they land on the site:

  • The content was not engaging or relevant to their search.
  • They may have experienced issues with user experience such as slow loading times or poor design. 

Here is a more detailed look at these points with this list of the top ten reasons why visitors bounce from your website. With each point, we also give an example of how to fix it. Implementing any or all of these can mean better conversions, which leads to more revenue for your company.

1. Slow Loading Times

Patience is a rare commodity online. If your website takes too long to load, visitors are likely to bounce. Aim for a loading time of under three seconds to keep users engaged. Two things you can do right away are to check the hosting platform and ensure that you’re being hosted by a company that provides plenty of bandwidth and can support your site with fast loading times. Another is to make sure your images are all optimized for fast loading.

2. Poor Mobile Experience

With more people browsing on their phones than ever before, a website that isn’t mobile-friendly can drive visitors away. Ensure your site is responsive and looks good on all devices.  

3. Unattractive Design

First impressions matter. A cluttered or outdated design can make your site seem unprofessional. Invest in a clean, modern design that aligns with your brand.  [url to contact page]

4. Complicated Navigation

If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll leave. Make sure your navigation is intuitive and that key information is easily accessible.  

5. Intrusive Pop-Ups

While pop-ups can be effective for capturing leads, they can also be incredibly annoying if overused. Make sure they’re not too intrusive and that they can be easily closed. Consider other optin options as well such as announcement bars, or links in blog posts.

6. Irrelevant Content

Visitors come to your site with specific needs. If your content doesn’t match their expectations or interests, they won’t stick around. Ensure your content is relevant and valuable to your target audience.

7. Lack of Trust Signals

Visitors need to trust your site to engage with it. Include trust signals such as SSL certificates, customer testimonials, and clear privacy policies to build credibility.

8. Auto-Playing Media

Unexpected sounds or videos can be jarring and off-putting. Avoid auto-playing media that can startle visitors and disrupt their browsing experience. 

9. No Clear Call to Action

Visitors need to know what to do next. Without clear calls to action (CTAs), they might leave without taking any meaningful steps. Make sure your CTAs are prominent and direct.

10. Technical Issues

Broken links, error pages, and other technical problems can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave. Regularly check your site for technical issues and resolve them promptly.

Conclusion

Understanding why visitors bounce from your website is crucial for improving your user experience and increasing engagement. By addressing these common issues, you will find that attracting visitors to your website and converting them becomes much easier.

Update on Email Rules from Google & Yahoo

Update on Email Rules from Google & Yahoo

Understanding the Latest Email Rules from Google & Yahoo

As part of our commitment to keeping you informed about important developments that could impact your digital communication strategies, we would like to bring to your attention recent changes to email authentication requirements introduced by Google and Yahoo.

Google and Yahoo have updated their email deliverable policies to enhance security and combat email spoofing.

What It Means for You:

  • Better Security: These changes will help keep your email safer and reduce junk emails.
  • Email Delivery: Follow these new rules to ensure your emails continue to reach people without problems.

What You Should Do:

  • Check Your Email Setup: Make sure the service you use for sending emails follows these new rules by Google and Yahoo.
  • Update Settings if Needed: You might need to change some settings to ensure your emails are set up correctly. Your IT team or email provider can help with this.
  • Keep an Eye on Your Emails: Watch how well your emails do to catch any issues early.

Taking these steps will help ensure that your emails continue to work smoothly. If you need help with what to do or have questions, reach out.  

Creating a Better User Experience on Your Website

Creating a Better User Experience on Your Website

Creating a Better User Experience for Your Website

Businesses can increase efficiency online, but not if their site provides a bad user experience. In our latest article, we tell you how to improve your UX.

Have you ever visited a website looking for one simple thing and felt lost and confused? Clicking through page after page to find a “book online” button or contact form is frustrating, isn’t it?

Here in the industry, we call that a bad user experience—or UX to get technical. This nightmare scenario might even be occurring on your site right now, and it could be driving away potential clients or customers.

Signs your site offers clients/customers a bad user experience

  • People call or email instead of completing an action that could be done on your website.
  • In GA4, your conversion rates are low.
  • Your customer service team often answers questions your website could answer.
  • You’ve been told, “I couldn’t find it on your website.”

If any of these indicators are true for your business, you probably need an overhaul. Fair warning: This process takes a bit of time, but it will be completely worth it when you see your conversion rates (and, as a result, sales) jump.

Steps to Bettering Your Site’s UX

Evaluate your information architecture.

  • An information architecture is a visual representation of how content is organized on your website. Mapping it out will help you evaluate the relationships between pages and determine if content needs to be moved, removed, or replaced.
  • Start with the main sections on your navigation bar and map out all the pages under it. Then, think about a first-time user coming to your website. Where would they look to find the information? And once they’ve found it, is there a clear call-to-action (CTA)?
  • If you’re beginning a new site or are committed to a complete content refresh, you could also use the card sorting method. Often favored by web designers, this method involves writing down bits of information or ideas on individual cards and then asking someone outside your organization to sort and group them.

Check your Core Web Vitals.

  • Aside from content, factors like website load time can influence your users’ experience. Google recommends that your pages load in 5 seconds or less to keep your audience engaged instead of frustrated.
  • Luckily, Google introduced Core Web Vitals to identify usability issues, such as a slow-to-load site. You can also view your site’s interactivity and visual stability through your Google Search Console account. If you’re unfamiliar with these metrics or need help tracking them, we recommend contacting us for more information.

Write for an online audience.

  • We’ve seen client websites with 10-sentence paragraphs and over a thousand words for an “About Us” section. And while it’s hard to tell them to take a hatchet to the hours of work they poured in, we have to do it—web content has to be concise.
  • The simple truth is that website users are usually just looking for answers. If they cannot find them quickly, they’ll either go somewhere else and/or resent you for making them sift around.
  • Our content writers recommend keeping paragraphs short, breaking up sections with imagery, and utilizing subheadings for different topics. If you need an example, just look at this blog 🙂 

Here’s the big takeaway:  

Creating a good experience for your site users requires extensive testing, research, and more testing. But in today’s digitally driven world, you must do it.

If you have questions about refining your web design or content, reach out today we look forward to start you off with an audit!

What is Google Business Manager?

What is Google Business Manager?

Harnessing the Power of Google Business Manager for Your Business

In today’s digital age, having a robust online presence is crucial for business success. Google Business Manager is essential for businesses looking to optimize their online operations. Understanding and utilizing Google Business Manager can significantly enhance customer visibility and interaction, whether a small local shop or a large corporation. Let’s dive into what Google Business Manager is, its key features, and how it can benefit your business.

Google Business Manager is a free tool provided by Google that helps business owners manage their online presence across Google’s various services like Search and Maps. By allowing businesses to update their information, manage interactions, and optimize their profiles, Google Business Manager serves as a central platform for enhancing visibility and customer engagement.

Key Features of Google Business Manager

  1. Business Profile Management: This feature allows you to manage your business listing information, such as address, hours, contact details, and more. Keeping this information up-to-date is crucial as it helps customers find and contact you easily.
  2. Insights and Analytics: Google Business Manager provides valuable insights into how customers interact with your business online. You can see data on how many people viewed your business profile, clicked on directions, called your business, or visited your website. This data is vital for understanding customer behavior and optimizing your marketing strategies.
  3. Customer Reviews and Interactions: This platform enables you to engage directly with customers by responding to reviews and messages. Engaging with customer feedback improves your relationship with customers and boosts your business’s credibility and attractiveness to potential new customers.
  4. Post Updates and Offers: You can post updates, events, offers, and more directly to your Google Business Profile through the manager. This feature is particularly useful for promotions, announcing new products or services, and keeping your customers informed about what’s happening in your business.

Benefits of Using Google Business Manager

  1. Increased Visibility: Optimizing your business profile increases your likelihood of appearing in local search results, which can significantly increase your visibility and draw more foot traffic to your location.
  2. Enhanced Customer Trust: Regular updates and active engagement build trust and credibility among your customers. Responding to reviews shows that you value customer feedback and are attentive to their needs.
  3. Streamlined Communications: Google Business Manager makes it easier than ever to maintain effective communication with your customers, with tools that allow you to manage messages and interactions in one place.
  4. Data-Driven Decisions: The analytics provided by Google Business Manager help you make informed decisions based on how customers interact with your business online. This can guide your marketing and operational strategies to be more effective.

Getting Started with Google Business Manager

To start using GBM, you must claim your business on Google My Business. After verification, you can access all the features and optimize your profile. Here’s a quick guide on getting started:

  1. Claim Your Business: Verify ownership of your business to manage your profile.
  2. Complete Your Profile: Fill out all relevant details such as location, hours, and services.
  3. Engage with Customers: Respond to reviews and messages to build relationships and trust.
  4. Monitor Insights: Monitor how customers interact with your profile and adjust your tactics accordingly.

Conclusion: A Tool for Every Business

Google Business Manager is an indispensable tool for any business to strengthen its online presence. Its comprehensive features and benefits facilitate better customer engagement, enhanced visibility, and smarter business operations. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your existing online strategy, Google Business Manager provides the resources and insights needed to succeed in the digital marketplace.

By leveraging Google Business Manager’s power, businesses can maintain a strong digital footprint, drive growth, and foster meaningful connections with their audience.

Brand Messaging: Connecting with Your Users

Brand Messaging: Connecting with Your Users

Crafting effective brand messaging is crucial for connecting you with your target audience. Learn how to resonate with users and enhance brand communication.

Understanding your target audience

Crafting effective brand messaging starts with a deep understanding of your target audience. By identifying their needs, preferences, and pain points, you can tailor your messaging to resonate with them. Once you clearly understand your target audience, you can create messaging that speaks directly to their needs and desires. Use language and tone that resonates with them, addressing their challenges and offering solutions. By showing that you understand their problems and can provide valuable solutions, you build trust and establish a connection with your audience.

Crafting a compelling brand story

A compelling brand story is the foundation of effective messaging. It helps you differentiate your brand and create an emotional connection with your audience. Define your brand’s values, mission, and unique selling proposition. Consider what sets your brand apart from competitors and why your audience should choose you. Use storytelling techniques to convey your brand’s essence and evoke emotions. Share your brand’s journey, highlighting milestones, challenges, and successes. By sharing your story, you humanize your brand and make it relatable to your audience.

Consistent tone and voice across platforms

It is important to maintain a consistent tone and voice across all platforms and channels. This helps reinforce your brand identity and ensures that your messaging is recognizable and cohesive.

Start by defining your brand’s tone and voice. Consider the personality and values you want to convey.  Are you formal or informal? Serious or playful? Authoritative or friendly? Once you have established your brand’s tone and voice, consistently apply it in all your communications, including website content, social media posts, emails, and advertisements. This consistency will help your audience develop a clear understanding of your brand and what it stands for.

Utilizing visual elements to enhance messaging

Visuals can grab attention, evoke emotions, and convey complex ideas more effectively than words alone. Incorporating compelling visuals into your messaging can help create a memorable and impactful brand experience for your audience. Consider using high-quality images, videos, infographics, and illustrations that align with your brand’s identity and message.

Do professional web designers use Wix?

Do professional web designers use Wix?

The web design landscape has evolved significantly over the past decade, with the emergence of website builders like Wix offering a user-friendly alternative to traditional coding methods. 

This has led to a debate about whether professional web designers still use Wix or have moved on to more advanced platforms and techniques.

In this article, we’ll explore Wix’s role in the professional web design world, examine its strengths and limitations, and discuss the situations in which it might be an appropriate choice for professional designers. 

Whether you’re a business owner considering using Wix for your website or a budding web designer contemplating the platform’s viability, this article will provide insights into the world of professional web design and the role of Wix within it.

Difference Between Wix Web Designers and Professional Web Designers

Feature Professional Web Designers Wix Users
Skillset Extensive knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Limited or no coding knowledge is required
Customization High degree of customization and control Templates and drag-and-drop interface limit customization
Scalability Ability to handle complex websites and growth May face limitations with larger or more complex websites
SEO Expertise in optimizing websites for search engines Basic SEO tools and features
Design Emphasis on unique and tailored designs Templates may restrict design flexibility
Cost Project-based pricing Monthly subscription fees
Target Clients Businesses with specific needs and budget Individuals or small businesses with limited budgets

 

Expert web designers prefer custom coding.

Expertise and skill are crucial in web design for providing exceptional user experiences and creating visually appealing websites. For several reasons, professional web designers often prefer custom coding over website builders like Wix. 

Custom coding gives designers complete control over every aspect of the website’s functionality and design, ensuring a unique and tailored user experience. It also provides the flexibility to optimize the website for performance, search engine optimization, and customization to meet specific client requirements. 

Writing clean, efficient, and optimized code allows web designers to create fast, responsive websites and deliver a seamless user experience across different devices and browsers. 

Do professional web designers use Wix?

Why professionals don’t use Wix?

  1. Limited design flexibility
  2. Lack of custom coding options
  3. Slow loading speeds
  4. Limited search engine optimization capabilities
  5. Difficulty integrating advanced features
  6. Less control over website security measures

Wix may limit design capabilities

it is important to note that while Wix offers a user-friendly platform for building websites, it does have limitations in terms of design capabilities. 

Wix templates may restrict the creativity and freedom that professional web designers seek when creating unique and innovative websites. The pre-designed layouts and limited customization options may not fully align with a designer’s vision or a client’s specific needs. 

Professional sites need advanced features.

Professional websites, particularly those developed by experienced web designers, require advanced features to meet the specific demands of their clients and target audience. 

These advanced features go beyond the basic functionality offered by simple website builders. Professional sites often incorporate complex e-commerce systems, advanced user authentication and membership systems, robust analytics and tracking capabilities, and seamless integration with third-party tools and services. 

These features are crucial for businesses that require secure online transactions, personalized user experiences, and data-driven decision-making. Additionally, professional sites often require custom design elements, responsive layouts, and optimized performance to ensure an exceptional user experience across different devices and platforms. 

Therefore, professional web designers usually prefer platforms or frameworks that provide the necessary tools and flexibility to implement these advanced features effectively.

Do professional web designers use Wix?

Advanced features for professional sites

  1. Custom coding options
  2. E-commerce capabilities
  3. Responsive design
  4. SEO optimization
  5. Analytics and tracking tools
  6. Integration with third-party apps and plugins

Wix templates can look generic

Wix templates, while convenient and user-friendly for beginners or those with limited design experience, can sometimes appear generic compared to professionally designed websites

This is because many users often use Wix templates, resulting in a lack of uniqueness and originality. The limited customization options within Wix templates can also contribute to a generic feel, as they may not fully align with a professional website’s specific branding or design requirements. 

While Wix does provide some flexibility through its drag-and-drop editor, professional web designers often prefer platforms or frameworks that offer more extensive customization capabilities to create truly unique and tailored designs for their clients.

Alternatives to Wix

  1. Custom coding
  2. WordPress themes
  3. Squarespace templates
  4. Adobe Dreamweaver
  5. Joomla templates
  6. Drupal themes

Custom design offers unique branding

When it comes to establishing a strong and memorable brand identity, custom design plays a crucial role. Professional web designers can create websites that reflect their clients’ brands’ unique values, personalities, and aesthetics by opting for a custom design approach. 

This allows for the creation visually appealing and distinctive websites that stand out. Professional web designers can create a cohesive and impactful brand experience that resonates with the target audience by carefully considering color schemes, typography, imagery, and layouts. 

Custom design offers the flexibility to incorporate specific branding elements, including logos, brand messaging, and visual elements, ensuring a consistent and memorable brand presence online. 

With custom design, businesses can differentiate themselves and leave a lasting impression on their visitors, helping to establish a strong and recognizable brand identity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Wix may be a popular website creation platform, professional web designers do not commonly use it. This is due to its limited customization options and lack of advanced coding capabilities. 

Professional web designers often prefer to use more robust and versatile tools to create unique and high-quality websites for their clients. 

FAQ

Why do professional web designers choose to use Wix as their website-building platform?

Professional web designers may use Wix as their website-building platform for several reasons. Firstly, Wix offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, allowing designers to create and customize websites without coding knowledge.

Do professional web designers find Wix a user-friendly and efficient website creation tool?

Many professional web designers have mixed opinions about Wix. While some find it user-friendly and efficient, others believe it has limitations and prefer more advanced website-building platforms. Ultimately, the perception of Wix as a tool for professional web design depends on individual preferences, skill levels, and the project’s specific requirements.

Are there any limitations or drawbacks that professional web designers experience when using Wix compared to other website-building platforms?

Yes, professional web designers may face limitations or drawbacks when using Wix compared to other website-building platforms. Wix’s drag-and-drop interface may restrict their ability to customize and fine-tune designs. The platform’s pre-designed templates may limit originality and creativity. Furthermore, Wix’s SEO capabilities may not be as advanced as other platforms, potentially impacting search engine rankings. 

How does using Wix affect professional web designers’ overall quality and customization options?

Using Wix can positively and negatively affect professional web designers’ overall quality and customization options. On one hand, Wix provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates, making it easy for non-designers to create a website. 

What is a storyboard in web design?

What is a storyboard in web design?

Storyboarding is an essential process in web design, allowing designers to visualize and plan their website’s interface and user experience before coding begins. 

It serves as a blueprint for the entire web development process, providing a detailed outline of how a website looks and functions. Efficient and effective web design has become increasingly crucial as the digital landscape evolves. 

Hence, understanding what a storyboard is and how it is used in web design is essential for any web designer looking to create a successful and user-friendly website. In this article, we will delve into the concept of storyboarding in web design, its purpose, and its role in the overall design process. 

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced web designer, this article will provide valuable insights into storyboarding and its significance in creating visually appealing and functional websites. 

So, let us dive in and explore the world of storyboarding in web design.

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Visual roadmap for website layout

A visual roadmap for website layout is essential in the web design process. 

It serves as a blueprint for the structure and organization of a website, providing a clear visual representation of how different elements will be arranged on each page. 

This roadmap helps designers and clients to align their vision and expectations, ensuring that the final product meets the desired aesthetic and functional requirements. 

A visual roadmap enables efficient communication and collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders throughout the design process by mapping out the placement of headers, menus, content sections, and other components. 

It also allows for necessary revisions and adjustments before actual development occurs, saving time and resources in the long run. 

Ultimately, a well-crafted visual roadmap for website layout contributes to a cohesive and user-friendly browsing experience, enhancing the website’s overall success.

What is a storyboard in web design?

Improve user experience with functionality

Storyboards in web design play a crucial role in enhancing user experience and functionality. 

Storyboards outlining the user journey and interactions allow designers to anticipate and address potential usability issues before they arise. Using sketches or wireframes, designers can visualize how users navigate the website, ensuring the interface is intuitive and easy to use.

Storyboards also help identify opportunities to incorporate interactive elements, such as hover effects, animations, or interactive forms, which can further engage users and enhance the website’s overall functionality. 

By considering the user experience and functionality early in the design process, storyboards enable designers to create websites that are not only visually appealing but also seamlessly functional, resulting in a positive and satisfying user experience.

What is a storyboard in web design?

What is a storyboard in web design?

Helps organize content and design

Storyboards in web design contribute to creating cohesive and visually pleasing websites by providing a clear framework for organising content and design elements. 

Using sketches or wireframes, designers can strategically plan the placement of text, images, and other media elements to ensure the website’s message is effectively communicated. 

This organization helps users easily navigate the content, making it more user-friendly and accessible. 

Saves time and improves efficiency

One of the significant benefits of utilizing storyboards in web design is the time-saving and efficiency-enhancing nature they bring to the development process. 

By visually representing the website’s structure and layout, designers can quickly assess and iterate on different design ideas without the need for extensive trial and error. 

This eliminates the guesswork and streamlines the decision-making process, enabling designers to focus on creating high-quality and engaging user experiences. 

Furthermore, storyboards facilitate effective communication and collaboration within design teams and with clients, ensuring everyone is on the same page and working towards a shared vidession. 

Ultimately, by incorporating storyboards into the web design workflow, significant time savings can be achieved, allowing for more efficient and streamlined development processes.

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Essential for successful web development

In addition to utilizing storyboards, several other essential factors contribute to successful web development. 

First, a solid understanding of coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is crucial. These languages form the foundation of web development, and having proficiency in them allows developers to create functional and visually appealing websites. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, storyboarding is a crucial aspect of the web design process. It allows designers to visualize and plan the user experience, ensuring that the final product is visually appealing and functional. 

By following a storyboard, designers can effectively communicate their ideas and collaborate with clients and team members to create a cohesive and successful website. 

So, next time you begin a website design project, don’t overlook the importance of storyboarding and its positive impact on your final product.

FAQ

What is a storyboard in web design, and why is it important?

A storyboard in web design is a visual representation of a website’s structure and flow. It outlines each page’s layout, navigation, and content, helping designers and clients envision the final product. It serves as a blueprint for easier communication and collaboration between designers, developers, and stakeholders. Storyboarding is important because it helps identify potential issues or improvements before the actual development phase begins. It ensures that the website’s design and functionality align with the client’s goals and user needs, resulting in a more efficient and user-friendly website.

How does a storyboard help in the website development process?

A storyboard helps the website’s development by providing a visual representation of how the website will flow and function. It allows the developers and designers to plan and organize the layout, content, and user experience before building the website. By mapping out the different pages and features, a storyboard helps identify any potential issues or improvements. It also serves as a communication tool between team members, clients, and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is on the same page regarding the website’s structure and functionality. Overall, a storyboard helps streamline development and ensures a more efficient and user-friendly end product.

What key elements should be included in a web design storyboard?

Key elements that should be included in a web design storyboard are the layout and structure of the website, the placement of key elements such as navigation menus and call-to-action buttons, the visual design and aesthetics including colours, typography, and imagery, and any interactive elements such as forms or animations. It should also outline how the user will navigate the website and the overall user experience. 

Can you provide an example of a storyboard for a website design project?

Yes, a storyboard for a website design project may include a sequence of sketches or wireframes that showcase the layout and flow of different pages on the website. It would outline the main sections, navigation, and content placement, giving an overall visual representation of the user experience. The storyboard may also include annotations or descriptions to explain the functionality and interactions of different elements on the website.

How does a storyboard assist in communicating the design concept to clients or stakeholders?

A storyboard assists in communicating the design concept to clients or stakeholders by visually representing the sequence of events, key interactions, and user experiences. It provides a clear and concise overview of the design concept, allowing clients or stakeholders to understand the flow and structure of the proposed design. By including visuals, text descriptions, and annotations, storyboards help to convey the intended user journey and highlight the key features and benefits of the design concept. This visual representation helps to ensure a shared understanding between designers and clients or stakeholders, facilitating effective communication and feedback throughout the design process.

Importance of Web Design in Digital Marketing Strategy

Importance of Web Design in Digital Marketing Strategy

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business’s success. With most consumers turning to the internet to research and purchase products or services, an effective digital marketing strategy has become more important than ever. One integral aspect of this strategy is web design. 

A well-designed website is not just about aesthetics; it plays a crucial role in driving traffic, engaging visitors, and ultimately converting them into customers. A website’s design can make or break a business’s online presence. 

In this article, we will delve into the importance of web design in digital marketing strategy and explore how it can impact the success of a business. 

From creating a positive first impression to improving user experience and boosting conversion rates, we will uncover the key reasons why having a well-designed website is crucial for a successful digital marketing strategy

So, whether you’re a small business owner or a marketing professional, read on to discover how web design can significantly improve your online marketing efforts.

Visual appeal drives user engagement.

In today’s digital landscape, the visual appeal of a website plays a crucial role in driving user engagement. 

Humans are visual beings, and we are naturally drawn to aesthetically pleasing designs. When a website is visually appealing, it captures users’ attention and encourages them to explore further. 

Using attractive colors, visually engaging graphics, and a well-organized layout can create a positive first impression and make users more likely to stay on a website longer. 

User-friendly design enhances website usability.

A user-friendly design is a critical component in enhancing website usability. When visitors land on a website, they expect a seamless and intuitive experience navigating its pages. 

A well-designed website considers users’ needs and preferences, ensuring that information is easily accessible and functions are straightforward. Intuitive navigation menus, clear and concise content, and well-placed calls to action contribute to a positive user experience. 

A website can improve user satisfaction and encourage repeat visits by providing a user-friendly interface. Furthermore, a user-friendly design reduces frustration and increases the likelihood of conversions, as visitors are more likely to engage with the site and complete desired actions. 

In the competitive digital marketing realm, a website that prioritizes user-friendly design gains a strategic advantage by offering its audience a seamless and enjoyable experience.

Importance of Web Design in Digital Marketing Strategy

Strengthens recognition of brand

A visually appealing and well-designed website not only enhances user experience but also strengthens recognition of the brand. 

When visitors come across a website that is visually appealing, professionally designed, and consistent with the brand’s identity, it creates a positive impression and fosters trust. 

A cohesive and visually engaging web design helps to establish a strong brand presence and makes it easier for users to remember and recognize the brand. Consistent use of colors, fonts, and imagery that align with the brand’s identity across the website reinforces brand recognition and reinforces the brand’s messaging. 

Responsive design boosts mobile traffic.

Responsive design plays a pivotal role in boosting mobile traffic to a website. With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets, businesses must ensure that their website is optimized for various screen sizes. 

A responsive design allows the website to adapt and adjust its layout and content based on the device used. 

This ensures users have a seamless browsing experience, whether accessing the website from a desktop or mobile device. 

By providing a mobile-friendly experience, responsive design improves user satisfaction and positively impacts search engine rankings. As search engines prioritize mobile-friendly websites in their algorithms, having a responsive design becomes essential for businesses to reach their target audience and drive more traffic to their website.

Importance of Web Design in Digital Marketing Strategy

Effective design converts visitors into customers.

When it comes to digital marketing, having a visually appealing and user-friendly website is not just about creating a good first impression but also about converting visitors into customers. 

Effective design plays a crucial role in capturing the attention of potential customers and guiding them toward taking desired actions. A well-designed website incorporates strategic placement of call-to-action buttons, intuitive navigation, and compelling visuals to create a seamless user experience. 

Businesses can increase their chances of converting casual browsers into paying customers by designing to guide visitors through the sales funnel. 

Furthermore, effective design also instills trust and credibility in the minds of visitors, making them more likely to purchase or engage with the business. Therefore, investing in a well-designed website is a key component of any successful digital marketing strategy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, web design is crucial to any successful digital marketing strategy. A well-designed website attracts potential customers, creates a positive user experience, and builds trust in your brand. 

With the constantly evolving digital landscape, businesses must prioritize their web design and keep it up to date with the latest trends and technologies. 

By investing in a strong web design, businesses can effectively enhance their online presence and drive their digital marketing efforts toward success. As the saying goes, “First impressions matter,” in digital marketing, a well-designed website is often the first impression a customer has of your brand. Therefore, it is essential to make it count and utilize web design as a powerful tool in your digital marketing strategy.

FAQ

How does web design impact the overall success of a digital marketing strategy?

Web design is crucial to the success of a digital marketing strategy. A well-designed website attracts visitors, keeps them engaged, and encourages them to take desired actions, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. 

A visually appealing and user-friendly design improves the user experience, leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction. 

What key web design elements make a digital marketing campaign successful?

The key elements of web design that contribute to a successful digital marketing campaign include:

  • A visually appealing and user-friendly interface.
  • Responsive design for mobile optimization.
  • Clear and concise messaging.
  • Intuitive navigation.
  • Fast loading times.
  • Search engine optimization (SEO) techniques.
  • Integration of social media platforms.
  • Effective call-to-action buttons. 

These elements work together to create a positive user experience, increase website traffic, improve conversion rates, and ultimately drive the success of a digital marketing campaign.

How does responsive web design enhance user experience across devices?

Responsive web design plays a crucial role in ensuring a seamless user experience across different devices and platforms. It adapts a website’s layout and design to suit the screen size and resolution of the device being used. 

Is web designing and web development same?

Is web designing and web development same?

In today’s digital age, “web designing” and “web development” are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion and misconceptions among individuals unfamiliar with the technical aspects of creating a website. 

However, for professionals in the industry, there is a clear distinction between these two roles. Web designing and development are essential to building a successful and visually appealing website. While it is true that both involve the creation of a website, their roles, objectives, and skills are vastly different. 

In this article, we will delve deeper into the world of web designing and web development, exploring their similarities and differences and why it is crucial to understand their distinctive roles while embarking on a web project. 

By the end of this article, you will better understand whether web designing and web development are the same or if they are two distinct disciplines that work together to achieve a common goal.

Differences between web design and web development

In digital creation, two distinct yet interconnected roles are crucial in building a successful website: web design and development. 

While these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different aspects of the website creation process. Web design primarily focuses on a website’s visual aesthetics and user experience. 

It involves creating layouts, selecting color schemes, choosing fonts, and designing the overall look and feel of the site. 

On the other hand, web development involves the technical implementation of the website design. It includes coding, programming, database management, and ensuring the functionality and performance of the site. 

While web design and development are integral to website creation, they require different skill sets and expertise. Collaborating effectively between these two disciplines is essential for building a website that looks visually appealing and functions seamlessly.

Parameter Web Design Web Development
Focus Look, layout, visuals Functionality, coding
Role UI/UX design Programming
Deliverables Mockups, prototypes Coded web pages and apps
Expertise Graphic design, typography Programming languages, databases

Skills and responsibilities for each role

web design

Regarding web design, key skills and responsibilities include a strong understanding of visual design principles, proficiency in graphic design tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Sketch, typography and color theory knowledge, and the ability to create intuitive user interfaces. 

Web designers are responsible for creating wireframes and mockups, selecting appropriate imagery, and ensuring a seamless user experience across different devices and screen sizes. 

Attention to detail, creativity, and staying updated with current design trends are also essential for success in this role.

Is web designing and web development same?

web development 

On the other hand, web development requires a different set of skills and responsibilities. Web developers must have a strong command of programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as knowledge of server-side programming languages like PHP or Python. 

They write clean and efficient code, implement responsive design techniques, optimize website performance, and ensure cross-browser compatibility. 

Problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and the ability to work with databases and frameworks are also important for web development professionals.

While web design and web development are interconnected, it is important to recognize each role’s distinct skills and responsibilities. 

Collaboration and effective communication between web designers and developers is crucial to creating a cohesive and successful website. 

By leveraging their unique expertise, these professionals can work together to bring a website to life that looks visually appealing, functions seamlessly, and enhances the user experience.

Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration plays a vital role in the success of any project, including web design and web development. It brings together the expertise and skills of different professionals to create a cohesive and high-quality end product. 

In web design and development, collaboration allows designers and developers to work together seamlessly, combining their strengths to create visually appealing and functional websites. 

Designers provide the creative vision and user experience expertise, while developers bring that vision to life through coding and technical implementation. Effective collaboration ensures that the design and functionality of a website are aligned, resulting in a seamless user experience. 

It also promotes efficient communication, problem-solving, and the ability to adapt and iterate throughout the development process. 

Ultimately, understanding and embracing the importance of collaboration in web design and development leads to superior outcomes and client satisfaction.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while web design and development are closely related, they differ. 

While web design focuses on a website’s visual and user experience, web development delves into the technical and functional aspects. Both are crucial in creating a successful and engaging website. 

As a professional in the field, it is important to understand the differences and how they work together to bring a website to life. By staying updated on the latest trends and technologies in web design and development, one can continue to create innovative and effective websites for clients.

FAQ

What is the main difference between web designing and web development?

Web designing primarily focuses on a website’s visual and aesthetic aspects, such as layout, color scheme, and typography. It involves creating the overall look and feel of the website and designing the user interface. 

On the other hand, web development involves the technical aspects of building a website, including coding, programming, and database management. It deals with the functionality and interactivity of the website, ensuring that it is responsive, user-friendly, and meets the client’s requirements. In summary, web designing focuses on visual design, while web development focuses on the technical implementation of the website.

Are the skills required for web designing and development the same or different?

The skills required for web designing and web development are related but different. Web designing focuses on a website’s visual aesthetics and user experience, requiring skills in graphic design, layout, and typography. 

On the other hand, web development involves coding and programming to create the functionality and structure of a website, requiring skills in programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. 

While some overlap may exist in certain areas, the two roles require distinct skill sets to effectively design and develop a website.

Can a person be proficient in web designing and development, or are they usually separate specializations?

Yes, a person can be proficient in web designing and development. While they are often seen as separate specializations, some possess skills in both areas.

How does the role of a web designer differ from that of a web developer in a website creation process?

A web designer focuses on the visual aspects of a website, including the layout, color scheme, typography, and overall user experience. They are responsible for creating the aesthetic design and ensuring the website is visually appealing and easy to navigate. 

On the other hand, a web developer focuses on the technical aspects of a website, such as coding, programming, and implementing functionality. They are responsible for building and maintaining the website’s infrastructure and ensuring it functions properly. 

While there may be some overlap in skills and responsibilities, the main difference is that a web designer focuses on the design and user experience. In contrast, a web developer focuses on functionality and technical implementation.

Are any specific tools or software commonly used in web designing but not in web development, or vice versa?

Yes, specific tools and software are commonly used in web designing but not in web development, and vice versa. 

In web designing, graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop and Sketch are commonly used to create visual elements and layouts. Prototyping tools like Adobe XD and InVision are commonly used to create interactive mockups. 

Web development, on the other hand, utilizes coding tools and software like text editors (Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code) and integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Eclipse or IntelliJ IDEA. Additionally, web development often involves frameworks and libraries like React, Angular, or jQuery.

How web design impacts content marketing?

How web design impacts content marketing?

In the intricate dance of digital marketing, web design and content marketing are two inseparable partners, each playing a crucial role in attracting, engaging, and converting website visitors. 

While content serves as the heart and soul of a website, providing valuable information and establishing thought leadership, web design acts as the alluring exterior, drawing visitors in and ensuring they have a seamless and enjoyable experience. 

In this article, we’ll delve into the symbiotic relationship between web design and content marketing. We will explore how each element complements and enhances the other to create a cohesive and effective digital presence.

Designing for user experience optimization

To maximize the effectiveness of content marketing strategies, it is crucial to prioritize designing for user experience optimization. 

A well-designed website not only attracts visitors but also ensures that they have a smooth and intuitive browsing experience. 

Web designers can create a user-centric interface that encourages engagement and conversions by considering intuitive navigation, clear calls-to-action, and responsive design

Furthermore, optimizing loading speeds and mobile responsiveness can significantly impact user satisfaction, as visitors expect fast and seamless interactions across various devices. 

SEO elements into the design

In addition to user experience optimization, integrating SEO elements into web design is essential for a successful content marketing strategy. 

By incorporating SEO best practices into the design process, websites can improve their visibility in search engine results and attract organic traffic. For instance, incorporating relevant keywords into page titles, headings, and meta descriptions can help search engines understand the content and rank it accordingly. 

Similarly, optimizing images with descriptive alt tags and creating a logical site structure with clean URLs can enhance crawling and indexing by search engines. 

SEO Design Tips

  1. Use relevant keywords in page titles and headings.
  2. Optimize image file names and alt text.
  3. Include meta descriptions for each page.
  4. Utilize internal links to improve site navigation.
  5. Mobile responsiveness is essential for search rankings.
  6. Use descriptive and compelling URLs for each page.
How web design impacts content marketing?

How web design impacts content marketing?

Navigation for better engagement

Ensuring a streamlined navigation system is crucial for enhancing user engagement on a website and optimizing content marketing efforts. 

A user-friendly and intuitive navigation structure allows visitors to easily find the information they seek, reducing frustration and increasing their time spent on the site. 

Visitors can navigate effortlessly by organizing content into logical categories and incorporating clear menu labels, improving user satisfaction. 

Navigation Tips

  1. Simple menu options
  2. Consistent layout and design
  3. Minimal use of drop-down menus
  4. Clear and concise labelling
  5. Easy-to-use search function
  6. Intuitive navigation flow

Visual hierarchy for effective messaging

Visual hierarchy is pivotal in conveying effective messaging on a website and significantly influences content marketing success. 

By strategically utilizing size, colour, and placement, designers can guide the viewer’s attention and prioritize key information. 

A well-executed visual hierarchy lets users quickly understand the content hierarchy, ensuring that the most important messages are easily seen and absorbed. 

By employing techniques such as contrasting colours, bold typography, and strategic placement of visuals, designers can create a visually appealing and engaging experience for users. 

A clear and intuitive visual hierarchy not only enhances a website’s overall aesthetics but also maximizes the impact of the messaging, ultimately contributing to the success of content marketing efforts.

Visual Hierarchy Strategies

  1. Use of contrasting colours to highlight important information
  2. Utilizing size and font variations for emphasis
  3. Incorporating strategic placement of graphics and images
  4. Consistent use of headings and subheadings for organization
  5. Implementing bullet points and numbered lists for easy scanning
  6. Utilizing white space to reduce clutter and draw attention to key elements.
How web design impacts content marketing?

How web design impacts content marketing?

Improve brand credibility through design.

An effective web design plays a crucial role in enhancing brand credibility. Through thoughtful design choices, a brand can establish a visual identity that resonates with its target audience and conveys professionalism, trustworthiness, and expertise. 

Consistency in design elements such as colours, typography, and imagery helps to create a cohesive and recognizable brand image, building familiarity and trust among consumers. 

Conclusion 

Ultimately, web design plays a crucial role in the success of content marketing. It creates a strong first impression, draws in readers, and keeps them engaged with the content. A well-designed website can also improve search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find and engage with your content. 

Therefore, businesses must invest in professional and user-friendly web design to enhance their content marketing efforts and drive business growth. By understanding the impact of web design on content marketing, businesses can create a strong online presence and effectively communicate their message to their target audience.

FAQ

How does web design impact the effectiveness of content marketing strategies?

Web design plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of content marketing strategies. A well-designed website enhances the user experience, making it easier for visitors to navigate and consume the content. It ensures that the content is presented in an appealing and organized manner, which helps to capture and retain the audience’s attention. 

What key elements of web design can enhance content marketing efforts?

Some key elements of web design that can enhance content marketing efforts include a visually appealing and user-friendly layout, responsive design for mobile optimization, strategic placement of call-to-action buttons and forms, easy navigation and search functionality, optimized loading speed, integration of social sharing buttons, and the use of high-quality imagery and multimedia elements to enhance the overall user experience. 

How does the usability and navigation of a website affect content consumption and engagement?

The usability and navigation of a website play a crucial role in content consumption and engagement. A well-designed website with intuitive navigation lets users easily find and access the desired content. Clear and organized menus, search functions, and navigation bars enable users to navigate the site without confusion or frustration.

How can web design influence the conversion rate of content marketing campaigns?

Web design can greatly influence the conversion rate of content marketing campaigns through various means. Firstly, an intuitive and user-friendly design can enhance the overall user experience, making it easier for visitors to navigate and engage with the content. 

How can a well-designed website improve user experience and encourage repeat visits and customer loyalty?

A well-designed website can improve the user experience by creating an intuitive and visually appealing interface. This makes it easier for users to navigate and find the information or products they seek. A seamless user experience increases satisfaction, encouraging repeat visits and customer loyalty.

Why Web Designing Is Important In Developing Website?

Why Web Designing Is Important In Developing Website?

As a business owner and marketer, your website is often the first touchpoint between you and your potential customers.

That’s why investing in good web design should be a top priority when developing your website. Your website’s design directly impacts user experience and how visitors perceive your brand.

When designing your website, the top goal should be crafting an optimal user experience tailored to the target audience.

Top Reasons of Why Web Designing Is Important

Here are some reasons why web design matters:

Brand Image

Your website’s design including colours, fonts, and layout, brings the brand image  digitally. A good design that aligns with your brand identity makes your business memorable.

Using visual elements like logos, images, and colour schemes consistently builds familiarity with your brand.

Layout and Navigation

A clean, simple layout with clear navigation makes it easy for visitors to find information on your site quickly.

Optimized navigation helps boost conversions.

Readability

Choose fonts that are easy to read based on your target users. Avoid fancy cursive or display fonts for paragraph text. Ensure proper contrast between text and background for better readability.

Formatting text using headings, lists, and white space improves readability.

Accessibility

Your website should be accessible to people with disabilities. Use alt text for images, sufficient colour contrast, keyboard navigation, and ARIA labels to make your site more accessible.

An accessible site reaches a wider audience.

User Experience

Your website exists to satisfy user needs and make their experience more smooth. The design directly impacts the user experience. a good design will engage and convert visitors, while a poor one will turn them away. Prioritize user needs when making design choices.

By investing in a well-designed website tailored to your audience, you can effectively convey your brand image and stand out as well.

Good design goes hand in hand with an effective user experience, leading to more conversions and better results for your business.

Why Web Designing Is Important In Developing Website?

Responsive Design

With people accessing websites from multiple devices, having a responsive design is crucial.

A responsive site adapts seamlessly to mobile, tablet, laptop and desktop screens. Mobile traffic is rising sharply, so ensuring your site displays properly on mobile is essential. 

Visual Hierarchy

Proper visual hierarchy allows users to scan and comprehend your content quickly. Use typography, colour, size, contrast, white space and other elements to create a visual hierarchy.

Guide the user’s focus in order of importance via your design. Group related elements together for better organization.

Trust and Credibility

Your website design impacts how reliable and professional your brand appears.

A dated, cluttered or amateurish design undermines user trust. However, a clean, modern and intuitive design builds credibility. Quality images, an organized layout and easy navigation, convey professionalism and authority.

A/B Testing

You can A/B test different design elements like page layouts, CTAs, and images to figure out what performs best. Carry out A/B testing to continuously experiment and optimize your website design.

Testing different designs will reveal what users respond to most.

Original Design

While you want to align your design with brand identity, it also pays to have something unique about your site’s look and feel. Having an original design style makes your brand more distinctive in your industry.

Don’t copy competitor designs. focus on your brand story and audience.

I hope this helps provide additional perspective on why good web design matters and the key elements to focus on when developing your website. Let me know if you would like me to expand on any specific points further.

 

Do’s and Dont’s Of Web Design

Do’s and Dont’s Of Web Design

As a web designer, I always keep certain best practices in mind when creating websites.

There are some key principles I follow to ensure an effective, user-friendly experience across devices.

In this post, I want to share my list of do’s and don’ts for crafting well-designed sites.

Table of Do’s and Don’ts of Web Design

Do Don’t
Provide a consistent experience across devices Make users wait for content to load
Design clear, simple navigation Open internal links in new tabs
Change color of visited links Let ads overshadow content
Make pages easy to scan visually Hijack scrolling
Double check links work Autoplay videos with sound
Make clickable elements obvious Sacrifice usability for beauty
Use blinking elements

Do’s

Provide Consistent Experience Across Devices

First and foremost, I provide a consistent experience regardless of the device. 

Visitors should be able to easily navigate and find what they need whether they’re on desktop, mobile or anything in between.

Design Clear, Simple Navigation

Another top priority is designing clear, simple navigation. 

I aim for the simplest site structure possible with self-evident menu options. Consistency across pages is also key. 

The navigation on the home page needs to match all other pages.

Change the Color of Visited Links

I also make sure to change the colour of visited links. This helps users avoid unintentionally revisiting the same pages repeatedly. 

Knowing past and present locations makes it easier for visitors to decide where to go next.

Do's and Don'ts Of Web Design

Make Pages Easy to Scan

Regarding layout, I designed my pages to be easy to scan visually. 

Proper visual hierarchy draws the eye to important elements like titles, forms and calls-to-action first.

Double Check All Links Work

On the technical side, I double-check that all links work as expected. 

Broken links that result in 404 errors frustrate users quickly.

Make Clickable Elements Obvious

Additionally, I ensure clickable elements are visually obvious through signals like underlining, buttons and changed cursor icons. 

Visitors need to distinguish static content from interactive elements easily.

Don’ts

Don’t Make Users Wait for Content

Now, let’s move on to some don’ts. 

I avoid making users wait for content to load. Attention spans are short, so slow sites lead to abandoned visits.

Don’t Open Internal Links in New Tabs

I also don’t open internal links in new tabs, which turns off the expected back button behaviour.

Don’t Let Ads Overshadow Content

Another no-no is letting ads overshadow primary content. 

Anything banner-like often gets ignored due to banner blindness.

Do's and Don'ts Of Web Design

Don’t Hijack Scrolling

I also never hijack scrolling through effects like parallax or fixed points. This takes control away from users as they browse.

Don’t Autoplay Videos with Sound

Finally, auto-playing media with sound is a big don’t. I only use muted autoplay for videos if necessary.

Conclusion

By keeping these do’s and don’ts in mind, I can craft engaging, user-friendly website experiences. 

Difference Between Web Design And UI/UX Design

Difference Between Web Design And UI/UX Design

Web design and UI/UX design are two terms that are often used interchangeably in the digital world. While both are crucial components of creating a successful website or application, they are not the same thing. 

They serve different purposes and require different skill sets. With the ever-evolving nature of technology, it is essential to understand the difference between web design and UI/UX design to create effective and user-friendly digital experiences. 

In this article, we will delve into the nuances of these two disciplines and highlight their distinct roles in the design world. Whether you are a business owner looking to revamp your website or a designer looking to specialize in a particular field, understanding the difference between web design and UI/UX design is crucial for success in the digital landscape. 

So, let us explore the design world and uncover the key differences between web design and UI/UX design.

Comparing web design, UI design, and UX design:

Web Design UI Design UX Design
Focus Visual aesthetics, overall site appearance Interface interactions, buttons, menus, etc. User flows, ease of use, emotions evoked
Goals Attractive, visually appealing website Intuitive navigation, seamless interactions Smooth end-to-end user experience
Responsibilities Site graphics, colors, fonts, photos, animations Look and feel of interactive elements User flows, information architecture
Questions they ask How should the site look? What is the visual brand? How do users interact with the interface? How is navigation designed? How easy and enjoyable is the experience for users?
Overlap Some overlap with UI/UX Some overlap with web design and UX Some overlap with web design and UI

Purpose: user interaction and interface.

User interaction and interface play a vital role in shaping the success of any digital product or website. 

The purpose of focusing on user interaction and interface design is to create an intuitive and seamless experience for users, allowing them to navigate through the product or website effortlessly. 

A well-designed user interface ensures that users can easily access the needed features and complete their desired tasks efficiently. 

By understanding user behaviour and incorporating user-centred design principles, such as usability testing and user feedback, designers can optimize the user experience, leading to increased engagement, customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, the success of the digital product or website.

Focus: aesthetics and functionality.

In addition to user interaction and interface design, a strong emphasis on aesthetics and functionality is essential in web design and UI/UX design. 

Aesthetics refers to the visual appeal and overall look of a digital product or website. At the same time, functionality focuses on the practical and functional aspects that allow users to accomplish their goals effectively. 

Achieving a balance between aesthetics and functionality is crucial as it creates a visually appealing and consistent design that is user-friendly and easy to navigate. This combination enhances the overall user experience, making it more enjoyable and engaging. 

Designers strive to create visually stunning designs that not only capture the attention of users but also enhance their ability to interact and engage with the digital product or website seamlessly. 

Ultimately, the harmonious integration of aesthetics and functionality is key to creating a memorable and successful user experience.

Difference Between Web Design And UI/UX Design

Design elements: visuals and usability.

Regarding design elements, visuals and usability are crucial in both web design and UI/UX design. Visuals encompass the overall aesthetic appeal and appearance of a digital product or website. At the same time, usability focuses on creating an interface that is intuitive, easy to navigate, and enhances user interaction. 

Visual design elements such as colour schemes, typography, imagery, and layout are carefully chosen to create a visually pleasing and cohesive design that aligns with the brand or purpose of the digital product. 

Usability, on the other hand, involves designing interfaces that allow users to effortlessly accomplish their tasks and goals, ensuring smooth navigation and clear guidance throughout the user journey. 

By combining visually appealing design elements with seamless usability, designers can create a compelling and engaging user experience that leaves a lasting impression on the users.

Web design: creating functional websites

Web design goes beyond just creating visually appealing websites. The primary focus is on creating functional websites that not only look good but also deliver a seamless and user-friendly experience. 

This involves carefully considering various aspects such as information architecture, navigation, responsive design, and accessibility. Web designers work closely with developers to ensure that the website is not only aesthetically pleasing but also technically sound and optimized for performance. 

They strive to create user-centred designs that prioritize the needs and goals of the target audience, resulting in a website that is intuitive, easy to navigate, and provides a positive user experience. 

The ultimate goal of web design is to create a website that not only attracts visitors but also keeps them engaged, encourages conversions, and ultimately achieves the desired business objectives.

Difference Between Web Design And UI/UX Design

Conclusion

In conclusion, while web design and UI/UX design may seem similar, they serve different purposes and require different skill sets. Web design focuses on creating visually appealing and functional websites, while UI/UX design focuses on creating a seamless and user-friendly experience for the end user. 

Both are crucial components in creating a successful online presence, and businesses need to understand the differences and utilize them effectively to stand out in today’s digital landscape. By recognizing the unique strengths and roles of web design and UI/UX design, businesses can create a comprehensive and engaging online platform for their target audience.

What Are the Principles Of Web Design?

What Are the Principles Of Web Design?

As a website designer, I always aim to create visually appealing yet highly functional sites.

Over the years, I’ve identified several key principles that help me develop effective website designs that meet their intended purpose.

9+ Principles Of Web Design

In this article, I’ll share the core principles I follow when designing websites.

Simplify the Layout

The first thing I focus on is keeping the design clean and simple.

A cluttered layout overwhelms users and makes it hard to find what they need. I strive for simplicity in my color scheme, typography, and use of white space.

A minimalist aesthetic helps draw attention to the most important content and components. I also ensure navigation menus are clear, concise, and easy to use.

Guide the Eye with Visual Hierarchy

Next, I carefully arrange elements to establish a visual hierarchy.

This guides the viewer’s eye to the most significant information first. I use techniques like emphasizing headings with larger fonts, using contrasting colors, and positioning crucial items in areas that attract attention.

Establishing a deliberate visual hierarchy allows me to influence how users consume content on the page.

Structure Content with Grids

I rely heavily on grid-based layouts when structuring my website designs. Grid systems give alignment and consistency to a page.

They are invaluable for organically positioning items like headers, sidebars, and footers.

Grids also make adjusting layouts for different devices and screen sizes easier. I ensure my grids are flexible and have comfortable spacing between elements.

What Are the Principles Of Web Design?

Focus on Fast Load Times

Having a slick design means little if a page takes forever to load. I obsess over optimizing images and eliminating bloat to help pages load faster.

Quick load times keep visitors engaged, improve SEO, and boost conversions. I recommend progressive JPEGs and lazy loading as excellent techniques for improving load times.

Design for All Devices

With the popularity of mobile devices, a responsive design is a must.

I use fluid layouts and flexible images to create websites that adapt seamlessly to different screens. Mobile-friendly sites provide a consistent experience across smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.

I always test my designs on multiple devices to address any usability issues.

Choose the Right Visuals

Imagery has immense power to enhance and clarify content.

I carefully select photos and illustrations that reinforce my message and engage visitors. Pictures of real people work better than stock photos for relatable content. Infographics and icons can instantly communicate complex ideas.

I optimize my visuals for web use and provide alternative text for accessibility.

Focus on User Experience

Ultimately, I design websites to fulfill the specific goals of the site owner and the user.

I aim to create experiences that influence and convert visitors. This means choosing the right content, layout, features and calls to action for the target audience.

An effective design should guide users toward desired outcomes, whether purchasing, signing up, or simply consuming information.

Make Typography Accessible

Typography greatly impacts how easy and enjoyable a website is to use. I adhere to best practices like using sans-serif fonts for online content. These are more legible on screens compared to decorative serif fonts.

I limit my selections to 1-2 fonts with clean, simple letterforms. My font sizes, weights, and styles create a contrast to distinguish headlines from body text. I make sure text remains a readable size, spacing paragraphs, and columns appropriately.

I also ensure color contrast passes accessibility standards so users can easily consume information.

Use Whitespace Effectively

Whitespace refers to the empty or “negative” space between elements on a page. While often overlooked, whitespace helps separate sections, draw attention to key items, and improve scalability.

There needs to be more whitespace, and the page needs to be clearer. There is too much, and the layout needs to be more cohesive. I leverage whitespace strategically to group related items, highlight important content, and establish visual breathing room.

Balancing whitespace is crucial for guiding the user’s eyes through the information.

Provide a Strong Call-to-Action

Every page should motivate users towards a desired outcome, whether to sign up for a service, purchase or browse more content.

I design distinct call-to-action (CTA) buttons that encourage engagement.

Bold colors, strategic placement, and action-driven language give CTAs high visibility. I ensure the button design matches the site’s style and personality.

For example, an ecommerce site may use bright “Shop Now” buttons, while a non-profit may opt for softer “Donate” buttons. Well-executed CTAs can significantly lift visitor conversion rates.

Conclusion

By sticking to principles like simplicity, visual hierarchy, and strong UX, I can craft websites that successfully appeal to users and accomplish their intended purpose. While trends come and go, these core tenets remain relevant. Mastering the fundamentals allows me to design and build custom websites that meet unique business objectives and audience needs.

 

Is Your Website Optimized for Mobile and Tablets? Why It Matters

Is Your Website Optimized for Mobile and Tablets? Why It Matters

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for any business or organization. With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets, having a website that is optimized for mobile and tablets is crucial. 

Not only does it enhance the user experience, but it also has a significant impact on your website’s visibility and search engine rankings. As more and more users access the internet through their mobile devices, it has become imperative for websites to adapt and be compatible with these devices. 

Is Your Website Optimized for Mobile and Tablets?

In this article, we will discuss the importance of having a mobile and tablet-optimized website and how it can benefit your business. We will delve into the various elements that make a website mobile-friendly and why it matters for your brand’s online success. 

Whether you are a small business owner or a large corporation, understanding the significance of a responsive and user-friendly website is vital in today’s competitive digital landscape. 

So, let’s explore why having a mobile and tablet-optimized website matters and how you can ensure your website meets the standards of today’s evolving technological landscape.

Mobile optimization boosts user experience

Ensuring that your website is optimized for mobile and tablets is no longer an option but a necessity. With the widespread use of smartphones and tablets, more and more people are accessing the internet through these devices. 

This means that if your website is not optimized for mobile, you could potentially be losing out on a large portion of your target audience. By optimizing your website for mobile and tablets, you are providing a seamless and user-friendly experience for your visitors, making it easier for them to navigate and interact with your site. 

This ultimately leads to increased customer satisfaction and the likelihood of them returning to your site in the future. 

Is Your Website Optimized for Mobile and Tablets Why It Matters

Responsive design enhances mobile accessibility

One key benefit of responsive design is its ability to enhance mobile accessibility. With the rise of smartphones and tablets as primary devices for internet browsing, websites must be optimized for these platforms. 

Responsive website design allows websites to adapt to different screen sizes and orientations, making them accessible and user-friendly on a variety of devices. 

This eliminates the need for separate mobile and desktop versions of a website, streamlining the user experience and improving accessibility for all users.

Mobile-friendly sites rank higher in search

In today’s digital age, having a mobile-friendly website is essential for any business looking to improve its online presence. 

This is because search engines prioritize and rank mobile-friendly sites higher in their search results. This means that having a responsive design that caters to mobile and tablet users can greatly impact your website’s visibility and traffic. 

Additionally, a mobile-friendly site can improve the overall user experience, making it easier for visitors to navigate and engage with your content. 

This not only benefits your website’s search engine ranking but also has the potential to increase conversions and, ultimately, your business’s success. So, if your website is not yet optimized for mobile and tablets, it’s time to prioritize this crucial aspect of web design.

Is Your Website Optimized for Mobile and Tablets? Why It Matters

Mobile optimization increases conversion rates

In addition to improving search engine rankings and user experience, mobile optimization can greatly impact conversion rates for businesses. 

With the majority of internet users now accessing websites on their mobile devices, businesses need to have a website that is optimized for mobile and tablets. 

This means having a website that is easily navigable, loads quickly, and provides a seamless experience for users on various screen sizes. By catering to the needs of mobile users, businesses can increase their chances of converting website visitors into paying customers.

Mobile optimization future-proofs your website

As technology continues to advance and the use of mobile devices becomes even more prevalent, it is essential for businesses to future-proof their websites by optimizing them for mobile and tablets. 

This means designing and developing websites with a responsive website design that adapts to different screen sizes and devices. By doing so, businesses can ensure that their website will remain relevant and accessible to users, regardless of the device they are using. 

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing digital landscape, adapting to the needs and preferences of mobile users is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of any business.

Is Your Website Optimized for Mobile and Tablets Why It Matters 2

FAQ

How does having a mobile and tablet-optimized website impact user experience?

Having a mobile and tablet-optimized website significantly improves user experience by providing a seamless and user-friendly interface that adapts to smaller screens and touch-based navigation. 

Optimized websites load faster, have responsive layouts, and easily accessible content. This results in improved readability, easy navigation, and reduced user frustration. With a mobile and tablet-optimized website, users can access information quickly and efficiently, increasing engagement and satisfaction. 

How do I check if my website is mobile and tablet-optimized?

To check if your website is mobile and tablet-optimized, you can use various methods. One way is to manually access your website from a mobile device or tablet to see how it appears and functions. 

What are the SEO benefits of mobile and tablet optimization?

Optimizing for mobile and tablets has several SEO benefits. Firstly, it improves the user experience by providing a mobile-friendly design, making it easier for users to navigate and engage with your site. 

This leads to lower bounce rates and higher time on site, which are positive ranking factors for search engines. 

Secondly, mobile optimization increases the likelihood of your site ranking higher in mobile search results, as search engines prioritize mobile-friendly sites. 

Lastly, with the increasing use of mobile devices for search, having a mobile-optimized site helps you reach a larger audience and increase organic traffic to your site.

Is a responsive design the best approach for mobile and tablet optimization?

Yes, a responsive design is generally considered the best approach for mobile and tablet optimization. 

A responsive design allows the website to adapt and adjust its layout, content, and functionality based on the device it is being viewed on. This ensures a consistent user experience across different screen sizes and resolutions. 

Responsive design also simplifies maintenance and updates, as there is only one version of the website to manage. 

Do I need a separate mobile website in addition to my desktop site?

Yes, having a separate mobile website is highly recommended. With the increasing number of mobile users, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for providing a positive user experience. 

A separate mobile website allows for optimized content and layout specifically designed for mobile devices, ensuring that your website is easy to navigate and visually appealing on smartphones and tablets. 

It also enhances loading speed, improves search engine rankings, and increases the chances of converting mobile visitors into customers. Overall, investing in a separate mobile website can greatly benefit your business in today’s mobile-driven world.

What are the 4 Stages of Web Design?

What are the 4 Stages of Web Design?

Imagine you’re walking down the street, and you see a store with a cluttered window display and a sign that says “Open.” Would you be enticed to go inside? Probably not.

Your website is your online storefront, so it’s important to make a good first impression. Web design is the process of creating a visually appealing and user-friendly website that meets your business goals.

But where do you start?

In this article, we’ll break down the web design process into easy stages.

Complete Guide: Stages of Web Design

checkout the complete details of the stages of web design.

What are the 4 Stages of Web Design?

Purpose and Goals of the Website

The purpose and goals of a website are its driving force. They define what the website should achieve and who it should serve. By understanding the purpose and goals of a website, web designers can create a website that is effective, efficient, and user-friendly.

There are many different reasons why people create websites. Some common purposes include:

  • To sell products or services
  • To provide information
  • To generate leads
  • To build brand awareness
  • To connect with customers and clients
  • To share ideas and experiences

Once the purpose of the website has been identified, web designers can begin to develop specific goals. Goals should be measurable and achievable, and they should be aligned with the overall purpose of the website.

Planning and Research

This stage is a crucial part of the web design process as it sets the foundation for the entire project. During this phase, designers gather information, analyze data, and make strategic decisions to ensure the website meets the client’s goals and objectives.

Client’s requirements 

The planning and research stage begins with a thorough understanding of the client’s requirements and expectations. Designers meet with the client to discuss their vision, target audience, and desired functionalities.

This helps in creating a clear roadmap for the project and ensures that the website aligns with the client’s business objectives.

Gain insights 

Once the requirements are gathered, designers conduct extensive research to gain insights into the industry, competitors, and target audience.

This involves analyzing competitor websites, studying market trends, and conducting user surveys or interviews. The goal is to gather as much information as possible to inform the design decisions and create a website that stands out from the competition.

Create a sitemap and wireframes.

Based on the research findings, designers then create a sitemap and wireframes. A sitemap is a visual representation of the website’s structure, showing the hierarchy of pages and how they are interconnected. 

Wireframes, on the other hand, are basic layouts that outline the placement of elements on each page. These wireframes serve as a blueprint for the design and help in visualizing the website’s structure and functionality.

UX and SEO

During the planning and research stage, designers also consider factors such as user experience (UX) and search engine optimization (SEO). They ensure that the website is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and optimized for search engines. This involves conducting keyword research, optimizing page titles and meta descriptions, and planning for a responsive design that works well on different devices.

Overall, the planning and research stage is a critical step in the web design process. It lays the groundwork for the entire project and ensures that the website meets the client’s goals, aligns with industry standards, and provides a seamless user experience. 

By investing time and effort in this stage, designers can create a website that not only looks visually appealing but also performs well and achieves its intended purpose.

What are the 4 Stages of Web Design?

Design and Layout

This stage of web design is crucial as it involves creating the visual elements and overall aesthetic of the website. Design and layout play a significant role in attracting and engaging users, as well as conveying the brand’s message and identity.

During this stage, web designers work closely with clients to understand their preferences, brand guidelines, and target audience. They use this information to create a design concept that aligns with the client’s vision and goals. This concept includes the color scheme, typography, imagery, and overall layout of the website.

The design and layout stage typically begins with wireframing, which is the process of creating a basic visual representation of the website’s structure and content. This helps designers and clients visualize the placement of different elements and ensure a logical flow of information.

Once the wireframe is approved, designers move on to creating the actual design using graphic design software. They carefully select colors, fonts, and images that reflect the brand’s personality and appeal to the target audience. The design should be visually appealing, user-friendly, and consistent with the client’s branding.

Development and Coding

In the process of web design, development, and coding play a crucial role in bringing the design concepts to life. This stage involves the actual creation of the website using various programming languages and technologies. It is where the design elements are transformed into functional and interactive web pages.

During the development and coding stage, web designers work closely with web developers to ensure that the website is built according to the design specifications and requirements. They collaborate to write the necessary code and scripts that will enable the website to function as intended.

One of the key aspects of this stage is ensuring that the website is responsive and compatible with different devices and browsers. This involves using responsive design techniques and testing the website on various devices to ensure a seamless user experience.

Web developers also focus on optimizing the website’s performance by optimizing the code, compressing images, and implementing caching techniques. This helps to improve the website’s loading speed and overall performance, which is crucial for user satisfaction and search engine rankings.

Content Creation and Integration

This stage is a crucial part of the web design process as it involves creating and integrating the content that will be displayed on the website.

During this stage, the web designer works closely with the client to understand their brand, target audience, and overall goals for the website. This information is used to create content that is not only visually appealing but also effectively communicates the client’s message.

Testing and Quality Assurance

This stage is a crucial part of the web design process as it ensures that the website functions properly and meets the desired standards before it is launched.

During the testing and quality assurance stage, web designers and developers thoroughly examine the website to identify any issues or bugs that may affect its performance. This includes checking for broken links, testing the website’s responsiveness on different devices and browsers, and ensuring that all features and functionalities work as intended.

One of the main objectives of this stage is to ensure that the website is user-friendly and provides a seamless experience for visitors. This involves conducting usability tests to evaluate how easily users can navigate through the website and accomplish their goals. Feedback from these tests is used to make necessary improvements and enhancements to the design and functionality of the website.

Launch and Deployment

This stage of web design is the crucial moment when all the hard work and planning come together, and the website is ready to be launched and deployed to the public. This stage involves finalizing the design, integrating all the content, and ensuring that everything is functioning properly before making the website live.

During the launch and deployment stage, the web design team will review the website thoroughly to ensure that all the elements are in place and functioning correctly. This includes checking for any broken links, testing forms and interactive features, and making sure that the website is optimized for different devices and browsers.

The launch and deployment stage is not the end of the web design process but rather the beginning of the website’s life cycle. It is important to continuously monitor and update the website to ensure that it remains relevant and effective in achieving its goals.

Maintenance and Updates

Once a website is launched and deployed, the work is not over. Maintenance and updates are crucial to ensure that the website continues to function properly and remains up to date with the latest technologies and trends. 

This stage involves ongoing monitoring, troubleshooting, and making necessary updates to keep the website running smoothly.

Maintenance involves regular checks to ensure that all the website’s features are working correctly. This includes testing links, forms, and interactive elements to ensure they are functioning as intended. It also involves monitoring the website’s performance, such as page load times and server uptime, to identify any issues that may arise.

Updates are necessary to keep the website secure and up-to-date with the latest technologies. This includes updating the content management system (CMS) and plugins, as well as applying security patches and bug fixes. Regular updates also help to improve the website’s performance and user experience.

Conclusion

The final stage of web design is the conclusion, which encompasses the final steps and considerations before the website is officially launched and deployed. 

This stage is crucial for ensuring that the website is ready to go live and that all necessary elements have been addressed.

During the conclusion stage, the web design team will conduct a final review and testing of the website to ensure that it is functioning properly and meets all the requirements and goals set during the planning and research stage. This includes checking for any broken links, testing the website’s responsiveness on different devices and browsers, and ensuring that all forms and interactive elements are working correctly.

How Web Design Can Build Your Brand Identity in the NYC Market?

How Web Design Can Build Your Brand Identity in the NYC Market?

In today’s fast-paced digital world, having a strong brand identity is crucial for businesses to stand out and succeed. And in the highly competitive market of New York City, this becomes even more important.

With millions of potential customers just a click away, having a visually appealing and user-friendly website is no longer a luxury but a necessity. That’s where web design comes into play. A well-designed website not only attracts and engages customers but also helps to establish a unique brand identity that can set your business apart from the rest. 

In this article, we will explore how web design can be a powerful tool in building your brand identity in the ever-evolving NYC market. From the importance of a cohesive visual aesthetic to the impact of user experience on brand perception, we will delve into the key elements that make web design an integral part of any successful branding strategy. 

So, if you’re a business owner in the Big Apple looking to make your mark in the digital world, read on to discover how web design can elevate your brand identity and give your business a competitive edge in the bustling NYC market.

How Web Design Can Build Your Brand Identity in the NYC Market?

Strategic web design for NYC brands

The city of New York is known for its fast-paced lifestyle and diverse range of businesses, making it a highly competitive market for brands. In such a dynamic environment, having a strategic web design is essential for NYC brands to stand out and establish a strong online presence. 

A well-designed website not only reflects the brand’s identity but also serves as a powerful marketing tool to attract and engage customers. With the majority of consumers turning to the internet for their purchasing decisions, a well-crafted website can make all the difference in building a successful brand in the NYC market.

A strategic web design for NYC brands goes beyond just aesthetics and involves careful planning and execution to align with the brand’s unique identity and goals. It should also consider the target audience, user experience, and search engine optimization to ensure maximum impact and visibility in the competitive NYC market. 

By investing in a well-designed website, NYC brands can effectively showcase their products or services, convey their brand values, and establish a strong digital presence, ultimately leading to increased brand recognition, customer loyalty, and business growth in this bustling city.

Building brand identity through web design

In today’s digital landscape, a brand’s website is often the first point of contact for potential customers. It is the first impression that can make or break a customer’s decision to engage with a brand. This is particularly true in the competitive market of New York City, where consumers have a plethora of options at their fingertips. Therefore, building a strong brand identity through web design is essential for businesses looking to thrive in the NYC market.

Web design plays a crucial role in shaping a brand’s identity. From the choice of colors and fonts to the overall layout and user experience, every element of a website should be carefully crafted to reflect the brand’s values, mission, and unique personality. 

A well-designed website not only creates a memorable brand image but also helps to establish credibility and trust with potential customers. Additionally, a strategic web design can also serve as a powerful marketing tool, effectively communicating the brand’s message and promoting its products or services to a wide audience in the NYC market.

How Web Design Can Build Your Brand Identity in the NYC Market?

Enhancing market presence with web design

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for businesses to succeed. With the fast-paced and ever-evolving market in New York City, having a well-designed website is crucial for a brand to stand out and make a lasting impression. 

A website serves as the virtual storefront of a business and is often the first point of contact for potential customers. Therefore, a professionally designed website can greatly enhance a brand’s market presence and make it more competitive in the NYC market.

Web design is not just about aesthetics; it also plays a significant role in shaping a brand’s identity. Through the use of colors, fonts, and layout, a website can effectively convey the brand’s values and personality to its target audience. 

A clean and visually appealing design can also help establish credibility and trust with potential customers, as it shows that the brand is professional and reliable. With the right web design, a brand can effectively communicate its message and create a strong brand identity in the highly competitive market of New York City.

NYC web design for brand growth

In today’s digital landscape, a strong web presence is essential for businesses to thrive in the bustling and ever-evolving market of New York City. A well-designed website goes beyond just providing information about products or services; it serves as a powerful tool for establishing a brand’s identity and creating a lasting impression on potential customers. 

With millions of users browsing the internet every day, having a visually appealing and user-friendly website can make all the difference in standing out from the competition and attracting and retaining customers. NYC web design offers a unique blend of creativity, innovation, and functionality to help businesses effectively communicate their brand message and drive growth. 

By carefully crafting a website that aligns with a brand’s vision and values, businesses can establish a strong online presence and build a loyal customer base in the highly competitive NYC market.

Leveraging web design to differentiate

In today’s digital landscape, having a visually appealing and user-friendly website is crucial for businesses to stand out in the crowded New York City market. By leveraging web design, businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors and establish a strong brand identity. 

A well-designed website not only captures the attention of potential customers but also effectively communicates the brand’s message and values. It is a powerful tool that can leave a lasting impression on visitors and build trust in the brand. 

Furthermore, a thoughtfully designed website can also enhance user experience, making it easier for customers to find information and engage with the brand, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. By investing in professional web design, businesses can create a unique and memorable online presence that sets them apart from the competition and helps them thrive in the competitive NYC market.

In the competitive market of New York City, branding is crucial for businesses looking to stand out and make an impact. Web design plays a significant role in helping to build a strong brand identity that resonates with the target audience. By incorporating elements such as consistent colors, fonts, and messaging, businesses can create a cohesive and memorable brand experience for their customers. 

With the right web design, businesses can establish their unique identity in the NYC market and attract potential customers, ultimately leading to business growth and success. So, if you want to make your mark in the NYC market, investing in professional web design is a must.

FAQ

How can web design contribute to building a strong brand identity in the competitive NYC market?

Web design can contribute to building a strong brand identity in the competitive NYC market by creating a visually appealing and user-friendly website that reflects the brand’s values and messaging. 

By incorporating consistent branding elements such as colors, fonts, and imagery, a website can help establish a recognizable and cohesive brand image. 

How can web design help differentiate a brand from its competitors in the NYC market?

Web design can help differentiate a brand from its competitors in the NYC market by creating a unique and visually appealing website that reflects the brand’s identity. 

The design elements, such as color scheme, typography, and layout, can create a memorable and distinctive brand image. Additionally, a well-designed website can improve user experience, making it easier for customers to navigate and interact with the brand. 

By incorporating interactive features, engaging content, and responsive design, the website can stand out among competitors and leave a lasting impression on visitors, ultimately helping to establish the brand as innovative and trustworthy in the NYC market.

What role does user experience (UX) design play in building a brand identity through web design in the NYC market?

User experience (UX) design plays a crucial role in building a brand identity through web design in the NYC market. It helps create a positive and seamless interaction between users and a brand’s website, leading to increased user satisfaction, engagement, and brand loyalty. 

UX design ensures that the website is user-friendly, visually appealing, and intuitive, reflecting the brand’s values and personality. It also considers the unique needs and preferences of the NYC market, such as fast-paced lifestyles and high expectations for technology. 

Ultimately, UX design helps establish a strong brand identity in the competitive NYC market by delivering an exceptional user experience.

Are there any specific web design trends or strategies that are particularly effective in establishing a brand’s identity in the diverse and dynamic NYC market?

Yes, there are several web design trends and strategies that can be effective in establishing a brand’s identity in the diverse and dynamic NYC market. One trend is the use of bold and unique typography, which can help a brand stand out and communicate its personality. 

Another effective strategy is incorporating local elements or references into the design, such as using images or colors that are associated with NYC.  

Unlocking Success: The Power of Branding – Designs By Dave O.

In the business world, let’s face it, competition is fierce. If you want to get a hold of the consumer and make a connection, you need to stand out. Yet, you don’t want to merely stand out just for the sake of standing out. It’s all about the branding.

The Power of Branding

You can start with an image that is consistent across all the platforms. What you really need is effective branding for your company. With the proper branding and brand image, you connect with people and convert them to loyal customers. Here are 3 tips for effective branding.

Consistency is key

One key factor in making sure your branding is effective is having a consistent image across all platforms. Your customers must know that whether they look up your website, visit your place of business, or call you on the phone, they will have the same general impression about your company. Your image is stable and consistent. You decide what your image is or should be, but then make sure it doesn’t change.

Match tone with image

One aspect of branding can be defined as the tone of the company. Does the business have a casual, carefree “tone” or is it more upscale, classy, and dignified? Once you determine what the tone of the business is, make sure any images, logos, or color schemes and décor match this. In other words, if the tone is supposed to be upscale and classy, then you won’t want a website that has a bright cheery appearance. The tone and image do not match. Instead, you would want a sophisticated look with muted tones and scriptwriting font and for this, the Gotham Font Family would be a great option since it is one of the best fonts to make your designs stand out.

Be concerned with the fine details

Don’t think that any detail can be overlooked when creating your brand image. The more carefully every detail matches with your branding image, the greater an impression it will make on others. The more people will remember it.

If you want to be sure your business gets the branding image that is sure to stand out, connect with Designs by Dave O. for more information!

Why is spam so common? 

Why is spam so common? 

If you have forms on public web pages, you’re bound to get some spam. Spam form entries are a frustrating part of collecting leads, growing an email list, and giving people opportunities to contact you.

Why is spam so common?

Why do people spam forms? For back links, mostly.  What’s that?  Google will boost a website’s rankings if it has a lot of links, so less-than-honest marketers create these bots that spam your forms with those random links you see in those forms.  If any of those links show up on a website, their site’s ranking improves.  So they are hoping someone won’t be paying attention, and their links perform higher in web rankings.

But does this work?   Seems easy, build a bot and send it on its way.   Wouldn’t that be great and easy…this method of “marketing” isn’t as effective as it used to be, as, throughout the years, Google has gotten smarter.

In the worst cases, some bots will use your form to inject malicious code into your website. These bots could damage your pages or daharvetabases, st sensitive information, or even disable your site entirely.  Needless to say, it’s important to stop spam form entries however you can.

Schedule a meeting today to discuss how we can help take your business to new heights with our expert digital marketing services.

Why you need a dedicated web agency for your business

Why you need a dedicated web agency for your business

As an entrepreneur or a business owner, you know how much is involved in keeping your company running. Marketing, product development, customer service, collections, there’s always something new to tackle.

Here are just a few reasons why you might need a web agency dedicated to your business.

  1. A dedicated web agency like Designs By Dave O. can help take the burden off of your shoulders freeing up precious time allowing you to focus on growing your company.
  2. An agency can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to your business allowing for additional growth, profit centers, giving you a greater return on your investment.
  3. We take the time to provide a personal touch that in-house staff may not be able to achieve.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to digital marketing. With so many different strategies and tactics at your disposal, how do you know which ones will help get the best results for your business? You need an expert team committed to driving sales with every strategy they use.  Let us show you our track record in boosting conversion rates and increasing ROI by using all of these powerful tools together – from SEO to email campaigns – as part of a cohesive strategy.

 Schedule a meeting today to discuss how we can help take your business to new heights with our expert digital marketing services.

Social Media 101: How to Use a Hashtag on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Welcome to Social Media 101!

The savvy social media user knows that there are a number of ways to use the # symbol on Facebook, Twitter, and other networks. It’s not just for hashtags anymore! The @ sign can be placed in front or behind your tweet (and works best when used with trains) so it shows up more closely aligned with what you’re saying – making them easier to find among all those others who might want their share too…

But of course, that’s only true if you know how to use it. If you are a social media novice, consider this your guide on how to use a # or @ to engage in more strategic communications.

The Hashtag: #

Hashtags are a way to group posts together on social media. They are preceded by the “#” symbol and can be used on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and other networks.

When you click on a hashtag in a post, you’ll see all of the other posts that also use that same hashtag. This makes it easy for you to follow a discussion or see all the posts about a specific topic.

You can also use hashtags to help people find your post. For example, if you’re tweeting about a conference and include the hashtag “#conference”, people who are interested in that conference will be able to find your tweet.

When creating a hashtag, make sure it’s unique and relevant to your post. Don’t use too many hashtags, as they can clutter your post and make it hard to read. Also, be aware that some people might find excessive use of hashtags annoying.

Using this symbol only comes with a single rule: it has to consist of one word. You can turn any word into a hashtagged ‘topic,’ but it makes sense to first search the network you’re on to make sure other users are using it and you are actually contributing to a conversation.

The User Tag: @

Unlike the hashtag, which allows you to communicate with everyone on the network following a specific topic (even if they are not your followers or friends), the @ symbol lets you tag friends and users you know in your message.

When you use @ followed by the person’s user name (@UserName, for example), Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and any other social network sends a notification to the person you’ve tagged. They can now more easily engage with your post, not needing to have searched it out.

The specific rules of the @ symbol vary based on the network. Facebook, for example, only lets you tag users you are friends with. Twitter, on the other hand, allows you to tag any of the millions of users on the network. However, if you begin a tweet with a tagged user rather than tagging the user in the middle of the post, that Tweet will not appear on your public timeline.

In short, # and @ are the two symbols you are most likely to use in your social media outreach. The next step, then, is learning how to strategically use them to better communicate on social media.  And that’s where we come in! Schedule your Online Consultation today to learn more about them, and become an expert on your social network of choice.

Responsive Design and Why You Need to Update Your Website

Odds are that your company has a website.  Nearly every business these days does. But when was your website designed?   If it was several years ago or even just a couple of years ago, then it is probably time to update it.  Why? Because today’s websites are more interactive and engaging than ever before.  They are sleek, modern and eye-catching. They are also responsive.

Responsive Design and Why You Need to Update Your Website

What is a responsive website?  To a web designer, it is a site that consists of flexible grids, layouts, images, and CSS media queries.  To a business owner, it is a website that looks great on all platforms, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.  Old-school websites – ones that are not responsive – are frustrating for users.  The last thing that you want is a website that visitors find hard to use and easy to leave.  This is why you need to update your website.

So why does a responsive site improve the user experience?  Primarily because this is the age of the mobile web.  According to StatCounter, smartphone and tablet internet usage have now taken over desktop usage.  This means that your website has to render well on a small screen.

On smartphones, in particular, non-responsive websites have a habit of extending beyond the screen, making users “pinch and scroll” to read the content.  The text is often too small, and the site navigation is difficult.  This kind of frustrating experience is exactly what makes visitors abandon a site.  Many will not return.

A responsive website solves this problem by eliminating the need to “pinch and scroll.”  Content, including photos and videos, fits on the screen.  The text is larger and easy to read.  Links are easy to find and make site navigation a breeze. Visitors complete purchases, fill in forms and perform other desired actions quickly and easily.  This is the difference that a responsive website makes.

Are you ready to take your company website to the next level?  If so, then please contact us. Our one-stop shop is all you need to make your website the best it can be.

Tips to Create an Effective Landing Page

Your landing page is really important. If done correctly, your customers will quickly buy your products. If not, they will move on, without thinking about it too much.

Tips to Create an Effective Landing Page

So, how can you create an effective landing page? Here are some tips to help.

01. Your landing page needs to be clean and organized. Cluttered pages can be overwhelming for visitors. Many click away and find another website.

02. It also needs to be mobile-friendly. More people are viewing websites on their smartphones and other mobile devices. Because of this, your landing page needs to work on mobile devices.

03. It also has to have a clear call-to-action or your customers won’t know what is expected of them. If you want your visitors to do something, they need to know that. If you want them to sign up for your e-mail list, have a clear sign-up button. If you want them to buy, promote the product on your landing page. No matter what you want them to do, if they don’t know what it is, they can’t do it.

04. You may also want to have several landing pages, depending on where your visitors are coming from. Many business owners promote their website and products in many locations. They might have a different landing page for each product that they sell, as well as one for people who they find through social media and ones from their e-mail list. The more landing pages that you make, the more catered they will be, leading to more sales.

05. Don’t forget to test a page. You should always test your landing page. If you notice that it is not getting the action that you were hoping for, it is time to make some changes. If that doesn’t do it either, revise it again and again until you see the results that you want.

It is important to make the best landing page that you can. If not, your viewers will move on. For this reason, you need to make it clean with a call-to-action. Don’t forget to test your pages until you find one that gets the results that you deserve!

Contact us for all of your marketing needs.

Mobile Optimization is Critical

Mobile Optimization is Critical!   More web traffic than ever now comes from mobile users. Not only are more website visits coming from mobile devices, but users are also spending nearly as much time per visit from mobile as they do from desktops. As a business owner, this means your website simply must be mobile-optimized if you want the most effective online presence (which, of course, you do). Not convinced? Here are three of the key benefits of optimizing your website.

Unlocking the Power of Mobile Optimization

First and most importantly, the simple fact is that mobile-optimized websites increase the number of visitors who become clients. Websites that implement features designed for mobile users, such as one-touch payment or simplified registration forms, convert more users on average. Just having a website that works at smaller sizes isn’t enough. If your website doesn’t specifically address common difficulties faced by mobile users, you may be missing out on paying customers.

Users are much more likely to stay on optimized websites.

There’s a reason that Google prioritizes your website in searches if it’s mobile-friendly: users are much more likely to stay on it. Some numbers suggest that a user is five times more likely to leave a website if it is not mobile-friendly. Making tweaks to speed up loading times and make your content shine on phones is essential. If you don’t, many won’t even give your company a chance.

Mobile-optimized websites look more professional.

With so many visits coming from mobile users, a clean and usable mobile website can make a strong, lasting impression on potential clients. Nobody likes having to zoom or scroll awkwardly to find information on their phones, and websites with these problems can look amateurish. Even seemingly small issues, like links that are hard to tap, can turn users off to your brand.

We at Designs by Dave O. have extensive expertise in web development and mobile solutions. For more information about how we can help you optimize your website, contact us today.

How Effective Keyword Research Can Streamline Your Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization can seem like a complex topic. Its many variables, from on-page optimization to responsive design, can quickly become overwhelming. With the help of and by visiting Albany SEO INC, you will be able to learn everything you need to know about search engine optimization, but ultimately, it’s important to remember that SEO boils down to a simple concept: if you can create relevant content for the words and phrases your audience wants to see, your website will rank highly on search engines like Google and Bing.

How Effective Keyword Research Can Streamline Your Strategy

Considering that simple underlying concept makes it clear just how important keyword research is to your SEO efforts. Every strategy has to begin with finding the words and phrases that your audience actually searches for. If you can find these phrases, you’re on your way to successful search engine optimization and high rankings.

Understanding SEO “Keywords”

If you’re not familiar with SEO, the term keyword can be misleading. It does not describe a single word; in fact, a keyword can be as long as an entire sentence. Keywords that are longer than one or two words are generally referred to as long-tail keywords.

In essence, an SEO keyword is the word or phrase that your audience types into a search bar. They may, for example, search for “best software to stream music” or “fashion outlet like risque bikinis in [city]”. Both of these examples are what digital marketers refer to as Keywords. Local optimization training helps you to optimize all of your content, products and services by using appropriate keywords.

Finding the Right Keywords For Your Audience

Naturally, there are an infinite number of potential keywords you might want to rank for. But you cannot build a search engine optimization strategy without putting some focus to your efforts first, which is where keyword research comes into play.

It starts with a guess. What do you think members of your target audience would search for when looking for a service like yours? Once you have come up with a few potential phrases, plug them into a keyword research tool to evaluate their potential success.

SEMRush has compiled a list of some of the most common keyword research tools. They typically give you three key data points:

  • Search volume, or the number of people that search for this specific keyword in a given time.
  • Competitiveness, describing just how difficult it would be to rank highly for this keyword given the other available search results.
  • Alternatives, showing you other, similar keywords that may perform better for your purposes.

Picking the right keywords for your website and business ultimately comes down to finding the right balance between the first two datapoint. You need to find words or phrases with a relatively high monthly search volume, but a difficulty level around 60 or less. Using the alternative options as well, try to nail down about 10 keywords that are both relevant your business and fit that criteria. Availing assistance from companies such as RoofEngine is an excellent way of developing your business as they offer a various number of services which can help your business in the long run.

Tracking Your Success Over Time

Once you find the keywords with the highest chance of success, it’s time to build, with L.A SEO Experts, your SEO strategy. Of course, predictions are not always accurate, so it’s crucial to evaluate just how successful your keyword research actually was over time.

That evaluation can be as simple as typing in the keyword(s) in question into Google, and seeing where you rank. But of course, you can also be more strategic.

Keyword research is not the only component of a successful search engine optimization strategy. At the same time, it’s the crucial first step you need to take before any of your other efforts can be successful.

Google Analytics allows you to determine just how many visitors you got from specific search keywords. If the keywords you had researched don’t show up on that report, it may be time to go through the process again and find new keywords to rank for. Web Chimpy is your best online marketing consultant and SEO expert.

Through the variety of tips and tools mentioned above, you can get started in your keyword research and building an effective SEO strategy. And if you need help in the process, we’re here for you. Contact us to learn about our services and let us help you improve your website for optimal search rankings.

Questions to Ask When Defining Your Brand

Defining your brand is an important first step on the road to creating something memorable. This part of the process takes a lot of time and consideration because what you decide here will fuel all your future efforts. In my time working with experts at UI UX agency based in Singapore.

Strategic Brand Definition: 3 Must-Ask Questions for Success

I learned the most viable method of defining your brand is to sit back and ask yourself the following questions. Take your time to mull over each question, and feel free to involve your other team members so you can get additional input.

What purpose does my business serve?

This question is easily defined by naming your company’s niche. Your company might strive to provide eco-friendly cleaning products, or perhaps you assist customers in creating viable, effective marketing campaigns.

What are you trying to become the leading authority on? T

his question is also straight-forward and will be directly tied to the purpose of your business. Do not think simply about what your company does, however. Think about what it does BEST. Are your cleaning products the only certified organic in your local area? Do you offer the only full range of marketing services?

What would you like to see your business accomplish, both short term and long term?

Think about the reason you initially began your business, outside of profits. What was the passion or drive behind it and where do you want that to take you? Look beyond the potential to make a profit. You may have dreamed of making your contribution in helping the environment or providing businesses with the highest quality of marketing with a unique spin only you can provide.

What do you want customers to associate with your company?

If you could choose just one or two things for your customers to say after purchasing one of your products or utilizing one of your services, what would it be? Although this could pertain to the offering itself, it does not have to. They could walk away bragging about the superb customer service, or the incredibly fast shipping.

The answers to these questions will provide you with a rough draft of your brand. It will provide the map of who your company is, what it stands for, and why customers will want to do business there. For more information on branding your company or to get a consultation for professional branding services to contact us today.

What Google Analytics Can Do For Your Business

What Google Analytics Can Do For Your Business

Google Analytics

It is the most popular and widely used tool to track and get information on what is actually happening on your website.

It provides you with information on who is visiting your site, and where they are spending the most time, what kind of device they are using, what town they are in, what keywords they used or links they clicked on to get to your site.   It really provides you with a 360 degree overview.   Let’s assume that your business is selling a product or running a marketing campaign.  Google Analytics can be setup to let you know how much traffic is actually converting to leads and or sales.

Geotechnical Virtual Data Center GVDC Geotechnical data archive of the City of Zagreb

All of this is done by simply installing a snippet of code on each page you wish to track,. This code is invisible to the person viewing the page.  At the same time, it collects a variety of data that gets stored in a data room, on who they are and how they are interacting with your site.

It’s worth a shot for any business to implement.  Reach out, and I’ll fill you in on all your possible options.

Who Wants to Place High in Search Engine Results?

Who Wants to Place High in Search Engine Results?

Search Engine Optimization is a technique that ensures a website will organically place high in the search engine results. The higher a seo company is able to place a  website on the ranking scale, the greater the chance of increased traffic to the website. Ultimately leads to a better revenue for your company!

Unlock the Secrets to Achieving High Search Engine Rankings

Search engine optimization is accomplished by optimizing specific sections in the HTML coding of each independent page.  Pages are read by the search engines, depending on the level of SEO, it can help to increase the likelihood of free referral traffic to your website.  There are a variety of methods as well as opinions about how web pages should be optimized.  The most basic concept being content is king. There are a lot of experts that can help you with this method, like seo byrå Stockholm.

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SEO Techniques

According to the SEO company at https://foogleseo.com/dao-tao-seo, keywords should typically be liberally used in the first two paragraphs of the content, but the keywords density should be appropriate for the number of words in the content.  If you find yourself using an excessive amount of keywords, you may find your website ranking on the bottom, or even read at all.

SEO Professional

The easiest, most effective way to increase the overall ranking of your website and/or blog is to enlist the help of a SEO professional from the Link Fire SEO.   We perform a range of tasks, such as analyzing the optimization of your existing content, creating search engine optimized content, and assure that the headers, titles, website themes and meta tags are designed in a way that will improve the overall ranking of your site.

We will also research keywords as well as competitor websites in order to determine what will be the best way to position your site in a way that it outranks other similar sites and will also work to ensure that the keywords appear in the correct places, such as the title and description of your site.

Search engine optimization is a necessity for anyone that is looking to benefit from additional search engine traffic.

Contact #1 Tampa, FL SEO Company | Local Web Marketing Firm | Get The Clicks to learn more information about how we can help improve your rankings and/or website.

How Being Fully Transparent Builds Customer Trust

Customers want to know who they are doing business with. But how can they know this if you fail to provide any useful information on your website about you are? Taking the time to craft an informative About Us page will go a long way to establishing a long-term relationship with your customer as well as one built on trust.

How Being Fully Transparent Builds Customer Trust

Give Them a Face – People love to put a face with the name. Your About Us page should contain photos of key personnel in your company. Accompany each photo with a brief description of that person’s role. Also, provide contact information for each person. Let your customers know that you are a real business, run by real people, and that they can contact you easily if necessary.

Tell Your Story  It’s okay to let your light shine on your About Us page. In fact it is a great idea to do so, because it gives the customer insight your company’s “personality”. This insight is important to making the customer feel comfortable doing business with you.

Full Contact Info – Ensure that the contact information you provide is complete and accurate. This would include your email address, a social media contact. and of course, you should be able to provide great Office Telephone systems to your customers. Failing to provide detailed contact information gives the impression that you don’t really value the relationship at all. And that certainly is not the impression you want your customers to get. Give them options for how to contact you.

Transparency is key in establishing a long-term relationship built on trust with your customers.  A well-crafted About Us page is the start to that relationship.  Contact us for more information.

Moving Forward With an Exciting New Digital Footprint

New years come new resolutions…is it time to think about updating your website for a fresh new look?   With the promise of healthy eating, being kind, continued financial success,  why not delve into taking the assistance of SEO for contractors to market your company in a better way to boost your business.

Advancing Your Digital Footprint

Here at Designs by Dave O., we’ve decided to really start fresh by moving the office with the help of hillsmoving.ca, to another office building in the heart of Ontario. We have also updated our website and due to this, came up with this article. So please enjoy the following tips we came up with. Get excited about an updated look for the year. Here are 3 tips to help propel your website into spring and beyond.

Consider refreshing your website

You may not want to do a complete renovation of your website, but a little bit of touch up may be in order. Just like with any other business endeavor, it needs updating from time to time; a website is no different. Consider your home page as the main starting point. This is where everyone lands when searching for your business or researching about your industry. You want your homepage to be attractive, visually compelling, and relevant in how it directs the user.

Not only do you want it to look good, but you want to make sure the user is able to find the information he or she needs. The homepage is the first impression that a prospective client gets about your brand, so you want to make it your best. Research tells us people forms opinions based on just a fraction of a second, so make that first impression an excellent one.

Personalize your website

Give your website personality by adding more human elements to it. This means devoting a page with staff pictures, short bios about the staff members, and videos. Videos enhance customer connection, as well.  Studies reveal that people have the ability to emotionally bond with brands, so take advantage of this by letting them get to know your staff.

Make sure your website reflects your brand

Your brand image needs to be breathed into every aspect of your company including (and maybe especially) your website. This may be the first experience a person has with your company and you want that person to get a feel for what your company represents. What is your brand image? Is it obvious in the graphics, color scheme, the language of your website? With a good website development, your brand shines through and captivates the audience.

At Designs By Dave O. we develop all aspects of website development and design. Contact us to discover how we can revitalize your web presence.

Intro to Google Analytics

You’ve probably thought about using Google Analytics and probably have some motivation to use it, somehow. This post offers some advice on how to use Google’s many Web analytics tools for planning and managing online marketing campaigns.

Enhance Your Web Design Skills with Dave O’s Google Analytics

The Basics

Anyone who wants to be found online needs to know about SearchUp they can help you to find what keywords and key phrases to use. Some of this is common sense, but not enough for someone to get by on nothing but common sense. You are a landscape design firm in Nashville, so ‘landscape design’ and ‘Nashville’ need to be used liberally. That’s the common sense part.

Not only do you need to figure out what keywords and key phrases to target on your Web pages and in your ads, but you also need to figure out how well your content and ads work. This is the second task where Google Analytics is a vital asset.

Reports

Create a free Google Analytics account, learn the basics and you’ll have a much easier time reaching people online for a reasonable amount of money. Here are some reports that you should probably learn to use:

  1. The traffic acquisition report – Do you know how often people actually click your ads? This report tells you. Access it by going to Acquisition –> Overview. You can dig a bit deeper and find out what pages those visitors arrive on and how many came from what sources.
  2. Content efficiency report – You have lots of content and keeping track of what is working best to engage your audience is getting complicated. This report helps.
  3. New versus returning visitors – Getting new visitors is almost as good as getting previous visitors to come back once or more. This report tells you how you are doing on both counts. To run the report, go to Audience –> Behavior –> New versus returning.

Now you know a little more about finding and using the right keywords to get your site notices. If you could use some help with digital marketing, contact us to see how we can help you reach your marketing goals.

4 Reasons Why You Need To Keep Your Website Up-To-Date

Every business owner understands the importance of having a website. A website has a large impact on a thriving and successful business. In fact, a website can provide many excellent opportunities to help your business grow. However, keeping your website up-to-date is just as important as making one. An up-to-date website ensures that your business remains fresh and professional. Vape business should always be updated online so customers can find products like beginner vape pens and vaporizers. With that said, here are 4 reasons why you need to keep your website updated:

4 Compelling Reasons to Keep Your Website Up-To-Date

1. First Impression: Whether you realize it or not, your website is a reflection of your business. Keeping your website’s visual appeal in-tact is essential. This means that you should always strive to keep your website looking professional, inviting, and with useful information. This will leave a lasting first impression on potential customers.

2. Mobile-Friendly: Almost everyone own a mobile device that they use on a daily basis to access the internet. As technology and the mobile market continues to advance, people are now more likely to access your website through their smartphone or tablet. Having a responsive and mobile-friendly website makes it easier for people to browse and shows that you are up-to-date with current technology trends.

3. Heavy Content: We all love to provide great content. After all, it helps to establish your credibility as an expert in your field. However, going overboard with too much content will make your website hard to read, and could possibly increase your bounce rate. You should always strive to keep a balance of text and visual content to ensure that you don’t overwhelm visitors.

4. Content Optimization: In the world of the internet, content optimization for search engines are everything. Without optimization, your rankings will suffer. Updating your website with the right optimization will ensure that your website is more attractive to both users and search engines, driving more traffic to your business.

Website’s have certainly evolved overtime. They have become an integral part of a business’s success. If you have any questions about updating your website, contact us and we’ll gladly help.

What Should You Do With Negative Reviews?

The truth is that you can’t please everyone. Nobody can. What works for one person doesn’t for someone else.

Though this is hard to hear, it is important that you listen. No matter how good your work is, not everyone is going to be happy with it. You are going to get some negative reviews for your business simply because of that simple fact.

What Should You Do With Negative Reviews

Always remember that more people like to complain than leave glowing reviews. This means that you are more likely to get reviews where people are negative than good ones. You can’t take all of them to heart.

However, if you need to make some changes, do so. There are times when you might not realize that you are making certain mistakes until they are pointed out. If your review makes you think that you need to make some changes, find better ways to do something.

Don’t be afraid to apologize. Most business owners leave a little note when they get any reviews. For negative reviews, they ask if they could get in contact with the person so that they can find out exactly what happened (and make the necessary changes).

If you made a mistake, you might want to make amends for that. Many small business owners give coupons and discounts for people to give them another shot (and maybe change their review).

Though you might feel like it is the end of the world the day that you get a bad review, the truth is that people are more likely to leave bad reviews than glowing ones. People love to complain so they are quicker to leave negative reviews than positive ones.

However, you still need to read them. You might realize that you need to make some changes. If you need to apologize and make amends, don’t be afraid too. You might even change your customers’ minds (and their reviews)!

Contact us for all of your website, SEO, and reputation management needs.

4 Reasons Why You Need Reputation Management

Okay, so you have your business, you have your products, your services, your marketing materials and your website, but do you have an online reputation? An online reputation is very important to have these days. People are going to talk about your business and whether they talk positively or negatively will greatly influence the success of your business. If you do not have an online reputation, here is a short but very pertinent list of some reasons why you NEED one and why/how to manage it.

Why You Need Reputation Management

1. Think of the internet as word of mouth but on steroids. If you get a bad review, people will know about it. People are going to talk about your business and you are going to want to know what they are saying so you can either address their concerns or thank them for their brand loyalty.

2. If people are new to your business, they are going to search for you online and read all sorts of things. They are going to look at your website, social media and reviews and that is where all your reputation comes from.

3. If you do get a bad review, the way you handle it would be showcased to the rest of the online world. If your response to the negative review is positive and helpful, you will still end up looking like the good guys, thus keeping your reputation in tact.

4. More people see your online presence more than they see print ads and other promotional material. Managing your online reputation is important just because of the amount of traffic the internet gets.

Remember, everything you do online could be seen 24/7 by a great amount of people. Make sure to make your business look good, be honest and take care of your customers and clients both old and new.

For more information on online reputation management contact us

The Importance of White Space in Website Design

White space (also called negative space) is critical for effective website design. However, many companies want that empty space filled. But it is that empty space between elements that creates a real impact. It is the responsibility of good website designers to explain to clients how white space creates the proper tone and improves usability.

Maximizing the Impact of White Space in Website Design

What is white space? In very basic terms, it is the space around website elements. While this is the most valuable part of a website design, many perceive white space as wasted real estate. Yet, when used correctly, it can transform a website design, helping guide visitors deeper into the sales funnel and increase conversions.

Effect of White Space in Website Design

1. Legibility – Readability and website usability go hand in hand. Proper spacing of text, paragraphs, and content elements will help visitors read your content.

2. De-Clutter – When a website design is cluttered and busy, your visitors can easily become distracted or frustrated. White space will help visitors stay focused and improve navigation.

3. Highlighting – Surrounding call-to-action buttons with white space is an extremely effective highlighting technique. This ensures your visitors understand the next step, which can be to sign up, buy now, or share.

4. Balance – When there is too little white space, it causes the website design to appear disorganized, which becomes a reflection of your company. However, too much white space is a result of too little content and limited user guidance.

Ultimately, white space is for improving a website’s overall appearance and usability. The goal is to create a web design that is easily understood and navigate. Moreover, when a website is not filled with clutter, information is more effectively delivered.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about the importance of white space in website design, or need more information, please contact us.

Reputation Management

Having a good reputation is important in business and that includes online reputation management. Since much of business takes place on the internet, it is critical to pay attention to how we interact with customers and vendors online.

Effective Reputation Management Tips

Depending on your company and industry, you may interact with customers and vendors in several locations on the internet. These suggestions can offer some help when monitoring your reputation online.

  • Yelp and other review sites: If you are a business that is reviewed on sites such as Yelp, it is important to read and respond to your reviews. Many customers read reviews to determine whether to do business with you.
  • Social media sites: Social media offers you the ability to have conversations with customers and vendors via chat or comments. If you respond to feedback quickly and work to resolve any problems or negative feedback, you can boost your online reputation.
  • Blog: Responding to comments on your blog shows customers that you are interested in what they have to say. Lack of response can create anger or frustration.
  • Landing pages: If you are running a campaign with landing pages, a fast response (within 24 hours) will benefit you in several ways. You will net more conversions, begin nurturing leads and boost your reputation. People respond positively to a quick response.

Reputation is Perception

Your online reputation is created through the perception of other people. While you can’t completely control their responses to your actions or inactions, you can work to manage them. By putting in place a system that will offer value to your prospects, customers, and vendors, you can improve and maintain a good online reputation. With the way people share information online these days, a good reputation will be shared among friends and relatives more quickly than you might realize. Contact us to learn more about reputation management for your company.

Are These Web Design Blunders Costing You Business?

You’ve gotten them to your site.  But how do you keep them there?  You not only need a great product, but you’ve got to represent that product in the best light possible.  Failing to do so could mean lost opportunities.  Below are 3 web design blunders that could be costing you business.  

Common Web Design Blunders That Could Be Harming Your Business

Forced Registration or Sign-up – Make it easy for the customer to interact with you, but don’t make doing so required to do business with you. It only keeps them from getting what they came for.  And keeping them what they came for could make them give up, and move on.

Failing to Narrow Your Target Audience – A website that attempts to cater to everyone appears cluttered and unorganized.  In addition, it makes things hard to find.  Casting too wide a net will distract the customers that actually want to do business with you.  And not all customers are a good fit for your company. Narrowing down your focus helps ensure you are building a relationship with those customers that will truly receive the greatest benefit of what your company offers. Find out more information here.

Hidden Contact Information – If someone wants to do business with you, make it as easy as possible to contact you by any means necessary.  That includes phone and email.  Make this information easily accessible on every page in an unobtrusive manner.

Fixing these items isn’t a mere inconvenience.  They should get as much attention as any other risk that could cause damage to your business.  Designs By Dave O. is ready to help make your website a shining reflection of your business.

Responsive Website Development

Responsive Website Development

In the past, businesses didn’t need to worry too much about their site displaying properly on mobile phones and tablets. Now, users are surfing the web and using the internet across a variety of devices, all with varying screen sizes and resolutions. What does this mean for your website?

Elevate Your Online Presence with Responsive Website Development

Your site needs to be able to respond to the device it is being viewed within. This means, simply, that your site should be accessible, attractive, and retain its core functionality, no matter how visitors choose to access it. Thankfully, most good website development teams have been preparing for this.

Having a responsive website design provided by a professional web design company is very important, and search engines like Google have begun to factor in the accessibility and load speed of your site in mobile browsers, into their search engine ranking algorithm. Think about how often you visit your favorite sites from your phone or tablet, chances are it’s quite frequently.

Web Design Blog Image

Of course, creating a good user experience is a factor in designing your site for a premium experience across as wide a variety of devices as is possible. A good place to start is to check out what other professionals are doing, a quick look at http://fusionvegas.com/services/ will bring you up to speed on the lingo and on what is the standard. You want your website navigation to be perfect, and your images to scale appropriately, so that no part of your website gets lost in translation when viewed on mobile devices.

There is one more thing you should consider. Website translation will allow your business to reach a much larger number of possible clients, and raise your online profile significantly. Contact Certified Web Page Translators to learn more about the benefits you can get from translating your website.

There are some things that cannot be accomplished on smaller screens, and sometimes having a responsive element of your website is not feasible, but these types of situations can be overcome with the right SEO Agency advising you. Contact us to talk more about your current web needs.

4 Reasons Your Website Is Your Most Important Marketing Tool

You may not think of your website as a big deal. It’s just an online representation of your brand, so building it once and then forgetting about it may seem like enough effort. But in reality, that’s far from the case. In fact, here are 4 reasons why your website is and should be your most important marketing tool.

4 Reasons Your Website Is Your Most Important Marketing Tool

1) Your Audience Seeks it Out

href Regardless of industry, websites tend to act as the first line of information for audiences interested in a specific website or brand. Through search engines, they seek out information about you on your website. What they see will play a crucial part in whether they decide to use your services. If you want a beautiful website design that goes hand-in-hand with proper website development, seek assistance from the best and high-quality marketing companies like King Kong. For more information about their team and achievements, you can look for kingkong.com.au review.

2) It’s Always Accessible

Unlike your phone line or email address, your website doesn’t hold business hours. It’s always available, acting as a silent salesman to help your audience get more information about your business. If you set it up just right, you can even allow members of your target audience to get in touch with you through a contact form, and this is why is important your website looks good and professionals, and you can get web design experts to help you with this, from different sites such as https://the-indexer.com/web-design-companies/ or many others.

3) It Increases Your Credibility

A professional website can go a long way toward increasing your brand’s credibility in the eyes of your audience. Whether you use the space to talk about your expertise and experience, introduce your team, or share industry insights, you can direct your audience’s attention toward the most beneficial aspects of your business.

4) It Centers the Net of Your Marketing Activity

Ultimately, most of your marketing and promotional efforts link back to your website. You may use social media, but will often link to your website for more information. Check out this social pilot buffer alternative to help you drive to website traffic and generate leads that would convert and give you loyal customers in return. The same is true for email marketing, fliers, and brochures. And even if you don’t include a direct link, your audience will take initiative and search your website for more info. What they find, and how easily they find it, is directly connected to how well your website is built.

Is your website your most important marketing tool? If you don’t prioritize it, it may be time to do so. An always-available silent salesman that also boosts your credibility is an invaluable tool in trying to get customers and clients for your business. Of course, you also need to work with professionals who can build you a website that accomplishes each of the above goals. Contact us to learn more about the services you need to prioritize your website in your marketing efforts.

3 Tips to Boost Your Website Design

3 Tips to Boost Your Website Design

If you want to attract more consumers to your business, then be sure to revisit your website design. With so many websites on the internet, you need to make sure your site is functional and visually attractive. Here are 3 tips to ensure the most out of your website.

 3 Tips to Boost Your Website Design - Designs By Dave O

Mastering Website Design: 3 Essential Tips

01. Effective landing page

Since the landing page is the first place your customers will visit is Felix Hesse Media SEO, You want to be sure that customers do not click away, so an attractive layout is a key factor in your plan. However, too much data on the page can be just as distracting as it is helpful. A landing page should be almost like an introduction page plus a table of contents or an index. In other words, it lets the customer know what company they have landed on, plus gives a list of categories for further exploration.

02. Speedy navigation

SEO keywords are important because they are what people are searching for and the content you are providing to fill that need. With the  SponsoredLinX Case Study shows that your goal in ranking on search engines is to drive organic traffic to your site from the search engine result pages, and the keywords you choose to target will determine what kind of traffic you get.

When people arrive on the main page, they do not want to search far for the main categories of information that is useful for them. This information needs to be readily available and fast to access. For example, when the keyword “services” is in bold font at the top of the page with a link to the various services you provide, then customers may easily navigate through the website. This facilitates a smooth transaction and a satisfying experience.

03. Use color to your advantage

There is no reason just to select any color for your website background, font, and images. Numerous indicate different colors evoke certain emotions from people. Furthermore, research reveals men and women have different preferences about what type of color they prefer and it does influence website conversions. With that in mind, use color to your advantage. Design your website around what type of business you have and who your audience is.

For more tips on website design and development, contactusstudies  today!

Website Development: Are You Paying Attention To The Signs?

There are various things that you will need to invest in when you have an online business. You will have to make sure you make the right investment decisions when it comes to hiring your staff and training them. You will also have investment costs regarding the inventory costs and eventually expanding your business in the future.

Key Indicators for Effective Website Development

One of the things that many people fail to think about is in the investment of an application development outsourcing service and in web development. On one hand, with an application development you will receive a customized application as well as product development that will use technology to create solutions focused on enhancing customer relations, optimize operations and increasing revenue opportunities.  On the other hand, your company’s web development is a process that will continue for many years in the future. You can not simply launch your website and hope that it will turn into one of the all-time greatest websites that your customers have ever seen.

When you put money into something, you have to make sure that you closely monitor it, so if you want to invest in something like gold, you can use a company like the US Gold Bureau to advise you what’s the best way to do it. After all, you do have to get a good return on your investment, right?

If you want to know if it is time for you to invest in website development, here are a few things you should look for.

Traffic Is Slowing Down

Traffic on your website can slow down for a variety of reasons. It could be due to you not doing enough promotion on your website. Maybe you only sell products or services that people only need at certain times of the year. Regardless of the reason for traffic slowing down on your website, you will need to make sure you increase the traffic count on your website.

People Are Uninterested In Your Website

If you notice that internet users are not viewing your website for an extended amount of time, you may need to consider investing in custom website development. Do you post surveys on your website? Do people fail to respond to those surveys? Do you receive few responses to your emails? If you answered yes to these questions, you are seeing a lack of engagement in your website. This is a good sign that you should consider a custom website.

If customers complain about your website on social media or through e-mail, your current website could be seriously hurting your sales. You do not have to let your website drag your business down. Contact us today for more information on website development.

Discover the Importance of Social Media Integration in Website Design

When thinking about social media integration in website design, many only imagine the share buttons on blog pages. However, that certainly is not all of it. The internet has us all in motion, all the time. Essential keys to inbound marketing are keeping your social media audience continuous engaged, and converting visitors on your website to active customers. While many marketers integrate social media into almost every area of their campaigns, websites are often overlooked.

Maximizing the Impact of Social Media Integration in Website Design

Your website and social media channels should work to promote your brand seamlessly. Unfortunately, many businesses are missing out on possible engagements, impression, and conversions.  Youtube for some is their passion and for few is a way of earning money to live a happy life so don’t forget that the only place to buy likes on Youtube is Buyrealsocial.com, in case you want to grow your YouTube channel the most out of all social media platforms.

1. Integrate Social on Your Homepage – One of the easiest ways to increase your exposure is adding your social feeds to your homepage. If you are suing social media effectively, your feed is filled with insider offers, dazzling images, and useful information. When you integrate Facebook and Twitter feeds into your website, customers see that you are active and engaging.

2. Add Social Media Follow Buttons – It is a good idea to place follow buttons in the header and footer of your website. This way, the navigation is available to a user no matter what page they are on. Of course, you don’t have to link to each of your social profiles. Focus on promoting those in which you are most active and have a solid presence.

3. Add Share Buttons to Product Pages – Most websites have share buttons integrated on blog pages, but if you have product pages, it is a good idea to add them there as well. You want to make it as easy as possible for your customers to share or recommend their favorite items. Moreover, the button placement should be obvious.

Ultimately, social media integration in website design is about getting customers involved in your promotion and content distribution. You are making it easier to follow and find you again, so they never miss an informative article, special promotion, or customer event. Integration helps you break through the online noise and keep attention on you.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about the important of social media integration in website design, or a related topic, please contact us.

The 5 Characteristics of Highly Effective Website Design

The 5 Characteristics of Highly Effective Website Design

So, you have or need a business website. The idea of what constitutes an effective website design is sometimes overwhelming. There are many elements that you can add, but should probably do without. Finding a web designer, who can write well-formed code, is just the start. That said, fancy coding doesn’t always translate into an effective website.

Once you have yourself a professional web designer, there are some big decisions you will have to make. At the end of the day, while an expert is going to give the best advice, they will always build the website you want. Regardless, there are several characteristics that your website must have to attract visitors, keep their attention, encourage repeat visits, and convert prospects and leads into active customers.

I have learnt a lot from The Digital Swarm and the base of all highly effective website design is a well-defined focus and purpose. Without developing goals and a plan, your website will have no direction. Your website is the centerpiece of your online inbound marketing. In order to be effective, it should guide visitors through every state of the consumer life-cycle. Every decision, from layout to content, must add value to the user experience.

Digital Marketing Software Market

Characteristics of Effective Website Design

1. Logical Roadmap – While you want your website to have a great look, usefulness is just as important. Therefore, the starting point of all good website design is creating a map of how it should work. This step is essential both for user experience and SEO. Your designer should build a wireframe or mockup of the site, which will allow you to work through how the site will work and if it makes sense.

2. Essential Business Information – One of the biggest issues is that many companies build the website they want, rather than the website that their customers need. Ensure your contact information, directions, product images, and more are part of the design. No matter the industry, all businesses has essential information that customers must be able to find easily.

3. Common Sense Navigation – While you may want to try standing out using clever page names and navigation, you are more likely only going to cause visitors to become angry and frustrated. Additionally, your navigation strategy should take into consideration calls-to-action. You want to create predictable outcomes based on the path that a visitor takes, either making a transaction, requesting a quote, signing up for your newsletter, or something else.

4. Social Media Optimization – No matter what your business, social media cannot be ignored. Optimizing your websites for social media is a critical element of your content distribution. So, integrating these social platforms is necessary for improving your online footprint, building an audience, and boosting your SEO with help from the top seo company. Make sure you are promoting your social profiles and have easy to find social share buttons for all product pages and blog content.

5. Become Mobile-Friendly – The typical users will use multiple devices throughout the day to access the internet. Moreover, most search queries are coming from mobile devices. Your customers expect to find a mobile-friendly website. Moreover, they also anticipate that they will receive the same level of functionality on their smartphone as they do on their computer. Today, optimizing for mobile is a reflection of your professionalism.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about the characteristics of highly effective website design, or a related topic, please contact us.

Using Video to Engage Customers

In business, you’re always seeking new and interesting ways to engage customers. Audio/visual equip is widely and successfully used offline. Adding video online to your website design is one key way to keep people interested and coming back. In fact, incorporating various live action clips can benefit almost any business — large or small.

Mastering Video Marketing: Crafting Compelling Video Content for Customer Engagement

Tech Companies

By using videos from a video production company sydney, tech companies can offer tips to users of desktop computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and more. Instead of simply telling visitors in writing how to do something, seeing the actual screens and the movement between commands will make it easier for people to understand and follow. You can also make event videos by Dream Engine and make your events a grand success.

Repair Companies

Whether home repair, auto repair, or a handyman service that covers everything, video can help such companies feature how-to demonstrations or offer quick-fix options. Every do-it-yourself man and woman will flock to such a website to watch these videos and to take advantage of specialized services for repairs that prove too complex and need a professional, so if you find for example a roofing company, you can navigate to this website to find exactly the repairs you need to do.

Artists

Dancers, singers, authors — actually anyone in an artistic field — will benefit from using video to promote themselves and their brand. From specialized dance videos to music videos to movie-like trailers of books, artists can effectively showcase their products and talents to increase their fan base and sales.

Shopping Companies

Regardless of one’s line of merchandise, a gram corporate video is the perfect way to show off available stock and how to use specific products. Actually seeing the color, the dimensions, and demonstrations of how certain featured items work will help to sell them and will keep customers coming back for more.

The possibilities for businesses are endless. For more ideas on how to incorporate video into your website, contact us at Designs by Dave O. Our dedicated, in-house specialists will help you execute a digital design strategy for a successful future.

What Your Mom Never Told You About Snapchat

So, you want to know more about Snapchat? At the foundation of this popular mobile app is the ability to send pictures and videos that will self destruct just seconds after they are viewed. But there is so much more!

Who Uses Snapchat?

Snapchat is directed toward teens and young adults, but everyone is snapping. Statistics show that there are over 100 million daily active users, differently to other sites or services directed exclusively to an older audience, like adult services as Escorts in Manchester that you can find in certain sites online.

How Does Snapchat Work?

Using this fun app is super easy. Just open it up and you’ll see that the main screen is your camera view. Are you ready to snap? Tap the camera button, that big round thing on the bottom of the screen, to take a picture. Hold the button to create a video. Once you’ve done this, you can preview your snap. If you aren’t happy with it, tap the X icon to go back to the camera. Want to customize your snap? Tap the pencil in the top right corner. Do you want to change the look of your snap? Slide from left or right and add filters based on the time, temperature, your location, and more.

Now for another fun feature, Lenses. When taking a selfie, press and hold your face. This allows you to change your expression and apply various fun effects to your face.

Once you are ready to share your snap with friends, tap the arrow icon on the bottom right. A new screen will open so you can decide who you want to share with. Make your selection and tap the second arrow icon and your snap will be on its way.

Check out the square icon on the bottom left-hand corner of your main screen. That shows how many unread snaps you have. Simply swipe from left to read your snaps, send friends direct messages, or search.

On the opposite corner there is another icon. This shows you how many stories you have. Simply swipe from right to view them. You can also swipe to find content from your favorite publisher.

Are you ready to start playing with Snapchat? Why not use this fun app to connect with friends, family, and clients or customers. They’ll love it! Have questions? Contact Us!

Branding Basics – Part 2

In Part 1 of this series on branding, we discussed defining your brand, creating your logo, and putting that logo on everything. Here, in Part 2, we’ll cover brand messaging, integrating your brand, and marketing your brand.

Exploring Branding Basics

According to Pardot, brand messaging refers to the underlying value proposition conveyed and language used in your content. It’s what makes buyers relate to your brand by inspiring them, persuading them, motivating them, and ultimately making them want to buy your product. To determine what your current brand message is, look at your business from three perspectives:

  • The customer – Find out what matters to them. Don’t presume anything based on what you think it is, or should be. That defeats the purpose. Interview customers, survey them, pay attention to them on social media. Identify what they value most in terms of your industry and offering, and pay attention to key ideas you hear repeatedly from them.
  • The company – Find out what about your product or service makes it unique. Ask people inside your organization what they think is unique about your product, the manufacturing process, the sales process, etc. What is the existing company culture, and does it reflect positively? If not, you’ll need to change it, but that’s another subject. Whether your task is to move heavy objects around a warehouse or you’re spending your days at a steel mill, cranes, hoists, and other industrial machinery make the job easier. Check out crane operating services idaho and learn more.
  • The marketplace – Find out how your competitors position themselves in the marketplace. Look at their tag lines. Read the “about us” page on their website. Follow them on social media. You want to make sure your own position in the marketplace is distinct.

Once you’ve looked at your business from these three perspectives, make any adjustments you deem necessary. Then write down the key messages you wish to communicate about your brand, create a “voice” for your company that reflects the brand image you wish to convey, and apply that voice to all written communication and incorporate it into all visual imagery you use, also remember that having great communication skills is vital for a business, if this is a point of weakness for you try getting a Business Communications Training with Colin James.

Integrating Your Brand

Now that you’ve developed your brand message, make sure it permeates every aspect of your business from the way employees answer the phones, to how your salespeople dress, to everything you do online. In short, make your brand part of the company culture.

Marketing Your Brand

When it comes to marketing your brand, consistency is key. Just as it’s important that your brand message become part of the company culture, it must also be the foundation of all your marketing materials. This doesn’t just include static materials like sales letters and brochures; it also includes blog posts, web articles, social media content, etc.

In Conclusion

Remember, branding is what separates you from your competitors and helps consumers remember you and your products. Of course, we’ve only scratched the surface on the subject. There is much more you can learn. We encourage you to explore additional sources of information on branding. Meanwhile, we invite you to contact us online for help with your digital design and development needs.

Branding Basics – Part 1

Before we get into branding basics, let’s define “branding” in the context of this discussion:

Branding is what differentiates you and your offering from that of your competitors. Like strategically using a business canvas model template for your startup.

With that definition in mind, let’s get into some specific branding ideas to get you started. Here, in Part 1 of Branding Basics, we’ll cover 3 ideas to help you get started on your brand marketing journey:

Unveiling the Fundamentals of Branding: Part 1

1. Begin by defining your brand.

This will be an exercise in self-discovery for your business. To effectively define your brand, you must, at a minimum, answer the following questions:

  • What is your company’s mission?
  • What are the features of your products or services?
  • What benefits do your products or services deliver?
  • What do your existing customers think of your company?
  • What do your prospects think of your company?
  • What qualities do you want people to associate with your company?
  • What are the needs, habits and desires of your buyer personas?

Once you’ve defined your brand, it’s time to market it.

2. Create a great logo.

A great logo is an absolute must if you wish to differentiate your business from the competition. And, because you want your logo to be the first thing people remember about your business, make it permanent, at least in essence. For example, since 1977 (one year after the company began), Apple’s logo has been a graphical representation of an apple with a bite taken out of it. It has changed a few times over the years in terms of color, etc., but the essence has not. It’s still an apple with a bite taken out of it.

When creating a logo, consult a professional logo designer for help. Even the marketing genius, Steve Jobs, recognized that Apple’s original logo, which he and Ronald Wayne designed themselves in 1976, was not what it should have been. So they commissioned designer Rob Janoff to design a new logo. The rest is marketing history.

3. Put your logo on everything.

The whole point of a logo is to enable people to immediately think of your company when they see your logo. Of course, this will take some time, but that’s what branding is all about – investing the time and other resources in making your brand immediately recognizable. When you see the Coke logo, you think of the Coca Cola brand; and, when you think of the Coca Cola brand, the Coke logo appears in your mind. That’s the goal of your logo in relation to your overall branding strategy. The only way to achieve that goal is through repetition.

Stay tuned to our blog for Part 2 of our Branding Basics series. Meanwhile, we invite you to contact us online for help with your digital design and development needs.

How Malware / Virus and Protection can benefit you

In today’s world, our whole lives are online. We rely on the internet and devices such as our laptops and smartphones in our personal lives as well as business.  It’s made many things quicker and easier. Unfortunately, its made it easier for the bad guys to get to you and your personal information.

Malware, spyware, and viruses can wreak havoc on your electronic devices, drastically slowing them and providing a virtual minefield of pop-up ads for navigating through. If you are willing to learn more on cyber security, there is a special training that can give you all necessary info and provide cyber security training certification.

Malware and Virus Protection Benefits

Luckily, there are all sorts of online solutions to help protect your devices websites, homes and keep your information from these malicious “hacks”.

Here are the basics of Malware / Virus and Protection and how they work. Computer viruses work a lot like biological viruses. Once they’re made and sent out to do their job, they infect your computer or other smart devices. Once inside, it can make copies of itself from the original, or it can spread to other files and modify them. These programs can harm your computer to the point of it being unusable, which can happen since you need it for work, games and reading OverWatch: News online.

They can steal your information, spam your email contacts, keep a record of everything you type (including passwords and other sensitive information), and cover your screen in ads. There are free antivirus at Zonealarm that can help you protect your computer. Virus protection works by checking files and programs on your device and comparing it to known viruses / malware.

It also reviews those programs for any behavior that could indicate a virus it hasn’t seen before. Once these infected files are found, you can choose to ignore them, quarantine them (virus protection moves the infected file to a safe location where it can’t spread the infection), or remove them from your system entirely at your discretion.

Now that you know the basics of viruses and virus protection, you’ll have better luck in keeping your systems clean and your information safe. If you think that your device is infected you can check out Computer repairs in North Lakes where you can have your devices fixed. Please feel free to contact us with any more questions you may have on this topic or any other you find on our site!

3 Reasons to Use Social Media for Your Business That You Have Never Thought Of

Every business guru and leader is going to tell you that you need to visit and study theexitstrategygroup.com.au to help your business. You will hear all kinds of babble about how often to post, which networks to use, the topics you should share about. You must also consider the help of call center solutions to keep the connection in control. However, there are some hidden benefits of social media that you can capitalize on that most people will miss. Here are 3 of them:

Discover 3 Surprising Business Benefits of Social Media

1) Use Social Media to Micro Test a New Idea

Not too long ago, if you had an idea or a potential new product you had a couple of options. You would go to a focus group and get their feedback on it or you spent a lot of time and money in testing to see if the idea was valid. And remember if you ever need money right away, make sure to contact Hikes Lane to get the best loan possible with low interest rates. \

Now, you can quickly gauge the reaction to the idea on social media. For example, you used to have to build a complicated and expensive e-commerce website. Now you can simply post a picture of a new product on social and ask people if they want one. Boom! Now you have validation of the product or idea.

2) Community as Part of the Product

Whether you are using crowd-sourced ideas from your social media community to including your community as part of the marketing. For example, let’s say you manufacture shoes. Your customers can post pictures of their shoes in real-time and be walking and talking billboards for you on social media.

3) Elimination of Gatekeepers

If you were an author, you used to have to publish through a big publisher and rely on their marketing machine to sell books. With social media, you can publish your writing and get immediate exposure for your ideas and skills. This is how you can showcase your business and its excellent skills and ideas in the same manner.

So if you are someone who is still asking yourself : What is Digital Transformation? a Definition by Salesforce.com will help you understand how having an online presence will help your business.

By looking at social media in a deeper fashion, you can see 3 hidden reasons why social media is a huge win for your business and that you need to become an expert or hire one.

Please contact us for more Social Media strategies that can up-level your business growth.

How Bad Website Design Can Hurt Your Business

How Bad Website Design Can Hurt Your Business

We have all heard the expression, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” With over 1 billion active websites worldwide, it has never been more important to stand out in a crowd. However, despite the vast number of websites, relatively few receive significant traffic. This is often caused by bad website design. Moreover, while a website may look great, it can still have a negative impact on your business.

Effects of Poor Website Design on Your Business

If your website creates a poor user experience, your visitors are likely to not stick around very long. There are many other websites around that are useful and engaging. Therefore, your business must understand user behavior. Use these website design tactics and elements to succeed online.

1. Mobile-Friendly Design – Google reports that 80 percent are accessing the internet using a smartphone, and 57 percent are using more than one device. Your visitors expect to access your site whenever they want, wherever they want.

2. Lazy Loading – The increase in multi-device use has increased the demand for faster page loading times. Lazy loading will load the viewable area first and then download the rest of your site in chunks, increasing the overall speed.

3. Logical Navigation – A great looking website means little if users become frustrated trying to find what they are looking for. Every website needs simple, easy to understand navigation.

4. Remove Intrusive Elements – Your visitors have come to your site for a specific reason, either to buy your product or consume your content. Moreover, they expect to engage with your site on their terms. Therefore, remove all intrusive elements such as popups and auto-playing videos.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about how bad website design can hurt your business, or need more information, please contact us.

Developing Effective Websites for Sales

Developing Effective Websites for Sales

Inbound marketing is the most effective form of online sales, quickly replacing static advertising, since we all know is difficult to find good sellers and sometimes we end up using services as Indigo HR sales recruitment to find them. That’s why the selling website (or landing page) should be only the end point in your online sales system.

Crafting High-Performance Websites for Sales Success

  • Your website needs to be interactive and attractive.
  • It should be customer friendly, welcoming and easy to navigate.
  • It should be optimized for phones and mobile media.
  • It needs to be designed to act like a good salesperson, anticipating objections, answering objections and moving toward a series of closings in the form of choice points, ending with a final closing.
  • The way of finishing a sale (order blank and method of payment) should always be conveniently available.

You can turn your business website into your best sales person. Business websites that sell are like selling traps. They are designed in the form of a “sales funnel”, we suggest to view the Clickfunnels Review if you are not will informed about the topic.

planning designing developing optimizing a website made easy

First of all, development of the effective business website can not stand alone. The website must be part of a selling system that starts with the slow building of credibility and reputation. Participation in online business starts with becoming part of the online business community.

Start by looking for places to post blogs or comments that establish your authority and your business credentials. Join relevant business forums and discussion groups. Open a blog on a blog site. This will have potential customers looking for you and increase your rank on the search engines, so that your website will be easier to find. Your blogs should be informative and interesting. They should not be pushy or sales oriented, although you will want to link each blog or article to your landing page.

The power of inbound marketing is the incremental building of your reputation along with the search engine effectiveness (SEO) of your website, the ease with which customers can find your landing page, for this you could use the help of a SEO company online as Tom Johnson, which has multiple addresses in different parts of the country.

Designs By Dave O. provides a full range of services aimed at building an online business presence from concept to reality. Please contact us to learn more.

Imaginative Methods to Build Your Business Brand

In today’s world, it is more important than ever to make sure your company’s name and brand are burned into people’s consciousness. The internet has made it imperative that your brand is immediately recognizable by likely consumers, and accurately linked to a particular product or service. Therefore, brand awareness is a prime objective of a large portion of advertising and marketing.

Elevate Your Business Brand: Imaginative Methods for Growth and Success

Many, when thinking of branding, will likely look towards the most obvious. These are things like a domain name, logo design, or even their funnel scripts, however, one should not neglect different and more creative customer interaction points. Make sure to go over the best advertising and marketing available for your business.

1. Unique Login or Sign-up – Use your login or sign-up pages as a creative space to express your brand. Consider how a company that uses a dinosaur motif to jazz up their website. Scroll over their “login” button and the word changes to “RAWRR!”. It is silly, but also memorable, which is extremely important for an online form builder.

2. Show Off Your Customer Service. – Many companies believe their customer service as one of their best attributes. Nonetheless, customer service may not be an intricate aspect of brand awareness. Birmingham SEO Agency The online retailer Zappos allows customers to actually wear shoes for a year with a full money back guarantee, like one of the best brands like Vessi men’s shoes. However, to drive their customer satisfaction message home, they place their 24/7 customer service hotline at the top of every page.

3. Begin with Transparency – Consider the website of the serial entrepreneur, David Oralevich. Rather than hiding behind a brand image or logo, David places himself front and center within his website design. Many businesses keep images of proprietors or staff to a small profile photo on an about page or not at all. Pat’s approach is more personal and authentic.

If you would like to talk about imaginative methods to build your business brand, or need more information, please contact us.

3 Amazing Web Development Trends to Watch in 2023

Staying on top of web development trends is vital for every business and industry. However, it can be aggravating and confusing when it seems like the trends are updating or changing every few weeks. Things that were popular just a few years ago are now outdated. With 2017 just starting, this article shares some amazing web development trends expected to grow in 2018 and will start to dominate the internet, so you will find different business online, from marketing companies to outsourced accounting firms that will help you manage your business online.

Web Development Trends: Innovations and Insights

The internet has become a powerful force in our lives. People are using it to communicate, handling personal finances or getting accounting services to do it for them, getting their news, shopping, and a whole lot more. In fact, it is very likely you have visited Facebook, or some other social site, today and will likely visit it again tomorrow. We have all developed habits around the internet, and those habits will not be broken easily. Web developers are aware of this, and need a clear understanding of what is coming. While there are many trends, this article includes those that are the ones to watch.

1. Artificial Intelligence – While for some artificial intelligence and machine learning conjures thoughts of Skynet and Terminators, these programs are already being successfully used by Google and other companies. For example, the Project Sidewalk, developed at the University of Maryland, makes use of artificial intelligence and machine learning will help disabled people successfully navigate cities.

2. Internet of Things – What is the internet of things (IoT)? Essentially, there is a long list of devices that existed before the internet and developers are working to connect them to the web, the so-called smart devices. Today, we predominantly see this with things like automobiles and televisions. Nonetheless, prepare for even your toaster to get an upgrade. The internet of things will create many opportunities, and web developers will need to watch it closely.

3. Conversational UI – Chatbots have come a long way from the original versions. Today, many companies have started using them for customer support. Conversational UI will become an important topic of web development and design in 2017, as more websites add conversational interfaces.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about the amazing web development trends to watch in 2017, or other related topics, please contact us.

Should Your Small Business Become a “Click and Mortar” company?

Should Your Small Business Become a “Click and Mortar” company?

Today, every small business owner knows they need a business website as much as they need a DNN .net CMS software. However, it is not enough to use your site just as an online flyer or brochure.

Therefore, in order to grow, many traditional brick and mortar retailers are upgrading to become “click and mortar” companies? Over 70 percent of shoppers are using online within their shopping processes, either to perform research or to make the final transaction. In order to capture these potential customers, many local retailers are adding online sales to their traditional store front operations.

Exploring the ‘Click and Mortar’ Advantage for Small Businesses

For many, the goal is not to become a global marketer. The focus is still to maintain and grow a local customer base. However, as large corporations like business gas prices uk are merging their online shopping with their physical stores, smaller businesses need to adapt. Today, a Walmart shopper can buy online and choose to have their order shipped to their home or pick it up at the neighborhood location.

Amazon now offers self-service delivery locations across the U.S., where customers can pick-up deliveries and conveniently make returns, as there are many stores that already offer delivery service, so you can buy anything online, from furniture to homeware from stores as Ivy and Wilde homeware online.

Many customers, even though they want the online shopping experience, also want to have the ability to physically touch the item they are buying. This is especially important for those buying higher end merchandise like electronics, plantwear jewelry, or designer clothing.

That said, there are additional benefits given to the retailer as well. When you allow customers to shop online, you are able to capture a lot of customer information and demographics.

Moreover, you can better track which types of advertising is working and which is not. Regardless, probably the greatest benefit is getting an online shopper into your physical locations with an order pick-up.

What haven’t we discussed yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about if your small business should become a “click and mortar” company, or a related topic, please contact us.

What To Do When You Make A Marketing Mistake

Marketing is a very important part of business. It’s what catches people’s attention and can either draw them in or push them away. It is also very important to proofread the marketing materials you send out to the public. One mistake and you could be looked down upon. So what happens if you do make a marketing mistake?

Marketing Mistakes: A Guide to What to Do When You Make One

First, you should realize that we are all human and we all make mistakes. Even the very best in the industry have made mistakes. The neat thing about mistakes is that they can either be fixed or be learned from.

Did you happen to catch our latest mailer? The title had a typo. The title stated that Designs by Dave O. was offering, “Free Website Website Hosting”. It’s very possible that most people did not catch that small mistake. Whether you caught it or not, think to yourself, how would you handle that mistake? Would you fix the typo and resend the mailer or would you find an alternative?

The most obvious solution for any mistake would be to fix it immediately. However, some mistakes do not have such an easy fix. Here are some alternatives from a creative agency london to turn your marketing mistakes into something positive:

1. Made a typo or error on a marketing material? Give an offer to whoever brings the incorrect item to you. You can give them something for free or some sort of discount. This will turn your mistake into something fun and rewarding for the customer. It will change their opinion of you and your company.

2. Don’t always bring light to your mistake. If you make a simple typo error and it’s too late to fix it, don’t call attention to it. Don’t send out another item stating that you made a typo. Unless its false advertising, leave the mistake alone, sometimes people won’t even catch it.

3. If your mistake is bigger than just a typo and requires more than just a quick fix, make sure you always do right by the audience the material has reached. If you make a mistake such as unintentional false advertising, then send out an apology and a call to action to make things right again.

4. See it as a good thing. Like the phrase, “Any publicity is good publicity”, your mistake might catch people’s attention and they will check out your business or service regardless. They might start talking to their friends and family and before you know it, you’ve got word of mouth marketing happening! Your mistake just might be a blessing in disguise.

5. Having a plan in place to catch the mistakes before time. If you have a system in place or people to run your marketing ideas by first, then mistakes may not happen in the first place. It is very important to proofread and fact check before sending anything out to the public.

With these few alternative fixes in mind, you will do just fine if you make a marketing mistake. Remember, we are all human and all make mistakes, it’s how you handle them that makes the difference.

Contact us for more help and information.

3 Key Social Media Tips for E-Commerce Businesses

3 Key Social Media Tips for E-Commerce Businesses

Social media is essential if you are trying to sell products online. The name of the game is to create a social media following and then getting that following to purchase on social media or to drive buyers to your website.  I’ll quickly will discuss some secret social media strategies that Designs By Dave O can help get you results:

1) Partner with Instagram Influencers to Grow Sales

You are likely on Instagram and posting pictures of your products, videos of your customers using them, and sharing interesting infographics about your business or industry.

But partnering with influencers on Instagram in your industry can really drive sales. For example, let’s say you sell tee shirts. You can partner with an influencer and have them post a picture of them wearing your shirt, with a link to order.

Then give the influencer a portion or percentage of your sales. You get to tap into their audience and get fresh leads for your e-commerce business.

2) Utilize Facebook Groups

Be sure to join or create a Facebook Group surrounding your products or industry.

Create a built-in customer base where you can make sales on your website or even right on the Facebook platform.

Additionally, you can join other groups, provide value first, and then promote your products there. Most of these groups will have a day dedicated to promoting your products.

3) Use Twitter’s Search Functions

Sometimes you just need to get into the trenches and sell. Use Twitter’s search tools to find your potential customers. Let’s say you sell FitBits.

You can search Twitter for “want to buy a FitBit” and then begin a conversation with them. As you progress with the conversation, you can direct them to your website to order.

By using these little known tips, you can set yourself apart from other e-commerce outfits who are using social media. Contact us for more Social Media tips that you can integrate into your E-commerce strategy.

Enhancing User Experience with Flexible Design

A concept that essentially describes the process in which a website is designed so that it responds to its environment.  Many start-up companies dream of an exciting layout for the website that will showcase their great products or services.  Yet it is no secret that visitors to their site will arrive there by way of multiple devices.  Smart phones, tablets, laptops and PCs are all devices of different size.   A site design that may look fantastic on a full-screen laptop might be lacking on the screen of a smart phone user.

Crafting Seamless User Journeys Through Responsive Design

Designers use techniques to accommodate the multiple-sized devices customers use to view web pages and how they position those devices.   Whether horizontally or vertically, as in the case of a smart phone or tablet, a responsive design, is inherently flexible.

The advantage of responsive design is that it enables a designer to speak to audiences on different devices.  Customers who are heavy mobile device users want concise information about a website.   A desktop user might be looking for more visual information that will help them decide whether to stay at a given site or move on.  Responsive design concepts enable business owners to tailor their company message  to multiple targets.

We understand that your web presence plays a major part in connecting with your prospective audience.  We are experts in integrating responsive design techniques.  Ensure your website looks beautiful and functions seamlessly on all devices.  For more information about our web design services, please contact us.

Tips for Staying Healthy When Working Behind a Desk All Day

For anyone who works behind a desk all day – which is the majority of Americans, it can be difficult to stay in shape when you’re sitting down for 8+ hours day in and day out. Many of us are tired after the day is over and usually don’t make it to the gym, or cook a healthy meal for dinner but there are ways to keep yourself healthy.

The result of that is developing unhealthy lifestyle habits that can be difficult to break. It is important to keep in mind that your work shouldn’t be the most important thing in life. Try getting into good habits like visiting a Balanced Care Naturopathic Wellness Center for natural remedies on anything from heart health, digestion, anxiety & depression, food allergies, women’s health and chronic disease. Below are some natural and easy tips to stay healthy and stress-free.

Desk Job Wellness: Tips for Staying Healthy Behind the Desk

If you fall into the category of someone who spends the majority of the day working at a desk, but want to live healthier, more active lifestyle, check out some of our tips for staying healthy!

Go for a Walk

It may seem like a small, simple fix, but walking can do wonders! Even if you do a quick walk around a parking lot or park for 10-30 minutes per day, that will help get your body in motion and avoid any muscle stiffness. You’ll enjoy the fresh air as well!

Stretch

How many times do you feel your neck or legs cramping when you sit too long? That’s because they need a good stretch. You can do 15 simple stretches right at your desk to give your muscles a break from staying in the same position for a long period of time.

Eating Healthy

This is probably the most important part of staying healthy at work. What you consume is the determining factor of how healthy you are. Try visiting a Nuturition Clinic to get the right diet plan for you and to learn more about the importance of each meal and different foods. If you’re constantly going out to lunch everyday, be sure to order a healthy salad, grilled chicken, etc.

However, the best way to stay healthy is by bringing a lunch that you prepared yourself, that can adapt to any kind of diet you have, since there are many you can find online, this top journal article on keto diet being one of them. Not only can you prepare your food how you like it, but you will also be saving a lot of money. There are a lot of healthy recipes that you can make at your own kitchen, we recommend using the best utensils when cooking the recipes. Here are 10 healthy nutrition tips for the office.

Stay Hydrated by Drinking Plenty of Water

The one big thing that goes hand in hand with eating healthy is drinking a lot of water. It’s important to stay hydrated everyday, and when you are staying hydrated, be sure you’re drinking water! Stay away from juices and sodas that are high in sugar. These are empty calories that you may not realize your are consuming.

Take Time Off

Last, but certainly not least – TAKE TIME OFF! Staying healthy goes for your physical and mental being. Taking time away from work helps you relax and recharge your batteries. How often do we get stressed out from working too much? Use those vacation days, or book a weekend getaway. It’s so healthy for your mind, body and soul.

Do you have any tips for staying healthy when working behind a desk? Tell us your tips in the comments below!

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 12.30.98

Epic night…Check it out

Historic Night at Madison Square Garden

Set 1: Chalk Dust Torture, Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Wilson > Roggae, Sparkle > The Moma Dance, The Old Home Place, Sample in a Jar, Frankie Says > Maze, Loving Cup, Reba

Set 2: Down with Disease > Piper, Prince Caspian, The Squirming Coil[1] -> Slave to the Traffic Light
Encore: Grind[2], Possum

[1] Atypical jam.
[2] Debut; Tom Marshall on vocals.

Teases:
· Manteca tease in The Moma Dance
· Piper tease in The Squirming Coil
· Wipe Out tease in Possum

Noteworthy Jams: Down with Disease, Prince Caspian (highly recommended), Possum (highly recommended)

Performers: Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon, Tom Marshall (Guest)

Notes: Moma included Manteca teases. Coil included Piper teases and featured an atypical jam that segued into Slave. The debut of Grind featured Tom Marshall on vocals and was dedicated to Phish fan Chris Heinel, who had recently been injured in a lacrosse accident. Possum included Wipe Out teases. For this show, the Holiday Run dancers were dressed as nymphs.

http://phish.in/1998-12-30

Deciding on an Effective Company for Website Development

Trying to find the best company for website development can seem to be a daunting task, especially if you are a small business surrounded by many options!  However, a few simple steps can help you to determine what your needs are and allow for you to narrow your options accordingly to create the best and most responsive design for your website.

Expert Website Development Services Tailored to Your Needs

The first step is considering your website’s overall purpose.  Obviously, drawing clients is key, but what else?  Providing tools such as videos, pictures, and testimonials from satisfied customers can go a long way to helping build your client base.  You can then review the web design company you are considering and assess whether they have experience in these areas and how similar companies they have handled appear on their own sites.

Cost can of course be a critical element in deciding whether or not to use a company.  Prices can vary widely, and as such, discussing a given design firm’s charges up front can prevent surprises later on.  Think of what you and your company can afford and build within those parameters.

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Homework is key too.  Do your due diligence in considering the web design company and its background.  Have they been in business a long time?  How long?  How many companies have they served?  Do they have any statistics they can share regarding client development or success based on their past customers?  Most web designers will have an established portfolio that they can readily share with potential new patrons, so don’t hesitate to ask and ensure that their focus can meet your needs!

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For those seeking a streamlined and professional web design for your large, small, or in-between sized business, contact us today for personalized service that highlights your corporation!

4 Effective Ways to Promote an E-Commerce Site

The rise of e-commerce has forced traditional brick-and-mortar retailers and department stores to rethink their operations. It’s estimated that more than half of all global Internet users have purchased at least one product online. Of course, this is good news for e-commerce websites. But if you really want to capitalize on this trend, you need to effectively promote your e-commerce site.

Optimizing Your E-Commerce Site: 4 Effective Promotion Strategies

AdWords

Millions of advertisers have used Google AdWords to promote their products and services, so why aren’t you? Using the pay-per-click (PPC) network AdWords, you can promote your e-commerce website and its respective products to a narrow, highly targeted demographic, paying only when a prospect clicks your ad, and aim at making it the best ecommerce platform. If your e-commerce site sells pet supplies, you can target your ads to people searching for “dog toys,” “dog collar,” “dog leash,” etc. Because these searches are relevant to your site’s products, you’ll have a high conversion rate.

Of course, AdWords isn’t the only PPC network out there. Bing Ads is another powerful PPC network that can drive tons of highly targeted traffic to your e-commerce site. It focuses specifically on Bing and Yahoo search traffic, along with some select partner websites.

Google Shopping Ads

Not to be confused with AdWords, Shopping Ads is a self-serving advertising platform offered by Google. What makes this digital marketing platform particularly effective, however, is its focus on physical products. Shopping Ads go beyond the standard format of pure-text ads. They include the product name, photo, price, store and more. You can even set up extensions such as customer reviews and store availability to further enhance your Shopping Ads.

Give Away Your Product for Free

I know what you’re probably thinking: how am I supposed to earn money on a product if I give it away for free? You obviously won’t earn money initially, but hosting contests and sweepstakes in which you give away a product is an excellent way to build brand recognition while spreading the word about your e-commerce site in the process. Alternatively, you can give away a product in exchange for an honest review. Just inform the recipient that he or she must disclose this mutual relationship in their review.

Start an Email Newsletter

Email marketing remains a time-tested and effective way to promote websites, get a customized SMG Newsletters services to get started today. If you have an e-commerce site that you’d like to promote, try setting up newsletters on other sites, collecting prospective customers’ email addresses. Once you’ve harvested enough, you can send these prospects promotional material, pitching your e-commerce site and its products.

To learn more about e-commerce promotion and other digital marketing strategies, contact us today.

Social Media-An Integral Component of Every Business

Some businesses still have a tendency to think of social media as a nice add-on feature.  Perhaps part of the current trends, but certainly nothing that has as much impact as time-honored methods of interaction such as phone communication or TV ads.

Harnessing the Power of Social Media: An Integral Component for Business Success

Any business that judiciously embraces the concept that social media is as much a fundamental part of their corporate presentation to potential and current clients has likely sealed continuance of their business for years to come.

It is no secret that young consumers almost always turn to technology and social media as their first, rather than last, avenue of communication.

Texting and reviewing internet sites such as Pinterest and Instagram are everyday occurrences for the technology generation.  Eventually the young will grow into the group of consumers who will have the bulk of consumer economic power.

Businesses need to fully prepare to accommodate how their clientele would like to interact with them.

Adding a chat feature to the company website and monitoring it, is as important as listing the company phone number.

Many people in the process of making a large purchasing decision go online to evaluate the opinions of others listed on customer review sites and sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Offering clientele a place to review the service or product on website and social media outlets is essentially free advertising for a company.

Having attractive visual media for interested parties to share on sites like Instagram and Pinterest offers companies another avenue of effective brand advertising.

Capitalizing on the increased channels of customer interaction that social media offers is one of the key components of ensuring continued corporate success.

For more information on how to tailor your social media outlets to effectively communicate with both current and potential customers, please contact us.

Reaching Your Audience Through Social Media

Companies today fall behind if they do not utilize social media outlets to reach their constituents. Companies should consider increasing the use of social media to better reach their online audiences.

Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Business Success

Here are a few tips for easily adding Facebook marketing to your existing marketing plans:

  • For an effective Facebook page, content needs to be regular and consistent.  We suggest creating a weekly or monthly schedule for content and informational goals.  If a company is currently sharing or engaging on social media, continue with these original postings but supplement with planned material.
  • Content should be tailored to a company’s specific mission and audience but can include general inspirational or encouraging posts to engage followers.
  • Use the scheduling feature on Facebook to streamline this process. Companies can schedule everything out in advance so it’s easy and turnkey.
  • Consider running paid ads on Facebook.  Companies can set a monthly cap and commit to small amounts such as $5 per day.  This small investment quickly turns into new “likes” every day.  Each company will see different immediate return on ads but over the long run, having more followers will spread a company’s message more effectively.

At The DBDO Group, we offer a one-stop digital experience for small, medium and large clients. Our services include website development/design, social media design/development/management, search engine optimization, paid and organic Google ads, e-commerce solutions, mobile solutions, and hosting. We would love to work with your company to optimize your Facebook and social media outlets.  Please contact us today for more information

5 Website Design Questions to Ask Yourself

Let’s admit it. Designing your company’s website, though high on your to-do list, is something you probably don’t have time to actually sit down and accomplish. You may have a general design concept, but putting those fantastic ideas into practice is another thing entirely.

The prospect of learning new concepts such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and the other technical terms involved in building a website are no doubt making you reconsider launching your own. Even with do-it-yourself website builders, the fantastic images you have in your mind for your website will always fall short of your expectations. Then again, maybe being creative just isn’t your greatest strength and you would rather have someone else design your website.

Mastering the Art of Website Design: 5 Essential Questions to Consider

In any case, it is in your company’s best interest to hire someone experienced in website design that will draw in new customers by highlighting your products and services as well as offering you new and exciting ways to bring in more revenue with your current ones. Also, when you want to fill out PDF forms quickly without Adobe Acrobat. No watermarks or registration use sodapdf and learn more.

Here are five questions to ask yourself when you are considering your website’s design:

1. What are you trying to sell to your customers? Are you showcasing a product or service? Or are you offering your clients educational insight?

2. What is your customer base? Are you trying to engage with businesses or individuals? If they are individuals, gender, age, and geographic location all play a part in determining the tone of your website.

3. Will you need E-commerce? Are you considering selling your product or service online? If you invoice clients who then mail you checks, perhaps setting up a secure online payment system would be beneficial, but if you do this make sure to protect yourself with a CAP certification for cybersecurity, protecting the information of your customers is the key. Distributed Denial of Service will become a major problem as the internet of things evolves. The new internet-connected gizmos have catastrophic security but the number of devices available is exploding.

4. Could social media enhance your business? Having a presence on sites such as Facebook and Twitter can generate more traffic for your website and thus bring in more potential customers.

5. How often would you need your website updated? Is the news for your industry fast-paced? Do you run sales or specials frequently? Are you thinking of adding a blog to your website?

Even if you don’t have the answers to all of these questions, please contact us so we can design the best website for your company.

Announcing the Launch of the New DBDO Digital Website

DBDO Digital is proud to announce the launch of our new site at dbodigital.com. This new site represents the evolution of Designs By Dave O., our long-running web and e-commerce design and customization business. We’re still offering all of the services that we previously provided, just with a new look and some new features to provide an even better experience for our customers.

Harnessing Tomorrow’s Technology: The DBDO Digital Website Launch

DBDO Digital provides a full range of services aimed at taking your idea for an online business presence from concept to reality in the fastest and most cost-effective way possible.

We offer web design, e-commerce implementation, social media marketing and help with logo design and shaping the overall image of your brand. Our web designs are also sensitive to the growing segment of users who interact with the online space through their phones and tablets, and we can implement responsive technology in the sites we build as well as help you establish a more mobile-friendly browsing experience in your existing sites.

Our new site features an online portfolio of some of our previous work as well as customer testimonials. We’re also very excited about the launch of our new blog, in which we’ll be sharing some of our favorite tips for designing your site, improving your social media channels and implementing SEO techniques for all your online content — among other awesome topics!

Feel free to contact us with any questions about the new site, or if you’re interested in our services. We’re always happy to review your situation and let you know what we can do for you.

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The 5 Most Important Pages on Your Website

Some of the pages on your website are more important than others. Okay, many of you probably find that fairly obvious — but I’m surprised how few people actually apply this knowledge to their websites to improve conversions.

I’m all about low hanging fruit; about undertaking the easiest tasks that will have the biggest results. What I’m about to describe in this article has the potential to improve your site dramatically with just a few, critical changes.

Unlocking Success: 5 Key Strategies for Important Pages on Your Website

Let’s get right into it. Every website is different, but generally speaking, here are the four most important (and most-visited) pages on a website:

  1. Home Page
  2. About Page
  3. Blog
  4. Purchase and Delivery Page
  5. Contact Us Page

In my next series of posts, I’ll explain how to optimize each one of these pages. (And if your most-visited pages are different than the ones listed above, you’ll still learn a framework for optimizing any of the important pages on your website.)

What do I mean by “optimize” a webpage?

You’ve probably heard the word “optimize” most commonly used in phrases like “search engine optimization” (SEO) and “conversion rate optimization” (CRO). I’m actually referring to something broader here, but the advice that I’m delivering will help to enhance both of those.

The optimization I’m going to explain will create user optimized pages. In the pursuit of SEO and CRO by using regular tactics like the strategy of PBN backlinks; however, when it comes to this one we have to keep in mind that it can be risky if you don’t follow a good process when creating them. It’s easy to overlook the broader, big-picture idea. First and foremost, a site must be optimized for the user. SERPninja, a backlink-provider remains unrivalled in delivering powerful high-quality backlinks, which do not degrade over time, and which optimise webpages to the optimum. And Here’s how you can do that.

How to Optimize Each Page

The broad framework for optimizing these pages the same across your home page, About page, blog, and Contact Us page. There are two simple questions to ask of every page, and the specifics of optimizing those pages will flow from the answers to those two questions. The first question is all about the user, and the second question is all about you. Here we go:

Question 1:  What is the user looking for?

Remember, we’re focusing on the user. Why are they on the page to begin with? There are a few things you need to know:

  • Where did they come from? The idea here is to understand the origins of the user, so you can deliver relevant content.
    • Did they come from a search engine? (If so, which query?)
    • An email? (What kind of email?)
    • A navigation menu? (What option on the menu?)
  • What do they need to know? A single page can deliver a limited amount of information, so you need to determine what that information is going to be. You want them to knowsomething so that they will then do something (which is addressed in the next question). Remember: Less is more. The more information you load up on your main pages, the less likely the user is to remember any of it. Give them less, and they’re more likely to remember — and do — what you want them to.

Pro Tip: Use visuals such as explainer videos, diagrams, hero shots, and so on to help compact a lot of information to a single page. To get the most out of your visuals, make sure you correctly optimize your images and videos. 

Once you answer the question of what the user’s looking for, you’re halfway there. That brings us to question two.

Question 2:  What is my goal for the user?

Now, you need to ask the user to do something. This is where most pages fall short. One of the critical components of a web page is its call-to-action (CTA), and many website owners don’t realize that every single page of a website should contain at least one CTA.

The point of a home page isn’t for the user to see and depart. The point of a product page isn’t for the user to look and leave. The point of content marketing isn’t for user intake, but rather, for user marketing. If you retain only one thing from this article, let it be that every webpage needs a CTA.

Why am I so insistent? Because every shred of knowledge demands some response: A web page imparts knowledge, and that knowledge requires a response. So, what is it that you want the user to do? This is your goal for the user, and it must be clearly and starkly defined as you face the big optimization question.

The question is then, more specifically, what do I want the user to do? Knowledge alone is not enough. What is the application point for the page? Let’s look at some examples of webpages that do it well.

Tips for Optimizing Each Page

Now that I’ve given you a framework and a couple examples, here are a few, more specific tips from the Nashville SEO company to help you on your way to optimizing each of the four most important pages.

1) Home Page

  • Use a big headline, and place the most important information front and center.
  • Provide flow. Make it obvious where the user is supposed to go and what they are supposed to do next.
  • Make your Call To Action (CTA) as big and obvious as possible. A home page may allow for several different CTAs — make it easy for the user to choose by making CTA buttons large and easy to click. Oftentimes, a user uses the home page as a way of finding where on the site she wants to go. For this reason, you should make the navigation menu very clear.

2) About Page

  • Deliver the most important and relevant information above the fold. The user is on your About page for a reason — answer their question(s) without making them scroll.
  • Include at least one CTA. Remember, most people aren’t just looking for more informatio; they’re seeking a deeper level of engagement.

3) Blog (Don’t underestimate the power of a blog)

  • Organize information on your blog clearly, and make sure that information satisfies the reasons users might be on your blog. Most users will want to read the most recent articles, so provide these. You may also want to organize categories on the blog home page, such as “most recent,” “most popular,” or other forms of categorization.
  • Include CTAs that make it easy for the user to subscribe to the blog, download a free resource, and so on. Even though the user came to get information, you want them to get engaged and connected.
  • Provide CTAs in the core design of your blog so they appear on each individual blog post. In my experience, most blog visitors land on individual blog articles through organic search, instead of landing on your blog’s “home” page. To get these users engaged, put CTAs on the sidebars, in the footer, and other places.
  • One very important use of having a blog is that you can use white label SEO services to help it climb a higher rank on the search results. This automatically helps in your website getting the right exposure. Visit https://sites.google.com/view/white-label-seo-company-review to find the right information on white label SEO.

4) Purchase and Delivery Page

  • Even when it sounds like common sense for most of us, some people don’t get it, but is Vital for you to have a friendly and easy layout where they can access and place orders for your products in an easy way, in special if your customer circle is mostly elderly based. Make sure to keep your site update, with visible options and short (but clear) instructions, also product delivery need to be done by professionals able to work in shape and time, never use the regular postal service, here you can check the best pick and pack services South Carolina based.

5) Contact Us Page

  • Put the information they’re looking for above the fold — an email address, phone number, contact form, map, mailing address, and so on. Of all four of these webpages, the Contact Us page implies the most detailed level of intent on the part of the user.
  • Use CTAs that allow the user to contact you easily (since, presumably, that’s why they came to your Contact Us page). Make the CTA really obvious, and engage them by gratifying their intent instantly, using CTA copy like ”Chat now!” “Email now!”.

In conclusion, here’s how to optimize pages like a pro: Look at your most visited pages, figure out why users are there, give them what they want, and ask them for an action in return. Regardless of your most-visited pages or even the nature of your website, you can create more engaged users.

Have questions?  Reach out…
daveo@designsbydaveo.com
516.415.0555

Why Responsive Design Is Important

Responsive Design Starts With Your Client

Have you ever looked at your website on your cellphone? You need to because that is what every potential client sees when they get on your website.

Most people use their cellphones to look up new businesses. If your website does not transition well from different devices, chances are that customer is moving on to a different business.

What Is Responsive Design?

Responsive Design is when the design and development of the website should respond to the users device like screen size and orientation. When the user switches from their iPad to iPhone, the website should automatically change to the correct resolution and image size to the current device.

“Day by day, the number of devices, platforms, and browsers that need to work with your site grows. Responsive web design represents a fundamental shift in how we’ll build websites for the decade to come.” Jeffrey Veen

Things to Consider

  1. Redesign your website. If you have not updated your website since tablets and cellphones have become popular, then yes you should update your website. Before cellphones and tablets, making a website was a little easier. You did not have to worry about creating a website that will accommodate with several different types of devices. You only had to worry about a computer display. Your website will have very low traffic if it does not work well on other devices.
  2. Consider the most important content for mobile devices. Everybody knows when designing a website simple is better. Most people do not have time to go through tons of information to get one simple answer. Just about everyone looks up what they are looking for on their smart phone. The easier it is to navigate through your website, the better. The smart phone screens are already small, so having a simple website is best for mobile viewers.

Always Keep In Mind

Start small – Make sure your website response well with mobile devices. Creating your design around a mobile view first is always best.

Check content – Simple is better. Make sure your content on your website can be see on all devices.

Customer’s point of view – Look at your website from your customer’s point of view. Is it easy or difficult is it to find basic information on your services or products?

The Best Time To Tweet

Tweeting Times Strategies for Maximum Social Media Impact

Wow, we learned so much looking at the awesome stats from those who use Buffer! Here were some of the takeaways we came up with. I’d love to hear what catches your eye, too!

  • Early mornings are the best time to tweet in order to get clicks.
  • Evenings and late at night are the best time, on average, for total engagement with your tweets
  • In some cases, the most popular times to post are opposite of the best times to post.
  • Popular times and best times to tweet differ across time zones.

The most popular time to tweet:  Noon to 1:00 p.m.

We’ve taken the data from all tweets sent through Buffer to find the most popular times for posting to Twitter. Looking at all tweets sent across all major time zones, here is an overview of the most popular times to tweet.

  • Noon to 1:00 p.m. local time, on average for each time zone, is the most popular time to tweet
  • The highest volume of tweets occurs between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., peaking between noon and 1:00 p.m.
  • The fewest tweets are sent between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m.

Happy Tweeting!

Local SEO: How Should You Approach It?

The subject of SEO is one that many of us spend tireless hours, days and even years trying to understand, which is really hard to do with Google always changing the rules without coming right out and sayin’ what they’ve changed.

When most of us think of SEO, we think of ranking a website for certain keywords in order to gain traffic to said site. However, when you throw in the idea of Local SEO, many people are thrown for a loop. Why?

Because ranking for local search takes a different approach than what you would traditionally do to rank a website. This leaves many people confused and wondering how to get their site to page one or if it’s even possible.

Just like any other SEO tactic, things are subject to change at the drop of the hat, but so far, the list below is a great place to start when trying to rank your business in the local search results.

But first, let’s talk about why Local SEO is different and if everyone should implement Local SEO tactics for their site.

Local SEO Agencies Brisbane Versus “Normal” SEO: Are They Different?

Simple answer: Yes, they’re different.

How are the different? What is one of the main things thing that makes them different? I wanted to know and so I reached out our SEO team to help me with the answer:

While they’re similar, local SEO typically has a geographical component that organic SEO doesn’t. It’s primarily focused on building signals or relevance and reliability around a brick and mortar location or series of locations.

Essentially, ranking in Google’s Local Search takes the approach of nailing down that you are, in fact, a locally based business or a Nursing Major in North Georgia.

Ranking for the Local SERPs takes a different approach than trying to rank your site or pages on just a general topic or keywords alone (i.e. Organic SEO), however, there are things that remain the same such as creating unique content or acquiring a certain amount of domain authority for your site (more on that later.) Blog writing service can provide you with the content you need to advance you brand.

In fact, there are things about Local SEO that leave the rules you often hear about for Organic Search ranking at the door and there are things you’ll have to do to rank your website locally that you would (almost) never have to do for what we call “normal” SEO.

This can make this a bit confusing, but in my experience, with a bit of time and practice, it’s actually considerably easier to rank a page of website for Google’s Local SERPs than in Organic (normal) SEO.

Should Everyone Implement Local SEO Tactics?

Again, the straightforward answer: No.

According to SEO Manchester Updates Local SEO can and should be used for businesses that serve a certain geographical location, but if it doesn’t, then trying to rank your site in Google for this purpose would be completely useless.

For example, it would make sense if a brick and mortar company tried to rank its site to show up in local searches because they are trying to kick up business from their local area since that is where they are located.

On the other hand, say you’re a blogger or marketer who writes about clocks or something off topic like that. Since you’re likely focusing on targeting a keyword and the interest of a larger target group than just a local audience, then ranking your site for your local area isn’t going to do you any good because you’re not generating income for those people.

According to experts at the top SEO agency London, Local SEO works best and is best for businesses (big and small) who are looking to get business and leads from their local area. If you serve both a local audience and a global one, then Local SEO will still have its benefits.

Update Your Website With Fresh And Engaging Content

As a part of the internet world, your website is a living being. Every addition or update you make to your website is going to immediately come alive on the internet.

The updates you make will play a critical part in the interaction with your customers, clients, visitors, and the search engine they are using.

Unlock the Potential of Engaging Content for Your Website

However, if you are operating a website that rarely sees any updates, your website may no longer be viewed as a living being because there has not been anything new or interesting added.

Search engines are havens for new and fresh content. So, if you make sure you update your website with fresh and high-quality content, the search engines will appreciate you for it.

It does not matter if you are starting your first website or if you own your business website, frequently adding content to your website is great for SEO as well as your target audience, you just need to find the best local SEO services in your area, so that they can advise you on what

the best strategies for your business are. Your target audience expects your business to remain alive and active. You can remain active by publishing content on a frequent basis. Your website can stay alive by giving your audience the latest updates and address their needs at all times.

You want your audience to stay informed and updated about your business’s latest developments. Sometimes the latest developments can just be an announcement about a service or product, or anything that may be related to your business or the industry.

When your audience is always informed about the latest products and services, you will do your part in ensuring they are always engaged.

One of the objectives at PlacementSEO Franchise Work is to engage your audience, this will strengthen brand loyalty. The strategies used can differ depending on if you want to promote the corporate brand, your franchise locations, or even franchise development, but it will all be working towards embracing customer loyalty.

Loyalty is not something you are automatically given, it is something you have to earn.  You will be able to increase your search engine ranking as the returning traffic increases because the traffic adds tremendous value to your website.

When you continuously produce fresh and engaging content, you will ensure your visitors are always informed and this will keep them coming back for more.

You will have various opportunities to convince your target audience about the advantages and benefits you can provide, and creating consistent content will prove that you are well-informed about the content you have been producing.

In addition to fresh content making visitors spend more time on your website, adding fresh and engaging content will likely turn into leads, plus they make sure to work with the best marketing agents out there.

When you publish content that is customer-centric, you will not only sell your brand, but you will also educate them. Are you ready to update your website with more content? Are you ready to engage your target audience?

Contact us today for more information.

How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy

How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy

Creating a content marketing strategy requires both research and planning. Visit Midas Letter Stock News for updates on the market. You’ll also need to dig into your goals and customers before you can map out your strategy going forward. Here’s everything you should consider when developing your plan…

Define Your Goal(s)

What do you want to get out of your content marketing? Are you looking to generate leads or email opt-ins? Or do you want to sell products directly? Needless to say, clearly understanding where you want to be is essential to actually get there.

Content marketing is a means to achieving specific business goals – don’t forget that.

Figure Out Your Target Audience Personas

Once you know your goals, you need to dig into the actual people you want to target, figure out the area of your business, if you work in Amazon get yourself an Amazon agency that can help you market yourself. Audience personas can help you do that. I’m not talking about blindly listing off demographics – audience personas dig deep into your target audience to discover:

  • The problems they’re facing
  • What they need
  • What they’re interested in
  • How they talk (and how they like to be spoken to)

Brainstorm Content That Interests Your Personas

Next, you need to come up with the actual content that will interest your personas. Here’s where I see so many websites going wrong.

Your content does not need to directly promote your product or service. Instead, your content needs to tie to your audience personas. It needs to be something that they are interested in. Once they’re on your site, you can slowly introduce them to your product or service.

For example, if you sell resort vacations, you don’t need to write blog posts like “How to choose a resort vacation provider”. Instead, you can create content like “Top 7 Most Beautiful Island Resorts”. Those who are interested in island resorts may well be interested in a vacation provider sometime down the road.

Consider the Buyer’s Journey

If you’re developing a content marketing strategy for a business by using the Best Solo Ads, your target readers are probably going through a predictable voyage called the buyer’s journey. To better sell your product, you’ll want to consider the different stages buyers go through:

  • Awareness – your potential buyer recognizes they have a problem that needs to be solved…they just don’t know the solution yet.
  • Consideration – your potential buyer researches all of the possible solutions to their problem.
  • Decision – your potential buyer hopefully becomes your actual buyer when they make their decision.

Try to create content that hits buyers at all stages. That way, you’ll be able to move them through from consideration to decision.

Create Your Editorial Calendar

Once you’ve brainstormed content that reaches your target audience personas and adheres to the buyer’s journey, you need to create an actual roadmap for how you’ll distribute your content.

Your editorial calendar takes the guesswork out of publishing. Instead of wondering, “which blog post should I write this week?” you’ll have everything mapped out in advance.

At the end of this post, I’ll discuss some handy WordPress tools which can help you integrate your editorial calendar with WordPress.

Nail Down Your Promotion Strategy

Here’s the dirty little secret of content marketing:

Content’s success is only as good as its promotion.You might have the best content out there, but if you’re not getting eyeballs on it, not many people will notice, this why it is recommend that people look for a professional from Bronx SEO Clicks to make sure all marketing strategies are being used correctly, you need lots of strategy and help from even a digital agency to have a professional with you.

To avoid that issue, you need to develop a solid content promotion strategy that you can apply to every post. In fact I used Legiit to find the best SEO Gigs on any marketplace design for the content. Document this strategy in detail so that you can be consistent.

For example, if you’re promoting a standard blog post, you can follow a strategy like:

  • Share on social media accounts on the day of publishing
  • Email people who were mentioned in the post
  • Send a newsletter blast
  • Share again on social media accounts two weeks after publishing
  • Etc.

What Is a Brand Refresh? When Is it Time?

Over time, every market and industry will evolve and change. In order to maintain success, it is important for your brand to keep up with and accommodate to these developments. If your business has used the same branding for years, you will likely profit enormously from a brand refresh. While it may seem like a daunting task, the process will improve and build brand awareness and provide you with a competitive edge. Moreover, it focuses the mind and addresses branding elements that may have been overlooked for years.

Benefits of a Brand Refresh Strategy

Would that be of benefit to your company? For starters, an SEO company can not just help you market your business, but it can also help it grow drastically. Companies like On the map whom I have used for years and who you can find out about using have personally helped me grow my business in terms of internal sales and have also helped me open more branches due to their over the top marketing strategies.

The basic rules and governing principles of branding are swiftly changing and growing. Millennials, influencer marketing, social media, and thought-leadership are just a few of the numerous new elements that are forcing companies to approach branding differently. It has become very difficult to build and maintain customer trust and brand loyalty, and positive customer relationships are challenging.

Companies are vigorously competing for your customer’s attention. In order to understand this, all you need to do is look at your smartphone, laptop, or tablet. There is a constant barrage of extremely focused and targeted advertising based on a person’s demographics, interests, and internet usage.

Branding, refreshing, and rebranding are essential and powerful functions that can create success or failure. While at first look each seems similar, there are significant differences. While they originate from the same discipline, the difference between a rebrand and a refresh can be described similarly to demolishing and rebuilding a building versus a simple remodeling project.

Does that make sense? It comes down to understanding your needs and accurately diagnosing issues. Do you need to start over from scratch or just modernize and revamp your existing identity?

In a brand refresh, your company’s mission and philosophy are essentially right. The issue is your customers have just not perceived it in the completely right way or have stopped noticing you. The need is to find a way to better articulate your message with an updated and revamped strategy. Therefore, a brand refresh is best for companies and organizations is widely recognized, but needs improvement without losing their strong identity.

What haven’t we covered yet that is important to you? If you would like to talk about a brand refresh or other related topics, please contact us.

3 Easy Search Engine Optimization Tips for WordPress Sites

Getting higher search engine optimization rankings is crucial if you have a small paid marketing budget. Even if you do have money to spend on paid ads, getting large amounts of high-converting free traffic will greatly boost your ROI. Here are three helpful tips for boosting your SEO rankings when using WordPress.

3 Easy Search Engine Optimization Tips for WordPress Sites

01. Optimize Your Media

First of all, you don’t want to slow down your site with large image and video files. You can compress the file sizes of your images automatically when you upload them by using a plugin such as WP Smush Pro. In addition, never upload and host videos on your own servers; simply upload them to Youtube and embed them by using the code Youtube gives you. Check this page from White Label Reviews.

Next, you want to optimize your images for SEO. To do that, use your target keywords in the “alternative text” area. In addition, rename the image files before you upload them and include the keywords you are targeting, any Automated SEO Service will recommend you to highly use this method, since it will bring big advantages to your brand.

02. Optimize Your Post Formatting

Formatting also plays a role in SEO. Your posts’ titles should be H1 tags; subheadings should be H2 or H3 tags. You should use your target keyword in the title and related keywords in the subheadings. Always break down large blocks of texts into smaller paragraphs, and use images to make your post easier to scan and read.

03. Optimize Your URL Formatting

You also want to make sure that you are optimizing your URL structure for SEO purposes – it is one of the most important search engine optimization tactics – Web 2.0 Ranker. First of all, don’t use URLs that are too long. WordPress allows you to rename your web pages’ URLs; use something that contains your target keyword but is not more than a few words long. In addition, you can help Google figure out what your pages are about by creating pages under parent categories (like this: yoursite.com/page/sub-page-1 and yoursite.com/page/sub-page-2).

For more WordPress and SEO help, contact us.